SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Testing Pharmacological Intervention on Rhesus Monkeys
- Notice Date
- 7/22/2014
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541711
— Research and Development in Biotechnology
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Station Support/Simplified Acquisitions, 31 Center Drive, Room 1B59, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-PSOL-14-310
- Archive Date
- 8/21/2014
- Point of Contact
- Hunter A. Tjugum, Phone: 301 435 8780, ,
- E-Mail Address
-
hunter.tjugum@nih.gov, NIDASSSAPurchaseRequ@mail.nih.gov
(hunter.tjugum@nih.gov, NIDASSSAPurchaseRequ@mail.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- INTRODUCTION THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE OF A PROPOSED CONTRACT ACTION. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Station Support Contracts and Simplified Acquisitions Branch (SS/SA) on behalf of the National Institute of Aging (NIA) intends to negotiate and award a contract for the testing of effects of levetiracetam, alone and in combination with donepezil, on memory in young and aged rhesus monkeys. EXTENT OF COMPETITION This acquisition is being released on a full and open basis with no set-aside restrictions. The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 541711 Research and Development in Biotechnology with a Size Standard of 500 employees. REGULATORY AUTHORITY The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 05-74 dated July 1, 2014. This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in FAR subpart 15-contracting by Negotiations at an amount not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold ($150,000). DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT Background The Intramural Research Program (IRP) of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) maintains a broad, multidisciplinary scientific program of Investigator-initiated research aimed at understanding the basis of aging, and the development of strategies to promote optimally healthy aging. In support of the IRP's mission, the Neurocognitive Aging Section (NAS) in the laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience (IBN) conducts research in a variety of preclinical animal models, including nonhuman primates, in order to determine the basis of memory Impairment and sparing in aging, and to test interventions that might support successful cognitive aging. Research in animal models and humans has revealed a number of features of brain aging that provide tractable targets for pharmacological intervention aimed at reversing or preventing age-related memory impairment. For example, aged rats with deficits in memory that requires the hippocampus exhibit abnormally high rates of neuronal firing in a key component of hippocampal circuitry. One interpretation is that this increased activity reflects a failed compensatory response to other changes in the aged brain. Alternatively, aberrant increases in neuronal firing may directly contribute to impaired hippocampal information processing and age-related deficits in memory. Consistent with the later interpretation, the administration of drugs that reduce excess hippocampal activity both reverse the behavioral deficits seen in memory-impaired aged rates, and rescue other neurobiological correlates of impairment. Notably, corresponding benefits, measured by neuropsychological testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been reported in patients with mild cognitive Impairment, i.e., a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive aging is also accompanied by a variety of cholinergic abnormalities, and although all currently approved pharmacological treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) target this neurochemical system, they yield at most only modest, transient delay In decline among a subset of. patients. Considerate Interests centers on combination therapies that might Improve the response to drugs currently In use for AD. Purpose and Objectives The purpose of the work requirement is to test in a nonhuman primate model whether pharmacological intervention aimed at reducing excessive neuronal activity, alone or in combination with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor approved for use in the symptomatic treatment of AD, reverses cognitive impairment in older monkeys with memory deficits. The contractor will provide all animals, animal support, behavioral testing equipment, and personnel to accomplish the task and provide the deliverables described in this Solicitation. The work will provide a resource of animals and cognitive data for potential parallel studies conducted by the Government In the same subjects using MRI to examine associated brain effects of the pharmacological treatment. Period of Performance The period of performance is anticipated for one base period from the date of the contract on September 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015. Project Description The contractor will conduct the work utilizing an established colony of 12 rhesus macaques spanning a range of ages from young adults to aged subjects, 12 to over 21 years of age. All animals have previously received extensive background training on two computer automated tests of memory and executive function, i.e., a delayed matching to sample recognition memory task (DMTS), and a self-ordered spatial span (SOSS) test. These procedures measure cognitive capacities that are known to be both vulnerable to aging, and sensitive to a variety of pharmacological treatments. CLOSING STATEMENT The solicitation will be issued on or about July 25, 2014 and bids or proposals will be tentatively due about 30 days after the solicitation release date. Potential offerors may request a copy of the solicitation from Hunter Tjugum, Contract Specialist, electronically at hunter.tjugum@nih.gov or by fax on (301) 480-1358. Please reference the solicitation number HHS-NIH-NIDA-SSSA-PSOL-14-310 on your electronic or fax request.
- Web Link
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- Record
- SN03433658-W 20140724/140722235424-bed543eb07a62f23f251e39f71a9ffb5 (fbodaily.com)
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