Fly_Food_Contract_-_Statement_of_Work.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

NHLBI Fly Food Contract

BACKGROUND

Much of the research conducted at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Division of Intramural Research (DIR) involves the use of Drosophila (the common fruit fly). Drosophila is considered a model organism in the field of biology as its genetic makeup closely mirrors that of humans. By closely studying the Drosophila in controlled experiments, researchers are able to anticipate how various diseases and their antidotes are manifest in human populations on a cellular level. As such, the Drosophila presents a unique opportunity to DIR researchers who seek to better understand the effects of cardiovascular diseases and sleep disorders in humans.

In order to obtain statistically significant data from experiments involving Drosophila, DIR researchers must maintain a highly controlled environment in which to observe the flies. One major environmental factor is diet. Current Drosophila colonies under observation are extremely sensitive to even the slightest alterations in diet. It is therefore imperative that these Drosophila receive precise formulas according to the needs of the experiments. Historically, the DIR has produced Drosophila food in-house. However, due to recent personnel changes and other budgetary restraints, the DIR can no-longer support in-house food production. Consequently, the DIR must out-source its food production to a contractor capable of meeting the researchers’ exact needs.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The DIR is in need of precisely formulated food to administer to its Drosophila populations. Drosophila are used in many cross-sectional, longitudinal and case-control studies throughout the DIR. As a result, the Drosophila must receive consistent nourishment so as to prevent variance in studies. Specifically, the DIR requires weekly shipments of food in addition to ad-hoc/emergency shipments upon request.

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, materials, supplies, equipment and services to execute the work set forth below:

1. The Contractor shall prepare Drosophila food for weekly shipment as directed by the Contracting

Officer’s Representative and/or his Technical Advisor(s) according to the following requirements:

1.1. Recipe: The Contractor shall adhere to the “Standard Bloomington Recipe,” (reference

Attachment 1) with the following exceptions/specifications:

12.8 ml of Tegosept shall be added per each liter of food.

No light malt extract shall be used.

Vials shall be Genesee Scientific Narrow Vials (Catalog No. 32-116BF) or contractor shall propose an equivalent. Vials and bottles shall be capped with Flugs (Genesee Scientific Catalog No. 49-102 for vials and 49-100 for bottles) or contractor shall propose an equivalent. Cotton balls, rayon balls, and paper lids shall not be used.

The contractor shall prepare standard food vials sprinkled with live yeast, short (collection) vials without yeast, and bottles sprinkled with live yeast.

1.2. Acceptable quality standards: Liquid food in vials and bottles shall be allowed to properly air dry before being capped; no condensation shall be present in vials or bottles. Vials and bottles shall be free of mold and bacterial contamination. Food shall have proper moisture content.

Food should be wrapped in plastic. For vials, the contractor shall ensure that the flugs are not pressed down past the top of the food vial.

1.3. Amount of food: Standard culture vials shall contain no less than 10 ml of food per vial. Short or collection vials shall contain no less than 5 ml of food per vial. Bottles shall contain no less than 50 ml of food per vial.

2. The Contractor shall adhere to the following delivery requirements:

2.1. Weekly Shipments: Food shall be delivered every Thursday to the following labs:

800 vials, 200 short (collection) vials, 75 bottles to:

Rusan Lab Building 50, South Drive, MSC 8017 Bldg. 50 Rm. 2120 Bethesda, MD 20892-8017

1200 vials, 100 bottles to:

Xu Lab 10 Center Drive Bldg. 10 Rm. 6C212 Bethesda, MD 20892

750 vials, 250 short (collection) vials, 36 bottles to:

Harbison Lab 10 Center Drive Bldg. 10 Rm. 7D13 Bethesda, MD 20892-1654

2.2. Monthly Shipments: Food shall be delivered every third Thursday of each month to the following lab:

200 vials, 20 bottles to:

Sellers Lab 50 South Drive Bldg. 50 Rm. 3530 Bethesda, MD 20892

2.3. Ad hoc/Emergency Orders: Food ordered in addition to the normal weekly and monthly shipments should arrive three (3) calendar days after the order is placed.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

One (1) year from date of contract award plus the potential for four (4) option years.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

Attached to each invoice, the Contractor shall include a detailed report of all deliveries made including weekly, monthly and ad hoc/emergency deliveries within the reporting period to include the following information:

For weekly and monthly deliveries:

Delivery Date Destination Vial/Bottle Type Name of recipe used (i.e. “Standard Bloomington Recipe modified for NHLBI DIR” or

“NHLBI Bloomington”) Vial/Bottle Quantity

For ad hoc/emergency deliveries:

Date ad hoc/emergency order placed Name of NHLBI representative who placed the order Delivery Date Destination Vial/Bottle Type Name of recipe used Vial/Bottle Quantity

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS

Each NHLBI lab will inspect each shipment of fly food to ensure it meets the aforementioned acceptable quality standards. Unaccepted shipments and their respective deficiencies shall be communicated to the Contractor within 15 businesses days of receipt of shipment. Should no deficiencies be reported within 15 businesses days of receipt of shipment, the Contractor may assume Government acceptance.

Attachment 1: Standard Bloomington Recipe for Drosophila

The following recipe was taken from http://flystocks.bio.indiana.edu/Fly_Work/media-recipes/bloomfood.htm on March 29, 2016:

The recipe This makes about 42.5 liters of food, enough to fill about 4,250 vials with 10 ml of food each. Even when hot the food is thick -be sure your pump can handle it before you make a large batch.

Water 39 liters

Yeast 675 grams

Soy flour 390 grams

Yellow cornmeal 2,850 grams

Light malt extract (dehydrated)

OPTIONAL

1,800 grams (we no longer use this ingredient)

Agar* 225 grams

Light corn syrup 3 liters

Propionic acid 188 milliliters

*adjust agar concentration according to the gel strength of your agar

Cooking instructions

Bad food is often simply dry food. Seemingly small changes in the cooking process can make a significant difference in the quality of the food if those changes result in increased water loss. If you cook small batches in a large kettle, don't have a covered kettle, need to cook the food longer, or are in a particularly dry environment you might need to increase the proportion of water in this recipe.

1. Measure malt if using it, and corn syrup (separately), set aside.

2. Mix yeast and soy flour, hydrate with 3 liters of the water, more if necessary (use a hand mixer, or press out larger lumps with fingers or the back of a large spoon), set aside.

3. Measure cornmeal and agar into a large container, add 5 liters of the water, mix until lump-free, using more water if necessary to produce a smooth slurry.

4. Set aside about 4 liters of the water.

5. Bring the remaining water to a full boil.

6. Stir cornmeal and agar mixture again (add some of the set-aside water if needed) and pour the smooth slurry into the rapidly boiling water (both points are important to avoid lumps that will clog the pump). Stir the pot at the same time if possible (we have an electric stirrer). If the cornmeal-agar mixture begins to form lumps as it is poured, add more of the set-aside water and mix well before pouring the rest of it into the boiling mixture. Use any remaining set-aside water to rinse the cornmeal-agar dregs into the pot.

7. Stir in malt if using it. Lumps will form at first, but unlike cornmeal lumps, these will cook out.

8. Stir in yeast-soy mixture and then the corn syrup.

9. When mixture has just begun to bubble at the edges start timing and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

10. Turn off heat source.

11. Stir in propionic acid. If you have time, cool to 70oC before adding the acid (we don't).

12. Dispense the medium.

13. Cool before plugging if time allows.

Ingredients notes

Cornmeal Not all brands of cornmeal are comparable - test before you buy in bulk. We buy "Aunt Jemima Yellow Cornmeal" from Quaker Oats through our campus food services.

Soy flour Soy flour is available from ADM, Protein Specialties Division, Decatur, IL 62525, phone 800-637-5855, fax 217-362- 3959, as Nutrisoy® (product #063-100).

Agar The amount of agar should be determined empirically for your brand and lot of agar. We buy agar from MoorAgar, Inc., 6923 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406, phone 800-423-3170, fax 818-787-2010.

Corn Syrup We use Karo® light corn syrup.

Yeast We use SafPro Relax+YF deactivated dry yeast from Lesaffre Yeast Corp., phone 877-677-7000 (product #73050).

Malt Buy malt from a brewing-supply house -- scientific grade is far too expensive. We buy "Spraymalt Light" made by Munton's PLC from L.D. Carlson Co., 463 Portage Blvd., Kent, OH 44240, phone 800-321-0315, fax 800-848-5062.

http://www.ajcornmeal.com/ http://www.mooragar.com/ http://www.karosyrup.com/index.htm http://www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/foodservice/inactive.html http://www.muntons.com/mmi/products/dried_extract.asp http://www.ldcarlson.com/