Attachment 2 - PWS for ARU Hands on Training rev 1.26.21.pdf

Performance Work Statement for ARU Personnel Training Prior to Substantial Completion

A. Background

NBAF has a need to provide hands-on training to Animal Resources Unit staff in the care and use of animals that will be housed at NBAF. Currently, the Veterinary Medical Officers, Animal Care Compliance Officer, Animal Caretakers, Animal Caretaker Supervisors, and Animal Health Tech staff will be on board prior to substantial completion of the NBAF facility. To effectively train and evaluate staff to prepare for the mission ahead, ARU has a need for a facility that will allow and help us conduct training with live animals beginning in May 2021, for 16-30 students/trainers. The facility must be in compliance with the Animal Welfare Regulations, The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the Guide for the Use of Agricultural Species in Research and Teaching (the Ag Guide) as well as hold current active AAALAC accreditation status and USDA Registration.

B. Objectives

The specific goal of this training program is to implement a safe and compliant hands on training platform with live animals for all of the ARU staff that meets the current needs of the USDA, and complies with animal welfare regulations and requirements.

Other key individuals such as training specialists and technicians from the Biorisk Management Unit or Safety, Health, and Environmental management may also attend.

USDA has a need for a location where NBAF veterinarians can teach, verify, and record hands-on animal husbandry and technical training prior to substantial completion of NBAF. Requirements for the facility would be local (within 30 miles or less of NBAF), USDA registered as a research or teaching facility, AAALAC accredited, and capable of housing swine (10-150 pounds), cattle (275-500 pounds), sheep (adult, any woolen or haired breed), 3-5 week old chickens, and traditional lab animal species from SPF vendors such as New Zealand White rabbits, Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs, and research mice (BL6 or Balb/c). The group size of students/attendees would be 16-30 individuals.

Number of hands-on students per class should not exceed 20 individuals, with additional trainers/observers of up to 30 people total per class.

Proper training and verification of training is vital to USDA’s mission to provide excellent animal care in the research and teaching environment. Making best use of the lag time between hiring of key staff who will be tasked with caring for animals, and when we are able to access the actual NBAF containment vivarium, a hands-on training program will prepare staff to receive animals and start from the same baseline of standards for care and handling of research animals. Using this time to prepare staff and interact in a

Attachment 2 RFQ- 12805B21Q0078 dynamic, hands-on environment makes best use of public funds and ensures that only trained individuals will have contact with USDA-owned animals upon NBAF’s opening.

The training program will include handling, husbandry, SOP review, and training with the following species and topics. All training would be consistent with best practices for low stress handling and to maintain excellent animal welfare. NBAF Veterinary staff will be the key instructors.

Courses would consist of the following types of activities with the following species:

a. Swine: 15-50 pound animals (no less than 10, based on pen setup and facility capacity/design as well as IACUC approval):

i. Pigs will be used for demonstration of proper moving, catching, handling, restraint techniques, positive reinforcement and conditioning principles, physical exams, blood draws, and processing techniques such as ear tagging, with emphasis on low stress handling.

ii. Overview/discussion of NBAF husbandry and animal health check SOPs will be reviewed and demonstrated in the live animal environment.

iii. Pigs could be sold or repurposed for other research after this teaching program is completed. Alternatively, if the pigs have no further purpose beyond training, terminal bleeding under anesthesia prior to euthanasia could be added as a training topic.

b. Cattle: Cattle, 250-500lb Holstein calves (no less than 8, based on pen set up and facility capacity/design as well as IACUC approval).

i. Calves will be used for demonstration of proper handling, moving, catching, positive reinforcement and conditioning principles, physical exams, oral medication administration, blood draws, and processing techniques such as ear tagging or vaccination, with emphasis on low stress handling.

ii. Overview/discussion of NBAF husbandry and animal health check SOPs will be reviewed and demonstrated in the live animal environment.

iii. Availability of a head catch/chute system to demonstrate appropriate restraint of calves is required.

iv. Calves could be repurposed or sold after this teaching program is completed.

c. Sheep: Adult sheep of any breed (no less than 10 based on pen set up and facility capacity/design as well as IACUC approval).

i. Sheep will be used for demonstration of proper handling, moving, catching, positive reinforcement principles, physical exams, blood draws and processing techniques such as clipping, ear tagging, oral medication administration, vaccination, etc.

ii. Sheep could be repurposed or sold after this teaching program is completed.

d. Rabbits – adult New Zealand White rabbits of either sex (no less than 6 based on pen setup and facility capacity/design as well as IACUC approval):

i. Rabbits will be used for proper demonstration of gentle handling, holding, restraining, positive reinforcement techniques, physical examination, medication administration, nail clipping, bleeding, and euthanasia via exsanguination under deep anesthesia or injectable euthanasia solution.

e. Guinea pigs – adult guinea pigs for handling and exam training (no less than 8 based on pen setup and facility capacity/design as well as IACUC approval):

i. Guinea Pigs will be used for proper demonstration of gentle handling, holding, restraining, positive reinforcement techniques, physical examination, medication administration, nail clipping, bleeding, and euthanasia via exsanguination under deep anesthesia or injectable euthanasia solution.

f. Mice – IVC housed laboratory mice, B6 or Balb/c, (no less than 15 based on

IACUC approval)

i. Demonstration of handling, physical examination, cage changing, and other husbandry techniques by NBAF veterinary staff, injections, possibly blood draws, medication administration, and euthanasia via CO2 and exsanguination.

g. Chickens – 3-5 week old chickens (no less than 15)

i. Handling, blood draw, and health assessment techniques by NBAF veterinary staff, euthanasia via inhaled CO2 or injectable euthanasia solution.

The contractor must be capable of providing all necessary equipment and tools for the above to include but not be limited to:

• Acquiring healthy animals through USDA registered vendors.

• Providing all veterinary and husbandry care for training animals.

• Basic animal needs such as penning, gating, housing, feed, water, etc.

• Handling equipment:

o Pig boards o V-troughs o Swine Snare o Chute/headcatch o Rope halters of various sizes o Rabbit restrainers o Broome rodent restrainers for mice

• Required Uniforms, PPE:

o Scrubs o Tyvek o Facemasks/eye protection o Hearing protection o Gloves o Boots

• Demonstration and teaching items such as:

o Syringes, needles o Balling guns o Blood tubes o Clippers o Ear tag applicator o Ear tags

In addition, the following requirements must be met:

• Work with NBAF AV and team to plan and schedule on site training sessions.

• Contractor would supply and provide animals, all routine husbandry needs, all veterinary care required, DEA controlled substances for euthanasia of larger species, and CO2 for mouse and chicken euthanasia

• Contractor would coordinate with ARU AV and VMOs in preparation of IACUC protocols and allow NBAF IACUC to review and concur with approved protocols

• Availability of staff (no less than 1 technician from contracting facility) present one day prior and also during each class to facilitate equipment, space use, etc.

C. Scope

This contract will cover a timespan from May-August 2021. During this period, weekly or twice weekly classes of 4 hours each (1/2 day) will be held at contract facility with live animals for up to 30 learners on site for each session (no more than 20 hands on animal contact/procedures).

D. Deliverables The following deliverables are what the contractor shall provide, and the schedule of delivery is as follows:

• List of requirements of instructors and trainees that would be needed prior to on-site access to animals (training, OHSP requests, etc.)

• Provide NBAF ARU and SHEM unit required OHSP items (such as vaccination status, health history screening, etc.) that will be required for facility access. All OHSP components will be coordinated and completed by NBAF. Copies of relevant documents can be supplied to the contractor as needed.

• Allow NBAF VMOs and instructors access to the facility and animal spaces one day prior to each class (may not be needed for each and every class) for inspection to ensure preparation for the next day’s class.

• Provide an employee who can assist with setup of mock room scenarios such as temporary positioning of panels or tape on floors to indicate/mimic clean and dirty anterooms and change rooms, etc, during the prep period and during classes.

• Allow NBAF VMOs to advise, request, and approve certain gating and penning setups when preparing for the courses so as to closely mimic animal space at

NBAF.

• Include NBAF VMOs and AV in development of IACUC protocols so all activities are adequately covered in detail required by USDA/NBAF.

• Final schedule will be proposed to USDA and mutually agreed upon within the date range of May 3, 2021 – August 20, 2021, Monday-Friday between the hours of 9a-4p, average length of course 4 hours or less each.