NASA, Johnson Space Center, BH2, Houston, TX 77058

A -- NATIONAL SPACE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NSBRI). SOL 9-CAN-96-01 DUE 050196 POC Contract Specialist: Steve Janney, (713) 483-3500 Contract Officer: Nancy L. Kennamer, (713) 483-8522 -- The NASA Johnson Space Center anticipates award of a cooperative agreement to establish a National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) to lead an effort for accomplishing the biomedical research necessary to support human presence, development, and exploration of space and to enhance life on earth through the knowledge and technology developed by people living and working in space. A Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) will be issued to solicit proposals to establish the NSBRI. NASA believes that the institute must have strong ties to the educational community to be successful. Therefore, the proposal teams will be led by universities, non-profit organizations, or consortia in partnership with for-profit organizations, a major factor in the selection process will be the proposer's key personnel and the proposed process by which critical path research will be defined, implemented, and integrated. It is envisioned that the NSBRI will cover a broad spectrum of basic and applied biomedical sciences as well as the required supporting technologies. NASA will provide its considerable knowledge and expertise in the area of space life sciences and its associated facilities and unique engineering assets. The NSBRI will be required to establish a close association with the NASA Johnson Space Center so that the NSBRI can take direct advantage of the center's scientific, technical, and physical assets. It is NASA's intent to provide core funding (in addition to research opportunities funded through yearly competitive solicitations) to the effort in order to ensure a focused and successul endeavor. the overal period to be covered by this cooperative agreement will be 20 years, a five (5) year initial period, with the option of three (3) five-year extensions. A review process by NASA and the external scientific community will be conducted to maintain the highest levels of scientific excellence. A phased selection approach will award multiple (maximum 4) funded, definition agreements with a down- select process leading to a single award for the implementation phase. Current schedules anticipate that a draft of the CAN will be released May 1, 1996. Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation. (0113)

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