Phase I - Serological Assays for the detection and characterization of influenza viruses

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Acquisition Services is seeking a contractor to conduct serological assays for detecting and characterizing influenza viruses. The primary contract objective involves testing immunological responses from human samples collected during vaccine effectiveness studies, randomized controlled trials, and outbreak investigations using the Hemagglutination Inhibition (HAI) assay. Samples will be delivered in batches based on study completion timelines, with the government providing standard operating procedures, proficiency panels, and necessary controls to ensure proper assay performance. The contract is structured with one 12-month base period and four additional 12-month option periods, allowing for flexible testing requirements. An optional task is also included for developing and validating a new serology assay comparable to HAI, which will be evaluated for sensitivity and specificity against existing methods.

This contract opportunity is being competed as a full and open procurement, with no specific small business set-aside, after a previous solicitation (75D30125R73211) did not receive sufficient small business participation. The contract is categorized under NAICS code 325413 for In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing and PSC code Q301 for Reference Laboratory Testing. The solicitation was posted on December 18, 2024, with responses due by January 8, 2025, providing potential contractors approximately three weeks to prepare their proposals. The CDC will provide seasonal influenza viruses, antigens, positive and negative controls to support the contractor's testing and validation processes. While specific award values are not disclosed in the pre-solicitation notice, the multi-year structure and comprehensive testing requirements suggest a potentially significant contract opportunity for qualified laboratories specializing in immunological testing.