A -- MOUSE NEUROSCIENCE PHENOTYPING AND DISTRIBUTING CENTER

Notice Date

June 4, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of = Health, National Institute on Mental Health, Contracts Management = Branch 6001 Executive Blvd, Rm 6107, MSC 9603, Bethesda, MD, 20892-9603

ZIP Code

20892-9603

Solicitation Number

NIMH-01-DN-0018

Response Due

June 19, 2001

Point of Contact

Robert Barnie, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-443-4116, Fax = 301-443-0501, Email rb245s@nih.gov -- Alex Navas, Contract Specialist, = Phone (301) 443-2696, Fax (301) 443-0501, Email anavas@mail.nih.gov

Description

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) proposes to issue = solicitation No. NIMH-01-DN-0018 entitled "Mouse Neuroscience = Phenotyping and Distributing Center" as a full and open competitive = procurement under NAICS Code 541710. The NIMH proposed to award a one = year contract with five -- one year options. Some aspects of the = Statement of Work (SOW) will be reimbursed on a fixed unit price basis = while other aspects of the (SOW) will be reimbursed on a cost basis. = With the elucidation of the complete draft sequence of the human and = other mammalian genomes, the next challenge is to conduct large-scale = functional analyses of these genomes to greatly enhance our = understanding of neurobiology. The laboratory mouse plays a pivotal = role in human functional genomic, insofar as mouse strains carrying = mutations have provided useful models for human diseases. RFA = MH-99-007, "Mouse Mutagenesis and Phenotyping: Nervous System and = Behavior" was issued in 1999 to establish neuroscience-focused = facilities for large-scale, efficient, whole-genome mutagenesis, in = order to promote the systematic and comprehensive functional analysis = of neurobiological and behavioral phenotypes in the mouse. Cooperative = Agreements for three large-scale mutagenesis and phenotyping facilities = that focus on abnormalities in nervous system function and behavior = were funded under the RFA. A major goal of this initiative is to = provide the scientific community with new research resources, i.e., = mutant animals in a timely fashion. The expected production of mutants = generated by the three neuroscience-focused mutagenesis facilities = exceeds the capacity of existing mouse storage and distribution = facilities. In order to realize the full potential for the scientific = community of mutants produced in the three mutagenesis facilities, the = NIMH is seeking to establish a large-scale phenotyping and distribution = "virtual" center. The virtual center shall be comprised of a network = of investigators with expertise in different phenotypic domains, = database/bioinformatics experts who can construct a state-of-the-art = database in response to the needs of the neuroscience and behavioral = communities and adequate capacity to maintain and distribute mutant = strains. The specific functions to be performed by this virtual center = include: (1) confirmatory phenotyping of various nervous system = functions and complex behaviors in mutant mice received from the three = mutagenesis facilities; (2) maintenance of mutant strains as live = animals, and cryopreserved materials (embryos or ovaries and sperm); = (3) wide distribution to the scientific community of mutant strains in = a very timely fashion; and (4) development and curation of a public = database of neuroscience-relevant phenotypic information from mutant = strains. In addition to the above, the contract shall also contain an = option for the performance of additional services. The additional = services that could be required include the baseline phenotyping of = nine inbred strains (129/SvlmJ, A/J, BALB/cJ, BTBR, C3H/HeJ, C57BL/6J, = CAST/Ei, DBA/2J, and FVB/NJ) on neuroscience-relevant domains, mapping = of mutations to a higher resolution than originally done by the three = mutagenesis facilities, and breeding of mutations into balanced and = congenic stocks on specified genetic backgrounds for distribution to = the scientific community. To eliminate the potential for patents on = mutant mice and cryopreserved materials that would undermine the = development of a widely available national resource the successful = offeror must agree to abide by the terms and conditions imposed by the = employment of FAR Clauses 52.227-11, "Patent Rights (Deviation)" and = 52.227-14, "Rights in Data-General (Deviation)". Request for Proposal = (RFP) No. NIMH-01-DN-0018 will be available on or about June 19, 2001, = and receipt of proposals will be due on or about November 9, 2001. The = RFP may be accessed electronically through the NIMH Homepage at = http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ . First click on Funding Opportunities, then = click on Contracts and scroll down to the RFP Number. This RFP may = also be accessed electronically at FEDBIZOPPS at = http://www.fedbizopps.gov/ . Please note that the RFP for this = requirement will include the Statement of Work, Deliverables, and = Reporting Requirements, Technical Evaluation Criteria and the Proposal = Preparation Instructions. All information required for the submission = of an offer will be contained in the electronic RFP package. Following = proposal submission and the initial review process, offerors included = in the competitive range will be requested to provide additional = documentation to the Contracting Officer. All responsible sources may = submit a proposal that will be considered by the NIMH. This = advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. =20

Web Link

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010606/ASOL005.HTM (D-155 SN50N8H2)