POTS22-006173

Submitted by fratecm on
Post Date/ Solicitation Issue Date
Closing Response Date
Proposed Award Date
Project Title
NAN tower bases and adapters
Contracting Office
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Contact Points

Primary Contract Specialist

Tam
Ngo
ngot@nih.gov
Small Business Size Standard
Small Business
Delivery of Goods
90 days after contract award
Set-Aside Status
Full Set Aside
Set-Aside Type
Small Business (SB)
Competition Status
Brand Name Only
Vendor Name
NAN Instruments
Address
9 Hayetzira st. P.O. Box 21011
Nazareth Illit, 1784014, Israel.
Tel:972-4-6018999, Fax: 972-4-6015999
Single-Sole Source Determination
The essential characteristics of the towers and motors that limit the availability to a sole source are 1) NAN Instruments is the only commercial entity that can supply replacement parts for the NAN electrode positioner system. 2) The NAN Instruments system is proprietary. 3) any change in a different positioner system would introduce an unacceptable interruption in the research program because it would require re-tooling the highly integrated experimental appartus. Only the suggested source can furnish the requirements, to the exclusion of other sources, because they are the only source for these replacement parts.

The parts are proprietary to NAN Instruments. There are no substitutes that can serve the same role.

This acquisition is restricted to NAN Instruments Ltd., 9 Hayetzira St. Industrial park, Nazareth Illit, 17840, Israel
Background/Description of Requirement

The Laboratory of Neuropsychology investigates higher brain functions such as learning, memory and reward related decision making. Electodes are used to for recording brain activity associated with motivated behaviors and to study pathways involved in decision making. Electrodes are lowered into the brain each day under the control of a highly precise positioning systems. This purchase is to acquire additional parts (“bases” and “adapters”) for our electrode positioning systems. The bases are plates where electrodes and positioners are mounted. Electrodes can be mounted in many different configurations, depending on the location of the target area and the head shape. Because we records from multiple subjects at the same time, we need multiple bases to keep the same configuration for each subject. The adapters are necessary to place the bases on recording chambers of different sizes and shapes.

 

Our electrode positioning system is designed to use specific towers (electrode mounts and drive motors). These towers are proprietary to NAN Instruments, Ltd. NAN Instruments is the only supplier of these parts.

 

Replacing the system with a system by another vendor is not possible at this time. It would require re-tooling of the many complicated components that must work in concert for the necessary recordings. Re-tooling would lead to a major disruption of the research. Further, purchasing an entire replacement electrode positioning system would not be cost-effective. Any such system would be far more expensive than the current purchase request.

 

This order is not a continuation or renewal of a previous purchase order.

 

Description:

    • Electrode positioner tested in nonhuman primates
    • XY positioning for each electrode individually
    • Easy replacement of electrodes, less than one minute per tower
    • Suitable for cortical and deep brain recordings
    • Stable recording site for hours
    • Light weight to be placed on the head
    • 100% compatible with NAN Instrument platform

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.