22-006379

Submitted by fratecm on
Post Date/ Solicitation Issue Date
Closing Response Date
Proposed Award Date
Project Title
64-ch LED driver system
Contracting Office
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Contact Points

Primary Contract Specialist

Cheryl
Leone
cleone@mail.nih.gov

Secondary Contracting Officer

Dionne
Draper
dionne.draper@nih.gov
NAICS Code Number
334510
Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing
Small Business Size Standard
1250
FPDS Classification Code
6640
Estimated Period of Performance
n/a
Delivery of Goods
120 Days ARO
Competition Status
Brand Name Only
Vendor Name
Blackrock Microsystems
Address
630 Komas Drive
Suite 200
Salt Lake City, UT 84108-2229
Single-Sole Source Determination
The essential characteristics of the LEDs and driver circuitry for optogenetic stimulation in nonhuman primates that limit the availability to a sole source are 1) Blackrock Microsystems is the only commercial entity that has a system for direct optogenetic stimulation of of the brain through 24 LEDs that has been tested successfully in non-human primates, 2) the electronic circuit that operates with these LEDs is proprietary, and thus cannot be reproduced without permission from Blackrock. Only the suggested source can furnish the requirements, to the exclusion of other sources, because they are currently the only company on the market with a system developed specifically for nonhuman primates.

This vendor’s product is the only commercial product tested in nonhuman primates. If a competing product is brought to market, it would have to be tested in nonhuman primates before consideration. Through market research, we have found that no competing product or vendor exists.

Given the proprietary nature of the Blackrock product, no new LED driver would be compatible with the arrays. It is critical to use the same components in each experiment. The LED arrays are implanted in each subject. Once implanted, the matching system must be used. Standardizing on one vendor’s system is essential in case a system fails. Each new system provides a backup for the others. No other vendor’s offering can provide this resource.

In addition, we developed NIMH MonkeyLogic (https://monkeylogic.nimh.nih.gov), our behavioral control software, to be compatible with the LED driver. It could be done in long cooperation with the vendor who provided the information of their circuitry design and our software developer, Dr. Jaewon Hwang, who is in charge of the NIMH MonkeyLogic project. Developing a new software tool to control another LED system will only delay ongoing projects and make our previous investment for the current, verified system wasted.
Background/Description of Requirement
    1. Description of the Item or Service.

The Laboratory of Neuropsychology investigates fundamental brain functions such as reward-motivated behaviors. We seek to understanding the circuitry responsible for computing reward value and making decisions. By expanding and refining genetic techniques first used in rodents, our group has developed new tools for nonhuman primates. This purchase will allow us to apply these optogenetic tools. Understanding fundamental processes is an important part of the mission of the NIMH. This novel work requires a specialized optical stimulation system to activate transfected neurons in the nonhuman primate brain. The goal is to procure an driver circuitry used to activate implatable LEDs.

 

Testing and validation of the LED  array technology in nonhuman primates has occurred via previous purchases from Blackrock Microsystems (purchase orders: 75N95B19P00021, HHSN278201800086P, HHSN271201700420P, 75N95019P00447, 75N95020P00231, 75N95021P00451). This new order is not a continuation or renewal of a previous purchase order. It is to purchase a secondary system for the PI who started using this advanced technology.

 

Salient characteristics:

  1. 64-channel microprocessor-contolled driver for LED array with thermal protection. Software compatible
  2. Tested and validated in nonhuman primates
  3. Compatible with NIMH MonkeyLogic behavioral software

Interested parties may identify in writing their interest and capability in response to this requirement. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All responses must be received by closing date and must reference the announcement. Responses may be submitted electronically to the attention of the contract specialist. Fax responses will not be accepted.

All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency.