Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF APRIL 30, 2009 FBO #2712
SPECIAL NOTICE

B -- Create Predictive Mathematical Models on the Efficacy of Tick Control Methods for Lyme Disease Prevention

Notice Date

4/28/2009
 

Notice Type

Special Notice
 

NAICS

611310 — Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
 

Contracting Office

Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Procurement and Grants Office (Atlanta), 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, Georgia, 30341-4146
 

ZIP Code

30341-4146
 

Solicitation Number

00HCVHCC-2009-69544
 

Archive Date

5/6/2009
 

Point of Contact

Linda M Young,, Phone: (770) 488-2655
 

E-Mail Address

lml3@cdc.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to issue a sole source purchase order to Michigan State University, Department of Fish and Wildlife, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, to create predictive mathematical models on the efficacy of tick control methods for Lyme disease prevention. Background: Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, and transmitted by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States. A total of 248,000 cases were reported to CDC from 1992-2006. Approximately 20,000 cases are reported annually in the United States. The 2 main foci of Lyme disease in the United States are: 1) Along the northeastern Atlantic seaboard including the states of MD, DE, PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, NH, and ME. 2) In the north-central region, including the states of MN, WI, MI, IL, IN, IA. Although personal protection measures are the frontline against tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, few people in Lyme disease endemic areas actually practice personal protection measures on a regular basis. Therefore, effective and readily accepted methods of tick control are urgently needed to prevent Lyme disease. Researchers have developed an impressive array of control methods to attack the principal Lyme disease spirochete vector tick, the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Chemical pesticides that attack ticks (acaricides) can be sprayed onto vegetation in an area-wide fashion to reduce tick populations. In addition, natural products derived from botanical sources can be sprayed to reduce ticks, as can fungal agents. Host-targeted acaricides have been developed for tick control. These can be directed at the hosts for immature ticks (rodents, shrews, birds) or the larger hosts for adult ticks (usually white-tailed deer). In addition to acaricides, vaccines or antibiotic treatments can be directed toward tick hosts to reduce Lyme disease spirochete transmission. Finally, host reduction or eradication has been tried on several coastal or island locations (usually in the form of white-tailed deer eradication) to prevent Lyme disease. Mathematical models can help public health personnel predict which interventions against vector-borne disease will have the most impact on pathogen transmission, and which interventions will be the most cost effective. Local variation in the Lyme disease spirochete transmission cycle and the importance of reservoir hosts may be an important component to include in mathematical models to predict the efficacy of Lyme disease interventions. Robust models of Lyme disease spirochete transmission dynamics and predictive models of the efficacy of intervention methods are urgently needed before large scale investments in community interventions for the prevention of Lyme disease are undertaken in Lyme disease endemic regions. Purpose: To design and test mathematical models predicting the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of tick control methods for the prevention of Lyme disease in both the northeastern and north-central United States, where Lyme disease is hyperendemic. Life tables of all 3 stages of the vector tick I. scapularis will be developed from existing data sets on questing tick populations in the northeast and north-central U.S. Along with the life table information on tick populations, the interaction of ticks with all known vertebrate hosts and the importance of each vertebrate host in supporting the Lyme disease spirochete transmission cycle will be incorporated into the mathematical model. Based on reported of the efficacy of existing control methods in the literature, a predictive mathematical model will be fashioned, predicting the relative efficacy and cost-effectiveness of all existing Lyme disease prevention strategies in communities in the northeastern and north-central United States. Scope of Work: The vendor shall furnish all labor, materials and equipment necessary to create predictive mathematical models on the efficacy of tick control methods for Lyme disease prevention. The vendor shall produce data sets related to the questing populations of larval, nymphal, and adult I. scapularis ticks in at least one location in the northeastern focus and one location in the north-central focus of Lyme disease spirochete transmission in the United States. The vendor shall create life table models of these tick populations. The vendor will also provide data related to the host interactions of larval, nymphal and adult I. scapularis in the northeastern and north-central foci of Lyme disease. The vendor will then create mathematical models predicting the efficacy and cost effectiveness of every known tick control method described in the literature on the prevention of Lyme disease in the northeastern and north-central United States. The vendor will also predict whether it is advantageous in a community setting to use a single tick control method for Lyme disease prevention, or to incorporate an Integrated Pest Management approach. Vendor will provide monthly reports related to progress in assembling the required data sets and model development. All data will be sent to CDC/NCZVED/DVBID, Fort Collins, CO. Tasks to Be Performed: The vendor shall perform the following tasks in the order shown: 1) Organize data sets on all 3 life stages (larvae, nymph, adult) of the Lyme disease spirochete vector tick, I. scapularis, based on populations from the northeastern and north-central United States. Construct life tables of I. scapularis based on questing larval, nymphal, and adult tick populations and organize the data into formats suitable for entry into simulation models for tick control and Lyme disease prevention.2) Collect data on the importance of specific vertebrate reservoir hosts for the Lyme disease spirochete in at least one location in the northeastern and one location in the north-central United States. Assign values for the relative contribution of each vertebrate host based on the actual data sets as well as data contained in the scientific literature. 3) Design simulation models predicting the efficacy of individual tick control methods and the degree of Lyme disease prevention achieved by the introduction of each control method. Design simulation models that can combine several intervention methods into an integrated pest management approach and predict the outcome of the integrated prevention methods. Include simulation models for each of the intervention methods listed: Area-wide chemical acaricides, biological control agents such as botanical products or fungal agents, rodent targeted acaricides, rodent-target vaccines and antibiotic baits, deer-targeted acaricides, deer reduction, or deer eradication. 4) Provide the life table for questing ticks, vertebrate host contribution calculations, and simulation mathematical models in the form of a written report provided to CDC. The report may be fashioned in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The total period of performance shall commence upon receipt of a purchase order and shall continue for a period of 270 days. The anticipated award date is on or before June 1, 2009. Deliverables are as follows: A. Provide life table data on all stages of questing blacklegged ticks (larvae, nymphs, and adults) from at least one location in the northeastern U.S. and one location in the north-central U.S. where Lyme disease is endemic. Provide within 3 months after receipt of purchase order. B. Provide the relative contribution of all vertebrate hosts to the Lyme disease spirochete transmission cycle in at least one location in the northeastern U.S. and at least one location in the north-central U.S. where Lyme disease is endemic. Provide within 6 months after receipt of purchase order. C. Evaluate the life table and vertebrate host contribution data and incorporate into simulation-based mathematical models predicting the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of known intervention methods for tick control and Lyme disease prevention. Provide within 9 months after receipt of purchase order. Minimum Vendor Qualifications: The vendor must have available data sets on questing populations of all 3 stages (larvae, nymphs, and adults) of blacklegged ticks in the northeastern U.S. and north-central U.S. from areas where Lyme disease is endemic. The vendor must be familiar with the assembly of data on questing ticks into life table formats suitable for incorporation into simulation-based mathematical models. The vendor must also have available data sets on the importance of all vertebrate hosts to the Lyme disease spirochete transmission cycle in at least one location in the northeastern and north-central U.S. Finally, the vendor must be familiar with the construction of simulation-based mathematical models for the evaluation of control methods for the control of vector-borne diseases in general and tick-borne diseases in particular. CDC believes that this requirement is met by only one provider. This procurement will be processed under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 and 6.302-2. Only one responsible source and no other sources will satisfy agency requirements. No solicitation is being issued. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. This procurement is not set-aside for small business. For contractual questions contact Linda M. Young.
 

Web Link

FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=2ed2958c454f812d977ca6ca9bf6ddd6&tab=core&_cview=1)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, United States

Zip Code: 48824
 

Record

SN01804263-W 20090430/090428222224-2ed2958c454f812d977ca6ca9bf6ddd6 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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