BPI-Maintenance Infinity on IMARIS Software

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 an other than full and open competition basis with the Andor Technology, Inc for BPI-Maintenance Infinity on IMARIS software.

The Research Technologies Branch (RTB) within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was established to provide researchers access to leading-edge technologies and specialized expertise through a tightly integrated, highly effective approach to study complex biological problems. Advances in optics, lasers, and computational biology have revolutionized well-established disciplines such as microscopy (light and electron), flow cytometry, genomic and proteomics.

These technologies require integration and more importantly highly trained specialized scientists to adapt these new technologies to the research needs of the Institute’s diverse research agenda. The Branch implements state of the art research technologies and project-specific applications for the NIAID intramural research program in collaboration with current researchers along with a network of facilities located in Bethesda and Rockville, Maryland, as well as Hamilton, Montana.

Imaris software is used throughout NIAID to process confocal microscope data. More than 100 scientists use the software package on a regular basis. Changing software would require retraining of all of these staff and significantly delay data analysis. Imaris allows the opening of confocal and other microscope image data directly in its native format, including very large files. This software does not require the data to be uploaded to a database or converted in any way.

Other software vendors require conversion of the data prior to analysis, which is not acceptable. If submitting a capability statement, it must include evidence of being capable of providing and meeting the following requirements: Priority scheduling and onsite response for all repairs during the period of performance. Priority is defined as giving priority scheduling equal to a direct contract and guaranteeing the equivalent manufacturer’s priority onsite response.

If you are a third-party service provider, the priority scheduling and/or response time, must be listed on a capabilities statement, as well as documentation of OEM trained technicians is required. The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (1) 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 to reference NOI-NIAID-24-2209338 to Maliaka Pinkney at maliaka.pinkney@nih.gov, by 12:00 pm eastern standard time March 25, 2024. 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.