SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Temporary Theoretical Biophysicist Position in Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics
- Notice Date
- 7/1/2016
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- NHLBI-CSB-(HL)-2016-199-KMA
- Archive Date
- 7/26/2016
- Point of Contact
- Kevin Alvarez,
- E-Mail Address
-
kevin.alvarez@nih.gov
(kevin.alvarez@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- INTRODUCTION THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Office of Acquisitions (OA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive sole source basis to Thomas Dean Stephens, 1701 6th Street NW Apt A, Washington, DC, 20001-2448, to provide the services of a theoretical biophysicist to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics. BACKGROUND The lab has theoretically proved that the current conventional theoretical framework is incapable of depicting the dynamics of complex membrane shape-changes involving the large membrane curvature and intertwined tubules structures such as those in ER and Golgi. This is because the current theories always assume certain symmetry of the membrane shape, which is always violated in reality. On the other hand, without assuming symmetry, degrees of freedom in the numerical simulation will be significantly increased. For a typical case of membrane trafficking with a linear dimension of microns, the degree of freedom can easily ramp up into the millions. However, as the lab has tried out, and realized last year, the current commercial finite element solvers are incapable of handling this many degrees of freedom. To truly describe these membrane-shape changes and discern physical mechanisms, which are central themes of the lab's research program, it requires a custom-made finite element algorithm and code. In order to develop such an algorithm and code, the lab must employ the services of a theoretical biophysicist to assist with computational research. PURPOSE The purpose of this acquisition is to procure the services of a theoretical biophysicist to work in computational research in the Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics. These services will give the lab an enhanced ability to compute the evolution of membrane shape-changes, and can potentially address long standing questions in the field by providing a unified framework about fundamental physical mechanisms of the complex membrane shape-changes in the mitochondria membrane, phagocytosis, and other membrane trafficking processes. PROCUREMENT The contractor shall provide services of a theoretical biophysicist to assist with computational research. This work will be performed 8 hours a day, five days a week, from 07/20/2016 through 04/19/2017, excluding Federal government holidays. JUSTIFICATION The sole source determination is based on the fact that this is a follow-on to an existing contract and Thomas Dean Stephens is currently providing the Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics with these services. Due to his specific experience and expertise with the projects outlined above, only this specific contractor would be able to complete any significant fraction of the work within the project interval. If another contractor were to take over, there would not only be a lapse in services in order to train the new contractor on the processes and procedures of the lab, but there would be an expensive and duplicative investment in training. This loss of productivity and substantial duplication of costs is unacceptable to the Government. REGULATORY AUTHORITY This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 13.106-1(b), soliciting from a single source (for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold) and only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 541990, All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and the Small Business Size Standard is $15.0M. The acquisition is being conducted under FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, therefore the requirements of FAR Part 6, Competitive Requirements, are not applicable (FAR Part 6.001). The resultant award will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 05-88 (June 15th, 2016). This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement. All responses must be received by July 11, 2016 at 9:00AM EST and must reference synopsis number NHLBI-CSB-(HL)-2016-199-KMA. Responses shall be submitted to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Office of Acquisitions, COAC Services Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6127, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7902, Attention: Kevin Alvarez. Responses may be submitted electronically to kevin.alvarez@nih.gov. Faxes will not be accepted. Responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative. "All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency."
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/NHLBI-CSB-(HL)-2016-199-KMA/listing.html)
- Record
- SN04169902-W 20160703/160701234234-ee1ba5bd690f07b8ee9d0cd717e30b09 (fbodaily.com)
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