Marine Mammal Diagnostic Testing and Histopathology Services

The US Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources (OPR), intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, under the authority of Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul (RFO) Part 12, with University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zoological Pathology Program for Marine Mammal diagnostic testing and histopathology services. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this acquisition is 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, with a business size standard of $19M.

Background

This requirement is necessary to provide marine mammal diagnostic testing from cases submitted by the NMFS Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) network members especially during and after Unusual Mortality Events (UMEs), and by researchers especially from live capture release health assessments. Data from these cases will further our understanding of health, health trends, and diseases of marine mammal populations in the wild and provide advice to management regarding circumstances or causes of morbidity and mortality in these marine animal populations. The requirement is to provide specialized tissue sample processing (including trimming, embedding, cutting, H&E stains, immunohistochemical stains, etc.), histological evaluations, laboratory diagnostic pathogen testing (PCR, whole genome sequencing, etc.) and expert consultations. This contract is important to inform the MMHSRP and researchers on the health, health trends, and diseases of marine mammal populations, and to provide advice to management regarding circumstances or causes of morbidity and mortality to support NOAA’s mandates for species conservation and recovery under the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Sole Source Justification

The University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zoological Pathology Program works through a variety projects and initiatives to address complex health problems in zoological collections and wildlife. The program has earned an international reputation for excellence in diagnostic service, education of residents and veterinary students, contribution to worldwide conservation efforts, and original scholarship. The Zoological Pathology Program contributes to global conservation efforts through diagnosis and research into wildlife diseases which not only benefit species conservation programs but also enhance the health of domestic animals, humans, and the environment. The Zoological Pathology Program has faculty and staff members that are board certified (ACVP diplomats) by the American College of Veterinary Pathology and/or hold PhDs in veterinary medicine, wildlife disease, or other related disciplines. Dr. Kathleen Colegrove is the lead pathologist for marine mammal case review and has 15+ years of experience in marine mammal pathology. The Zoological Pathology Program has extensive experience in marine mammal diagnostic pathology and diagnostic pathogen testing.

NMFS Office of Protected Resources works throughout the United States and abroad to detect, investigate, and respond to marine animal health and emergency response issues. Specifically, the diagnostic capabilities of the Zoological Pathology Program will be used for health and disease investigations of stranded and live captured wild marine mammals including UMEs.

The Zoological Pathology Program is uniquely qualified to assist with the marine mammal diagnostic pathology and diagnostic testing for pathogens particularly morbillivirus and other viral pathogens, as well as with data interpretation and analysis. They have significant expertise and experience in viral pathogen testing in wildlife nationally and globally and have provided rapid turnaround diagnostic services for marine mammal pathogens routinely. Currently, this laboratory is the only veterinary diagnostic and surveillance laboratory that performs whole genome sequencing for dolphin morbillivirus in the United States. As a diagnostic marine mammal laboratory, Zoological Pathology Program performs the whole genome sequencing and PCR testing and provides preliminary results within 15 days and final results by 60 days. Currently, other research laboratories perform genome sequencing only as research and therefore do not provide data in a rapid manner. In addition, other laboratories do perform marine mammal pathogen PCR but do not currently perform full genome sequencing. The Zoological Pathology Program molecular lab also has developed rapid diagnostic PCR testing for marine mammal bacterial and fungal pathogens including Brucella sp. Currently the Zoological Pathology Program is the only diagnostic service laboratory that offers PCR testing for marine mammal specific Brucella sp., including Brucella ceti and Brucella pinnipedialis. Current projects outside of various UME work with the MMHSRP include an extensive multi-institutional Brucella genetics investigation. The Zoological Pathology Program molecular laboratory also has the capability for diagnostic assay development, should the need arise.

The laboratory has the expertise and the experience in handling samples and swabs for morbillivirus and other viral pathogens from marine mammals and has been participating in various UME investigations for over the last 10+ years. The Zoological Pathology Program has experience with sample tracking, chain of custody, and paperwork associated with the legal aspects of these services and understand the importance of these processes for law enforcement investigations and Natural Resource Damage Assessments. From both a scientific and legal perspective for future cases, it is critical that an experienced laboratory be used when testing marine mammal samples. The laboratory also has the expertise to summarize and analyze patterns of disease and evaluate risk factors for exposure to disease in marine mammals, and thus often participates as a member of the multidisciplinary teams that investigate UMEs as well as other diseases that affect marine mammal or other wildlife populations. Finally, this laboratory has recently worked as diagnostic support for four ongoing large whale UMEs and has provided rapid turnaround of PCR results to managers and responders.

Special Notice

This special notice does not constitute a solicitation for competitive quotes, nor will one be posted on SAM.gov Contract Opportunities. It does not restrict the Government in any way regarding its ultimate acquisition approach.

However, if an interested party believes that it can meet the requirements and is in compliance with the above justification, they may submit a statement substantiating documentation in writing within the open period of this notice.  Responses can be sent via e-mail to natasha.thieman@noaa.gov. 

Documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon response to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.

All responsible sources may submit a Capability Statement in accordance with the solicitation, which shall be considered by the agency if received on or before 11:00 AM EST on August 28, 2026.  The Capability Statement must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NOAA to determine if the party can meet all the requirements.  

All electronic correspondence shall have the subject line read:  

Announcement Number: 143015-26-Q0020

Project Title: Marine Mammal Diagnostic Testing and Histopathology Services

It is the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure that any submission transmitted to the specified Government representative(s) is received prior to the due date specified herein. 

Offerors are highly encouraged to contact the Government representative(s) specified above prior to the stated time and date for receipt of offers to ensure the Government has received the submission.  Offers received after the date and time specified in this solicitation may be excluded from consideration.   

DOC/NOAA/NMFS/OPR requires that all contractors doing business with this office be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). No award can be made to a company not registered in SAM. For additional information and to register in SAM, please access the following web site: www.sam.gov. To register, all contractors must have a Unique Entity ID (UEI). A UEI may be acquired free of charge by registering at http:// https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

The notice will remain open from 8/18/2026-8/28/2026.