A--MRI Services - Research, Mice

Special Notice Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Procurement The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 17, Network Contracting Office 17, intends to award a firm-fixed priced contract to the University Of Texas Health Science Center Of San Antonio for procurement of the following services: 0001: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Services Live Mice; Unit of Issue: EA, QTY: 60 Contractor shall provide MRI brain scans of mice models of Parkinson s disease to understand the mechanism of smell loss due to Parkinson s disease. Contractor shall use MRI modalities such as fMRI, MEMRI and GT-tMRI. MRI parameters are to include diffusion MRI, Cerebral Blood Flow, and Blood Volume fMRI and/or Blood-Oxygen-Level Dependent fMRI. Contractor shall provide transportation of mice to and from the VA medical center, care of the mice while at the Contractor s facility, preparation of mice to include anesthesia, MRI scans of mouse brain, and post-scan data analysis and interpretation of results. The proposed sole source procurement is being made by an open market pricing agreement with the University Of Texas Health Science Center Of San Antonio. This notice is not to be considered a request for quotations or proposals. No contract will be awarded on the basis of offers received in response to this notice; however, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. Proposals or offers received will be used to determine if a comparable source is available and more advantageous to the government. If no affirmative written response is received within 5 days from the publication of this notice, a contract will be issued to the University Of Texas Health Science Center Of San Antonio without further notice. The anticipated statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition for the requirement is 41 U.S.C. 253(a)(3), as implemented by FAR 6.302-3 Industrial Mobilization; Engineering, Developmental, or Research Capability; or Expert Services. The requesting activity has submitted a justification that states that a custom made computer device is needed to deliver odorants at an adjustable calibrated concentration and flow rate for odor-induced fMRI. The justification states that the proposed Contractor already has the custom made delivery device. Notice: the POC for this notice does not have a Federal Business Opportunities registration account. The POC does not have any visibility to the Interested Vendors List tab within the notice. Interested firms must respond directly to the POC email address listed in the notice for consideration.