SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF THE PERINATOLOGY RESEARCH BRANCH OF THE NICHD 

NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 6, February 21, 1997

 

RFP AVAILABLE:  NICHD-IRB-97-03

 

P.T. 34



Keywords:

  0755013 

  Etiology 

  Diagnosis, Medical 

  Disease Prevention+ 

  Treatment, Medical+ 

 

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

 

PURPOSE

 

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

is planning to award a contract for the provision of services in

support of the Perinatology Research Branch (PRB) of the Intramural

Division of the NICHD.  The mission of the PRB, as a part of the

Intramural Division of the NICHD, is to conduct clinical and

laboratory research in maternal, fetal and neonatal diseases

responsible for perinatal morbidity and mortality.  The PRB

emphasizes a multi-disciplinary approach to improve the etiologic

understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders

related to infant mortality.  The PRB will conduct original research

and train specialists in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology,

Pediatric Pathology and other related fields.  The NICHD, through the

PRB, will have complete authority and jurisdiction for the

development, direction and accomplishment of the scientific agenda,

research priorities and training missions.

 

SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUIRED UNDER THE CONTRACT

 

The scope of these services is broad and includes the following:

 

1.  Provision of dedicated space to house the PRB.  The contractor

shall provide and renovate space (either its own or other dedicated

areas) for use of the PRB personnel (scientists and supporting

personnel) and contractor personnel.  A minimum of approximately

20,000 square feet of space will be required to be phased in over a

five year period; within six months of the contract award,

approximately 12,000 square feet of space, with renovations, must be

available to initiate contract performance.  Renovated space shall

include office and administrative space, a Prenatal Diagnostic Center

and laboratory space, plus separate Intrapartum Units in close

proximity to the contractor's labor and delivery floor.  The

Government shall provide substantially all of the office furniture,

computer equipment and laboratory/ scientific equipment needed for

contract performance, with title to such remaining with the

Government;

2.  Access to sufficient pregnant patients and newborns for the

execution of the research agendas of the PRB and for training NICHD

clinical fellows in maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, pediatric

pathology, human genetics and perinatal epidemiology.  Approximately

2,000 deliveries per year are required (see Contractor Expectations

below);

3.  Support services environmental (utilities), telecommunications,

computing, database management, security, medical library, project

and administration management, secretarial, etc.;

4.  Professional services required to execute specific research

agendas of the PRB, e.g., maternal-fetal medicine specialists,

neonatologists, pathologists, developmental psychologists, nurses,

sonographers, database development specialists, computer hardware and

software specialists, programmers, histology technicians, pathology

assistants, medical technologists, laboratory technicians,

audio-visual specialists, graphic artists, etc.  These services shall

be required through work assignment/task orders or on a fee for

services basis as necessary; and

5.  access to an approved animal care facility and support services

for the development of animal models of maternal and fetal diseases

as required for the execution of research agendas of the PRB.  The

initial period of performance is anticipated to be five years.

 

CONTRACTOR EXPECTATIONS

 

A service-type contract will be awarded to support the PRB, which

will be located in dedicated facilities available from the contractor

for the specific purposes of this contract.  The successful

contractor shall meet the following requirements:

 

1.  is an organization that has the academic, clinical and scientific

environment required to attract qualified clinical and basic research

trainees and staff along with services necessary for the support of

clinical and laboratory research conducted by the PRB;

2.  Is located within one hour driving distance from the campus of

the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland;

3.  Has the ability and willingness to provide access to a large

obstetric population (approximately 2,000 deliveries per year) for

recruiting an at-risk population (approximately 30 percent high-risk)

during pregnancy and that will support the conduct of longitudinal

studies for the follow-up of the neonates.  The contractor shall

provide support for research programs encompassing randomized

clinical trials of labor management, prenatal diagnosis, perinatal

cardiology, fetal endoscopic diagnosis and surgery, and developmental

and molecular embryology;

4.  Has a level III Newborn Special Care Unit;

5.  Has the clinical population and expertise to support successful

applications to the appropriate sub-specialty Boards for an

additional two fellows per year in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, one per

year in Neonatology, and one per year in Pediatric Pathology;

6.  Has an AAALAC accredited animal care facility; and

7.  Has the ability to provide an informatics unit and programs in

perinatal epidemiology, e.g., biostatisticians, data managers,

programmers, etc.

 

This announcement is a new solicitation.  It is anticipated that one

cost-reimbursement, service contract will be awarded for a period of

five years.  The issuance of this RFP will be on or about March 14,

1997 and proposals will be due by 4:00pm on May 30, 1997.  This

solicitation will be provided in two formats:  the boilerplate

information of the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be provided in

hard copy while the Statement of Work and other selected information

will be provided on 3 1/2" diskettes in WordPerfect 6.1 (WordPerfect

5.1 may be provided by request).  The diskettes including the

Statement of Work and other appropriate information (e.g., background

information and technical evaluation criteria) will be provided on

initial request, which will enable the determination of whether your

organization has the interest, capability and resources to devote to

the preparation of an offer to the Government for the performance of

a contract if selected for an award.  This information should be

sufficient for this determination without the need of all of the

boilerplate information, which includes the Uniform Contract Format

prescribed for Government-wide applications and specific instructions

and provisions for the submission and review of proposals.  The

boilerplate information will be provided only upon specific request.

 

INQUIRIES

 

All sources who consider themselves qualified are encouraged to

submit proposals.  All requests must cite RFP No. NICHD-IRB-97-03 and

include two self-addressed mailing labels (if a mail request).

Organizations desiring a copy of the above RFP may send their written

request to:

 

Ms. Virginia A. DeSeau

Contracts Management Branch

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

6100 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7510

Bethesda, MD  20892-7510

Telephone:  (301) 496-4611

FAX:  (301) 402-3676

Email:  deseaug@hd01.nichd.nih.gov

 

.

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