What this opportunity is
The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking a contractor to provide postmortem human brain specimens for the National Institute of Mental Health's Human Brain Collection Core. This solicitation is open to all businesses, as it is not set aside for small businesses, and falls under NAICS code 621991. Interested vendors should note that this is a combined synopsis/solicitation, meaning they must submit proposals in response to this notice rather than waiting for a separate solicitation document.
Analysis by Mindy, grounded in the SAM.gov notice.
Description
COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION (COMPETITIVE)
Title: Postmortem Human Brain Collection
(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with
FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This
announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested, and a separate
written solicitation will not be issued.
(ii) The solicitation number is 75N98026Q00448. This solicitation is issued as a competitive
combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services. The
Government intends to award a contract or purchase order resulting from this solicitation using
full and open competition.
This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 12.603, Streamlined Solicitation for
Commercial Products or Commercial Services, and is not expected to exceed the simplified
acquisition threshold..
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director, Office of Acquisitions, seeks to
award a firm-fixed price purchase order to the responsible offeror whose proposal represents the
best value to the Government.
(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect
through Federal Acquisition Circular (2026-01 dated January 01, 2026).
(iv) The associated NAICS code is 621991 – Blood and Organ Banks and the small business size
standard is $40 million. This requirement is not set aside for small business.
(v) Description of Requirement:
The Human Brain Collection Core (HBCC) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is
a brain bank dedicated to the acquisition and distribution of brain and associated tissue, to better
understand the causes, consequences and potential treatments of neurological and psychiatric
disorders. The HBCC also acquires brains of adults and children in order to study changes in
brain chemistry and structure that occur during development. HBCC seeks tissue from both
psychiatrically healthy and afflicted individuals in order to establish the neuropathological
changes underlying complex neuropsychiatric disorders. This research will lead to improved
diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of these illnesses and their consequences. Therefore, the
NIMH has a need to locate a source(s) capable of providing donor specimens on an on-going
basis from licensed Medical Examiner's Offices or other sources such as hospitals to continue
this research. Please refer to the Statement of Work (SOW) for additional details.
(vi) Delivery Location:
National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of Health
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9000 Rockville Pike
BLDG 10 RM 4N218B
Bethesda, MD 20892
(vii) [Reserved, if needed]
(viii) The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Items, applies to
this acquisition.
(ix) The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.
(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible
offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation represents the best value to the Government,
price and other factors considered.
(b) Evaluation Factors:
The Government will award a contract or purchase order resulting from this requirement on the
basis of best value, technical factors and price considered. Technical factors together shall be
considered more important than price and all technical evaluation factors are detailed below. Full
details are outlined in the Technical Evaluation Criteria attachment.
• Technical Approach
• Personnel Qualifications
• Past Performance
(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, issued within the time specified in the
offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. The Government
reserves the right to accept any offer before the expiration date.
(x) Offerors shall include a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and
Certifications—Commercial Items, with their offer.
(xi) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items, applies to this
acquisition.
(xii) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or
Executive Orders—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.
(xiii) Additional contract requirements or terms and conditions, as determined necessary by the
Contracting Officer and consistent with customary commercial practices: None
(xiv) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) is not applicable.
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(xv) Submission Requirements:
Responses must include sufficient information to demonstrate the offeror’s capability to provide
the required product or service. Quotes shall include, at a minimum:
• Unit and total price
• Shipping and handling costs
• Delivery timeframe after award
• Delivery terms
• F.O.B. point (destination or origin)
• Product or catalog numbers (if applicable)
• Product/service description
Additional evaluation considerations may include past performance, warranty, lifecycle cost,
maintenance availability, and environmental or energy efficiency.
Responses must include the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), Taxpayer Identification Number
(TIN), and business size certification. All offerors must be actively registered in the System for
Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov.
All responses must be received by June 19, 2026, at 12 noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) and
must reference solicitation number 75N98026Q00448. Responses may be submitted
electronically to Elaine Estrella, Contract Specialist at Elaine.Estrella@nih.gov or Brian Lind,
Contract Officer at Brian.Lind@nih.gov We will accept questions/request for clarification
between June 8-12, 2026. Q&As will be amended in the solicitation on June 15, 2026.
(xvi) Point of Contact:
Elaine Estrella, Contract Specialist at Elaine.Estrella@nih.gov or Brian Lind, Contract Officer at
Brian.Lind@nih.gov.
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Source: SAM.gov, as posted. Verify the current solicitation before responding.