The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Station Support/Simplified Acquisitions (SS/SA) Branch, on behalf of the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) intends to negotiate and award a purchase order on a noncompetitive basis to Stemgent, Inc. located at One Kendall Square, Suite B6201, Cambridge, MA 02139, for the acquisition of iPS cell lines using mRNA reprogramming system.

The Neurogenetic Branch at NINDS has a requirement for acquiescing iPS cell lines from three (3) samples from patients with alphadystroglycanopathies using a specialized mRNA reprogramming system. Contractor will provide patient samples for extracting cell lines after NINDS has approved selection. Contractor will characterize the cell lines using the following tests: mycoplasma, sterility, karyotype, stemness markers (IF, flow cytometry), pluripotency (EB formation, IF of three germlines), "zero-footprint" confirmation, viability and plating efficiency, and identity testing. Contractor will provide five (5) vials of each fully characterized line. Total production may take up to 6 months, and will take place in 4 separate phases that each include accomplishing a specific milestone, or meeting a standard, before moving on to the next phase of production.

Stemgent, Inc. uses a unique non-integrating method of mRNA-based reprogramming of iPS cell lines. The non-integrating method is necessary to eliminate risk of integration of reprogramming reagents into the genome or vector contamination of cell lines being produced. Stemgent, Inc. is the sole service provider of the non-integrating method and is the only known source that can satisfy agency requirements.

This acquisition is being conducted using policies unique to the acquisition of commercial items prescribed in FAR Part 12, in conjunction with the policies and procedures for solicitation, evaluation, and award prescribed in Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, and is exempt from the competition requirements of Part 6. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this synopsis. 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.

Comments to this announcement, referencing this synopsis number, may be submitted to the NIDA SS/SA Branch, prior to the closing date specified in this announcement, electronically to the attention of Hunter A. Tjugum, at [email protected].