National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6100, MSC 7902, Bethesda, MD 20892

A -- CHIMERISM LABORATORY FOR THE T-CELL DEPLETION STUDY SOL TCD 3046-LAB POC Michael J. Grady, Vice President of Finance, 301-299-8655 The EMMES Corporation, serving as the Medical Coordinating Center (MCC) for the NHLBI sponsored T-Cell Depletion Study is conducting a market survey to assess the availability and potential technical capability of organizations to serve as a chimerism laboratory. The chimerism laboratory will contract directly with The EMMES Corporation and shall be able to: 1) use quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to analyze human minisatellite and variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) alleles for assessing chimerism of bone marrow or peripheral blood mononuclear cells from unrelated donor/transplant patient pairs; and 2) must be able to use methods which can assess previously stored frozen samples. It is anticipated that approximately 2,800 tests will be performed over a 2 year period on specimens shipped from multiple clinical sites in the United States on a fixed price per test basis. Organizations having experience in performing the requirements listed above are invited to submit capability statements. Capability statements should include: 1) demonstrated ability to perform the required number of chimerism tests within a proven and established quality control system; 2) relevant experience in the use of qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to analyze human minisatellite and variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) alleles; 3) relevant experience for interaction with a medical coordinating center in the distribution of test results and quality control assessment; 4) adequacy of the facilities, equipment, and resources needed to perform the required work; 5) demonstrated understanding of the importance of chimerism analyses in the transplantation of unrelated human marrow, and to expediently analyze and clearly report the quantitative chimerism data to the MCC; and 6) demonstrated willingness to be an active participant in the publication of chimerism study results. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP), and responses should not include budgetary information. Organizations responding to this market survey should provide an original and three copies of the pertinent information described above within 15 days from the date of publication of this announcement. All submissions should be forwarded to: The Emmes Corporation, 11325 Seven Locks Road, Suite 214, Potomac, MD 20854. (0065)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0014 19980310\A-0014.SOL)