Management and Support of an Archives and Repository Contract

This notice announces a Request For Proposals (RFP) to solicitation number NIHES201800007.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is soliciting proposals to provide the necessary services, qualified professional, technical, administrative, or clerical personnel as well as materials, equipment, and facilities needed to manage and support the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Archives, NTP Frozen Tissue Bank, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Data and Specimen Repository. The contractor shall provide for the storage and management of large volumes of data and biological specimens that require safe, secure, short-term and long-term storage under specific environmental conditions. The materials include, but are not limited to: wet-tissue preserved or fixed in formalin; formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks; histological glass slides; frozen tissue; biological samples; kodachrome slides; digital images; paper data; electronic data; and microfiche.

Mandatory Requirements: The Contractor shall establish and maintain offices, equipment, and technical facilities, including laboratory facilities, within a 25-minute drive of the main campus of the NIEHS located at 111 T.W. Alexander Dr., Durham, NC 27709, for the duration of the contract performance period. The facilities must be fully operational and ready to initiate transition activities by the date of contract award. The facilities shall be co-located within the same building or business complex. All facilities shall be subject to approval by the Contracting Officer as to suitability and adequacy.

Contract Type and Contractor's Accounting System: It is anticipated that the resultant contract will be a cost reimbursement type contract. Therefore, to be considered for an award under the resultant solicitation, the offeror's accounting system and practices must be adequate and suitable for accumulating costs under government contracts. Offerors will be required to provide evidence of the accounting system being adequate and the proposal shall include a certification that the offeror's accounting system meets all of the specifications outlined in the solicitation for an adequate accounting system, in accordance with FAR 16.301-3, 16.403-1, and in compliance with FAR Part 31.

Section 508 Conformance: Requirements for accessibility based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) are determined to be relevant for this contract. In order to conform to the Section 508 Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards, the contractor shall perform all work required under the resultant contract in compliance with the provisions delineated in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 36 (36 CFR Part 1194). All respondents to any solicitation will be required to submit an HHS Section 508 Evaluation Template (VPAT) which can found at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/contracting/technology-products/product-accessiblity-template/index.html.

The RFP is anticipated to result in one (1) award to an offeror capable of performing all aspects of the work described in the SOW. It is anticipated that a single award, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will be awarded on or before July 30, 2018 for a base period of one-year, plus four (4) successive one-year option periods. The proposed contract will be issued using full and open competition. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 493120 with a corresponding size standard of $27.5M. The Government intends to make an award using the procedures for competitive negotiated acquisitions as authorized in FAR Part 15.

Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided in the RFP. Submit all questions in writing, via email to: Julie.Bardo@nih.gov no later than 5:00 PM EST, May 2, 2018. Telephone inquiries will NOT be accepted.

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This notice announces a Request For Proposals (RFP) to solicitation number NIHES201800007.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is soliciting proposals to provide the necessary services, qualified professional, technical, administrative, or clerical personnel as well as materials, equipment, and facilities needed to manage and support the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Archives, NTP Frozen Tissue Bank, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Data and Specimen Repository. The contractor shall provide for the storage and management of large volumes of data and biological specimens that require safe, secure, short-term and long-term storage under specific environmental conditions. The materials include, but are not limited to: wet-tissue preserved or fixed in formalin; formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks; histological glass slides; frozen tissue; biological samples; kodachrome slides; digital images; paper data; electronic data; and microfiche.

Mandatory Requirements: The Contractor shall establish and maintain offices, equipment, and technical facilities, including laboratory facilities, within a 25-minute drive of the main campus of the NIEHS located at 111 T.W. Alexander Dr., Durham, NC 27709, for the duration of the contract performance period. The facilities must be fully operational and ready to initiate transition activities by the date of contract award. The facilities shall be co-located within the same building or business complex. All facilities shall be subject to approval by the Contracting Officer as to suitability and adequacy.

Contract Type and Contractor's Accounting System: It is anticipated that the resultant contract will be a cost reimbursement type contract. Therefore, to be considered for an award under the resultant solicitation, the offeror's accounting system and practices must be adequate and suitable for accumulating costs under government contracts. Offerors will be required to provide evidence of the accounting system being adequate and the proposal shall include a certification that the offeror's accounting system meets all of the specifications outlined in the solicitation for an adequate accounting system, in accordance with FAR 16.301-3, 16.403-1, and in compliance with FAR Part 31.

Section 508 Conformance: Requirements for accessibility based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) are determined to be relevant for this contract. In order to conform to the Section 508 Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards, the contractor shall perform all work required under the resultant contract in compliance with the provisions delineated in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 36 (36 CFR Part 1194). All respondents to any solicitation will be required to submit an HHS Section 508 Evaluation Template (VPAT) which can found at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/contracting/technology-products/product-accessiblity-template/index.html.

The RFP is anticipated to result in one (1) award to an offeror capable of performing all aspects of the work described in the SOW. It is anticipated that a single award, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will be awarded on or before July 30, 2018 for a base period of one-year, plus four (4) successive one-year option periods. The proposed contract will be issued using full and open competition. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 493120 with a corresponding size standard of $27.5M. The Government intends to make an award using the procedures for competitive negotiated acquisitions as authorized in FAR Part 15.

Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided in the RFP. Submit all questions in writing, via email to: Julie.Bardo@nih.gov no later than 5:00 PM EST, May 2, 2018. Telephone inquiries will NOT be accepted.