AN11--Web-based Animal Husbandry Database

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Network Contracting Office 20 (NCO 20) is conducting a market survey and is seeking potential sources for an Animal Database Service. This Sources Sought Notice is issued for information and planning purposes only. This is not a solicitation or a request for proposal and shall not be construed as an obligation or commitment by the Government. An award will not be made on any offers submitted in response to this notice, and it shall not be implied the Government is committed to providing any solicitation or award following this notice. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this request, nor will the Government compensate a respondent for any costs incurred in developing the information provided. - Responses shall be submitted to Denise Patches at contact@example.gov by COB:11-28-2023 SUBJECT: RFI 36C26024Q0083 Animal Database Services This notice is intended strictly for market research. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to determine interest and capability of potential qualified sources of supply and determine the socioeconomic size classification of the supplier and manufacturer of the end item. - Interested companies shall provide, at a minimum, the following information with their response; - Company Name and Address: Point of Contact (POC) Name: Email Address: Phone Number: DUNS Number/UNIQUE SAM ID: Brochures of their offered equipment/services. The anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541511 Custom Computer Programming Services Mark if your firm is eligible for participation in one of the following small business programs. If so, please indicate the program: - [ ] yes [ ] no - Small Business (SB) - [ ] yes [ ] no - HUBZone - [ ] yes [ ] no - Small Business 8(a) - [ ] yes [ ] no - Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) - [ ] yes [ ] no - Women-Owned (WO) Small Business - [ ] yes [ ] no - Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) - [ ] yes [ ] no - Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) [ ] yes [ ] no - Large Business - [ ] yes [ ] no - Other (please specify) - - Please answer the following questions: - [ ] yes [ ] no - Does not exceed 1,000 employees; (for NAICS 541511) must be verifiable thru the System for Award Management) - [ ] yes [ ] no Is primarily engaged in the retail or wholesale trade and normally sells the type of item being supplied; - [ ] yes [ ] no Takes ownership or possession of the item(s) with its personnel, equipment or facilities in a manner consistent with industry practice (identify how this occurs); and - [ ] yes [ ] no Will supply the end item of a small business manufacturer, processor or producer made in the United States, or obtains a waiver of such requirement pursuant to paragraph (b)(5) CFR 121.406. - Note: Do not include Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in responses. - In addition to providing the information requested above, responding companies are encouraged to include any relevant information (specifications, cut sheets, brochures, capability statement, past experience etc.) to confirm the company s ability to meet the requirements outlined in this request. - Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract or agreement. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. Animal Database Services Requested Salient Characteristics/Statement of Work 1. Contract Title. Animal research program database and database support services for VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) animal research program. 2. Background. We seek to procure 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. This requirement is for a base +4 year contract with 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 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. This 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, and 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. 3. Scope. This contract covers renewal of an animal research facility management software and database maintenance contract for the VAPSHCS animal research program, Seattle division. 4. Specific Tasks. Animal Management: The web-based service shall be able to design and print customer-designed cage cards. The program shall offer real time tracking of animals by protocol, and facility census. The program shall provide documentation of animal numbers and experimental usage by USDA pain category as required for reports to oversight bodies. The program shall have a function to create individual animal health records. There shall be a function to follow colony health data and generate reports. Breeding Colony Management: The web-based service shall 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 shall be available on numbers of animals housed of specific genotypes. General Features: The web-based service shall provide secure data storage and handling. There shall be maintenance of historic data. The platform shall 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) shall be assignable based on an individual s role (investigator, technician, veterinarian, administrator, manager, IACUC member), assignment, and location. The service shall be able to generate custom reports and analysis on animal health, breeding colony statistics and animal usage. The web-based service shall 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 shall provide on-going support and maintenance of the security and integrity of data. The company shall provide access to continuing education for a designated local administrator at our site for software changes and upgrades. The company shall 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 shall be handled remotely by contractor support services. Deliverables: A: Campus license for animal research facility management web-based service B: Regular database maintenance 5. 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. 6. 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 animal husbandry database; contractor will not require access to VA patient records. The C&A requirements do not apply, and a Security Accreditation Package is not required.