NTP and NIEHS Investigative Research Support

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE TO DETERMINE THE AVAILABILITY OF SMALL BUSINESSES HAVING THE CAPABILITY OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE DESCRIBED HEREUNDER. Sources Sought: Recompetition for the National Toxicology Program (NTP)/ National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)/Investigative Research Support. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is requesting information to determine the availability of interested businesses who have the capabilities and facilities to provide management and support for NTP/NIEHS investigators (1)such as conducting experiments examining animal models or in vitro systems or generating tissue samples in-life observations, necropsy, collection of tissue for molecular analysis, in vitro assays, and reporting of results. (2) Provide expertise and facility to house, breed, and genotype multiple isogenic mouse strains and to perform multistrain and phenotyping studies for NTP/NIEHS investigators. (3) Provide housing for both specific pathogen free (SPF) as well as animals considered not to be pathogen free (non-SPF), (4) Assist and support the NTP with retrospective studies and other miscellaneous associated tasks. It is mandatory that the facility be located with 30 minutes driving time of the driving time of the NIEHS South Campus facility located at 111.T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The Principle Investigator shall be employed by the Contractor and located at the Contractor's site. A few of the specific tasks are as follows: (1) Perform specified surgical manipulations on experimental animals which may include but are not limited to partial hepatectomies, implantation of osmotic minipumps, ovariectomy, castration, catheter implantation, transponder/pellet implantation, tail biopsies, etc. Needs for surgical manipulations are study-specific and will be required occasionally and only for some studies. (2) Conduct approximately 15-20 animal studies per year for the NTP and NIEHS that range in duration from 2 weeks - 9 months (80% of the studies) to up to 2 years with 10-100 rats and/or mice per study. (3) House and maintain on average approximately 2000 mice and rates (range 1000 - 5000 mice and 100 - 1000 rats) of differing health status is various studies. (4) Set up and maintain small breeding colonies of a variety of wild-type and genetically altered rodents for NTP/NIEHS investigators. (5) Have Standard Operating Procedures that conform to the most recent version of the following: (i) National Research Council Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/ National Academy Press, 1996). (ii) PHS Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (http://oacu.od.nih.gov/regs/guide/guidex.htm). (iii) Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC International) standards (http://www.aaalac.org/) (6) The Contractor shall have an approved or provisionally approved animal welfare assurance statement on file with the NIH OLAW (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm). (7) Have a functional Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). All proposed use of animals should be described in study outlines submitted by NTP/NIEHS Investigators or the Project Officer. The proposed protocols shall be approved by the Offerors IACUC. (8) Be accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) http://www.aaalac.org/ For estimating purposes, the Government anticipates a cost-reimbursement level of effort type contract for a ten-year period which may require 48,050 office labor hours, 256,620 laboratory labor hours and 304,670 total direct labor hours. IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT THIS NOTICE IS FOR PLANNING AND INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT, NOR WILL TE GOVERNMENT PAY FOR INFORMATION SOLICITED. INTERESTED OFFERORS SOLD SUBMIT (5) COPIES OF THEIR CAPABILITY STATEMENT NOT TO EXCEED FIFTEEN (15) PAGES IN LENGTH, EXCLUDING STANDARD BROCURES, ETC., FOR RECEIPT BY THE AGENCY ON fifteen days from date of issue. Please submit information to Vondia C. Malone, Contract Specialist, NIEHS/OM/OA, P.O. Box12874, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Courier address: Vondia C. Malone, Contract Specialist, NIEHS/OM/OA, 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Building 4401, Research Commons, Suite 100, Research Triangle Park, NC 27707. Inquiries will be accepted by fax (919) 541-2712 or via telephone @ (919) 541-0428 and should be addressed to Vondia C. Malone. Based upon market research, the Government is not using the policies contained in Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, in its solicitation for the described supplies or services. However, interested persons may identify to the contracting officer their interest and capability to satisfy the Government's requirement with a commercial item within 15 days of this notice.