Contact Points
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015
Market research has shown the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, is the only location along the North Atlantic Ocean where the squid, fishing vessels, and storage facilities are available and co-located with the required research facilities and equipment. Changing the location or vendor would jeopardize ongoing NINDS research efforts. Accordingly, MBL is the only vendor able to provide the required facilities, equipment, technical support services, and supplies.
NINDS squid programs have made many fundamental discoveries about electrical signals used in the nervous system as squids have a giant nerve cell, almost a thousand times larger than humans', which allows electrodes to take measurements. Biochemical measurements can also be taken by using squid axons to locate the protein kinesin, which distributes nutrients throughout the nerve cell.
To conduct this research, laboratory and office space and supplies are required in a facility where a Doryteuthis pealeii squid can be collected, delivered, and stored until tested. Doryteuthis pealeii squid cannot be cultured or fed and must be collected and tested fresh within a few days; therefore, the facility must be located along the Atlantic coast, where squid are available for almost six (6) months each year. Atlantic squid are more beneficial for nerve research than the Pacific squid, because their giant axons are more prominent. Additionally, they maintain giant axons throughout the summer as opposed to a few weeks for the Pacific squid.
In performance of this requirement, the Contractor must satisfy the following:
- The contractor facility shall be located along and readily accessible to the Atlantic Coastline and squid.
- The contractor facility must contain at least two (2) laboratory rooms equipped for investigations using the squid giant axon and optic lobes. Rooms will be air-conditioned and equipped with all normal laboratory services but will have at least two tables with holes to sit and work at a computer. At a minimum, one (1) room adjacent to each laboratory room shall be provided to house general-use lab equipment such as centrifuges, balances, fume hoods, freezers, cold rooms.
- The contractor shall deliver the requested number of live squid to each laboratory twice a week Mon-Sat and must be available for weekly collections throughout the Atlantic squid season.
- The contractor shall provide glass/plastic ware, chemicals, small instruments required for squid work, and commonly used items such as office supplies and electronic connectors.
- The contractor shall provide support services for ordering, delivering, and shipping various lab supplies (e.g., specialized chemicals) and laboratory equipment.
- The contractor shall provide technical support services for computing technology, such as bringing new scientific equipment and software programs online, as well as providing server and network support and maintaining laboratory Wi-Fi connections in all NINDS laboratory rooms and office spaces.
- The contractor shall use seawater tanks and running seawater, fume hoods, cold rooms, and radioactivity rooms to conduct experiments using low-energy radioisotopes, freezers, and other specialized equipment required for squid research.
- The contractor shall provide preparative microscopy technique services and access to a microscope facility with a Carl Zeiss Microscopy S.E.M. Supra 40 V.P. microscope, or equivalent.
- Through use of contract funds, Contractor shall enable on-site NINDS researchers and laboratory staff to purchase lab supplies, squid, shipping, and equipment rental.
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.