Inactive

A market survey is being conducted to determine if there are adequate Small Businesses, Disadvantaged Small Businesses, SBA-certified 8(a) Program Participants, SBA-certified HUB Zone Businesses, Vete... A market survey is being conducted to determine if there are adequate Small Businesses, Disadvantaged Small Businesses, SBA-certified 8(a) Program Participants, SBA-certified HUB Zone Businesses, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Women-Owned Small Businesses, AND/OR Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB) contractors available for a proposed project who meet the specific criteria outlined below. This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is NOT a solicitation Announcement, Request for Quote, Request for Proposal, or Request for Bids. It does NOT constitute any commitment by the Government. NO award will result from this notice. The purpose is to conduct market research to gain knowledge of potentially qualified sources and to determine the capability of Small Business and/or Large Business companies to provide the supplies/services described below. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will be used by the Government to make an appropriate acquisition decision. Department of Agriculture (ARS) requests responses from ALL socioeconomic categories in order to gain a more complete understanding of the market for these products and service. The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will NOT award a contract on the basis of responses OR pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Respondents will NOT be notified of the results of this notice. After completing an analysis of the responses, the Government will determine whether to limit competition to 8(a), HUBZone, Disadvantaged, VOSB, SDVOSB, Women-Owned, EDWOSB, or other small business firms, or to proceed with issuing an unrestricted solicitation, inviting full and open competition. The NAICS code for the expected acquisition is 541714 (Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology)) with a Size Standard of 1,000 employees and the PSC Code is AA13. Any subsequent procurement will be conducted as a commercial item purchased in accordance with FAR Part 12 and as a Simplified Acquisition Procedure in accordance with FAR Part 13. The Department of Agriculture (ARS) has the need for the following service(s): 001) Development and Testing of Mycoplasma Mycoides Subspecies Mycoides Small Colony Vaccines Scope: The USDA-ARS National Animal Disease Center (NADC) in Ames, IA requires the development and testing of mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides small colony vaccines. Background: The current USDA-ARS project “Identification of Disease Mechanisms and Control Strategies for Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens in Ruminants, is proposed to work with cattle respiratory disease pathogens including Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides Small Colony (MmmSC), which is the causative agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). The overall goals and objectives related to MmmSC are to identify the host factors that drive the early innate immune response to MmmSC infection and develop and test MmmSC vaccines that induce early immunity in cattle. The currently approved vaccine to control Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) consists of a live attenuated MmmSC vaccine; however, based on the findings from experimental and field studies, MmmSC vaccine appeared not to fully protect cattle from outbreaks of the disease. Given that scientists on this project have worked to develop Mycoplasma bovis vaccine, one of the objectives of this proposed study will be to develop a better vaccine to control CBPP. Technical Requirements: The technical requirements for the proposed study are: The contractor shall screen and purchase 70 cattle (2-4 years old) – from a contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP)-free location. The contractor shall provide feed and other supplies for maintaining the cattle to be used in the study. The contractor shall provide routine care and veterinary care of the animals during the course of the experiments. The contractor shall provide necessary facilities for housing and daily care of animals being used in this project. The facilities being used must be approved by appropriate regulatory organizations for research involving the use of MmmSC. The contractor shall be responsible for euthanasia of animals and disposal of all contaminated materials and cleaning of contaminated surfaces according to approved regulatory protocols. The contractor shall provide all necessary personnel, equipment and other supplies as necessary to fulfill these obligations. During the course of the experiment, personnel must avoid contact with other animals at for up to five days after leaving the biocontainment area. The contractor shall administer live attenuated Mannheimia haemolytica expressing MmmSC antigens orally using palatable feed and intranasally using mucosal atomization device. The contractor shall administer adjuvanted MmmSC recombinant protein vaccine subcutaneously. The contractor shall prepare MmmSC inoculum and administer to lungs through intratracheal intubation. The contractor shall be responsible to collect periodic samples from vaccinated/challenge animals such as nasal swabs, blood, and tear samples. The contractor shall perform bacterial culture and serology, and necropsies and provide results to ARS within 60 days after sample collection (Microsoft Words or Excel files). The contractor shall perform necropsy, sample collection and histopathology and provide results to ARS within 120 days after sample collection (Microsoft Words or Excel files). Government Furnished: The USDA-ARS shall provide 2 vaccine formulations (1) live attenuated Mannheimia haemolytica with and without expressing MmmSC antigens and (2) injectable adjuvanted MmmSC recombinant protein vaccine. Travel: The contractor will not be responsible for any travel but will receive two visits from USDA-ARS Researchers (Dr. Rohana Dassanayake and Dr. Robert Briggs), prior to onset of the study and during the study. Data Rights: The USDA-ARS and the contractor will jointly evaluate the animal study findings and write the manuscript(s). Place of Performance: Contractor’s selected facility Period of Performance: To be completed with 12 months from date of award The Government anticipates award of a Firm-Fixed Price contract. Capability Statement: Companies who have the experience, as well as an interest in doing business with ARS, plus those that can provide technically acceptable products should submit a Capabilities Statement which, for this notice, is NOT a quote, proposal, or bid, but rather short statements regarding the company's ability to demonstrate their expertise and experience in relation to the areas specified in this notice. In addition to the Capabilities Statement, companies should complete the attached Sources Sought Response Form and indicate whether they are a Large Business, Small Business, Disadvantaged Small Business, SBA-certified 8(a) Program Participant, SBA-certified HUB Zone Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women-Owned Small Business, AND/OR an Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB). To be eligible, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration. A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number is required in order to register in SAM. A vendor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220 or e-mail at www.sam.gov. NO EXCEPTIONS. Vendor must include their UEI# on their capability statements. To be eligible, all vendors must also be registered in SAM under the specific NAICS code listed as part of this sources sought or qualify as a small business under the listed NAICS code. If a prospective vendor is NOT registered under the specified NAICS code and would qualify to be registered under it then they should update their SAM registration prior to providing a capabilities statement. Finally, to be eligible, all vendors must be NDAA 889 Certified. Contractors will represent that: It will NOT provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract or other contractual instrument resulting from this solicitation. After conducting a reasonable inquiry, for purposes of this representation, the Offeror represents that it does NOT use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or use any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services. Submitting a Capability Statements: Questions in regards to this Sources Sought must be submitted through email to aaron.dimeo@usda.gov. Telephone inquiries will NOT be accepted. Responses (capability statement AND a sources sought response form) should be submitted via email to aaron.dimeo@usda.gov by Monday, August 29, 2022 at 5:00 PM Central Time (CT). The e-mail subject line MUST include: “Development and Testing of Mycoplasma Mycoides Subspecies Mycoides Small Colony Vaccines – Sources Sought” and/or “12505B22Q0197SS”. Disclaimer: 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. Respondents are also advised that under NO obligation to acknowledge receipt of information or provide feedback about any of the information received. After review of the responses received, the Government MAY issue a combined synopsis and solicitation. NO proprietary, sensitive, confidential or classified information shall be included with your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation.