Small Business Sources Sought Notice.docx

Small Business Sources Sought Notice Title: Registration, Storage and Distribution of Chemicals and Drugs for Pre-Clinical Discovery Evaluation and Development Notice Number: NCI-DCTD-23-0001 This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether there are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled sources, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged business; and (3) their size classification relative to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement as a set-aside based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Interested parties are expected to review this notice and the draft Statement of Work (SOW) to familiarize themselves with the requirement of this project; failure to do so will be at your firm’s own risk.

Background:

The Drug Synthesis and Chemistry Branch (DSCB) of the Developmental Therapeutics Program (DTP) of the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is seeking support services to operate and maintain the National Cancer Institute’s Chemotherapeutic Agents Repository (NCI-CAR). This acquisition is responsible for providing an informational interface with NCI and external investigators that are submitting ore requesting research compounds; for updating of the chemical database which includes chemical, inventory, receiving and shipping information; systematic file and record keeping of both current and archival information related to repository activities; and reacquisition of samples for continued chemical and biological studies. Towards this goal, the Program acquires and evaluates about 5,000 single agents each year in anticancer assays. In addition, research samples are provided to the general research community both in vialed and plated format. NCI-CAR is responsible for receiving, storage and distribution services along with curating an inventory of approximately 500,000 - 600,000 individual samples and associated chemical, inventory and distribution data. Approximately 400 samples are received monthly, registered and shipped to NCI testing facilities; an additional 2,500 samples are weighed monthly from inventory and shipped to research investigators both in the U.S. (including NCI) and foreign countries.

Purpose:

The purpose of this Small Business Sources Sought Notice is to identify qualified small business concerns including HUBZone small businesses; service disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; women-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses that are interested in and capable of performing the work described herein. The NCI does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses received nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information received.

As a result of this SBSS notice, the NCI may issue a Request for Proposal (RFP). THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claim against the NCI shall arise as a result of a response to this Small Business Sources Sought Notice or the NCI’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specification for any subsequent requirement.

Project Requirements & Objectives:

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government, as needed to perform the attached Draft Statement of Work .

The principal goal of this contract is 1) to support compound acquisition activities related to the DTP anticancer pre-clinical drug evaluation program which seeks to identify new small molecule therapeutic agents and 2) distribution of chemicals to intramural and extramural investigators for research purposes. The primary tasks of the contract are the receipt, registration, storage, analysis, arraying and distribution of small molecules and purified natural products. In addition, a lesser number of compounds from other NIH (e.g. NIAID, NExT, NCATS) programs may be handled through this contract.

This contract is also responsible for providing an informational interface with NCI and external investigators that are submitting or requesting research compounds; for updating of the chemical database which includes chemical, inventory, receiving and shipping information; systematic file and record keeping of both current and archival information related to Repository activities; and reacquisition of samples for continued chemical and biological studies.

The program is highly flexible and the Contractor shall have the flexibility to respond to changing Program priorities.

Anticipated Period of Performance:

It is anticipated that the award from this solicitation will be an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Task Order(s) issued under this IDIQ contract are anticipated to be Cost Reimbursement (CR) and/or Firm Fixed Price (FFP). The duration of the IDIQ contract(s) will be for five (5) year period. The anticipated start date is on or about February 15, 2023.

If an RFP is issued, NCI anticipates that one (1) IDIQ award may result from the issuance of the RFP.

NAICS Code and Size Standard:

In the event an RFP is issued, the NAICS code for this acquisition is 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services with a size standard of $16.5 million dollars is being considered.

Capability Statement/Information Sought:

Tailored Capability Statement shall demonstrate a clear understanding of all tasks specified in the draft Statement of Work (SOW). Tailored Capability Statements for this requirement shall address the following areas:

A. The organization’s awareness of project needs and approach to performance to the tasks identified in the attached draft SOW. Specifically, address the following:

1) Adequacy of the offeror's awareness and understanding of the tasks of the project and their proposed approach for completion.

2) Adequacy of the offeror's awareness and understanding of the problems that may be encountered in project execution and their proposed solutions.

3) Suitability of the discussion of the acquisition/documentation activities described in the Statement of Work.

4) Adequacy of procedures described for receiving, storing, inventory and shipping activities.

5) Adequacy of procedures described for accommodating a fluid and unpredictable workload, both in terms of overall workload and related to specific tasks.

6) Adequacy and appropriateness of safety and security measures described for the project including IT-related security.

B. Demonstrate the ability to provide knowledgeable staff to meet the objectives of the attached draft SOW. Specifically, addressing that proposed staff have the experience and the technical experience needed to fulfill the requirements for the draft SOW. Document the composition and qualifications of the proposed staff. Specifically, the following areas:

Education, training, relevant experience (including a background in the understanding of chemical structures, chemical reactivity, chemical hazards, safety procedures, regulatory requirements, domestic and international shipping procedures) suitability and availability of:

1) Project Manager

2) Acquisitions/Documentation Manager

3) Support Staff, including provisions for IT-related support staff C. Demonstrate the adequacy and availability of the proposed space, facilities and equipment for this project including adequacy of terms for leased properties and adequacy of a transition plan into a new facility.

D. Demonstrate organizational capabilities and relevant experience which would ensure the satisfactory performance of all tasks described in the draft SOW.

Information Submission Instructions:

1. Page Limitations: Interested, qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement not to exceed twenty (20) single-sided pages excluding all attachments, resumes, charts, and other relevant supporting documentation (single spaced, 12 point font minimum) that clearly details the firm’s ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above and in the draft SOW. Tailored capability statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status. This indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement (preferably placed under the eligible small business concern’s name and address) as well as the eligible small business concern’s name, point of contact, address and DUNS number. All pages must be numbered including attachments, resumes, charts, etc.

2. Delivery Point:

All capability statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Christy Hunter, Contracting Officer at Christy.hunter@nih.gov in Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The email subject line must specify NCI-DCTD-23-0001. Facsimile responses will not be accepted.

3. Common Cut-Off Date:

Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than 2:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation notice may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

NCI-DCTD-23-0001