Inactive

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This annou... (i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) The solicitation number is 75N95021Q00331 and the solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures; FAR Subpart 13.5—Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. THIS IS A NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) COMBINED SYNOPSIS SOLICITATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME). The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Office of Acquisition (OA), on behalf of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition (including brand-name) to Bruno Conti, 8989 Montrose Way, San Diego, CA 92122-1505. This acquisition is conducted as non-competitive for a commercial item or service and is conducted pursuant to FAR 13.106-1(b)(1). (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2021-06, with effective date July 12, 2021. (iv) The associated NAICS code 541611 and the small business size standard $16.5 Million. This requirement has no set-aside restrictions. (v) Background and Objectives: The Intramural Research Program (IRP) in the National Institute on Aging (NIA) is comprised of nine scientific laboratories, the Translational Gerontology Branch, and ten core facilities. The research program has three focus areas: Neuroscience, Aging Biology and Translational Gerontology. IRP scientists conduct research in many different disciplines that range from basic science to clinical research and epidemiology. Medical problems, which typically affect older persons, are studied in depth using the tools of modern laboratory and clinical research, with a translational perspective. The central focus of our research is understanding age-related changes in physiology and the ability to adapt to environmental stress. This understanding is then applied to developing insight about the pathophysiology of age-related diseases. The program seeks to understand the changes associated with healthy aging and to define the criteria for evaluating when changes should be considered pathologic and require treatment. Thus, in addition to studying common age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, diabetes and cancer, NIA also explore the determinants of healthy aging as possible targets for interventions aimed at improving health and quality of life in the older population at large. To better understand the potential impact of calorie restriction in human populations NIA has embarked on a collaborative effort to explore the impact of environmental temperature on the effects of caloric restriction in mice. By performing a series of studies in young and aged mice, NIA will seek to determine the effects of thermoneutrality on physiologic changes and the regulation of circulating metabolites in response to calorie restriction. This will include an examination of how induction of transcriptional changes in key metabolic organs by calorie restriction is affected by environmental temperature and allow us to determine how changes in the gut microbiome in response to calorie restriction are altered under thermoneutral conditions. NIA further anticipate that changes in the gut microbiome may contribute to many of the changes in circulating metabolites that are observed with calorie restriction and that changes in body temperature may be responsible for mediating some of these effects. The proper implementation and execution of these studies will require regular guidance by a senior researcher with extensive experience in studying the effects of environmental and body temperature on aging and anti-aging interventions. Additionally, an experienced Consultant will be able to help ensure the appropriate interpretation and presentation of the data generated in the course of this work. (vi) Project Requirements: Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the project requirements. Project Requirements: The contractor shall independently provide support services to satisfy the overall operational objectives of NIH and NIA. The contractor shall provide the following consulting support services: Provide expertise and consultation to Dr. de Cabo concerning ongoing research within the IRP. Provide input on scientific efforts being pursued within the IRP, especially the design and implementation of studies described in the recently funded interlaboratory project proposal looking at the impact of environmental temperature on the beneficial effects of caloric restriction. Assist in the compilation and interpretation of data from studies comparing the effects of caloric restriction carried out in mice under thermoneutral and sub-thermoneutral temperatures. Support efforts to design follow up studies stemming from the proposed work on caloric restriction and environmental temperature and assist in the writing and editing of a proposal to extend funding for the currently approved interlaboratory proposal for an additional year. Technical guidance and direct assistance in writing and editing of meeting abstracts, internal documents, IRP communications, manuscripts, funding proposals, etc. Contribute to the conceptualization, writing and editing of scientific protocols on issues related to aging and environmental/body temperature both in animal models and humans. Conduct literature searches and identify critical references for documentation and scientific articles. Deliverables: Provide weekly written electronic progress reports to NIA which describe all work completed monthly and present all work to be accomplished during the subsequent period. Reports shall identify any difficulties that arose in the performance of the required tasks during the specified period as well as how difficulties were resolved. Should any difficulties not have been resolved, the report shall provide an explanation and plans for full resolution. Key Personnel: The contractor employee providing service shall be considered key personnel. The contractor employee must meet the following key personnel requirements: • The candidate must have a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent. • Exceptional English writing skills, with a proven track record of high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals. • Prior experience as a scientist, overseeing a research program, with responsibilities related to the above, is critical. • Experience in age-related research field and the impact of body temperature and ambient temperature on aging and anti-aging interventions. (vii) The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition. The anticipated period of performance is for period of twelve (12) months from the date of award. (viii) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of provision) The following provisions apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020) FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Jun 2020) FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (Aug 2020) FAR 52.225-4, Buy American-Free Trade Agreements-Israel Trade Act Certificate (May 2014); Alternate I (Jan 2021) HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice (December 18, 2015) The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses: https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html (End of clause) The following clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference: FAR 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018) FAR 52.204-18, Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (Oct 2018). Addendum to this FAR clause applies to this acquisition and is attached. HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity Investigations (December 18, 2015) HHSAR 352.239-74, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility (December 2015) The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are attached in full text: Offerors MUST complete the provisions at 52.204-24 and 52.204-26 and submit completed copies as separate documents with their proposal. FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Oct 2020) FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (Jan 2021) NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions/Instructions for Submitting Electronic invoices (ix) The Government will evaluate quotations or offers in accordance with FAR 13.106-2 and award a purchase order from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate quotes: a. Technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement; b. Price; and c. Past performance [see FAR 13.106-2(b)(3)]. A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. (x) The Offerors to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer. (xi) There are no additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions applicable to this acquisition. (xii) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement. (xiii) Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s), product description, and any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. Such factors may include: past performance, special features required for effective program performance, trade-in considerations, probable life of the item selected as compared with that of a comparable item, warranty considerations, maintenance availability, and environmental and energy efficiency considerations. The Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All quotations sent in response to this solicitation must be submitted to Fred Ettehadieh, Contracting Officer, electronically by email at fred.ettehadieh@nih.gov by the closing date and time of this solicitation, and reference Solicitation Number 75N95021Q00331. Fax responses will not be accepted. All responses must be received by the specified closing date and time in order to be considered.