Type of Requirement
0 New Requirement
1 Re-competition (Contract No.: HHSN272200700060C)
0 Expansion of (Contract/RFP No.:______________)

Place of Performance
1 Place of performance is unknown at this time
0 Place of performance is known

Recompetition (if applicable)
SeraCare BioServices
217 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Contracting Office Address
Office of Acquisitions
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
6700-B Rockledge Drive, Room 3214, MSC 7612
Bethesda, MD 20892-7612

Sources Sought Notice Information

General Information
Document Type: Sources Sought Notice
Solicitation Number: Reference Number: HHS-NIH-NIAID(AI)-SBSS-2156
Posted Date: December 7, 2012
Original Response Date: December 21, 2012
Current Response Date: December 21, 2012
Original Archive Date:
Current Archive Date:
Classification Code: A -- Research & Development
NAICS Code: 541712 -Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences

Introduction
This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether there are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; women-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

Background
The Division of AIDS (DAIDS), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducts and supports epidemiological and clinical research on HIV/AIDS. Many of the large clinical and epidemiological studies funded by DAIDS collect biologic specimens from subjects for ongoing and future studies. The collection and storage of these specimens from HIV-positive and HIV-negative subjects from many different research studies in a single repository is a valuable resource with which researchers can rapidly validate scientific hypotheses and algorithms for clinical decision-making. Well collected and maintained specimen collections coupled with epidemiologic data have facilitated research on the pathogenesis of HIV disease, development of novel drug approaches, prevention studies of potential microbicides and vaccines, and approaches for purging HIV reservoirs including "HIV Cure".

The NIAID Specimen Repository (NSR), first funded in 1988, is a storage and management program for biological specimens received from HIV positive and negative subjects enrolled in NIAID-sponsored vaccine and observational cohort studies. There are currently over 6 million specimens in the NSR and specimens are often aliquoted into multiple vials. The repository currently contains 160 ( 80°C) mechanical freezers and 42 liquid nitrogen freezers. Inventory is currently managed through utilization of the Biological Specimen Inventory II (BSI-II) system.

The current seven-year contract with SeraCare BioServices, Inc., (contract #HHSN272200700060C) will expire on September 30, 2014.

Purpose and Objectives
This contract will support the continuation of current and future vaccine and epidemiological cohort study groups, referred to as Study Groups. The current NIAID Study Groups, noted in order of greatest to least numbers of stored specimens are: the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS); the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS); and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN). The NSR also maintains specimens from other smaller NIAID-sponsored studies that have been completed. The NSR activities include the short, moderate and long-term specimen storage component of the domestic and international research of the Study Groups through receipt, cryopreservation, and storage of specimens from research sites that are either part of the Study Group (referred to as Sites), or laboratories collaborating with the Study Groups (referred to as external research groups). Retrieval and distribution of stored specimens by the NSR is guided by established scientific priorities of the Division of AIDS. Specimens include peripheral blood mononuclear cells, serum, plasma, tissue and other bodily fluids or substances such as cervicovaginal lavage (CVL), semen, saliva, urine, feces, autopsy and biopsy materials and whole blood spots dried on filter paper. The specimens have been collected over many years from carefully chosen subjects and reflect the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic; specimens date from 1984.

Project Requirements
The NSR should be capable of housing, operating and managing the NIAID Specimen Repository. Each specimen is unique and cannot be replaced if lost, damaged or contaminated. Therefore, it is essential that the specimens be stored under optimal conditions to maintain their integrity and biological properties, which vary from specimen type to specimen type.

Specifically, the Contractor will be required to:

A. Follow all Federal, State and local requirements and current best practices for the collection, handling, preservation, storage, retrieval and distribution of biological material for scientific research.

B. Manage Specimens, including: 1) acquiring specimens from Study Group sites; 2) storing specimens under optimal conditions to minimize loss, damage or contamination; 3) aliquoting specimens; 4) distributing specimens to qualified investigators including packaging, handling, and coordinating specimen shipments to domestic and international sites; and 5) withdrawing and destroying Repository specimens.

C. Maintain high quality, secure information systems to allow detailed tracking of specimen receipt, processing, storage, inventory and distribution, rapid retrieval of specimens, and storage of QA/QC information associated with the specimen.

D. Establish and maintain Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) Programs.

E. Ensure an orderly transition of the NIAID Specimen Repository at contract initiation.

F. Ensure an orderly transition of the NIAID Specimen Repository at contract termination.

G. Participate in meetings and teleconferences.

H. In addition to the services/quantities outlined above to be provided for the base period, the Government may exercise, at its discretion, options for additional level of effort as follows:

1) Options to extend the term of the contract to perform the same scope and types of activities outlined in the Statement of Work for the base period; and 2) Options to provide one (1) additional FTE for each option exercised to accommodate unanticipated increases in specimen acquisition, storage, and distribution which may be exercised 2 times in any year of the contract; and 3) Options to provide one (1) additional FTE for each option exercised to accommodate increases in specimen acquisition, storage, culturing, and distribution of TB specimens. These options may be exercised 2 times in any year of the contract and will require a facility with BSL-3 capability.

Performance Requirement and Anticipated Period of Performance
It is anticipated that one cost reimbursement type, term form contract will be awarded. The performance requirement will be for the delivery of 21.84 full time equivalents (FTEs) per year for the base period (Year 1) and option periods (Year 2 through Year 7), which may be unilaterally exercised by the Government. The option periods may extend the term of the contract beyond the base period for up to 7 years. In addition to the services outlined above to be provided in the base requirement, options for additional services under the contract may be exercised at the discretion of the Government as follows: 1) increased level of effort to accommodate unanticipated increases in specimen acquisition, storage and distribution in the amount of 1 FTE per option that may be exercised up to two times in a performance year; and 2) increased level of effort to support acquisition, storage and distribution of TB specimens in the amount of 1FTE per option that may be exercised up to two times in a performance year. Should the Government elect to exercise these options, the Contractor shall provide resources as stated above. The Government intends to use a Performance Based Acquisition method in the evaluation and award of any contract resulting from this RFP.

Capability Statement/Information Sought
Capability Statements should clearly convey information regarding the respondent's capabilities, including: (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information.

Interested contractors must submit a capability statement (five page limitation, excluding resumes) describing their company's experience and ability to perform this effort that includes the following: (1) a summary list of similar work previously performed; (2) the professional qualifications and specific experience of staff who may be assigned to the requirement; (3) resumes for proposed key personnel, including the Principal Investigator, that reflect education, and previous work relevant to the proposed requirement; (4) a general description of the facilities and other resources needed to perform the work; and (5) demonstrated ability to carry out the work.

Each response should include the following Business Information:

a. DUNS number
b. Company Name
c. Company Address
d. Company Points of Contact (both technical and administrative), including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers and Email addresses
e. Current GSA Schedule appropriate to this Sources Sought
f. Do you have a Government-approved accounting system? If so, please identify the agency that approved the system.
g. Type of Company (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, veteran owned, etc.) as validated via the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). All offerors must be registered in the CCR, located at http://www.ccr.gov/

Teaming Arrangements: All teaming arrangements should also include the above-cited information and certification for each entity on the proposed team. Teaming arrangements are encouraged.

NIAID recognizes that no single organization or institution may have the expertise and facilities required to perform all of the tasks mentioned above. Therefore, the Contractor may need to utilize the expertise and resources of subcontractors and specialized consultants to provide the full spectrum of requested activities. The Contractor shall be responsible for ALL work performed under this contract including that performed by any subcontractors and consultants. The Contractor will ensure that any and all processes meet international, federal, local and state regulations to ensure the continuity and validity of the resulting product.

Responses must be submitted no later than 3:00 PM, December 21, 2012 Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date. These statements may be submitted by e-mail or paper copy to Kishan Patel, Contract Specialist. He can be emailed at the address provided below. Electronic submissions should be submitted in PDF format, however, Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect will be accepted. In the subject line, please reference: HHS-NIH-NIAID(AI)-SBSS-2156. A paper copy can be sent via regular mail to the address provided below. If sending a paper copy, please send an original and one copy.

Kishan Patel
Contract Specialist
Office of Acquisitions
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
6700B Rockledge Drive, Room 3224, MSC 7612
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7612

Disclaimer and Important Notes
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a Presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in the Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

The Government will not entertain questions regarding this Market Research; however, general questions may be emailed to the following addresses:

Contract Specialist: Kishan Patel
Email Address: [email protected]

Contracting Officer: Michelle L. Scala
Email Address: [email protected]

Confidentiality
No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation.