Microbiologist Research Support SS.pdf

Request for Information / Sources Sought Notice March 5, 2024

Contracting Office Address Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Acquisition Management and Policy 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857

Description

This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION / SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE to gather information and determine the availability and capability of small and large entities to provide Microbiologists Research Support Services in Baton Rouge, LA, to enhance the understanding of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). Small businesses are encouraged to respond.

The purpose of this requirement is to provide research services of one Microbiologist (B.S) and one Microbiologist (Ph.D.) to enhance the understanding of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). These services will support the National Hansen’s Disease Program (NHDP) Laboratory Research Branch and will be performed at the NHDP facility in Baton Rouge, LA. Specific tasks areas include:

Microbiologist (B.S.):

1. Prepare complex microbiological and tissue culture media.

2. Provide purification procedures for proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and carbohydrates from complex biological extracts of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

3. Perform complex enzymatic reactions to splice DNA into cloning vectors.

4. Perform DNA and RNA purification following PCR amplification for DNA analysis using agarose and polyacrylamide gels and automated DNA sequencing.

5. Perform nucleic acid quantitation using UV spectrophotometry.

6. Perform animal manipulations on approximately 250 armadillos, 1,000 conventional mice, 750 knockout mice, and 350 transgenic nude mice, to include injection and dissection of major organs and tissue samples for subsequent analysis of immune responses and genotyping leprosy complex bacteria.

7. Provide assistance in technical design of experiments.

8. Provide documentation and interpretation of data:

a. Word document: Summaries of experiments

b. Excel: Spreadsheets and Tables of experimental data

c. Handwritten: Daily progress entries into laboratory notebook

9. Submit a Monthly progress report as follows:

a. Monthly Reports: Provide a summary of the work completed during the month and include experiments performed, data collected, and interpretation of the data. Reports shall be in MS Word with supporting Excel documents as appropriate.

Microbiologist (Ph.D.):

1. Design and develop molecular assays to determine viability of leprosy complex bacteria from infected animal tissues. Applications shall include evaluation of fixation protocols (e.g., Ethanol, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded), purification of nucleic acids, quantitation of bacterial numbers, and expression of relevant genes.

2. Evaluate molecular viability assays on clinical biopsy samples from leprosy patients across the leprosy spectrum, before and after treatment with leprosy multidrug therapy. Applications shall include refinement of established protocols to obtain optimum performance with human tissue samples.

3. Design and perform experiments evaluating new anti-leprosy drugs and drug regimens utilizing the mouse footpad model of leprosy complex bacterial infection.

4. Formulate complex hypotheses regarding the relationship of the host immune response with leprosy complex bacteria viability and the expression of bacterial genes in in-vitro culture and from infected tissues.

5. Design new primer/probe sets and assess their suitability for use as improved expression markers for detecting viable leprosy complex bacteria in clinical and experimental samples.

6. Document all experimental procedures. Compile and analyze all experimental data. Synthesize information suitable for critical review and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Documentation shall be submitted in the following formats:

a. Word document: Reports and manuscripts for publication.

b. Excel: Spreadsheets and Tables of experimental data.

c. PowerPoint: Presentations for review of progress.

d. Statistical Analysis Software (SAS): statistical analysis of data.

e. Handwritten: Daily progress entries into laboratory notebook.

7. Submit a Monthly and Quarterly progress report as follows:

a. Monthly Reports: Provide a summary of the work completed during the month and shall include experiments performed, data collected, and interpretation of the data. Reports shall be in MS Word with supporting Excel, PowerPoint, and SAS documents as appropriate.

b. Quarterly Reports: Provide a written report of the tasks completed during the quarter and present the data for discussion and planning of future directions. Reports shall be in MS Word with supporting Excel, PowerPoint, and SAS documents as appropriate.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administrations (HRSA), Healthcare Systems Bureau (HSB) provides for care, treatment, education, and research on

Hansen’s Disease (HD, Leprosy) through the National Hansen’s Disease Program (NHDP), centered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Lab Research Branch (LRB) of the NHDP conducts extensive research and requires support services in their effort. The legislative authority for the National Hansen’s Disease Programs (NHDP) is Public Law 99-117, Section 2. (a.), Section 320, and is guided by Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) regulations.

Contractors may submit a response under NAICS Code 541715; Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). The PSC Code is B537; Special Studies/Analysis-Medical/Health.

Interested potential offerors are encouraged to respond to this notice. However, be advised that generic capability statements are not sufficient for effective evaluation of respondents’ capacity and capability to perform the specific work as required. Responses must directly demonstrate the company’s capability, experience, and/or ability to marshal resources to effectively and efficiently perform each of the tasks described above at a sufficient level of detail to allow definitive assessment and evidence that the contractor can satisfy the requirements. Failure to provide sufficient information related to these functions will result in a finding that respondent lacks capability to perform the work.

Responses to this notice shall be limited to 10 pages, and must include:

1. Company name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone and FAX numbers, website address (if available), and the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with Government representatives.

2. Capability statements and experiences related to performing similar functions. Must demonstrate past work experience.

3. Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail addresses of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses.

4. DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number, and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.). Companies also must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database (http://www.sam.gov) to be considered as potential sources.

To the maximum extent possible, please submit non-proprietary information. Any proprietary information submitted should be identified as such and will be properly protected from disclosure.

This notice is for planning purposes only, and does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, a Request for Proposals, a Solicitation, a Request for Quotes, or an indication the Government will contract for the services contained in this announcement. This request is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this announcement.

Responses to this notice must be received by the Contract Specialist named below not later than 3:00 PM Central Standard Time on March 19, 2024, for consideration. Please submit responses via e-mail.

http://www.sam.gov/

Responses to this announcement will not be returned, and there will not be any ensuing discussions or debriefings of any responses. However, information obtained as a result of this announcement may be reflected in the subsequent solicitation, and HRSA may contact one or more respondents for clarifications or for information that will enhance the Government’s understanding. This announcement is Government market research and may result in revisions in both its requirements and its acquisition strategy based on industry responses. HRSA will not entertain questions regarding the results of this market research.

POINTS OF CONTACT

Charisse Whitney Contract Specialist Office of Acquisition Management and Policy Health Resources and Services Administration E-mail: cwhitney@hrsa.gov Phone: 225-756-3785