Statement_of_Work-Primate_Social_Housing_Project-4-30-2020-FINAL.pdf

April 30, 2020

STATEMENT OF WORK 1

NIMH & NEI Enhanced Social Group Housing Project: Habitat Design, Construction 2 and Installation 3

Background 5 The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Eye Institute (NEI) are planning a renovation 7 of existing animal holding rooms in the Building 49 Central Animal Facility. The renovation is designed to 8 accommodate larger social groups of nonhuman primates (NHPs) and meet the expanding research 9 mission of the NIMH and NEI. Being a social species, macaques form groups and coalitions which manifest 10 complex behaviors and interactions. In order to study social behaviors, larger cohort groups are required. 11 Current caging systems facilitate the pairing of two animals, whereas the new social group habitats will 12 facilitate the housing of four or more animals in a social group. In addition to requiring larger social groups, 13 in-cage testing paradigms are becoming more popular. In these scenarios, animals can decide when to 14 work by independently using a touch screen video monitor without ever leaving their home cage. These 15 testing modalities often require more room for the animal to maneuver than is available in our current 16 caging systems. 17 Other motivating factors for this project are the enhancement of animal welfare and the public perception 19 of laboratory animal housing. The larger habitats will permit animals to display a wider range of species-20 typical behaviors than is currently possible in standard housing systems. The larger housing areas will also 21 accommodate a wider range of environmental enrichment (i.e. foraging opportunities, manipulanda, etc.) 22 and facilitate a wider range of animal movement (i.e. climbing, swinging, etc.) than our current standard 23 quad caging systems. Many programs throughout the world have migrated to similar caging habitats and 24 improved the public perception of their program. It is the goal of this project to provide an enhanced 25 social environment for our NHPs, while expanding the range of research possibilities available to our 26 scientists. 27 In addition to the above, it is the goal of this project to provide the animals with a stable, controlled 29 environment, that maximizes their health and well-being, while being easily cleanable, sanitizable, and 30 configurable. The habitat design/housing system must support the on-going research of the involved 31 institutes, including the use of both water and food control paradigms. The ideal design will also provide 32 for the needs of husbandry staff and facilitate the training, safe handling, and transferring of animals. 33 Overview 35 To facilitate the design process, the Government has included as part of this RFP general concept 37 drawings for the design, construction, and functionality of the final product [Attachment A (1st Floor 38 NIMH) & B (2nd Floor NEI)]. The Government’s concept is based on the social housing system used at 39 Oxford University (http://www.labanimaltour.org/oxford). Prior to the RFP submittal deadline, the Government 40 will hold a question and answer session, including a walk-through of the proposed installation area, to 41 provide any required clarification of this RFP. Attendance is limited to a maximum of two (2) 42 representatives per vendor. Social distancing will be practiced during the session and personal protective 43 equipment will be provided. Examples of current facility caging, including water bottle holders, water 44 bottles, and feed bins will be available for examination. Photography will not be permitted during the 45 walk-through. 46 http://www.labanimaltour.org/oxford

Vendors should furnish concept renderings/drawings, with approximate specifications and enough detail, 48 to convey their understanding of the specified requirements and their vision for the final product. In 49 addition, vendors must also provide evidence of their technical ability to produce a quality product within 50 the outlined time period. Proposals will be evaluated for their understanding of the Government’s 51 requirements and ability to provide a safe, secure, durable social housing habitat/environment for 52 macaques, which can be easily cleaned and sanitized. The ideal installation will safely and securely contain 53 the animals, provide for clear animal visualization, while promoting animal well-being in an open, non-54 cage-like design aesthetic. Although creativity in design and materials is encouraged, the installation area 55 is defined and limited. The ideal vendor shall have a proven track record in the design and construction of 56 nonhuman primate caging and social housing systems. The Government reserves the right to request 57 presentations from vendors that are deemed technically acceptable. 58 NOTE: For a vendor’s proposal to be evaluated as technically acceptable, the offeror must sufficiently be 60 able to fully and completely explain how their proposed solution meets the requirements of this SOW, 61 the technical requirements, the requested submittals, as well as the installation plan and schedule. Failure 62 to provide all the requested items and or simply “parroting” the SOW back in the proposal will 63 automatically deem the proposal technically unacceptable. To emphasize again, merely “parroting” back 64 the requirement statements and not providing the requested submittals, installation plan, and schedule 65 will result in the proposal being technically unacceptable. 66 This RFP is for the design, fabrication, crating, shipping, surcharges, and installation of five (5) social 68 housing habitats and one (1) group testing module to be installed in the Building 49 Central Animal 69 Facility on the Bethesda campus of the National Institutes of Health. Each social housing habitat shall 70 consist of six (6) ‘Home’ cages, alternated with five (5) One-Over-One squeeze back caging units. The 71 group testing module, located in the same hallway as three of the habitats (Attachment A), may consist 72 of one (1) large group housing cage with the ability to connect two (2) standard 4.3 or 6.0 sq. ft. quad 73 caging units with squeeze backs. In addition, this RFP also includes the design, fabrication, crating, 74 shipping, surcharges, and installation of eight (8) animal transfer doors/tunnels to connect several 75 ‘Home’ cages through the cinder block wall in the rear of the ‘Home’ cage. 76 The entire project will consist of four (4) milestones which may be funded separately: 78

1. Construction and installation of a prototype social housing habitat (1st Floor, NIMH) and two (2) 80 animal transfer doors/tunnels. 81

2. Construction and installation of the two (2) remaining 1st Floor NIMH social housing habitats and 83 the four (4) remaining 1st Floor animal transfer doors/tunnels. 84

3. Construction and installation of the two (2) NEI social housing habitats and related two (2) 86 remaining animal transfer doors/tunnels. 87

4. Construction and installation of the testing module. NOTE: The testing module concept is currently 89 under development and the Government reserves the right to withdraw this option at its 90 discretion. Therefore, for the purpose of determining technical acceptability and selection of a 91 final vendor, the vendor is only required to provide concept renderings/drawings for the social 92 housing habitats and animal transfer doors/tunnels. 93

General Design & Fabrication Standards 95 Considerations for designs to socially house nonhuman primates must take the following into 97 consideration: a) safety; b) security; c) accessibility; d) durability; e) efficiency; f) operational flexibility; 98 and g) attention to animal’s psychosocial well-being. The habitats must permit and foster the social 99 housing of macaques in accordance with the USDA/APHIS regulations under the Animal Welfare Act. 100 It is the Government’s intent to house five (5) groups of macaques, 2-6 animals per group, in each of the 102 room habitats, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Each group will be housed in a separate 103 ‘Home’ cage of the habitat. At times, the top or bottom of a One-Over-One caging unit may be used to 104 house 1-2 animals, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. When not in use for housing, the top and 105 bottom of a One-Over-One squeeze back unit may be used to segregate animals for feeding and/or 106 watering, medical treatments, group introductions, animal isolation, or pole and collar work. 107 The social housing habitats, ‘Home’ and One-Over-One cages, must be routinely sanitized to maintain a 109 clean environment that is conducive to good animal health. All fabricated systems shall be designed to 110 facilitate easy, thorough cleaning and sanitation, without the need for extensive mechanical scrubbing. 111 Except as noted below, the design and construction shall not create closed raceways or other areas 112 which can harbor vermin or pests. The housing habitats will be cleaned and sanitized in place by shifting 113 animals from one ‘Home’ cage/One-Over-One to another. Habitats will be spot cleaned daily and 114 thoroughly cleaned and sanitized weekly. Once each week, soiled bedding will be removed, and the unit 115 hand washed and sanitized. A low-pressure water hose or steam-wand may be used in the routine 116 cleaning and sanitation process. All materials used should be able to withstand frequent cleaning, harsh 117 chemicals and high temperatures of at least 180˚F and potentially up to 270˚F. All materials shall be non-118 toxic and resistant to chipping, crazing, cracking, loosening, rusting, and fading. In addition, the design 119 shall facilitate quick drying post cleaning and minimize/prevent the pooling and standing of water. 120 All caging shall be fabricated of heavy-duty 316 stainless-steel and other appropriate materials. The 122 construction shall be as seamless as possible with minimal amounts of welded points or seams that can 123 trap water, organic matter and/or break over time. All parts of the housing unit shall be constructed to 124 withstand repeated shaking and high impacts caused by non-human primates up to 20 kg. body weight, 125 jumping 3-5’, generating an approximate net force of 200-300 lbs., while at the same time minimizing 126 noise. The habitat shall provide a safe and secure environment for the animals by eliminating pinch points 127 and sharp edges. Consideration should also be given to the ergonomics of use and the safety of the care 128 and research staff. 129 The rooms to support this social housing project are currently under renovation (Attachment A, B). 131 Approximate measurements for each animal room are 21’4” wide, 21’8” deep, 9’ in height. We believe 132 the room measurements to be accurate to within 4 inches (upon award of contract vendor will need to 133 verify the measurements). Social housing habitats shall be designed to accommodate minor deviations 134 in room width and wall angle. Two (2) outside windows are located across the room from the centrally 135 located ~42” wide x ~94” in height entrance door. Two (2) corridor bay window boxes are located to the 136 left and right of the door. The floors are epoxy and the walls are constructed of cinder block with a 137 SeamTek™ epoxy resin wall coating. 138

The room walls and floor may be used to secure the social housing habitats. The ideal caging system shall 140 not be secured in any manner to the room ceiling. Wall-cage and cage-floor interfaces must be secure, 141 demountable, sealed, gasketed, waterproof and vermin-proof. The ideal gasket material would be 142 durable, waterproof, resistant to chemicals, fragmenting, peeling, easily cleaned, sanitized, and odor 143 resistant. 144 Resting perches, shelves, and “hand-holds” that are integral to the cage design shall be fabricated of non-146 toxic, durable, cleanable, and easily sanitized materials. Animal perching surfaces shall be constructed of 147 a thermoneutral material. Shelfs/perches shall support a weight of approximately 200-250 lbs. In addition, 148 their design shall be sloped or shaped in a manner which discourages the collection of excrement, food, 149 or other debris on its surface and yet still allows comfortable use by the animal. All doors, dividers, etc. 150 shall have locking mechanisms and latches that are tamper-proof by non-human primates and designed 151 to prevent animal escapes. Ideally, the position of the latch, open or closed, shall be apparent and easily 152 determined by staff upon visual inspection at several feet. 153 Animal in-cage testing utilizing a touch computer screen, etc. will be conducted while the animals are 155 group housed in the habitat. Therefore, to conduct various research scenarios electrical, internet and 156 research connections may be needed at all door areas. To facilitate the running of wires etc., a raceway 157 shall be run along the top front panel above the animal enclosure and out of reach of the animals (i.e. 158 between the ceiling of the cage and the ceiling of the room). The raceway shall be integral to the social 159 housing system, running from the wall to the left of the room door to the wall on the right side of the 160 room door. The raceway shall be approximately 4” below the ceiling of the room, fabricated of stainless-161 steel with a ½” wire mesh bottom, open top, and solid side walls. The raceway shall be 4” wide x 2” in 162 height. To facilitate the running of wires etc. from the raceway to the animal door(s), a vertical, integral 163 or demountable, enclosed, stainless-steel raceway approximately 2” wide x 1” deep, will be run along the 164 hinge side of each ‘Home’ cage human access door and the Dutch door of the squeeze cage. The vertical 165 raceway shall not interfere with the door opening ~120 degrees or sliding of the animal access or testing 166 door. A t-connection shall be placed in the vertical tube in the area of each animal door. All steel caging 167 shall be grounded. 168 Social Housing Habitats 170 This RFP is for the fabrication and installation of five (5) social housing habitats, one per room. Each 172 habitat/system shall be comprised of six (6) ‘Home’ cages, alternated with five (5) One-Over-One squeeze 173 back cages. All cages comprising each system shall be located around the periphery of the room 174 (Attachment A & B). The walls located between each ‘Home’ cage and the adjacent One-Over-One 175 squeeze back cage, as well as the front and ceilings of each cage shall be part of the design, fabrication, 176 and installation proposal. The walls of the animal holding room shall serve as the remaining side and back 177 walls of the cages. Except for the top unit of the One-Over-One squeeze back cage, the room epoxy floor 178 will serve as the floor of each cage. 179 One-Over-One Squeeze Back Cage Unit: 181 All One-Over-One squeeze back cage units shall be identical and fabricated as a stand-alone unit in 182 accordance with the salient characteristics outlined below. The approximate size of each unit is 3’6” wide 183 x 5’ deep x 8’ high. It is imperative that the social housing habitats allow for a variety of flexible holding 184 configurations to facilitate: a) the housing of various group sizes; b) the safe movement of animals 185 between holding areas; and c) the safe isolation or introduction of new animals. 186

Side Construction 188 To permit the movement of animals between their ‘Home’ cages located on either side of the One-189 Over-One squeeze back unit, each top and bottom cage shall have a combination pocket door located 190 on both sides of the cage. The size of the doors shall be approximately 18” wide and 20” in height to 191 accommodate an adult male macaque and located toward the center of the cage. 192 Each combination pocket door shall be equipped with three (3) separate integral socialization panels 194 that can be manipulated by animal care staff from outside the cage and can be secured and locked. 195 The ideal design would provide the operator with a visual indication, from the outside of the unit, 196 that the panel(s) is/are in the open position. The system shall be designed to prevent animals from 197 injuring each other with bites, scratches, lacerations or lost digits during animal introductions and 198 pairing. If guide channels are required for the panels they shall be of seamless construction, sloped 199 with drain holes and designed in such a way to prevent the accumulation of water, bedding material, 200 animal waste products, or other debris which could jam the mechanism and prevent operation of the 201 panel(s). The grid and wire spacing of the panels, as well as the spacing of one panel from another, 202 shall be identical to the panels currently used in our facility. Samples will be available for evaluation 203 during the Government question and answer meeting. The panels shall be self-storing and integrated 204 with the following available options and order: 205

• Large 1”x 1” stainless-steel, grid pattern panel to allow for grooming contact with animal 207 in adjoining cage 208

• Solid, stainless-steel panel (no contact with animal in adjoining cage) 209

• Small ½”x ½” stainless-steel, grid pattern panel to permit visual contact with animal in 210 adjoining cage 211 The remaining side walls of the squeeze cage unit shall be fabricated of an opaque, non-toxic, 213 synthetic thermal-neutral material such as HDPE (high-density polyethylene plastic). Ideally, the 214 material would be available in selectable earth tone colors, be durable, waterproof, resistant to 215 chemicals, fragmenting, peeling, odor resistant, easily cleaned, easily sanitized, and easily replaced, 216 if needed. 217

Squeeze Back & Mechanism 219 The squeeze back should consist of a 1” x 3” woven grid pattern with a minimum of a 6 Gauge 220 Stainless-steel mesh construction with minimal weld points. The grid pattern should allow for easy 221 access to an automatic watering lixit. The squeeze back must be strong enough to prevent twisting, 222 binding or jamming. The squeeze mechanism may be either mechanical/electric or manual but must 223 provide for the animal’s safety. Consideration must be given to the ergonomics of use and the safety 224 of the animal, as well as the operator. To accommodate various size animals, the ideal system would 225 be stoppable and lockable in various positions. Mechanical systems should have a manual override in 226 case of a power failure or breakdown. The squeeze mechanism design shall protect it from dust, dirt, 227 hair, excrement, moisture, primate tampering, etc. In addition, the unit must be free from pinch points 228 and other areas which may injure an animal. The squeeze back mechanism must be durable, easily 229 cleaned, easily sanitized, and easily repaired or replaced if needed. 230

Floor Construction 234 The floor of the room shall serve as the floor of the bottom squeeze cage. The floor of the top squeeze 235 cage shall: a) prevent soiling of the animal in the lower cage; b) be easily removed and sanitized; c) 236 when removed permit care staff to enter the One-Over-One cage unit for cleaning and sanitization; 237

d) have a closable, securable, opening/door to permit adult male macaques to move between the 238 upper and lower squeeze cages. The ideal door would be self-storing and integrated into the floor. If 239 a removable panel is used, panel storage must be incorporated into the caging design. The door must 240 be of solid construction, durable, easily cleaned, easily sanitized, easily secured, lockable/securable, 241 and ideally no heavier than 25 lbs. The proposed weight of each panel/section of the floor should be 242 provided by the offeror. 243

Components of the top squeeze cage floor are the only components of the social housing system that 245 will be routinely removed and sent weekly to the cagewash for cleaning and sanitation. Therefore, 246 ten (10) duplicate floor components will be required for changeout during weekly cleaning. 247 A stainless-steel 1”x 1” grid-style upper cage floor similar or identical to that used in our facility’s 249 current quad caging systems is desirable. Samples will be available for evaluation during the 250 Government question and answer meeting. The floor design must be durable, cleanable, easily 251 sanitized, and resist warping/twisting or breakage. Plastic grid designs will be considered if the above 252 criteria can be met and substantiated. In addition to the above, the floor design must prevent the 253 interaction of animals located in the two compartments when the waste pan is removed. For example, 254 current facility caging uses a double sided, removable, grid-style floor panel to maintain animal 255 separation when the waste pan is removed. 256 If waste pans are used in the top flooring unit, they shall be nest-able and stackable in such a manner 258 as to hold both urine and feces without the excrement being squeezed out. The pans will need to be 259 constructed of a size and material that is lightweight and ergonomic, but able to withstand the rigors 260 of both the non-human primates and cage wash. They shall be made of high temperature material 261 (stainless-steel or plastic) and able to withstand repeated washing at a minimum of 180 degrees 262 Fahrenheit and drying at over 270 degrees Fahrenheit. Their design shall take into consideration 263 ergonomic and safety issues. If cage pans are utilized, an interior cage runner system should be 264 present to deflect fecal material directly into the pans while also securing the floor, pan, and grid 265 assemblies from movement by animals. Runners along the side of the pan insert area should allow 266 pans to slide in and out of the rack smoothly. 267 Front/Front Door Construction 269 The front of the squeeze back unit shall be fabricated of heavy-duty stainless-steel and transparent 270 materials, such as Lexan®. The design shall facilitate ease of view for both the animals and staff. All 271 bars shall be horizontal and spaced approximately two inches (2”) apart. The design shall use solid, 272 clear panels in areas to prevent animals from reaching into other cages and having their fingers, hands 273 or arms bitten. Where clear, solid panels are used, animals should be provided with perches and/or 274 hand hold areas. All clear, solid panels shall be designed to be demountable for easy replacement. 275 The front of the caging unit shall extend to the ceiling of the room to prevent an escaped animal from 276 climbing on top of the unit. The bottom front of the unit shall be constructed of a solid 5” high 277 stainless-steel panel to keep bedding in the cage. The door bottom shall also be constructed with a 5” 278 high stainless-steel panel. 279

The squeeze cage unit shall be designed with a Dutch door, containing a separate top and bottom 281 door panel, to permit care staff to enter the unit for cleaning and sanitation, once the bottom of the 282 top cage has been removed. The bottom edge of the of the lower panel door shall be constructed of 283 a solid 5” high stainless-steel panel to keep bedding in the cage. 284 Both the top and bottom Dutch doors shall include an animal door to provide access for the transfer 286 of an awake macaque or removal of an anesthetized animal. Alternatively, the door opening can be 287 used to attach an in-cage testing module to the unit. All doors shall be securable and lockable in both 288 the open and closed position to prevent an animal escape. Animal doors shall slide open horizontally. 289 To facilitate the transfer of animals between the facility’s current quad caging and the habitat, the 290 size, height, width and location of the animal doors must lineup with/match the doors on our current 291 quad cages. Door sizes should be approximately 13” wide and 17” in height. The bottom of the lower 292 compartment door should be approximately 20” from the floor and the bottom of the top 293 compartment door located approximately 57” off the room floor. Consideration should also be given 294 to the inclusion of attachment points in the design to secure the mobile quad rack or primate 295 chairs/transfer box to the social housing unit during animal transfer. All doors shall be securable and 296 lockable to prevent animal escape. 297 Each cage shall include a mounting area for a removable, tamper resistant feeder with a Lexan® shield 299 and a 32 oz. tamper resistant, pivoting design, positive locking, water bottle holder welded on a 300 locking back plate. It is the Government’s intention to use the same feeders, water bottle holders, 301 and water bottles currently used throughout the Building 49 facility. Samples will be available for 302 evaluation during the Government question and answer meeting. In addition, each top and bottom 303 squeeze cage shall have an attachment point for hanging animal identification tags and two (2) 3"x 5" 304 horizontal, tamper resistant Lexan® shielded cardholders. 305 Ceiling Construction 307 Cage top ceiling panels should be constructed of 5/16” (0.312) diameter, rim rod frame, 6-gauge, grid 308 wire or stronger, in a 1”x 1” woven, spot-welded, grid mesh pattern. The cage ceiling shall stay 309 approximately 12” from the room ceiling and not permit animals to reach out and manipulate ceiling 310 fixtures or other items above the cage. In addition, the grid pattern shall prevent animals from 311 reaching into other neighboring cages and having their fingers, hands or arms bitten. The ceiling 312 construction shall be durable enough to support the weight of two or more adult 20 kg. body weight 313 male macaques, jumping 3-5’, generating an approximate net force of 200-300 lbs., without bowing 314 or warping. A hinged, secure, lockable door panel shall be present under each room lighting fixture 315 to provide ceiling access for personnel to accomplish repair and maintenance tasks. The door panel 316 should be of sufficient size to allow for the removal and replacement of the entire fixture. 317

‘Home’ Cage Units: 319 Unlike the One-Over-One squeeze back cages, the ‘Home’ cage units will vary in size and shape. However, 320 it is still imperative that the ‘Home’ cages also allow for a variety of flexible holding configurations to 321 facilitate a) housing various size groups of animals; b) the safe movement of animals between holding 322 areas; and c) the safe isolation or introduction of new animals. 323

Front/Front Door Construction 325 The front of each ‘Home’ cage shall be fabricated of heavy-duty stainless-steel and transparent 326 materials, such as Lexan®. The design shall facilitate ease of view for both the animals and staff. All 327 bars shall be horizontal and spaced approximately two inches (2”) apart. The design shall use solid, 328 clear panels in areas to prevent animals from reaching into other cages and having their hands or arms 329 bitten. Where clear, solid panels are used, animals should be provided with perches and/or hand hold 330 areas. All clear, solid panels shall be designed to be demountable for easy replacement. The front of 331 the caging unit shall extend to the ceiling of the room to prevent an escaped animal from climbing on 332 top if the unit. The bottom front of the unit shall be constructed of a solid 5” stainless-steel panel to 333 keep bedding in the cage. The door bottom shall also be constructed with a 5” high stainless-steel 334 panel. 335 ‘Home’ cages shall be designed with a door to permit care staff to enter the unit for cleaning and 337 sanitation. The bottom edge of the door shall be constructed of a solid 5” high stainless-steel panel 338 to keep bedding in the cage. The cage door shall include two animal in-cage testing doors. All doors 339 shall be securable and lockable in both the open and closed position to prevent an animal escape. 340 Animal doors shall slide open horizontally. Door sizes should be approximately 13” wide and 17” in 341 height. The bottom of the lower compartment door should be approximately 20” from the floor and 342 the bottom of the top compartment door located approximately 57” off the room floor. A resting 343 perch shall be present on the inside of the door, under each animal testing door, for the animal to 344 comfortably sit during testing. 345 Some ‘Home’ cages shall include an elevated “veranda” or “high balcony” to allow animals to perch 347 outside of the perimeter of the cage to better view the room and other animals. The floor of the 348 veranda shall be solid stainless-steel and sloped toward the cage to discourage the collection of 349 excrement on its surface. The ceiling of the “veranda” shall be the same design as the ‘Home’ cage. 350 The side walls and front of the veranda shall be fabricated of a transparent material, such as Lexan®. 351 The Lexan® panels shall be designed to be demountable for easy replacement. 352 Each ‘Home’ cage shall include six (6) mounting areas for a removable, tamper resistant feeder with 354 a Lexan® shield and a single 32 oz. tamper resistant, pivoting design, positive locking, water bottle 355 holder welded on a locking back plate. Mounting areas for the feeders should be positioned to 356 minimize feeding competition. It is the Government’s intention to use the same feeders, water bottle 357 holders, and water bottles currently used throughout the Building 49 facility. Samples will be available 358 for evaluation during the Government question and answer meeting. In addition, each ‘Home’ cage 359 shall have six (6) attachment points for hanging animal identification tags and six (6) 3"x 5" horizontal, 360 tamper resistant, Lexan® shielded cardholders. The cardholder and tag attachment points shall be 361 designed to be primate tamper proof. 362 Ceiling Construction 364 The ‘Home’ cage top panel should be constructed of 5/16” (0.312) diameter, rim rod frame, 6-gauge, 365 grid wire or stronger, in a 1”x 1” woven, spot-welded, grid mesh pattern. The cage ceiling shall stay 366 approximately 12” from the room ceiling and shall not permit animals to reach out and manipulate 367 ceiling fixtures or other items above the cage. In addition, the grid pattern shall prevent animals from 368 reaching into neighboring cages and having their fingers, hands or arms bitten. The ceiling 369 construction shall be durable enough to support the weight of several adult 20 kg. male macaques, 370 jumping 3-5’, generating an approximate net force of 200-300 lbs., in addition to suspended 371 enrichment items without bowing or warping. Attachment points for enrichment devices shall be 372 considered in the design. A hinged, secure, lockable door panel shall be present under the room 373 lighting fixture(s) to provide ceiling access to personnel for maintenance/repair tasks. The door panel 374 should be of sufficient size to allow for the removal and replacement of the entire fixture. 375 Resting Perches, Shelves, “Hand-holds” and Enrichment Attachments 377 Resting perches, shelves, and “hand-holds” that are integral to the cage design shall be fabricated of 378 a non-toxic, durable, cleanable, easily sanitized material. Animal perching surfaces shall be 379 constructed of a thermoneutral material. In addition, their design shall be sloped or shaped in a 380 manner which discourages the collection of excrement on its surface yet still allows for comfortable 381 use by the animal. 382 The design of the mounting mechanism for the perches/shelves located along the wall adjacent to the 384 neighboring squeeze cage, should provide various locations for a minimum of three shelves or perches 385 spanning the length of the wall. One shelf/perch shall be located under the transfer door to the upper 386 squeeze cage. Shelfs/perches shall support a weight of approximately 200-250 lbs. A ladder should be 387 considered for access to the higher shelfs/perches. In addition, 3-5, 2-3’, ‘L’ frame, stainless-steel, 388 perforated mounting brackets to be used for additional perches or attachment points for enrichment 389 devices shall be located on the cinder block walls of each ‘Home’ Cage. The exact number, size and 390 locations to be coordinated with the Government. 391

Group Testing Module 393 The Government’s conceptualization for the group testing module is still fluid but current general concept 395 for the module is as follows: The room is designed to be flexible to accommodate various housing designs 396 as the research evolves. The initial design will consist of a single, centrally located, octangular, group 397 housing/testing cage approximately 10’ wide, with the ability to connect two (2) existing standard 4.3 or 398

6.0 sq. ft. quad caging units with squeeze backs and/or removable panel sides. Access to existing facility 399 quad caging units are available for inspection upon request. 400 The walls of the group testing module shall be fabricated of heavy-duty stainless-steel, opaque and/or 402 transparent materials, such as Lexan®. The design shall facilitate ease of view for both the animals and 403 staff. All bars shall be horizontal and spaced approximately two inches (2”) apart. The design shall use 404 solid, clear or opaque panels in areas to prevent animals from reaching into other cages and having their 405 hands or arms bitten. All panels shall be designed to be demountable for easy replacement. The front 406 sides of the caging unit shall extend to the ceiling of the room to prevent an escaped animal from climbing 407 on top if the unit. The bottom edge of the unit shall be constructed of a solid 5” high stainless-steel panel 408 to keep bedding in the cage. 409 The testing module walls shall be secured in place by attachment to the room’s wall and ceiling Unistrut™ 411 anchoring system. The module bottom shall be gasketed as outlined above, but not attached directly to 412 the floor. 413 Animal testing using a touch computer screens, etc. will be conducted while the animals are group housed 415 in the group testing module. To conduct various research scenarios electrical, internet and research 416 connections may be needed in most areas. To facilitate the running of wires etc., a raceway shall be run 417 along the front of the housing system, integral to the cage unit, as well as along each wall of the room 418 below the water line, but above the support bracket. Wall-raceway interface must be secure, 419 demountable, sealed, gasketed, waterproof and vermin-proof. The ideal gasket material would be easily 420 cleaned, sanitized, and odor resistant. The raceway shall also extend along the top of the stainless-steel 421 support beams connecting the cage to the room wall support bracket. The raceways shall be 422 approximately 4-6” below the ceiling, fabricated of stainless-steel with a ½” wire mesh bottom, open top, 423 and solid side walls. The raceway shall be 4” wide x 2” in height. To facilitate the running of wires to the 424 testing areas, a vertical 2” wide x 1” deep, stainless-steel tube will be run alone each corner of the 425 octagonal structure. Three (3) cross-connections shall be placed in each vertical tube at intervals to be 426 determined by the Government. All steel caging shall be grounded. 427 The unit shall be designed with a door to permit care staff to enter the unit for cleaning and sanitation. 429 The bottom of the of the door shall be constructed of a solid 5” high stainless-steel panel to keep bedding 430 in the cage. There shall be four (4) animal doors to provide access for the transfer of an awake animals to 431 and from the unit. Animal doors shall slide open horizontally. To facilitate the transfer of animals between 432 the facility caging currently used within the Building 49 facility, the size, height, width and location of the 433 animal doors must match the current quad cages used within the facility (See Above). In addition, the 434 doors should also facilitate animal transfer through the side panels, where available, on the facility existing 435 quad cages. All doors shall be securable and lockable to prevent animal escape. 436 The unit shall include a minimum of six (6) mounting areas for feeders and six (6) for water bottle holders 438 (See Above). It is the Government’s plan to use the same feeders and water bottle holders used 439 throughout the Building 49 facility. Samples are available for inspection upon request. In addition, the 440 cage shall have six (6), 3"x 5" horizontal, Lexan® shielded cardholders. The holder shall be designed to be 441 primate tamper proof. 442 Top ceiling panel of the caging should be constructed of 5/16” (0.312) diameter, rim rod frame, 6-gauge, 444 grid wire or stronger, in a 1”x 1” woven, spot-welded, grid mesh pattern. The grid pattern shall stay 445 approximately 12” from the room ceiling and not permit animals to reach out and manipulate ceiling 446 fixtures. The ceiling construction shall be durable enough to support the weight of several adult 20kg male 447 macaques, jumping 3-5’, generating a net force of 250-300 lbs., in addition to suspended enrichment 448 items without bending or warping. A hinged, secure, lockable door panel shall be present under the room 449 lighting fixture(s) to provide ceiling access for personnel to allow maintenance/repair of ceiling mounted 450 fixtures. 451 Resting perches, shelves, and “hand-holds” that are integral to the cage design shall be fabricated of a 453 non-toxic, durable, cleanable, easily sanitized material. Animal perching surfaces shall be constructed of 454 a thermoneutral material and support a weight of approximately 200-250 lbs. In addition, their design 455 shall be sloped in a manner which discourages the collection of excrement on its surface. 456 Animal Transfer Doors/Tunnels 458 Animal transfer doors/tunnels are designed to connect a ‘Home’ cage with another ‘Home’ cage or the 460 testing module, through the cinder block wall in the rear of each cage. The tunnel will be part of the rear 461 of each cage. Each cinder block opening is approximately 18” wide and 20” tall. The depth of the cinder 462 block is approximately 6”. A stainless-steel casement shall be fabricated to enclose and protect the 463 bordering cinder blocks. The casing shall be secure, demountable, sealed, gasketed, water and vermin 464 proof. The ideal gasket material would be durable, waterproof, resistant to chemicals, fragmenting, 465 peeling, easily cleaned, sanitized, and odor resistant. A solid stainless-steel guillotine or sliding door shall 466 be installed on one side of the transfer tunnel. The track of the door shall remain above the floor, and 467 designed to prevent the accumulation of water, bedding material, animal waste products, or other debris 468 which could jam the mechanism and prevent operation of the door. The door shall be securable and 469 lockable with a padlock in both the open and closed position. When closed, the door shall prevent animal 470 contact through the opening. Ideally, the door will be self-storing or have a storage location integral to 471 the cage design. 472 Delivery 474 Detailed drawings and specifications shall be provided thirty-day (30) days or less after award. The first 476 delivery shall be made 150-160 days or less after receipt of purchase order and submitted drawing 477 approval. Timely delivery is important to keep the overall study timeline on track and understanding its 478 critical path to our separate requirement of minimizing the disruption to ongoing research projects. 479 Equally important is a phased delivery schedule. Upon delivery and installation of the first Social Housing 480 Habitat and four (4) Animal Transfer Doors/Tunnels, the Government will require a thirty-day (30) 481 evaluation period. Based on the Governments findings, changes may need to be made to both the 482 installed habitat and habitats still to be fabricated and installed at no charge to the Government. At the 483 end of the evaluation period, delivery and installation of the remaining units shall be made 120 days or 484 less after of approval of the final designs. The vendor shall work with facility management to establish a 485 phased delivery and installation schedule that is acceptable. 486

A. Due to limited and restricted access through the facility to the final installation site, the 488 contractor shall provide as part of the proposal a plan for the installation of the Social Group 489 Housing systems. Work will occur between the hours of 6:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through 490 Friday. Work over the weekend can be performed if arrangements are made with the 491 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). 492

B. The plan shall include the planned access routes, equipment that will be used to move 494 equipment to and from the worksite and the loading dock and access requirements, including 495 duration of access; and the methods to be used to protect facility surfaces. The contractor is 496 responsible for any facility modifications and resultant damages. Prior to submitting a 497 proposal, all parties shall have the opportunity to visit the site (during a prescheduled site 498 visit) to confirm all dimensions, access into and through the facility. 499

C. Staging and storage areas are very limited and will need to be coordinated through the COR. 501

Staging and storage will need to be coordinated with the COR to ensure minimal impact to 502 the building’s loading dock areas. 503

Response 505 Prior to the RFP submittal deadline, the Government will hold a question and answer session on the NIH 507 Bethesda campus, including a walk-through of the proposed installation area, to provide any required 508 clarification of this RFP. Attendance is limited to a maximum of two (2) representatives per vendor. Social 509 distancing will be practiced during the session and personal protective equipment will be provided. 510 Examples of current facility caging, including water bottle holders, water bottles, and feed bins will be 511 available for examination. Photography will not be permitted during the walk-through. Responses to this 512 RFP shall, at a minimum, provide capability statements to include current in-house capability and capacity 513 to meet this requirement and concept drawings and specifications in support of meeting all specified 514 requirements for technical evaluation. Vendors shall also provide a synopsis of their experience designing, 515 fabricating, and installing non-human primate social housing caging. In addition, the Government 516 recommends and would appreciate vendors providing a "no obligation" cost estimate for the above 517 referenced requirements for the social housing habitats and transfer doors/tunnels for "information 518 purposes" only. Also, provide a list of up to three (3) prior completed projects of the same nature within 519 the past five (5) years, including date(s) of sale, description, dollar value, client name, client address, client 520 point of contact name, client point of contact mailing address, client point of contact phone number, and 521 client point of contact email address. 522 Evaluation Factors 524 Proposals will be evaluated for their understanding of the Government’s requirements and ability to 526 provide a safe, secure, durable social housing habitat/environment for macaques, which can be easily 527 cleaned and sanitized. The ideal installation will safely and securely contain the animals, provide for clear 528 animal visualization, while promoting animal well-being in an open, non-cage-like design aesthetic. Based 529 on technical excellence, cost, and the consideration of other factors, the Government reserves the right 530 to make an award that will be to the best advantage (Best Value) of the Government. The Government 531 will evaluate the Offeror’s ability to deliver required services at an agreed- to price. Cost will be used as 532 an aid in determining the Offeror's understanding of the requirements. Failure to provide the information 533 required to evaluate the proposal may result in rejection of that proposal without further consideration. 534