SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Nonhuman Primate Core Humoral Immunology Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development
- Notice Date
- 7/13/2016
- 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-16-071
- Archive Date
- 8/11/2016
- Point of Contact
- Lorna A. Finn, Phone: 240-669-5153, John R. Manouelian, Phone: 2406695152
- E-Mail Address
-
lorna.finn@nih.gov, manouelj@niaid.nih.gov
(lorna.finn@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; 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. Background The mission of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) 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. 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. NIAID supports NHP studies through both contract and grant mechanisms. DAIDS provides immunological and virological support for NHP studies conducted at NIAID's Simian Vaccine Evaluation Unit (SVEU) contract sites and by AIDS vaccine researchers through three Nonhuman Primate Immunology and Virology Laboratories for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development (NHP Core Labs) contracts. The objective of these Core Laboratories has been to ensure standardization and comparability of the assays conducted for preclinical NHP studies and to provide a common basis for assessment of the immunogenicity and efficacy of candidate HIV and SIV vaccines. The current Nonhuman Primate Core Humoral Immunology Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development contract (HHSN272201100016C) is held by Duke University. Purpose and Objectives The purpose of the proposed contract is to conduct, develop, acquire, improve, and implement assays to evaluate and characterize the humoral immune responses of NHP that have been immunized with candidate HIV or SIV vaccines or infected with SIV, SHIV, or HIV in studies conducted by the NIAID Simian Vaccine Evaluation Units (SVEUs) or by investigators supported by or collaborating with NIH. Project requirements The Contractor shall conduct, develop, acquire, improve, and implement assays to evaluate and characterize the humoral immune responses of NHP that have been immunized with candidate HIV or SIV vaccines or infected with SIV, SHIV, or HIV in studies conducted by the NIAID Simian Vaccine Evaluation Units (SVEUs) or by investigators supported by or collaborating with NIH. Specifically, the Contractor shall: 1) provide qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government, as needed to perform work of the contract (2) perform humoral immunology assays, (3) receive, store, catalog, track, and maintain an inventory of the specimens to be evaluated, (4) manage and report study data, (5) perform project management activities in support of contract activities, (6) conduct initial and final transition activities, as needed, and (6) perform option work described below, if required. 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 7 years, beginning on or about March 1, 2018. The performance requirement will be the delivery of 10.53 full time equivalents (FTEs) per year for the base period (Year 1 and option periods (Years 2 through Year 7). Please note that the number of FTEs is inclusive of subcontractor and consultant effort. In addition, the Government may exercise options to accommodate unanticipated increases in demand as follows: 1. Options 7 - 20: Increased Level of Effort: The Government may exercise options for increased level of effort that may result from unanticipated increases in demand. Should the Government elect to exercise these options, the Contractor shall provide resources for the unanticipated increase in work volume by 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) for each option exercised. These options may be exercised twice 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. 2. Options 21 - 27: Increased Level of Effort: The Government may exercise options for increased level of effort that may result from unanticipated increases in demand. Should the Government elect to exercise these options, the Contractor shall provide resources for the unanticipated increase in work volume by 0.5 FTE for each option exercised. It is anticipated that only one option will be exercised per performance year. 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. Other important considerations The Contractor shall use state-of-the-art assays under this contract to detect and evaluate humoral immune responses generated in nonhuman primates by immunization with AIDS vaccines or by infection with SIV or SHIV. This shall include assays to optimize detection of neutralizing antibodies and assays to optimize the detection of non-neutralizing antiviral activities in immunized and infected animals. Assays shall incorporate appropriate positive and negative controls to define background and dynamic range, and shall demonstrate reproducibility and consistency. Capability statement / information sought Capability Statements should clearly convey information regarding the respondent's capabilities, including demonstration of (a) staff qualifications and expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and/or 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: • DUNS. • Company Name. • Company Address. • Company Point of Contact, Phone and Email address • Current GSA Schedules and/or Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) appropriate to this Sources Sought. • Do you have a Government approved accounting system? If so, please identify the agency that approved the system. • 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 (preferable placed under the eligible small business concern's name and address). Number of Copies: Please submit one (1) electric copy of your response as follows: All Capability Statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to Lorna Finn, Contract Specialist, at Lorna.finn@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The e-mail subject line must specify HHS-NIH-NIAID (AI)-SBSS-16-071. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Common Cut-off Date: Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than [3:30 PM (Eastern Prevailing Time) on 07/27/2016]. 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 pre-solicitation 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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