Support for XNAT instance for FMRIF
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is soliciting quotes for XNAT instance support for its Functional MRI Facility (FMRIF). This is a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (RFQ) for commercial items, seeking a contractor to maintain and enhance the XNAT data and workflow management platform. The anticipated contract is a Firm Fixed-Price purchase order for a potential total of five years. Quotes are due by April 20, 2026, at 1:00 P.M. EDT.
Scope of Work
The contractor will provide comprehensive support for the XNAT platform, which aggregates, manages, and provides access to data from multiple MRI scanners. Key responsibilities include:
- Software Updates & Maintenance: Updating XNAT for new capabilities, performance, and security; maintaining integrations with institutional authentication systems (LDAP, Active Directory).
- Data Management: Updating interfaces for automatic capture and aggregation of raw (k-space) and DICOM data; supporting DICOM data transport between platforms and PACS systems; developing tools for version tracking and data provenance.
- System Development & Scaling: Developing and supporting interfaces for data visualization, analysis, and metadata search; supporting tools leveraging OCI-compliant containers (e.g., AFNI, FreeSurfer, FSL); supporting interfacing with large-scale batch processing systems (Slurm, PBS) on HPC and cloud resources; developing options to consolidate data for tape backup and cloud migration.
- User Support & Compliance: Providing training for FMRIF staff and users; supporting exporting image and study data into BIDS compliant datasets; providing automated data anonymization/de-identification; ensuring deployed software is NIH open source and available to the research community.
- Technical Requirements: Supporting open REST-based APIs and external language SDKs (MATLAB, Python, R); providing interfaces for data upload validation and error detection; supporting command line integration access for scripting and pipeline building; providing guaranteed response times for issue resolution (24-hour acknowledgment, 4-week resolution).
Contract & Timeline
- Contract Type: Firm Fixed-Price Purchase Order
- Period of Performance: One (1) 12-month base period with four (4) 12-month option periods, for a potential total of five (5) years.
- Set-Aside: None specified (Competitive)
- Solicitation Number: PCA-NIMH-02429
- Published Date: April 6, 2026
- Questions Due: April 13, 2026, 1:00 P.M. EDT
- Quotes Due: April 20, 2026, 1:00 P.M. EDT
Evaluation
Award will be based on the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) methodology. Evaluation factors include:
- Technical Evaluation Criteria: Technical Capability and Functionality, Contract Management and Customer Support, and Past Performance (minimum 1 year in relevant services).
- Price Evaluation: Quotes will be evaluated for reasonableness.
Submission Requirements
Offerors must submit a searchable electronic format to nicholas.capobianco@nih.gov, including:
- Technical quote (searchable PDF)
- Price quote (Excel)
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
- SAM registration verification (must be active)
Additional Notes
This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; no separate written solicitation will be issued. The NAICS code is 541512 - Computer Systems Design Services, with a small business size standard of $34 million. Contractor staff must be familiar with DICOM, network protocols, security standards, medical imaging data processing, and have extensive experience with the XNAT application. The system will be deployed on government-provided computers and accessible only to trained NIH employees. No publications or confidential information are expected.