Pre-Sol_15-day_notice_Repository_of_Mouse_Models_-_52.217-8_4_28_2025.pdf

PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE

Notice ID: 75N94020C00009

Title: Repository of Mouse Models for Cytogenetic Research

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP); NO QUOTES OR BIDS ARE BEING SOLICITED BY THE GOVERNMENT, NOR WILL ANY BE ACCEPTED FOR REVIEW IN RESPONSE TO THIS

SYNOPSIS.

Description

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), intends to issue a sole-source contract modification to The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), located at 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500, under the authority of 41 U.S.C.

3304(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements."

The purpose of this action is to modify Contract No. 75N94020C00009, titled "Repository of Mouse Models for Cytogenetic Research," to obtain the authority to exercise the Option to Extend Services under FAR clause 52.217-8. Although FAR 52.217-8 was incorporated into the original contract, the costs associated with exercising this option were not evaluated or negotiated at the time of award. Therefore, a new contract action is required to negotiate pricing and terms in advance, so the Government has the contractual authority to exercise the extension if necessary.

Exercising this option would only occur if unforeseen delays arise in awarding a new follow-on contract, and the extension would be necessary to ensure the continuity of critical services. The availability of the option will help prevent any lapse in essential services supporting ongoing research activities reliant on the maintenance of specialized mouse models for Down syndrome research.

The Jackson Laboratory is uniquely qualified to continue the required work without interruption. In 2010

JAX developed the standard Ts65Dn mouse model for Down syndrome research, a model maintained under complex breeding protocols due to male infertility and the need for a specific mixed genetic background. JAX possesses the specialized scientific expertise, facilities, and colony management capabilities necessary to ensure the fidelity of these mouse strains. There are no other known sources capable of meeting these requirements without causing unacceptable delays to the program, which include:

1. Breed various strains of mice to serve as models of Down syndrome that are of known genetic background and will produce genetically unbalanced gametes, resulting in complete or partial trisomic or monosomic embryos with special emphasis on mouse chromosomes that are syntenic to Hsa21, as available. On average, at least 30 breeding pairs to generate the Ts65Dn mice must be maintained to preserve the breeding colony and supply enough mice to meet investigator demands for this strain.

Other murine models of Down syndrome that are part of this resource, including strains that replicate early developmental aspects of the condition as well as later-onset Alzheimer’s disease, shall be maintained and made available as part of the Mouse Repository. An emphasis shall be placed on meeting the needs of the investigators in the Down syndrome research community. In particular, the Contractor shall ensure that there is an adequate supply of female mice for purposes of prenatal studies and establishment of separate colonies by investigators with substantial resource needs.

NICHD anticipates that ~150-300 mice would be supplied by the Contractor to Federal Investigators (those funded by NIH or other federal grants, contracts, or funds) per option year.

2. Acquire new strains. If new strains become available, the Contractor may consider adding to the Mouse Repository at least one new mouse strain of interest to the investigator community, in consultation with the NICHD.

3. Convene an external Scientific Advisory Board that will meet virtually on a quarterly basis, providing advice on phenotyping, availability, customer service, community needs, and distribution of mice in this Repository.

4. Apply refined procedures to cryopreserve embryos that will be rescued by thawing and re-implanting them in pseudo-pregnant mice for any actively produced mouse strains for which this has not been done.

The Contractor shall evaluate the fertility of both male and female mice for optimal methods of maintaining individual mouse strains in active production semiannually.

5. Distribute the animal models to qualified investigators approved by the NICHD.

6. Test the animals periodically for pathogens as per standard protocols that are outlined in the standard operating procedures by the Contractor.

7. Characterize the clinical and neurobehavioral phenotype of the mouse models to ensure integrity of the strains and to allow for comparative phenotypic information among different murine strains using a standardized battery of tests, or as specified by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

8. Publicize the availability of mouse models indicating the type of strains in the colony as well as detailed information about the background strain, genotype, protocols for genotyping, husbandry conditions, phenotype and neurobehavioral characteristics, and other details as specified by the COR.

9. Monthly conference calls with the Principal Investigator, COR, and Contracting Officer (CO) as well as any other relevant parties regarding number of mice of each strain shipped per month and cumulative, with a breakdown by category of investigator (Federally-funded, not Federally-funded, commercial, mice required for internal use), average time to process and ship orders for requested mice, priority categories for different funding sources of investigators, appropriateness of offered mouse strains, breeding efficiency and additional strategies, and any other issues or concerns raised by the Contractor, COR, or CO.

In conclusion, any interruption in the availability of these specialized mouse models would significantly disrupt ongoing research supported by NICHD.

Important Notices:

• This notice is not a solicitation or a promise to issue an RFP in the future.

• The Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice.

• No solicitation document is available at this time.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes; however, interested parties may identify their interest by sending capability statements in reference to this requirement no later than 3:00 PM EST on

May 15, 2025 to: Ms. Kesha Williams via email at williamskl@mail.nih.gov and Mr. Dana L. Harris at harrisd@mail.nih.gov. All information shall be furnished at no cost or obligation to the government. The capability statement must document the ability to provide the service by meeting the requirements stated above. The capabilities statement must contain sufficient documentation to establish a bona fide capability to fulfill the requirement and must be received by the response date listed in this posting. The reference number to be used is 75N94020C00009. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.