SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- NIH AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program
- Notice Date
- 10/12/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Contract Management Program 6700 B Rockledge Room 3214 MSC7612, Bethesda, MD, 20892-7612
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7612
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-SS-RFP-NIH-NIAID-DAIDS-05-18
- Response Due
- 10/21/2004
- Archive Date
- 11/4/2004
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is seeking small and minority business firms with the capability to continue to operate and maintain the AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program (ARP). THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND DOES NOT COMMIT THE GOVERNMENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. NO SOLICITATION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. BASED ON CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED FROM THIS SOURCES SOUGHT, THIS ACQUISITION MAY BE SOLICITED AS A 100% SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE, NAICS CODE 541710, WITH A SIZE STANDARD OF 500 EMPLOYEES. In 1998, recompetition of the current seven-year contract was not considered for the small business /8A set-aside program because capability statements from small businesses failed to demonstrate their ability to meet the Government?s requirements. Award was made to a large business firm. The current ARP contract is operated by the incumbent contractor under Contract N01-AI-85332 with McKesson BioServices, located in Rockville, Maryland. The ARP is a unique and versatile worldwide resource of critical reagents not otherwise readily available for the HIV/AIDS research community. In 2002, the ARP contract was amended to provide reagents for other infectious diseases. In addition to HIV/AIDS reagents, the ARP is currently also providing reagents for hepatitis C virus, anthrax and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus research. The ARP acquires state-of-the-art reagents, authenticates and produces these reagents, standardized panels, and protocols; and then provides these reagents for the cost of shipping to qualified investigators throughout the world. The ARP collects information about reagents and standards and disseminates this information through print, World Wide Web, and wet workshops. Additionally, the ARP enhances technology transfer through development and publication of methods, facilitates commercial development of reagents through proactive communication with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and participates as an AIDS Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization-UNAIDS, and United Kingdom?s NIBSC Centralized Facility for AIDS Reagents. During the past year, the ARP has provided over 3,000 shipments of 14,000 reagents to investigators in 66 countries. Successful operation, management and coordination of the ARP requires: (1) knowledge, experience and demonstrated competence in: (a) identification, prioritization, acquisition, and validation of reagents from domestic and international sources; and (b) reagent production, quality control, and storage; (2) knowledge, experience and competence in packaging/shipping biohazardous and etiologic agents to domestic and international sites; and procuring the appropriate import/export licenses, permits and certifications required by local, State and Federal authorities for handling reagents; (3) available staff with technical and managerial experience to coordinate effectively operation of the ARP through interaction with the AIDS research community including biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, technology transfer officials worldwide, and NIAID; (4) information technology experience in maintaining and updating information on: (a) World Wide Web including a catalog of reagents and updates ; and (b) a secure database system to track all information that relates to the activities of the ARP, including an inventory of reagents, registration and ordering of reagents by investigators, shipment and receiving of reagents, assay information and quality control; (5) personnel with documented experience in operating an organization of comparable size and complexity to the ARP; (6) ability to work with the incumbent Contractor to safely and efficiently transfer operation of the current ARP to a new location. (7) a Principal Investigator who has the equivalent of a Ph.D. and postdoctoral research experience in biological sciences in order to identify critical reagents for HIV/AIDS and to provide expert technical assistance to the NIAID; (8) staff with writing and editorial experience to prepare a catalogue, newsletter and promotional literature; and (9) availability of adequate facilities, equipment and resources necessary to operate, maintain and expand the ARP; facilities to receive and store hazardous and infectious agents and maintain their activity and viability; compliance with all standards of safety, guidelines, policies and regulations, including training and monitoring of personnel for exposure to infectious and hazardous reagents. The contractor must have an existing GMP facility and current licenses, permits to work with biohazardous and infectious agents including radioactive materials; and the capacity, capability, and experience to work with NIAID Category A-C Priority Pathogens and emerging infectious disease agents (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/biodefense/bandc_priority.htm; http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Agentlist.asp. The contractor will not be engaged in any activities involving Category A Pathogens that require handling under Biosafety Level (BSL-4) safety and containment conditions http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/pdffiles/4th%20BMBL.pdf Personnel assigned to this project must be bonded and meet all local, state and Federal Regulations and registrations for access and handling licensing requirements for CDC Category A-C Agents. This includes the requirements of the Patriot Act http://uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/patriot.pdf). and current and valid registration for access to and possession of to Select Agents http://www.cdc.gov/od/sap/ (Appendix A to 42 CFR Part 73, http://www.cdc.gov/od/sap/docs/42cfr73.pdf and http://www.cdc.gov/od/sap/docs/42cfr73a.pdf; 7 CFR Part 331 and 9 CFR Part 121 http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/pdf/btarule.pdf and http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/pdf/agri_bioterrorism.pdf). It will be necessary to maintain a high degree of physical and electronic security for the ARP including computer systems. The contractor must keep current with any changes in Select Agent Registration requirements that may be adopted by the U.S. Government. Some Government furnished property will be available for transfer under the current contract (a liquid nitrogen freezer, radiation counter and computer software). Site visits may be required to determine the adequacy of the facilities and resources. While subcontracting is permitted, reagent acquisition, storage, distribution and management of ARP should be performed by the Prime contractor. The Government needs to have direct oversight of the contract in order to ensure quality control and safe handling and distribution of reagents, many of which are biohazardous and infectious. Currently, the ARP has approximately 300,000 samples of reagents stored at 24 degrees C, at -88 degrees C, at 20 degrees C, at -40 degrees C, -80 degrees C, and at liquid nitrogen conditions. The number of reagents is expected to reach approximately 800,000 during the life of the new contract and 1200 reagents will be shipped monthly, involving approximately 275-300 shipments, of which 15% may be to overseas locations in industrialized and developing countries. Approximately 50-75 incoming shipments of reagents per month will be received. The offeror must have storage space for approximately 500 cubic feet at low temperatures as well as adequate capacity for retrieving, aliquoting and shipping large numbers of reagents per month. It is anticipated that the period of performance for this contract will be a total of seven years. A cost reimbursement contract is expected to be awarded in fiscal 2005 with an estimated level of effort of 16,640 total labor hours. Interested Small and Minority Business organizations should submit two (2) copies of their capability statement addressing each of the areas cited above. See Numbered Note 25. No collect calls will be accepted. No facsimile transmissions will be accepted.
- Record
- SN00692733-W 20041014/041012211702 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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