Production of Cannabis and Related Materials for Research

PLEASE NOTE THIS SOLICITATION HAS BEEN AMENDED.

The purpose of Amendment No. 01 and Amendment No. 02 is to provide additional clarification to formal questions submitted in response to the solicitation. Please see the Attachments Amendment_1_10.06.2022-S and Amendment_2_10.14.2022 for responses to questions. 

The purpose of Amendment No. 03 is to extend the proposal due date of the solicitation from October 28, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) to November 4, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern). All other terms and condition of the Request for Proposal (RFP) remain unchanged.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is soliciting proposals for the Production of Cannabis and Related Materials for Research from qualified contractors having the capability to perform the tasks identified in this pre-solicitation notice.

This Request for Proposal is released under FULL AND OPEN Competition Procedures.

In accordance with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, all offerors must possess, at the time of proposal submission, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Registrations for manufacture and distribution of Schedule I controlled substances including cannabis and its active and non-active constituents. Please refer to the following link: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/marihuana.htm  

This contract will facilitate NIDA’s role in supplying marijuana for research purposes through the Drug Supply Program (DSP). NIDA administers contracts with DEA licensed growers to provide quality marijuana, marijuana extracts, marijuana resin and marijuana preparations to NIH-funded researchers and to non-NIH funded researchers requesting materials from the DSP who possess a Schedule I research registration from DEA.

This contract facilitates the parties’ collaborative activities supporting the cultivation and distribution of marijuana for research purposes pursuant to regulatory revisions to 21 C.F.R. Part 1318 published as a final rule in the Federal Register at 85 FR 82333 and effective January 19, 2021; and (ii) maintains DEA’s responsibility to register bulk manufacturers of marijuana (i.e. growers) in a manner consistent with the public interest as enumerated in 21 U.S.C. § 823(a) and with the treaty obligations of the United States under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 (Single Convention) (18 U.S.T. 1407).

Please refer to Section M of the Attachment for mandatory criteria. All offerors must be REGISTERED and have an ACTIVE System for Award Management "http://www.sam.gov/" (www.sam.gov) account at the time an offer/proposal is submitted to the Government. All offerors registered in the System for Award Management http://www.sam.gov/ (www.sam.gov) must be in full compliance with FAR 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance to be eligible to submit a proposal. The Government will not accept proposals from offerors who do not meet the SAM requirement.

NIDA anticipates that a multiple award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ), task order contract will be awarded for an ordering period of five (5) years. However, the Government reserves the right to make a single award, multiple awards, or no award at all to the solicitation. In addition, the solicitation may be amended or canceled as necessary to meet NIDA's requirements. NIDA intends to award cost reimbursement task orders under this contract. These individual task orders may include options periods and/or options quantities. If options or option quantities are utilized for an individual task order they will be clearly defined in the Task Order RFP and be determined and evaluated at the time of task order solicitation and award. All funding will be made through the issuance of task orders and will be dependent on program needs and availability of funds.

Set-Aside Status:

The services will be acquired through unrestricted full and open competitive procedures under NAICS Code 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

Anticipated Ordering Period:

The anticipated ordering period is five years.

Proposal Due Date:

Proposals must be submitted via the electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) website (https://ecps.nih.gov) no later than November 4th, 2022, 3:00 P.M. Eastern Time