Selection, Production, Characterization and Distribution of Cultured Cells

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Aging (NIA) intends to negotiate, under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, on a noncompetitive, sole source basis with Coriell Institute for Medical Research (Coriell), Camden, New Jersey for the project entitled Selection, Production, Characterization and Distribution of Cultured Cells for Research on Aging. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposal. However, response sources may express their interest by submitting a capability statement or proposal. All capability statements and proposals received within fifteen days after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. This effort will be for a one-year base period and four 12-month option periods, beginning on/about February 1, 2020. This Aging Cell Repository requirement is in accordance with the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 253(c)(1) as set forth in FAR 6.302-1(a)(2). The purpose of this requirement is to continue the operation of the Aging Cell Repository which serves as a resource to facilitate gerontological research by providing high quality, uncontaminated, well characterized, biologically and clinically documented cell lines to investigators. One of the primary requirements for the NIA aged cell bank is high quality cell lines from diverse animal models and human population. The current bank has been built up over the past forty years to the point where it has many unique and irreplaceable cell lines. It is essential to maintain the quality of the cell lines, and because cryopreserved cell lines are very sensitive to even slight changes in temperature during storage, moving them carries a real risk. Many of the cell lines are irreplaceable and loss of even a portion of the cell lines would set back the research endeavors of the biology of aging research community. The cost to replace those lines for which replacement is possible would be prohibitive. Since inception, approximately $36,000,000 has been invested in the aged cell bank - in today's dollars, replacement would cost many-fold that amount. And the loss of time and therefore valuable research to try to start over would seriously impact aging research productivity. The NIA maintains a repository of human and animal cells as a research resource for scientists conducting gerontological studies. This repository, currently maintained through contract HHSN271201500003C establishes, characterizes, stores and distributes a wide variety of cell lines for aging research. The contractor provides several related services to increase the value of this resource, including "DNA fingerprinting" of samples to ensure sample identification, karyotyping, population doubling studies on selected cell lines, DNA isolation from selected cell lines, and expert quality assurance monitoring. In addition, banking of mouse and human stem cells has become a more recent priority for the repository and includes adipose stromal cells, mouse embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). The contractor provides excellent customer service to the research community, providing a state-of-the art web-based catalog with links to a variety of information for every cell line. The NIA repository holdings have grown significantly over the years and now include over 3,400 individual cell lines from human and animal origin in the catalog. The NIA repository holdings include over 200,000 individual vials of cells stored on canes in 74 LN2 tanks at the Contractor's site and 117 boxes in tanks in their off-site failsafe location. In addition, DNA is offered from about 700 different cell lines and the DNA holdings include over 23,000 vials stored in 12 freezers. An average of 1,200 cell cultures and over 400 DNA samples/panels are shipped each year from the aged cell bank. The vast majority (90% most years) are shipped to investigators at academic/nonprofit/government institutions. This resource continues to support a broad range of aging research. Coriell has been the contractor for this resource since its inception in 1974; and is recognized as a leader in the field of cell repository research and service for biomedical research. Their performance on the current and previous contracts has been exemplary. Coriell has developed new methodologies to enhance the characterization of the cell lines, which increases their value to the research community. In addition, the quality control at all stages of the work scope have been at the highest possible and the contractor has worked directly with the research community to acquire new cell lines of value to the aging research community. It is essential for continued high level of performance of this requirement that there be no disruption of work performance and that smooth continuation of the aged cell bank be maintained by the incumbent. Due to the risks inherent in moving the aged cell bank, Coriell has the unique capability to provide the required continued services to the NIA for obtaining, characterizing, storing and distributing cell lines for studies on the biology of aging. This proposed acquisition was previously publicized under sources sought notice HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RDSS-75N95019R00009 and HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-SBSS-75N95019R00009. The anticipated contract award date is February 1, 2020. Contracting Office Address: Office of Acquisition, NIDA Contracts Management Branch, Blue NIA Section 6001 Executive Blvd. Bethesda, MD 20852 Place of Contract Performance: