SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- RNA extraction (cell pellets) services for the Biomarker Discovery in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI's) Framingham Heart Study
- Notice Date
- 7/9/2009
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- NHLBI-PB(HL)-2009-211-GMV
- Archive Date
- 8/6/2009
- Point of Contact
- Gina M. Varan, Phone: 301435-0358
- E-Mail Address
-
varang@nhlbi.nih.gov
(varang@nhlbi.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION NOTICE. This is a combined synopsis / solicitation for commercial items, prepared in accordance with the format of FAR 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The reference solicitation number is: NHLBI-PB(HL)-2009-211/GMV This solicitation is issued as a request for proposal (RFP). This acquisition is being conducted under the procedures in accordance with FAR 13.3 Simplified Acquisition Methods, and FAR Part 13.5 – Test Program for Certain Commercial Items. The resultant purchase order will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-34. The total contracted dollar amount, including options will not exceed $5 million. The acquisition is being conducted as a Small Business Set-Aside.. The North American Classification System (NAICS) code applicable to this requirement is 541990 and the associated small business size standard is $7.0 million dollars. The proposed period of performance is for twelve (12) months. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Office of Acquisition (OA), for the intends to award a single, fixed priced purchase order for the service of RNA extraction (cell pellets) for the Biomark Discovery in NHLBI’s Framingham Heart Study. Brief History/Purpose/Description of Project: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and serious illness in the United States. In 1948, the Framingham Heart Study -- under the direction of the National Heart Institute (now known as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; NHLBI) -- embarked on an ambitious project in health research. At the time, little was known about the general causes of heart disease and stroke, but the death rates for CVD had been increasing steadily since the beginning of the century and have become an American epidemic. The objective of the Framingham Heart Study was to identify the common factors or characteristics that contribute to CVD by following its development over a long period of time in a large group of participants who had not yet developed overt symptoms of CVD or suffered a heart attack or stroke. The Framingham Heart Study continues to make important scientific contributions by enhancing its research capabilities and capitalizing on its inherent resources. New diagnostic technologies, such as echocardiography (an ultrasound examination of the heart), carotid-artery ultrasound, bone densitometry (for monitoring osteoporosis), and computerized tomography of the coronary arteries, are evaluated and integrated into ongoing protocols. While pursuing the study's established research goals, the NHLBI and the Framingham investigators are expanding their research into other areas such as the role of genetic factors in CVD. Framingham investigators also collaborate with leading researchers from around the country and throughout the world on projects in stroke and dementia, osteoporosis and arthritis, nutrition, diabetes, eye diseases, hearing disorders, lung diseases, and genetic patterns of common diseases. The Framingham SABRe CVD Initiative will assess biomarkers in approximately 7000 Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Third Generation cohort participants. Thousands of biomarkers will be assessed using the following platforms: a) immunoassays, b) discovery and targeted proteomics, c) discovery and targeted metabolomics/lipomics, and WBC derived RNA expression. SABRe CVD represents an opportunity to conduct complex systems biology science on a population level. In this collaborative effort in biomarker discovery, the NHLBI genomics core has undertaken the biomarker discovery project for analysis of gene expression in approximately 7000 WBC derived RNA samples using the Affymetrix Human Exon arrays to identify differentially expressed genes and associated alternative splicing. Specifically, the study will identify genes with altered expression in heart, lung, and blood disorders, and in parallel study alternative splicing events during the disease process. This study will be conducted in phases with the intent start analyzing gene expression in 2500 RNA samples from Framingham Heart Study Offspring participants. Through bioinformatics approaches, the study will identify genes with expression levels that are associated with cis- or trans-acting SNPs, i.e. eSNPs. Having a direct effect on the molecular profile, such eSNPs are thus more likely to have a causal relationship with other heart, lung, or blood related phenotypes than anonymous SNPs, thereby improving the statistical power for identification of SNP--phenotype associations genome-wide. Further, advanced statistical techniques such as random forests will be used to build better predictive models combining both SNP and expression profile data. This project involves isolation of microRNA enriched total RNA from cell pellets or whole blood. I.Contractor Requirements The contractor shall perform the RNA isolation process on the 2,500 cell pellets or PaxGene samples. The contractor shall quantitate the amount of RNA isolated from these samples and perform Quality Control (QC) on them to determine the RNA integrity. The contractor shall report the concentration of RNA per microliter and also provide the NHLBI the bioanalyzer traces with corresponding RNA integrity number for each of these samples. A. The contractor shall deliver the isolated total RNA + microRNA in 2 separate aliquots. B. The contractor shall provide the details on the concentration of the isolated RNA (micrograms and ng per microliter), RNA integrity number, and the bioanalyzer trace on the integrity of the 18s and 28s ribosomal peaks. C. The contractor shall provide necessary technical support, during the sample processing step, and the required internal controls for use as a quality control measure. D. Optimized procedures are necessary for isolation of RNA from PaxGene tubes and cell pellets that permit higher quality RNA isolation with minimal reduction in RNA yield. II. Government Responsibilities NHLBI will inspect each sample based on the contractor’s report in reference to the RNA concentration and integrity. III. Reporting Requirements and Deliverables The contractor shall provide the Genomics Core Facility details on the yield of microRNA + total RNA from each of the samples in an excel format showing the concentration of RNA per microliter, total yield, 260/280 ratios. The samples shall be aliquoted in 2 tubes and delivered to the Core Facility. There shall be a total of two (2) shipments within two (2) weeks of the completion of the RNA isolation process. Samples that have passed the QC shall be hybridized to gene chips for further analysis. IV. Program Management and Control Requirements No special management or control systems are required under this contract. V. Inspection and Acceptance Requirements A. The RNA samples produced by the contractor will be inspected and accepted at the Genomics Core Facility, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda. B. The quantity and quality of the miRNA enriched RNA will be determined by Dr. Raghavachari. C. RNA shall have yields greater than a microgram, with a 260/280 ratio above 1.8, the bioanalyzer trace shall show integral peaks of the ribosomal RNA, and the RNAtegrity number for the samples shall be above 8.0. D. Samples showing degraded RNA or low yield RNA shall not be accepted and the contractor shall re-isolate/analyze the RNA from the specimens. The Offeror must include a completed copy of the following provisions: 1) FAR Clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial; 2) FAR Clause 52.212-2, Evaluation Commercial Items. As stated in FAR Clause 52.212-2 (a), the Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible Offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered; 3) FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items; 4) FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statues or Executive Orders Commercial Items, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items; and 5) FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items Deviation for Simplified Acquisitions. The Offeror must include in their quotation the unit price, the list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. Note: In order to receive an award, offerors must have a valid registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) www.ccr.gov. The clauses are available in full text at http://www.arnet.gov/far. Interested parties capable of furnishing the Government with the item specified in this synopsis should submit their quotation to the below address. Quotations will be due fourteen (14) calendar days from the publication date of this synopsis or by July 22, 2009 3:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The quotation must reference Solicitation number NHLBI-PB-(HL)-2009-211/GMV. All responsible sources may submit a quotation, which if timely received, shall be considered by the agency. Quotations must be submitted in writing to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 6701 Rockledge Blvd., Room 6146, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, Attention: Gina M. Varan. Faxed copies and electronic quotations will not be accepted.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/NHLBI-PB(HL)-2009-211-GMV/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- Zip Code: 20892
- Zip Code: 20892
- Record
- SN01870003-W 20090711/090709235605-e2af84f62bea914a59d471144984ceb1 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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