ANT Neuro EEGs for BioCook (Biobehavioral Investigations on Cooking) (Notice of Intent to Sole Source)

Acquisition Description:

This is a Notice of Intent, not a request for proposal.  The National Institute of Health, Clinical Center (NIH-CC) intends to negotiate on an other than full and open competition basis with ANT North America Inc.

National Institute of Health, Clinical Center (NIH-CC)’s Translational Biobehavioral & Health Disparities Branch (TBHD) is involved in the study of psychological and neural factors involved in cooking behaviors in order to develop adaptive and potentially therapeutic dietary behavior interventions. As part of the research, the research team will conduct feasibility testing of mobile body and brain imaging and measurement while professional cooks are engaged in a cooking task. This project is an initial step for the Section on Dietary Behaviors and Biopsychosocial Health laboratory in determining biobehavioral factors involved in dietary behaviors.

The purpose and objective of this order is to acquire mobile brain and body measurement system for the study. Services are required of a company to provide the training, equipment and maintenance services for the mobile brain and body measurement equipment. In order to carry out this study, additional ANT Neuro branded EEGs and its accompanying accessories and software are required.   

ANT Neuro, North America, Inc. has been an established mobile brain and body imaging company since 1997, and ANT North America Inc. is the only US distributor of their ANT EEG system. EEG systems from different vendors are not compatible with each other. Program is currently using ANT products software and systems, and need the compatibility that comes with purchasing additional ANT EEGs will. More specifically, Program has conducted a demonstration of the planned pilot study using the ANT Neuro mobile equipment. In addition, Program has contacted a comparable company, MBrain Train, and were told that they do not offer a saline wet mount option with the required 64 channels for our pilot study. Program also contacted another company called Brain Vision that company’s product could not meet the need either.

Program’s initial mobile EEG was purchased from ANT Neuro, North America. Program need to purchase the exact same equipment again for multiple reasons – upcoming research protocol may include a two-participant design whereby two subjects will wear the EEG cap at the same time, requiring purchase of the exact same second EEG for the second subject. For upcoming protocols with one person design, the second EEG will be used as a back-up should the 1st EEG break. To help ensure consistent reliable data and decrease potential variations other EEG machines could cause in relation to data output, the exact same equipment needs to be used in both scenarios posed above. Therefore, purchasing a new EEG system from a different vendor would not be compatible with the existing systems and research programs used by Program. Only purchasing additional ANT EEGs would allow compatibility and continuation of research.

In order to comply with the Buy American Act and Made In America requirements, a sources sought posting under #SS-CC-24-009702 was posted onSAM.gov from August 13, 2024 to August 19, 2024. No vendors responded to the posting claiming they could provide a domestic offering. A Buy American Act non-availability waiver request was submitted to and approved by the NIH HCA and by the White House OMB Made In America Office (MIAO). This Pre-solicitation Notice of Intent number: #NOI-CC-24-009702, is being posted after this BAA waiver has been approved, since this is a sole source requirement.

The NIH-CC has a requirement for the following:

1x Quantity of AntNeuro electroencephalogram (EEG) system, consisting of

components and accessories such as the following:

• EEG system: eego mylab 64 + 24 Multimodal high resolution EEG/ERP solution

• waveguard original gel-based EEG system

• waveguard net saline-based EEG nets

• Single ASA ERP License

Place of Performance or Delivery:

Delivery is within two (2) months.

Place of Performance: NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD

The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C. 1901 (a) (1) as implemented by FAR 13.106-1 only one responsible source and no other supply of service will satisfy agency requirements. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.  All responsible sources that could provide the required may submit a capability statement that will be considered by email (subject line to reference NOI-CC-24-009702) by 11:00 AM eastern standard time on 09/11/2024 to: lu-chang.lu@nih.gov

All responses received by the closing date of this synopsis will be considered by the Government.  A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.