Narun SSJ Stringaris 2021 posting on 2-19-21.pdf

Revised10/31/2016

FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”

1. Identification of the Agency and Contracting Activity.

a. Federal Agency and Contracting Activity.

Department of Health and Human Services National Institute of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse

b. Sponsoring Organization.

Department of Health and Human Services National Institute of Health National Institute of Mental Health Emotion and Development Branch Mood Brain and Development Unit

c. Project Officer Information.

• Project Officer Name:

• Mailing Address:

• E-mail Address:

• Telephone Number:

2. Project Description.

a. Name of Item or Project Title: Collaborative Research on Mood Disorders and Reward-Processing

b. Description of the Item or Service.

Mood Brain and Development Unit (MBDU) is a laboratory designed to conduct brain imaging studies in children. Such research requires diverse expertise in computational modeling and cognitive neuroscience across various modalities, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG). MBDU requires collaborative efforts to enhance the impact of research performed on site at the NIMH. Both MBDU and Dr.

Pornpattananangkul are interested in the neural-computational mechanisms, such as reward processing, that may help explain symptoms in mood disorders, such as anhedonia and low-mood. MBDU requires a leading authority who can capture different aspects of reward processing in mood disorders with computational models at different modalities (fMRI, MEG, EEG). MBDU requires that the consultant has developed well-validated procedures for evaluating reward-processing in children that are highly

SOLE-SINGLE SOURCE (including Brand-Name) JUSTIFICATION congruent with the research question and data acquired by Dr. Stringaris. These are questions that examine relationships between reward-processing and mood disorders.

The overall goal of collaboration with the contractor is to delineate aspects of brain function that relate to both normal and pathological processing during decision-making of reward-related stimuli. MBDU and the contractor have used similar protocols in research in both brain imaging and behavioral studies. MBDU seeks a consultant to provide the following: (a) the continued development of decision-making tasks that allow us to study reward-processing during fMRI and M/EEG in children with vs. without mood disorders and (b) an implementation of computational modeling to capture different aspects of reward-processing. The contractor has a leading role in all these projects including overseeing the technical work of research fellows, data analysis, and writing of scientific reports. The purpose of this acquisition is to acquire a contractor to oversee the dissemination of these methods to other collaborating laboratories.

c. Period of Performance or Required Delivery Date.

The period of performance is a base year from the date of award and one 12-month option year.

d. Total Estimated Dollar Value- The estimated cost of the required service is a total of $40,050 with $20,025 for the base year and $20,025 for option year one and shall be paid monthly.

3. Market Research (see FAR Part 1 0).

Market research was conducted and the results of the market research are detailed in the attached market research document.

4. Acquisition Type.

This acquisition exceeds $3,500 and not expected to exceed $150,000, and conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures.

5. Acquisition Authority. This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal

Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 13.106-1 (b) Soliciting from a single source. (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, or industrial mobilization).

6. Justification Rationale.

Only one source is available:

I hereby determine that the collaboration of studying the clinically significant alterations in brain function in specific mood disorders herein is available from only one source, and competition is precluded for the reasons indicated below. There are no substitutes available.

This acquisition is restricted to Narun Pornpattananangkul. Email:

The estimated cost of the required service is a total of $40,050 with $20,025 for the base year and $20,025 for option year one.

Brand-name or Items peculiar to one manufacturer:

In the past, work with Dr. Narun Pornpattananangkul has facilitated the impact of research at MBDU by creating pipelines for analyzing large amount of neuroimaging data and by incorporating computational models into the analyses at different modalities (fMRI, MEG and EEG). Moreover, his extensive experience of examining relationships between reward-processing and mood disorders in a neuroscientific research setting, exclusively qualifies him for this work. Additionally, this is a follow-on acquisition to Purchase Orders 75N95019P00381 and 75N95020P00059 with Dr. Narun Pornpattananangkul. The required work will allow continuity with the current collaboration between NIMH and Dr. Pornpattananangkul for our brain imaging and behavioral studies.

7. Any other facts supporting the justification.

None.

8. Project Officer Certification. The undersigned program official(s) certifies that the information in support of this justification for the proposed acquisition has been reviewed, is completed and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and recommends approval.

Project Officer Date