--NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE TO IVAL FOR INCUBATION OF TEST ARTICLES AND IDENTIFICATION OF METABOLITES

The U.S. Army Contracting Agency at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, plans to negotiate a sole-source contract with IN VITRO ADMET LABORATORIES, LLC, located in Rockville, Maryland, for the incubation of test articles with hepatocytes to study drug metabolism and identify metabolites. This contract continues previous work performed by the company for the Chemical Biological Center at CHPPM, leveraging their development of a novel multiwell technique that enables simultaneous study of different cultured tissue cells, which is critical for the project's success. The contract aligns with the North American Industry Classification System code 541380, with a size standard of $11 million. The notice clarifies that this is not a solicitation for competitive proposals, but interested parties may submit expressions of interest in writing by the specified deadline of September 14, 2006. The sole-source justification is based on the cost and time efficiency of contracting with the original provider who possesses specialized capability. The Government point of contact for this action is identified, and inquiries can be directed via the provided email. This initiative reflects a targeted acquisition approach under FAR 6.302-1, emphasizing the uniqueness of the vendor's technical expertise and prior performance on related work.