RFP Announcement: Simian Vaccine Evaluation Unit (SVEU) NIAID-DAIDS-NIH-AI-2012138

Notice Number: NOT-AI-12-034

Key Dates
Release Date: June 1, 2012

Issued by
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Purpose

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) supports research related to the basic understanding of microbiology and immunology leading to the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and medical diagnostics for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of infectious and immune-mediated diseases.  The NIAID, Division of AIDS (DAIDS), has a requirement for the provision of support services for the NIAID/DAIDS clinical research portfolio.

The development of HIV vaccines and other prevention strategies relies on the use of nonhuman primates in preclinical studies to advance the development of effective AIDS vaccine candidates and to advance development of effective topical microbicides and other prevention modalities or immune-based therapies.  The NIAID Simian Vaccine Evaluation Unit (SVEU) contracts shall provide nonhuman primate resources that primarily support preclinical evaluation of AIDS vaccines. The SVEUs conduct studies in support of vaccines being developed by a wide range of investigators.  These  studies  complement NIAID-supported basic vaccine research and vaccine evaluation studies funded through R01 (investigator-initiated research) grants, HIVRAD (HIV Vaccine Research and Design Program) grants, IPCAVD (Integrated Preclinical-Clinical AIDS Vaccine Development) grants, and NHP Consortium awards. The SVEUs also perform studies of candidate vaccines offered by companies or other researchers.

The SVEUs will use state-of-the-art techniques and technologies in evaluating promising AIDS prevention strategies in nonhuman primate models and will incorporate new and improved techniques and technologies into the studies conducted throughout the contract period.

This is a recompetition of existing contracts entitled “Simian Vaccine Evaluation Units (SVEUs)” (contract number HHSN266200600005C with Advanced BioScience Laboratory, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, contract number HHSN266200600006C with the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, and contract number HHSN266200600007C with BioQual, Inc., Rockville, Maryland.

NIAID anticipates awarding two to four Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contracts to the organizations that best meet the overall qualifications needed to fulfill the technical requirements outlined in the Statement of Work. The base contracts will be awarded on or about May 1, 2013 for a period of 7 years, through April 30, 2020.

Offerors must be capable to perform all work in Task Areas 1: Core Activities: Administrative and Technical Support, Task Area 2:  Maintenance of Nonhuman Primates, and Task Area 3: Conduct of Studies in Nonhuman Primates, or the work in Task Area 4: Operation of a Nonhuman Primate Breeding Colony.

Offerors should be capable of maintaining full and continuous accreditation of animal facilities by AAALAC (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) [http://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/index.cfm], Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) Assurance [https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm], and compliance with the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, including environmental enrichment  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm.

In addition, offerors must have the capability to house from 200 to 400 nonhuman primates undergoing study in BSL-2/3 facilities (a BSL-2 facility with BSL-3 controls) for both Simian immunodeficiency virus and Simian Human immunodeficiency virus (SIV/SHIV) infected animals.  In addition, offerors must demonstrate the capability to house 20-100 nonhuman primates being held for study in BSL 2 facilities (as described http://www.cdc,giv/biosafety/publications/bmb15/).

Facilities requirements for Task Area 2 include BSL-2 and BSL-2/3 housing (including quarantine space) to accommodate nonhuman primates owned by the Government but not yet ready or needed for studies.  For Task Area 3, BSL-2/3 facilities (including quarantine space) will be required for performance of studies.

Facilities requirements for Task Area 4 include small group housing to accommodate a maximum of 550 nonhuman primates over the 7 year period. 

Below is a general description of the Task Areas:

Task Area 1 - Core Activities: Administrative and Technical Support: Under this Task Area the Contractor shall support work that will be performed on a regular, on-going basis including (i) general administration and financial management; (ii) project planning (iii) coordination of activities across all nonhuman primate activities awarded to an SVEU unit under Task Areas 2 and 3; (iv) receipt, storage and shipment of vaccines, virus stocks, study samples including cells, tissues, mucosal secretions, blood, sera, and plasma; (v) reporting and maintenance of data; and (vi) transition activities. 

Task Area 2 - Maintenance of Nonhuman Primates: Under this Task Area the Contractor shall provide support to obtain, transport, quarantine, house, care and maintain nonhuman primates that are not yet on study under Task Area 3. 

Task Area 3 - Conduct of Studies in Nonhuman Primates: Under this Task Area the Contractor shall (i) initiate Contracting Officer Representative (COR)-approved studies; (ii) obtain, transport, and provide for quarantine of nonhuman primates for specific studies, as needed; (iii) provide housing, care and maintenance of nonhuman primates; and (iv) conduct studies as described in the scope of the Task Orders. Studies under this Task Area may include:

Task Area 4 – Operation of a Nonhuman Primate Breeding Colony: Under this Task Area, the Contractor shall provide support for the operation and maintenance of a Specific Pathogen, Free (SPF) Indian-origin Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) breeding colony dedicated to the support of NIAID research studies primarily conducted under the SVEU.

Immediately upon award of the base contract, the Government intends to award Task Orders in Task Area 1, Core Activities: Administrative and Technical Support, Task Area 2, Maintenance of Nonhuman Primates, Task Area 3, Conduct of Studies in Nonhuman Primates and Task Area 4, Operation of a Nonhuman Primate Breeding Colony.

Task Area 1, Core Activities: Administrative and Technical Support:

Task Area 2, Maintenance of Non-human Primates:

Task Area 3, Conduct of Studies in Non-human Primates

Task Area 4, Operation of a Nonhuman Primate Breeding Colony

The NAICS Code is 541712 with a size standard of 500 employees.

Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal, which will be considered by the Agency.   This RFP will be available electronically on/about June 4, 2012, and may be accessed through Federal Business Opportunities website:  http://www.fedbizopps.gov/.  This notice does not commit the Government to award a contract.  No collect calls will be accepted.  No facsimile transmissions will be accepted.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Callie Prassinos, Contract Specialist
Office of Acquisitions, Division of Extramural Activities, NIAID, NIH, DHHS
6700B Rockledge Drive Room 3214, MSC 7612 (Express mail:  Use Zip Code 20817)
Phone: 301-496-0612
Fax: 301-480-4675
prassinosca@niaid.nih.gov

Michelle L. Scala, Contracting Officer
Office of Acquisitions, Division of Extramural Activities, NIAID, NIH, DHHS
6700B Rockledge Drive Room 3214, MSC 7612 (Express mail:  Use Zip Code 20817)
Phone: 301-496-0612
Fax: 301-480-4675
mscala@niaid.nih.gov


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