This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.  This solicitation number is NICHD-20-188 and is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ).  The solicitation/contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2020-07.  The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 811219 with a size standard of $22m.  However, this solicitation is not set aside for small business.  This acquisition is being conducted using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13.  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) intends to contract on a sole source basis with Siemens Medical Solutions  USA Inc.  to procure a one-year Gold Service agreement for the 3T Magnetom Prisma MRI Scanner. Period of Performance: 9/24/20 through 9/23/21. The agreement shall ensure timely service and maintenance by Siemens specifically trained and certified service engineer (s) on Siemens instrument/equipment. 

The lab owns and operates a Siemens  3T Magnetom Prisma MRI Scanner.  The servicing of this instrument requires specialized knowledge of a variety of pieces of equipment that are Siemens products.   These includes but not limited to the following equipment:  Large bore superconducting magnet, gradient/shim/RF coils, gradient/RF amplifiers, RF receivers, T-R switches and data processing units.  This MRI scanner is essential to the lab to provide the resources for the NIH scientific community for the study of neurological and psychiatric diseases using high-field MRI techniques. The  Prisma 3T MRI scanner is sophisticated and expensive equipment. In addition to its powerful superconducting magnetic, it utilizes powerful radio frequency and rapidly varying magnetic field. To ensure the safety of patients, it must be maintained at factory specifications. All MRI scanners in the NMR center are serviced only by the corresponding manufacturer to ensure patient safety. Only Siemens, the manufacturer of the Prisma 3T MRI scanner can deliver the required maintenance of their product. Specifically, Siemens has been very reliable at providing 1) standard coverage; 2) replacement parts; 3) regular maintenance and inspections; 4) technical support and diagnosis, and suppling 5) parts, accessories, and documentation ensuring future flexibility to procure hardware and software upgrades. To achieve this high standard, Siemens dedicates an MRI engineer onsite for 10 hours, Monday through Friday, to maintain scanners in Building 10. . Third-party do not provide that type of service which is a requirement . 

Siemens shall provide service and maintenance for all portions (if applicable) of the above Siemens 3t Magnetom Prisma MRI Scanner in order to ensure operation of the scanner at maximum performance.  Service/Coverage includes but not limited to:

• Principle coverage period (PCP) – 8am through 6pm Monday-Friday Uptime Guarantee – Guarantees that equipment will function at the minimum uptime performance level per specification
• Uptime Guarantee – Guarantees 97% minimum system availability
• Phone response – w/in 30 minutes
• On-Site response – w/in 4 hours guaranteed on-site Customer Service Engineer after call placed with Customer Care Center
• Parts order requirement –  Parts order musts be placed by noon(customer local time) in order to receive Parts Delivery commitment as specified
• Parts Delivery – Spare parts arrival for on-site repair of room-down/system-down typically the same day following the time parts order is submitted
• Syngo Remote Assist Hotline Support –  Allows vendor  to connect with the Imaging console and provides direct real time support
• ACR Support Package MR – includes remotely executed pre-submission system quality check to evaluate the readiness of one applicable Siemens system to acquire images for ACR accreditation, etc.
• 9130 UPS Coverage- covers UPS and extended battery module
• Safety Checks – performed to ensure compliance with all local and federal safety guidelines and regulations
• Planned Maintenance – Preventative services carried out in accordance with the equipment’s specific maintenance plan
• Quality Assurance –QA task performed to keep system w/in the quality specifications as issued by the equipment specifications
• Updates – Modification of reliability enhancements to equipment, includes mandatory safety and performance related update instructions and non-mandatory (reliability-related service instructions).
• Technical Phone Support – Direct access to specialists at customer care center for fast diagnosis and technical support, available over the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Labor – Unlimited coverage of on-site labor during PCP.
• Smart Remote Services –  Efficient and comprehensive infrastructure for medical equipment-related remote services – combines high-tech medical engineering with state-of-the-art information technology. Services, which formerly required on-site visits, are now available via data transfer. SRS enables Core Services, which is standard under this agreement.   A VPN connection is required.

• Travel – Travel time for Service Engineer to and from customer site.
• LifeNet Access – provides access to customer service info. related to diagnostic imaging equipment, to include service & PM management tools, equipment performance reports, service documentation, asset management & service contract management tools, etc.
• Application Hotline Phone Support – customer care clinic during specified hours for direct access to a Clinical Education Specialist to answer questions
• Teamplay Basic - A cloud-based solution that provides Customer access to certain metrics on the Equipment and other Siemens imaging systems connected to Customer’s network, etc.
• Accredited Self Study Program - accredited self-study program provides the latest trends in imaging. These hot topic review articles will be mailed directly to your institution and will provide up to 24 Category A Continuing Education Credits fully recognized by ARRT and NMTCB. A comprehensive study guide accompanies each article to help ensure focus on technologist-relevant information.  
• Enhanced Virtual Learning Sub - This 12-month multi-modality subscription provides access for imaging professionals to receive additional educational content
• General spare parts coverage – Replacement of standard spare parts
• Coil coverage -  covers the repair/replacement of Siemens coils, third party coils not covered
• MMA and Helium- covers maintenance of magnet ancillary components & magnet performance, parts and labor associated with magnet and refrigeration components, burst disc, vent kit, valves, MSUP,ERDU, helium compressor, high pressure gas lines and cold head.  Supply of liquid helium & labor to fill magnet.
• Shall ensure that the proper diagnostic software and tools are being utilized
• Shall ensure that any software/software updates are validated for the equipment (s)
• Technician certifications must be provided for all service engineers assigned to the NIH MRI Research Facility.  A written summary report should be turned in within 24 hours of any service or preventive maintenance visit.

The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of the 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1), FAR 6.302.  This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. The offeror must include a completed copy of the provision of FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items with its offer.  The provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items; FAR Clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items factors such as: technical capability to provide all services as per solicitation /parts, price and past performance. Technical capability and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than cost/price; FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items; and FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders – Commercial Items – Deviation for Simplified Acquisitions applies to this acquisition.  The offeror must include their Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size.  The clauses are available in full text at http://www.acquisition.gov/far/. If you are an authorized distributor or equipment service/maintenance management provider; provide documentation confirming authorization and certified capability from the manufacturer to perform service/maintenance/repair on the components identified in this notice. Responses to this notice without this confirmation from the manufacturer will be considered as invalid.  Interested vendors capable of furnishing the government with the service specified in this synopsis should submit a copy of their quotation via email to [email protected] and must include solicitation# NICHD-20-188 on/in the subject line of the email.  Responses to this solicitation must include enough information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing all products and/or service(s) needed.  Responses must be accompanied by descriptive literature, warranties and/or other information that demonstrates that the offer meets all the foregoing requirements. Quotations will be due w/in ten calendar days from the publication date of this synopsis or by NLT July 31, 2020 by 9:00 am EST. via email to email address mentioned above.  The quotation must reference “Solicitation number” NICHD-20-188.  All responsible sources may submit a quotation, which if timely received, shall be considered by the agency.  Any questions must be sent via email to [email protected] and must include solicitation# NICHD-20-188 on/ in the subject line of email. Note:  In order to receive an award, contractor must have an active registration for all awards in the SAM database @www.sam.gov.