SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- NIMH POSTMORTEM HUMAN BRAIN COLLECTION
- Notice Date
- 2/21/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical 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(MH)-SS-00011
- Archive Date
- 4/5/2017
- Point of Contact
- Bruce E. Anderson, Phone: 3014021655
- E-Mail Address
-
bruce.anderson@nih.gov
(bruce.anderson@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a 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 requirement. 1. BACKGROUND The Human Brain Collection Core (HBCC) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), explores the causes, consequences and potential treatments of numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders. HBCC research is supplemented by studying postmortem brain tissue from both psychiatrically healthy and afflicted individuals in order to establish the neuropathological changes underlying these complex neuropsychological disorders. This research will lead to improved diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of these illnesses and their consequences. 2. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES. The Government is seeking information from all potential MEO sites/facilities interested in a providing contract services to the Human Brain Collection Core (HBCC) at NIMH, to assist in acquiring donor specimens for HBCC research purposes. The services are to procure human postmortem brain tissue, including various other specimens (dura, hair, blood, pituitary) at autopsy, and provide these specimens to HBCC. The donated postmortem human brain specimens will be used for research by the HBCC into the neurobiology of complex mental disorders, and also distributed to approved/qualified outside investigators for research. The services of one or more MEO sites/facilities are solicited. 3. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS. The Contractor will review case documents for potential donation and determine which cases may be eligible for HBCC research (in accordance with specific inclusion/exclusion criteria). Eligible cases include those with a reasonable suspicion of a history of mental or neurological illness (particularly schizophrenia), or as non-psychiatric controls across the lifespan. The Contractor will obtain basic clinical histories from the police detectives or other collateral information to help determine eligibility. Brains from all ages (including children), both sexes, and all races are eligible. Once a case is identified/selected, the Contractor will contact HBCC personnel and provide: 1) the general background of the case (name, demographics, circumstances of death, medical and social history); and 2) the name, relationship and telephone number of the decedent's next-of-kin. HBCC staff will promptly contact the next-of-kin to obtain permission to obtain the deceased subject's brain and skull contents for research. HBCC staff will also solicit the release of medical records from decedent's treatment facilities. Once permission is obtained by HBCC personnel, the Contractor will be notified by phone to procure the brain, a hair sample with a small piece of contiguous scalp, and 40cc of blood. The Contractor will begin extraction promptly upon notification of approval from the NIMH; whenever possible, the process should begin within 24 hours of death. After extraction, the Contractor will promptly prepare the specimens for shipping to the NIMH. Shipping will either be performed by the Contractor through a commercial source (and costs reimbursed through the contract), or shipping services will be provided separately by the Government. Shipments must be received no later than 12 hours from extraction. In no case will specimens be accepted by NIMH beyond 36 hours after death; a much shorter time period is sought after. NIMH HBCC will provide to the Contractor neuropathology reports after the examination of the donated cases. Macroscopic reports will be provided within ~48 hours from the time of obtaining brain tissues, and microscopic reports will be provided in 2-3 months. 4. ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. There will be a base year of September 2017 - September 2018 (plus 4, one-year option periods (total 5 years if all options are exercised). 5. OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS. a. The Government estimates that approximately 460-640 hours of annual effort per facility/site is required to provide these services. b. No Government property will be provided to the Contractor (e.g., equipment, workspace or computers). c. Proximity to the NIMH is not required, but the MEOs location cannot cause delays or logistical problems. d. The Contractor shall have approval from the appropriate Governmental body(ies) that sanction the extraction, processing, and donation of human organs; the possession of any required permits, licenses, etc. e. The Contractor shall utilize qualified personnel to perform this contract (i.e., an experienced medical doctor with specialization in forensic pathology). f. There will be semi-annual reports due, summarizing contract activity 6. CAPABILTY STATEMENTS/INFORMATION SOUGHT. Please briefly describe/respond to the following items: a. Location and background information on the facility; b. Staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; c. Current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work (e.g., provide these services @460-640 hrs. effort/yr.); d. Any prior experience providing tissues to organizations for research purposes; e. Anticipated method of transportation of specimens; and f. Approximate volume of autopsies performed each year at the facility Information in response to this announcement can be provided electronically, via E-mail, to bruce.anderson@nih.gov. Please respond to each item (a)-(f) above to allow the Government to properly evaluate the response. Responses are solicited solely to allow the Government to better plan for current and future acquisitions. 7. 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. 8. 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).
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NIMH/HHS-NIH-NIDA(MH)-SS-00011/listing.html)
- Record
- SN04408589-W 20170223/170221234611-79025350c1f1f4b072a99d3beee01e42 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |