Inactive

This is a SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal of abstracts or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the av... This is a SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal of abstracts or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified business sources; (2) determine whether they are small businesses (e.g., 8(a), Veteran-owned small businesses, service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses, HUBZone small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, and women-owned small businesses); 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 considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should indicate its small business status in its response. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. A. Background: I. Project Background and General Information The Division of Intramural Research (DIR) is the intramural research program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The DIR’s mission is to conduct a coordinated, multidisciplinary program of research to improve its understanding of the causes and consequences of drug abuse, and to develop more effective treatment and prevention programs. Research using animals is an important part of this program. Such research involves: • studies of the expression of genes in rodent animal models • investigations of the distribution and function of neurotransmitters and their receptors • studies of genetic variability in responses to drugs • studies of the effects of drugs on behavior and at the cellular level • studies of the toxicity of drugs • evaluations of drugs as potential therapeutic agents • studies on how drugs affect neural pathways using genetic and molecular biology methods The project provides labor services and management for the provision of prompt, efficient, and high quality animal care including animal husbandry, clinical care, procurement of animals, and procurement of animal care supplies, data management, rodent breeding production, and support of internal customer services necessary to operate the animal research program. B. Objective: The contract will support the NIDA Animal Care and Use and Research programs’ following objectives: Provide prompt, efficient, and high quality - a) research laboratory technical services and b) animal care and research support services by: Managing day-to-day husbandry care of animals with government oversight to provide quality, humane animal care and services and to provide a clean, defined environment to meet programmatic and regulatory requirements through ongoing staff training, internal quality assurance monitoring, and providing guidance through clear Standard Operating Procedures. Executing scheduled health monitoring of animal populations and timely, 365 days per year veterinary care by experienced Veterinarians and an animal health technician while regarding the health of individual animals and research objectives to optimize animal welfare and scientific integrity. Coordinating the purchase, importation, and exportation of experimental animals and quarantining imported rodents to provide DIR researchers with disease free, unique animal models. Collaborating with the PIs and the research staff to develop refinements in animal use practices and communicate special care requirements to the husbandry staff for implementation and Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) for awareness. Provide efficient management of human, financial and physical resources by: Providing animal husbandry services, ACUC support, administrative support, and management control with minimal turnover of trained and competent staff, administrators, and B.Sc. to PhD/MD level scientists to conduct animal research. Containing costs by continuous monitoring of expenses, calibrating staffing levels to accord with programmatic resources and maintain 365-day per year support, and as needed, modifying scope of services to optimize cost efficiencies. Improving animal care and use practices through assessment of performance and continuous, incremental improvement, dialogue with investigators, to create an animal use environment that balances the parameters of their research with regulatory restrictions, and support the NIDA ACUC and Animal Program Director (APD) through which program policy and SOPs are developed and oversight is directed. Protect animals, personnel, and the institution from research risks by: Managing the centralized, genetically engineered rodent breeding resource to support the optogenetic and micro imaging core initiatives. Recruiting, retaining, and providing ongoing training and supervision of highly qualified husbandry and supervisory staff to provide consistent, high quality services in a communication intense and environmentally sensitive behavioral and molecular neuroscience animal research program. Coordinating facility repair and renovation to ensure compliance with AAALAC accreditable standards and to communicate plans to animal users to mitigate impact on animal experiments. Maintaining awareness of animal care and use practices of investigators and advising the Animal Program Director of unexpected outcomes and the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) reportable events, and participate in development and revision of DIR specific Standard Operating Practices to ensure compliance with all regulations, guidelines, and policies. C. Contract Staffing 1. Personnel a. The NIDA DIR requires the following full-time equivalent and part-time staff to provide the animal research support services. Five (5) full-time equivalent Key personnel to support the animal care and use program; eight (8) full-time equivalent research personnel and a balance of full-time equivalent animal care and administration staff. b. The Contractor must provide personnel (managers, animal care technicians, etc.) sufficiently trained, qualified, and proficient to provide comprehensive professional and humane care of the DIR experimental animal population. The following discusses such requirements: c. General personnel qualifications for the key, research, and administrative personnel, described below, include experience with Microsoft Office Products used for in-house IBM compatible and Macintosh personal computers (including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Excel), WordPerfect, FileMaker, and web browsers. All staff should have minimal keyboarding proficiency and the ability to complete on-line forms. All computer hardware and software usage shall be restricted to official Government business. All staff must have at minimum a high school diploma or the equivalent. d. The number of staff, when a minimum is required, by category and job titles, as an example reflective of common functional task assignments and abilities, with minimum qualifications are listed below. The Contractor may propose different categories and job titles from these; however, contractor proposed categories shall include a description of position complexity, qualifications, requirements and proficiencies for each category or title. e. Contract employees working in animal facilities or laboratories shall be required to wear uniforms (i.e. scrub suits, lab coats) and appropriate protective clothing and equipment as identified for that area and appropriate PPE as defined by SOP, ASP, and Safety Department. Labor categories include but are not limited to the following: Animal Facilities Contract Manager Vivarium Supervisor(s) Animal Health Technician(s) Animal Care Technicians Breeding Production Assistants Cage wash Technicians Housekeeping Attendants Project Secretary Research Personnel Research Assistant Research Associate Staff Fellow D. Services Required The major tasks below are described in detail in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which are approved by the COR, Animal Program Director and the NIDA Animal Care and Use Committee. Primary Tasks 1. Task 1 – Animal Research Support Services a. Managing multiple animal studies running concurrently in different phases, by following and complying respectively with the investigator’s ASPs, NIDA SOPs, and NIH research policies and working planned flexible hours to ensure research needs and experiments are carried out to comply with appropriate timelines to include weekends and holidays as needed. b. Performing laboratory and animal technical procedures to include, but not limited to animal handling and restraint; measuring and recording animal weights; implementing ACUC approved food and water regulation procedures; withdrawing blood samples and performing subcutaneous, intracranial, intraperitoneal, and intravenous infusions and injections of drugs, chemicals, and viruses; performing aseptic rodent surgery and maintenance of implanted intravascular catheters, intracranial probes and cannulae, and abdominal and subcuticular implanted materials such as minipumps, telemetry devices, and drug pellets; performing rodent and NHP anesthesia and monitoring; performing and documenting postoperative observations and care; cleaning, packing, and sterilizing surgical instruments by chemical disinfection and steam heat and ethylene oxide sterilizers; conducting rodent analgesia testing, rodent locomotor assays, assembling and operating operant testing behavioral equipment, drug infusion pumps, analytical balances, solid-state interface circuitry, and optogenetic associated lasers; and other neuroscience research procedures. c. Performing ASP approved euthanasia methods including terminal transcardial perfusions according to SOP, collecting brain and other tissues and subsequent processing including genotyping of rodent tail tip and ear punch tissues, histology, autoradiography, in situ hybridization, general molecular biology techniques, e.g. southern blot assays and PCR; procurement, processing, and preservation of specimens so as to maintain sample identification and prevention of molecular cross contamination; performing safe handling and administration of radioisotopes and hazardous chemicals, constituting sterile drug and reagent solutions, secure handling of controlled substances. d. Maintaining integrity of the research process by following good laboratory practices including detailed accurate record keeping of methods, data collections, as well as manipulation of commercial and customized research software including programming and data analysis, keeping experimental records and data, drafting, editing, finalizing, and presenting results in-house or at professional meetings, drafting Animal Study Proposals and serving as a Principal Investigator as requested by federal scientists, and drafting new SOPs as requested by the COR. 2. Task 2 – Laboratory Animal Technical Services The Contractor shall provide technical laboratory animal services to include, but not be limited to, the following: etc. a. Performing daily observations of each animal, according to SOPs, to assess health status, identifying potential illnesses, death, wet bedding and other routine care and documenting room level observations and reporting problems on the daily contract report. b. Reviewing data from the vivariums’vivarium building automation system’s environmental monitoring system on a daily basis, evaluating data to document environmental condition, and reporting problems at the room level on the daily contract report. c. Performing veterinary care procedures to include, but not limited to preliminary physical health examination of abnormal or sick animals to include assessment of the health/condition, triage, initiation of a clinical record, and appropriate notification of Veterinarian(s); dosage preparation and calculations; routine clinical treatments, as directed by the Veterinarian, including oral or parenteral (IM, SC, IP, IV) drug administration; performing follow-up observations on daily or otherwise specified intervals and documenting clinical progress until problem is resolved; routine phlebotomy of NHPs and rodents, collection of diagnostic samples from clinical cases and sentinel rodents including collection to detect ecto- and endoparasistes, packaging and submission of specimens for bacteriology, serology, molecular and parasitology testing or animals through the NIH Rodent Health Web System to the NIH Bethesda campus and to other laboratories for testing; receipt, reporting, and archiving of laboratory testing results; providing investigator support including superovulation techniques for transgenic colonies, collection of timed, serial blood samples. d. Performing NHP surgical support including cleaning, packing, and hot or cold sterilization of surgical instruments and supplies; performing routine treatments and minor surgical procedures including skin trauma repair, vasectomies for transgenic rodent production; pre-operative care, anesthesia administration, monitoring, and support; recovery and postsurgical nursing care until resolved. e. Performing animal identification methods, e.g., tattoo, ear punch or implantable transponders, per SOPs. f. Participating in programs to ensure preventative maintenance of steam and ethylene oxide sterilizers, calibration of anesthesia vaporizers, monitoring anesthetic and ethylene oxide exposures, and respirator/ventilator fit programs. g. Performing humane rodent euthanasia using carbon dioxide gas and secondary physical method of euthanasia, as per SOP h. Performing accurate and timely data entries into computerized animal medical records, assimilation of lab results, and recording progress notes and documenting treatments in individual medical records for animals. i. Performing other animal health support services, as required by the COR. 3. Task 3 – Laboratory Animal Husbandry Services The Contractor shall provide or shall ensure provision of food and water to all animals on a daily basis, house animals in sanitized cages of appropriate size with accessories according to SOP defined intervals, and perform other animal care procedures, as described in SOPs. These services shall include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Handling and restraining nonhuman primates, rodents, and any additional species for animal health and husbandry purposes. The Government will provide disposable gloves for handling animals and leather restraining gloves with shoulder length gauntlets and other protective clothing and devices for handling nonhuman primates. b. Ensuring daily provision of food and water to all animals housed in the animal facility. c. Providing appropriate food and water daily for all animals except for ACUC approved food and water regulated animals as per Food and Water Regulation procedures described in species specific SOP and Satellite Housing SOPs. d. Receiving and housing incoming animals according to NIDA SOPs; checking deliveries against orders; performing physical inspection of containers and animals, signing, and noting discrepancies and abnormalities on the delivery slip; moving animals to proper rooms and placing them in appropriately sized cages with specified caging density and structural enrichment and with accurate cage level identification while preserving when applicable, individual animal identification. e. Transferring animals to clean, sanitized cages while preserving animal identification and cage level documents; changing contact and non-contact bedding; exposing sentinel rodents to dirty bedding, as per SOP. Cages, water bottles, lids, pans, racks, and accessories changed and sanitized per schedule in the SOPs. f. Checking each animal daily according to SOPs to assess health status, identify potential illnesses, death, wet bedding, sufficiency of food and water supply, and other routine care. g. Performing other animal husbandry support services, as required. 4. Task 4 – Rodent Production and Breeding Technical Services The Contractor shall provide technical rodent production and breeding services to include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Actively communicate with the Breeding Colony Director to discuss breeding strategies and follow-up with him to report progress, completion and/or changes of plans as appropriate. Notify the Breeding Colony Director of the need to order rodents of the suitable strain and sex needed to fulfil the breeding plans b. Actively communicate with PIs and or delegated staff to advise on appropriate breeding strategies to achieve adequate production to fulfill research objectives and report progress, completion and/or changes of plans. c. Setting up breeding pairs in accordance with the breeding plans pre-established with the Breeding Colony Director and the PI. Create breeding cage card using the database, select the correct male and female(s) animal (according to their IDs) to put together and apply the breeding card to the new cage. d. Check and record the birth of litters and wean the pups when appropriate, determining sex of offspring at weaning to ensure that animals of different sexes have not been unintentionally mixed. Identifying rodents at cage level with information regarding the strain or lineage, sex, dates of birth, individual animal identification and genotype status of the rodents and updating information. e. Perform tissue collection (e.g., tail tip, ear punch, toe clip of neonates) for genotyping and submit genotyping request forms and samples to the research staff or directly to the commercial contractor in use. Apply individual identification, (e.g., tattoos, ear punches, ear tag) concomitant to the tissue sampling. f. Collect and record genotyping results when available, sort out animals according to their intended use: to set up new breeders, transfer to an active ASP for experimental use, or euthanasia. Communicate animal transfer plans and forms with the PI and record in database. g. Checking each animal daily according to SOPs to assess health status, identify potential illnesses, death, bred (plugged) females, wet bedding and other routine care. h. Perform special husbandry or management requirements for breeding rodents including but not limited to identifying plugs in bred female rodents, rodent vaginal cytology, setting up timed mating, backcrosses, fostering, nursing care of dams and neonates. Report unexpected outcomes that might be related to animal phenotype or problems to the PI, the Breeding Colony Director and APD. i. Entering data into computerized records using the NIDA Animal Breeding Management System (ABMS) and/or the FileMaker system (Transfers) and the breeding record books, to preserve pedigree information on each animal, fertility data on all males and females (in terms of number of live pups born and weaned). j. Euthanizing rodents incapable of successfully breeding and to cull rodents not meeting specification or current scientific needs, as directed by Breeding Colony Director or other pre-established plan. 5. Task 5 – Environmental Enrichment Program Services The Contractor shall provide services to support a program for environmental enrichment of animals to include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Implementing and document the established NIDA Environmental Enrichment Program, as described in the species-specific rodent and NHP SOPs. Rodent environmental enrichment entails provision of materials to structurally enhance cage interiors; NPH enrichment also entails providing supplemental diet variation. b. Recognizing normal and abnormal animal behavior including individualistic idiosyncrasies and noting and reporting such abnormal and stereotypical behaviors to the COR or Facility Veterinarian. c. Maintaining NHP behavioral assessment records, deploying NHP enrichment devices, and supporting and documenting NHP social housing initiatives. 6. Task 6 – Logistic Support and Materials Management Services The Contractor shall provide maintenance and logistical support for equipment and supplies, including animals, needed to execute the contract. These services shall include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Transporting animals, vivarium equipment, supplies, and samples between animal facilities using NIH/NIDA vehicles according to NIDA SOP. b. Coordinating delivery and pick-up with the NIH, DVR, and commercial (e.g., World Courier, food and bedding contractors, etc.) transporters, and associated loading/off-loading support and materials handling to final destination locations. c. Coordinating cage space availability for animals on order through the NIH Centralized Animal Procurement System (CAPS) ordering system, though internal animal transfer within and between the vivariums, and through researcher requested or initiated changes to rodent housing density. d. Coordinating ordering of supplies through inventory procedures to ensure that no stock levels become depleted and interrupt provision of support services. e. Reporting animal shipments received from commercial sources to the PI and from non-commercial sources to the Facility Veterinarian. The Contractor shall quarantine animals if necessary as specified by SOP or as directed by the Facility Veterinarian. f. Performing receiving of materials, e.g., checking deliveries against orders; perform physical inspection upon receipt and noting and reporting any discrepancies, loss, damage, or malfunction in a timely manner; retaining and submitting all invoices to the Government for administrative processing; maintaining Government-owned inventories of animal supplies and equipment. g. Organizing and stocking all areas of the animal facility and ensure supplies are readily accessible at all times are always readily accessible; monitoring supply levels and establishing space efficient minimum/maximum ordering levels to ensure supplies are available at all times for uninterrupted animal facility activities; inventory supply levels and reorder additional supplies as needed with sufficient time to ensure supplies are available at all times with no zero balances of any item. h. Receiving, unpacking and completion of receiving document of supplies and equipment upon arrival, delivery to storage areas prior to leaving at the end of the day and organizing equipment and supplies in a clean and neat manner in their established locations to ensuring that like supplies are properly stored together in a timely, accurate, and efficient manner; signed invoices must be delivered to the correct Government employee. i. Properly labelling and appropriately storing expirable materials to assure proper rotation for a first in first out system and to ensure items are used within proper shelf life and before expiration or properly discarded after expiration. j. Supporting animal program property inventory management. 7. Task 7 – Animal Housing, Support Areas, and Cage Wash Equipment Services The Contractor shall provide services to support functions in animal housing rooms, vivarium support areas, and cage wash areas to include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Keeping the animal facilities and support spaces clean and free of contaminants; washing, sanitizing, and, when directed, autoclaving cages, racks, and associated animal equipment; and coordinating work with building maintenance, cage wash maintenance and repair, and pest control personnel. b. Properly disposing of wastes to include transporting bags or other containers to the dumpster, proper maintenance and operation of waste disposal equipment including vacuum disposal systems, Garb-el, and dumpsters. Hazardous wastes shall be handled safely in accordance with ASPs and established NIH guidelines. c. Properly disposing of non-hazardous animal wastes in plastic bags from the animal housing rooms daily and in event of failure of Garb-el or vacuum disposal systems to designated outdoor receptacles. d. Placing animal carcasses in sealed plastic bags for delivery to the Government for removal and incineration. e. Operating cage wash machines including the sanitization of dirty caging, water bottles, sipper tubes, feed hoppers, etc. utilizing tunnel washers, rack washers, bottle washers, bedding dump stations, bedding dispensers and autoclaves and performance of routine daily preventative maintenance procedures, e.g., cleaning cage washer screens as described in the SOP. f. Performing routine minor preventive maintenance of carts, racks, cages, replacement of room filters, ventilated rack preventive maintenance, lubrication of casters documentation of all preventive maintenance. g. Assembling caging and equipment and addition of clean bedding either manually or using an automated bedding dispenser, and dispenser and coordinating preventive and emergency maintenance on all cage wash equipment, maintenance of logbooks for temperature indicators and equipment operation. 8. Task 8 – Animal Testing Room Housekeeping Services The Contractor shall provide light housekeeping services to animal testing/procedure rooms within both vivariums and to a few rooms located outside of the vivariums. These services shall include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Providing light housekeeping services such as sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning unobstructed countertops, cleaning sinks, removing non-hazardous trash, stocking disposable PPE supplies, replacing filled sharps containers, removal of sealed MPW boxes, and documenting performance daily. b. Coordinating supply inventory to ensure supplies are readily available at all times are always readily available to replenish testing rooms. c. Coordinating housekeeping services with research staff to avoid disrupting experiments. 9. Task 9 – Vermin Control Support Services NIDA has adopted an integrated pest management approach to vermin control. The Government will be responsible for entrapment, determining and applying appropriate insecticides, and the selection of a contracted licensed pest control company. The Contractor shall provide supportive services to include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Working in tandem with the NIH contracted, pest Control Company during site visits, notify the pest control company of any found insect or rodents subsequent to a prior site visit, and inform the pest control representative of any restriction to room access. The Contractor shall report the presence of animal vermin in the vivarium to the APD immediately on discovery of evidence of such vermin; and note such incidences in an IPM logbook logbook. b. Facilitating the pest management program by ensuring that management procedures within animal housing and testing rooms, storage, and other areas guard against the harborage of vermin, inspect for and report potential pest harborages to the APDCOR, respond to pest management requirements through correcting deficiencies in sanitation, and instructing its staff in the appropriate use of personal protective equipment in implementing and monitoring pest management. 10. Task 10 – Equipment and Facilities Maintenance Services The Contractor shall provide services to maintain vivarium equipment and facilities to include, but not be limited to, the following: a. Exercising reasonable care of the Government equipment, including cages, cage racks, sipper tube washers, bedding disposal systems, water bottle and cage washers, floor scrubbers, and water vacuums; and performing normal routine user maintenance including filter changes. b. Training contract personnel in the proper use and maintenance of the equipment. The Contractor is responsible for the cost of repair or replacement of damaged animal facility equipment or damage to the facilities resulting from negligence or abuse, as determined by the COR. c. Regularly inspecting and monitoring facilities surfaces, finishes, lighting, light cycles, security systems, automated door openers, and heating ventilation and air conditioning performance. d. Reporting maintenance needs to the appropriate maintenance or physical plant personnel to initiate repairs or remediation to ensure health and welfare of NIDA animals and AAALAC accreditation. 11. Task 11 – Data Systems Support Services The Contractor shall provide data systems support services to include, but not be limited to, the following: a. The Contractor shall input data into the data systems as well as create reports from this data. b. Entering data and operating and coordinating the current FileMaker animal facility management program, breeding colony management program and animal health reporting and records program, or future versions / programs. c. Assisting the Animal Program property manager to maintain the NIH Property Tracking System by collecting information, affixing bar codes, and performing physical inventories and data entry on the NIH Business System (NBS). d. Assisting with Government purchasing activities in support of contract activities including gathering Government price quotes, tracking of purchases using the NBS Purchasing On-line Tracking System (POTS), drafting requests for purchase orders, and tracking animal program expenditures on the animal program’s federal budget to ensure spending does not exceed the budget and allocated resources are used before the Government’s fiscal year purchase deadlines. (The Contractor shall not initiate services or purchases to be provided to the Government prior to appropriate encumbrance of funds.) e. Coordinating with the BRC and Triad building managers in operation of automated building environmental monitoring systems to monitor and archiving physical plant temperature, humidity, air directionality, lighting periodicity, etc. f. Checking environmental conditions using the building automation system and, if necessary, manually. g. Archiving information on animal inventories, animal room environmental conditions, supplies ordered, and all other information and reports requested by the COR. h. Conduct and record weekly animal census data for all species. The census data will be entered into Filemaker database system or other data base system as appropriate. The census will be delivered monthly to the APD in an electronic format. i. The incumbent contractor will provide a one-time training for the Facilities Manager on current data system and application operations used in-house for conduct of the contract. The contractor will train all additional or subsequent contract staff that requires training. Data systems will include the in-house database applications for inventory and printing of cage cards and maintenance of the NIDA transgenic colony that utilizes FileMaker as well as the NIH Centralized Animal Procurement System (CAPS) for animal ordering that requires animal program staff interaction for institutional approval (but not funds approval) and for approval of cage space availability. All computer hardware and software usage shall be restricted to Official Government business. 12. Task 12 – Emergency Veterinary and Animal Care and Consulting Services The Contractor shall provide veterinary and husbandry services on an emergency basis and provide consulting services, as required, to include, but not be limited to, the following: a. The Contractor shall designate and provide mechanisms to contact at least three animal care personnel who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year as emergency responders for NIDA a...