SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Genetic Factors in Taste Perception and Tobacco Usage
- Notice Date
- 4/16/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Office of Administration, 6011 Executive Blvd, 5th Floor, Rockville, Maryland, 20852-3804, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20852-3804
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-OD-OLAO-SBSS-13-003
- Archive Date
- 9/1/2013
- Point of Contact
- Sheryn N. Etti, Phone: 3015943560
- E-Mail Address
-
ettis@mail.nih.gov
(ettis@mail.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is not a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), is conducting a market survey to ascertain the availability and potential capability of potential offerors to provide: 1. Specific multiethnic, population-based study population data in order to (1) produce unbiased population estimates of biologic variables that pinpoint ethnic differences in cardiovascular health and (2) support hypothesis-driven research on the mechanisms causing these differences using genetic information. The study sample needs to consist of a phenotypically well-characterized, multi-ethnic population sample for research that will be used to understand genetic factors in taste perception and tobacco usage. This sample must include DNA samples gathered under IRB-approved written informed consent, along with measures of tobacco use, including the use of flavored tobacco products, for each individual. This sample must be larger than 4000 individuals. This sample must be supported by an existing study management staff that has up-to-date contact information for, and regular contact with, the study subjects. 2. Bioinformatic analyses of the existing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA sequence variation data in the above mentioned study population to determine the haploypte structure and search for associations with existing tobacco use measures in these individuals. 3. Perform whole-exome DNA sequencing in above mentioned study sample who represent the highest and lowest percentiles of tobacco use. This sequencing will be performed using the Illumina TruSeq exome selection/enrichment system and sequencing will be performed on an Illumina HiSeq 1000 instrument to generate >50-fold coverage of the exonic sequences in these individuals. Quality control measures will be performed on Agilent 2100 BioAnalyzer and Applied Biosystems quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) instruments. 4. Gather and analyze data on tobacco use of individuals described above; existing genotypes typed across the genome in the study population will be evaluated directly. 5. Perform analysis of association between genetic variants discovered using whole exome sequencing and tobacco use, including use of flavored tobacco products, using linear regression with covariates. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), is seeking an organization that has the knowledge, patient materials, and experience to provide the necessary professional services to collaborate in fulfilling the requirement of Intramural Center for Tobacco Research, Genetic Factors in Taste Perception and Tobacco Usage initiative. Specifically, this organization will be able to provide not only existing study population DNA samples and data, but also the resources to perform whole-exome DNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses of the existing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA sequence variation in this data. Potential offerors need to be able to demonstrate that they have a complete understanding and knowledge of analyses of this type; the resources, including DNA samples with associate tobacco use data from a multi-ethnic U.S. population sample of more than 4000 individuals, to perform the analyses; and the study population data available. They will need to be able to demonstrate how they will perform the data analysis. The anticipated period of performance is for a one-year base period and two (2) one-year option periods. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is 541690 with a size standard of $14 million. In light of this project summary, all interested concerns are invited to submit a tailored capability statement. The capability statement should reference Sources Sought Number HHS-NIH-OD-OLAO-SBSS-13-003 and should be no longer than 15 pages in length and shall include the following: (1) Name and Address of the Organization, (2) The size and type of business, (3) Point of Contact with name, title, voice/telephone, facsimile number, and email address, (4) DUNS number, (5) Contractor's capability statement that addresses the organization's ability, knowledge, experience and personnel to perform the service described in the Statement of Work below (Pamphlets and standard brochures will not be considered responsive to this Sources Sought Notice), and (6) List of organizations to whom similar types of services have been previously provided to include contract number, dollar value, name and phone number of the Contracting Officer. This market survey is being conducted to reach the widest possible audience and to gather current market information. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on 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. Responding organizations should provide four (4) copies of their capability statement to Sheryn N. Etti (Ref. HHS-NIH-OD-OLAO-SBSS-13-003), National Institutes of Health, Office of Acquisitions, 6011 Executive Blvd., Room 541E, (MSC 7663) Bethesda, MD 20892-7663. (NOTE: If you are using a courier service, Federal Express, or UPS the city, state, and zip code should read ROCKVILLE, MD 20852). Please be aware that the U.S. Postal Service's "Express Mail" DOES NOT deliver to the Rockville, Maryland address AND delivery to the Bethesda, Maryland address will result in a delayed delivery to our office in Rockville, MD (up to 3 - 5 days). ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. THE CLOSING DATE FOR RESPONSES IS May 1, 2013 no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Email and facsimile copies will not be accepted. All questions and/or comments regarding this sources sought notice must be in writing and may be emailed to Sheryn N. Etti at ettis@mail.nih.gov. Comments and questions will NOT be answered, but may assist in creating a solicitation for this requirement. STATEMENT OF WORK The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) via the NIH Intramural Center for Tobacco Regulatory Science (ICTRS) will provide support for this project, "Genetic factors in taste perception and tobacco usage." This project is a collaborative investigation into the role of inherited differences in taste perception in tobacco use, taking advantage of our substantial experience in the genetics of human taste perception and the role of taste variation in tobacco use. During the course of this project, we will catalog and quantify the variation in genes that encode the taste perception system and use these to measure association between taste-specific genetic variants and tobacco use in a large multi-ethnic U.S. population sample. This will include studies of the genes encoding receptors for menthol, bitter, sweet and savory, sour, and burning tastes. It also includes genes encoding the downstream signaling components in taste cells. These variants will be assayed in study population that has been well characterized for cardiovascular risk factors including tobacco use. The overall goal of this project is to determine whether variation in the genes encoding the menthol and other taste receptors is associated with tobacco use, including the use of mentholated cigarettes. Project Objectives for the Contractor: Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all of the necessary labor, supplies, equipment, services (except as otherwise specified herein), and perform the work set forth below: 1) Perform bioinformatic analyses of the existing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA sequence variation data in the identified study population (approximately 20,000 SNP loci per individual) to determine the haploypte structure and search for associations with 14 existing tobacco use measures in these individuals. 2) Perform whole-exome DNA sequencing in study population subjects who represent the highest 12.5% and lowest 12.5% of tobacco use. Exome capture will be performed using the Illumina TruSeq exome selection/enrichment system and sequencing will be performed on an Illumina HiSeq 1000 instrument to generate >50-fold coverage of the exonic sequences in these individuals. Quality control measures will be performed on Agilent 2100 BioAnalyzer and Applied Biosystems quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) instruments. 3) Gather and analyze data on four aspects of mentholated or other flavored tobacco use of individuals described in Section 2 above; existing genotypes typed across the genome in the identified study population will be evaluated directly. 4) Data will be managed and stored in ANSI-compliant PostgreSQL relational database maintained at the contractor's location, with state-of-the-art protection of anonymity and confidentiality of all human subjects. 5) Perform analysis of association between genetic variants discovered using whole exome sequencing and tobacco use, including use of flavored tobacco products, using linear regression with covariates. 6) Hire well qualified postdoctoral level staff or equivalent to lead data organization, storage, and analysis efforts at the contractor's site. 7) Provide regular scientific reports to NIDCD collaborators, and budget reports as required by the NIH, Food and Drug Administration, and others. 8) Participate in writing, submission, and editing of manuscripts that report study results in peer-reviewed scientific literature. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
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