Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Chemistry Center for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CC4CARB)

The contract seeks to continue the Chemistry Center for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CC4CARB), a critical initiative focused on the design, synthesis, testing, and management of chemical libraries targeting Gram-negative bacterial pathogens and other antimicrobial-resistant threats. The work is structured around four core areas: Library Design, Compound Synthesis, Compound Testing, and Compound Management, all under centralized Project Management to ensure seamless integration and execution. The contract is awarded on a sole-source basis to RTI International due to its irreplaceable infrastructure, proprietary compound library, established scientific networks, and specialized systems for compound tracking and distribution, which cannot be replicated by other entities without prohibitive cost or time delays. The estimated contract value ranges from $25 million to $28 million over an initial one-year base period with four one-year options and additional options for compound management, extending the total performance period through January 2034. Performance is primarily conducted at RTI International’s facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, with formal acceptance occurring in Rockville, Maryland, and compounds distributed globally to the research community free of charge. The contract is structured as a Cost Plus Fixed Fee Level of Effort, reflecting its operational and scientific nature rather than discrete deliverables, and award will be determined through a trade-off process that emphasizes technical superiority, past performance, and continuity of mission-critical capabilities rather than lowest cost. Proposals must be submitted exclusively via the NIAID electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) portal by the deadline of May 8, 2026, with no facsimile or email submissions accepted. Payment is managed through the NIH/NIAID, and oversight is provided by the Contracting Officer, Project Officer, and Contracting Officer’s Representative, all based in Bethesda, Maryland. The government retains full rights to deliverables, with no security clearances required and no formal organizational conflict of interest clauses specified, despite the unique position of the incumbent. While the Statement of Work and certification documents are referenced as attachments, their full requirements are only accessible through the original PDF solicitation, which must be viewed with Adobe Acrobat to ensure all embedded links function properly. The contract continues a long-standing program aligned with the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and supports global drug discovery efforts by making validated compounds publicly available.