National Children's Study (NCS) Biological and Environmental Sample Repository

This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is not a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding:( 1) the availability and capability of qualified sources and (2) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. Background: The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Office of the Director (OD) National Children's Study (NCS) seek capability statements from interested and qualified potential sources for the National Children's Study (NCS) Biological and Environmental Sample Repository. The National Children's Study (NCS) Vanguard Data Archive and Access System ("NCS Archive") was made available for public use earlier this year at https://ncsarchive.s-3.net. NICHD requires contractor services to maintain and manage the NCS Repository of Biological and Environmental Samples. The NCS Vanguard was a pilot for a planned cohort study of environmental influences on child health and development. Starting in 2009, recruitment strategies were tested in 43 counties across 31 states throughout the U.S. The study enrolled over 5,600 birth families and followed them through 2014. At protocol-specified study visits, questionnaires and interviews, neuro-psychosocial and cognitive assessments, and physical examination data were collected, along with nearly 19,000 biological and 5,500 environmental primary samples from which a sample repository of over 250,000 items was created. That information and material now will be available through the NCS Archive for approved research projects by qualified investigators. NCS developed and implemented procedures designed to minimize variability in specimen handling through standardized collection, local transport, shipping, central processing, aliquoting, and short- and long-term storage. In general, samples in the NCS collection are pristine, and frozen samples have been subject to no more than a single freeze-thaw cycle at the time of central processing. The materials collected comprise the following primary sample types: - Biological Samples: Blood, urine, vaginal secretions, umbilical cord blood, umbilical cord tissue, placenta, meconium, breast milk, saliva, hair, and nails - Environmental Samples: Air, dust, and water Potential sources must demonstrate and document the following in their capability statements: - Capability to provide appropriate separation of biospecimens from environmental samples to avoid cross contamination - Capability to provide adequate storage facilities, refrigerators, mechanical freezers, and vapor-phase liquid nitrogen Dewars (VP-LN2) to cover a temperature range including ambient, +2 to +8 - C, -20 to -30 C, -70 to -90 - C, and -135 C or vapor phase liquid nitrogen temperatures . - Capability to provide a computerized Repository Inventory and Data Management System that supports all Repository functions and can communicate/interface with the NCS Archive Information Management System. Capability statements submitted as a result of this announcement should demonstrate the offerors' qualifications and experience, specifically providing evidence as to their capability to perform this requirement, with particular attention to the following: - Experience in conducting and managing similar projects , and complies with standards and guidelines as well as industry best practices including: a research plan (data elements and data integration); route of access to the data; security of the PII data; integration of technology platform, analytical tools, modeling tools, and validation approaches; ability to make platform accessible guided by - FAIR' principles; produce data within the first year; ability to leverage or integrate with existing data systems; sustainability plan - Resumes of proposed personnel shall be submitted. This factor includes: ability for personnel to perform their proposed roles; experience and training for utilization of proposed technology and analytic tools; experience in storage of PII; experience in disseminating novel tools and training techniques through educational resources . - Organizational Capacity will evaluate the organizational capacity of the Offeror's facilities and research environment. This includes: organizational support, equipment and other physical resources; effectiveness of the proposed features of the organizational environment, infrastructure, and/or personnel for the project proposed. Personnel/Management: adequacy, appropriateness and relevance of expertise, experience, qualifications, and availability of the key professional and technical staff with a project of similar size, scope, and complexity. Past Performance: Past performance is considered essential. In addition to demonstrating that your organization has met the above qualifications. Interested parties must identify at least three other projects of similar size and complexity. Responses: Capability statements in response to this announcement should be no longer than 15 pages inclusive of all material. Responses will be evaluated on the basis of experience, expertise, and capabilities in the areas cited above. The anticipated contract type will be an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Task Order contract with an ordering period of 5 years. The RFP is anticipated to be posted on or about June 27, 2017 on FedBizOpps (FBO) website: http://www.fedbizopps.gov. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. CONFIDIENTIALITY: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). Businesses that believe they possess the capabilities necessary to undertake this project should submit electronic copies of their capability statement, addressing the areas above. Please limit responses to 15 pages or less. Any proprietary information should be so marked. Capability Statements should be received by the Contracting Officer by no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Time on May 24, 2017. Capability statements must identify the business status of the organization (i.e. educational institution, non- profit, large business, small business, 8 (a), or other corporate or non-corporate entity). Information submitted should be pertinent and specific in the technical area under consideration, on each of the following qualifications (1) Experience: an outline of previous projects, specific work previously performed or being performed and any in-house research and development effort;(2) Personnel: Name, professional qualifications and specific experience of scientist, engineers and technical personnel who may be assigned as principal investigator and/or project officer: (3) Facilities: Availability and description of special facilities required to perform in the technical areas under consideration, and a statement regarding industrial security clearance. Any other specific and pertinent information as pertains to this particular area of procurement that would enhance our consideration and evaluation of the information submitted. Information in the anticipated RFP supersedes any information in this pre-solicitation announcement. Inquiries should be directed to: Primary Point of Contact: Jacquelin Jones, Contracting Officer jacquelin.jones@nih.gov