This is a notice of intent, not a request for a proposal. A solicitation document will not be issued and proposals will not be requested. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program (IRP) intends to solicit, negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive basis with Philips Research North America 345 Scarborough Road Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510. The National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Division of Intramural Research in Baltimore, Maryland requires The Thermal Imaging Probe System (Philips) will be used to develop minimally invasive gene delivery to rodent brain. The system available from Philips is the only pre-clincal "turn key" system for using high frequency ultrasound to delivery drugs/genes to tissue. The only other option is to build our own system and we do not have this expertise. In addition, this system has been used by our extramural collaborators (Mark Borden, CU Bolder) who will help us develop the technology here at NIDA. The Thermal Imaging Probe System is only available from Philips. There is not another system available that would have similar functionality without building our own and ordering components. No substitutions are possible. Since, this system is already used within in the labs it is advantageous to continue using the same equipment since all end users are familiar with the machine. To introduce new equipment there would have to be new training and additional cost to get accustom with a new piece of equipment. Mark Borden as stated previously has expertise advice in this equipment and training. The acquisition is being conducted under simplified acquisition FAR 13 and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6, Competition Requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this synopsis. The determination by the Government not to compete the proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely with the discretion of the Government. Comments to this announcement, referencing Notification No. NIHDA2012250 may be submitted no later than 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 10, 2012 to NIDA/IRP, Biomedical Research Center, Suite 200, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Room 4A326, Baltimore, MD 21224, ATTN: John Johnson,
[email protected].