Sources Sought Notice 75N94025Q00142 - High Flow Filters.pdf

SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Ordering Agency NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, (NICHD)

Requiring Agency NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, (NICHD)

Reference Number 75N94025Q00142

Project Title High Flow Filters for NICHD Aquatics Facility

NAICS Code 333310 - Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing

Posted Date July 18, 2025

Current Response Date July 28, 2025, 1700 EST

1 INTRODUCTION

This is a Small Business Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation. 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 business; 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;

and (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.

The NAICS code for this requirement is 333310 - Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing, with a Small Business Association (SBA) size standard of 1,000 employees.

Responses must:

Include the place/country of manufacture for each supply/equipment.

Address the size status of the manufacturer under the applicable NAICS code.

Identify the responding firm’s size and type of business.

This notice is being issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting Government requirements and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes.

No award will be made as a result of this notice. This notice is strictly for market research and information purposes only. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

2 BACKGROUND

Institute Mission The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) mission is to lead research and training to understand human development, improve reproductive health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all.

Division Mission The NICHD Research Animal Management Branch (RAMB) directs the program of laboratory animal care and use for NICHD's Division of Intramural Research (DIR). RAMB also provides animal research support services to NICHD investigators and represents the interests of NICHD on all aspects of animal research.

Requirement Background RAMB operates and manages the Building 6 Shared Zebrafish Facility (SZF), which is the largest zebrafish research facility in the United States and supports the research of multiple institutes with a total capacity of over 23,000 tanks and ensures biosecurity for research involving over 150,000 fish. High flow filter cartridges/elements are a critical component used by the facility to ensure debris and embryos do not slip through filtration systems and end up in fish tanks. Failure to maintain proper filtration may result in genetic contamination, compromised water quality or pressure, and damage to facility equipment, which would result in risks to animal health, invalidation of research data, and a waste of institute resources, ultimately having a significant impact on the agency's mission.

The Government anticipates awarding a commercial, severable, fixed-price type, supply contract with monthly billing frequency.

Estimated Period of Performance:

Base Period: 12/31/2025 to 12/30/2026 Option Period 1: 12/31/2026 to 12/30/2027 Option Period 2: 12/31/2027 to 12/30/2028 Option Period 3: 12/31/2028 to 12/30/2029 Option Period 4: 12/31/2029 to 12/30/2030

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUIREMENT

Specifications:

High flow filter cartridges/elements 6" diameter 40" length 20 micron filtration rating Flow rate of at least 170 GPM Minimum service life: 6 days under normal operating conditions Preferred service life: 12+ days under normal operating conditions

Quality Control and Certification:

Micron certification required Bubble Point/Integrity Testing certification required Manufacturers shall certify conformance with specification in entirety Filters must have no penetration, poor seam welds, fitment issues, or any other major design flaws All materials of construction shall be indicated No rinsing or conditioning should be necessary to achieve the required performance Must fit Parker filter housing systems currently in use (See Attachment 1 – Facility Photos) Must address damaged filters/replacements within a reasonable amount of time

Packaging and Labeling:

Filters must be sealed in clean packaging to maintain clean, dry, uncontaminated condition Each package should be labeled with: Manufacturer, Lot Number, Date of Manufacture, and Model

Number/Type Temperature storage: above 32°F and below 110°F Must be kept dry and pest/contamination free

Quantity and Schedule:

64 filters delivered twice monthly (128 filters per month total) *Estimated Delivery on Tuesday or Wednesday between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM Capability for emergency deliveries within 48 hours

Notice: The facility is currently undergoing upgrades for the primary filtration system. Upon completion, the polishing filters (subject of this requirement) are expected to last longer due to improved mechanical filtration upstream. The quantity listed is an estimate based on current usage. Several factors, such as filter performance, emergencies, and changes in water quality and pressure may lead to fluctuations in the required quantities during the performance period.

Delivery Location:

Building 6 Shared Zebrafish Facility (SZF)

BLDG 6, RM B117

6 CENTER DR

BETHESDA MD 20892

Storage and Inventory:

Facility can store up to a maximum of 320 filters onsite Contractor must maintain sufficient supply chain to ensure no missed or delayed deliveries

Testing Requirements:

Government plans to conduct performance testing of contractor-supplied filter samples Minimum of 4 filters required from vendor for testing Testing to be conducted on Government facility system under worst-case scenario conditions

4 CAPABILITY STATEMENT / INFORMATION SOUGHT

If your organization has the capability to furnish the supplies described above, please provide a tailored Capability Statement with appropriate documentation supporting the ability to perform all of the areas outlined below.

Include information regarding prior completed projects of similar nature, as applicable. If subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to meet technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

Each response should also include the following business information:

• Legal Business Name

• Business address

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) #

• Point of contact (name, title, address, telephone, and e-mail)

• NAICS code/Business classification size

• Socio-economic status pursuant to the applicable NAICS code

• List of any current Government Schedule ContractsGovernment-Wide Acquisition Contracts

Capability Areas to Address:

1. Manufacturing and Quality Control: Demonstrate capability to manufacture or supply filters meeting the specifications and provide required certifications.

2. Supply Chain Management: Evidence of robust supply chain networks and ability to maintain consistent/reliable delivery schedules twice a month without disruption. Address capacity to handle emergency orders.

3. Technical Support/Customer Service: Demonstrate your understanding of the Government’s anticipated application for the filters and technical knowledge related to the filter design and manufacturing processes.

Address ability to collaborate with government facility staff to troubleshoot quality issues or fine-tune filter specifications based on system performance and changing facility requirements.

4. Past Performance: Identify other projects involving high-volume filter supply to Government or research facilities, preferably in health research, laboratory, or similar applications requiring strict water quality standards.

5. Quality Assurance: Describe quality control processes, lot tracking systems, defective product replacement procedures, and communication protocols for notifying government of any significant changes in filter production processes.

5 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Responses should be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, normal margins, with single or double spacing. The response should be limited to ten (10) pages. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page.

The information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each of the capability areas for the requirement, and any other information stated in this notice as applicable.

Capability Statements Capability Statements should be submitted electronically to Jacob Balenson at Jacob.balenson@nih.gov on or before 7/28/2025 at 1700 EST and must reference Sources Sought Notice # 75N94025Q00142.

All questions and/or comments must be emailed to the contact above. Answers will not be provided, however the information received will assist in creating a solicitation for this requirement. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

Notice: Respondents are solely responsible and accountable for all expenses associated with their response. The Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to Responders with respect to any information submitted. 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. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in www.sam.gov. 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).

The following provision is applicable to this notice and is hereby incorporated by reference: FAR 52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997). The full text of this provision is available at:

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52.