NOI to Sole Source.docx

The purpose of this acquisition is to acquire maintenance support services for the Philips MRI Scanner. The Surgery Operating MRI Section relies on the Philips MRI scanner for CC patient imaging during surgery to provide comprehensive imaging services to the Clinical Center (CC) and NIH Institutes. The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Philips, designated the system’s End of Service Life (EOSL) as December 31, 2025, and has confirmed that it can no longer provide formal maintenance support, nor time-and-materials service. As a result, OEM support is no longer available. Due to safety and The Joint Commission requirement, the scanner cannot be clinically used without at least preventive maintenance according to the manufacturer’s defined schedule.

POTS: 26-003563

Description:

This is a notice of intent, not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued and quotations will not be requested.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract for a third-party maintenance contract starting immediately for the Philips MRI scanner (FL# 105291) in the MRI Section of Operating Room within the NIH Clinical Center (building 10, room 2C609).

The vendor shall provide a maintenance contract with requirements as follows:

1) Provision and performance of OEM-defined preventive maintenance (PM) schedule in full accordance with OEM specifications, including written documentation of all completed PM activities.

2) Inclusion of all parts and labor services necessary to maintain the system in full operational condition, including, but not limited to, cryogens, coils, and associated components.

3) Remote technical support response within four (4) hours of service request notification, and on-site response within twenty-four (24) hours during coverage hours (Monday – Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, excluding federal holidays).

4) An uptime guarantee of not less than ninety percent (90%) during coverage hours, excluding scheduled PM and downtime caused by user error or force majeure events.

5) Vendor shall not propose nor implement any downgrade or regression to the system software or hardware configuration, except for any official requirement by the OEM.

The proposed vendor, Imaging Service Solutions LLC, is the only source able to support the system as currently configured (without requiring software regression), provide coverage for coils and supporting electronics, and deliver service responsiveness consistent with the clinical demands of an actively used MRI in an OR setting.

This acquisition is being conducted using policies unique to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures, Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstance of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available. Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6-Competition Requirements.

Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this posting. The determination by the Government not to compete the proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Comments to this announcement, referencing this posting number, may be submitted to the NIH, Clinical Center, Office of Purchasing and Contracts, prior to the closing date specified in this announcement, to the attention of Huda Malik, Contract Specialist via email to huda.malik@nih.gov by March 19, 2026 at 12pm EST.