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The NIMH SBN is a critical addition to the NIH/NIMH research community designed to allow researchers with an interest in expanding their behavioral research to do so with the assistance of experts in the field who will be under the direction of Dr. Chudasama as part of her staff.
The addition of these two new chamber will allow for the direct scientific support for the research conducted in a new SBN (RBC) and update the already heavily used existing chambers (see HHSN271201400087C and HHSN271201600803P). Furthermore, these newer input/output (I/O) components control and store data locally for each touchscreen chamber, which reduces the impact of hardware/software failures and protects critical data from being lost during a malfunction or user error. Additionally, these operant/testing chambers do not require specialized computers or computer components and will dramatically reduce the future cost of these items for the SBN. These acquisitions will connect with existing equipment already housed within the space of the SBN facility and ensure that this important resource remains operational, reliable, and accessible to the NIH institute/center (IC) communities. The research that will ensue, presented in the form of written scientific articles, reports and oral presentations, will inform the public of scientific progress in our understanding of pathological and abnormal states of brain and behavior. As such, this acquisition will help increase NIMH productivity towards meeting its Mission goals while ensuring the continuity of research.
The acquisition is for two (2) new Lafayette rat operant chambers. It is designed by the US based company Lafayette Instruments, and they are the sole supplier of this equipment. Lafayette Instruments is a SAM registered Company with UEI MVBQJL4JQ6G1 and is a small business women owned with SBA identifier PO279808. The chambers and accessories will match existing chambers. Crucially, this combination of hardware and software is compatible with both existing operant conditioning chamber hardware and software.
Over the years, Lafayette and SBN staff have written custom programs and has created a suite of programs used regularly in the SBN that could previously be used only with the Whisker software but that are also, uniquely, compatible with the upgraded and updated I/O system needed to ensure continued, reliable operations of these devices. Consequently, Lafayette Instruments is the distributor of these programs, and the licensed manufacturers, sellers and distributors of the whole product.
This acquisition, with its dedicated software and hardware compatible with current systems and programs cannot be purchased anywhere else in North America. This equipment will be used to expand and be used with previous award HHSN271201400087C and HHSN271201600803P for Dr. Yogita Chudasama in the SBN. These previous award consisted of Instrumentation from Lafayette Instruments that was a sole source award. The requested acquisition must be compatible with preexisting instrumentation, software and operating systems already in place for the insurance of the continuity of scientific research and the seamless comparison of data and results. The consistent use of the touchscreen programs cross-compatible with Whisker and ABET Cognition across these behavioral test systems is essential to the NIMH mission. It will allow for users of the SBN to be trained on only one operating system that has the unique flexibility to be programmable for future changes in behavioral testing. This will reduce training time and enhance the productivity of the researchers using the SBN to meet research goals.
The SBN is a a primary lab of the NIMH led by Dr. Chudasama. It is currently unable to meet the demands of use on its infrastructural animal testing chambers from Awards HHSN271201400087C for computer specifically designed for SBN HHSN271201600803P for the chambers.
The SBN needs to two additional rat behavioral chambers and that allow for computers to control and receive data from 8 touchscreen-based operant conditioning chambers for rats. The requested acquisition must be compatible with pre-existing instrumentation, software and operating systems already in place for the insurance of the continuity of scientific research and the seamless comparison of data and results. Additionally, these testing chambers can be operated and are compatible with computers obtained with award HHSN316201500031W.
Trade name: Rat behavioral testing chambers
Manufacturer’s name: Lafayette Instrument Company, LLC
Model: 16U RAT MODULAR CHAMBER WITH TOUCH SCREEN
Catalog: 80016TS
Technical requirements:
- Touchscreens must be able to be controlled via ABET II software to match existing equipment and existing control programs in the RBC. They must connect to other components via USB and HDMI connections.
- Touchscreens must be compatible with chambers acquired with awards HHSN271201400087C and HHSN271201600803P. They must also be of the physical dimensions to properly fit within said chambers.
- To ensure data fidelity, each touchscreen chamber should be controlled locally and save data locally to a separate on-board microcomputer. That microcomputer must connect via ethernet network connections such that many (>12) microcomputers can connect to a single PC via a network switch.
- Must be compatable with computers from award HHSN316201500031W.
- Must be compatable with existing SBN rodent chambers as supplied by Lafayette and currently in use within the SBN
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.