PRIMARY RODENT PRODUCTION CENTER

RELEASE DATE:  July 9, 2004

NOTICE: NOT-CA-04-026

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
 (http://www.nci.nih.gov)

The Biological Testing Branch of the Developmental Therapeutics 
Program, Division of Cancer Treatment, Diagnosis, and Centers, National 
Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), is seeking an 
organization with the capabilities and facilities for producing 
pathogen-free rodents.  To be considered for awarding of a contract, 
the following Mandatory Qualification Criteria must be met at the time 
of proposal submission to the Contracting Officer: 

a) In accordance with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) policies, 
administered by the Veterinary Resources Program, all laboratory 
animals delivered to the National Institutes of Health campus, NCI at 
Frederick, and NIH contract laboratories within the Washington, DC, 
metropolitan area must be delivered in environmentally controlled 
vehicles that are used exclusively for transporting laboratory animals.  
Animals delivered to the airport for shipment or delivered directly to 
the user’s facility from the contractor’s facility must be in 
environmentally controlled trucks. The contractor must be capable of 
obtaining proper paper/clearances when requested to make foreign 
shipments.   Shipping boxes used for the transport of laboratory 
animals must be escape-proof and have proper filtered ventilation to 
protect the animals from potential pathogens. All applicants must have 
documented experience in this procedure/practice.

b) The colonies maintained under this contract shall be housed in a 
maximum barrier environment. If the animals are housed in the same room 
as commercial animals, they must be labeled and identified in a manner 
that clearly separates the government and commercial animals.  The task 
must also be performed at more than one location in order to prevent 
the total loss of all colonies should a contamination or any type of 
disaster occur.

c) Animal monitoring shall be performed by in-house professional staff 
capable of monitoring all animal colonies for their health status at 
all locations where the contract would be performed.  The in-house 
staff must also have the ability to test mice by means of biochemical 
markers and be capable of performing pathology/histology diagnostic 
services.  Additionally, the Principal Investigator and other key 
personnel should have experience and expertise with rodent breeding 
procedures of inbred, outbred, and hybrid colonies and with the 
production of the highest quality rodents and a willingness to 
participate in grantee reimbursement collections for surplus animals.  

The Government anticipates the award of a 5-year, cost-reimbursement 
contract by May 1, 2005.  The applicable NAICS code is 112990 and the 
small business size standard is $750,000.  The solicitation (RFP N02-
CM-42400-96) will be available approximately 15 days after this 
synopsis is issued at the following address:  
http://web.ncifcrf.gov/about/mosb.asp (please click on current RFPs to 
access).  Only electronic copies of the solicitation are available.  
All breeding stock will be supplied by the Government.  The Government 
reserves the right to change strains/stocks if need be once the 
contract is in effect.  Any responsible Offeror may submit a proposal 
which will be considered by the Government.  This advertisement does 
not commit the Government to award a contract.  No collect calls will 
be accepted.

INQUIRIES

For further information, contact

Mr. Scott Drega
Contract Specialist
Management Operations and Support Branch
National Cancer Institute at Frederick (NCI-Frederick)
P.O. Box B
Frederick, MD  21702-1201
Telephone:  301-846-1115
FAX:  301-846-6628
E-mail:  [email protected]

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