The United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, IAW FAR 6.302-1(a), with the FD NeuroTechnologies Consulting & Services, Inc. P.O. Box 785 Ellicott City, MD 21041 as the only responsible source that can provide Walter Reed Army Institute of Research to identify drugs or other forms of therapy which can transition to clinical products (i.e. biomarkers discovery and drug development)relying on the use of clinically, and militarily relevant, animal models of penetrating and concussive brain injury.

Tasks:

Rat brain tissue preparation for histological or immunohistochemicaly processing. (The cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, and olfactory bulbs are processed separately). The brain samples to be processed under this task are approximately 700 for the base period and 175 for each of the option period.

Upon receipt of brain samples, the contractor shall maintain frozen storage of unprocessed (whole) brains at -80oC until sectioning, or for a maximum of 6 months whichever comes first. Upon receipt of the instructions from the government (BTNN, WRAIR), the contractor shall perform the following steps of tissue preparation prior to performing histological or immunohistochemical staining.

a) The contractor shall section the brains in accordance with the government (BTNN, WRAIR) instructions,

b) The contractor shall collect brain sections in series in accordance with the government (BTNN, WRAIR) instructions

c) The contractor shall mount one series of sections on slides (2 sections per slide) during tissue collection for required staining and coverslip the slides after staining

d) The contractor shall store unmounted/unstained free-floating section series at -20oC until future use or for a maximum 3 years or at end of the contract, whichever comes first.

e) The contractor shall not dispose of unused brain tissues prior to the specified storage duration unless approved by the government (BTNN, WRAIR) representative. The contractor shall follow the standard regulations for disposal of unused tissues.

Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) staining of rat brain tissues for evaluation of brain injury induced gross histopathology. The brain samples to be processed under this task are approximately 700 for the base period and 175 for each of the option periods.

Upon receipt of instructions from the government (BTNN, WRAIR), the contractor shall perform H&E staining on selected series of brain sections prepared under Task 5.1 in accordance with standard or approved protocols and coverslip for delivery.

Colorimetric Immunohistochemical staining of rat brain tissues for evaluation of cellular and molecular changes in the brain after brain injuries. The brain samples to be processed under this task are approximately 500 the base period and 125 for each of the option period.

Upon receipt of instructions from the government (BTNN, WRAIR), the contractor shall preform colorimetric immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence labeling (including immunofluorescence double or triple labeling as needed) on selected free-floating brain sections prepared under Task 5.1 using standard or approved immunohistochemistry protocols and techniques to stain or label cellular and molecular markers for different aspects of brain injuries. After staining each section, the contractor shall mount the stained sections on slides (2 sections per slide) and coverslip for delivery. The antibodies to be used for this task will be determined by the government (BTNN, WRAIR) as studies proceed. The contractor shall perform the following tasks:

The contractor shall perform immunohistochemical staining on brain sections (cerebrum, cerebella, brain stem, and olfactory bulb) prepared under Task 5.1.1 - 5.1.2 with 1 primary antibody.

The contractor shall perform immunofluorescence labeling (including double or triple labeling) on brain sections (cerebrum, cerebella, brain stem and olfactory bulb) prepared under Task 5.1.1 - 5.1.2.

Other neurohistological staining may be performed to detect cellular and molecular markers in the brain after brain injuries upon receipt of instructions from the government (BTNN, WRAIR). The brain samples to be processed under this task are approximately 200 annually.
The contractor shall perform histochemical stains using FD NeuroSilver^TM, on selected free-floating brain sections prepared under Task 5.1 using standard or approved protocols and techniques to stain or label cellular and molecular markers of different aspects of brain injuries. After staining, the contractor shall mount the stained sections on slides with a coverslip for delivery. The markers to be used for this task will be determined by the government (BTNN, WRAIR) as studies proceed.

Shipping and handling.

The contractor shall deliver the processed brain slides in slide boxes by commercial carriers or in person to WRAIR.

The contractor shall deliver the following products in a timely fashion per tasks' requirement. The turn-over time frame for each task listed above is expected to be with 2-3 weeks after the contractor receives instructions from the government (BTNN, WRAIR). The acceptable standards for the deliverables are listed in the "Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)".

• H&E stained brain sections mounted on slides
• Immunohistochemically stained brain sections mounted on slides (5.3)
• Other histologically stained brain sections mounted on slides (5.4)

 

Monthly Progress Reports

The Contractor shall deliver a monthly progress report describing all work done in support of this PWS by the 10th day of each month for the preceding month to the COR. (For example, the 10th August report would cover work performed during July.)

Final Report

A final typewritten report (2 copies) summarizing the work performed shall be submitted to the COR be submitted within thirty days after the end of the contract performance period.

 

Period of Performance:

28 August 2017 - 27 August 2018
28 August 2018 - 27 November 2018
28 November 2018 - 27 Februrary 2019

 

Bid Protests Not Available