SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Sperm Count and Vaginal Cytology Evaluations (SCVCE)
- Notice Date
- 10/19/2010
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- 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 Environmental Health Sciences, Office of Acquisitions, Office of Management, 530 Davis Drive, Durham, North Carolina, 27713, United States
- ZIP Code
- 27713
- Solicitation Number
- NIHES2011108
- Point of Contact
- WANDA M. HOLLIDAY, Phone: 919-541-0943, Juanita A Campbell, Phone: 919-541-7893
- E-Mail Address
-
hollida1@niehs.nih.gov, campbellj@niehs.nih.gov
(hollida1@niehs.nih.gov, campbellj@niehs.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Request for Information (RFI). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain knowledge and information for project planning purposes." Background - The Sperm Count and Vaginal Cytology Evaluations (SCVCE) are performed on tissues obtained from animals in the NTP's 90-day toxicity studies of environmental agents conducted at various NTP-designated laboratories, and provide a short-term "biomarker" test of potential reproductive toxicity. When instructed by the NTP Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR), these laboratories supply vaginal cytology slides and testicular tissue samples for SCVCE evaluations. The NTP has conducted more than 250 SCVC-Evaluations since the 1980's. Purpose and Objectives - The purpose of this contract is to support and assist the National Toxicology Program (NTP) research effort to analyze and evaluate homogenization resistant testicular spermatid heads and vaginal cytology for specimens (tissues and slides) provided by the NTP and provide a short-term "biomarker" test of potential reproductive toxicity. Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the contractor shall furnish all personnel, materials, facilities, and equipment necessary to evaluate the effects of environmental agents on the vaginal cytology/estrus cyclicity and testicular sperm counts of laboratory animals (specifically, mice and rats), and report the results of these evaluations to the NTP. It is anticipated that each SCVCE will require homogenization of frozen testes and the enumeration of the resistant spermatid nuclei from 10 male rats/group for 4 groups (3 dosed groups plus a control group); and 10 male mice/group for 4 groups (3 dosed groups plus a control group). The SCVCE will also include the interpretation of approximately sixteen daily vaginal washes from each of 10 female rats/group for 4 groups (3 dosed groups plus a control group) and 10 female mice/group for 4 groups (3 dosed groups plus a control group). Project requirements - Sperm Count and Vaginal Cytology Evaluations (SCVCE) - The Contractor shall: 1) Analyze/evaluate testicular tissues and vaginal cytology slides from toxicity tests of environmental agents in laboratory rodents (rats and mice); and 2) Report the results of these evaluations; and 3) Develop protocols and reports; and 4) Provide technical procedures/training for personnel at designated toxicology laboratories preparing specimens for SCVC evaluations. Training shall include procedures/topics such as optimal methods of assessing sperm motility and velocity measurements by computer assisted semen analyzer (CASA), and optimization of methods for preparing vaginal cytology slides; and 5) Prepare and provide four (4) different Buffer Solutions for sperm assays. The Contractor shall have capability and experience in conducting GLP compliant reproductive toxicology studies with an SCVCE Component. The Contractor shall comply with the following guidance/regulatory requirements: The NTP Health and Safety Minimum Requirements for Off-Site Contractors; the FDA Good Laboratory Practice Regulations for Non-Clinical Laboratory Studies; and applicable Federal, State, and Local Laws. Anticipated period of performance - The Base Contract is anticipated from September 2011 through September 2012 with four, one year optional periods of performance. If all options are exercised the period of performance shall extend through September 2016. Other important considerations - The Government estimates a workload of five (5) SCVCE evaluations per year (2 species/study). Optional quantities of SCVCE evaluations include options for a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 10 additional SCVCE evaluations per year. Information sought - Respondents, please provide opinion(s) about the difficulty and/or feasibility of proposing the potential requirement as a fixed price acquisition. Provide possible solutions and approaches that may currently exist in the marketplace for procuring the outlined services under fixed price terms. Submission requirements - Responses must be received by November 4, 2010, 3:00pm EST. Submit responses to the Contract Specialist identified above. Telephonic responses will not be accepted. Electronic responses are acceptable (Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Power Point, etc.). Limit responses to five (5) pages maximum including references. Include the solicitation number and title in your response; respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. " 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. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. 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. Any solicitation resulting from the analysis of information obtained will be announced to the public in Federal Business Opportunities in accordance with the FAR Part 5. 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).
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NIEHS/NIHES2011108/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02313545-W 20101021/101019234206-56a2fe88c92adbc66ee9e5613e46c70b (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |