SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF THE PERINATOLOGY RESEARCH BRANCH, DIVISION OF 
INTRAMURAL RESEARCH, NICHD

Release Date:  February 10, 2000

NOTICE:  HD-00-002

SOURCES SOUGHT:  NICHD-SS-00-01

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) seeks 
interested and qualified potential sources to support the Perinatology 
Research Branch (PRB), Division of Intramural Research. Support services would 
include providing access to a large, stable patient population of pregnant 
women with a high rate of adverse outcome, who seek prenatal, intrapartum, and 
post-partum care at a single site located at a University-based medical center 
within the US.  The site must have established residency programs in 
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Pathology, and accredited 
fellowship programs in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology, and Human 
Genetics.  The NICHD seeks dedicated space for operation of the PRB, staffing 
of non-professional and certain professional support positions, communications 
and computer support, and support for the operation of several laboratories.  

Background

The mission of the PRB is to conduct clinical and laboratory research in 
maternal, fetal, and neonatal diseases responsible for perinatal morbidity and 
mortality, and to train health care professionals in perinatal medicine and 
related disciplines.  The Branch emphasizes a multi-disciplinary approach and 
utilizes expertise from clinical disciplines (obstetrics, neonatology, 
perinatal pathology), basic sciences (molecular and developmental biology, 
biochemistry, physiology, etc.), and clinical epidemiology to improve the 
etiologic understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders 
related to maternal and infant mortality. 

The PRB currently has, or is developing, research protocols addressing the 
following areas:  1) application of functional genomics to the study of genes 
and up or down regulation in preterm and term parturition, 2) application of 
molecular biology techniques (i.e., DNA analysis) to determine genetic 
predisposition to complex and common obstetrical problems such as preterm 
labor, premature rupture of membranes, pre-eclampsia, and intrauterine growth 
retardation, 3) studies of the role of in vivo maternal and fetal inflammation 
as mechanisms of disease in  the great obstetrical syndromes,  4) imaging of 
the human fetus and uterus with bi-dimensional and tri-dimensional ultrasound 
to assess fetal anatomy, growth and function, as well as non-invasive studies 
of fetal cardiovascular hemodynamics, 5) studies of the role of infection in 
preterm labor and development of long-term sequelae in the offspring, such as 
cerebral palsy and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, 6) studies of conditions 
associated with maternal death such as amniotic fluid embolism, postpartum 
hemorrhage, and sepsis, 7) the use of molecular pathology to understand  
normal and abnormal placentation and its relationship to adverse pregnancy 
outcome, and 8) randomized clinical trials of interventions to prevent 
premature birth.  The Branch and the NICHD have, and will retain, complete 
authority and jurisdiction for the development, direction, and execution of 
the PRB scientific agenda, research priorities, and training mission.

Expectations of Potential Contractor

A service contract is anticipated to support the operations of the PRB, which 
shall be relocated to dedicated facilities owned or leased by the contractor 
for the specific purpose of this contract.  The successful contractor shall 
meet the following requirements or possess the following resources at the time 
of proposal submission:  

1.  An obstetrical service with at least 4,500 deliveries per year at a single 
site, 

2.  Patients with a high rate of the following adverse pregnancy outcomes:  
preterm delivery less than 32 weeks, intrauterine growth retardation, pre-
eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, congenital anomalies, maternal sepsis,  and 
postpartum hemorrhage,

3. Level III newborn intensive care unit capable of providing Extra Corporeal 
Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support,

4. A prenatal clinic in which patients seek prenatal care in early gestation 
so that longitudinal studies can be conducted,

5.  Expertise to provide support services to the Branch in the following 
areas:  functional genomics and bioinformatics, perinatal epidemiology, 
infectious diseases in obstetrics, molecular pathology, and flow cytometry,

6.  Accredited sub-specialty Board fellowships in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, 
Neonatology, and Human Genetics, and willingness and capability to expand 
these fellowships as required by the Perinatology Research Branch,  

7.  On-site pediatric sub-specialties including pediatric neurology, pediatric 
cardiology, pediatric surgery and neurosurgery,

8.  Capability to provide a minimum of 25,000 square feet of space over a 
five-year period of contract performance.  The space must be located in 
accordance with the Government"s needs. Upon award, 2,000 square feet of space 
will be required, an additional 12,000 square feet of space, with renovations, 
must be available within six months of the contract award.  Space must be 
available in close proximity to the patient source in order to initiate 
contract performance,	

9. Demonstrated ability to support strong clinical and basic science research 
efforts.  The contractor must be able to provide support for research programs 
encompassing randomized clinical trials of labor management, prenatal 
diagnosis, perinatal cardiology, fetal endoscopic diagnosis and surgery, and 
human developmental and molecular embryology,
10.  An AAALAC accredited animal care facility.  

Scope of Services Required Under Contract

The contractor must be able to provide a wide range of support services 
including secretarial, clerical, technical, nursing, sonographic and data 
management services, which shall be required for the execution of the research 
mission of the PRB.  The contractor also shall provide the services of medical 
technologists, developmental psychologists, programmers, obstetricians, 
neonatologists and other health care personnel as required by the Government 
to service the PRB mission and/or augment specific protocols undertaken by the 
PRB.  The contractor shall be required to provide and renovate space necessary 
for use of NICHD, PRB personnel (scientists and supporting personnel) and 
contractor personnel.  All space shall be renovated by the contractor to NICHD 
and PRB specifications and shall be considered as Government-leased space for 
the sole purpose of performance of this contract.  Renovated space shall 
include office and administrative space, a Prenatal Diagnostic Center and 
laboratory space, and a separate Intrapartum Unit in close proximity to the 
contractor"s labor and delivery floor.  Space-related services to be required 
shall include housekeeping, telecommunications, computer support, security, 
parking, utilities, and maintenance.  

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.  The purpose of this 
synopsis is to determine the availability of organizations capable of 
providing the services stated herein. Interested organizations should submit a 
letter of interest and complete a brief Capability Profile that summarizes key 
capabilities.  The Capability Profile may be obtained electronically at 
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/stand/sources/prb or by phone or FAX request.

Your response, composed of a brief cover letter and completed Capability 
Profile, should be submitted, via E-mail, FAX, or mail, within 30 days of the 
date of this publication, to:

Mr. Charles W. Grewe
Contracting Officer
Contracts Management Branch, OAM, NICHD
6100 Executive Boulevard, Suite 7A07, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Telephone:  301-496-4611
FAX:  301-402-3676
E-mail:  nichdcmb@mail.nih.gov 

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