NIAID Technical and Administrative Management Services

This is a SMALL BUSINESS 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 small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) 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. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice." For your information we have attached the Statement Of Work and a Sample Task Order. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Division of Clinical Research (DCR), rapidly deploys administrative & technical research support services and resources to meet the external demands placed on the NIAID to conduct time sensitive, high priority, global, collaborative clinical research critical to the mission of the NIAID and advancement of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Global Health Agendas. Fulfillment of this mission requires DCR to have the capacity to expeditiously facilitate collaborative clinical research both domestically and internationally. The following key factors are the basis for the requirement described in this document: I. In recent years, the NIAID research portfolio has expanded considerably in response to new challenges such as bio-terrorism and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The DCR supports the NIAID goals by providing administrative and management support which facilitates high quality clinical research in this challenging and expanding environment. II. In support of the expanding demands placed on the NIAID to rapidly respond to challenges such as bio-terrorism and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, the DCR is proactively anticipating the delegation of additional Special Projects which will demand that the DCR expeditiously establish collaborative clinical research programs in the domestic and international arenas. Requests for projects of this nature could emanate from sources such as the U.S. Congress, U.S. State Department, DHHS, NIH, or NIAID. III. Examples of current NIAID, DCR Special Projects underway: ? The NIAID support & collaboration in the Southeast Asia Infectious Disease Clinical Research Network [SEA ICRN]: A multi-lateral, collaborative partnership of hospitals and institutions in Indonesia, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam, to advance the scientific knowledge and management of human influenza through integrated, collaborative clinical research with the aim of improving patient care and human health. ? NIAID support & collaboration in the special project entitled Phidisa: a HIV/AIDS research collaboration between the NIAID and the South African National Defense Force (SANDF). Since 2004 the NIAID investigators have collaborated with investigators from the SANDF to establish and maintain the necessary administrative and technical infrastructure needed to support the clinical research agendas in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and disorders of the immune system, specifically Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection in South Africa. The goal of this collaborative clinical research effort, has been to conduct a program of clinical research that is of critical importance to the NIH and South Africa and in the process, to establish a sustainable clinical research infrastructure. SCOPE The requirements described herein are intended to provide the capacity to proactively identify and establish technical and administrative management services for NIAID'S collaborative research efforts. The requirement for this acquisition is to provide DCR or other NIAID Offices, Divisions, and Centers with the ability to rapidly establish resources for collaborations between the NIAID and government agencies, academia, and health research entities domestically or internationally. Requirements for future Task Orders will be issued for the services described herein and based on NIAID's Special Projects. The contractors' role will be one of technical support and administrative management services. Period of Performance - The base period of performance will be five years from the date of award. Place of Performance - The place of performance will be determined as Special Project requirements arise.