Notice of Intent to Sole Source

The Naval Medical Logistics Command (NMLC) intends to award a sole source contract under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 (One source) to Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) for research and development support services in support of a study to investigate the effects of elevated work of breathing combined with intermittent periods of reduced oxygen on pilot physiology and performance. The Government's requirement is for collaboration with a broader research team to assist with data collection for an effort investigating the effects of breathing resistance and intermittent hypoxia on human physiology and cognition. The contractor will help with site preparation, subject recruiting, data collection, data management, data analysis, and preparation of reports/manuscripts. This will be a combined research effort between Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton (NAMRU-D) and the contract awardee.

To facilitate the accomplishment of these tasks, the supporting entity must:

1. Be located within 50 miles of a T-45 or similar fixed-wing training squadron to facilitate access for subjects

2. Have access to a population of student, instructor, or other active duty fixed-wing pilots

3. Have staff with a background in human subjects research

4. Have staff with relevant expertise studying hypoxia, cognitive performance, and/or respiratory physiology

5. Have staff with expertise in data analysis and reporting

6. Have staff with knowledge of institutional review board (IRB) regulations and requirements, including use and storage of data

7. Have a Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device (ROBD) or other normobaric capability that can simultaneously alter work of breathing and inspired oxygen content

The Florida IHMC is the only entity that has the necessary combination of facilities, equipment, expertise, and access to the required subject pool to facilitate rapid completion of the present project. They have access to facilities aboard a Naval Air Station for easy access to participants, a current supply of Reduced Oxygen Breathing Devices able to produce the desired exposures, years of experience performing similar research for the DoD, and are located near a T-45 training squadron for easy access to a relevant subject pool.

If capable sources are not identified through this notice, NMLC intends to award a sole source contract under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 to Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Pensacola, FL for the performance of the described requirement.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation document exists for the requirement.  Sources interested in responding to this notice are required to submit a capability statement that includes management and technical data and cost information, in sufficient detail and with convincing evidence that clearly demonstrates the capability to perform the required work.  Capability statements shall not exceed one (1) page (8.5 x 11 inch) using a font size no smaller than 10-point.  All capability statements received by the due date of this notice will be considered by the Government.  A request for documentation or additional information will not be considered as an affirmative response.  A determination by the Government not to compete based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  Information received will be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement or to proceed with a sole source contract.

Capability statements are due by 12:00 pm Eastern Time, 28 April 2020. Capability statements shall be submitted by e-mail ONLY as a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF attachment to the following address: [email protected].