NIA central biorepository biological specimens storage

Added: Aug 17, 2017 12:36 pm BACKGROUND

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), conducts and funds various longitudinal and clinical studies on aging that generate or have generated a collection of biological specimens (biospecimens) and related phenotypic and clinical data/resources pertaining to these research activities. The NIA's Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology is establishing the NIA Central Biorepository to provide a state-of-the-art inventory system for the storage and distribution of biospecimens and related resources. All of these activities are in support of future research initiatives. The collection of patient and control biospecimens from many different studies in a single repository is a valuable resource with which researchers can more rapidly validate clinical hypotheses and algorithms for clinical decision making. These collections will considerably contribute to advancing the development of prognostics, markers, and therapeutics for conditions related to aging and to a better understanding of the aging process.

Biospecimens are generally received as bulk relocations at the end of a study, but partial relocations or some intermittent shipping from potential ongoing studies may occur. The total estimated amount of biospecimens involved in this requirement is approximately 1,739,255 including: serum (400,102); plasma (138,161); urine (1,166,623); genetic materials such as DNA (9,905), buccal cells (1,912), and Epstein Barr virus cells and cell pellets (22,552). All of these collected during the conduction of studies supported by NIA.

The biospecimens to be stored in the NIA Central Biorepository were collected over many years from studies that carefully selected subjects and are available in a finite quantity. Each biospecimen is unique and cannot be replaced if lost, damaged, or contaminated. It is very important that these biospecimens be stored under optimal conditions, which vary from type to type of biospecimen.

The Contractors responsible for the NIA Central Biorepository Biological Specimens Storage and for the NIA Central Biorepository Data Coordination and Systems Management shall collaborate to develop tools to facilitate management and use of the NIA Central Biorepository resources.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

The proposed acquisition will comprise of the following types of activities:

• Technical and administrative infrastructure: Biospecimens preparation, shipment(s), receipt, processing request(s) and tracking systems.
• Maintaining confidentiality of subjects.
• Maintaining biospecimens, storage facility and equipment.
• Biologic specimen inventory: web-based inventory/ and tracking database.
• Security, back-up systems and plan for disaster recovery.
• Quality assurance/quality control systems.
• Communication and transition plan.

It is anticipated that one (1) cost reimbursement type contract will be awarded. The anticipated period of performance is for one (1) year plus four (4) option years. This acquisition is being competed under full and competitive procedures under FAR Part 15. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541990 with a standard size of $15 million.

A request for proposal (RFP) is anticipated to be posted on or about September 18, 2017. This proposed acquisition was previously publicized under sources sought notices HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RDSS-17-027 and HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-SBSS-17-027.

This is not an RFP and this announcement does not commit the Government to award a contract. No collect calls will be accepted. No facsimile transmissions will be accepted.