Sources_Sought_Notice_FINAL_10_20_23_1.pdf

Sources Sought Notice

Solicitation Number: 75N94024R00001

Notice Type: Sources Sought for Small Businesses

Classification Code: A – Research and Development

NAICS Code: 541 – Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services/541715 – Research and Development in the Physical Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)

Location: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Key Dates: 15 Days after issuance

Purpose of the Announcement:

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 they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; women-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the 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. The requirement is assigned a code of 541715 in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and the small business size standard for such requirements is 1,000 employees or less.

Background:

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) seeks capability statements from interested and qualified potential sources for a Bio- Specimen Repository contract to receive, store, monitor, and distribute human biospecimens collected by NICHD. The NICHD conducts studies focusing on child health and human development and requires repository services for samples from on-going clinical trials, from concluded research projects and trials, from anticipated future projects and trials, and a dedicated biobank wherein samples that can be shared for secondary research will be housed and distributed. The NICHD requires a specimen storage service that will provide a functional, accessible inventory system coupled with receipt, storage, and disbursement of these biological specimens. Currently, the NICHD has approximately 6,000,000 samples from multiple NICHD Divisions and Branches. None of these have on-site facilities for the acceptance, storage, and disbursal of biospecimens.

This collection of biospecimens ranges from those actively collected in on-going studies to biospecimens that are more than 50 years old. Thus, there are many services required to maintain such a diverse collection. Required repository services include an inventory system to manage all biospecimens, accessibility of inventories as required by outside parties and NICHD personnel, receipt of biospecimens from a variety of sources, resolution of shipping discrepancies and relabeling samples as needed, storage of biospecimens at required temperatures, quality assurance to monitor proper storage, and shipment of biospecimens upon request. These services will be contracted on a Task Order basis.

Bio-Specimen Repositories will be capable of:

1. Safely and efficiently assuming activities from the current Repository upon direction of the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), ensuring a seamless initial transition without loss of time or loss of resources in a manner that does not pose obstacles to the conduct of ongoing research.

2. Activities include securing, receiving, cataloging, processing, storing, maintaining, and disbursing human biological specimens from NICHD sponsored studies. All specimens shall have unique, scannable linear or QC barcodes. Disbursement will be ordered as needed for each Task Order via Options. Destruction of specimens shall occur as necessary at the request of NICHD personnel.

3. Providing adequate storage facilities and equipment for securing, cataloging, processing, storing, and disbursing clinical specimens following Biospecimen Repository Best Practices as defined by the International Society for Biological and Environmental Specimens (ISBER). Adequate equipment includes the ability to print and affix barcoded labels to samples.

4. Providing technical assistance and training and communicating with the NICHD Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to provide information on repository activities.

5. Developing, performing, and maintaining Quality Assurance systems for the NICHD Repository facility, operations, stored specimens, shipping materials, and personnel in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, and local regulations.

6. Providing a web-based computerized inventory database management and tracking system that is available 24/7 and that can provide downloadable comma separated value 9CSV files. The platform shall accommodate filtering on inventory fields prior to downloading information. Inventory fields might vary per collection.

7. Providing a technical and administrative infrastructure to ensure efficient planning, initiation, implementation, and management of NICHD repository activities including a dedicated Project Manager to oversee the biobank, to supervise all work, and to communicate with NICHD.

8. Developing and implementing a Final Transition Plan to ensure proper documentation and storage of human specimens upon the termination of each task.

Responses: Capability statements in response to this announcement should be no longer than 15 pages inclusive of all material. Responses will be evaluated on the basis of experience, expertise, and capabilities in regard to the areas previously listed. Past performance will also be evaluated in addition to contractor responses.

The anticipated contract type will be a multi-award Indefinite Quantity / Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) type with an ordering period of 10 years. Multiple task orders will be awarded under this IDIQ to support both current and changing needs, as well as the overall mission. The IDIQ contract mechanism will allow the issuance of a mixture of fixed-price and cost-reimbursement type task orders to effectively navigate the complex and dynamic work associated with this contract and the programs that it supports. The RFP is currently estimated to be posted on or about December 1, 2023 on SAM.gov.

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 synopsis and solicitation 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).

Interested Small businesses that believe they possess the capabilities necessary to undertake this project should submit an electronic copy of their capability statement, addressing the areas above. Capability statements must identify organization name, address, point of contact, the business status, size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and DUNS number. Written capability statements should be received by the Contracting Officer no later than 4:00 PM Monday November 6, 2023.

Responses should be no more than 15 pages. These pages exclude resumes. Capability statements should be emailed to Gannon White (Contract Specialist) and Dana Harris (Contracting Officer).

Primary Point of Contact:

Gannon White

Contract Specialist gannon.white@nih.gov

Phone: 301.402.9178

Secondary Point of Contact:

Dana Harris

Contracting Officer mailto:harrisd@mail.nih.gov

Phone: 301.443.7798

Contracting Office Address:

Contracts Management Branch

6710B Rockledge Dr., Suite 1124, MSC7000

Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7510

United States mailto:harrisd@mail.nih.gov mailto:

mailto:harrisd@mail.nih.gov