Notice Number: NOT-AI-16-056

Key Dates
Release Date: May 27, 2016

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, including immune-meditated rejection of transplanted organs and tissues. Translational studies using nonhuman primate models of pancreatic islet and solid organ transplantation are a key component of the Institute's efforts to increase long-term graft survival and life expectancy, and improve health related quality of life for transplant recipients. NHP transplantation studies are essential to the design of scientifically sound and ethically acceptable clinical trials, due, in part, to the close approximation of the NHP immune system, genetics and physiology to those of humans.

The NIAID, Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT) has a requirement for the maintenance, care, expansion and breeding of Government-owned specific pathogen-free (SPF) cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) and Indian-origin rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) colonies. In addition, the requirement includes provision of up to approximately 300 research-aged SPF progeny a year to designated investigators within the NIAID and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Nonhuman Primate Transplantation Tolerance Cooperative Study Group (NHPCSG). The goal of NHPCG, a multi-institution consortium, is to develop and test the efficacy of novel immune tolerance strategies in NHP models of islet and organ transplantation. Preclinical research conducted by the NHPCSG provides critical data required to move promising therapeutic agents from the laboratory into clinical trials.

Description
The major scope and functions to be performed by the Contractor are to maintain and provide all aspects of care for Government-owned SPF Indian-origin rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) and two country origin cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) breeding colonies (herein referred to as rhesus macaque and cynomolgus macaque, respectively), including:

• Maintenance, care, expansion (if required), and breeding of the colonies, including all aspects of animal husbandry and medical care.
• Provision of up to approximately 240-300 research-aged SPF animals a year at full colony strength. (For purposes of this contract research-age is at least two (2) years and three (3) years for rhesus and cynomolgus macaques, respectively.)
• Provision of genetic diversity analysis and planning.
• Provision of MHC and/or MHC microsatellite typing in consultation with the Project Officer.
• Provision of pedigree analysis.
• Maintenance of a comprehensive animal and colony records database that shall be downloaded on a regular basis to the NIAID Bioinformatics Integration Support Contract (BISC) ImmPort database.
• Maintenance of continuous full AAALAC accreditation.

Additional scope considerations and definitions:

• Assume an initial colony strength of approximately 1100 Indian-origin rhesus macaques and 420 Indonesian-origin and 330 Mauritius-origin cynomolgus macaques;
• Provision of appropriate housing for the approximate 1850 animals, assuming 55 social groups of between 10 - 70 animals each, and the capability to increase housing as the colonies' sizes increase to enable provision of the approximate 240-300 research-aged animals each year.
• Provision of sufficient SPF clinical facilities.
• The Contractor shall be financially responsible for all mortalities beyond 10% annually in each individual colony.
• For the purpose of this contract SPF is defined as negative for the following viruses: Simian Herpes B virus (Cercopithencine herpesvirus-1, hereafter referred to as B virus), Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), Type D Simian Retroviruses (SRV), and Simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV-1). Fully SPF is defined as a colony negative for, and with no exposure to, all four viruses for greater than or equal to five (5) years.

This contract will NOT provide funds to support facility construction or renovations costs. It is anticipated that one IDIQ type contract will be awarded for a period of 7 years beginning approximately June 2017, with an anticipated annual total effort of approximately 47,840 direct labor hours full time equivalents (23 FTEs) associated with Task Area A.

Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Agency. This RFP will be available electronically on 5/10/2016, and may be accessed through FedBizOpps http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. This notice does not commit the Government to award a contract or Task Order. No collect calls will be accepted. No facsimile transmissions will be accepted. Per FAR 5.203(e) the receipt of proposals from the date of publication exceeds the 45 day requirement.

For this solicitation, the NIAID requires proposals to be submitted via two methods: (1)
Disc (CD or DVD) and (2) Online via the NIAID electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) website. The content of the disc and online proposals must be identical. Submission of proposals by facsimile or e-mail is not acceptable.

For directions on using eCPS, go to the website https://ecps.nih.gov/NIAID and then click on "How to Submit."

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

George Ralis
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 240-669-5146
Email: ralisg@niaid.nih.gov