Notice of Intent to Sole Source.pdf

Notice of Intent to Sole Source Image Duplication and Manipulation Detection Software Subscription

Notice Type: Special Notice / Notice of Intent to Sole Source Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Contracting Office: NIH, Division of Simplified Acquisition Policy & Services, OALM Intended Awardee: ImageTwin AI GmbH Address: Taubstummengasse 11, 1040 Wien, Austria Estimated Value: Approximately $33,493.95 Anticipated Period of Performance: June 18, 2026 through June 17, 2027 Response Deadline: June 17, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time Product/Service: ImageTwin Enterprise Subscription – Expanded Access

The National Institutes of Health intends to award a firm-fixed-price purchase order on a sole-source basis to ImageTwin AI GmbH for a one-year commercial software-as-a-service subscription to ImageTwin Enterprise. The proposed subscription will provide NIH authorized staff with expanded enterprise access, unlimited scans under the awarded subscription, standard commercial Single Sign-On capability, API access, and private repository capacity for image integrity review activities. The vendor quote identifies a yearly unlimited scans plan, unlimited users, API access, SSO, 25 GB private repository, and an additional 100 GB private repository for a total quoted price of $32,200.

NIH requires continued access to specialized image duplication and manipulation detection software to support the Intramural Research Program Manuscript Clearance process and the Research Misconduct review process. The requirement is for a standard hosted commercial subscription only; no custom software development, configuration, or modification is required.

ImageTwin AI GmbH is the only source reasonably available to meet the Government’s requirement.

ImageTwin is a specialized artificial intelligence image detection tool developed for scientific publishing and research integrity use cases. The requirement is not for general image search or general image analysis; it is for scientific figure and image content review to identify potential falsification, fabrication, duplication, reuse, or manipulation in support of NIH research integrity functions.

The ImageTwin capability relies on proprietary algorithms, technology, and image comparison capabilities retained by ImageTwin AI GmbH. The program office has identified these capabilities as necessary to meet NIH’s minimum need, including detection of image duplication, transformed duplicates, AI-generated images, plagiarism against a large repository of published images, and manipulation indicators such as splicing seams or copy-move forgeries.

NIH has already used and functionally evaluated ImageTwin for research integrity purposes. The proposed action expands an existing validated capability from limited access to broader enterprise use.

Transitioning to another tool would require renewed functional validation, workflow changes, and retraining of NIH staff, creating schedule risk to mission-critical review functions.

The Government’s minimum need includes automated analysis of uploaded files for possible image duplication, reuse, or manipulation; support for common scientific paper and image formats; detection of duplication or reuse within a document and, where commercially available, across multiple papers;

downloadable reports; enterprise access for authorized NIH staff; standard commercial SSO/API capability; technical support; and data handling restrictions for NIH-uploaded files and images.

This notice is not a request for competitive quotations or proposals. However, any responsible source that believes it can meet the Government’s requirement may submit a written capability statement for consideration. The capability statement must demonstrate the ability to provide a commercially hosted scientific image integrity platform that meets the minimum requirements described above, including scientific image duplication and manipulation detection, proprietary comparison capabilities, downloadable reporting, enterprise access, SSO/API capability, and continuity or equivalent validated suitability for NIH research integrity workflows.

Capability statements must be submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer no later than June 17, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Responses received after this date and time may not be considered.

The Government will consider all responses received by the deadline solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed acquisition based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered only for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Contracting Officer: Daniel Johnson Email: johnsondal@nih.gov