DIR Freezer Repository

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT AND NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS This notice is published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.101(a)(1) requiring the dissemination of information regarding proposed contract actions. This is a Notice of Intent to award a sole source, firm-fixed price purchase order under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) - Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Service Will Satisfy Agency Requirements and is not a request for competitive proposals. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Fishers BioServices, Inc.- 14665 Rothgeb Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850. UEI LB4PCGLSJ9E6. Service Information During the 1980s, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Division of Intramural Research (DIR) established a freezer repository to archive and redistribute study generated resources from designated clinical studies, simplifying access and ensuring that biospecimens were stored under uniform conditions. The freezer repository is critical to the scientific integrity of on-going and future studies at NIAID DIR. Many of the biomedical research specimens stored at this facility are from research studies that were conducted over multiple decades and are a vital part of current and ongoing scientific studies. This acquisition will provide off-site storage, maintenance, and monitoring of biological specimens for the NIAID DIR freezer repository. The repository services required include oversight of 28 upright ultra-low temperature freezers and 7 liquid nitrogen storage tanks, and approximately 4 shelves of ambient storage for biomedical research specimens preserved in formalin and paraffin. Repository services also include the resources necessary to accommodate the pick-up and delivery of biological specimens. Sole Source Justification NIAID requires storage of 28 freezers, 7 liquid nitrogen units, and additional materials in ambient storage units. This is a large volume of NIAID owned freezer units that other local, biospecimen storage facilities are not currently able to accommodate. A mass transfer jeopardizes the integrity and complex makeup of the stored specimens. Transport of the freezers increases the risk of not maintaining the optimum temperature, which can cause specimens to degrade. Many of the specimens stored at this facility are from research studies that were conducted over 2-3 decades and are a vital part of current and ongoing scientific studies. Fisher BioServices, Inc. is the only source that can guarantee no risk of damaging critical research material and jeopardizing the integrity of complete specimen data sets. Any transfer between facilities will result in an interruption to the access laboratories have to the specimens. This interruption may be only a few weeks but could be even longer depending on the protocols decided on for cataloging and preparing the specimens before the move and the procedures of the new facility for finalizing the transfer and reinstating access. Many studies are time sensitive and have a lot of working parts, including fellows working on studies, animals care facilities within NIAID DIR, and other ongoing research activities. For these reasons, only Fisher BioServices, Inc. has a large enough facility within range of NIAID laboratories to provide the full freezer storage, maintenance, and monitoring required under this acquisition. Additionally, transporting the freezers to another facility poses a risk to both the specimens themselves and to access during ongoing studies at a critical time. For these reasons, only Fisher BioServices, Inc is capable of providing all the services and meeting all the requirements for this acquisition. Period of Performance The period of performance required for total performance (inclusive of all options) is from February 1, 2023 - January 31, 2024. The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541380:Testing Laboratory, which has a size standard of 16.5 million. Fisher BioServices, Inc. is other than a small business. This will be the only notice of the Government's intent to solicit, negotiate, and award to one source to satisfy this requirement. The Government plans to award a contract for this requirement within 15 days of this notice. While this synopsis does not constitute a solicitation, interested vendors may identify their interest and capability to satisfy this requirement. The Government understands that Fisher BioServices, Inc. is the only vendor which can provide the requested products/services for NIAID. However, firms that believe they can provide the capability required to fully meet the Government's requirement may submit a capabilities statement, including past performance, in writing to the identified point of contact within 15 days after publication of this notice. Such documentation shall be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit offers on NOI-NIAID-2153893. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for any information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this 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. For additional information or to submit responses, please contact Hershea Vance, Contract Specialist at contact@example.gov.