Inactive

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to award a cost reimbursible contract modification to Vitalant Research Institute for National SARS-CoV-2 seroincidence studies in blood donors. ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to award a cost reimbursible contract modification to Vitalant Research Institute for National SARS-CoV-2 seroincidence studies in blood donors. Vitalant Research Institute (VRI) is one of the largest national blood collection organizations and serves as the central laboratory of an ongoing NIH-funded blood safety study (REDS-IV-P). VRI has been funded through REDS-IV-P to collaborate with three other large blood collection centers to acquire and test residual serum from 1,000 blood donations collected monthly for six months from each of six metropolitan regions. VRI was recently awarded contract 75D301-20-C-08170 with the CDC for expansion of the seroprevalence survey to 25 geographically diverse metropolitan areas to track the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in donor populations and perform analyses to extrapolate prevalence estimates to the general population in these areas. VRI, working with several large blood collection organizations and their testing laboratories, stood up the expanded serosurvey in early July, initiating selection of 1000 specimens per site, antibody screening and confirmatory testing, and collection of donor demographics. Given the current contract and expertise of VRI, this vendor is uniquely suited to manage a proposed, urgent expansion of the blood donor serosurvey to approximately 55 sites representing all 50 states and Puerto Rico. VRI has the technical capacity to collect and conduct testing of the samples, has access to high-quality screening and confirmatory assays though existing agreements with manufacturers, and has ongoing collaborations with other major blood collection organizations and their respective testing laboratories. In addition, VRI has an existing subcontract in place with a highly experienced vendor for data management and analysis for the original REDS-IV-P collaboration which could be expanded in scope and complexity for the larger serosurvey. Based on previous experience working with blood collection organizations and other federal agencies, CDC is aware that there is no other vendor with an existing collaboration of blood collection organizations, laboratories, and research partners in place that would encompass a nationally-representative geographic sampling, nor could be stood up immediately to meet the urgent needs of the COVID-19 emergency response. Given the work that has already been started through VRI and its network of partners, it would not be possible for another vendor to enter the project at this time and establish an entire network of nationally representative sites. The ability to expand existing, ongoing contracts and agreements that VRI has in place makes this vendor uniquely able to provide this service. This contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 and 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1). Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all quotations/responses received within fifteen (15) days of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract modification based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Any quotation/response should be emailed to William Brannen at VWL0@cdc.gov by 10:00 A.M. EST., July 28, 2020.