SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Development and Support of Collaborative Studies of Exposure to Environmental Contaminants in Relation to Child Health in the Generation R Study
- Notice Date
- 1/6/2012
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Office of Acquisitions, Office of Management, 530 Davis Drive, Durham, North Carolina, 27713, United States
- ZIP Code
- 27713
- Solicitation Number
- NIEHS2012002-Pre
- Archive Date
- 2/4/2012
- Point of Contact
- Jennifer Smith, Phone: 919-541-0424
- E-Mail Address
-
smithj3@niehs.nih.gov
(smithj3@niehs.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- General Information: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) intends to negotiate on a noncompetitive, sole source basis with Dr. Frank Pierik PhD, Senior Researcher, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Postbus 80015, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) and in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) – only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, responsible sources may express their interest by submitting a capability statement or proposal. All capability statements/proposals received within fifteen (15) days after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the government. A determination by the government not to compete the proposed contract upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Background: The Generation R Study enrolled pregnant women and their partners and is following them and their children over time (Jaddoe et al., 2006; Jaddoe et al., 2008). Nearly all pregnant women in Rotterdam were eligible. Enrollment began in 2002 and ended in 2006. Nearly 10,000 pregnant women and their offspring were enrolled. Women in the study provided biologic specimens and completed questionnaires about themselves and their children, and in-person follow-up examinations take place on a regular basis. The Generation R Study has many specific goals, although the general purpose of this study is to find causes of serious diseases among mothers and children. In February of 2004, NIEHS began supporting an increase in the number of urine specimens collected from each pregnant woman from 1 to 3 (at <18, 18-25, and > 25 weeks of gestation). As each pregnant woman presented for an ultrasound examination of her fetus, she provided a spot urine specimen that was divided into three 20 ml aliquots and frozen at -20 o C in polypropylene containers. Two of these aliquots are reserved for collaborative studies with NIEHS. Before NIEHS initiated collection of additional urine specimens, urine was collected only at the <18 weeks of pregnancy (initial) study ultrasound visit. When the collection of additional urine specimens was implemented, all women presenting for their study ultrasound (at <18, 18-25, and >25 weeks of gestation) provided a urine specimen that was stored, regardless of whether urine specimens had been collected at earlier ultrasound visits. Thus, for Generation R Study subjects enrolled from February 2004 through January 2006, there exists a complete set of three (3) urines for 2,025 women, two (2) urines for 970 women, and one (1) urine for 356 women. The urine specimens collected with NIEHS support can be used to assess the level of exposure to selected environmental contaminants and other compounds. The Generation R Study Management Team at Erasmus University governs the use of the samples and associated data. As part of the Generation R Study in-person follow-up examination of children at age five (5)years, the examination will include: 1) the Berkeley Puppet Interview for children's self perceptions in six (6) domains (academic competence, achievement motivation, social competence, peer acceptance, depression-anxiety, and aggression-hostility); 2) the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-IV) for ADHD Diagnoses and other Clinical DSM Disorders; 3) an Autism Trait List (SCQ), administered by a child psychiatrist (in selected children after pre-screening on e.g. parent/teacher reported symptoms; and 4) an assessment of cognitive performance using both verbal intelligence and non-verbal intelligence testing (Dutch SON-R test). Thus, examining levels of environmental contaminants, as measured in urine specimens, in relation to risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cognitive abilities, and other neuropsychiatric and behavioral abnormalities will be possible. The age five (5) follow-up is scheduled to end in 2011. The expected number of subjects who will have both three (3) urine specimens and in-person follow up is approximately 1,200, making the sample size much larger than existing studies. The ongoing work of the Generation R Study involves primarily three types of activities: a) follow-up of subjects and collection of specimens, b) specimen processing, storage, and management in support of research, and c) data processing, storage, and management in support of research. This requirement is not only to support continuation of the work in items b) and c), but also supports personnel and develops tools to enhance use of the samples and data by NIEHS, and collaboration with NIEHS. These personnel and tools include relationships and administrative procedures and support to facilitate: the development and evaluation of projects initiated at NIEHS; obtaining human subjects approval in the Netherlands for projects initiated at NIEHS; identification, pulling and shipping of specimens for specific studies; and responses to requests for various types of data. The environmental studies based on the Generation R Study are coordinated by Dr. Frank Pierik, who is at TNO ( Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek, or Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research), which is a separate organization from Erasmus University, where the Generation R Study is based. Purpose and Objectives: The purpose of this contract is to provide support for the ongoing work of the Generation R Study. This support would involve primarily three types of activities: a) specimen processing, storage, and management in support of research, b) data processing, storage, and management in support of research, and c) support of personnel and development of tools to enhance use of the samples and data by NIEHS, and collaboration with NIEHS. These personnel and tools include relationships and administrative procedures and support to facilitate: the development and evaluation of projects initiated at NIEHS; obtaining human subjects approval in the Netherlands for projects initiated at NIEHS; identification, pulling and shipping of specimens for specific studies; and responses to requests for various types of data. Dr. Frank Pierik is uniquely qualified to perform the work under this contract due to his unique qualifications as coordinator of the environmental research projects based on the Generation R Study, and due to his direct access to the specimens stored at Star Medisch Diagnostic Centrum, Vlambloem 21, 3068 JE Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and direct access to the Generation R Study databases containing information on specimens, subject tracking, questionnaire responses, and the results of in-person examinations. The anticipated period of performance is five (5) years beginning May 1, 2012 and ending April 30, 2017. The NAICS Code for this requirement is 541712 Inquiries regarding this announcement should be emailed directly to Jennifer Smith, Contract Specialist at the following email address: smithj3@niehs.nih.gov.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NIEHS/NIEHS2012002-Pre/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Record
- SN02650605-W 20120108/120106235014-ab44d5e9fc8bf5490e90726d94838497 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |