Repository for Storage, Monitoring and Distribution of NICHD Biological Specimens

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) continues to have a need for storage, monitoring and distributing blood, urine, tissue and other samples collected currently by 24 NICHD programs.  There are approximately 2.7 million vials of biological specimens that have been collected under vairous research protocols.  Adquate storage space will be required for 1,250,000 vials stored at -20 degrees C; 1,200,000 at -70 degrees C; and 215,000 stored in liquid nitrogen (LN).  Over the next seven years, there will be additions to the collections at a rate of approximately 250,000-300,000 per year, at the specified temperatures above, totaling approximately 2.5 million specimens.  The following criteria define NICHD's need for the repository.  a) Offerors must have the capacity for the requisite storage space.  All storage must be in the same or adjoining buildings, not more than two minutes' walking time apart.  Building(s) must be equipped with adequate and appropriate monitoring facilities and back-up electrical power source(s).  b) Offerors must have a computerized inventory system that is able to locate every sample in storage.  It must be a web-based system capable of managing a repository of this size, and be able to produce reports for the NICHD based on subject ID number and the date the speciman was drawn, as well as other specified information stored in the database.  Since the information collected on the samples from each of the 24 programs differs, the inventory system must be able to accommodate from 3-25 items per specimen, including, but not limited to, tracking data for in/out status, quantity of specimen, and number of times thawed.  c)  Offerors must have the capability of retrieving specimens from inventory, aliquoting them into a new container, and shipping them them to designated locations upon request.  And d) Offerors must have the capacity and capability to receive new specimens into the repository, to catalog them into the database, and to return to the inventory all unused portions.  It is anticipated that the RFP will be published on or about August 6, 2008 with a due date of 60 days after issuance.  All responsible Offerors who have the capabilities to provide the a fore mentioned services are encouraged to submit a proposal to: Mrs. Lynn Salo, Contracting Officer, NICHD CMB,  NIDDK, NIH, 6100 Executive Building, MSC 7510, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7510 (or overnight courier: 6100 Executive Blvd., Rockville, Maryland 20852).  Phone number: 301-435-6962 and FAX number: 301-402-3676.  E-mail address ls59u@nih.gov.  This requirement is defined as code 541712 under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).