Collaboration - Mirror Neuron Network Dysfunction

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation number is NICHD-19-076 and is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation/contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2019-02. The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 541990 and the business size standard is $15m. However, this solicitation is not set aside for small business. This acquisition is being conducted using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) intend to procure on a sole source basis with The University of Maryland for the services of Selin Zeytinoglu (referred to as the contractor throughout) of the Child Development Laboratory at The University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
Statement of Work:
This procurement is a part of an ongoing project entitled:" Mirror neuron network dysfunction as an early biomarker of neurodevelopmental disorder", between the Section on Functional and Analytical Biophotonics (SFAB), led by Dr., and Child Development Laboratory (CDL) at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. This project has been funded through a reward of Bench to Bedside by the Clinical Center of NIH. We have designed a longitudinal study of mirror neuron system development in the first year of life, its relation to cognitive, language, and social development, and its dysfunction in infants at risk for social communication disorders. This study uses an infant action/observation paradigm developed and established in the CDL as well as combined functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy/Electroencephalogram (fNIRS/EEG) neuroimaging. The overall goal of this project is creation and evaluation of a metric for developmental risk that can be used in a larger clinical study at the NIH Clinical Center. For this purpose, CDL hired a postdoctoral Fellow to perform the measurements of fNIRS and EEG on infants. For the measurements, the contractor shall recruit a total of n=40 infant subjects and will complete fNIRS/EEG visits with those infants using their infant action/observation paradigm. The contractor will also collect EEG data, which will be provided to SAFB so that it can be combined with the fNIRS data (analyzed by SAFB) and used for machine-learning based analyses. The contractor has been involved with this project from the beginning, thus has all the background history and previous work necessary to continue to carry out this ongoing project between the lab at the NICHD and CDL.

The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of the 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1), FAR 6.302. Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The offeror must include a completed copy of the provision of FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items with its offer. The provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items; FAR Clause 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items; FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items; and FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items - Deviation for Simplified Acquisitions applies to this acquisition. The offeror must include their Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. The clauses are available in full text at http://www.acquisition.gov/far/. Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities of providing all supplies and or services and deliverables specified in this synopsis should submit a copy of their quotation to the below address or via email to robinsti@mail.nih.gov. Offers must also be accompanied by descriptive literature, shipping, delivery timeframe, warranties and/or other information that demonstrates that the offer meets all the foregoing requirements. Quotations will be due fifteen calendar days from the publication date of this synopsis or by June 17, 2019, by 9 am, EST. via email or postal mail. The quotation must reference "Solicitation number" NICHD-19-076. Quotations sent by postal mail or other mailing services must be submitted to the following address: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6710B Rockledge Drive, MSC 1159B, Bethesda, MD 20892. Attention: Tina Robinson, by the date and time mentioned above. Any questions must be sent via email to robinsti@mail.nih.gov and must include solicitation# NICHD-19-076 in the subject line of email. Faxed copies/responses will not be accepted.
Note: In order to receive an award, contractor must be registered and have a valid all awards certification in the SAM database @www.sam.gov.

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