Genomic Regulatory Network of the Retina

The National Institutes of Health, Office of the Director, is conducting a pre-solicitation notice for research services related to the "Genomic Regulatory Network of the Retina" project under NAICS code 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services). The procurement seeks a contractor to analyze gene regulatory networks in retinal cells to understand how gene expression patterns are disrupted in aging and disease, ultimately supporting the development of novel treatment paradigms for blinding retinal and macular degenerative diseases. Key contract requirements include preprocessing raw Next Generation Sequencing data and public datasets, integrating data using statistical modeling, generating genomic regulatory networks, developing user-friendly exploration tools for biologists, identifying retina-specific genomic features, and producing a draft manuscript ready for submission by the end of the performance period. The contractor must also participate in regular project meetings and peer-reviewed publications. All proposals must be submitted electronically to Mr. Vishnuvajjala Hanumanth Rao at vishnuh@mail.nih.gov by April 19, 2026, at 9:00 AM Eastern time, and must include a technical proposal, cost-price proposal, period of performance, Unique Entity ID, Taxpayer Identification Number, and business size certification.

This is a sole-source procurement award intended for IN SILICHROM LTD, located in Newbury, United Kingdom, with no set-aside designation applicable. The contract is being conducted under FAR Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures with an amount not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold of $350,000. The NAICS size standard for this category is $19.5 million. Interested parties must maintain active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) to be eligible for consideration. While the notice indicates a non-competitive award intention, the April 19, 2026 deadline allows competing entities to submit their qualifications and proposals during this pre-solicitation period.