NAICS Code: 423490, Other Professional Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers. The U.S. EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL), Toxicity Assessment Division, Neurotoxicology Branch requires a running wheel system with the following requirements: (i) the running wheels must have a food tray and slot for holding a water bottle that fit into the top of a standard acrylic rat cage used in our animal facility; (ii) each wheel must have an electronic counter using a magnetic switch that counts each wheel revolution; (iii) the revolutions (i.e., running activity) of up to 240 wheels has to be monitored simultaneously on a single computer; (iv) the wheels should be compatible with the 16 running wheels (Tecniplast) that we currently have in our laboratory. The Tecniplast rat running wheel assembly consist of a 13 inch diameter stainless steel running wheel, wheel frame and wire cage lid to support the food hopper and water bottle. Its wheel assembly is compatible to a standard rat cage that we use at the EPA. The wheel and its assembly can be easily sanitized in a cage washer which is essential for maintaining a contaminant free animal vivarium; and (v) the vendor must install the system including adding magnetic sensors to the existing running wheels in our laboratory and create a single computer operated system that will monitor the activity of 40 (and up to 240) running wheels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) intends to negotiate a sole source firm-fixed price purchase order under Simplified Acquisition Procedures with Starr Life Sciences Corporation for the rat running wheel system. The Government believes Starr Life Sciences Corporation is the only company that manufactures an integrated system that monitors up to 240 channels of data from Tecniplast brand rat running wheels. Additionally, Starr Life Sciences Corporation has developed software (Vitaview) designed to monitor the activity of up to 240 wheels simultaneously. The US EPA currently has 16 running wheels in our laboratory that is solely compatible with the system sold by this contractor. The circumstance permitting Other than Full and Open Competition is FAR 6.302-1 Sole Source, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or service will satisfy agency requirements. The delivery date for this requirement is 30 days from date of award. All interested parties who believe they can provide the required product should fully explain their capabilities and qualifications in writing within 10 days from the date of this announcement. The intent of this synopsis is to state the Government's intention to sole source this acquisition to Starr Life Sciences Corporation and to also determine if any other source(s) exist. Therefore, no solicitation (RFQ) is available. Consequently, any response(s) failing to provide the aforementioned data but instead choosing merely to submit a routine letter requesting a copy of the RFQ will not be honored. Submit your response to the U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park [RTP] Procurement Operations Division Attn: Louis Williams via email at
[email protected]. Contracting Office Address: Environmental Protection Agency, ORD Service Center, NERL, RTP Procurement Operations Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Point of Contact(s): Point of Contact, Louis C. Williams, Jr., Phone (919) 541-4048.