Acquisition of Brand Name or Equal IMARIS Software

SB SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE: Acquisition of Brand Name or Equal IMARIS Software NOTICE NUMBER: 75N91021Q00038 ISSUED BY: National Cancer Institute (NCI), Office of Acquisitions (OA) DESCRIPTION This Small Business Sources Sought Notice (SBSS) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The purpose of this Small Business Sources Sought Notice is to identify qualified small business concerns, including 8(a), HUBZone or Service-Disabled Veteran-owned business concerns, that are interested in and capable of performing the work described herein. The NCI does not intend to award a contract based on responses received nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. This requirement is assigned North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 511210 with a size standard of $41.5 million is being considered. NCI may issue a request for quotation (RFQ) as a result of this Small Business Sources Sought Notice. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against NCI shall arise as a result of a response to this Small Business Sources Sought Notice or the NCI’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. BACKGROUND The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), Surgical Oncology Program (SOP) and the Metastasis Biology Section focuses on translational medicine by developing ex vivo human tissue models capable of providing insight into the tumor immune microenvironment in the context of cancer metastasis. The lab employs a multipronged approach, with light microscopy being an essential component. CCR requires a software package that will provide a full workflow to manage and analyze microscopy image data from browsing images on different drives, through analysis and interpretation to various ways of sharing the results. The software must be capable of 3D/4D image analysis in order to provide the additional insight into the structure and function of imaged data that allows the lab to achieve its objective to characterize the tumor microenvironment (TME) of metastatic lesions within the human liver and human ex vivo metastasis models in order to expose potential vulnerabilities for drug treatments. In order to support its goals, CCR seeks to procure a software package that will ensure continued high quality, high volume image visualization and analysis critical to the mission of the lab. TYPE OF ORDER This is a Firm Fixed-Price Purchase Order. SPECIAL ORDER REQUIREMENTS PRODUCT FEATURES/SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS The following product features/characteristics are required: Ability to load and stably handle large (50+ GB) 3D/4D data sets Ability to import image data from no less than 50 microscopy file formats (including all confocal formats) Ability to adjust channel and offset levels with histogram in real time Capable of asynchronous texture loading for efficient image display Capable of smooth panning and zooming to any location in 3D and 4D views Ability to play continuous time-series data smoothly Ability to interact with 3D images while playing the series through time Ability to use extended section display of any number of planes in 2D/3D view Capable of interactive zooming and panning of gallery view and images Capable of multidimensional real time (X, Y, Z) cropping Ability to apply 3D image processing filters including background subtraction and layer normalization. Ability to use deconvolution to enhance fluorescence signals from confocal, widefield and total internal reflection fluorescence images. Ability to create arbitrary (freehand) ROIs in 3D and 3D masks from ROIs Ability to interactively adjust black level for 3D images Include image resize, fit and re-render functions Capable of Tri-linear, interactive 4D real time volume rendering Capable of Multi-mode volume rendering with ray tracing and surface methods Capable of rendering flexibility with lighting, shadow, opacity and surface controls Include a step-by-step, wizard-driven interface optimized for efficient and easy to learn workflows Capable of interactively rendering large (50+ GB) iso-surfaces and millions of point-like objects Ability to interact intuitively with and group iso-surfaces Ability to apply color and material properties, arbitrary lighting angle and transparency of iso-surfaces in 3D view Ability to classify & label objects using a machine learning classifier or interactive filters based on object statistics Ability to measure distances between pairs of object populations, including the measurement of the cumulative number of point-like objects within a distance from an iso-surface Ability to simulate randomly positioned point-like objects to evaluate the presence of attraction or repulsion to a target surface using spatial statistics Ability to quantitatively determine overlap between iso-surface objects using volume overlap statistics Capable of providing a 3D intensity profile as a function of distance to an iso-surface Capable of tracking any segmented object in 3D and 4D Ability to synchronize measurements to events within a timeseries Ability to use clipping planes at arbitrary angles and positions Ability to place and position interactive ortho-slicers in 3D Ability to create advanced animations in the H264 video format and at user-specified resolutions ranging from 640 x 480 to 2560 x 2048. DELIVERY / INSTALLATION Delivery shall be within 30 business days of purchase order award. The Contractor shall provide the NCI Technical Point of Contact (TPOC), TBD at award , with tracking information to anticipate delivery to the best extent possible. All shipping/handling (including FOB) and delivery/installation fees shall be included in the quote. Upon delivery, the Contractor shall notify the TPOC to schedule the installation date and time that shall occur within 14 business days after delivery. Installation shall be performed by, or under the direct supervision of, an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified operator.​​​​​​ WARRANTY The Contractor shall warrant that any instruments, equipment, components, or other supplies (“Supplies”) procured by this purchase are free of defects in design, material, or manufacture for a period of at least one (1) calendar year from date of acceptance by the Government. The Contractor shall warrant that all consumables or expendable parts are free of defects in design, material or manufacture for a period of at least 90 calendar days from date of acceptance by the Government. Supplies which are repaired or replaced shall be warranted for the remainder of the initial warranty period or for 90-days – whichever is greater. The Contractor shall also warrant and imply that items delivered are merchantable and fit for use for the particular purpose described in this contract in accordance with FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING DELIVERIES DURING COVID-19 The Contractor shall store or retain all supplies furnished under this order until notified by the NCI Contracting Officer or technical point of contact (TPOC) of a delivery date. The Contractor shall deliver supplies no later than 30-days after notification. The Contractor shall not sell supplies furnished under this order to another company or party if the NCI is unable to accept delivery due to conditions related to COVID-19. Installation as required by the Statement of Need may be delayed due to conditions related to COVID-19. If services provided under this order are delayed, the Contractor shall provide all services at different times and dates at no additional cost. The Contractor shall direct all courier and delivery services – including those not operated by the Contractor (e.g. FedEx, USPS, UPS) – to follow the instructions in this section. All companies delivering to the NIH main campus must comply with Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility (CVIF) access procedures. Upon arrival, the CVIF will provide a list of buildings and loading docks to delivery personnel. Deliveries will be logged in at the loading dock, and the loading dock contractor or Government personnel will attempt to contact the TPOC listed on the package. In the event that the TPOC is unable to accept the package, the delivery shall not be left at the loading dock station . The delivery must be returned to the Contractor, and the Contractor must coordinate with the TPOC to deliver on another date at no additional cost. Deliveries can only be made between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday, excluding federal holidays. NOTE: Contractors delivering to Building 10 will be required to complete additional steps including a brief medical screening before unloading and entering to make deliveries. These steps are necessary to protect patients and staff. Delivery personnel may also be asked a series of questions related to recent travels and any physical symptoms known or suspected to be relevant to COVID-19 . PAYMENT Payment shall be made in full upon delivery and acceptance by the Government. Payment authorization requires submission and approval of invoices to the COR and NIH OFM, in accordance with the attached payment provisions listed below: The following clause is applicable to all Purchase Orders, Task or Delivery Orders, and Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Calls: Prompt Payment (Jan 2017) FAR 52.232-25. Highlights of this clause and NIH implementation requirements follow: Invoice Requirements A. An invoice is the Contractor's bill or written request for payment under the contract for supplies delivered or services performed. A proper invoice is an "Original" which must include the items listed in subdivisions 1 through 12, below, in addition to the requirements of FAR 32.9. If the invoice does not comply with these requirements, the Contractor will be notified of the defect within 7 days after the date the designated billing office received the invoice (3 days for meat, meat food products, or fish, and 5 days for perishable agricultural commodities, dairy products, edible fats or oils) with a statement of the reasons why it is not a proper invoice. (See exceptions under II., below.) Untimely notification will be taken into account in the computation of any interest penalty owed the Contractor. Vendor/Contractor: Name, Address, Point of Contact for the invoice (Name, title, telephone number, e-mail and mailing address of point of contact). Remit-to address (Name and complete mailing address to send payment). Remittance name must match exactly with name on original order/contract. If the Remittance name differs from the Legal Business Name, then both names must appear on the invoice. Invoice date. Unique invoice #s for all invoices per vendor regardless of site. NBS document number formats must be included for awards created in the NBS: Contract Number; Purchase Order Number; Task or Delivery Order Number and Source Award Number (e.g., Indefinite Delivery Contract number; General Services Administration number); or, BPA Call Number and BPA Parent Award Number. Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) or DUNS + 4 as registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Federal Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). In those exceptional cases where a contractor does not have a DUNS number or TIN, a Vendor Identification Number (VIN) must be referenced on the invoice. The VIN is the number that appears after the contractor’s name on the face page of the award document. Identify that payment is to be made using a three-way match. Description of supplies/services that match the description on the award, by line billed.* Freight or delivery charge must be billed as shown on the award. If it is included in the item price do not bill it separately. If identified in the award as a separate line item, it must be billed separately. Quantity, Unit of Measure, Unit Price, Extended Price of supplies delivered or services performed, as applicable, and that match the line items specified in the award.* NOTE: If your invoice must differ from the line items on the award, please contact the Contracting Officer before submitting the invoice. A modification to the order or contract may be needed before the invoice can be submitted and paid. B. Shipping costs will be reimbursed only if authorized by the Contract/Purchase Order. If authorized, shipping costs must be itemized. Where shipping costs exceed $100, the invoice must be supported by a bill of lading or a paid carrier's receipt. C. The Contractor shall submit invoice to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/Office of Financial Management (OFM) via email at [email protected] with a copy to the approving official, as directed below. The Contractor must follow step-by-step instructions as stated in the NIH/OFM Electronic Invoicing Instructions for NIH Contractors/Vendors, which is included as an attachment on the website at https://oamp.od.nih.gov/DGS/DGS-workform-information/attachment-files. The invoice shall be transmitted as an attachment via email to the address listed above in one of the following formats: Word, or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The Contractor must submit only one invoice per email. Do not submit supporting documentation (e.g., receipts, time sheets, vendor invoices, etc.) with your invoice unless specified elsewhere in the contract or requested by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall submit a copy of the electronic invoice to the following Technical Point of Contact (TPOC): Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) Name- ___________________Email Address- For inquiries regarding the status of invoices, contact OFM Customer Service via email at [email protected] or via phone at 301-496-6088. To send your inquiries via other available communication methods refer to the OFM Customer Service website at https://ofm.od.nih.gov/Pages/Customer-Service.aspx. Note: The OFM Customer Service is open Eastern Standard Time Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is closed between 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Invoice Payment A. Except as indicated in paragraph B., below, the due date for making invoice payments by the designated payment office shall be the later of the following two events: The 30th day after the designated billing office has received a proper invoice. The 30th day after Government acceptance of supplies delivered or services performed. B. The due date for making invoice payments for meat and meat food products, perishable agricultural commodities, dairy products, and edible fats or oils, shall be in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act, as amended. Interest Penalties A. An interest penalty shall be paid automatically, if payment is not made by the due date and the conditions listed below are met, if applicable. A proper invoice was received by the designated billing office. A receiving report or other Government documentation authorizing payment was processed and there was no disagreement over quantity, quality, or contractor compliance with a term or condition. B. In the case of a final invoice for any balance of funds due the contractor for supplies delivered or services performed, the amount was not subject to further settlement actions between the Government and the Contractor. C. Determination of interest and penalties due will be made in accordance with the provisions of the Prompt Payment Act, as amended, the Contract Disputes Act, and regulations issued by the Office of Management and Budget. PROVIDING ACCELERATED PAYMENT TO SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTORS, FAR 52.232-40 (December 2013) a) Upon receipt of accelerated payments from the Government, the Contractor shall make accelerated payments to its small business subcontractors under this contract, to the maximum extent practicable and prior to when such payment is otherwise required under the applicable contract or subcontract, after receipt of a proper invoice and all other required documentation from the small business subcontractor. b)The acceleration of payments under this clause does not provide any new rights under the prompt Payment Act. c) Include the substance of this clause, include this paragraph c, in all subcontracts with small business concerns, including subcontracts with small business concerns for the acquisition of commercial items. SUBMISSION INFORMATION Capability statements shall be submitted via email to Contracting Officer, William T. Neal, at [email protected] no later than 12:00 P.M. EST on Wednesday, March 19, 2020 (03/19/2021) . All information furnished must be in writing and must contain enough detail to allow the NCI to determine if it can meet the unique specifications described herein. Please reference number 75N91020Q00038 on all correspondence. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s capability. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, an RFQ may be published. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation(s).