SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Animal Research Support Services for Intramural Research Program Investigators at the National Institute on Aging
- Notice Date
- 10/9/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541940
— Veterinary Services
- 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-SBSS-15-007
- Archive Date
- 11/14/2014
- 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 Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. NAICS code 541940 Veterinary services with a small business size standard of $7.5 million is applicable to this announcement. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. Background: The Intramural Research Program (IRP) in the National Institute on Aging (NIA) is comprised of nine scientific laboratories, the Translational Gerontology Branch, and ten core facilities. The research program has three main focus areas: Neuroscience, Aging Biology and Translational Gerontology. IRP scientists conduct research in many different disciplines that range from basic science to clinical research and epidemiology. Medical problems, which typically affect older persons, are studied in depth using the tools of modern laboratory and clinical research, with a translational perspective. The central focus of our research is understanding age-related changes in physiology and the ability to adapt to environmental stress. This understanding is then applied to developing insight about the pathophysiology of age-related diseases. The program seeks to understand the changes associated with healthy aging and to define the criteria for evaluating when changes should be considered pathologic and require treatment. Thus, in addition to study common age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, diabetes and cancer, the IRP also explores the determinants of healthy aging as possible targets for interventions aimed at improving health and quality of life in the older population at large. The NIA IRP requires animal research support services for on-going biomedical research projects in conducting biomedical, social, and behavioral research and training related to aging and the diseases and special problems of the aged. The NIA IRP has a potential requirement for contractor support to provide research support services for animal research. The Contractor shall provide services primarily at the Biomedical Research Center (BRC) building on the Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus located at 251 Bayview Blvd in Baltimore, MD, a leased facility used by investigators and staff of the IRP. The Comparative Medicine Section (CMS), under the NIA Office of the Scientific Director (OSD), provides oversight for the overall program of laboratory animal housing, care, and management to ensure compliance with the ILAR Guide, as interpreted by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), NIH Policy, and the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALACi). The BRC consists of approximately 26,000 gross square feet of space. The BRC houses approximately 17,500 mice, 800+ rats, and 20 rabbits for IRP researchers. Guinea pigs and Rhesus monkeys are housed intermittently. Purpose and Objectives: The purpose of this Small Business Sources Sought notice is to determine eligible vendors with the capability to provide animal research support services to NIA IRP investigators as described in this announcement. Operations are conducted so as to facilitate on-going animal study research projects initiated by IRP investigators. These services include but are not limited to: animal husbandry for rodents, rabbits, guinea pigs, non-human primates and other species; research technical support; breeding novel genetic models; routine maintenance of animal care equipment; logistical and clerical support; veterinary services; genotyping services; and other specialized technical services required as new animal study proposals are introduced by IRP investigators. Animal study proposals may include but not be limited to studies of behavior; the pathophysiology of a variety of organ systems, especially as related to the aging process; and scientific disciplines using animal species that may include mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, non-human primates, and other vertebrates and invertebrates. Project Requirements: This potential requirement involves the Contractor to provide prompt, efficient, and continuous high-quality animal research support services and animal care for research purposes on behalf of IRP investigators. This shall include accurate interpretation of laboratory results; controlling conditions to minimize uncontrolled influences on research variables; fostering conditions that minimize disruptive situations that might invalidate experimental results; and preventing situations that adversely affect experimental conditions. The general scope of work for this potential requirement includes providing the following services as it relates to accomplishing the potential requirement described herein: Genotyping, under the direction of the NIA Chief, Genotyping Services, to include supporting tests of genetically modified rodent breeding colonies and performing genotyping assays; Cryopreservation that includes breeding and colony maintenance and selection of individual animals for use in this effort; Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) Attending Veterinarian representation; Animal care including husbandry, technical support, health monitoring, housing, nutrition, hygiene, and written and computerized record keeping in a research environment conducting animal bio-safety level II research; Cleaning, sanitation, and sterilization of equipment, supplies and facilities as outlined in ASPs and SOPs; Development, revision, training, implementation and management of SOPs; Animal handling, restraint, technical laboratory animal procedures, observations, and euthanasia; Surgery, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) procedure support, performance of behavioral testing, animal irradiation; Veterinary medical care, veterinary medical assistance, and animal health quality assurance; Logistical support such as receipt and transportation of animals, samples, supplies, ; and property management of government furnished equipment; Contractor support will also include providing administrative support including but not limited to assistance with regulatory paperwork, inventory control, purchasing. and animal census tracking; progeny database management to include continual evaluation to streamline the database for efficient output of needed information; assistance with import and export of laboratory animals and biological materials; animal health surveillance sentinel program ; environmental monitoring and quality assurance; laboratory support services; and surgical research support including, but not limited to pre-operative care and handling, anesthesia and analgesia, catheterization, surgical techniques and procedures, post-operative care and recovery. Anticipated Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance of any resultant contract from this potential requirement shall begin on or around March 1, 2015 through February 29, 2016, and include an option to exercise up to four (4) additional one year optional periods of performance. Capability statement / information sought: Interested organizations must provide clear and convincing documentation of their capability of providing the service(s) specified in this notice. Specifically, organizations submitting a response must submit a capability statement that includes information regarding the respondents': (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information performed in the last two (2) years. Interested organizations must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, physical address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.), in accordance with the Small Business Administration pursuant to the applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. The Government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF searchable format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The information submitted must be in outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response is limited to 15 pages. The 15-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if provided. The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. All capability statements sent in response to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Hunter Tjugum, Contract Specialist, at hunter.tjugum@nih.gov, and to NIDASSSAPurchaseRequ@mail.nih.gov, in the required format by or before the closing date of this announcement. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. Responses to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be received on or before October 30, 2014 at 4:30 pm, Eastern Time. 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 presolicitation 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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