D_25-000389_Sources Sought.pdf

SAM.gov

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Title: Neuropixels Electrodes Study

NAICS CODE: 541713 – Research and Development in Nanotechnology

Classification Code: R499 – Support – Professional: Other

Size Standard: $30M

Description.

This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; (3) their size classification relative to the North

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition; and (4) availability of domestic sources manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities and of a satisfactory quality.

For equipment/supply requirements, responses must include the place of manufacturing (i.e., address if supply/equipment is a domestic end product and include country of manufacture). For equipment/supply requirements, small businesses must also address the size status of the manufacturer under the applicable

NAICS code (i.e., address Non-Manufacturer Rule).

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

Background.

The exploration of brain regions known to contribute to reward-related behaviors requires electrodes designed to explore the exact regions under study. Disentangling the contributions of multiple regions requires the ability to recording the electrical activity of many neurons simultaneously. Simultaneous recording is especially important for reward-related circuitry, where computational models are used to guide the research. The specified purchase is for a electrodes able to reach deep structures in nonhuman primate, like the amygdala and ventral striatum. This new generation of electrodes can record from hundreds of neurons simultaneously. The specified electrodes are required for both ongoing experiments and upcoming ones. Understanding the circuitry behind reward-related behavior is an essential component of the NIMH mission to understand and develop treatments for behavioral disorders.

Purpose and Objectives.

The Laboratory of Neuropsychology investigates higher brain functions such as learning, memory, and reward-related decision making. These studies require electrodes to explore deep structures in the nonhuman primate brain to evaluate the relationship between these structures and primate behavior.

Salient characteristics include the following.

• Active electrodes for deep (45 mm) recordings in nonhuman primates

• 2000 to 4000 contacts for recording

• Over 380 channels recorded at a time

• Sufficiently robust to tolerate multiple penetrations into the brain

• Validated in nonhuman primates

Anticipated period of performance.

12 months

Government Responsibilities.

The government’s responsibilities involve providing feedback to the contractor if a problem arises.

Data Rights.

The Government shall have unlimited rights to, and ownership of all deliverables provided under this contract, including reports, recommendations, briefings, work plans and other deliverables. (FAR Clause

52.227-17 Rights in Data- Special Works).

Delivery or Deliverables.

N/A

Capability statement /information sought.

Companies that believe they possess the capabilities to provide the required products should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contracting Officer.

The capability statement must specifically address each of the project requirements separately.

Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the requirements outlined, 3) any contractor GSA Schedule contracts and/or other government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) by which all of the requirements may be met, if applicable, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Capability statements must also include the Company Name, Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, Physical Address, and

Point of Contact Information. The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

Interested companies are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry

Classification System (NAICS) Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business

Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number.

Please note that NIMH is particularly interested in small business sources. If you are a small business, please state the type of small business (small business; HUBZone; service-disabled, veteran-owned; 8(a);

veteran-owned; woman-owned; or small disadvantaged businesses) and your size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible.

In case domestic sources are available and capable of fulfilling the Government’s need, and a future solicitation is published, the Government will use evaluation preferences in accordance with FAR 25.

One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2” x 11” paper size, with 1” top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing.

The information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirements and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response is limited to ten (10) pages. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested.

The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist.

Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

The response must be submitted to Joe Kennedy at e-mail address joseph.kennedy@nih.gov.

The response must be received on or before December 4, 2024, 9:00am Eastern Time.

Disclaimer and Important Notes

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in www.sam.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The

Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

mailto:joseph.kennedy@nih.gov http://www.sam.gov/