Coffee-Associated Metabolites in Relation to Liver Cancer and Liver Disease Mortality in the Alpha-Tocopheral, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), Nutritional Epidemiology Branch (NEB) plans to procure on a sole source basis laboratory analyses of 1026 serum samples from the Alpha-Tocopheral, Beta-Carotene Cancer (ATBC) Study using a metabolomics platform optimized for the identification of polyphenols, which are found in high abundance in coffee from International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 cours Albert Thomas, F-69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France.

This acquisition will be processed in accordance with simplified acquisition procedures as stated in FAR Part 13.106-1(b)(1) and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System code is 541380 and the business size standard is 500 employees.

Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a firm fixed price type contract.

It has been determined there are no opportunities to acquire green products or services for this procurement.

The Nutritional Epidemiology Branch (NEB), Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI conducts intramural research in areas related to nutrition, metabolism and cancer which are aimed at lowering human cancer risk.

Results from the NCI studies, and those of others, have suggested that coffee drinking may protect against the development of liver cancer and chronic liver disease, a related pre-cursor condition. However, coffee contains over 1500 chemical compounds, and it remains unclear which components of coffee drive these potentially protective associations. Metabolomics is an approach which simultaneously measures many small metabolites in biological fluids and can be used to identify which specific compounds from coffee are related to liver cancer and chronic liver disease.

The NCI proposes to perform metabolomics on serum samples from participants developing liver cancer, dying from chronic liver disease, and matched controls from the ATBC at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The lab at the IARC's Biomarkers Group (BMA) in the Nutrition and Metabolism Section (NME) is one of the leaders in the field of metabolomics. This team has developed a metabolomics platform optimized for measuring polyphenols, which are abundant in coffee, and has demonstrated high accuracy and reproducibility in these assays as evidence, by their substantial publication record and work in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study.

Other service providers with such capacity, expertise, and track record are unknown. In addition to a comprehensive literature search, the NCI performed comprehensive online market research and could find no vendors with demonstrated expertise in measuring polyphenols. Additional pilot studies with other laboratories, should they be identified, would not be effective for the government as we have no guarantee that these other laboratories would be able to generate the required data. Such a process would also provide substantial delay to the NCI's study. Thus, IARC is the only known source that can supply the services required in this procurement.

The IARC previously analyzed coffee samples for the NCI using this metabolomics platform and demonstrated the necessary performance characteristics and reproducibility. It is critical for comparability of results that we use the same technology to analyze the serum samples in the present study of coffee-associated metabolites, liver cancer and liver disease mortality.

This notice is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party, especially small businesses, believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. The statement of capabilities and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement. Responses must be received in the contracting office by 10:00 AM EST, on July 10, 2015. All responses and questions must be in writing and faxed 240-276-5401 or emailed to Kimesha Leake, Contract Specialist at kimesha.leake@nih.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect calls will be accepted. In order to receive an award, contractors must be registered and have valid certification in the System for Award Management (SAM) through sam.gov. Reference: N02CP52622-24 on all correspondence.