Filter Paper Blood Testing/Proficiency Testing

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Division of Laboratory Science, intends to award a sole source contract to the University of Wisconsin (UW), 465 Henrey Mall, Madison, WI 53706-1501 for the Filter Paper and Lead Multi-element Proficiency Quality Assurance Programs. The statutory authority for this sole source acquisition is 10 U.S.C 2304(c)(1) in accordanc with FAR Part 6.302-1- only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirement. The NAICS code for this procurement is 541380, Testing Laboratories. The period of performance is a 12 month base period and two 12 month option periods. The purpose of this procurement is to obtain expertise and technical assistance to support CDC's Inorganic and Radiation Analytical Toxicology Branch's Quality Assurance Programs, Lead and Multi-element Program (LAMP), and their Filter Paper (FP) Proficiency Testing Program in helping them to acquire both bovine and whole blood, prepare bovine blood materials, prepare whole blood materials on appropriate filter paper media, and distribute them to the participating laboratories for each of the respective programs. The University of Wisconsin is the only responsible source capable of meeting all of the Government's requirement because they are the only full service proficiency testing provider that administers a nationwide Filter Paper Blood Lead Proficiency Testing and Lead and Multi-element Proficiency (LAMP) Program with distributions to more than 100 laboratories. Additionally, the University of Wisconsin has proven experience in bovine blood handling, which includes all veterinary support within the limits of animal care and use protocols, as well as experience distributing quality controls and proficiency testing samples monthly. UW also maintains a trace clean room laboratory environment used in conjunction with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer that enables the lab to screen prepared bovine whole blood pools for homogeneity and assign target values when necessary while continuing to monitor all collection and pooling material for trace metal contamination. Most importantly, the University of Wisconsin encompasses the ability to purchase and maintain bovine and whole blood needed for this project in accordance with all state and federal regulation. This distinctive ability alone is essential to the expansion needed to support both the CDC's LAMP and Filter Paper Programs, which cannot be obtained in the current capacity of the Inorganic and Radiation Analytical Toxicology Laboratory. As a result of this synopsis, no competitive solicitation will be posted on FedBizOpps. We will issue only one solicitation to the University of Wisconsin. However, all responsible sources that believe they can meet these requirements may submit their capabilities/qualifications to provide the services to Richard Jenkins via email ONLY at contact@example.gov with the solicitation number 2010-N-12095 referenced in the subject line NO LATER THAN April 23, 2010. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action will be based on responses to this notice and are solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.