Human Blood for Research Utilizing Malaria Parasite Cultures

The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA) R&D Branch 1 has issued a Special Notice announcing its intent to award a sole source contract to ZenBio Inc., located in Durham, North Carolina. This procurement is authorized under 41 United States Code 1901 as implemented in FAR 13.501 and pertains to the supply of human blood products for malaria vaccine research at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR). The government has identified ZenBio Inc. as the only responsible source capable of meeting its specific requirements for regular, scheduled deliveries of screened human blood products. The contract opportunity falls under the Biological Product Manufacturing category (NAICS 325414) and the Blood and Blood Products category (PSC 6506). The Special Notice was posted on November 10, 2025, with a submission deadline of November 17, 2025.

All human blood products supplied under this contract must comply with stringent regulatory and testing standards, including 21 CFR Part 310.40 General Biological Products Standards Testing Requirements for Relevant Transfusion-Transmitted Infections. Each unit of blood or serum must be FDA certified and accompanied by a Certificate of Analysis, with mandatory testing for HIV types 1 and 2, Hepatitis B and C viruses, HTLV types 1 and 2, Syphilis, Chagas, West Nile virus, and Zika virus. The procurement is designated as non-proprietary, indicating that while this is a sole source award, the government may consider other sources in the future if circumstances change. Due to the specialized nature of the requirements and the sole source determination, only ZenBio Inc. is currently eligible to participate in this procurement. The compressed timeline from posting to due date allows minimal time for interested parties to submit inquiries or protests regarding the sole source justification.