QA Document_Final.pdf

Q&A for NHP Rehoming Project

1. Subcontractor GFAS Eligibility: Volume I states that the Offeror must receive a "Go" on an initial screening by providing a Certificate of Accreditation. If a prime contractor handles the comprehensive project management, administrative execution, and transportation logistics, will the Government accept the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) Certificate of Accreditation held by the designated subcontractor performing the facility-based care?

a. The facility who coordinates the transfer provides veterinary care, and long-term care have to be GFAS certified. The prime contractor must be GFAS accredited. If they choose to subcontract out work, then that will be discussed in the plans they submit for CDC review.

2. Volume II, Section 1 requests "proof of land ownership or copy of leasing... for each facility location." If the facility property is owned/leased by a subcontractor, will submission of the subcontractor’s land documentation and a corresponding prime-subcontract agreement fulfill this evaluation requirement?

a. No, the entity who is providing the land must be the prime. The animals will not be placed on a subcontractor’s land.

3. The solicitation notes that offerors must complete entity-level representations and certifications online in SAM.gov. Can the Government confirm that while the prime contractor must be registered in SAM.gov, technical subcontractors providing specialized sanctuary housing do not independently need a public SAM.gov registration to be evaluated as part of the technical volume?

a. Subcontractors are not allowed to provide sanctuary housing. The entity that is awarded this contract will be the only entity to provide housing and must be registered for federal contract awards in SAM.gov.

4. The Line-Item schedule transitions directly from CLIN 0002 (Food and Water) to CLIN 0004 (Intake exams). Please clarify if CLIN 0003 was intentionally omitted, or if a specific service component was left out of the pricing framework.

a. CLIN 3 was in the original draft but removed; that is an oversight and has no bearing on the solicitation. It will be corrected either via an amendment or upon contract award.

5. The text specifies that the contractor will be paid a "final lump sum for the long-term care (CLIN 0005)" once all animal shipments are complete. Given that CLIN 0005 covers a 10-year duration (1,320 animal-years), will this entire lump sum be disbursed as fully funded upfront capital upon transfer completion, or will it be incrementally obligated or held in a multi-year federal escrow account?

a. The transfer will be made once all conditions of the contract have been satisfied and will be distributed as a lump sum payment.

6. The pricing table lists quantities based on "132 animals" (CLIN 0002, 0004, 0005).

However, Section 1 and Section 2 define the requirement as "approximately 130 NHPs," and Section 4 states "up to 130 NHPs." Should offerors base their Firm- Fixed-Price quote strictly on a fixed headcount of 132 animals, and how will adjustments be handled if the actual delivered headcount varies?

a. The final number will be determined once the final health screening is completed and only healthy animals are eligible. The number will not exceed 132 animals.

7. Is there a current or recent incumbent performing this requirement, and if so, what is the incumbent name, contract number and / or award amount?

a. No, this is a new requirement.

8. Does the government have an IGCE range it can share, or provide historical pricing from prior similar work at this location?

a. There are no historical numbers to provide and the government will not release their estimate.

9. Section 10 mandates that any animals not already reproductively sterilized must be sterilized by the sanctuary within six months, subject to liquidated damages. What exact percentage or specific count of the current 132 non-human primates (NHPs) have already undergone sterilization by the CDC prior to the loading phase?

a. This is unknown at this time and will be updated once the numbers are available.

10. To accurately forecast long-term care, feeding, and social group stabilization under CLIN 0005, can the Government provide a granular demographic breakdown of the colony by species (Macaca Mulatta vs. Macaca nemestrina), age groups (juvenile, adult, geriatric), and sex?

a. We will not know these numbers until the final health screens are completed once a possible vendor is identified. In general, groups can estimate 50/50 ratios by species and sex for calculations.

11. Section 3 requires the sanctuary contractor to provide full veterinary oversight, including "chronic disease management." Will the Government provide anonymized medical histories or a summary of prevailing chronic conditions (e.g., diabetic, cardiovascular, or joint issues common in aging lab colonies) to ensure realistic baseline pricing?

a. Results from contemporary health screens as well as any relevant medical information will be shared once a vendor has been identified.

12. Task 3 and Section 10 outline requirements for submission of necropsy results or veterinary reports for deceased animals. Does the CDC require copies of all necropsy reports through the entire 10-year contract term, or do reporting obligations conclude after the final disposition integration report is accepted?

a. The requirements for these reports are for prior years for the purpose of proposal evaluation. We will not require future necropsy data once the animals are transferred as they will be the sole responsibility of the selected vendor.

13. Section 3 establishes that the sanctuary takes full ownership and custody once the animals are "loaded onto transport at CDC's loading docks." Will CDC logistics personnel physically load the transport enclosures into the contractor's vehicles, or must the contractor supply ground handlers to conduct loading operations on the CDC Roybal Campus?

a. The contractor shall provide personnel to come to the CDC facility and load the animals into transports. That can be a subcontracted action.

14. Are the specific transfer cages/crates utilized during the 5 transport trips considered Contractor-Furnished Property under CLIN 0001, or will the CDC provide transport crates that the contractor retains?

a. No, the contractor is responsible for all shipping costs to include crates, care, etc. The CDC will not provide any GFE for this procurement.

15. Section 3 mandates strict adherence to weather or temperature limitations during transit. If an approved transport trip must be delayed due to climate extremes, will the Government grant a day-for-day administrative extension for dependent deliverables (e.g., the Task 3 final report) without penalty?

a. Yes, an extension will be granted in accordance with commercial FAR clauses included in the solicitation.

16. Section 8 states the Care Plan is due 7 business days before shipments begin, and the Transport Plan is due 10 business days before the first transport. What is the Government's maximum anticipated turnaround window for formal COR review and approval of these plans, ensuring that the transport timelines are maintained?

a. CDC anticipates no more than a seven-business day turnaround.

17. Task 3 requires an Introduction Plan and a Final Report due 30 business days after animals are fully integrated. Can the Government confirm that "fully integrated" refers to the completion of the baseline biosecurity quarantine period, or does it refer to successful social grouping within the permanent enclosures?

a. The due date would be 30 days after the final shipment is received.

18. Section 3 requires that the animals "remain at the facility in perpetuity," yet CLIN

0005 prices only a 10-year care duration (1,320 animal-years), while rhesus and pigtailed macaques routinely live well beyond ten years. Does the Government intend to fund care beyond Year 10 through option periods, a follow-on action, or another mechanism, or is the contractor expected to assume all care costs after Year 10 at no additional compensation?

a. Based on the current average age of the animals, the CDC anticipates they will live approximately 10 more years. The CDC is willing to compensate for the expected lifespan of the animals. Should some animals live longer, the sanctuary is entirely financially responsible for them. Once this period of performance of this contract ends, the CDC will have no additional involvement.

19. FAR 52.212-2(b) provides for the evaluation of option pricing, but the Line Item schedule contains no option CLINs. Does the Government contemplate option periods for continued care beyond the base term, and if so, will corresponding CLINs or pricing instructions be added by amendment?

a. The clause states, “(b) Options (if applicable)” …As there are no options in this procurement, this is not applicable here.

20. The solicitation specifies that CLIN 0005 is paid as a final lump sum upon completion of all shipments, covering a 10-year obligation for an aging colony in which attrition is expected. If one or more animals expire prior to Year 10, will the lump sum be subject to any downward adjustment, refund, or claw back, or will it remain fixed regardless of the actual animal-years of care delivered?

a. No, this is the final estimate and will remain intact. However, if there are animals that are not transferred for any reason, a descoping modification will be done to remove that number from the overall contracted total, and the money will be removed. However, if all animals are shipped and all contractual requirements are met, the money, in its entirety, is available for the sanctuary to use for their care.

21. Section 10 provides that liquidated damages "shall be enforced" should proof of sterilization not be received within six months of receipt. Please specify the liquidated damages amount or the methodology by which it will be calculated.

a. Initially the liquidated damages clause was included. It was removed and this language will be corrected. Should the contractor not comply with all requirements, other legal avenues will be used to ensure that the animals are taken care of and that the contractor is held responsible.

22. Given a multi-year term involving live nonhuman primates, please clarify how liability will be allocated and whether the Government requires specific insurance coverage for events such as animal escape, third-party injury, property damage, or zoonotic exposure, including any required coverage type or limits.

a. The government will not dictate that as some is covered under the GFAS accreditation standards and also because once the animals are transferred, the government will have no legal obligation. They become the sole property and responsibility of the sanctuary.

23. Given the documented B-virus risk associated with macaque colonies and its effect on personal protective equipment, handling protocols, and staffing costs, will the Government disclose the colony's known B-virus status along with any other reportable zoonotic findings?

a. All associated health information will be provided including B virus data when known.

24. To accurately scope social group formation labor under CLIN 0005, will the government indicate whether the animals are presently single housed or group-housed, and provide existing social groupings where known?

a. All current and historic housing and behavioral information will be shared with the identified vendor.

25. Clause CDCG.08 references Wage Determination No. "TBD," and FAR 52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards, is incorporated by reference. Please provide the applicable wage determination number and locality so that offerors may accurately price covered labor.

a. As this is based on the State and County where the work will take place, the CDC cannot provide this information until contract award. This is a fill-in clause that will be completed upon award of the contract. The offeror should use their own wage determination to help them figure out what the minimum wages are. Each facility should know how to get a copy of their applicable wage determination list from SAM.gov. If not, SAM.gov has FAQ sheets and a help desk to assist in finding this.

26. The RFQ requires a GFAS Certificate of Accreditation as the Volume I Go/No-Go evidence. For an organization whose sanctuary facility is currently in development, and therefore cannot yet receive a final GFAS accreditation certificate requiring completed facility review and/or site visit, will CDC accept a GFAS Accreditation Readiness Package as sufficient evidence for a Go determination? Such a package would include GFAS-aligned facility designs, standard operating procedures, governance documents, and an accreditation milestone plan demonstrating the organization’s intent and preparation to obtain GFAS accreditation as soon as the facility is eligible for final review. Alternatively, please advise on what other documentation would be sufficient to receive a Go determination under Volume I for organizations where a final Certificate of Accreditation cannot be issued because the sanctuary facility is not yet operational.

a. If the facility isn’t GFAS accredited by the time of the proposal submission deadline and isn’t a fully operational facility, a Go rating for the first criterion is not achievable. CDC requires a GFAS accredited facility that is fully operational at the time of proposal review to ensure there are no delays or issues down the road should accreditation not be achieved for any reason.

27. Should the construction costs for new habitats needed to accommodate the 132 animals be included under Line Item 0005 (Housing/Animal Care/Veterinary Care/Food/Water)? If so, should those construction costs be: 1) incorporated into the unit cost by allocating them across the animals and performance period, 2) included as part of the overall Line Item 0005 cost but separate from the per-animal unit cost, or proposed as a separate, one-time cost outside of the annual per-animal housing, care, food, and water costs?

a. CDC will not pay for construction costs. Pricing shall be submitted as shown;

backup information can be provided in other formats, but the pricing format in the solicitation is how the contract will be awarded.

28. Please identify the specific federal statute or regulation that requires a recipient of retired federally owned macaques to be GFAS-accredited.

a. CDC does not require a specific regulation or statute to express its minimum requirement in a solicitation. The need for CDC under this contract is to retire the animals. If the need would have been to transfer them so that they could continue to be used in research-related activities, then the GFAS accreditation would not be a requirement.

29. Please explain why GFAS accreditation is being used as a mandatory Go/No-Go screen rather than as one technical factor among others.

a. This is to ensure that the minimum need is adequately expressed to the vendor community and to help avoid having offerors dedicate resources for a project they’re not qualified for. It also saves the government money in that it prevents the need to review unqualified offers.

30. Please explain why an offeror with extensive macaque-care experience, USDA licensure, AAALAC accreditation, veterinary staff, and available housing should be excluded before technical review solely because it is not GFAS-accredited.

a. As USDA licensure and AAALAC accreditation do not provide any benefits to this procurement, those have no bearing. These are structured for animals held in a laboratory environment for research and thus do not provide a relevant framework for assessing the capability of a sanctuary. The issue here isn’t whether an institution is accredited for a laboratory environment in which animals are held for research, but if that facility is accredited for permanent sanctuary care.

31. Please identify what animal-welfare requirement GFAS accreditation satisfies that could not be satisfied through equivalent or superior evidence of facility capability, veterinary care, housing, enrichment, and financial stability.

a. GFAS accreditation differs from other accreditations, or no accreditation, based on the standards and goals for retirement vs. continued experimentation or breeding. Sanctuaries play a pivotal role in housing primates who are no longer needed for research purposes, such as these animals. GFAS accreditation ensures that the sanctuaries prioritize the well-being of the animals above all other potential interests, including research.

Key restrictions for GFAS accredited facilities are: 1. No breeding, 2. No commercial trade, 3. No public contact, 4. No invasive research, 5. No direct contact with wild animals, and 6. No selling or trading. If a facility has the capability to house and care for the animals, but isn’t certified to not do those six things, they do not satisfy the CDC’s core need. GFAS accreditation provides an extra layer of oversight and security and an additional benchmark to help ensure proper animal welfare.

32. Please explain whether CDC considered allowing offerors to demonstrate equivalent or superior long-term macaque-care capability in lieu of GFAS accreditation.

a. Again, if a facility isn’t capable of being certified against the six items listed above, they do not meet CDC’s minimum qualifications for this need.

33. Please explain how excluding qualified primate-care facilities at the initial screening stage promotes full and open competition.

a. CDC is not excluding qualified primate-care facilities. As any facility not GFAS accredited is not qualified, there is no exclusion.

34. Please explain how the GFAS Go/No-Go requirement is narrowly tailored to CDC’s actual minimum need.

a. This meets the minimum need of the government.

35. Please explain why USDA/APHIS licensure is not required for a contractor receiving permanent ownership and custody of federally owned macaques.

a. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) administers the Animal Wefare Act (AWA) which “seek to ensure the humane handling, care, treatment and transportation of certain warm-blooded animals used or intended for use in research, exhibition, or as pets. [Emphasis added]” See https://aphis.my.site.com/PublicSearchTool/s/

As discussed above, the government’s intent is to humanely retire these animals such that they will not be bred, used in research, used as pets or exhibited publicly. Therefore USDA/APHIS certification is not a requirement for the government’s minimum needs. Per the USDA website:

This site will provide information and records that shed light on the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) administration of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). APHIS’ Animal Care program is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the AWA, including establishing acceptable standards of humane care and treatment for regulated animals and monitoring and achieving compliance through inspections, enforcement, education, and cooperative efforts.

The [Animal Welfare Act (AWA)] and its associated regulations seek to ensure the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of certain warm-blooded animals used or intended for use in research, exhibition, or as pets. Animal dealers and exhibitors must obtain a license, and research facilities, carriers, and intermediate handlers must obtain a registration. Animal Care inspectors conduct inspections of licensee and registrant animals, records, and facilities to assess compliance with the AWA and its regulations, and document their observations and professional assessments in inspection reports.

Licensees and registrants must notify Animal Care of changes in their operations and file periodic updates with Animal Care, including annual reports of animal use by research facilities.

36. Please explain how CDC will ensure continuing federal animal-welfare inspection and enforcement if the recipient is not USDA licensed.

a. As the USDA licensure is not a requirement since it only applies to dealers, exhibitors, transporters, and research registrants it would not be applicable to this situation. After the initial contractual requirements are met, CDC will no longer have any legal obligation for the animals. Simply because a facility is currently USDA certified does not mean that they will have that certification in perpetuity. The same can be said for all certifications. USDA certification does not provide a benefit under this contract. This is one of the many reasons CDC is requiring GFAS accreditation; it provides additional assurance that the CDC will not otherwise have.

37. Please provide the legal basis for the RFQ statement that the absence of USDA/APHIS licensure will not be regarded as an indicator of deficiency.

a. As those two are geared toward facilities that do not meet the government’s needs, CDC is simply trying to help offerors decide if they’re qualified for this need or not.

38. Please explain why GFAS accreditation is treated as mandatory while AAALAC accreditation is treated as unnecessary.

a. Per the AAALAC website (What is AAALAC Accreditation? - AAALAC), “AAALAC International accreditation program evaluates organizations that use animals in science and education.” As the goal of this contract is retirement and not simply a “transfer” to another laboratory-based setting, it is not considered a useful accreditation and has no bearing on this work.

39. Please explain how CDC will compare the animal-care quality of a GFAS-accredited but non-AAALAC facility against an AAALAC-accredited primate facility if the latter is screened out at Go/No-Go.

a. As AAALAC accreditation is for research facilities and does not meet CDC’s needs for this procurement; it has no bearing on this procurement. GFAS accreditation addresses the sanctuary and rescue industry. An organization can label itself as a sanctuary but fail to meet core animal welfare standards.

GFAS accreditation helps identify facilities that truly prioritize animal welfare, and it provides sanctuaries with guidance, mentorship, and educational resources to maintain these high standards. GFAS accreditation signals that a sanctuary provides a safe, lifelong, and enriching environment for animals without breeding, buying, selling, or allowing exploitative human interactions.

40. Please confirm whether CDC has determined that 42 CFR § 71.53 applies to any of the macaques covered by the RFQ, including animals imported into the United States, the direct offspring of imported NHPs, and descendants of imported NHPs.

a. We have consulted with DGMH and it was determined that given the unique facts and circumstances surrounding this particular case, there is no objection by the organization responsible for governance of 42 CFR § 71.53 to the transfer of these specific NHPs to a sanctuary. Further, as 42 CFR § 71.53 applies only to importers or the importation of animals, it is not relevant to this procurement.

41. Please provide CDC’s legal basis for transferring these macaques to a recipient whose permanent possession and use of the animals may not fall within any permitted purpose under 42 CFR §71.53.

a. As 42 CFR §71.53 only outlines the purposes for animals being imported, CDC does not need to provide a legal basis for retiring these animals from a laboratory setting to a sanctuary setting.

https://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/what-is-aaalac-accreditation/

42. Please identify the specific permitted purpose under 42 CFR § 71.53 that authorizes permanent sanctuary placement of imported NHPs, their offspring, or their descendants.

a. This is not applicable.

43. Please confirm whether “sanctuary retirement,” “retirement,” or “lifetime sanctuary care” appears anywhere in the permitted-purpose language of 42 CFR § 71.53.

a. This does not apply.

44. Please explain how a GFAS-accredited sanctuary can lawfully receive and permanently maintain imported NHPs or their progeny when GFAS, by its own accreditation standards, prohibits breeding, selling, exhibiting, or conducting research, and 42 CFR § 71.53 limits imported NHPs and their progeny to bona fide scientific, educational, or exhibition purposes.

a. This does not apply.

45. Please explain why the RFQ imposes GFAS accreditation as a Go/No-Go requirement while failing to require offerors to demonstrate that they have any lawful pathway to receive and maintain the animals under 42 CFR § 71.53.

a. This regulation does not apply to the action.

46. Please amend the RFQ to require every offeror to identify the specific legal authority and permitted-purpose pathway under 42 CFR § 71.53 that would authorize its receipt, possession, and long-term maintenance of the macaques.

a. CDC will not do this as it does not apply to this procurement.

47. Please explain how the GFAS Go/No-Go requirement complies with FAR 6.101’s requirement to promote full and open competition.

a. Go/No Go requirements are used every day in solicitations to help ensure reviews are kept to the offerors who meet the minimum requirements of a solicitation. It helps save on administrative costs for government review and helps ensure unqualified offerors do not waste resources submitting quote when they do not meet the minimum requirements. This isn’t something that restricts competition, it simply allows competition among the offerors who are capable of fulfilling the government’s need.

48. Please explain how the GFAS Go/No-Go requirement complies with FAR 11.002’s requirement to state agency needs in functional or performance terms where practicable.

a. HHS uses the revised FAR; in it 11.002 does not exist. As such, CDC is unable to provide an answer here.

49. Please identify the market research supporting CDC’s conclusion that GFAS accreditation is necessary to meet the Government’s minimum need.

a. CDC will not release source selection sensitive information during an active solicitation.

50. Please explain whether CDC considered less restrictive alternatives to the GFAS requirement.

a. The CDC considered all known certification options that might meet the goal of providing a sanctuary home for these retired NHPs Only GFAS certification meets the requirement of supporting a sanctuary home.

51. Please explain why CDC did not allow offerors to demonstrate equivalent compliance through USDA licensure, AAALAC accreditation, NHP experience, and facility capability.

a. See paragraph 2 of Section 2 of the SOW.

52. Please explain whether CDC’s actual minimum need is GFAS accreditation or safe, compliant, humane, long-term macaque care.

a. As GFAS accreditation ensures that the animals will be provided the level of care that CDC requires, GFAS accreditation is the minimum standard required.

53. Please explain why the RFQ does not define minimum performance standards for long-term macaque care independent of GFAS status.

a. The CDC has determined its need and has expressed the minimum qualification requirements.

54. Please explain how many known GFAS-accredited facilities have the immediate capacity, veterinary expertise, and financial resources to accept approximately 130 macaques.

a. CDC will not release sensitive source selection information during an ongoing procurement. The general public is able to look at the GFAS website to ascertain the number of sanctuaries operating in North America.

55. Please explain whether CDC’s market research considered facilities outside the GFAS-accredited sanctuary community.

a. CDC conducted a very thorough and detailed analysis of the marketplace to consider all types of facilities.

56. Please provide the market research basis for concluding that the GFAS-only structure reflects the Government’s best available options.

a. CDC will not release sensitive source selection information during an active procurement.

57. Please explain whether a faster, safer transfer plan from a non-GFAS USDA-licensed facility would be rejected solely because of the GFAS Go/No-Go screen.

a. As GFAS accreditation is a requirement for eligibility and USDA certification is not, it would not be considered because it would not meet the minimum needs of the government.

58. Please explain whether CDC will reject offerors whose plan depends on future fundraising, construction, hiring, or permitting.

a. The viability of the proposed plan would be part of the overall evaluation of the proposal.

59. Please explain whether CDC has established an Independent Government Estimate for the full 10-year care obligation.

a. 10 years is the best estimate for the remaining lifespan of the animals. The IGCE is based upon this estimate.

60. Please explain whether CDC considered lower-cost alternatives from qualified USDA-licensed or AAALAC-accredited facilities.

a. CDC has a government estimate and nothing as of yet to compare it against.

CDC has not received proposals from any facility.

61. Please explain whether CDC will require bonding, escrow, reserve accounts, insurance, milestone payments, or other financial protections for long-term care.

a. All requirements are listed in the solicitation.

62. Please explain what happens if the contractor receives the long-term-care lump sum and later becomes insolvent, loses accreditation, loses access to land, or fails to provide adequate care.

a. The responsibility to CDC by the vendor ends when the contract does, the CDC intends to try to pick a facility that has the best chance of being able to provide for the long-term care. There are no legal remedies available to the CDC if they don’t.

63. Please explain whether CDC will require refund rights, claw backs, or reversionary remedies if the contractor fails to perform long-term care.

a. See question #20.

64. Please explain whether CDC will retain any oversight rights after transfer and payment.

a. No, once the contract terms have been fulfilled, the CDC no longer has a legal interest.

65. Please explain why NAICS 813312 was selected for this procurement.

a. This was chosen because it accurately reflects the work under the contract.

66. Please explain how NAICS 813312 accurately reflects transportation, intake exams, quarantine, sterilization, veterinary care, macaque housing, and long-term animal management.

a. The purpose of this contract is to rehome these animals to a sanctuary where they can be fully retired. The processes listed here are just steps necessary to get to the final end result.

67. Please explain whether the selected NAICS code improperly narrows the expected competitive field to sanctuary nonprofits.

a. No; GAO has opined that a vendor does not need to have the published NAICS code in their SAM certificates to propose. This does not preclude any facility from providing a quote if they meet the government’s needs.

68. Please explain the veterinary basis for requiring sterilization of all animals not already reproductively sterilized.

a. This is to fully ensure that the animals will be retired and not used for breeding.

69. Please explain whether sterilization is required for animal-welfare reasons or to satisfy GFAS sanctuary rules.

a. No, this has nothing to do with GFAS, it again is a government requirement for this contract.

70. Please explain why facility capability, staffing, animal management, past performance, and price are evaluated only after GFAS accreditation.

a. See question 29.

71. Please explain whether CDC will amend the RFQ so that USDA licensure, AAALAC accreditation, NHP-care experience, and price can be evaluated before excluding otherwise qualified offerors.

a. No; CDC will not consider those accreditations because they have no bearing on this requirement and do not meet the government’s minimum requirements.

72. Please explain whether CDC will extend the quotation deadline after answering these questions so offerors can submit meaningful responses.

a. CDC will consider this and may address it via the amendment to post the answers.

73. Please explain whether CDC will amend the RFQ to remove the GFAS Go/No-Go requirement and allow all responsible sources to compete based on actual animal-welfare capability, legal compliance, speed, past performance, and price.

a. No CDC will not remove its requirements. If a facility isn’t GFAS accredited, it’s not a qualified facility for this particular action.

74. Please provide a summary of experimental history by animal or cohort.

a. This information will be provided only to the selected vendor.

75. Please identify any behavioral restrictions or compatibility concerns.

a. This information will be provided only to the selected vendor.

76. Please clarify whether any animals are subject to quarantine, movement restrictions, or other transfer limitations.

a. This information will be discussed after identification of the selected vendor.

77. Please confirm what veterinary, behavioral, husbandry, and experimental records will be made available to the awardee.

a. CDC will share the veterinary medical records for each animal including any medical interventions, treatments, behavioral notes, or other relevant information that could be relevant to their current health status.

78. Can we create line items for the budget or do they need to be fitted into the four line items requested?

a. Please fit the pricing into the four lines; you’re more than welcome to provide a backup spreadsheet with a cost breakdown, but those will be the FFP lines in the contract.

79. Does the entire proposal need to fall within the framework for the Technical Volume on page 23, or can we write additional sections to cover items mentioned on page 5 but not captured in the page 23 list items?

a. You can add anything in that technical narrative that helps support your experience, technical expertise, plans, etc. for any of the evaluation criteria.

The requirements in the actual criteria are the only things we have to see, but any additional information is welcome as long as it fits within the page limitations.

80. The SOPs collectively are far longer than the 20-page limit. How do we accurately represent our work given this restriction?

a. The solicitation will be amended to show a changed page limitation for the criteria and then the allowance to provide the reports, SOPs, plans, etc. as appendices that do not count toward the overall page limitation.