Proteomic analysis of minibrains and cortical glutamatergic neurons

INTRODUCTION This is a Small Business Sources Sought (SBSS) 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. This notice is issued to help determine the availability and type of qualified Small Business companies technically capable of meeting this potential government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. The notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. The information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method including small business socio-economic set-aside possibilities and to determine the availability of qualified Small Business companies technically capable of meeting the Government's potential requirement. All Small Business companies with the capability and availability to perform the requirement under the applicable NAICS code are invited to submit a response to this notice. NORTH AMERICAN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The NAICS code applicable to this requirement is 541380-Testing Laboratories with associated small business size standard of 15 Million USD. BACKGROUND The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation's leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency whose mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is a translational science center whose mission is to catalyze the generation of innovative methods and technologies that will enhance the development, testing and implementation of diagnostics and therapeutics across a wide range of human diseases and conditions. NCATS' Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) program encourages and speeds the development of new treatments for diseases with high unmet medical needs. Proteomic analysis of minibrains and cortical glutamatergic cells using TMT-10plex labeling and LC/MS/MS is required to support work on N-glycanase deficiency (NGLY1), a rare genetic disease resulting from a deficiency in the N-glycanase-1 enzyme. The Proteomic analysis will be used to identify different protein expressions (proteomes) and compare minibrains and neurons with control cell lines, using TMT-10plex labeling and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) based quantitative proteomics. Proteomic profiling will be performed for 24 brain tissue samples from 8 groups and 21 cortical glutamatergic neurons using the Thermo TMT100plex isobaric label reagent. The service includes protein lysate preparation, TMT-labeling, UHPLC fractionation, digestion, LC-MS/MS analysis, TMT quantification, pathway analysis and associated reports. Purpose and Objectives This Small Business Sources Sought notice seeks to determine eligible sources capable of achieving the essential features of this potential requirement. The purpose of this potential requirement is to obtain testing results of an analysis to identify and compare proteomic changes in minibrains and cortical glutamatergic neurons. Project Requirements This Small Business Sources Sought notice seeks responses from qualified sources that are capable of providing the following salient service requirements of this potential government requirement deemed as the essential features needing to be achieved. Specifically, Offerors to this Small Business Sources Sought notice shall possess the capability to provide the following: Contractor will receive frozen brain tissue samples or frozen cortical glutamatergic neurons from NCATS. Contractor will provide the following services: protein lysate preparation, TMT-labeling, UHPLC fractionation, digestion, LC-MS/MS analysis, TMT quantitation, pathway analysis and report of results. Contractor shall use PROMIC and PROMICPATH for the required services. NCATS will ship the frozen samples to Contractor via FedEx overnight shipping on dry ice. The Government is responsible for sample/package preparation. The NCATS point of contact (POC) will inform Contractor when cells have been shipped out. Upon receiving samples, Contractor will inspect the vials and ensure samples have arrived in proper conditions and will take necessary steps for proper storage of samples until project begins. Scope of Work: 1. Sample preparation including: a. Protein lysate preparation from 45 samples b. TMT-labeling c. UHPLC fractionation and digestion 2. LC-MS/MS analysis: a. TMT10plex-Labeling Quantitative Proteome Profiling b. Quantitatively comparison of the proteomes (>6000 proteins) of 7-10 samples in one set of analysis using Thermo TMT10plexTM Isobaric Label Reagent c. Nanospray LC/MS/MS analysis and database search 3. Data analysis and report: a. TMT quantitation analysis b. Pathway analysis c. Result report Delivery of Deliverables: Contractor shall have eight (8) weeks to complete the project and provide the data package. The data package will include a spreadsheet of raw data as well as a complete data work-up and full report. Reporting Requirements: 1. Within two (2) business days of completion of the LC-MS/MS analysis, Contractor shall inform the NCATS POC of the completion. 2. Contractor shall provide summaries and documentation to NCATS as necessary. Regular meetings between NCATS and Contractor will be scheduled either via teleconference or email. Contractor shall provide technical consultation and support at NCATS staff meetings as requested to facilitate ongoing communication. 3. Contractor will provide the data analysis and report for the contents of this statement of work. Contractor will provide monthly updates on the progress of the project, or more often as appropriate. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS/INFORMATION SOUGHT Interested parties are expected to review this notice to familiarize itself with the requirements of this project. Failure to do so will be at your firm's own risk. Respondents must provide clear and convincing evidence of possessing the knowedge, skills, abilities and experience to successfully perform the requirements described in this announcement. Detailed prior experience in implementing similar requirements to the requirement described in this announcement must be clearly delineated in any response provided. Respondents must provide clear and convincing documentation of their capability in providing analytical quality control and any other requirements and services specified in this notice. Respondents must provide a general overview of the respondents' opinions about the difficulty and /or feasibility of the potential requirement, and any information regarding innovative ideas or concepts. The Respondent must also provide information in sufficient detail of the respondents' (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, or other related information. The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The response is limited to ten (10) pages. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, CV's or references, if requested. The information submitted must be must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the product requirement. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response must include the respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. Respondents must reference the announcement number on all correspondence related to this Small Business Sources Sought notice. The response must be submitted to Hunter Tjugum electronically, at contact@example.gov, and be received prior to the closing date specified in this announcement. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract 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).