RECOVERY: The National Standard for Normal Fetal Growth

RECOVERY: This Project is an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) action. Receipt of award is contingent upon the offeror's meeting the requirements of Section 1512 (reports of use of funds) of the Recovery Act. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) intends to negotiate a sole source modification(s) with Columbia University (HHSN275200800013C), the Medical University of South Carolina (HHSN275200800014C) the University of California, Irvine (HHSN275200800028C) and Northwestern University (HHSN275200800012C). The Government is currently conducting a multicenter prospective study to establish a U.S. National Standard for Normal Fetal Growth. The study aims to recruit (1) 2,400 low risk women with an equal number of White, Hispanic, African American and Asian race/ethnicity; and (2) 600 obese women. Women will be recruited in the first trimester and followed through pregnancy. Each woman will receive five scheduled ultrasound exams, which include 2-dimensional (2D) and 3 dimensional (3D) fetal anthropometric measurements. Uterine artery and fetal Doppler studies will be performed at selected gestational weeks. After delivery neonatal anthropometic measures will be carefully taken. Obstetric and neonatal information will be extracted from medical charts. Blood samples will be collected at enrollment, at 16 to 18 weeks, 24 to 28 weeks in all subjects and at 6 weeks postpartum in selected subjects. Placental tissues will be collected in selected subjects. The planned modification will permit the current contractor sites to add twin pregnancies to the study population and enhance the investigation of nutritional factors on fetal growth by administering the dietary questionnaires to all participants within a 24 month period. Statutory authority to justify this procurement is 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1) as set forth in the FAR 6.3201-1, Only one Responsible Source. Inherent duplication of costs to the Government and unacceptable delays in providing the required services make competition of this requirement unfeasible. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interests and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received within 15 days after the date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed modification, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.