National NeuroHIV Tissue Consortium (NNTC) - Clinical Sites

The National Institute of Mental Health plans to modify two existing contracts with the University of California, San Diego and Washington University to increase funding for Task 2 of the National NeuroHIV Tissue Consortium, which supports clinical research on HIV-related neurocognitive and mental health outcomes. The modification to UCSD’s contract will raise its value by $269,941 to $13,774,419, extending performance through August 22, 2027, while WASHU’s contract will increase by $543,301.63 to $8,322,165.63 through September 22, 2027. These adjustments are necessary to sustain critical participant recruitment, clinical assessments, and longitudinal follow-up essential for advancing HIV cure research, particularly through viral reservoir assays and other cure-relevant measures that leverage existing, deeply characterized cohorts. The work also includes the collection, storage, and distribution of central and peripheral nervous system tissues, cerebrospinal fluid, and associated clinical data to a national research community, aligning with the NIMH’s mission to understand how immune dysregulation and psychosocial stress impact brain health. The contracts are sole-source actions authorized under 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1) and the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, as no other entities possess the established infrastructure, participant pools, and neuropsychiatric expertise required to continue this work without disruption. Classified under NAICS code 541715 with a 1,000-employee small business size standard, the effort supports a national resource established in 1998 that provides high-quality biospecimens and clinical data from both HIV-positive and HIV-negative donors. The modification ensures continuity in advancing research on HIV-associated CNS complications, aging with long-term HIV and antiretroviral therapy, and mechanisms underlying neurocognitive decline. While no competitive solicitation will be issued, interested parties may submit capability statements or objections by August 22, 2026, to the Contracting Officer at NIH, with all responses required to include active SAM registration, a Unique Entity Identifier, and Taxpayer Identification Number. The government retains full discretion to proceed non-competitively regardless of received feedback.