Shank 2 Cryorecovery Support Services for the Medical Readiness System Biology (MRSB) at WRAIR

Synopses – Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source to

Date:   22 July 2024

Year: FY2024

Contracting Office Zip Code: 21702-9232

Contracting Office Address – USA Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702-5014

Subject: Notice of Intent to Sole Source Award

 Shank 2 Cryorecovery Support  for the Medical Readiness Systems Biology Branch (MRSB) for the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)

The United State Army Medical Research Acquisition activity intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, IWA FAR 6.302-1(b)(1)(i), with Jackson Laboratory located at 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609..

The Medical Readiness Systems Biology Branch (MRSB) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) conducts research in military psychiatry and neuroscience, as well as a continuum of research from basic science to applied field studies.

The purpose of this requirement is to have a specialized laboratory to perform Cryorecovery, custom breeding and cryopreservation on a specific genetic mouse line.  This will keep consistency with research studies.

Objectives:

The vendor’s services will support MRSB objectives, by taking the cryopreserved sperm line provided by MRSB and reviving the mouse line from a compatible and specific transgenic C57BL/6J (Stock 000664) female cohort (solely owned by the vendor). The vendor will then be providing MRSB with mice of the specific genetic line with the specified engineered mutation(s), existing transgene(s), and strain background as specifically requested. The laboratory cryorecovery, custom breeding, and cryopreservation will be conducted off-site, at the vendor’s laboratory.   

Minimum Essential Characteristics (MECs) include:

• Vendor will develop a mouse colony from cryopreserved sperm from 2 male Shank2 homozygous Nestin-Cre hemizygous mice provided by WRAIR.
• Supply WRAIR with the first shipment of 10 male Shank2 homozygous Nestin-Cre hemizygous mice at 6-8 weeks of age.
• After a minimum of two months after delivering shipment one, supply WRAIR with a second shipment of 30 male Shank2 homozygous Nestin-Cre hemizygous mice at 6-8 weeks of age.
• Provide a protocol about how to inject tamoxifen (dose etc.) to mice for inducible-CRE activation.
• Deliver the protocol to test the success of gene editing, e.g. PCR protocol, primer, and kit information.
• Provide a protocol outlining the methodology necessary for developing and maintaining a mouse colony.
• Isolated and ship cryopreserved sperm from 2 male Shank2 homozygous Nestin-Cre hemizygous mice to WRAIR for prolonged cryopreservation.

THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTATIONS. Responsible, interested parties may identify their interest by submitting capability information, in writing, by 2:00 p.m. EST, Friday 2 August  2024 to Ms. Brenda Mena at brenda.i.mena.civ@health.mil . Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the firm’s ability to provide the stated capability.

Responses will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received, USAMRAA will proceed with the sole source contract.