SOLICITATION NOTICE
Q -- Services regarding the reproducibility of a fecal occult blood test device for gut microbiota analyses
- Notice Date
- 7/27/2010
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 621511
— Medical Laboratories
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 6120 Executive Blvd., EPS Suite 600, Rockville, Maryland, 20852
- ZIP Code
- 20852
- Solicitation Number
- NCI-100139-AV
- Archive Date
- 8/26/2010
- Point of Contact
- Ashley L. Virts,
- E-Mail Address
-
virtsa@mail.nih.gov
(virtsa@mail.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch (IIB) plans to procure on a sole source basis with The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Institute of Genome Sciences; 801 West Baltimore St.; Baltimore, MD 21201 for services regarding the reproducibility of a fecal occult blood test device for gut microbiota analyses. This acquisition will be processed in accordance with simplified acquisition procedures as stated in FAR Part 13.106-1 (b) (1). The North American Industry Classification System Code is 621511 and the business size standard is $13.5M. Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a firm fixed price type contract. The period of performance for this procurement shall be for twelve months from date of award. The NCI Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch (IIB) is currently investigating whether a device that is widely used to test for occult blood in feces, in order to detect colon cancer, can also be used to test for micro-organisms that inhabit the colon. The microbiota are essential for human health and are postulated to play important roles in various human malignancies. The specimen collection and related field work activities will be conducted by the NCI intramural research program and sent to the Contractor to process and test the 200 fecal (stool) specimens containing living bacteria and other micro-organisms. Under the approved research protocol (10-C-N107), the proposed acquisition is essential to evaluate the reproducibility of data on human fecal microbiota that are obtained with an investigational device. NCI shall deliver the 200 vials of fecal samples to the Contractor within two (2) hours following the date of the award. Samples shall be sent frozen to the Contractor for processing in order to keep their validity. The contractor shall complete the following upon receipt (within two hours) of the frozen fecal samples: 1. Conduct inventory and immediately refreeze samples for safekeeping 2. DNA extraction from 200 vials of human stool. 3. RNA extraction from 200 vials of human stool. 4. 16S rRNA gene amplification and 454 pyrosequencing of the DNA. 5. Quantification of fecal microbial beta-glucuronidase and beta-glucosidase expression in the RNA by RT-PCR. 6. Complete analysis of the pyrosequencing and expression data and provide results in an Excel spreadsheet. The Institute of Genome Sciences (IGS), University of Maryland, is uniquely qualified to provide this service due to their ability to perform the RNA extraction and amplification on the samples as well as their location to NIH Campus. Location relative to NIH is a key factor towards this research since the samples are viable (live) specimens, which have been proven deteriorate to an effectively unusable condition if not processed by the receiving laboratory within 2 hours of collection. The IIB laboratory at the NCI previously tested the samples by pseudo shipping a portion of the samples to intentionally delay freezer time (2 hours) as well as freezing the samples (2 hours) to see how conditions affected the validity of data. Results showed the composition of the microbiota changed relatively slowly, but the enzyme functions changed very rapidly. Specifically, compared to the immediately frozen specimens, enzyme functions of the non-frozen samples were maintained for 2 hours but fell to invalid levels by 4 hours, while the frozen samples maintained the same composition for up to 4 hours time lapse. It is critical to the mission of the NCI for the samples to be processed with no alterations due to environmental factors. These factors alter not only the composition of the microbiota, but, even more substantially, the enzyme functions of the microbiota rendering them useless. The IGS is the only facility with both the proximity and proven ability to perform the laboratory work and based on the highly time-sensitive nature of the viable specimens and all of the services required. For these reasons, IGS is the only qualified vendor known to the NCI who can complete the work outlined in this procurement. This is not a solicitation for competitive quotations. However, if any interested party believes they can meet the above requirement, they may submit a statement of capabilities. All information furnished must be in writing and must contain sufficient detail to allow the NCI to determine if it can meet the above unique specifications described herein. An original and one copy of the capability statement must be received in the NCI contracting office on or before 11:00 AM EST on August 11, 2010. No electronic capability statements will be accepted (i.e. email or fax), an original and one copy must be sent to the NCI contracting office to the address stated above. All questions must be in writing and can be faxed (301) 402-4513 or emailed to Ashley Virts, Contract Specialist at (301) 435-3817. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. In order to receive an award, contractors must have valid registration and certification in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) www.ccr.gov and the Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA), http://orca.bpn.gov. No collect calls will be accepted. Please reference solicitation number NCI-¬¬100139-AV on all correspondences.
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- Record
- SN02219600-W 20100729/100727235942-be22c4d17fa1a96b33f1aeb532bb79cb (fbodaily.com)
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