MODIFICATION
B -- Animal Care Services
- Notice Date
- 1/11/2017
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Station Support/Simplified Acquisitions, 31 Center Drive, Room 1B59, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-SS-2017-153
- Archive Date
- 2/10/2017
- Point of Contact
- Leon Wong, Phone: 3014807503, Shun Yiu Wong, Phone: 3308604726
- E-Mail Address
-
leon.wong@nih.gov, Nancy.lamon-kritikos@nih.gov
(leon.wong@nih.gov, Nancy.lamon-kritikos@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- INTRODUCTION This is a Small Business Sources Sought, Request for Information (RFI) 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 disadvantaged small 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. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified small businesses capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. The notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. The information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether or not a small business or small business socio-economic set-aside is possible. ALL small businesses with the capability and availability to perform the requirement under the applicable NAICS code are invited to submit a response to this notice. We encourage teaming and partnering for this requirement. Description A. Background The Division of Intramural Research (DIR) is the intramural research program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA.) The DIR's mission is to conduct a coordinated, multidisciplinary program of research to improve its understanding of the causes and consequences of drug abuse, and to develop more effective treatment and prevention programs. Research using animals is an important part of this program. Such research involves: · studies of the expression of genes in animal tissues · investigations of the distribution and function of neurotransmitters and their receptors · studies of genetic variability in responses to drugs · studies of the effects of drugs on behavior and at the cellular level · studies of the toxicity of drugs · evaluations of drugs as potential therapeutic agents · studies on how drugs affect neural pathways using genetic and molecular biology methods The DIR is located in Baltimore, Maryland on the grounds of the Bayview Research Campus of the Johns Hopkins University. The DIR program occupies space in two buildings on the Bayview campus; the Biomedical Research Center (BRC) and the Triad building. The animal research program in the BRC building occupies approximately 45,000 square feet which includes approximately 28,000 square feet of animal housing and support space, approximately 2,000 square feet of storage space, and approximately 15,000 square feet of animal laboratory space. The BRC space includes 20 animal housing rooms including a barrier suite of three rooms for rodent breeding, quarantine room, an ABSL-2 suite, and a surgical suite for non-human primates (NHP). The BRC facility houses rats, mice, and non-human primates. The animal research program in the Triad building consists of 9,000 square feet of space and is located approximately one-third mile from the BRC building. The Triad facility houses rats and mice. It consists of 5,000 square feet of housing and support space and 4,000 square feet of animal testing areas. There are nine animal housing rooms with three of those rooms used for breeding. The centrally managed transgenic breeding core in both buildings produces the vast majority of the mice used by the investigators. The breeding core produces transgenic mice and rats that are not commercially available. The core facility is currently working with 250 transgenic lines of mice and rats. The population size and number of species in the DIR animal program will vary depending on specific research proposals. The species commonly used include mice, rats, and non-human primates. Other species may be introduced or held for short periods. The housing and handling requirements for these animals may vary significantly depending on the nature of the research being conducted. Currently, the approximate daily animal population includes 4,300 cages of mice, 2,700 cages of rats, and approximately 50 rhesus monkeys and squirrel monkeys. B. Objectives The objective of this contract is to provide prompt, efficient, and high quality research laboratory technical services as well as animal care and research support services for DIR's animal research program. C. Personnel Historically, the NIDA DIR requires the following full-time equivalent and part-time contractor staff to provide the animal research support services: four (4) full-time equivalent Key Personnel to support the animal care and use program; eleven (11) full-time equivalent research personnel, three (3) part-time research personnel; and dozens of full-time equivalent animal care and administration staff. The Contractor must provide personnel (managers, animal care technicians, etc.) sufficiently trained, qualified, and proficient to provide comprehensive professional and humane care of the DIR experimental animal population 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The contractor must recruit, retain and provide ongoing training and supervision of highly qualified husbandry, research and supervisor staff to provide consistent, high quality services in a communication intense and environmentally sensitive behavioral and molecular neuroscience animal research program. The contractor must have the ability to vet potential staff for qualifications and security risks, recruit from a small pool of qualified scientists, and secure HB1 visas and Homeland Security clearance. Failure to provide full staffing at all times can result in animal deaths, disruption of on-going research studies, and deviation from standard husbandry schedules and practices. The contractor must have the capability to provide immediate, temporary staffing with similar experience and qualifications in order to maintain full husbandry staffing levels at NIDA. Federal law and DIR protocol requires reporting incidents which impact or jeopardize animal welfare to the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) and AAALAC International. Performance failure harms NIDA's reputation and can result in the suspension of the animal research program and can adversely impact accreditation status. OLAW reportable incidents commonly result from inadequate training and management oversight so strong management and corporate support, including a comprehensive quality assurance program, is necessary. Labor categories include but are not limited to the following: a. Animal Facilities Contract Manager b. Vivarium Supervisors c. Animal Health Technician d. Animal Care Technicians e. Breeding Production Assistants f. Cage wash Technicians g. Housekeeping Attendants h. Administrative Personnel i. Research Assistants j. Research Associate k. Staff Fellow D. Primary Tasks 1. Animal Research Support Services The Contractor shall provide research personnel to support specific DIR investigators' animal research protocols including, but not limited to, the following: ● Managing multiple animal studies running concurrently in different phases, by following and complying respectively with the investigator's animal study proposals (ASPs), NIDA Standard Operating Procedures, and NIH research policies. ● Performing laboratory and animal technical procedures, such as measuring animals; implementing Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) approved food and water regulation procedures; performing subcutaneous, intracranial, intraperitoneal, and intravenous infusions and injections; performing aseptic rodent surgery and maintenance of implanted intravascular catheters, intracranial probes and cannulae, and abdominal and subcuticular implanted materials; performing rodent and NHP anesthesia; performing postoperative care; sterilizing surgical instruments; and conducting rodent analgesia testing, rodent locomotor assays, operant testing behavioral equipment, drug infusion pumps, analytical balances, solid-state interface circuitry, and optogenetic associated lasers. ● Performing ASP-approved euthanasia methods including terminal transcardial perfusions, collecting brain and other tissues and subsequent processing including genotyping of rodent tail tip and ear punch tissues, histology, autoradiography, in situ hybridization, general molecular biology techniques, e.g. southern blot assays and PCR; procurement, processing, and preservation of specimens so as to maintain sample identification and prevention of molecular cross contamination; performing safe handling and administration of radioisotopes and hazardous chemicals, constituting sterile drug and reagent solutions, secure handling of controlled substances. Accurate, reliable, and timely genotyping of tissues from the core breeding colony. 2. Laboratory Animal Technical Services The Contractor shall provide technical laboratory animal services to include, but not be limited to, the following: · Performing daily observations of each animal to assess health status, identifying potential illnesses, death, wet bedding and other routine care and documenting room level observations and reporting problems on the daily contract report. · Reviewing data from the vivariums' building automation system's environmental monitoring system on a daily basis, evaluating data to document environmental condition and reporting problems at the room level on the daily contract report. · Performing veterinary care procedures such as physical health examination, triage, and notification of Veterinarian(s); dosage preparation and calculations; routine clinical treatments, including oral or parenteral (IM, SC, IP, IV) drug administration; performing follow-up observations; routine phlebotomy of NHPs and rodents, collection of diagnostic samples from clinical cases and sentinel rodents including collection and microscopic assay to detect ecto- and endoparasistes, submission of specimens for bacteriology, serology, molecular and parasitology testing; and providing investigator support including superovulation techniques for transgenic colonies, collection of timed, serial blood samples. · Performing NHP surgical support including cleaning, packing, and hot or cold sterilization of surgical instruments and supplies; performing routine treatments and minor surgical procedures including skin trauma repair, vasectomies for transgenic rodent production; pre-operative care, anesthesia administration, monitoring, and support; recovery and postsurgical nursing care. · Performing animal identification methods, e.g. tattoo, ear punch or implantable transponders. · Participating in programs to ensure preventative maintenance of steam and ethylene oxide sterilizers, calibration of anesthesia vaporizers, monitoring anesthetic and ethylene oxide exposures, and respirator/ventilator fit programs. · Performing humane rodent euthanasia using carbon dioxide gas and secondary physical method of euthanasia. · Maintaining computerized animal medical records. · Continuously surveilling for possible contamination of animal populations with diseases from other animals or personnel. 3. Laboratory Animal Husbandry Services The Contractor shall provide husbandry services, including but not limited to, the following: · Ensuring daily provision of food and water to all animals housing in the animal facility. · Receiving, handling, restraining and housing incoming animals. · Transferring animals to clean, sanitized cages of appropriate size with accessories. 4. Rodent Production and Breeding Technical Services The Contractor shall provide technical rodent production and breeding services to include, but not be limited to, the following: · Consulting on appropriate breeding strategies to achieve adequate production to fulfill research objectives. · Performing special husbandry or management requirements for the large centralized rodent transgenic breeding program. · Weaning animals. 5. Environmental Enrichment Program Services The Contractor shall provide services to support a program for environmental enrichment of animals to include, but not be limited to, the following: · Implementing and documenting the established NIDA Environmental Enrichment Program. · Recognizing and reporting normal and abnormal animal behavior, including individualistic idiosyncrasies and stereotypical behaviors. · Maintaining NHP behavioral assessment records, deploying NHP enrichment devices, and supporting and documenting NHP social housing initiatives. 6. Logistic Support and Materials Management Services The Contractor shall provide maintenance and logistical support for equipment and supplies, including animals, needed to execute the contract. These services shall include, but not be limited to, the following: · Transporting animals, vivarium equipment, supplies, and samples between animal facilities. · Coordinating delivery and pick-up with the NIH, DVR, and commercial transporters (e.g. food and bedding vendors, etc.), and associated loading/off-loading support and materials handling to final destination locations. · Coordinating, organizing, receiving, labelling and otherwise maintaining supply inventory. 7. Animal Housing, Support Areas, and Cage Wash Equipment Services The Contractor shall provide support functions in animal housing rooms, vivarium support areas, and cage wash areas to including, but not limited to, the following: · Keeping the animal facilities and support spaces clean and free of contaminants. · Disposing of animal wastes, including hazardous waste, and animal carcasses in accordance with ASPs and established NIH guidelines. · Assembling and operating cage wash machines and equipment. · Performing routine minor preventive maintenance of equipment. 8. Animal Testing Room Housekeeping Services The Contractor shall provide light housekeeping services to animal testing/procedure rooms within both vivariums and to a few rooms located outside of the vivariums, including, but not limited to, the following: · Providing light housekeeping services and coordinating with research staff to avoid disrupting experiments. · Coordinating supply inventory to ensure supplies are readily available at all times. 9. Vermin Control Support Services The Contractor shall provide supportive services for NIDA's contracted licensed pest control company to including, but not limited to, the following: · Inspecting for and reporting the presence of animal vermin or potential pest harborages in the vivarium immediately upon discovery. · Facilitating the pest management program by ensuring that management procedures within animal housing and testing rooms, storage, and other areas guard against the harborage of vermin. 10. Equipment and Facilities Maintenance Services The Contractor shall provide services to maintain vivarium equipment and facilities to include, but not be limited to, the following: · Exercising reasonable care of the Government equipment and performing normal routine user maintenance. · Regularly inspecting and monitoring facilities. · Reporting maintenance needs to initiate repairs or remediation to ensure health and welfare of NIDA animals and compliance with AAALAC International standards. 11. Data Systems Support Services The Contractor shall provide data systems support services to include, but not be limited to, the following: · Inputting data into data systems, such as FileMaker and NIH Property Tracking System. · Checking environmental conditions and coordinating with the building managers to support proper operation of building environmental monitoring systems. · Archiving information on animal inventories, animal room environmental conditions, and supplies. 12. Emergency Veterinary and Animal Care and Consulting Services The Contractor shall provide consulting and emergency consulting services, including, but not limited to, the following: · Designating at least three animal care personnel as emergency responders for NIDA animal care program. · Providing backup emergency coverage for the NIDA veterinarian. · Providing consulting services of an independent laboratory animal veterinarian for specialty services. 13. Animal Care and Use Committee Support Services The Contractor shall provide supporting services to the NIDA ACUC including, but not limited to, providing formal written responses to the ACUC of all corrective actions taken in response to any deficiencies cited by the ACUC during the semiannual reviews. CAPABILITY STATEMENT INFORMATION SOUGHT Interested parties who have the capability to perform the above effort should respond to this notice and identify their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. Responses should include specific information, including metrics (e.g. size of facility, staff, etc.), which address the following capabilities, based on prior experience: 1) Ability to recruit and retain animal care and research support staff, including scientists, for behavioral and molecular neuroscience animal research studies that range from single, short-term studies to interdependent, multiple investigator and multiple year studies; ability to secure and provide long-term as well as temporary qualified staffing as necessary. 2) Ability to train and supervise highly trained, qualified personnel that will provide complete animal care (cleaning, feeding, monitoring, breeding, etc.) for each DIR animal research species (mice, rat, squirrel monkey and rhesus monkey), as well as the ability to provide care should a new species be added to the DIR animal research program; 3) Ability to manage and maintain quality control, including project management and corporate support, for a large scale animal operation similar in size and scope to this requirement, as well as the ability to coordinate tasks of subcontractors, teams or partners; interested parties providing a capability statement that includes a teaming arrangement should include a detailed description of the structure of the planned teaming arrangement, clarification of which party will be the lead, and an outline of which qualified party will be responsible for each task as outlined above; and 4) Ability to perform animal care services in accordance with established protocols and AAALAC International accreditation standards, including ability to perform services under standard operating conditions as well as under abnormal operating conditions (e.g. inclement weather, disasters or disease outbreaks). Assessments of capability statements will be completed based on the aforementioned capability information. Interested parties should clearly demonstrate their ability to administer and coordinate all aspects of the above outlined tasks. Documentation should include, but is not limited to, prior experience (Government and/or private sector), and any other information serving to document the interested party's capability. The response is limited to a twenty (20) page limit. The 20-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references. However, a cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. Note: Capability statements in response to this RFI, which do not provide sufficient information for assessment will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the FedBizOpps.gov Solicitation Number associated with this Small Business Sources Sought Notice. All capability statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Leon Wong, Contract Specialist, at leon.wong@nih.gov in MS Word format by or before the closing date of this announcement. All responses must be received on or before January 26, 2017, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to be considered. Facsimile responses will not be NOT accepted. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS This Small Business Sources Sought Notice REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) is for market research purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal/Quotation. It is not considered to be a commitment by the Government to award a contract nor will the Government pay for any information provided. 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 review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation and solicitation notices may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. The solicitation release date is pending. 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). The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NIDA-2/HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-SS-2017-153/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Record
- SN04368752-W 20170113/170111234101-fbd8ee8052290ba53563bf8c0601c546 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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