Evaluation and Testing Services (ETS) for Vaccines and Other Biologics for Infectious Diseases

Introduction This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources, (2) their small business type (e.g. HUBZone small businesses, service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses, 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses); and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under an applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. Research supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), strives to understand, treat, and ultimately prevent the myriad infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases that threaten millions of human lives. The NIAID Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) supports extramural research for the investigation, control and prevention of diseases caused by all infectious agents other than HIV. Support for basic and applied research to develop and evaluate therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics is provided through a variety of research grants and contracts. DMID also supports an array of research resources and services to assist investigators, including programs that provide or make available genomic data and technologies; organisms and state-of-the-art reagents; biocontainment facilities; and preclinical and clinical translational research services (http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/research/resources/dmid). The development and introduction of new vaccines and biologics against potential agents of bioterrorism, drug-resistant pathogens, emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, as well as infectious diseases prevalent in resource-limited countries remain a high public health priority. To assist in filling these public health gaps, the NIAID requires a coordinated evaluation and testing services program to provide preclinical, nonclinical, and clinical testing support for multiple vaccine and biologic candidates that emerge from academia, the private sector, or other sources. The suite of testing services will encompass those activities commonly associated with the testing of vaccine and biologic products for infectious disease required for Investigational New Drug (IND) application and/or Biologic License Application (BLA). Consequently, DMID recognizes that to obtain the full spectrum of expertise or facilities required to perform all activities set forth in this sources sought notice, individual organizations will likely need the expertise and resources of other organizations or persons through consortia agreements, partnerships, subcontracts, and/or consultants. The Contractor shall be responsible for ALL work performed and shall be responsible for project planning, initiation, implementation, management and communication; evaluation, selection, and management of subcontractors; and for all deliverables specified in any future contract and Task Order awarded. NIAID anticipates awarding a single Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract that provides a guaranteed minimum award to the organization or consortium that best meets the overall qualifications needed to fulfill the technical requirements of this sources sought notice. Task Orders for specific tasks will be issued after award of the Basic Contract.