GENERATING TARGETED GENE INSERTION AND REPORTER GENE OF INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS (iPSC) (NIH-CRM)

Posting Amendment #A001, refer to the attached file entitled: 18B - Amendment A001.pdf.

Posting solicitation as of April 26, 2012.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), for the National Institutes of Health Center for Regenerative Medicine (NIH-CRM) is a resource for the National Institutes of Health intramural Research Program (NIH IRP) in the area of stem cell technology. One main goal of the NIH-CRM is to provide the NIH IRP with support in order to move research in the area of stem cell technology forward. To better support the NIH IRP, the NIH-CRM plans to procure services for the purpose of generating targeted gene insertion of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) lines and generate iPSC lines with a report gene insertion that can be utilized by the greater NIH-IRP community. The resulting contract(s) will provide stem cell lines and develop protocols and standard operating procedures in order to derive, culture, and differentiate stem cells. NIH plans to distribute the cells obtained under any resultant contract(s), through a repository, that will be determined at a later date, to both academic and non-academic users. It is expected that these users will utilize these cells for developing tools for translational work including screening of molecular libraries.

THIS PROCUREMENT IS 100% SET-ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. ONLY SMALL BUSINESSES MAY SUBMIT A PROPOSAL. The standard classification NAICS code is 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. With a small business size standard of $14.0 million.

NHLBI is planning to award Multiple Award Indefinite-delivery, Indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts. It is anticipated that the resulting task orders (TO) will be issued as firm-fixed price type. The IDIQ contracts will have a one-year base period and two (2) one-year option periods. Source selection will be based on a best value trade-off evaluation.

The solicitation will include a requirement that the cells will be distributed under a standard Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) for which the relevant terms will be provided in the solicitation. Use of proprietary technology or processes that have restrictions that prevent the NIH from reaching its stated goal will negatively impact the evaluation of the proposal.

NHLBI is planning to hold a pre-proposal conference during which potential contractors may obtain a better understanding of the work required. Details regarding the date, time and location of this conference will be provided in Section L of the Solicitation.

This is a presolicitation notice only, and not a request for proposal (RFP). The solicitation, solicitation amendments, and all questions and answers related to this procurement will be made available via the Internet at http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. The solicitation is anticipated for release to the vendor community on or about April 10, 2012 and will only be available via the Internet at the above web site. Potential offerors are responsible for accessing the web site. Interested parties must respond to the solicitation in order to be considered for award of any resultant contract. There is no written solicitation available, telephone requests will not be honored, and no bidders list will be maintained. Potential offerors are required to direct all questions via e-mail to robin.jeffries@nih.gov.