AJ11--Tick@lab Animal Research Database Services CS: Maureen Sundstrom

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is not a solicitation for bids, proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified sources. The responses received from interested contractors will assist the Government in determining set-aside and appropriate acquisition method. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 20, is conducting market research in support of the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, to identify potential sources that can provide the following services: GENERAL INFORMATION: The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to procure Animal Research Database Software and Database Support Services for the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System animal research program, Seattle Washington. Salient characteristics: Please see the following Statement of Work for a full description and specific tasks. Potential sources having the capabilities necessary to provide the services which meet all the requirements outlined in the attached statement or work are invited to respond to this Sources Sought Notice via e-mail to Maureen Sundstrom at contact@example.gov no later than noted in the RFI. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. Responses should include the following information: Company name, address, business size, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, SAM.gov UEI number/code, and a capability statement addressing the requirements in the attached Statement of Work to include: References for similar services currently being provided or previously provided at the required service levels as outlined in the Statement of Work, Capability Statement, and Capability to provide required services at the Walla Walla VAMC in accordance with the Statement of Work. The Anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541511. The size standard is $34 million. Please indicate whether you are a Small Business, SDVOSB, VOSB, or Other Small Business. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This Sources Sought 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. The Government will treat any information received as proprietary and will not share such information with other companies. Any organization responding to this Sources Sought 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. The Government may or may not issue a solicitation as a result of this announcement. There is no solicitation available at this time. STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) Contract Title. Animal research program database and database support services for VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) animal research program. Background. We seek to renew a multi-year (base year plus four option years) contract to continue a web-hosted service that optimizes management of our animal research colony and animal facility functions. For the past 5 years we have used the service of a tick@lab database and the tick@lab s cloud services. The tick@lab product provides compliance management for IACUC, IRB, and IBC. Other tick@lab applications are available for Protocol Management, Transgenic Breeding, Capacity Planning, Task Management, Accounting, Facility Management and Vet Records. User defined templates provide end users the ability to collect data they require for their institution. The web-hosted service allows us to manage animal orders, track and document animal usage, print cage cards, manage the breeding colony, and document animal husbandry and housing room care tasks. The service allows us to create reports and statistics as required to meet national and international rules and regulations. We use the database functions to observe and track trends in our animal colonies to facilitate planning and budgeting for our service to support researchers. The program is integral to our animal health records system, providing timely communication to designated research team members, animal care staff, and veterinary staff. The VAPSHCS animal research program is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), as required by the VA Central Office. To maintain this accreditation, and to allow our research program to receive federal grant support, we must comply with standards set forth in the most recent edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals as well as USDA-enforced regulations under the Federal Animal Welfare Act. These standards require that all animal use be carefully tracked to include numbers and genotypes of animals purchased and born on site, as well as to document USDA pain categories related to use of each animal. The web-based service specifically designed for laboratory animal science applications has greatly facilitated the task of managing the animal research program, aiding compliance with the Guide and the Animal Welfare Act, and assisting in providing accurate and timely reports to oversight agencies. Scope. This contract covers renewal and/or replacement of an animal research facility management software and database maintenance contract for the VAPSHCS animal research program, Seattle division. Specific Tasks. Animal Management: The web-based service must be able to design and print customer-designed cage cards. The program must offer real time tracking of animals by protocol, and facility census. The program must provide documentation of animal numbers and experimental usage by USDA pain category as required for reports to oversight bodies. The program must have a function to create individual animal health records. There must be a function to follow colony health data and generate reports. Breeding Colony Management: The web-based service must have functions for management of animal breeding lines, to include: selection of mates, pairing and timing dates, genotyping and genetic profile data, tracking genealogy, and colony performance reports (numbers of litters born, numbers of animals weaned over a specific time range, genotypes produced). Real-time data must be available on numbers of animals housed of specific genotypes. General Features: The web-based service must provide secure data storage and handling. There must be maintenance of historic data. The platform should be a browser independent web application, that will function on Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Internet Explorer. Access control to the data (ability to see data, to enter data, to generate reports, create cage cards) must be assignable based on an individual s role (investigator, technician, veterinarian, administrator, manager, IACUC member), assignment, and location. The service must be able to generate custom reports and analysis on animal health, breeding colony statistics and animal usage. The web-based service must be able to make customized templates for animal health, veterinary care, and study management. It must be able to record health data and colony management data and generate customizable reports. The company supplying the web-based service must provide on-going support and maintenance of the security and integrity of data. The company must provide access to continuing education for a designated local administrator at our site for software changes and upgrades. The company must provide training to system administrators on data entry use and of the web-based features. Access to all new product version and upgrades at no additional cost. Support requests will be handled remotely by contractor support services. Deliverables: A: Campus license for animal research facility management web-based service B: Regular database maintenance Performance Monitoring The designated on-site Administrator will regularly monitor the performance of the database. The Administrator will be a regular user of the database, so will monitor the quality and performance of the database on a continual basis. Security Requirements There is no need for Contractor to be physically present on site. No VA patient information, personally identifiable information or protected health information will be tracked in this database; contractor will not require access to VA patient records. Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE)/Government-Furnished Information (GFI). No government furnished equipment is requested. Other Pertinent Information or Special Considerations. Identification of Possible Follow-on Work. We may request purchase of additional web-based modules at a future date. Identification of Potential Conflicts of Interest (COI). No conflict of interest exists. Identification of Non-Disclosure Requirements. The contractor will have access to animal research information and information about animal use in research at the VAPSHCS. Packaging, Packing and Shipping Instructions. No unusual packaging, packing, or shipping requirements Inspection and Acceptance Criteria. The COR will monitor the contract to ensure that the database product, training and maintenance meets the needs of the animal research facility. The COR for this contract is an animal research facility administrator/designee at the VAPSHCS. Risk Control There are no safety issues for the performance of this contract. Place of Performance. The web-based database will be primarily accessed in VAPSCHS Seattle division Research buildings, including buildings 1, 11, 13, 23, and 34. Department of Veterans Affairs VA Puget Sound Healthcare System 1660 S. Columbia Way Seattle, WA 98108-1597 Period of Performance. The contract performance period will be one base year with four option years. Delivery Schedule. Web-based database is accessible at all times for designated users.