Sources Sought - Brand name or equal Thales Nano H-Genie bench-top hydrogen generator.

Solicitation Number: 75N95021Q00321

Title:  The purpose of this acquisition is to obtain a Brand name or equal Thales Nano H-Genie bench-top hydrogen generator.

Classification Code:  6640, Laboratory Equipment and Supplies

NAICS Code:  Code: 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing

Dollars or Number of Employees: 1,000 employees

Description: 

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement.

This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition.  It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.  Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes.  No award will be made as a result of this notice.  The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.  This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

Background: 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases.

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) was established to transform the translational process so that new treatments and cures for disease can be delivered to patients faster.

Within NCATS is The Division of Preclinical Innovation (DPI) plans, conducts and uses both internal and contract resources to advance collaborative research projects across the preclinical phases of the translational science spectrum. Specifically, this division:

-     Plans, conducts and collaborates on research to develop new methods and technologies to enhance preclinical processes.

-     Plans, conducts and collaborates on research to evaluate existing and developing approaches, technologies, and processes in the preclinical spectrum.

-     Supports training programs relevant to preclinical phases of translational science.

-     Allocates DPI resources to preclinical extramural and intramural investigators.

-     Collaborates with other NIH Institutes and Centers and the scientists they support.

-     Consults with stakeholders, including patients, industry and regulators.

DPI is in need of a hydrogen generator that is a compact standalone high-pressure hydrogen generator that produces hydrogen through electrolysis of deionized water. The flow rate range is between 20 cm3/min-1L/min at room temperature and pressure. The pressure range is 1-100 bar. The hydrogen purity is 99.99% at 100 bar. This piece of equipment will cut out the use of hydrogen tanks in the lab. You can run every reaction that we use a hydrogen tank would do, without the risk of explosion from the tank.

Purpose and Objectives:

Purpose of this action is to procure a brand name or equal Thales Nano H-Genie bench-top hydrogen generator.  This generator will allow chemists to do hydrogen reactions safely.  Must incorporate with the current existing ThalesNano software, autosampler and peripherals already in place within the laboratory.

Brand name or equal Product requirements:

Thales Nano H-Genie Hydrogen Generator or equal including remote installation

Salient Characteristics

At a minimum, the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that “equal” products must meet are as follows:

• Allow for high pressure hydrogen reaction to be done safely in the CFH without either wheeling a hydrogen tank or balloons through the labs.
• Size of generator:  H: 345 mm W: 365 mm D: 460 mm
• Capacity:  3-L H2O holding tank
• Accessories - scavenger carts for this.  to allow the purity of the H2 to be 99.999% vs the 99% without them.
• Voltage requirements - 110V plug
• Remote installation

Anticipated period of performance:

The Contractor shall deliver all equipment within 4 weeks after receipt of order (ARO) in coordination with the NCATS Program Official. The equipment shall be delivered to the NCATS facility located at 9800 Medical Center Dr, Bldg B, Rockville, MD 20850 between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time, Monday through Friday 9 except federal holidays). Delivery must be Freight on Board (FOB) destination, including inside delivery to the room number specified.

Other important considerations: Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the work mentioned above.

Capability statement /information sought. Respondents must provide clear and convincing documentation of their capability of providing the services specified in this notice. Also, information must be provided in sufficient details of the respondents’ (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and other management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information.

The respondent must also provide their  DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc., pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2” x 11” paper size, with 1” top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing.

The information submitted must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein.  A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response is limited to ten (10) page limit.  The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested.

The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer.  Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

The response must be submitted to Nick Niefeld, Contract Specialist at e-mail address nick.niefeld@nih.gov.

The response must be received on or before August 4, 2021, at 9am  Eastern Time.

 “Disclaimer and Important Notes:  This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the 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. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).”