Hormone levels in a case-control study of primary liver cancer

Contracting Office Address Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Room 1E136, Bethesda, MD 20892, UNITED STATES Description National Cancer Institute (NCI), Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch (HREB) plans to procure on a sole source basis services to analyze two steroid hormones in relation to primary liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from Laval University, Pharmacogenomics Laboratory CHUQ Research Center 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Room T3-48, Quebec, QC, V1V 4G2, Canada. This acquisition will be processed in accordance with simplified acquisition procedures as stated in FAR Part 13.106-1(b)(1) and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System code is 541380 and the business size standard is $14.0 Million. Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a firm fixed price type contract. The period of performance is twelve (12) months from date of award. It has been determined there are no opportunities to acquire green products or services for this procurement. The NCI Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch (HREB) is conducting a retrospective cohort study of primary liver cancer, among members of the Liver Cancer Pooling Project (LCPP) of the NCI Cohort Consortium. In order to understand better the etiology of primary liver cancer in the U.S., all U.S. based cohort in the NCI Cohort Consortium were invited to participate in the LCPP. All cohorts were invited to contribute questionnaire data from the entire cohort and prediagnostic serum samples from individuals who developed liver cancer and matched controls. One of the hypotheses that the LCPP wished to examine was whether men who developed liver cancer had different steroid hormone levels than men who did not develop liver cancer. Serum samples from 370 men who subsequently developed liver cancer and 370 matched controls were provided to the LCPP. The objective of this requirement is to assay case and control serum samples from the LCPP Study to determine serum levels of testosterone and estradiol. NCI DCEG HREB requires the contractor to provide an analysis of two steroid hormones using serum from men who subsequently developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and serum from control men. The Contractor will conduct gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assays on 740 samples to quantify the hormones - Testosterone (T), Estradiol (E2). Very little serum is available for these analyses. Laval University, Pharmacogenomics Laboratory is the only known source capable of determining levels of both testosterone and estradiol in an exceedingly small amount of serum (110 ?L). A survey of other hormone laboratories identified no other laboratory capable of performing required assays to steroid hormones in such a small amount of serum This notice is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party especially small businesses, believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. The responses and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement. Responses must be received in the contracting office by 11:00 AM EST, on September 11, 2013. All responses and questions must be in writing and faxed +1 (555) 000-0000 or emailed to Terry Galloway, Contracting Officer via electronic mail at contact@example.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect calls will be accepted. In order to receive an award, contractors must be registered and have valid certification in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and the Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA) through sam.gov. Reference: NCI-130146-TG on all correspondence.