Cannabinoid Testing

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a Special Notice for cannabinoid testing services to evaluate drugs and chemicals for abuse potential under the Controlled Substances Act. The DEA intends to award a firm-fixed price sole source purchase order to Research Triangle Institute (RTI) located in Durham, North Carolina, for conducting pharmacological studies on cannabinoids. This acquisition is being pursued as a sole source procurement under the rationale that only one source is reasonably available to meet the government's requirements. The notice falls under NAICS code 541380 for Testing Laboratories and Services and is classified as a civilian agency procurement. The DEA has determined that RTI possesses the necessary laboratory infrastructure and pre-trained animals required for the specialized behavioral pharmacology studies.

The primary objective of this contract is to conduct comprehensive in vivo pharmacological studies including locomotor activity testing, cannabinoid tetrad testing, and drug discrimination assays using pre-trained rats to determine the THC-like properties and abuse potential of synthetic cannabinoids and phytocannabinoids. The contract period runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, with the potential for additional option years. Interested contractors must submit capability statements electronically to Ms. Angel Barkley at angel.d.barkley@dea.gov by June 23, 2025, at 9:00 AM EST. Eligible contractors must possess a Schedule I researcher registration to handle controlled substances and demonstrate the capability to conduct specialized behavioral pharmacology studies with appropriately trained laboratory animals. The government retains sole discretion in determining whether to open the requirement to competition based on responses received, and this notice specifically states it is not a request for proposal.