Amendment_1_RFP_NIAID_DAIDS_NIHAI2013172.docx

Amendment No. 1

NIAID-DAIDS-NIHAI2013172

“In Vitro Testing Resource for HIV Therapeutics and Topical Microbicides”

Amendment Number:

One (1)

Amendment Issue Date:

October 24, 2013

Proposal Due Date: (Unchanged)

Friday, November 14, 2013 at 3:00 PM, Local Time

Issued By:

John R. Manouelian Contracting Officer

NIAID, NIH, DHHS

Office of Acquisitions, DEA 6700-B Rockledge Drive Room 3124, MSC 7612 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7612

E-mail: virtsa@mail.nih.gov

OR

John R. Manouelian, Contracting Officer E-mail: manouelj@mail.nih.gov

The purpose of Amendment 1 is to answer questions from potential offerors regarding the solicitation.

The date specified for receipt of proposals is UNCHANGED.

Offerors must acknowledge receipt of this Amendment by identifying the amendment number and date of the amendment on each copy of the offer submitted. Failure to receive your acknowledgement may result in the rejection of your offer. Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the solicitation remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

Question 1:

In the STATEMENT OF WORK for Task Area 2 [ATTACHMENT 3, pg3 (electronic pg 93)], the government requires the contractor to conduct specialized in vitro testing of anti-HIV therapeutics. The text further indicates: “State-of-the-art techniques and technologies shall be used with emphasis on under-represented targets (i.e., HIV regulatory/accessory proteins)”. This is consistent with the Business Proposals request for the first Task Order for Task Area 3 (Task Order #003, page 3 of ATTACHMENT 10) that requests the contractor: “Perform primary screening using one relevant assay on 500 compounds per year to identify potential anti-HIV therapeutics with emphasis on under-represented targets, virus reservoirs or latency.” However, in the STATEMENT OF WORK for Task Order #003, the government does not request any primary screening of compound in regulatory protein assays (cell based or biochemical) or latency assays. Did you mean for the contractor to provide a technical write up for the screening of 500 compounds against under represented targets (such as regulatory and accessory proteins), virus reservoirs or latency? If so, is 500 compounds the correct assumption?

Response to Question 1:

It appears you have confused the work under Task Areas #002 and #003. Task Order #002 requires the Contractor to perform primary screening using one relevant assay on 500 compounds per year to identify potential anti-HIV therapeutics with emphasis on under-represented targets, virus reservoirs or latency. Task Order #003 is for purchasing a 10,000 compound library and to conduct screening on a HTS platform.

Question 2:

In ATTACHMENT 9, (page 6, f) the government requests the contractor describe their capability to conduct an HTS on over 700,000 compounds. This is consistent with the STATEMENT OF WORK for Task Area 3 (ATTACHMENT 3, page 4). However, in the business proposal instructions in ATTACHMENT 10 (pages 1-7) there is no request to cost the screening of 700,000 compounds in a cell based assay. Similarly, the statement of work for Task Order #003 (ATTACHMENT 6 page 1) does not directly request a technical write up describing a 700,000 compound HTS. Should we also include cost for a full HTS campaign screening of 700K compounds? If yes, were should we include it? Should Task Area #003 include cost with adjustment in estimated FTE and a technical description for a full HTS campaign screening of 700K compounds?

Response to Question 2:

The Offeror should only describe their capability and experience in conducting a 700,000 HTS campaign. A cost estimate is not required.

Question 3:

After an HTS campaign it is not uncommon to have 100 – 1,000 active compounds for the assay provider to follow up on. In the present contract, the government has ordered compounds or provided an aliquot of the libraries compounds in assay ready plates. This is not mentioned in the current statement of work. Should we provide the cost for providing such compounds and, if so, under which task area?

Response to Question 3:

As is stated in the Statement of Work included in the RFP, the Offeror should assume that 10 compounds, identified in the 10,000 compound HTS assay, will be purchased from commercial sources to conduct follow-up studies in Task Area 5.

Question 4:

We should propose costs for the Base and 6 Option Years for Task Order #001. Task Orders #002 - #005 only need costs for one year. Please confirm.

Response to Question 4:

That is correct - costs should be proposed for the Base and 6 Option Years for Task Order #001.

Please refer to ATTACHMENT 10, ADDITIONAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS, for instructions on how to propose costs for Task Areas #002 - #005. As stated in ATTACHMENT 10 for Task Areas #002 - #005, “A cost reimbursement, completion type contract is anticipated. The period of performance of this Task Order will be one year beginning on or about September 14, 2014.”

Question 5:

As a result of the government shutdown and the delay in getting responses to our questions, we request a 2-week time extension to the due date.

Response to Question 5:

The proposal due date will not be extended. All proposals are due by the time and date specified in the RFP. If we extended the due date of proposal submissions, we would not be able to award the contract on time.

End of Amendment #1 to RFP NIAID-DAIDS-NIHAI2013172

AMENDMENT #1, RFP NIAID-DAIDS-NIHAI2013172

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