This announcement is to provide notice that The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Natick Contracting Division, Ft. Detrick, on behalf of the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3) Ghana Detachment (GD) intends to negotiate the sole source award under FAR 6.302-1 (b)(1)(i), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, to Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) to provide contractor services to support ongoing research activities and host nation capacity building, including comprehensive support for laboratory operations, field-based infectious disease surveillance, and epidemiological studies conducted in consonance with the mission of NAMRU-3 GD.

NMIMR is the only responsible source capable of effectively supporting this requirement, based on the following rationale:
1. Many of the staff at the Institute have the corporate knowledge representing years of field research and laboratory analysis. NAMRU-3 GD collaborating staff are located on the NMIMR premises and conduct all laboratory work there. NMIMR drives much of the research protocol development that NAMRU-3 GD researchers collaborate on and, as such, they have a significant proprietary stake in research performed in collaboration with NAMRU-3 GD. No other vendors are known that could facilitate the continuation of research required for these efforts in this area.
2. Resources - The higher the disease risk, the higher the biosafety level. Requirement is for a minimum of biosafety level (BSL) -2, but, because of the unpredictable incidence risk associated with mutated diseases, a BSL-3 could become a necessity. NMIMR is the only source in Accra (and Ghana as a whole) that can provide NAMRU-3 GD the facilities and resources needed to carry out its research mission.

While this notice is not a request for competitive proposals, responsible parties purporting to have the requisite credentials and capabilities to provide this service in fulfilling the agency's requirements must furnish, in writing, factual information, which clearly supports and demonstrates their ability to sufficiently provide these services, within 15 days to Mr. Jeremy Michaels, Contract Specialist, by email at [email protected]. Any questions regarding this notice must be in writing only; no telephonic replies will be accepted. A determination not to compete this proposed action based on any responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer for this action is Ms. Sandra O'Connell.

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