SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Nonhuman Primate Core Functional Genomics Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development
- Notice Date
- 9/9/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- 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 Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Office of Acquisitions, 5601 Fishers Lane, 3rd Floor, MSC 9821, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIAID(AI)-SBSS-16-072
- Archive Date
- 10/8/2016
- Point of Contact
- Robert J. Corno, Phone: 2406695151, John R. Manouelian, Phone: 2406695152
- E-Mail Address
-
cornorj@niaid.nih.gov, manouelj@niaid.nih.gov
(cornorj@niaid.nih.gov, manouelj@niaid.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; women-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. Background The mission of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute of Health (NIH) is to ensure an end to the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic by supporting research that can lead to the development of therapies, vaccines, and prevention strategies. Since the mid-1980's animal models have played an important role in the Institute's efforts to achieve its mission. Nonhuman primate (NHP) models present the opportunity to test a variety of candidate AIDS vaccines, optimizing their ability to elicit immune responses and testing their ability to prevent infection or to control virus replication after virus challenge. NHP models can be used to optimize vaccines, to evaluate vaccine combinations, to determine vaccine delivery routes that provide immune responses at mucosal portals of entry, to find ways to generate broadly cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies, and, following challenge with virus, to determine whether or not the vaccine immunizations were effective. NHP models can also be used to explore a vaccine's impact on the risk of acquisition of infection. NIAID supports NHP studies through both contract (Simian Vaccine Evaluation Unit contracts) and grant assistance mechanisms. NIAID provides immunological and virological support for NHP studies conducted at NIAID's Simian Vaccine Evaluation Unit (SVEU) contract sites and by DAIDS-supported vaccine researchers through four existing NHP Core Laboratories (NHP Core Labs): the Functional Genomics Lab, the Humoral Immunology Lab, the Cellular Immunology Lab, and the Viral Lab. The NHP Core Functional Genomics Laboratory has the objective of ensuring standardization and comparability of functional genomics services and assays conducted for the SVEU and DAIDS-supported preclinical NHP studies. Importantly, the ultimate aim is to apply and refine high throughput functional genomics approaches in NHPs to more effectively evaluate vaccine-induced adaptive and innate immune responses and vaccine efficacy in challenge/protection studies and identify responses (e.g., transcriptomic "signatures") that predict vaccine efficacy. Purpose and Objectives The purpose of the proposed contract is to support both ongoing and new high-priority preclinical NHP protocols within the SVEU contracts, and other NIAID-supported projects testing preclinical prophylactic AIDS vaccines. Specifically, this contract will provide support for a NHP Core Functional Genomics Laboratory for the conduct and improvement of services and assays designed to generate specific quantitative genomic expression profiles (e.g., RNA transcriptomic "signatures") and network diagrams (using established Pathway Analysis programs) from RNA samples obtained from NHPs enrolled in priority SVEU protocols and DAIDS-supported investigator-initiated studies. It is anticipated that during the years of this contract, the assays performed by the NHP Core Functional Genomics Laboratory will change as new technologies are developed. The current contract for the Nonhuman Primate Core Functional Genomics Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development was awarded to the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, under contract number HHSN272201300010C, on July 1, 2013 for a total period of five years. Project Requirements The Contractor shall compile and analyze the generated data using bioinformatics and biocomputing tools (e.g., unbiased hierarchical clustering methods, sophisticated network algorithms, etc.) with the intent of identifying gene signatures that could potentially define correlates of protection and predict vaccine efficacy. Specifically, the Contractor shall be responsible for: • Applying a state-of-the-art high throughput microarray/transcriptomic platform/assay systems to generate specific gene expression profiles (transcriptomic signatures) from NHPs enrolled in priority SVEU protocols and studies supported by investigator-initiated grants. • Adopting state-of-the-art high throughput microarray/transcriptomic platform/assay systems as improved or alternative technologies develop, including increasing sensitivity and reproducibility, improving standardization, achieving greater throughput, and lowering costs; including having the understanding of, expertise in, and access to, assay development. • Compliance with Good Clinical Laboratory Practices (GCLP, http://apps.who.int/tdr/svc/publications/tdr-research-publications/gclp-web) and BSL2. • Optimization and validation of assays. • Compiling and analyzing gene expression data using appropriate bioinformatics and biocomputing tools (e.g., unbiased hierarchical clustering methods, sophisticated network algorithms). Assay development will not be supported under this solicitation. Anticipated Period of Performance It is anticipated that one (1) cost reimbursement, level-of-effort (term) type contract will be awarded. The period of performance will be for one (1) year (Base Period) plus six (6) one-year options (terms) that may be exercised by the Government unilaterally, for a total possible performance period of seven (7) years, beginning on or about March 30, 2018. The requirement will be for the delivery of 2.70 full time equivalents (FTEs) per year for the Base Period (Year 1) and each option period (Years 2 through 7). In addition, the Government may unilaterally exercise options for increased level-of-effort that may result from unanticipated increases in demand for the conduct of RNA microarray/transcriptomic assays and analyses. The Contractor shall provide resources for the unanticipated increase in work volume by 1.0 FTE for each option exercised. These options may be exercised 2 times per year during Years 1 through 7. The period of performance of an Option for increased level of effort for this purpose will not exceed the term of the Base Period or Option year in which the Option is exercised. Capability Statement/Information Sought Capability Statements should clearly convey information regarding the respondent's capabilities, including: (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. Page Limitations: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored Capability Statement not to exceed 5 pages, excluding resumes. Capability Statements must not include links to internet web site addresses (URLs) or otherwise direct readers to alternate sources of information. Font size must be 10 to 12 points. Spacing must be no more than 15 characters per inch. Within a vertical inch, there must be no more than six lines of text. Print margins must be at least one-inch on each edge of the paper. Print setup should be single-sided on standard letter size paper (8.5 x 11" in the U.S., A4 in Europe). All proprietary information should be marked as such. Required Business Information: a. DUNS. b. Company Name. c. Company Address. d. Company Points of Contact, telephone and Email addresses e. Current GSA Schedules and/or Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) appropriate to this Sources Sought. f. Do you have a Government approved accounting system? If so, please identify the agency that approved the system. g. Type of Company (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, veteran owned, etc.) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM) located at https://www.sam.gov/index.html/#1. This indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your Capability Statement (preferably placed under the eligible small business concern's name and address). Number of Copies: Please submit one (1) electronic copy of your response as follows: All Capability Statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically as a MS Word or Adobe Portable Document format (PDF) document, via e-mail to Robert Corno, Contracting Officer, at cornorj@niaid.nih.gov. The e-mail subject line must specify HHS-NIH-NIAID (AI)-SBSS-16-072. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Common Cut-Off Date: Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than 3:00 PM (E.S.T.), September 23, 2016. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. 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 the 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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