NIH TETRAMER CORE FACILITY

Sources Sought Notice Information Introduction 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. Background As a part of the research program to improve our understanding of the progression, prevention, and treatment of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is competing the continuing requirement for the NIH Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Tetramer Core Facility contract (herein referred to as the NIH Tetramer Core Facility). This facility provides synthesis and distribution of soluble MHC tetramer reagents to the global research community. Purpose and Objectives The scope of activities to be carried out by the NIH Tetramer Core Facility Contractor are: synthesis and distribution of soluble MHC-peptide tetramer and related reagents to the global research community; and performance of research and development to improve tetramer technologies and increase the types of products available to the biomedical research community. Such reagents include, but are not limited to: mouse, non-human primate, human, and other mammalian MHC class I monomers and tetramers; custom and pre-made mouse, non-human primate, human, and other mammalian class II tetramers; non-classical MHC TL, Qa-1, and mammalian CD1 monomers and tetramers; CD1d and other MHC ligands; and fluorophores for tetramer detection. Project requirements The major functions to be carried out by the contractor are: A. Provide a tetramer production facility B. Provide a distribution, tracking, and reporting system of reagents produced C. Design a NIH Tetramer Core Facility website and provide related maintenance D. Conduct tetramer technology research and development E. Provide Tetramer Core Facility program management It is estimated that 10.8 FTEs are required to conduct these functions. While the NIH Tetramer Core Facility is responsible for providing ligands (peptidic and non-peptidic) for all pre-made reagents (where required), the NIH Tetramer Core Facility is NOT responsible for supplying ligands for custom MHC Class I and II monomer and tetramer production. Ligands for custom monomer/tetramer synthesis will be provided by the approved requestors, where required. Potential sources must demonstrate and document the following in their capability statements: 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: 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 they have met the above qualifications, interested parties must identify at least three other projects of similar size and complexity. All capable small business organizations are encouraged to submit capability statements based on this announcement. Interested organizations should submit two copies of their capability statement addressing each of the areas cited above. Any proprietary information should be so marked. Written capability statements should be received by the Contracting Officer by June 27th 2018. Please reference the solicitation number on all related correspondence. No collect calls will be accepted. Facsimile and e-mail transmissions will be accepted. Any proprietary information should be so marked. Page Limitations: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored Capability Statement not to exceed 5 (five) pages, excluding resumes. Capability Statements must not include links to internet web site addresses (URLs) or otherwise direct readers to alternate sources of information. Font size must be 10 to 12 points. Spacing must be no more than 15 characters per inch. Within a vertical inch, there must be no more than six lines of text. Print margins must be at least one-inch on each edge of the paper. Print setup should be single-sided on standard letter size paper (8.5 x 11" in the U.S., A4 in Europe). All proprietary information should be marked as such. Required Business Information: - DUNS. - Company Name. - Company Address. - Company Point of Contact, Phone and Email address - Current GSA Schedules and/or Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) appropriate to this Sources Sought. - Do you have a Government approved accounting system? If so, please identify the agency that approved the system. - Type of Company (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, veteran owned, etc.) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM) located at https://www.sam.gov/index.html/#1. This indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your Capability Statement (preferable placed under the eligible small business concern's name and address). Number of Copies: Please submit one (1) electric copy of your response as follows: All Capability Statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to Maribel Miranda, Contracting Officer, at maribel.miranda@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The e-mail subject line must specify HHS-NIH-NIAID(AI)-SBSS-18-017. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Common Cut-off Date: Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than 3:00PM (Eastern Prevailing Time) on 6/27/2018]. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Disclaimer and Important Notes This notice does not obligate the Government to award an IDIQ contract or Task Order or otherwise pay for the information provided in 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. Confidentiality 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)."