National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Natcher Building, Room 5AS-13A, 45 Center Drive, MSC 6500, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6500

A -- NEW RESEARCH REGISTRIES FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES (NIAMS) SOL NIH-NIAMS-00-02 DUE 060900 POC Erin Lange, 301/594-2543 WEB: http://www.nih.gov/niams/grants/rfp/rfplist.htm, http://www.nih.gov/niams/grants/rfp/rfplist.htm. E-MAIL: langee@mail.nih.gov, langee@mail.nih.gov. This is an announcement of the availability of a Broad Agency Announcement which describes in general terms research topics and outlines proposal preparation requirements. The work requirements are developed and defined by the offeror and not the Government. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), is seeking contractors to support the collection of demographic and clinical data from patients, families and appropriate control cases of rare, heritable and non-heritable diseases or conditions, or informative subsets of common diseases, particularly in those instances where no available registry now exists. The information to be collected for the Registry would be that sufficient to establish the diagnosis of the disease and relevant information required to subserve defined research purposes. Limited collection of patient materials for research purposes (blood sample/DNA) will be allowed as part of the Registry's functions. Forthis acquisition the NIAMS is interested in rare heritable and non-heritable diseases and informative subsets of more common disease. These diseases are listed on the NIAMS web site http://www.nih.gov/niams/grants/ep2.htm under "NIAMS Extramural Research Program, Areas of Special Interest." Overall, the goal of the Registry would be to collect sufficient information on individuals and/or families with the specific disease(s) or groups of related diseases or conditions, or disease subsets to allow Investigators interested in studying those diseases to use the Registry data to assist them in obtaining sufficient numbers of patients to pursue their research objectives. The specific objectives would vary depending upon the disease or condition in question and the basic research or clinical research to be supported by the Registry, but they will be within the following categories: (1) Technical Objective A is to design and implement a Research Registry and Repository on a rare disease of interest to the scientific mission of the NIAMS. Rare diseases of interest to the NIAMS include rare rheumatic diseases of adults and children such as childhood lupus and scleroderma, vasculitides, any of the spondyloarthropathies, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, rare bone and muscle diseases of adults and children such as osteopetrosis and muscular dystrophies, alopecia areata, ectodermal dysplasia, porphyrias, etc. The purpose of the Registry and Repository is to collect high quality data and specimens that will promote and facilitate substantive research projects, including clinical trials. (2) Technical Objective B is to design and implement a Research Disease Registry and Repository on a subset or special population of a common or rare disease(s) of interest to the NIAMS. Common diseases within the research mission of the NIAMS include rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory and allergic skin conditions, etc. These diseases tend to be heterogenous, and patient subsets or subpopulations can be identified based on demographic, clinical or genetic data. Disease evolution, response to treatment and overall outcomes may vary in these populations, and research objectives could be best met by the availability of well defined and characterized patient information and samples. The purpose of the Registry and Repository is to collect high quality data and specimens that will promote and facilitate substantive research projects, including clinical trials. The scientific rationale, relevance and magnitude of the future research Registry are to be established at the time of the submission. The Contractor should be U.S. based and only probands located within the United States should be accepted for entry into the Registry. It is acceptable, however, to obtain and include information in the Registry about non-U.S. based family members. Offerors may submit proposals for Technical Objective A and/or B. It is anticipated that up to three awards will be made for Technical Objectives A and B for a period of five years beginning on or about September 30, 2000. The solicitation NIH-NIAMS-BAA-00-02 will be available electronically on or about April 20, 2000 and may be accessed through the Internet at the following address: http://www.nih.gov/niams/grants/rfp/rfplist.htm. Proposals will be due on or about June 9, 2000. Offerors are responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments and for routinely checking the Internet site for any possible solicitation amendments that may be issued by the Government. All responsible sources may submit proposals which will be considered by the Government. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract.***** Posted 04/04/00 (W-SN441210). (0095)

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