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 Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Office of Acquisitions (OA), and behalf of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive, sole source basis to Harlan Laboratories, 8520 Allison Pointe BLVD STE 400, Indianapolis, IN, 46250-5700 to provide food and bedding for Rodents for the Veterinary Resources Core, at NIDCR.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation's leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency conducting and supporting medical discoveries that improve people's health and save lives. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Veterinary Resources Core is a rodent animal facility located within Bldg. 30 to include a small satellite facility in 30/303, which support the animals used in research for all NIDCR intramural scientists. The products to be are:

Catalog Number     Description                                             Quantity
T.7022.15             NIH-07 Mouse & Rat Diet                          1170 Bags
T.7099                  TEK Fresh Bedding                                   1926 Bags
T.7017.15             NIH-31 Steralizable Mouse & Rat Diet         117 Units

The services to be performed are as follows:

• Provide the two diets and bedding materials listed.
• Palletize on a clean new commercially standard 48"x42" four way pallet. Pallets will be inspected upon delivery and shall be clean, free of contaminates and damage. Total height of the pallet and goods shall not exceed 55 inches and goods will be shrink wrapped to assure safe and proper handling. There will be no exchange of pallets.
• Tailgate delivery will be provided and is defined as that which enables a forklift or similar equipment with operator to place or remove cargo from the tailgate of contractor's vehicle.
• Provide requested amounts of both diets and bedding materials on a weekly basis
• Provide a detailed invoice of deliveries for each shipment

Sole Source Justification

The sole source justification is based on the fact that Harlan Labs is the source of specifically generated NIH diets inspected and tested by NIH as well as the bedding used in the NIH Animal Facilities for the past 10 years making it critical for research purposes to maintain consistency in an animal wellbeing and minimize variables.

The Period of Performance will be twelve (12) months from the date of contract award.

The delivery point is The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Bethesda, MD.

The North American Industry Classification system (NAICS) Code is 112990, size standard $750,000, all other animal production. The acquisition is being conducted under FAR part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, therefore the requirements of FAR part 6, Competitive Requirements, are not applicable and the resultant purchase order will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-72 (January 2014).

Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this synopsis by January 24, 2014 at 9:00am Eastern Standard Time. The determination by the Government not to compete the proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered only for the purpose of determining whether to conduct future competitive procurements.

Inquiries to this announcement, referencing synopsis number: HHS-NIH-NHLBI-CSB-DE-2014-053-KEW, may be submitted to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Office of Acquisitions, COAC Services Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6121B, Bethesda, MD 20892-7902, Attention: Kyle Wisor. Responses may be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Faxes will not be accepted. Responses will only be excepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative.