NIAID/DAIDS
NONHUMAN PRIMATE CORE HUMORAL IMMUNOLOGY LABORATORY FOR AIDS VACCINE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
RFP: NIAID-DAIDS-NIHAI2009072

Type of Requirement
Re-competition (Contract No.: N01-AI-30034)
Duke University Medical Center
2424 Erwin Road
Suite 1103
Durham, NC 27708

Contracting Office Address
Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Office of Acquisitions, 6700-B Rockledge Drive, Room 3214, MSC 7612, Bethesda, MD, 20892-7612

Anticipated Period of Performance
The period of performance will be for one year with options for continued performance for an additional six years, for a total period of performance of seven years.

Anticipated award date: March 30, 2011

The NAICS Code is 541712 with a size standard of 500 employees

Presolicitation Notice Information

The NIAID provides immunological and virological support for nonhuman primate studies conducted at NIAID's Simian Vaccine Evaluation Unit contract sites (SVEUs) and by AIDS vaccine researchers through three Nonhuman Primate Immunology and Virology Laboratories for AIDS Vaccine Research and Development, previously called the NHP "Core Laboratories." The objective of the Core Laboratories has been to insure standardization and comparability of the assays conducted for preclinical NHP studies and to provide a common basis for assessment of the immunogenicity and efficacy of candidate HIV and SIV vaccines. The current contract for this work is entitled "Nonhuman Primate Core Humoral Immunology Laboratory" and is with Duke University under contract No. N01-AI-30034.

The purpose of the proposed contract will be to provide a Nonhuman Primate Core Humoral Immunology Laboratory that will conduct humoral immunology assays in support of studies that evaluate prototype AIDS vaccines. The contract will support the development, conduct, and improvement of assays designed to evaluate and characterize the humoral immune responses of nonhuman primates that have been immunized with candidate HIV or SIV vaccines or infected with SIV, SHIV, or HIV in studies conducted at the NIAID Simian Vaccine Evaluation Unit (SVEU) contract sites or by NIH-supported investigators.

The Contractor shall use state-of the-art technologies to accomplish the contract objectives and shall incorporate new and improved technologies into contract activities when appropriate. The Contractor shall focus on the development, optimization, and conduct of assays to detect and assess antiviral neutralizing antibodies from immunized and infected animals. The Contractor shall use GLP processes to conduct assays when assessing humoral immune responses in NHP studies conducted with human clinical candidate AIDS vaccines.

It is anticipated that one cost reimbursement, term type contract will be awarded for a 1-year Base period plus six 1-year options for a possible total period of performance of 7 years beginning on or about March 30, 2011. The performance requirement will be for the delivery of 9.38 full time equivalents (FTEs) per year for the base period (Year 1) and option periods (Years 2 through 7), which may be unilaterally exercised by the Government.

In addition, the Government may exercise options to accommodate significant increases in work to be provided for the base period and option periods. Should the Government elect to exercise an option for increased level of effort, the Contractor shall provide resources for the unanticipated increase in work volume for 1.0 additional FTEs for each option exercised. The Government may exercise an option up to two times in any year of the contract.

Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Agency. This RFP will be available electronically on/about March 17, 2010, and may be accessed through the NIAID Office of Acquisitions (OA) Home Page at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/contract and through FedBizOpps http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. This notice does not commit the Government to award a contract. No collect calls will be accepted. No facsimile transmissions will be accepted.