SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- RNA and Gene Testing and Interpretation
- Notice Date
- 8/30/2012
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 622110
— General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, TRICARE Management Activity, USUHS CONTRACTING OFFICE, 4301 JONES BRIDGE ROAD, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814-4799, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20814-4799
- Solicitation Number
- HT9404-12-Q-0701
- Archive Date
- 9/22/2012
- Point of Contact
- Carolyn J. Randolph,
- E-Mail Address
-
carolyn.randolph@usuhs.edu
(carolyn.randolph@usuhs.edu)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), located in Bethesda, MD, intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with The Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, located in Washington D.C. for RNA and Gene Testing and Interpretation as a collaboration with USUHS for the proposed research to identify protein biomarkers predictive of exertional heat illness in particular exertional heat stroke. This service will be procured in accordance with the procedures of FAR Part 12-Commercial Items and FAR Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Sole source determination is made in accordance with: FAR Part 13.106-1 Soliciting Competition (b) Soliciting from a single source (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available. The mission of USU is to provide the highest quality education programs in the health sciences to those selected individuals who demonstrate dedication to a health profession career in the Uniformed Services. As such, it is essential USU provide the necessary training and equipment required for our students to become successful doctors and nurses and to be able to provide the best care possible for our soldiers and to support our research efforts. These services will analyze DNA/RNA biomarkers and pathways which are thought to be related to exertional heat illness and thermoregulation. The assays will target multiple DNA/RNA targets. Both USUHS and the vendor will choose the specific targets, so it is required that the vendor has extensive knowledge/experience in DNA/RNA analysis and in our area of work (heat stress, muscle damage, thermoregulation, exercise physiology). Specifically, service provided will be analysis of 25 genetic variants for 36 blood samples, and RNA profiles for 40,000 genes / expressed sequence tags for 146 blood samples. The Research Center for Genetic Medicine's work in our field will allow for comparable and replicable results, both with animal research that we're carrying out here, and very similar research being conducted by a peer in our field. This will allow for comparable and replicable results across this research, and it will increase the scientific integrity of the work by reducing confounding variables, which would diminish the quality of the research. Whenever testing any biomarkers, it is crucial to control for variability across testing sites, and this is particularly the case when quantifying RNA. It is important to use the same facilities as our other concurrent projects led by Dr. Chen, and other separate projects by Dr. Devaney. This will allow our results to be comparable and replicable. Regardless of the results from any of these studies, using the same site will add to scientific knowledge, because any differences across our findings cannot be associated with difference across sites/facilities. Of additional importance is The Research Center for Genetic Medicine's track record with the NIH, and the ease with which we can transport biological samples due to its proximity to us and our current material transfer agreement (MTA) with them. MTAs are important and complex agreements. They take months to arrange because they have to be approved by each research institution and submitted to the IRB. The Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center is the only know source that can provided the requested services. This is not a request for quotes and a solicitation package will not be issued. Sources interested in responding to this requirement must be able to provide compelling evidence that they can provide the abovementioned requirement as specified. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contractual action based upon responses received is solely within the discretion of the government. Responses must be received via email carolyn.randolph@usuhs.edu by 12:00 p.m. EST on September 7, 2012.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/92ac891511868805adbf1fc00e38cd80)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814, United States
- Zip Code: 20814
- Zip Code: 20814
- Record
- SN02863218-W 20120901/120831001541-92ac891511868805adbf1fc00e38cd80 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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