THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR A PROPOSAL. A SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED AND PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE REQUESTED. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute?s (NHLBI), Office of Acquisitions (OA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive sole source basis to Children?s Research Institute, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20010, to continue the ongoing research collaboration project between the Laboratory of Development (LDB), NHLBI, to identify novel gene and genetic pathway essential for mamalian heart development. The acquisition is being conducted under FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, and the resultant purchase order will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 05-15. The acquisition is being conducted as non-competitive and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is 541990 and the Standard Size is $6.5M. The proposed period of performance is February 2007 through February 2008. (12 months). The estimated level of effort is 750 direct labor hours. The place of performance is the United States of America. The delivery point is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. The sole source determination is based on the need to continue the ongoing research collaboration project between the Laboratory of Development (LDB), NHLBI, and the Children?s Research Institute. For the ongoing research project, the NHLBI, requires a clinical pediatric cardiologist with clinical knowledge in congenital heart disease as well as research experience in cardiovascular development embryology is essential in assisting with the recovery and analysis of mouse mutants with congenital heart defects. Since, the Children?s Research Institute, started the project, it is to the government?s best interest not to change the Contract at this time so that the integrity of the research will not be jeopardized. Background Information; The Laboratory of Development Biology has an ongoing project to identify novel gene and genetic pathway essential for mammalian heart development. This gene discovery-based, projects will entail using ultrasound imaging to conduct a high throughput screen for cardiovascular anomalies in mutagenized mice. Mouse mutations identified in"this manner will aid in the mapping and identification of novel genes that are essential for cardiovascular development. Purpose and Objectives: The specific objective of this research is the identification of recessive lethal mouse mutations that cause heart defects. A clinical pediatric cardiologist with clinical knowledge in congenital heart disease as well as research experience in cardiovascular development embryology is essential in assisting with the recovery and analysis of mouse mutants with congenital heart defects. The Statement of Work is as follows: Contractor Requirements: Independently, and not as an agent of the government, the contractor shall furnish the materials, equipment, and facilities not otherwise provided by the government under the terms of the contract. Specifically the contractor shall: The pediatric cardiologist will assist help in examining ultrasound data and histological sections of mouse mutants to assess the cardiovascular defects in mouse mutants recovered in the ongoing ethylnitrosourea (ENU) screen. The pediatric cardiologist will also assist in monitoring the high throughput ultrasound screen being conducted by Dr. Yuan Shen, at the Jackson Laboratory. The pediatric cardiologist will assist in making critical decisions as to which mutagenized mouse lines should be brought back to NHLBI for further phenotype and genotype analyses. Government Responsibilities: The Laboratory of Developmental Biology, DIR, NHLBI, NIH, will provide all of the equipment, computer hardware and software required for this project. The work of this individual will be reviewed and approved by Dr. Cecilia Lo. Reporting Requirements and Deliverables: The Contractor will present his/her work on a monthly basis in a seminar style presentation to the laboratory, and in particular will discuss the potential clinical relevance of any cardiovascular phenotypes observed amongst the mutagenized mice. The Contractor will assist in manuscript preparation and where appropriate, he or she will initiate and write up some of his or her own work as manuscripts for publication. Inspection and Acceptance Requirements: The Project Manager and Government?s Project Officer will meet once a month to discuss research findings and the plans for future experiments. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this requirement. Responses to this announcement, referencing synopsis number ?NHBLI-PB-(HL)-2007-077-DDC? may be submitted to the National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Office Acquisitions, Division of Extramural Research Activities (DERA), Procurement Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 6042, Bethesda, MD 20892-7902, Attention: Deborah Coulter. Fax responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative.

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