SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Services for the Study: Linking Function and Structure--The Relationship Between Brain Activity and White Matter Integrity.
- Notice Date
- 9/12/2013
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 611310
— Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 4211 - MSC 9559, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- PS3005952
- Point of Contact
- Mario D. Gray, Phone: 3014352238
- E-Mail Address
-
Mario.Gray@nih.hhs.gov
(Mario.Gray@nih.hhs.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 AND OPEN COMPETITION. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Station Support Contracts and Simplified Acquisitions Branch (SS/SA), on behalf of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition to the Vanderbilt University for services for the Study: Linking Function and Structure--The Relationship Between Brain Activity and White Matter Integrity. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE: The intended procurement is classified under NAICS Code 611310 with a Size Standard of $25.5. REGULATORY AUTHORITY: The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-69 effective September 3, 2013. This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in the FAR subpart 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures at an amount not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold ($150,000). STATUTORY AUTHORITY: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures, Subpart 13.106-1 (b) (1), Soliciting from a single source and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Acquisitions using FAR Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6-Competition Requirements. Government's Requirements and Need Description: The contractor shall provide services for the Study: Linking Function and Structure--The Relationship Between Brain Activity and White Matter Integrity as follows: 1. Retrieve data and co-register all image data into a common coordinate system. The Contractor shall coordinate with the NIA to ensure that a consistent common imaging reference space is used across projects. 2. Apply image processing tools developed and validated under a prior contract. a. Define gray matter regions of interest: Targeted regions include the Hippocampus, Posterior Cingulate, Precuneus, and Medial Frontal cortex. b. DTI Pre-processing: The Contractor shall perform and provide the Government with pre-processed image data, yielding fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), principal eigenvector (v1), and tensor (D) images for each subject. The Contractor shall use the defined gray matter regions of interest for rs-fMRI analysis based on structural data. c. Define white matter tracts: The FA maps for each subject shall be labeled with a white matter atlas (i.e., the Johns Hopkins "Eve" atlas). d. rs-fMRI Pre-processing: Pre-processing shall yield functional connectivity maps for each gray matter and white matter region of interest. e. Region of Interest Analysis: The Contractor shall generate and provide to the LBN, NIA a table of means and standard deviations of rs-fMRI, FA, and MD for all regions of interest. f. Implement mass-univariate temporal modeling: The Contractor shall work with the LBN/NIA team and their collaborators to select the most promising temporal association inference models (e.g., "causal") and implement this approach in the context of the Biological Parametric Mapping (BPM) toolbox. g. Characterize temporal inference in simulation: The Contractors shall perform data-driven simulations to verify that the inference method empirically performs according to theoretical predictions and is compatible with standard approaches for multiple comparisons corrections (e.g., false discovery rate [FDR]). h. Apply multi-modal temporal inference to BLSA 1.5T/3T cohort: The Contractor shall work with LBN investigators to execute structural-functional-covariate analysis in the form of a general linear model (GLM, voxelwise model of the form: Y=β X) where both the regressors and the regressands may be longitudinally sampled imaging variables. The temporal relationships between sequenced regressors and regressands shall be assessed. Additional non-imaging data may be provided for each subject in the form of an Excel document. These shall be run as additional regressors. i. Scanner calibration: The Contractor shall develop and evaluate strategies for scanner calibration/correction, including modeling scanner changes as nuisance variables and using image preprocessing corrections. 3. Support method translation to NIA intramural researchers: The Contractor shall provide LBN, NIA with documentation of methods, including user manuals, and assist with installation and implementation of software for LBN use. The Contractor shall document methodological contributions in the form of peer-reviewed publications. Background: A new award involves continued work begun under contract HHSN271201200645P. In the initial phase of the project, a database and image processing pipeline was established to perform customized processing of structural and functional brain images of NIA participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). The initial period of performance for this project utilized 3T MRI data acquired on the NIA 3T scanner through December 31, 2012. In addition, the contractor (Dr. Bennett Landman of Vanderbilt University) developed customized software for analysis of BLSA images and is developing customized software for investigation of structure-function associations to allow mapping of functional connections in the human brain. There is a continuing need for analysis and development of methods for statistical analysis of structure-function relationships of longitudinal NIA BLSA images. The prior acquisition involves processing data through December 2012, but the NIAILBN continues collecting longitudinal BLSA MRI data on an ongoing basis, with approximately 300 sets of imaging data annually. In addition, tools for analysis of structure-function relationships including both temporal and spatial analysis are limited and require customization for longitudinal analysis. Such tools will continue to be developed and validated under a new acquisition. Current Contract information: (i) Contractor: Dr. Bennett Landman, Vanderbilt University; (ii) period of performance: September 30, 2012 - September 29, 2013; (iii) $48,197 obligated to date; (iv) initial award was not competed as Dr. Landman had developed customized software for BLSA longitudinal image analysis. Purpose and Objectives: Although age-related changes associated with brain function and white matter integrity have been relatively well-documented, investigations of the spatial co-localization and temporal sequences of such associations are just becoming feasible. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) Neuroimaging Cohort has a two decade record of structural, white matter, and functional (via positron emission tomography, PET) data. Over the last several years, new high resolution resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans have been added to the BLSA MRI imaging protocol to accompany the ongoing collection of modern diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequences. Together, these imaging sequences provide new avenues for mapping human brain function, including investigation of the functional connectivity and white matter integrity to better understand how networks of brain activity underlying cognitive processing change with aging and disease. The purpose of a new award is to provide the Government with state-of-the art statistical approaches and analysis of white matter correlates of alterations in functional connectivity as well as functional connectivity correlates of white matter alterations, both of which are integral to mapping of human brain function. Period of Performance or/and Delivery Information/Contract Type: Period of Performance: 9/30/2013 - 9/29/2014. The contract type will be Firm-Fixed-Price. Project Description: Neuroimaging-derived biomarkers based on these imaging data promise to enable earlier and more effective intervention. Notably, multivariate models that include cardiovascular, genetic, and image-based risk factors are showing increasing success at predicting disease onset and progression. Current analytic tools for neuroimaging do not directly assess the temporal causality (even in the weak "Granger" sense) or longitudinal interdependence between complex factors with regional impacts in the brain. New inference models from the statistical community are beginning to be applied in specialized contexts, but have not been adapted for use within a general purpose framework. A new award shall build upon previous work to create and evaluate a tool for multimodal data analyses by incorporating new statistical advances in causal modeling into the general linear model framework. A new award shall require the development, validation and implementation of calibration techniques to address data acquisition changes over the course of the two decade long BLSA study. The contractor shall develop and apply techniques to assess relationships between structural, functional, and quantitative (diffusion) BLSA imaging data, allowing LBN investigators to investigate how brain-behavior associations in aging are modulated by cardiovascular, metabolic, inflammatory, and genetic risk factors. Other Important Considerations: Not Applicable CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION: The determination by the government to award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition (including brand-name) is based upon market research conducted as prescribed in FAR Part 10-Market Research, specifically the review and evaluation of responses received to the sources sought notice published in the FedBizOpps on July 24, 2013. The results of the market research concluded that there are no other companies with the capability of providing services for the Study: Linking Function and Structure--The Relationship Between Brain Activity and White Matter Integrity. Only the Vanderbilt University has both the expertise and facilities for processing longitudinal multi-modal images for investigation of structure-function relations that are critical to the mapping of human brain activity and networks of the study. Dr. Landman, of the Vanderbilt University, is widely recognized as an expert for work on BLSA multi-modal longitudinal image analysis and has demonstrated excellent past performance and innovation. Also, Dr. Landman has written customized statistical code for BLSA neuroimaging data, has used customized methods and has used customized software; developed during previous provision of services to the Government. Therefore, only the Vanderbilt University has the capability to provide expert service with the elements and features essential to meet the Government's requirements. CLOSING STATEMENT: 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 reference the identifier code as follows: PS3005952. All responses must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist, Mario Gray, using the e-mail address as follows: Mario.Gray@nih.hhs.gov, and, by the closing date and time of this notice. Fax responses will not be accepted.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NIDA-01/PS3005952/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States
- Zip Code: 21224
- Zip Code: 21224
- Record
- SN03184940-W 20130914/130912235001-e1a656e13a624a72214c99df3bd79961 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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