The Veteran s Administration (VA) Office of Research and Development, Regional Procurement Office East in Pittsburgh, PA intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Psychology Software Tools based in Sharpsburg, PA on behalf of the VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System. The requirement is to: Acquire 25 new Phantom systems manufactured by Psychology Software Tools, which may include storage and shipping when delivery is required. Engineering services to provide inspection, calibration, maintenance, Geometric Disk upgrades, and other upgrades to 105 currently installed Phantoms and up to 25 additional systems. The new Phantoms shall meet/exceed the specifications below and be 100% compatible with Phantom systems currently in-use at the VA facility. Website Development Services for the continuation of a project website already prototyped in collaboration with Psychology Software Tools. The systems will be used on an ongoing VA research study on Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).
A Phantom is a precisely manufactured object of known size and composition that is imaged to test, adjust, or monitor; a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system s homogeneity, quantitative precision, and shape geometry for the purpose of quantification and correction of both measurement accuracy and quality. Phantoms attach to MRI scanners to collect and calibrate diagnostics for brain imaging. The VA research office currently uses phantoms supplied by Psychology Software Tools and must continue to use the same phantoms to maintain the integrity of research results. Too many variables from other systems can skew research data and some include proprietary magnets which are not compatible with the current system. The Phantom systems require calibration to the necessary proprietary format and require anisotropic diffusion, which is critical to diffusion imaging required by VA research.
a. Acquisition of Geometric Distortion Disks for 100 Existing Phantom Devices. The minimum specifications are:
Multiple geometric test points and patterns across a plane of the magnetic field
Features support assessment of B1, B0 non-uniformity, geometric linearity, slice profile and slice positioning accuracy, resolution and SNR, etc.
b. Additional MRI Calibration Phantoms Universal. The minimum specifications are:
Phantom enclosure filled with deionized water with multiple internal test disks
(1) Anisotropic Diffusion Disk
20+ anisotropic diffusion test points containing hollow micron scale (< 1 micron inside diameter) textile fibers Taxons to simulate diffusion characteristics of human axons for assessment of FA, AD, RD, MD.
Variable packing densities 1.0, 0.5, 0.25/0.33, 0.125/0.67
Multiple tract sizes (1 6mm per side)
Tract crossings of 90, 45, and 30 degrees (single tract size)
(1) Isotropic Diffusion Disk
includes 40+ NIST characterized fluids for assessment of T1,T2,T2*,PD,ADC
(1) Spatial Homogeneity Disk
includes Taxon fibers in X, Y, Z orientations to assess spatial homogeneity of diffusion
(1) Pressure Compensation Disk & Thermometer
maintains stable internal pressure during unit heating/cooling and shipping; internal thermometer (range of ~30-44°C)
(1) Geometric Distortion Disk
multiple geometric test points and patterns across a plane of the magnetic field
features support assessment of B1, B0 non-uniformity, geometric linearity, slice profile and slice positioning accuracy, resolution and SNR, etc.
Included Accessories:
Heating and Storage Cabinet
Head Coil Alignment Insert
Insulated Hard Shell Rolling Shipping/Transport Case.
c. Storage and Shipping Vendor to house up to 25 phantoms in secure, temperature-controlled environment and coordination of shipping and return shipping of phantom units to/from project scan sites (up to 4 one-way shipments per phantom). Storage for all 25 existing units during first period and then storage needs may be reduced based on need. Phantoms may be distributed to collaborating sites and will only cycle back to vendor in batches for inspection, assessment or upgrade/repair as needed.
d. Engineering Services Evaluate custom phantom component options, testing of novel performance metrics, materials/component assessment, verification, reporting, etc., adaptation of head coil alignment inserts for use with new vendor head coil models.
e. Engineering Services SEM / High Resolution Microscope assessment and reporting of all fiber LOTs included in each Phantom.
f. Annual inspection service of existing phantom units Disassemble, inspect units for potential failures, reassemble, refill with deionized water, inspection report and comparison to baseline performance metrics. Any component repair/replacement that is not already covered under manufacturer s 1 year warranty shall be supported. The manufacturer is to provide discounted repair/replacement services relative to any standard terms for out-of-warranty repair services.
g. Website development services - A project website is being prototyped for immediate deployment. The VA seeks additional web/software development services either directly or indirectly from the collaborators who designed and developed the first phase of the web-based software system. The estimated requirement is up to 240 hours of development services over a 12-month period).
ADDITIONAL SERVICES ON NEWLY ACQUIRED DEVICES
Service, Recondition, MRI Calibration Phantom: Return of unit service aft er 1 year
of use for evaluation, reconditioning/recalibration, and component upgrades. Includes
free upgrade of any internal components to any improved models/revisions.
Storage & Shipping: Secure temperature-controlled storage of inventory units for up to
one year with multiple shipments to test sites as directed.
The requirement will take place at a VA facility in Salt Lake City, UT. The sole source is pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals, however; any responsible source who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement may submit a capability statement and supporting documentation to the contracting office no later than Monday, August 24, 2026 (10:00 AM, EST). Interest/capability statements may be sent to Michael Haydo at Michael.haydo@va.gov. No telephone responses will be accepted. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.
