6515--Equipment | ABR & DPOAE Work Station | Ann Arbor

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Contract Opportunity

Notice of Intent to Sole Source Requirement

The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Healthcare System, NCO 10 intends to negotiate a sole source order under FAR Part 13. The VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System requires an order for a ABR & DPOAE Workstation in accordance with FAR 13. The purchase will include the following items:

Z-Series 4-DSP Bioacoustic System w/Attenuators and Optic fiber
4-Channel Pre-Amp/Digitizer and Low Impedance Headstage
Electrostatic Loudspeaker - Coupler Model
AEP/OAE Software for RZ6
Experiment Control Workstation
22 Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor
1/4" Free Field Measure Calibration Mic Kit
Distortion Product OAE Microphone System
30 Needle Electrodes
Cable Kit: BNC Cables, T-connector, BNC Female Adapter

While there are commercial systems designed for obtaining auditory brain stem response (ABR) in people, these are not suitable for our animal studies. Animal Studies require:
Ability to acquire threshold measurements of Auditory Evoked Potentials in mice and rats.
Ability to generate signals at different frequencies suitable for rodent hearing (up to 64kHz).
Magnetic speakers for high frequency stimulation with detachable tips allowing them to be used in either free-field or closed-field use.
Software for generation presentation sequences. Includes an integrated signal calibration program to calibrate transducers at frequencies up to 90 kHz.
Ability to generate an impulse noise exposure.
Hardware with a stimulus bandwidth in excess of 80 kHz.
The commercial systems for people do not have these necessary features to enable measurement in our animal models (rats and mice). In addition our studies require the ability to generate and measure Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE), which is possible with the requested Tucker Davis System and not in any other commercially available device. We also study the Vestibular system and the Tucker Davis system can be configured to measure vestibular sensory evoked potentials (VsEP) an important metric in our studies.

The associated NAICS code for this procurement is 334519. The vendor will be Tucker-Davis Technologies, Inc., 11930 Research Circle, Alachua, FL 32615.

A firm fixed price contract is anticipated and shall be awarded. It is the Government's belief that only the proposed candidate possesses the required capabilities to successfully meet this requirement. It is the Government's intention to solicit and negotiate with only this source.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. It is not a solicitation or request for offers. No solicitation package is available. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Responses must be received no later than 4:30 pm on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

Jacob Hanset
Contract Specialist
jacob.hanset@va.gov

Kellie Konopinski
Contracting Officer
(734) 222-4330
Kellie.Konopinski@va.gov

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