6640--Intent to sole source: Sensory Sentinel Environmental Monitoring Device

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Charleston SC VA, intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, with Turner Scientific, for the Sensory Sentinel Environmental Monitoring Device. Turner Scientific specializes in noise and vibration issues in the animal research vivarium environment. They are the only vendor identified that specializes exclusively in vivarium acoustical consulting and the sensory sentinel hardware/ software products are custom designed for the research animal vivarium application. This equipment is developed specifically for use in animal lab settings, with custom filters and special microphones that allow us to measure specifically what the species of interest is experiencing. The Sensory Sentinel is the only instrument on the market designed for this purpose. Other devices are tuned exclusively to the human experience and don t capture the data relevant to laboratory animal species. For example, for mice it is important to measure up to approximately 100,000 Hz, which requires special microphones and digitizing systems. The typical noise measurement instrument used by other acoustical consultants is designed for measuring human noise exposure and therefore only measures up to 20,000 Hz, the upper frequency limit of human hearing. Measurement of sensory experiences by laboratory animal species requires a thorough understanding of the specialized equipment involved as well as the species being studied in that space. This is equipment is the only equipment capable of meeting these requirements to support the VA research being conducted. This is a notice of intent and is not a request for competitive quotes; however, any responsible source who can meet the same requirements listed above may submit a capability statement to the contracting office no later than July 21st, 7am, EST. Interest/capability statements may be sent to Lynn Portman at lynn.portman@va.gov. Capability statement must demonstrate and describe how the vendor meets all the requirements listed in this notice. No telephone responses will be accepted. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.