SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Pathology Monitoring of Aged Rodent Colonies
- Notice Date
- 4/16/2009
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541940
— Veterinary Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Mental Health, Contracts Management Branch, 6001 Executive Blvd, Rm 8154, MSC 9661, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-9661
- ZIP Code
- 20892-9661
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-SBSS-09-059
- Archive Date
- 4/30/2010
- Point of Contact
- Rosanne S Wilson,, Phone: 301-443-4433
- E-Mail Address
-
wilsonr@mail.nih.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice." BACKGROUND. Biomedical research is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Aging (NIA) through several programs which require animals as models of the aging process. To facilitate this research, the NIA has established contracts for the supply of genetically defined, barrier-reared aged rats and mice to be made available to investigators for aging research. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is planning to procure services for Pathology Monitoring of Aged Rodent Colonies. The purpose of this contract is to provide independent surveillance of the health status of National Institute on Aging (NIA)-supported, contractor-maintained colonies of aged rats and mice. The aim is to provide confirmation of results reported by the colony contractor, to serve as a research resource for resolution of questions on animal health, and to provide advice on animal health management practices. The objective of this project is to provide an independent surveillance of the health status of rodents maintained in contractor facilities for the aged rodent colonies. The evaluation to be performed will include gross pathology, histopathology, microbiology, parasitology and serology. There are four colonies to be covered by this contract: the Fisher 344 rat colony; the multi-genotypic mouse colony; the caloric-restricted colony (rat and mouse); and the hybrid rat colony. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS. The Contractor shall perform clinical evaluation of mice and rats selected by the Project Officer from the NIA colonies and shipped at no cost to the contractor. Total numbers of mice and rats to be evaluated will range between 520 and 900 per year. No more than 30 animals will be shipped in any one week. As part of the assessment, the contractor shall describe general conditions of all animals, weight, and any visible lesions or symptoms, conduct a gross pathology examination on all animals, and evaluate eighty percent (80%) of the animals with the Basic Profile (below) and the other twenty percent (20%) with the Comprehensive Profile, which includes the Basic Profile plus additional tests listed under Comprehensive Profile. All tests are applied to both rats and mice unless indicated specific to either rats (R) or mice (M). Basic Profile: Serology- MHV (M), Ectromelia virus (M), Mouse parvovirus(es) (M), Theiler's (M), PVM, LCMV (M), Rotavirus (M), Sendai, Rat Parvoviruses (R), and Rat coronovirus (R); Microbiology - Mycoplasma pulmonis, Corynebacterium kutscheri, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii (4280), Pseudomonas sp., and Salmonella enteritidis; Parasitology- Spironucleus muris, Giardia sp., Cryptosporidium sp., Syphacia sp., Hymenolepis sp., and Mites; Histopathology - GI tract: Small intestine, Cecum, and Colon, Respiratory tract: Nasal passages, Middle ears, Lungs, Trachea, and Liver. Comprehensive Profile: Serology - Reovirus(es), Polyomavirus (M), Adenoviruses, LDV (M), TMEV (R), Hantavirus (R); Microbiology- CAR bacillus (histopathology), Pasteurella pneumotropica, Bacillus piliformis (histopathology), and Helicobacter; Histology - Spleen, Thymus, Heart, Kidney, Reproductive organs: Ovaries, Uterus, Testes, and Prepuce, Brain, Skin, Salivary gland, and Harderian gland. Excess tissue can be disposed of upon completion of the analysis. Slides and embedded tissue blocks are to be archived for a period of 1 year, after which they may be discarded unless otherwise specified by the Project Officer. The Contractor must be prepared to accept delivery of archived slides and tissue blocks from the previous contract and store them for the remainder of the one year archival period. REPORTS/DELIVERABLES: (1) Pathology reports - The data generated from these evaluations will be gross pathology, histopathology, microbiology, parasitology, and serology data on each individual animal submitted for evaluation. (2) Annual report - This report shall consist of a summary of the number of animals evaluated and a Contractor's statement regarding the significance of these results in terms of the success of colony management practices and the health of colony animals. (3) Final report - The Contractor shall submit, with the final report, a summary of salient results achieved during the performance of the contract. ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. The anticipated period of performance is one 12-month base year from 3/1/10 through 2/28/11 with four 12-month option years thereafter. OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS. The government is expected to use procedures in FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541940 with a size standard of $7.0 Million is being contemplated. CAPABILITY STATEMENT/INFORMATION SOUGHT. a. Capability Statement - Respondents to this notice must provide, as part of their responses, a capability statement to include the following: (1) information regarding respondents': (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information; (2) provide any catalog/list prices for services described in this notice; (3) respondents' DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code; and (4) any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the OPDIV's acquisition requirements. b. Information Submission Instructions - Respondents should provide responses accordingly: (1) submit information both electronically and by mail. No telephone and facsimile responses will be accepted; (2) format capability statements using Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF including attachments, resumes, charts, etc. Use single space, 12 font minimum and 8 ½ x 11 size paper; (3) organize material in such a manner that clearly identifies and address capability requirements and provide an executive summary; (4) capability statement should not exceed ten (10) single sided pages including references; (5) respondents must send two original copies via mail and one electronic copy via email; (6) responses should be received no later than April 30, 2009 at 1:00 PM Local Time; (7) include respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses; and (8) send responses to this notice via email to wilsonr@mail.nih.gov. The original statements mailed using the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to ATTN: Rosanne S. Wilson, National Institutes of Health, Office of Acquisitions - NIDA Neuroscience COAC, NIA R&D Contracts Management Section, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8154, MSC 9661, Bethesda, MD 20892-9661. If using a courier service such as the UPS, Federal Express, etc., change the City, State and Zip Code to Rockville, MD 20852. (Please be aware that the U.S. Postal Service's "Express Mail" DOES NOT deliver to the Rockville, Maryland address.) DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. CONFIDENTIALITY. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
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