Assessment and Accreditation of IRB Animal Program
Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted
- Solicitation number
- NIH-SS-7330176
- Agency
-
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 813920 Professional Organizations
- Place of performance
- Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health, seeks assessment and accreditation services for the NIH Intramural Research Program's animal program. The procurement is structured as a sole-source award to AAALAC International under FAR Part 6.302-1, as AAALAC International is identified as the only known responsible source capable of meeting the requirement to maintain compliance with NIH Policy Manual Chapter 3040-2. The requirement includes conducting comprehensive triennial site visits to the IRP Bethesda campus, where teams of 12 expert site visitors will spend five days reviewing all components of the animal research program, including meetings with 16 animal care and use programs and facility walkthroughs. Evaluation will focus on the contractor's ability to maintain accreditation status through ongoing internal assessments and annual report submissions. Small businesses including 8(a) firms, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, HUBZone small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, and women-owned small businesses may submit written capability statements by 12:00 p.m. EST on Monday, February 24, 2026, to Lynda.Cole@nih.gov, with award anticipated approximately ten days after the notice date.
This procurement carries no set-aside designation, with AAALAC International identified as the intended awardee and manufacturer. The contract will be structured as a firm-fixed-price purchase order financed incrementally through annual dues, with the next scheduled site visit occurring in 2027. While specific dollar values are not disclosed in this pre-solicitation notice, the multi-year nature of the requirement and the resource-intensive scope involving expert site visitor teams suggest a substantial procurement. The Government reserves the right to compete the award should responses from small businesses demonstrate comparable capability to perform the requirement. The triennial site visit cycle and ongoing accreditation maintenance activities will continue to support the NIH IRP's compliance obligations over the contract period.
Notice text
Notice of Intent to Sole Source for Assessment and Accreditation of IRB Animal Program
(NIH-SS-7330176)
The National Institutes of Health intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price purchase order to AAALAC Int’l. AAALAC Int’l UEI is Y5A5GKHKR8H6.
In accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1, AAALAC the Contractor is the only known responsible source who can provide the item that meets our standards. No other source has been identified who can provide the requirement listed below.
The requirement will provide assessment and accreditation of the NIH IRP animal program. This will allow the NIH IRP to remain in compliance with the requirements of NIH Policy Manual Chapter 3040-2, Animal Care and Use in the IRP, which requires full accreditation by AAALAC International. Every three years, a team of 12 experts (i.e., Site Visitors) visit the IRP Bethesda campus for a period of five days to provide a comprehensive review of all components of the Bethesda-based IRP animal research program. This includes meeting with the 16 animal care and use programs, Animal Care and Use Committee members, and leadership; and conducting walkthroughs of all affiliated animal holding facilities and investigator laboratories where research animals are held or used. Accreditation status is maintained between site visits by ongoing internal assessments of the program and submission of an Annual Report to AAALAC International. The next site visit will take place in 2027 and will be financed incrementally through annual dues.
This notice is not a request for competitive quotes. AAALAC Int’l is the manufacturer. However, any available small businesses (e.g., 8(a), service-disabled veteran owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, veteran-owned small business, and women-owned small business) as stated herein may submit a written capability statement that clearly supports and demonstrates their ability to perform the requirement. A determination by the Government to compete this proposed award based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.
It is anticipated that an award will be issued approximately ten (10) days after the date of this notice unless the Government determines that another organization has the capability to meet this requirement.
Please email responses to Lynda.Cole@nih.gov no later than 12:00 p.m. EST on Monday, February 24, 2026.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| NOI-AAALAC.docx | DOCX document |
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