National Cancer Institute, Research Contracts Branch, CECS, 6120 Executive Blvd, EPS/Room 620, Bethesda, MD 20892-7224

A -- BIOLOGICAL SPECIMEN REPOSITORY FOR PATIENTS AT HIGH RISK FOR CANCER SOL RFP N01-CP-61015-21 DUE 031596 POC Barbara A. Shadrick, Contracting Officer, 301/496-8611. The Genetic Epidemiology Branch (GEB), Division of Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI), is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and potential technical capability of minority 8(a) concerns and small business concerns. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code associated with this project is 8731 with a size standard of 500 employees. The offeror must provide support services to maintain and operate a repository. The primary objective is to establish fibroblast cultures (on 50 to 100 new primary skin biopsy specimens per year), establish epithelioid cultures (on 20 to 50 primary skin or organ biopsies per year), grow for storage and dispersal 100 to 200 established cell lines per year, propagate and store up to 20 tumor lines established elsewhere per year, grow 1/4 to 1 gram of fibroblast cell lines or tumor cells from 50 to 150 cell strains per year, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) transform lymphocytes and expand to 1 gram, 50 to 200 lymphoblastoid lines, and maintain approximately 4,000 existing cell lines. The Contractor shall maintain this repository using the most current laboratory techniques for ensuring the highest viability and cell yield from the cultures and to distribute cell lines to laboratory scientists as requested. This repository contains over 3,000 skin fibroblast, epithelioid, lymphoblastoid and tumor cell lines contributed by members of the DCEG, outside collaborators and other cell banks. These cell lines are also propagated in bulk for DNA extraction for gene mapping studies. The Contractor shall receive and appropriately process specimens on weekends, holidays or in the evening, if field trips or the needs of patients under study so require, supply routine pickup of specimens, have available emergency service, using contract taxicab or commercial messenger service, for 24 hours per day, seven days per week, for pickup at area transportation centers, hospitals, private physicians' offices or private homes. Pickup activities must be initiated within one hour of being notified and delivered to the laboratory within two to three hours of pickup. For this reason, the solicitation will include a mandatory requirement that the Contractor's facility must be within one hour's distance from the main NIH campus. In addition, the Contractor shall receive and process a large number of specimens at one time (e.g., from 10 individuals or more on one day) when necessary. The Contractor shall provide tissue culture transport media (stable non-CO2 buffered media resistant to pH changes that might be detrimental to biopsy growth). All cell lines shall be routinely screened for contamination by bacteria, mycoplasma or fungi. Protocols for assessing these exposures shall be spelled out by the Contractor. All outside cell lines shall be screened to ensure that they are of human origin and not contaminated with animal or other tumor cells. The Contractor must have high-quality tissue culture facilities, including laminar flow hoods of the type approved by the NCI. Tumor cell lines shall be handled in separate facilities and shall be processed in laboratory modules where no animal tissue cell culture work is performed. Specimens shall be alpha-numeric coded. All biospecimens stored in the repository must be entered into the Biospecimen Inventory System (BSI), an information system designed to track and control the acquisition, storage, requisition and distribution of biological specimens. Cell lines established from primary samples shall be viably frozen at the earliest passage where at least 8-10 vials can be stored in vapor phase of liquid nitrogen using appropriate controlled-rate freezing techniques. All cell cultures and lines shall be stored under optimum conditions in liquid nitrogen freezers. Freezers shall have a constant central source of liquid nitrogen with emergency back-up and automatic filling mechanisms. The Contractor shall provide a 24-hour central alarm and sentry system, with active surveillance 24 hours per day, year round, with explicit directions on the steps to take in case of emergency. Freezers areas must have fire and smoke alarms. At present, there are approximately 16,000 vials in storage. A minimum of three vials must be maintained per cell strain, with a maximum of 20 vials per strain. Clearly documented inventory records shall be maintained. The Contractor shall respond to written requests for cell lines from approved investigators (collaborating investigators or investigators responding to the advertisement of the repository). The Contractor shall make all arrangements for shipping or delivery of specimens. It is estimated that a maximum of 500 specimens shall be sent to outside collaborators each year, of which 200 shall require shipment to collaborators outside of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. A maximum of 500 specimens each year shall be sent to investigators who are not directly collaborating with the NCI. A fee of $75 shall be charged to defray handling and shipping costs for requests from investigators not directly collaborating with the NCI. A level of effort of 19,850 total direct productive labor hours, over a period of five years, is required. The Contractor must have available personnel with qualifications, experience, and capabilities to accomplish the above requirements. This is not a formal solicitation. NO RFP PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. Contractors who respond to this notice must furnish concise tailored capability statements directed specifically to the requirements mentioned above. Sources possessing experience and demonstrated capability to accomplish the above are to supply pertinent information in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to perform the required services. Information furnished should include background information, resumes, a description of general and specific facilities, an outline of previous similar projects, and other available literature for the NCI to perform a proper evaluation. Interested 8(a) concerns and small business concerns may submit these tailored capability statements to the attention of the Contracting Officer at the address above. Collect calls will not be accepted (0057)

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