Annual subscription of Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) BioFinder Discovery Platform Software License

Pre-Solicitation Notice – Notice of Intent to award on a Single Source Basis

Title: Notice of Intent to Award a Single Source Purchase Order for an annual subscription of a Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) BioFinder Discovery Platform Software License, a computational platform that can predict thousands of biological targets for chemicals, is accessed via the Internet, and interfaces with CAS SciFinder, a database of over 100 million chemicals and already in use by the FDA.
 

Notice Number: NOI_REQT-OMAS-IT-202600119

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Division of Toxicology

Contracting Office: HHS – Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions

Product Service Code (PSC): OC code 6632 / PCS Code 10 (Analysis Instruments, Medical Laboratory Use)

NAICS Code: 513210 (Software Publishers)

Place of Performance: HHS/FDA, 8301 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, MD  20708

Set Aside: Not Applicable (Single Source)

Response Date: 07/15/2026 5:00 PM MST

Description

This is a Notice of Intent to negotiate on a sole source basis for a firm-fixed-price purchase order to American Chemical Society, 2540 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH  43202

HHS/FDA has a requirement for purchase of an annual software license. The Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) BioFinder Discovery Platform is the only platform that meets all of the FDA Division of Toxicology's technical requirements for advancing food chemical safety research and implementing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).
 

Period of Performance:  09/01/2026 – 08/31/2027

Requirement Details:

• Prediction of biological targets for chemicals based on a training set of over 1 million compounds
• Known and predicted quantitative binding and functional activity for at least 3,600 targets
• Target binding prediction by at least 6 independent methods (SAS, SAR, SIM, SEA, MLM, and XPI)
• Confidence scores for predicted interactions using consensus approach
• Metabolite prediction using manually curated training dataset
• Direct comparison of biological target predictions of metabolites with substrates
• Interactive tabular and graphical dashboards for data visualization
• Integration with CAS SciFinder database containing over 100 million substances – already being utilized by FDA
• Web browser access with user account credentials
• Downloadable search results in structured data format
• AI chatbot interface (CAS Newton) for data queries
• Matched molecular pair analysis capabilities

Justification for Sole Source:

The highly specialized nature of this requirement, including the unique combination of comprehensive curated data, multiple independent prediction algorithms, extensive biological target coverage, metabolite prediction, CAS SciFinder integration, and full literature traceability, significantly limits the supplier pool to CAS as the sole source capable of meeting FDA's needs.

Proprietary Technology: The Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) BioFinder Discovery Platform is the only platform that meets all of the FDA Division of Toxicology's technical requirements for advancing food chemical safety research and implementing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). It is manufactured by parent company American Chemical Society, is proprietary to this company and available through them only on the open market.
 

Interface Between Existing FDA Database: An annual license/subscription to CAS BioFinder Discovery platform will provide a computational platform that can predict thousands of biological targets for chemicals. It is accessed via the Internet, and most notable in this situation, it interfaces with CAS SciFinder, a database of over 100 million chemicals, which is already utilized by the FDA and will complement the data and research in a way no other similar version of software could.
 

Avoidance of Unacceptable Risk and Cost: Because the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) BioFinder Discovery Platform is the only platform that meets all of the FDA Division of Toxicology's technical requirements for advancing food chemical safety research and implementing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), and of primary concern, it interfaces with the existing CAS SciFinder already being utilized, undue risk and cost would be associated if any alternate sources were chosen, if they were even found to be capable. Among the unique capabilities and qualifications are: 1. Comprehensive Database Coverage; 2. Multiple Independent Prediction Methods; 3. Extensive Biological Target Coverage; 4. Integration with CAS SciFinder; 5. Metabolite Prediction Capabilities; 6. Full Literature Traceability; and 7. Proprietary Data and Curation.

This is a Notice of Intent, not a request for quotation (RFQ). A solicitation document will not be issued, and quotations will not be requested. This notice is not a request for competitive quotes. However, all responsible sources who believe they can meet the requirement as stated herein may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Interested parties must identify their interest and prove their capability to respond to this requirement by the response date. All responses should be submitted electronically to the primary point of contact listed below. The response should include sufficient technical information to allow for a Government review and determination of capability.

Primary Point of Contact:

Dana Monroe

Contract Specialist

Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions (OMAS) 

Office of Acquisitions (OA) | Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

dana.monroe@hhs.gov 

Subject to:

12.201-1, Simplified procedures

12.205 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

41 USC 1901: Simplified acquisition procedures

52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Products and Commercial Services

17.203 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.