Selection, Production, Characterization and Distribution of Cultured Cells and DNA for Research on Aging

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Aging (NIA), intends to re-compete a requirement currently being performed by Coriell Institute for Medical Research under NIDA Contract 75N95020C00003. This procurement is being competed under full and open competitive procedures under NAICS code 541715. It is anticipated that a cost-reimbursement type contract will be awarded for a one (1) year period of performance beginning on or about February 1, 2025, with four (4) option years. The anticipated level of effort is approximately 7 FTE in year 1 and 7 FTE per year in years 2-5. The objective of the Aging Cell Repository contract is to obtain, generate, characterize, store, and distribute cell lines for studies on the biology of aging.

The NIA maintains the Aging Cell Repository as a resource for scientists conducting research in the biology of aging. The Aging Cell Repository was established in1974 by the Aging Branch of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), later to become the National Institute on Aging (NIA). For the last fifty years, the repository has served the scientific community conducting research on aging by providing investigators with cultures of high quality, well-characterized cell lines and selected DNA stocks.

The scope of the repository is to select, produce, characterize, store and distribute human and animal cell lines and DNA for research on aging. These well-characterized cell cultures and DNA would otherwise not be readily available. Cells in the repository originate from 42 animal species, including human, nonhuman primate (NHP) and rodent species and domestic animals. The repository comprises over 3,000 unique cell lines, the majority of which are of human origin, including human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines and lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). Of special value are collections of cells from seven longevity studies that enrolled participants over 60 years old.

The purpose of this procurement is to continue the operation of the Aging Cell Repository which serves as a resource to facilitate gerontological research by providing high quality, uncontaminated, well characterized, biologically and clinically documented cell lines to investigators. Available cell lines from external sources are obtained at the optimal passage, expanded, characterized and stored. When possible, clinical and/or genetic information is linked to the cell line. New cell lines, include but not limited to reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). Cells are cultured, expanded, stored, characterized and subjected to quality control according to current standards in the field.

Under this procurement, the Contractor shall maintain the current cell stocks frozen in liquid nitrogen; establish and store new cell lines; isolate DNA from cell lines and maintain stocks; conduct applied research activities related to improving the services of the repository (including but not limited to developing new protocols for nonhuman primate cell reprogramming); distribute cell cultures and DNA to investigators; maintain a web-based catalog for public access; maintain and add to the bibliography associated with the distributed cell lines; and maintain a comprehensive computerized data management system for the repository.

This is not a Solicitation, and the Government is not committed to award a contract pursuant to this announcement.  The proposed acquisition was previously publicized under small business sources sought notice 75N95024R00037.

The solicitation will be available on SAM.Gov in April 2024.