SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- A Repository of Mouse Models for Cytogenetic Disorders
- Notice Date
- 5/19/2009
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541711
— Research and Development in Biotechnology
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Contracts Management Branch, 6100 Executive Blvd., Suite 7A07, MSC7510, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7510
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7510
- Solicitation Number
- NIH-NICHD-CDBPM-10-11
- Point of Contact
- Seena Mathews, Phone: 301-435-4965, Ross Kelley, Phone: 301-435-6960
- E-Mail Address
-
mathewss@niddk.nih.gov, rk17a@nih.gov
(mathewss@niddk.nih.gov, rk17a@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. A SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED AND PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE REQUESTED. The National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), intends to negotiate with the Jackson Laboratory a five year, sole source contract to continue maintenance of the “Repository of Mouse Models for Cytogenetic Disorders” currently held at the Jackson Laboratories. Statutory authority: 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), as set forth in FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Jackson Laboratory has been providing this vital resource to NIH and other researchers for more than 22 years. The contractor is uniquely qualified by virtue of its continued performance over this period of time and is the only source that can provide the mouse models under the current demands for this resource. They are the only facility currently with the capacity to produce required partially trisomic and monosomic mice in adequate quantities and with the necessary quality control standards (with regard to genetic uniformity and pathogen-free environment) suitable for the research community at large. A new contractor would have to develop breeding, maintenance, and cryopreservation techniques unique to the type of mice in this resource, specifically, strains with chromosome aberrations that are extremely difficult to breed in large quantities. One would have to acknowledge and plan for the time needed to learn procedures involved in breeding, maintenance, and cryopreservation of these strains. There would be little room for developing the unique skills associated with cryopreservation of the Robertsonian (Rb) and partially trisomic embryos that could result in a significant loss of the frozen stocks in the resource. Researchers rely on the resource to obtain segmental trisomy and Rb mice primarily for studies related to Down syndrome. Investigators require a foundation colony from which different stocks are derived so genetic drift does not occur among different colonies. If another contractor were to be awarded the proposed contract it would take approximately one year for them to transfer and process the mice, thereby disrupting the distribution of the mice to researchers and potentially impacting their research. If the mice were to survive the transfer it is not known if another contractor could consistently duplicate the characteristics of the mouse models currently maintained at the Jackson Laboratory. This would create unacceptable delays in fulfilling the government’s requirements. The duplication of costs resulting from the transfer is not expected to be recovered through competition. Background: The mission of the NICHD is to ensure that every person is born healthy and wanted, that women suffer no harmful effects from reproductive processes, and that all children have the chance to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive lives, free from disease or disability, and to ensure the health, productivity, independence and well-being of all people through optimal rehabilitation. The Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine (CDBPM) serves as a major National Institutes of Health (NIH) source of support for research in maternal, fetal, and infant health, and disorders of human development. CDBPM-supported scientists are advancing fundamental clinical knowledge about maternal health and problems of child development. The Center and its programs are helping to maximize human development, prevent diseases and disorders and improve diagnoses, therapy, and clinical care. The major goals of the Center are to promote the health of mothers, their children and families. The Intellectual and Developmental (IDD) Branch within CDBPM supports biomedical, behavioral, and biobehavioral research and training aimed at understanding, preventing, and ameliorating IDD and related conditions. Research supported by the Branch includes studies of the etiology, pathophysiology, screening, prevention, treatment and epidemiology of conditions associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many of the grants supported by the IDD Branch utilize animal models of various IDD conditions to advance that research. The creation of mouse models relevant to Down syndrome (DS; trisomy 21) began in the 1970s with the creation by Alfred Gropp in Germany of trisomy for all 19 mouse chromosome and their pathologic characterization. Subsequently, the demonstration of genetic synteny between a segment of Mmu16 and human chromosome 21 (Hsa21) led to the use of the trisomy 16 mouse (Ts16) as a model for studies relevant to DS. With the subsequent genetic dissection of both mouse and human genomes, other genes present on Hsa21 were located on Mmu17 and Mmu10 as well. Dr. Muriel Davisson of the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, ME, created partial trisomies for a number of syntenic chromosomal segments in the 1980s, under contract to NICHD. One of these partial trisomies, designated Ts65Dn, proved to include approximately 150 genes located in what is considered the “Down syndrome critical region” of Hsa21. During the last 15 years, various investigators have generated other models relevant to DS. These include, but are not limited to, Ts1Cje, Ts1Rhr, Ms1Rhr, etc. A central repository of these strains and stocks ensures their maintenance on appropriate genetic backgrounds, and that they are distributed to the research community in a timely manner. Objectives/Capabilities: The primary purposes of the mouse model repository is to continue to provide an important research tool to the research community by providing a range of murine resources for biomedical, behavioral, and biobehavioral research relevant to cytogenetic disorders, particularly Down syndrome. To be deemed capable of developing and maintaining the Repository of Mouse Models for Cytogenetic Disorders the offeror must submit a written capability statement that clearly demonstrates their experience and ability to: 1) Breed various strains of mice with known genetic background, which will produce chromosomally unbalanced gametes, resulting in complete and partial trisomic and monosomic embryos with special emphasis on mouse chromosome 16, but including relevant regions of chromosome 17 and chromosome 10, that are similar to human chromosome 21. The Ts65Dn mouse strain is particularly relevant for studies of human Down syndrome. 2) Establish and maintain a production facility to ensure that adequate numbers of mice are available to the research community and that there is an adequate supply of female mice for purposes of prenatal studies and for breeding to allow establishment of separate colonies by investigators with substantial research needs. 3) Refine procedures to freeze embryos that can be rescued by thawing and reimplanting them in pseudopregnant mice. 4) Distribute the animal models to investigators approved by NICHD in a timely and expeditious manner with appropriate approval and tracking processes as outlined by the NICHD Project Officer. 5) Test the animals periodically for pathogens. 6) Publicize the availability of mouse models indicating the type of strains in the colony, as well as detailed information about the strain phenotype, genotype, protocols for genotyping, husbandry conditions, and other details as specified by the Project Officer 7) Characterize the clinical and behavioral phenotypes of the mouse models. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. If any responsible source believes it can perform the above requirement, they may submit three (3) copies of their capability statement, proposal, or quotation for consideration to the address provided below. The Capability Statement should be limited to no more than 10 pages and it should clearly address each of the competencies stated above. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement would be 541711. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responses must be received in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NICHD to determine if the party can perform this requirement. The capability statement will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Capability Statement should be sent to the attention of Seena Mathews, Contracting Officer, at the address provided by 3:00 PM Local Time on July 2, 2009. The address where capability statements should be mailed to is: NICHD, Office of Acquisitions 6100 Executive Blvd., Room 7A-07, MSC 7540 Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Email:mathewss@mail.nih.gov For Overnight or Hand Carried Deliveries use: Rockville, MD 20852 NO COLLECT CALL WILL BE ACCEPTED. RESPONDENTS MAY SUBMIT THEIR CAPABILITY STATEMENTS VIA E-MAIL SEE NUMBER NOTE 25.
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