NHP MHC and KIR Allele Discovery and Typing Technology Development

Introduction
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) supports research related to the basic understanding of microbiology and immunology leading to the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and medical diagnostics for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, including organ transplantation and graft rejection. The NIAID Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation intends to issue a Broad Agency Announcement entitled "Nonhuman Primate MHC and KIR Allele Discovery and Typing Technology Development."

Description
In fiscal year (FY) 2004, NIAID established the NHP MHC Gene Discovery and Typing Technology Development Program, under Part II of Request for Proposals (RFP) NIH-NIAID-DAIT-04-24, titled "Development of Immune Monitoring Reagents and MHC Typing Technologies for Non-human Primates". This program is currently supported under BAA-NIAID-DAIT-NIHAI-20150033, "NHP MHC Gene Discovery and Typing Technology Development". Two contracts were awarded in FY 2016: University of Wisconsin, Madison (HHSN272201600007C) and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (HHSN272201600027C).

NIAID-supported efforts have provided the majority of the macaque MHC gene sequences submitted to GenBank since 2004. The Immuno Polymorphism Database (IPD) MHC validates and annotates NHP MHC gene sequences that are submitted to GenBank. The number of MHC Class I and MHC Class II sequences validated and assigned novel allele designations by the IPD for M. fascicularis, M. mulatta, and M. nemestrina continues to expand rapidly. New genotyping and gene discovery methods are at various stages of development, including adaptation of massively parallel pyrosequencing of cDNA-PCR amplicons. Full-length MHC and KIR sequence capture have become feasible and reveal significant variation not achieved by partial gene capture techniques.

This renewal solicitation of the NHP MHC and KIR Allele Discovery and Typing Development Program will expand upon the initial program goals to advance our knowledge of NHP MHC and KIR through the discovery and characterization of their genetic loci, alleles, and haplotypes, and frequencies; initiate discovery and characterization of NHP FcR genes, alleles and frequencies; and develop robust, high-throughput genotyping and haplotyping methods.

This BAA is the renewal of BAA-NIAID-DAIT-NIHAI2015033. Funding under the prior BAA is NOT required for the current solicitation; all qualified offerors are invited to apply.

It is anticipated that one or two cost reimbursement, completion type contracts will be awarded for a seven (7)-year period of performance beginning on or about April 1, 2021.

NIAID estimates that the average annual total cost (direct and indirect costs combined) is $1.0M for all contract awards made under this announcement. However, it is anticipated that the total cost for the award(s) may vary depending upon the scope of the project and the technical objectives of the award(s). The length of time for which funding is requested should be consistent with the nature and complexity of the proposed research. In no event shall the period of performance proposed by an offeror exceed seven (7) years.

Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal which shall be considered by the Agency. This notice does not commit the Government to award a contract. No collect calls will be accepted. No facsimile transmissions will be accepted.

For this solicitation, the NIAID requires proposals to be submitted online via the NIAID electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) website. Submission of proposals by facsimile or e-mail is not acceptable.

For directions on using eCPS, go to the website https://ecps.niaid.nih.gov and then click on "How to Submit."

Please note the original Presolication was made available electronically on November 4, 2019 through FedBizOpps http://www.fedbizopps.gov/.