NIH, NIAMS, Bldg. 45, Rm. 5AS13A, 45 Center Dr., MSC-6500, Bethesda, MD 20892-6500

A -- SERUM SAMPLE COLLECTION FOR RESEARCH REGISTRY FOR NEONATAL LUPUS POC Diana Lynn Wheeler, Contract Specialist, 301/594-2543. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) intends to negotiate with the Hospital for Joint Diseases/Orthopedic Institute, New York, New York, for a three and one-half year period, to collect serum and cord samples from pregnant mothers enrolled in the Research Registry for Neonatal Lupus. In addition, serum will be sought from mothers and their children at the time of identification of a child with dermatologic manifestations of neonatal lupus. A determination of use of an other than full and open competition has been made in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) as set forth in FAR 6.302-1(a)(2). The Contractor is determined to be the only responsible source, since they have an established patient registry population from which samples will be obtained. Inherent duplication of cost to the Government to establish a new patient population from which to acquire such samples and unacceptable delays in obtaining this support, since the collection of such materials during an affected pregnancy is finite, make competition of this requirement not feasible. This is not an announcement of the availability of a Request for Proposal. See Note 22. (0085)

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