Laboratory Animal Procurement

Sources Sought Synopsis - NIHOD2015077 Classification Code: 88 - Live Animals Title: Provision of Barrier Reared and Maintained Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Hamsters, Gerbils, and Guinea Pigs The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and potential technical capability of small businesses, 8A, HUBZone, SDVOSB, etc. to supply barrier reared and maintained rabbits, rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs to the Division of Veterinary Resources (DVR) of the Office of Research Services (ORS) at the NIH The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 112990, All Other Animal Production, with a size standard of $0.75M. The purpose of the procurement is to: provide an efficient and cost effective centralized purchasing mechanism that can maintain uninterrupted support of the research animal needs of NIH intramural investigators, maintain compliance with various federal, state, local laws and NIH regulations affecting the use of laboratory animals, assure the authorized placement of individual animal orders, provide monitoring and oversight of the genetic quality and health status of research animals introduced into the NIH animal facilities. Successful offerors shall furnish the following: various strains and stocks of barrier reared and maintained rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and rabbits which meet specific species, strain, health status, sex, age, weight, and/or pregnancy requirements, blood, tissues, organs and other biological specimens, surgical and technical procedures to include embryo cryopreservation and rederivation, and quarantine services, shipping crates and containers. All contractors shall have a minimum of 5 years experience providing laboratory animals to biomedical research facilities and be accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International regulated species under this contract. The contractor shall be registered with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (if proposing to provide regulated species). The Contractor shall be regularly engaged in the breeding, raising, and shipping of the animals described. The animals, tissues, organs, and blood or serum supplied under this contract shall be maintained and collected in the Contractor's facilities. The Contractor shall operate any and all proposed facilities for services related to rederivation of animal models for the elimination of the vertical and horizontal transfer of pathogens, parasites and other undesired organisms, and the cryopreservation of mouse and/or rat embryos. The requirement includes presentations by the Contractor's professional and technical staff of an overview of their products, services, animal health surveillance program and technical capabilities to the Government Animal Program Directors and Clinical Veterinary Staff (either in person at the NIH or via video teleconference, at the Government's preference). This Contractor presentation shall be required, at minimum, one time within the first year of performance and every third year thereafter. Contractor shall have established health surveillance and disease control programs developed, administered, and directed by a veterinarian who is board certified or eligible for certification by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. The Government anticipates that there will be multiple Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts awarded for this requirement. A one year base period of performance, with four, one year option periods is anticipated. The planned release date of the solicitation document is on or about December 1, 2015, with a due date of January 4, 2016. The planned contract award date is April 15, 2016. Interested firms must provide qualifications package that includes a comprehensive listing of the animal species/strains available to the Government. Inclusion of a copy of the firm's current commercial catalog should meet this requirement. Additionally, qualifications packages must also include business size, annual receipts (average gross revenue) for the last three (3) fiscal years, and whether or not the firm has been approved as a small business by the SBA under NAICS code 112990. Indicate any teaming arrangements in your response. Firms should provide an electronic copy or one hard copy of their capability statement to the address noted below within fifteen (15) days from the date of this notice. Inquiries and/or qualifications packages should be directed to the National Institutes of Health, Office of Acquisitions - OLAO 6011 Executive Blvd., Room 529-X, MSC 7663, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7663. Telephone number: (301) 435-8447, Attention: Kathleen M. Kathman, Esq. Written requests may be submitted by e-mail to: kathmank@od.nih.gov.