Maintenance, Analysis, and Dissemination of CMIND Database

The Child Development and Behavior Branch, within the Division of Extramural Research of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, intends to negotiate a new contract, entitled "Maintenance, Analysis, and Dissemination of CMIND Database" on a sole source basis to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), FAR 6.302-1 (a)(2) . The purpose of this acquisition is for the CCHMC to maintain and make publicly available, the existing Cincinnati MR Imaging of Neuro-Development (CMIND) database and associated user-friendly query graphical user interface (GUI) for one year, and to disseminate study data and results during that time in order to encourage public use of the database. The CCHMC CMIND ongoing contract was funded for 5 years in order to study brain-behavior function in typically developing children. The contract required research design development, recruitment of typically developing children between the ages of infancy through 18 years, acquisition of neuroimaging scans and neurobehavioral assessments. The contract further required development of a database infrastructure and neuroimaging tools in order to facilitate research in developmental brain-behavior function. The deliverables included development of a standardized methodology and associated software for blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) fMRI and arterial spin labeling (ASL) acquisition in typically developing children from the ages of newborn to 18-years-old. The contract also specified provision of brain perfusion studies across the infant to 18-year-old age range. In addition, the contractor was required to develop a standardized method of investigating brain-behavior development using BOLD fMRI and ASL concurrently within the language development domain, develop software to integrate BOLD and ASL data, collect brain activation data using these methods on a subset of children within the larger group of participants, and analyze the data longitudinally to look at developmental changes. Under this new contract, CCHMC will maintain the database, including updating the existing data processing pipelines as new versions of software become available, maintaining secure data storage, maintaining the query GUI, and approving requests for data access from qualified researchers. All data, raw neuroimaging scans, and software are held at the CCHMC site. The contract also requests that CCHMC plan data analyses, prepare manuscripts and disseminate study data and results through publication of data and results in scientific, peer-reviewed journals relevant to pediatric neuroimaging and brain development. CCHMC has several unique qualifications: 1) CCHMC is the only source with the complete database and 5 years of knowledge and expertise to use it; 2) No other organization has comparable data or experience with the database, data collection protocol, scanning protocols, analysis software, processing pipeline, and query GUI software associated with the CMIND database; 3) No other organization to date has developed a concurrent ASL and fMRI BOLD acquisition in a longitudinal, pediatric study involving children from infancy through age 22 years and created a database including data from that neuroimaging acquisition; 4) CCHMC has extensive knowledge of and experience with the neurobehavioral protocols and assessment instruments used across the age span of the participants. This is not a request for proposals. However, if any responsible source believes it can perform the above requirement, they may submit three (3) copies of their capability statement by 4:30 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on or before May 2, 2014 for consideration by the NICHD to Megan Gnall, Contracting Officer, NICHD, CMB, NIH, 6100 Executive Blvd., MSC 7510, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7510 (or overnight courier: 6100 Executive Blvd. Rockville, Maryland 20852). Phone number: (301) 435-6924. All responses must be received in writing no later than May 2, 2014 and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NICHD to determine if the party can perform this requirement. The capability statement will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. 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. The reference number to be used for this announcement is RFP-NIH-NICHD-CDBB-2014-20. All correspondence must cite the reference number as provided.