Blackford Platform and associated services.

This is a Notice of Intent, not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued and quotations will not be requested. The National Institute of Health, Clinical Center (CC) intends to award a purchase order to BLACKFORD ANALYSIS LIMITED, Level 4 160 Causewayside Edinburgh EH9 1PR, United Kingdom on a sole source basis to deploy algorithms and applications across the clinical radiology workflow via the Blackford Platform and provide associated services.

Scope of Work:

The Platform: • Hosts multiple AI and traditional algorithms to process images. • Automatically determines which algorithms are relevant to run given anatomical and clinical indications available in the RIS order or DICOM headers. • Allows manual routing of studies from modalities, routers, PACS, and any other DICOM entity to trigger specific algorithms. • Integrates into the existing PACS and the rest of radiology IT architecture without noticeably impairing performance for Clinical users regardless of site study volume. • Provides a web-based monitoring solution that allows users and support teams to assess performance and number of studies being processed by each algorithm. • Deploys via onsite hardware, securely in the cloud, or a combination of both technologies.

Period of Performance One (1) Year Base and Four (4) Additional Option Periods of One (1) Year Each. Background National Institutes for Health (NIH) have an active development program for AI algorithms, generally the outcomes of grant-supported projects by academic clinicians. These algorithms are typically developed and tested on a manually selected cohort of patients, collated and processed as part of the grant-supported work.

Although there is significant potential benefit to the wider patient population from the use of these algorithms to improve outcomes and efficiency in NIH’s more routine clinical practice, the complications of hosting and maintaining the algorithms precludes their use. As a result, algorithms representing significant investment are left orphaned at the conclusion of the trial / grant that funded their development.

An opportunity exists for NIH to deploy these applications at scale within their existing systems across their broader clinical radiology workflow. BLACKFORD ANALYSIS LIMITED is the only reasonable source. Blackford is the existing proprietary platform that allows organizations to deploy FDA cleared and commercially available AI algorithms and specialty applications.

NIH, through this unique platform, has simultaneously managed the deployment, hosting, integration, and monitoring of multiple value creating applications by leveraging Blackford’s experience and technology. This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of the FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)(i) allowing the Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit from one source. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541519 with a standard size of 150 employees.

This notice of intent to award is not a request for competitive quotations. Interested concerns capable of providing the same products or services as described in this notice may submit a capability statement outlining their capabilities. No solicitation is available. Information received will be evaluated for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Capability Statements must be received within the time set forth in this synopsis to be considered by the Government.

A determination to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Each response should include the following Business Information:

a. DUNS number and tax identification number.

b. Company Name, address, POC, Phone and Email address c. Current GSA Schedules or NAICS codes appropriate to this Award. d. Capability Statement Comments to this announcement may be submitted to the Clinical Center, Office of Purchasing and Contracts, prior to the closing date specified in this announcement, electronically to the attention of Christopher Lauver, christopher.lauver@nih.gov by the due date and time marked in this notice.