Environmental Chemical Analysis of Human Biospecimens for the Division of Intramural Population Health Research (DIPHR)

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to solicit proposals to award an Indefinite/Delivery, Indefinite/Quantity (IDIQ) task order contract for a period of ten (10) years to provide the Division of Intramural Population Health Research (DIPHR) with a laboratory that has the capacity to analyze environmental chemicals and trace elements in human biospecimens collected as a part of various NICHD epidemiologic studies. The laboratory will receive no identifying information. Further details will be provided in the Request for Proposals (RFP).

NICHD is looking for potential sources who have experience and ability in conducting the analyses in human biospecimens of chemicals that include but are not limited to:

A. Lifestyle Biomarkers
a. Nicotine - cotinine and related compounds
b. Caffeine - paraxanthine and related compounds
c. Tobacco smoke (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fluorine, hydrocarbons, pyrene)
d. Sleep - melatonin
e. Stress (biomarkers of oxidative stress, e.g., 8-OHdG)

B. Diet Biomarkers
a. Phytoestrogens (coumestrol, daidzein, o-DMA, enterolactone, enterodiol, equol, genistein)
b. Vitamins and trace elements
c. Creatinine; specific gravity

C. Persistent environmental chemicals
a. Organochloride pesticides (hexochlorobenzene, -HCH, -HCH, oxychlordane, trans-nonachlor, trans-chlordane, cis-chlordane, cis-nonachlor, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDT, mirex)
b. Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFOS, PFOA, PFOSA, PFHxS, PFHpA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, and PFDoDA)
c. Polybrominated biphenyls (as many congeners as possible)
d. Polychlorinated biphenyls (as many congeners as possible)
e. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (as many congeners as possible)
f. Metals and elements (including rarer compounds such as lanthanides)

D. Non-persistent environmental chemical classes
a. Bisphenol (e.g., bisphenol A, F, S, total)
b. Benzophenone-type ultraviolet light filters (e.g., BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-8, 4OH-BP)
c. Hydroxyphenanthrenes and related compounds
d. Parabens (e.g., benzyl, n-butyl, ethyl, heptyl, methyl, n-propyl)
e. Perchlorate
f. Phenols (chlorophenols, DCP)
g. Phosphates (mono-, diethyl-, dimethyl-)
h. Phthalates (mBP, miBP, mBzP, mCHP, mCMHP, mCPP, mMP
i. Triclosan
j. Medications (paracetamol)

The RFP is anticipated to be posted on or about January 4, 2016 on FedBizOpps (FBO) website: http://www.fedbizopps.gov.The due date for submission of proposals in response to the RFP is anticipated to be on or about February 3, 2016. Information in the anticipated RFP supersedes any information in this pre-solicitation announcement.

This acquisition has been designated as full and open competition under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541380. Any questions concerning this announcement must be submitted in writing to Jeremy White at jeremy.white@nih.gov, Contracting Officer or Alice Pagán Pereira, Contracting Officer, at alice.pagan@nih.gov. No collect calls will be accepted. This announcement does not commit the Government to award a contract. The reference number to be used for this announcement is: RFP NIH-NICHD-DIPHR-2016-8. All correspondence must cite the reference number as provided.

The RFP will be made available electronically only via the FedBizOpps website (http://www.fbo.gov). Offerors are responsible for routinely checking the FedBizOpps website for any possible solicitation amendments that may be issued.