Operation and Maintenance of a Chimpanzee Facility

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) on behalf of the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), intends to negotiate on a non-competitive, sole source basis with Charles River Laboratories for the Operation and Maintenance of a Chimpanzee Facility. The facility is called the Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF), located on the Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB) in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The cited authority is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), as set forth in FAR 6.302-1. The facilities and animal care and use program of the APF have been managed by the Charles River Laboratories for the past ten (10) years under NIH/NHLBI Contract Number N02-RR-1-2079. This contract will expire on September 29, 2011. These animals have special needs for care and housing due to infective status. All the animals have been exposed to microorganisms such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), or both. Chimpanzee care and maintenance is uniquely challenging. The veterinary care staff and technical staff at these facilities require very specific and time consuming training. Based on the unique expertise and experience of the current contractor, Charles River Laboratories, they are the only organization that can effectively perform this requirement within the necessary timeframe. Inherent duplication of costs to the Government and unacceptable delays in performance make competition unfeasible for this requirement. The tasks to be performed under the contract include the following: veterinary care and animal husbandry of more than a hundred chimpanzees; dealing with biohazards; obtaining IACUC approvals; preventing the APF chimpanzees from breeding; complying with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations pertaining to the acquisition, registration, care, disposition and transportation of nonhuman primates; animal care, housing, nutrition, and hygiene; sanitation and cleaning of the equipment and facilities; environmental monitoring of facilities, including vermin control and security; animal health surveillance, observations, identification, and written and computerized record keeping; animal handling, restraint, technical laboratory animal procedures, and euthanasia when necessary; veterinary medical assistance, treatments/medications, induction of anesthesia and surgical assistance; clinical laboratory technical support; interstate shipping of laboratory animals; animal transportation within the APF; environmental enrichment for chimpanzees; maintenance of equipment and supplies or other logistical support; clerical and data entry support; appropriate management oversight; and provision of required reports. No research is to be performed on the chimpanzees at the APF. A cost reimbursement contract is anticipated with a nine-month base period and two subsequent one-year option periods. This notice of intent expires fifteen (15) days from its posting. This is not a request for proposals (RFP). The estimated award date is September 30, 2011. All responsible sources may submit written capability statements demonstrating their ability to perform these services which will be considered by the NCRR. Capability statements must be received by 3:30 pm on August 16, 2011. They may be submitted electronically to marsdenk@mail.nih.gov. Interested parties may contact Kathleen Marsden, Contract Specialist, marsdenk@mail.nih.gov, 301-435-0326 or Joanna B. Magginas, Contracting Officer, magginaj@nhlbi.nih.gov, 301-435-0360.