Large Scale T Cell Epitope Discovery

Introduction The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) supports research related to the basic understanding of microbiology and immunology leading to the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and medical diagnostics for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of infectious and immune-mediated diseases. The NIAID Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation has a requirement for the discovery of T cell epitopes that are important in protection of humans from infectious diseases, with a focus on NIAID Category A, B, and C Priority Pathogens and other Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases. Description The primary purpose of this initiative is to establish multiple highly interactive, multi-disciplinary teams to support large scale discovery of human T cell epitopes associated with protection against microorganisms responsible for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and potential agents of bioterrorism and their toxins (listed as NIAID Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/emerging/Pages/list.aspx). It is anticipated that the multi-disciplinary teams will minimally include immunologists with the appropriate expertise in epitope identification and validation and microbiologists and/or virologists with expertise in the target pathogen(s). Investigators may include additional pathogens for study that are not listed as NIAID Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases. However, pathogens from the NIAID Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases list should account for at least 50% of the pathogens in the proposed studies. A list of all pathogens to be studied, and a justification for inclusion of those pathogens not listed as NIAID Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases shall be provided in the solicitation. This program will not support studies related to HIV/AIDS. Investigators may utilize established technological advances for epitope discovery or develop new or improved technologies for the large-scale identification of novel T cell epitopes. For the purpose of this solicitation, large-scale epitope discovery is defined as methods that will allow for extensive identification and validation of a broad range of novel T cell epitopes. Epitope discovery methods must be accompanied by basic studies in human samples to validate identified epitopes as targets of T cell recognition. Investigators may, but are not required to, include studies in appropriate animal models. Supported investigators will be required to attend an annual program progress meeting at NIH and submit their epitope information, and novel epitope prediction algorithms if applicable, to the Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (www.iedb.org). Solicitations will be evaluated for their scientific and technical merit, scientific and technical personnel, project management plan, and facilities and other resources available to accomplish the proposed studies. It is anticipated that multiple cost reimbursement, completion type contracts will be awarded for a five-year period of performance beginning on or about September 1, 2014. The length of time for which funding is requested should be consistent with the nature and complexity of the proposed research. In no event shall the period of performance proposed by an offeror exceed five (5) years. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered by the Agency. This BAA will be available electronically on/about May 31, 2013 and may be accessed through FedBizOpps http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. This notice does not commit the Government to award a contract. No collect calls will be accepted. No facsimile transmissions will be accepted. For this solicitation, the NIAID requires proposals to be submitted via two methods: (1) Disc (CD or DVD) and (2) Online via NIAID electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) website. The content of the disc and online proposals must be identical. Submission of proposals by facsimile or e-mail are not accepted. For directions on using eCPS, go the website https://ecps.niaid.nih.gov and then click on "How to Submit." To submit online using eCPS, offerors must have a valid NIH electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons account, which provides authentication and serves as a vehicle for secure transmission of documents and communication with the NIAID. The eRA Commons registration process may take up to 4 weeks. For more information, please see http://era.nih.gov/applicants/ and then click on Registration and Account Creation.