Purchase_Description.pdf

Version 11-30-2016-1 FAR Part 11—Describing Agency Needs

PURCHASE DESCRIPTION

1. Statement of Need and Purpose:

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is establishing a new laboratory that will use cutting-edge physiological, imaging, and behavioral methods to investigate the relationship between human neurological disorders and brain function at the molecular, synaptic, cellular, and circuit levels. The new laboratory requires two systems for multielectrode extracellular electrophysiological recordings (96+ channels) from freely-moving and/or head-fixed mice.

2. Background Information and Objective:

The NINDS will soon establish the Laboratory of Circuits, Synapses, and Molecular

Signaling (LCSMS), which will be led by the new Scientific Director. The LCSMS will study fundamental issues of synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, neuromodulation, and neural circuit activity using animal models (principally, the mouse). These issues will be related to human neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders, and will be explored in brain areas including (but not limited to) the amygdala, basal forebrain cholinergic areas, the ventral hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex.

One major line of research will employ extracellular electrophysiological recordings (local field potentials, multiunit activity, and single spikes) from freely-moving or head-fixed mice.

In some experiments, recordings will be made from unrestrained mice as they are trained or tested in standard mouse enclosures and mazes (e.g., fear conditioning box, T-maze, zero maze, open field maze) used to investigate fear, anxiety, perseveration, and other behavioral states and responses. In other experiments, recordings will be made from head-fixed mice as they navigate virtual reality environments (e.g., the Virtual Reality JetBall-

Dome system from Phenosys). In both cases, a high channel count (96+) is desired. Also important is that the systems be flexible enough that optogenetic stimulation may be added if required by the future needs of the LCSMS. The systems must be complete, incorporating not only all components (hardware and software) for data acquisition but also those for data analysis (e.g., spike sorting).

3. Generic Name of Product:

Extracellular electrophysiological recording systems

4. Salient characteristics

The NINDS LCSMS requires two complete, state-of-the-art extracellular electrophysiological recording systems, including both acquisition and analysis components. One system (96 channels) will be used with freely-moving mice and requires a motorized commutator. The other system (128 channels) will be used with head-fixed mice and does not require a commutator. Both systems must be capable of recording local field potentials, multiunit activity, and/or single units from standard electrodes typically used with mice (e.g., tetrodes with 1 MΩ impedance measured at 1 kHz). It must be possible to add optogenetic stimulation to both systems at a future date.

System 1

• Data acquisition system must be able to record at least 96 channels at high sampling rate (≥ 30 kHz) with 16-bit precision (15 ENOB).

• System should be rack-mountable (standard 19” relay rack) and include analog inputs, digital inputs, and analog outputs to integrate the system with other experimental apparatuses.

• Digital headstage(s) must be included that are compact, lightweight (~1 g), and able through multiplexing to transfer data from all 96 channels at 30 kHz.

Headstage(s) should include 3D motion sensing.

• Acquisition system, including headstages, must be able to support a wide range of recording types (local field potentials, multiunit activity, single units) and electrodes (impedances: 0.1 – 3 MΩ).

• Headstage amplifier should have built-in impedance measurement capability.

• All computers, cables, and other electronics and hardware components must be included. The computer must be high-end: Intel i7 processor or equivalent, solid-state drive 250 GB or more, graphics card GeForce GTX 750 or better.

• The mice will be freely moving, necessitating both a flexible tether and a motorized commutator suitable for use with mice.

• It should be possible easily to expand the system in the future to include simultaneous optogenetic stimulation.

• A complete software package for acquisition and analysis must be provided. The software must include intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs).

• It must be possible to integrate the data acquisition system with other experimental components through analog and/or digital inputs.

• Automated and manual spike sorting using multiple tetrodes and multiple algorithms (e.g., principal components analysis) must be included in the software.

• Software must include adaptive synchronous noise cancellation (line and/or external signals).

• It must be possible through software to choose an electrode to serve as a reference for other electrodes.

• Software should include a 2-channel digital oscilloscope and the capability to monitor signal-to-noise.

• It should be possible easily to export the data for analysis by other software, including open-source software like WaveClust and MClust.

• An interface and software development kit for online and/or offline analysis using a commonly-used language like Matlab or Python should be provided.

• The software must include digital filters.

• The software must include an experimental playback tool for offline visualization, spike sorting, and analysis.

System 2

The other system will be used with head-fixed mice navigating a virtual reality environment.

It must meet all of the specifications of System 1, but with the following modifications:

• The data acquisition should be capable of recording simultaneously from 128 channels rather than 96.

• No commutator is required because the animals will be head fixed.

• The digital headstages may be heavier (up to 6 g) and less compact than those for

System 1, as the animal will not be freely moving or bearing the entire weight. Nor is

3D motion sensing required.

5. Quantity: 2 systems

6. Anticipated Delivery Date:

The contractor shall deliver and install the equipment within 45 days after receipt of order.

Delivery must be FOB destination and include inside delivery. On-site training must take place within two (2) weeks of equipment installation. The equipment shall be delivered and installed between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00 pm, Bethesda, MD local prevailing time.

The contractor shall provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified service technician to perform setup, installation, and an on-site 1-day training session for 10 staff members.

7. Warranty/Service:

Contractor shall warrant that the Equipment will be free from material defects for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of acceptance. All service performed on this equipment shall be provided by certified and factory trained technicians. Technicians shall have the ability to diagnose the systems on site via remote access. Contractor shall provide any required replacement components due to malfunctions on-site.

8. Delivery Requirements:

The Contractor shall deliver and install the required equipment in coordination with

Government officials. Delivery must be FOB Destination and must include inside installation.

The equipment shall be delivered and installed between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm, Bethesda, MD local prevailing time, Monday through Friday.

This system will be delivered to newly renovated space in building 35A. Coordination of delivery will be performed with the Government at the time the equipment is ready to be shipped.