SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Support for Epidemiological Studies of Cancer Among Atomic Bomb Survivors
- Notice Date
- 2/20/2014
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Room 1E128, Rockville, Maryland, 20852, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20852
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NCI-RDSS-14-003
- Archive Date
- 3/22/2014
- Point of Contact
- Jame Chang, Phone: 2402765424, Jill Johnson, Phone: 240-276-5395
- E-Mail Address
-
jame.chang@nih.gov, jill.johnson2@nih.gov
(jame.chang@nih.gov, jill.johnson2@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. A SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL BE ISSUED ON A LATER DATE. The mission of the Radiation Epidemiology Branch (REB), Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program (EBP), Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI) is to plan and conduct studies on cancer risk associated with exposure to radiation. This work is relevant to understanding the role of radiation exposure as a cancer cause and, more generally, to understanding principles and mechanisms of carcinogenesis through epidemiological and multi-disciplinary investigations of the action of a particular carcinogen and its modification by other factors. Ionizing radiation is the best understood, and best quantified, of common human carcinogens, and this knowledge base is an enormous advantage for investigating why certain individuals, under certain circumstances or with certain characteristics, have a higher risk of developing radiation-related cancer than others In support of this mission, Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) has collected data on cancer risk in the long-term follow up of cohorts of Japanese atomic-bomb survivors and their children (mainly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki but also in other places in Japan to which they may have migrated). Cancer cases have been identified by RERF primarily through its mortality surveillance program that covers all of Japan and its tumor registry that covers the general populations in Hiroshima and Nagasaki prefectures. Ancillary information on tumor characteristics and access to tissue specimens have been obtained from tissue registries in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and other sources including RERF data files and records, its autopsy series and hospital and clinic records at other institutions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Well-characterized individual radiation dose estimates from the dosimetry system, "DS02", have been made available for RERF cohort subjects, together with information on lifestyle and other cancer risk factors obtained from a series of previously conducted mail and interview surveys in the cohort population. Information for epidemiological studies has been obtained by conducting specially designed case-control studies, and through pathology reviews and biomedical and molecular assays of stored or fresh biological specimens. The Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), through the Office of Acquisitions, intends to negotiate with RERF, located at 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City, 732-0815 in Japan on a sole source basis. The anticipated award will be a five-year contract with a one-year base period, four one-year option periods, and four options for increased quantities to conduct epidemiological and multi-disciplinary studies of cancer among atomic bomb survivors. RERF will collaborate with REB in their investigations of cancer risk, radiation dose, and other factors among members of the Life Span Study (LSS) and other RERF study cohorts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In accordance with statutory authority 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), as set forth in FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii), RERF is the only responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Contractor is uniquely qualified for the following reasons: 1. The Contractor has sole access to a cohort of a unique population entity consisting of survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Large cohorts of survivors, and their children, with documented exposure to radiation from the 1945 atomic bombings with individual estimates of radiation dose ranging from minimal to near-lethal levels, have been followed for health status since 1947 by National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and its present-day successor, the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). The Contractor thus owns and controls the most extensive and complete set of information on atomic bomb survivors available. No other Contractor has knowledge of the identity of the cohort participants, whose personal identity is protected. As a result, no other Contractor is capable of collecting the required information and relating it to previous data. 2. The Contractor has invested substantial time and resources in obtaining the necessary internal organization IRB approvals for the cohort studies. Given the breadth of the studies, obtaining these approvals has required the development and maintenance of an ongoing relationship with various IRBs. The current Contractor is the only entity that has IRB approval to follow the participants. 3. The Contractor has developed working relationships with important entities, such as the Ministry of Health, various regulatory boards, registries and various hospitals in order to collect data in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and other regions of Japan. The Contractor has built long-lasting relationships with members of the community and are recognized and trusted within the community. 4. The Contractor has established the necessary infrastructure to ascertain cancer cases among members of the cohort. The Contractor's mission is to continue health follow-up studies in the cohorts of the atomic bomb survivors and their children, the only organization of its kind in Japan. The existing infrastructure includes two RERF laboratories in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with the combined staff of over 250 scientists and support personnel, who have completed training tailored to provide support to REB studies in the areas of data collection and entry, administration of questionnaires, and collection and processing of biological specimens specific to this study. The staff has extensive expertise in multidisciplinary study epidemiology, statistics, clinical medicine, genetics and cellular and molecular biology as it relates to the cohorts. 5. The Contractor is the sole source of the data collected on the cohorts of Japanese atomic-bomb survivors and their children. The Contractor has successfully assembled and established the unique cohort populations for follow-up, and conducts nation-wide mortality follow-up through the Japanese family registry system, cancer incidence follow-up by linkage to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tumor registries (which are also operated by RERF) and clinical follow-up by biennial health examinations. The Contractor provides individual radiation dose estimates for cohort members, and has databases containing data from previously conducted mail surveys in the LSS cohort, providing information on lifestyle and other risk factors. The Contractor has a large depository of archived pathology specimens from the previously active autopsy and other pathology programs as well as biological specimens obtained at the time of health examination. The Contractor maintains computer systems and software, managing relational databases containing all cohort information, accessible to investigators. The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to continue with one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. However, interested sources may identify their interest and capability by submitting a capability statement, not to exceed 20 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.) presented in single-space using a 12-point font size minimum, within 15 days of publication of this synopsis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The capability statement will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. All capability statements sent in response to this notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Jame Chang, Contract Specialist, at jame.chang@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) by March 7, 2014, 4:30 PM EST. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. No collect calls or facsimile transmissions will be accepted.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/RCB/HHS-NIH-NCI-RDSS-14-003/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City, 732-0815, Hiroshima, Japan
- Record
- SN03292092-W 20140222/140220234329-e2b1c43303bead5ae0f8ff407d5bdaea (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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