Basic and Clinical Research Efforts, Surveillance, Vaccine Efficacy, Performance and Evaluation of New Diagnostic Capabilities for NAMRU-3

The requiring activity for this acquisition is the Naval Medical Research Unit - Three (NAMRU-3), Egypt Detachment. NAMRU-3 has had an overseas military research facility based in Cairo, Egypt since 1946. NAMRU-3's mission is to study, monitor, and detect emerging and re-emerging disease threats of military and public health importance; develop mitigation strategies against these threats in partnership with host nations, international, and U.S. agencies in the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), United States European Command (EUCOM), and United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility. NAMRU-3 accomplishes its mission through collaboration with the US government and academic groups as well as local institutes and ministries. NAMRU-3 maintains research programs including but not limited to the Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases Research Program (BPDRP), Viral and Zoonotic Diseases Research Program (VZDRP), and Vector Biology Research Program (VBRP). Human subject research is anticipated for this requirement. As such, the Contractor shall be required to have an active Federalwide Assurance (FWA) issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It is anticipated that projects will be conducted with assistance from Egyptian Universities health facilities, foreign embassies health units in Egypt, and health facilities in African countries and the Middle East. Support for the following projects are needed: a. Vector Surveillance And Vector Control Support- Egypt: NAMRU-3's Vector Biology Research program (VBRP) has initiated research activities in collaboration with research Institutes in Nigeria, Ghana, Jordan, Djibouti and other countries. These studies aim at understanding the environmental factors, geographic distribution, diversity, and abundance of arthropod vectors transmitting pathogens potentially involved in acute febrile illness as well as detecting pathogens in vectors and offering vector control support. While services are needed mainly in Egypt, travel is anticipated to Ghana, Djibouti, Jordan, Nigeria, and other countries in Africa and Middle East. b. Bacterial and Parasitic Disease Research Program (BPDRP)- Egypt, Djibouti, and Liberia: The contractor shall assist in the design and execution of field and laboratory research related to emerging infectious diseases. The latter may include but not be limited to: (a) proposal and protocol writing (to be approved by Government personnel), (b) collection of samples and specimens under bio-surveillance and research protocols (e.g., drawing of blood), (c) lab analysis of samples and specimens (e.g., molecular analysis), (d) lab assay development, (e) clinical testing and lab evaluation, (f) development and maintenance of data repositories containing information from the aforementioned, (g) performance of epidemiological research using as a basis the aforementioned, and (h) safety maintenance of personnel involved with research (e.g., personnel medical physicals, lab tests, vaccine injections, etc.). Services are primarily needed in Egypt, Djibouti, and Liberia, although there may be travel to other study sites within Africa and the Middle East. c. Bio-Surveillance Activities for Viral and Zoonotic Disease Research and Infection Control Programs in Egypt, Eastern Mediterranean and West African Countries: The Viral and Zoonotic Disease Research and Infection Control Programs at NAMRU-3 are conducting several surveillance research activities in Egypt, Jordan, and other Eastern Mediterranean (EM) countries as well as Liberia and other West African Countries. Such activities include but are not limited to Surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), Influenza like Illness (ILI) and surveillance for Arboviruses causing Acute Febrile Illness (AFI), and surveillance of healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance. Such surveillance activities are important to study, monitor and detect emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats of both viral and bacterial etiologies that would affect significantly the public health on both civilian and military levels. d. Support for NAMRU-3 Biosurveillance Activities in West Africa- Ghana: This acquisition shall provide contractor support for biosurveillance activities conducted by the NAMRU-3 primarily in West Africa. These activities include the diagnosis of acute febrile illnesses, multidrug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis, MDR bacteria associated with wound and surgical site infections, blood stream (sepsis) infections, and enteric infections. This acquisition will also provide contractor support for infectious disease research activities conducted by the NAMRU-3 Ghana Detachment. The NAMRU-3 Ghana Detachment is involved in the diagnosis of many respiratory, arboviral and hemorrhagic fever viral diseases. The program has extended collaborative projects with many West African countries. Moreover, the NAMRU-3 Ghana Detachment assists other NAMRU-3 programs including the Global Disease Detection Research Program (GDDRP), VBRP, and BPDRP projects. e. Overall Support for NAMRU-3 Activities in Egypt: This portion simply provides a Program Management- Science Professional position and an Information Management Assistant position for overall support of the aforementioned activities. These services are anticipated to remain locally within Egypt.