Maintenance Agreement for Siemens Inveon microPET Scanner

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Office of Acquisitions (OA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive sole source basis to Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., 40 Liberty Blvd, Malvern, PA 19355, to provide maintenance services on the Inveon microPET Scanner located in the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering's (NIBIB) Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine (LOMIN).

BACKGROUND

The Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine (LOMIN), NIBIB does research to identify disease-specific biomarkers, to develop new molecular imaging probes, to apply newly developed probes in multimodality imaging, and to characterize novel imaging and therapeutic agents, both in vitro and in vivo. One major research goal of LOMIN is to develop novel methods for incorporating radionuclides into molecules for the study of biologically important processes for non-invasive PET imaging. Our research efforts are driven by a desire to better understand human biology and disease and to generate tools that have clinical application. We design probes with applications to many important biological processes.

Therapeutic efficacy is a key question that needs to be answered for every drug or drug candidate. Molecular imaging is able to provide information to evaluate pharmacological effects. For instance, solid tumors are often characterized by having high glucose utilization, tumor cell proliferation, hypoxia with sustained angiogenesis and evasion of apoptosis. The influence of compounds targeting these characteristics of cancer biology can be selectively visualized by molecular imaging techniques, especially by PET imaging. Examples include FDG PET to image glucose transport and metabolism, and FLT PET to evaluate the proliferating status. Additionally, we will apply the novel PET imaging probes targeting one particular pathway such as apoptosis and hypoxia or a single molecular target to access specific drugs. Currently, the lab has a Siemens Inveon PET and CT docking system in place.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this acquisition is to procure a maintenance agreement for the Siemens Inveon microPET Scanner located in the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering's Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine.

PROCUREMENT

The contractor shall provide maintenance services including parts, labor, and consumables on the following equipment:

• Siemens Inveon microPET Scanner

JUSTIFICATION

The sole source determination is based on the fact that Siemens is the manufacturer of this equipment and only the manufacturer is authorized to perform maintenance services or repair. No third parties have been authorized by Siemens to provide services on the scanner.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 13.106-1(b), soliciting from a single source (for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold) and only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 811219, Other Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance, and the Small Business Size Standard is $20.5M. The acquisition is being conducted under FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, therefore the requirements of FAR Part 6, Competitive Requirements, are not applicable (FAR Part 6.001). The resultant award will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 05-88 (May 16th, 2016).

This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement.

All responses must be received by June 27, 2016 at 9:00AM EST and must reference synopsis number NHLBI-CSB-(HL)-2016-168-KMA. Responses shall be submitted to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Office of Acquisitions, COAC Services Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6127, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7902, Attention: Kevin Alvarez. Responses may be submitted electronically to kevin.alvarez@nih.gov. Faxes will not be accepted. Responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative. "All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency."