Q -- FULL and OPEN ANNOUNCEMENT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces its intention to negotiate a cost reimbursement type contract to conduct testing for National HIV Incidence Surveillance and other CDC HIV surveillance activities using the BED assay and remnant samples (serum, plasma, dried fluid spots) from newly diagnosed individuals from sites funded for HIV incidence surveillance and report the results to these sites. The Serologic Testing Algorithm for Recent HIV Seroconversion (STARHS) is the currently accepted method used for the estimation of HIV incidence. With STARHS, confirmed HIV-positive samples are analyzed using the Calypte HIV-1 BED Incidence EIA (BED assay). The BED assay is a quantitative assay that indirectly measures the proportion of HIV-1 specific IgG antibodies with respect to total IgG. Samples from recently infected patients have a lower proportion of HIV-1 specific IgG antibodies than samples from patients with long term infection and therefore can be classified as recently infected using this assay. Quantitative values from this assay are evaluated against control values and cut-off points to estimate the likelihood that the sample being tested is from a newly infected individual or someone with a long term infection. Results from the BED assay are used with clinical, demographic, and testing history information to estimate the incidence of a population. The major tasks to be completed under this contract include, 1) National Incidence Surveillance Testing/BED Assay, 2) Shipping Requirements, 3) Data Management and 4) STARHS Lab Briefings. The CDC anticipates a period of performance from, January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008, with four additional option years. The estimated volume of tests per year is 150,000. This is not a Request for Proposal. The intention of this notice is to notify potential offerors that Solicitation No. 2008-N-09691 will be available for download on the Federal Business Opportunities website at www.fedbizopps.gov on or before November 13, 2007. This will be a full and open competition. Additionally, all amendments and responses to questions will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. All questions must be submitted in writing to Dyad Searcy at dsearcy@cdc.gov or Betty Vannoy at bbv9@cdc.gov. All responsible sources must be registered in the Central Contracting Registration (CCR) website at www.ccr.gov. No telephone calls will be accepted. It is the sole responsibility of the offeror to continually view the website for any amendments made to this notice.