SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Development and Maintenance of a Multigenotypic Aged Mouse Colony
- Notice Date
- 6/16/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 112990
— All Other Animal Production
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 4211 - MSC 9559, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RDSS-14-003
- Archive Date
- 7/16/2014
- Point of Contact
- Tawanda Haynes-Brown, Phone: 3014436162, Yvette Brown, Phone: 301-443-8402
- E-Mail Address
-
haynest@mail.nih.gov, yvette.brown@nih.gov
(haynest@mail.nih.gov, yvette.brown@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RDSS-14-003 SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE This is a Research and Development (R&D) Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential R&D requirement. Small Businesses are encouraged to respond. BACKGROUND: Current and projected experiments using rodents to model the aging processes and age-related diseases in humans require animals of defined genotype and controlled environmental and health status. Only with the meticulous, long-term control of genetic and environmental variables is it possible to maintain relevant animal models that may be used to study many of the biological and behavioral processes in aging. Therefore, a continuous supply of genetically defined, well characterized inbred and hybrid laboratory animals is essential for a program of research on aging. In 2010, NIA awarded a 9-year contract for the development and maintenance of a colony of genetically defined aged mice. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this acquisition is to develop, maintain and distribute a standing colony of aged, genetically defined laboratory mice for use by investigators in studies of aging. This colony is to be developed and maintained within controlled and defined barrier environments where animals are monitored and characterized for disease status and markers of genetic purity. PROJECT REQUIRMENTS: The Contractor shall develop, maintain and distribute a standing colony of aged mice of NIA-specified genotypes for use by investigators in studies of aging. The expected duration of this colony, and therefore of this contract, is ten years. During years 1 through 2, animals shall be entered into the colony, but few animals shall be removed from the colony except for the purposes of monitoring health and genetic purity. However, if the need should arise, animals may be distributed from the colony at anytime at the direction of the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). During years 3 through 7, animals shall continue to be entered into the colony and animals shall be distributed to investigators. This should be a period of stable operation with young animals entering the colony at approximately the same rate as older animals leave the colony due to distribution and normal attrition. The final period, years 8-10, will serve as the colony close-out period. Animals shall be maintained and disbursed, but entry of animals shall cease at the beginning of year 8 or when entries begin in a renewal contract colony. Thus the population in this contract colony will decline to a point of zero or very few animals at the end of year ten. The colony population at the end of each year of the nine year period should be approximately as follows: YEAR 1 - 10,000 YEAR 2 - 50,000 YEAR 3 - 72,000 YEAR 4 - 72,000 YEAR 5 - 72,000 YEAR 6 - 72,000 YEAR 7 - 72,000 YEAR 8 - 50,000 YEAR 9 - 20,000 YEAR 10 - Near Zero The Contractor shall acquire foundation stock for four inbred strains of mice from a stock center identified by the COR and shall re-derive the stock by caesarian section or embryo transfer under barrier conditions. After re-derivation, testing to confirm genetic purity and SPF health status shall be performed on the foundation colony, and breeding colonies will be established for the four inbred strains and two derivative hybrid strains. Mice will be entered into the aging colony at levels defined in the contract Statement of Work (SOW), currently a total of 4,150 mice per month (the hybrid strains account for approximately 5% of the total entry levels). The Contractor shall provide all production space needed for the colony, including at least two independent barriers to house the colony, with independent back-up and alarm systems. Since this is an aging colony, the contractor must be prepared to house the animals for up to 2-3 years each. Mice shall be provided with sterilized food (formulation consistent with NIH31 open formula) and bedding, and environmental conditions (temperature, humidity range, light cycle, water treatment, etc.) as defined in the SOW. Mice shall be monitored weekly for signs of fighting or morbidity. Semi-annual genetic monitoring of the breeding colonies and quarterly health monitoring of the aging colonies shall be performed and reported to the COR as well as be included in the semi-annual progress reports. Genetic monitoring shall be accomplished by a panel of microsatellite markers that distinguish the inbred strains. Health monitoring shall include external exams for parasites, microbiology, serology, and histology. The Contractor shall ship the mice to investigators upon authorization from the COR or her representative, providing secure shipping crates, food and water sources, and climate-controlled transport. The Contractor shall invoice customers for the cost of the animals (determined by the COR) and all shipping costs, and apply the remittance to the cost of the contract. The Contractor shall account for all received funds on the monthly invoices. The Contractor shall weekly provide an inventory of the aging colony in a format approved by the COR. REPORTS/DELIVERABLES: The following reports will be required: (1) Post-re-derivation Health and Genetic Monitoring Report; (2) Breeding Colony Development Report; (3) Semi-Annual Progress Reports; (4) Weekly Inventory Report; (5) Health Monitoring Reports; (6) Genetic Monitoring Reports; Caloric Restricted Set-Aside Body Weight Reports; (7) Individual Postmortem Reports; and (8) Final Report. ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The anticipated period of performance is a total of ten (10) years. The estimated month of award is August 2015. OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: (1) The Government is expected to use procedures in FAR Part 15, contracting by Negotiations and (2) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 112990 with a size standard of $0.75 million. CAPABILITY STATEMENT/INFORMATION SOUGHT: NIA is interested in soliciting capability statements from all qualified Offerors demonstrating their ability to perform this effort. At a minimum, respondents to this notice must provide, as part of their response, a capability statement to include the following: (1) information regarding the 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 a similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and, (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information; (2) 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, (3) any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirement. INFORMATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Respondents should provide responses accordingly: (1) submit information both electronically and by mail. No telephone or 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 July 1, 2014 at 3:00 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 haynest@mail.nih.gov. The original statements mailed using the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to ATTN: Tawanda Haynes-Brown, 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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