Tecniplast Large Rodent Housing UNITS - Custom designed for Minks and Ferrets.

This is a Notice of Intent, not a request for proposal. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to negotiate on an other than full and open competition basis with Tecniplast USA, West Chester, PA 19380

The Rocky Mountain Laboratory (RML) Laboratory of Virology (LV) Immunobiology and Molecular Virology Section (IMVS) studies emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens with an aim of developing diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. The section focuses on the lifecycle of certain viral pathogens that are likely to cause serious or lethal human disease, such as Ebola and Marburg virus and HPAIV, for which preventive or therapeutic interventions are not available. The study of viral pathogens in Rocky Mountain Labs maximum containment laboratory requires the use of animal models. This includes housing and maintaining experimental animals in high containment rooms where physical space allotted is at a premium.  

RML seeks to procure (2) two custom designed ferret/mink caging units manufactured by Tecniplast USA.

Sole Source Justification: Tecniplast is the designer and manufacturer of our initial mink/ferret/rodent caging. These specific cages were custom designed and approved by Rocky Mountain Laboratory and purchased during the construction phase of the facility.  Now there is a need for more of these same caging units. Tecniplast is the sole manufacturer of these custom designed cage units. 

These cages and components must be 100% interchangeable with the cage units currently in use at Rocky Mountain Laboratories. These cages are utilized in the maximum containment BSL-4 facility and have a multitude of features specifically designed for use within that facility.  As such, fully compatible caging and seamless integration with existing caging is imperative to maintain the safety of both the animals and staff. NO OTHER BRAND OR CUSTOM DESIGNED CAGING UNITS ARE ACCEPTABLE.

The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C.1901 (e) (2) 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 comparable services may submit a capability statement that will be considered by email (subject line shall be referenced, NOI-NIAID-24-2231441) to Diana Rohlman at diana.rohlman@nih.gov by August 16, 2024 4:00 pm EST.  

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.