The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Office of Acquisition (OA) on behalf of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive sole source basis to Teryveyden JA Hyvinvoinnin Laitos, P.O. Box 30, Helsinki, Finland 00271 to generate primary fibroblast cell lines.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is the nation's leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency conducting, supporting and making medical discoveries that improve people's health and save lives. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), is currently working on a generation of primary fibroblast cell lines project from Finnish subjects enrolled in NHGRI project ZIA HG000024-25 GTB: "Genetic analysis of type II diabetes in the Finnish population". This project has been developed over the past 15 years to discover the genetic basis of diabetes. Research using cells with the specific genetic background of our subjects is key to understanding diabetes and discovering potential therapeutics to treat the disease. The clinical laboratory must have IRB approval.

TERVEYDEN JA HYVINVOINNIN LAITOS (THL) is the site for collection of the patient samples. They are the only clinical laboratory approved under the IRB OH95-HG-N030 "Mapping Genes for Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus" for the contact and collection of samples from this group of subjects. We require the cell lines from these specific subjects because they are part of a longitudinal study where the subjects are exact same persons for which we have an immense amount of medical history, genotype and phenotype information. The clinical laboratory at THL are uniquely qualified for the biopsy of skin samples and the generation of primary fibroblast cell lines because they are the only group approved to collect samples from this population. We have established an approved and well tested protocol for the collection, processing and shipping of the samples to NHGRI for analysis. Any deviation from this approved protocol will affect the continuity and the reproducibility of the results.

Procure:

• The Contractor will Generate primary fibroblast cell lines from 150 subjects in the FUSION study of "Type 2 Diabetes".

Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 541711, Research and Development in Biotechnology, with size standard in number of 500 Employees. The acquisition is being conducted under FAR Part 13, simplified acquisition procedures, therefore the requirements of FAR Part 6 B Competitive Requirements are not applicable (FAR Part 6.001).and the resultant purchase order will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 05-53 (August 4, 2011).

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this synopsis, by September 6, 2011, 7:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The determination by the Government not to compete the proposed contract 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 future competitive procurement.

Inquires to this announcement, referencing synopsis number NHLBI-CSB-(HG)-2011-350-DLM, may be submitted to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Office of Acquisition, COAC Services Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 6149, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7902, Attention: Dorothy Maxwell. Response may be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Faxes will not be accepted. Responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative.

Note: In order to receive an award from the NHLBI, contractors must have a valid registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) www.ccr.gov, and ORCA https://orca.bpn.gov/login.aspx.