Renewal of Maintenance Services for Philips Imaging Equipment at the Integrated Research Facility (IRF) at Fort Detrick, Maryland

This is a Notice of Intent (NOI). This notice is published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.101(a)(1) requiring the dissemination of information regarding proposed contract actions. This is a Notice of Intent to award a sole source, firm-fixed price purchase order under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b) and 13.501(a)- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Service Will Satisfy Agency Requirements and is not a request for quotes.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to negotiate on an other than full and open competition basis with Philips North America LLC(Philips), 22100 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98021-8431 to provide maintenance services for imaging equipment located at a biological high containment BSL-4 (Biological Safety Level 4) Integrated Research Facility (IRF) at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland. The equipment to be maintained consist of the following:

• Magnetic Resonance 3T Achieva, Site #532851 (Serial #17226)

• Gemini TF (Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computer Tomography BioContainment System CT – Hybrid System, Site #42392378 (Serial #7010)

• Philips uninterrupted power supply systems:

a) Philips MR Mid-Tier System, Site #62073790

b) Chloride 80kVA 480V 60Hz SPECT UPS, Site #1334373

Period of Performance is March 18, 2023 – January 17, 2024. Services shall be performed in Frederick, Maryland 21702.The IRF requires maintenance services for imaging equipment that contain both commercial and non-commercial components. The non-commercial components were provided by Philips, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), who designed, developed, and implemented the necessary modifications to standard, commercial diagnostic imaging equipment so that the equipment was capable of operating inside BSL-4 containment.

The OEM shall perform preventative, remedial maintenance and repair services to maintain the equipment in good working condition in accordance with the equipment manufacturer’s specifications. The contractor will provide all facilities, service, reports, materials, parts, test equipment, transportation, labor, and all other related services for servicing the imaging equipment at the IRF. The IRF imaging personnel will assist in filling of phantoms and placing phantoms on imaging tables during schedule preventative maintenance and assist in performing tasks related to service on the high containment side of the imaging suites. The OEM and the government agree that the contractor’s personnel shall only access high containment areas if the illfunctioning imaging system parts residing with the high containment environment cannot be serviced by one of the IRF imaging staff members.

The OEM will follow all Federal, State, and local laws related to the safety and health personnel and property damage. Due to the security requirements imposed by the government the contractor personnel shall make appropriate arrangements for escorted entrance into IRF and into the imaging suites to perform diagnostics, preventative maintenance, and service on the equipment. Maintenance and calibration that cannot be performed outside the containment zone shall be performed either once annually (post fumigation of space) or shall be performed in compliance with the standard and special practices as described in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) for BSL-4 suit laboratory space. As the OEM, Philips deems it necessary to maintain the instruments in accordance with their proprietary design, specifications, certified engineers, and parts to provide optimal performance. To use a different vendor and parts may cause the instruments to not be calibrated to optimal specifications such that the samples between experiments will not be analyzed and compared. Quality of experimental results may be compromised and time lost due to repeated experiments to confirm experimental results. To provide services where engineers do not have the right credentials to perform remote troubleshooting, repair, or preventative maintenance could lead to these instruments becoming non-functioning and unrepairable causing the government to spend additional funds to repurchase needed equipment for the labs experimenting processes.

The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 811210 Other Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance which has a size standard of $34.0 Million. Philips Imaging is an other than small business. 

This will be the only notice of the Government's intent to solicit, negotiate, and award to one source to satisfy this requirement. The Government plans to award a contract for this requirement within 30 days of this notice.

While this synopsis does not constitute a solicitation, interested vendors may identify their interest and capability to satisfy this requirement. The Government understands that Philips Imaging is the only vendor who can provide required maintenance services for the IRF imaging equipment. However, firms that believe they can provide the capability required to fully meet the Government's requirement may submit a capabilities statement, including past performance, in writing to the identified point of contact within fifteen (15) days after publication of this notice. Such documentation shall be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit offers on NIAID-NOI-23-2156080.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for any information provided in response. 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. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

For additional information or to submit responses, please contact Danielle Tines, Contract Specialist at danielle.tines@nih.gov