"Pathology Peer Review & Pathology Support for the DNTP and DIR at NIEHS"

The contract is awarded as a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Level of Effort (LOE) type for a base year, with options for nine (9) additional one year periods, and options for an increase of 20% additional effort for the base year and each option year of the contract. The period of performance for the base period is July 18, 2015 through July 17, 2016 but may be extended by the exercise of all options through July 17, 2025. A CPFF type contract is appropriate because the uncertainties involved in the R&D support to be provided do not permit costs to be estimated (absent unacceptable contingencies) with sufficient accuracy to permit the use of any type of fixed price contract. The contract is one of multiple awards made as a result of solicitation NIHES2014009, and is specifically made under the Small Business Set-Aside portion thereof. Companion contracts include HHSN273201500012C to Charles River Laboratories Inc (CRL) of Wilmington MA and HHSN273201500014C to Experimental Pathology Laboratories Inc (EPL) of Sterling VA. Details of those awards are available under separate synopses. Effort to be provided under the contract will include ongoing and recurring support for pathology peer review of NTP studies. Peer review includes evaluation of pathology records, evaluation of pathoogy diagnoses and comparison with histopatholgical material, and evalauation of clinical pathology specimens and clinical pathology data. Ongoing and recurring support for pathology evaluations includes on-site staffing, necropsy services, histology services, special techniques (such as special tissue handling, histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry), obtaining digital images, electron microscopy, interpretation of molecular pathology data, histopatholgy evaluation, and assistance with manuscript writing. Types of studies which require peer review and other pathology support include but are not limited to chronic studies, subchronic studies, Reproductive Assessment by Continuous Breeding (RACB) studies, Modificed One-Generation (MOG) studies, immunotoxicity studies, GMM studies, and developmental neurotoxicity studies.