A -- Support Services for the National Institute on Aging Intramural Clinical Research Program

THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS INCORRECT. Please use the following address for any correspondence: Office of Acquisitions, OLAO, NIH, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 6E01, MSC 7540, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7540. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Aging (NIA), intends to negotiate on a non-competitive basis with MedStar Research Institute (MRI) for a five-year cost reimbursement research contract to provide continuing clinical research support services studying aging-related diseases in addition to the expansion of ongoing longitudinal studies under the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA)/Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS) umbrella. The purpose of the clinical services is to provide care for NIA IRP research subjects who visit a ward in Harbor Hospital dedicated to NIA IRP patients. These subjects participate in NIA IRP clinical research initiatives (mostly related to age and age-associated diseases such as endocrinology, cardiology, clinical pharmacology, neurology, immunology/infectious diseases, genetics, and oncology). Since 2000, MRI has been able to meet the numerous and diverse requirements of the NIA IRP clinical program, and has successfully provided clinical support to accommodate the evolving nature of the clinical research. The statutory authority applicable to this solicitation is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) as set forth in FAR 6.302.1. No other firm can reasonably supply the needed services. The NIA IRP needs the following services: ---Immediate access to at least 23,000 rentable square feet of contiguous space, in a JCAHO-accredited hospital that is located within 15 minutes of the Gerontology Research Center, which is located in east Baltimore, MD; ---Ability to acquire (or if necessary to renovate) space to continue a clinical research center which will shall contain at least 10 inpatient beds; examination and testing rooms for 9,000 to 12,500 patient visits annually; research pharmacy space; clinical laboratory space; nourishment space for food service to patients; inpatient monitoring space for nursing staff; space for medical records and equipment including structural capacity to hold two Lektrievers, all of which must be secure; and sufficient office and ancillary space for staff physicians, research fellows, nurses, research pharmacist, technicians, and clerical personnel; ---Admission of patients whose illness, as result of participation in an approved NIA IRP research protocol, warrants acute patient care as well as access to other services at the hospital such as diagnostic imaging services, pathology and laboratory support, nuclear medicine, medical consultation services, and blood bank services; housekeeping, janitorial, food service, and security services. This organization has the prerequisite knowledge, experience, and facilities for the continuation of this proposed acquisition by reason of its preliminary and current work on this project. The resulting contract will be for a one-year base period, commencing approximately February 2008 with four additional one-year options. This is NOT a Request for Proposal. If, however, there are any responsible sources who feel they possess the abilities and facilities which would enable them to perform this project, they may submit a proposal which will be considered by NIH. See Numbered Note 22.