Inactive

Type of Notice: This is a Small Business Sources Sought (SBSS) notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information ... Type of Notice: This is a Small Business Sources Sought (SBSS) 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 they are small business; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses, 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; women-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged business; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your response 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. The NAICS code for this project is 541380. The small business size standard is $16.5M. Background: The mission of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI) is to conduct population and multidisciplinary research to discover the genetic and environmental determinants of cancer and new approaches to cancer prevention. The ability to identify molecular profiles that reflect the risk, onset and progression of different forms of cancer is essential to DCEG’s mission. Metabolomics, the study of small molecules within biological samples, has been shown as a promising approach to evaluating diverse cancer types such as those affecting the prostate, breast, pancreas, and brain. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), metabolomic profiling, in combination with findings from genomic and other studies, holds important promise for elucidating the etiology, survival and prevention of a wide variety of cancers. Purpose and Objectives: The scope of this contract will be to provide metabolomic profiling services for DCEG studies using liquid chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) or other emerging state of the science technologies for metabolite assays. Project Requirements: The Contractor shall furnish services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, including secure computers, and facilities, to provide support services to DCEG studies in the areas of receipt and processing of human biospecimens and temporary storage of biospecimens until they are ready to be included in research activities, and transfer to laboratory for testing. Tasks: The Contractor shall: Within three (3) months of contract award, the contractor shall hold a 2-hour technical briefing session for DCEG, NCI investigators. This shall include, but not be limited to, details regarding the available laboratory platforms, sample staging requirements, bioinformatics/LIMS system, curation, and metabolite library. This session may be held virtually. Measure relative or absolute concentrations of metabolites with known chemical identity in serum, EDTA plasma, heparin plasma, urine, feces, and other human biospecimens using a global untargeted ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass- spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) laboratory platform. Measured metabolites shall include, but not be limited to, metabolites from each of the following chemical classes: lipids, amino acids, peptides, xenobiotics, carbohydrates, cofactors and vitamins, nucleotides, energy metabolites, and chemicals. Sensitivity shall be sufficient to detect metabolites within the nanomolar range. Internal quality control (QC) measures shall be in place to test the accuracy and validity of the results. In addition to the global untargeted metabolite assay platform, the Contractor shall have available targeted, quantitative molecular panels including, but not limited to, lipids (i.e., lipidomics), bile acids, sterols, fatty acid metabolism, short-chain fatty acids, and trace metals. Present evidence for linear dynamic range within the range of normal physiologic concentrations, but from recent historical data and within the study sets submitted as task orders. Provide reproducible results. The median coefficient of variation over the span of the measured metabolites shall be 10% or less and the median intraclass correlation coefficient shall be 0.8 or higher for within batch reproducibility and 0.7 for between batch reproducibility (using population-based samples). The required volume for blood or urine shall be ?0.2 ml, and for feces and tissue, ?0.2 mg. Analyze 50 samples or more per day, and, for any given sample set, curate data / perform metabolite identification within two (2) months of completing the assays. Maintain a documented Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) program to monitor the performance of work and follow their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for each protocol used to include SOPs on training, specimen receipt, processing, storage and dissemination, emergency responses, safety, and preparing specimens for shipment. Provide SOPs to be made available for review and posting to an internal DCEG website; alternately, provide a published reference explaining the materials and methods used in performing testing. Unless otherwise noted, all work shall be in conformance with Best Practices for Repositories: Collection, Storage, Retrieval and Distribution of Biological Materials for Research International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories, Third Edition. Published in Biopreservation and Biobanking (BIO), April 2012 issue and available at www.isber.org and the 2016 NCI Best Practices located at http://biospecimens.cancer.gov/resources/. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220) requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use information and communication technology (ICT), it shall be accessible to people with disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public who have disabilities must have access to, and use of, information and data that is comparable to people without disabilities. Products, platforms and services delivered as part of this work statement that are ICT, or contain ICT, must conform to the Revised 508 Standards, which are located at 36 C.F.R. § 1194.1 & Apps. A, C & D, and available at https://www.access-board.gov/ict/ Per Section 508 and as mandated under HHS Policy for Section 508 Compliance and Accessibility of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) (07/2020) all documents or electronic files provided to the NIH NCI under contract must be conformant with Section 508 standards and accessible to persons with disabilities. Conformance shall be confirmed by use of material provided at HHS OS Factsheets & Reference Guides and verified through the use of the HHS Checklist Documents (WCAG 2.0 Refresh); in addition, contractors and vendors are encouraged to make use of the instructional materials and checklists at GSA Section 508.gov’s Create Accessible Digital Products Anticipated Period of Performance: It is anticipated that single Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract will be awarded with a five (5) year period of performance beginning on or about February 2023. Capability Statement/Information Sought: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed 10 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above. Statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement, as well as the eligible small business concerns name, point of contact, address and DUNS number. Information Submission Instructions: All capability statements sent in response to this Small Businesses Sources Sought notice must be sent electronically (via email) to Ogochukwu Nwankwo, Contract Specialist at Ogochukwu.nwankwo@nih.gov and Rukshani Levy, Contracting Officer at rukshani.levy@nih.gov in either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) by Monday, April 11, 2022 at 1:00 PM, EST. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. 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 pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. 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.