SOURCES SOUGHT
Q -- Neuroinflammation as a mechanism linking Alzheimer�s Disease (AD) pathology and vascular risk factors to dementia
- Notice Date
- 8/7/2023 10:41:08 AM
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIDA Bethesda MD 20892 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- 75N95023Q00606
- Response Due
- 8/21/2023 6:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 09/05/2023
- Point of Contact
- Karen Mahon
- E-Mail Address
-
karen.mahon@nih.gov
(karen.mahon@nih.gov)
- Description
- This is a Small Business Sources Sought 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 small disadvantaged 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. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically 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.� This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. Background:� The objective of this requirement is to obtain a measure of astroglyosis, an indicator of cerebral neuroinflammation. Astroglyosis plays a role in initiating or propagating inflammatory and oxidative processes in the brain and can now be measured with PET scans using the ligand 18F-SMBT-1. For this requirement, scans should be acquired on a sample representative of the community that is diverse; and that has been examined for mid- and late-life cardiovascular risk factors, AD pathology and brain health. The already established HeartScore (2003-on-going) cohort meets the needs of this requirement: Cardiovascular risk factors have been measured in a sample of Black and White participants (n=2000) since its inception in 2003 when the mean age was 59-(SD 7.5) years with 74% <65 years old. Participants were recruited based on their mid-life cardiovascular risk factor load (low, middle, high), and PET scans to detect B-amyloid and tau deposition have recently been acquired. In the most recent follow-up of the cohort (mean age 74.1 years), 41 participants had evidence of a high cardiovascular risk factor load and 75 had a low cardiovascular risk factor load; 20% had evidence of AD pathology. Purpose and Objectives: Alzheimer�s disease (AD) is a devastating and global public health problem, but with no public health interventions. Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), particularly those present in middle age, contribute to later-life dementia. CVRF leads to vascular disease, which creates a chronic inflammatory state, and along with B-amyloid plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles, lead to neuroinflammatory damage in brains, detected until recently only at autopsy. Recent advances in Positron Electronic Topography (PET) enables us to quantify in vivo the neuroinflammatory load in the brains of well-described cohorts thus giving us the opportunity to relate vascular risk factors, including lifestyle and sub-clinical disease, and AD pathology to inflammation in the brain and to poor brain health, measured with brain Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive testing. Project requirements: Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the�Statement of Work. General requirements include: perform PET scans quantifying astroglyosis load; and ability to process and interpret the PET scans. 1. Select and invite participants who have participated in the baseline and at least one follow-up of the HeartScore Study; and have recent measures of cardiovascular risk load, AD pathology, and measures of brain health, including brain MRI and cognitive tests. 2. The sample should include 10 individuals who have a high cardiovascular risk load; and 10 individuals who have a low cardiovascular risk load. If feasible given the sample size include participants that: a. self-report as Black or Non-Hispanic White; b. carry the Apolipoprotein E*4 allele, a marker of genetic susceptibility for AD. 3. Acquire PET scans using the ligand 18F-SMBT-1 on the above described 30 participants, 4. Based on documented image maps and guidelines for interpretation, process and analyze the PET 18F-SMBT images for the location and level of signal indicating SMBT-1 retention (astroglyosis). 5. Provide electronic excel sheets that include the location and amount of retained 18F-SMBT (astroglyosis). 6. Provide documentation on radiation and other safety measures taken to protect the participants and their data. 7. Provide electronic Excel sheets that include the following data on the participants: demographics, mid and late-life cardiovascular risk factors; B-amyloid and tau pathology; MRI volumes of brain regions of interest, and cognitive test scores to address the question of neuroinflammation as a mechanism linking AD pathology and vascular risk factors to dementia. 8. Every four (4) months provide a progress report to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Program Officer. Anticipated period of performance: Base Year: �September 30, 2023 � September 29, 2024 Option Year 1:� September 30, 2024 � September 29, 2025 Capability statement /information sought. Companies that believe they possess the capabilities to provide the required services should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contracting Officer. The capability statement must specifically address each of the project requirements separately.� Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the requirements outlined, 3) any contractor GSA Schedule contracts and/or other government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) by which all of the requirements may be met, if applicable, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Capability statements must also include the Company Name, Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, Physical Address, and Point of Contact Information. The response must include the respondents� technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. Interested companies are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number. 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 information submitted must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein.� A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response is limited to ten (10) page limit.� The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer.� Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted to Karen Mahon, Contracting Officer, at e-mail address Karen.Mahon@nih.gov. The response must be received on or before August 21, 2023 at 9:00 am, Eastern Time. �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 presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in www.sam.gov. 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).�
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/4694a6f6a703419cb62f7ec3e0416f97/view)
- Record
- SN06779950-F 20230809/230807230055 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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