The prospective procurement will provide support for the development of surveillance for antiviral drug resistance among collaborative centers caring for allogeneic stem cell transplant patients hospitalized with influenza infection. Surveillance will identify the development of antiviral resistance during antiviral treatment, identify mutations associated with resistance, and estimate a rate of emergence of antiviral resistance while on therapy. Minimum requirements are as follows:

1. Source must has access and permission to perform medical research on hospitalized human subjects who received stem cell transplants and have influenza infection, including specimen collection;

2. must care for at least 1000 patients who received a stem cell transplant each year; and,

3. must demonstrated ability to perform diagnostic testing for influenza, and can determine both virus type and influenza A subtype. Rapid influenza diagnostic tests are not acceptable. Ability to store isolates at -70◦C.

NAICS code applicable to these services is 541711, Research and Development in Biotechnology and the associated size standard is 500 employees. Capable parties must provide in writing their business size relative to the referenced NAICS Code and their ability to satisfy the minimum requirements as specified above.

Capable parties must submit their ability to provide these services in writing to the attention of the Contract Specialist listed in this notice by 4/25/11 4:30 p.m. ET.

This notice is for market research purposes only and does not commit the Government to issue a solicitation for the services or items contained herein. This notice does not constitute a solicitation or a commitment by the Government to later publish a solicitation. No solicitation document is available. Information obtained from this notice may be used to refine future requirements or develop future acquisition strategies.

All responses shall be submitted at the discretion of the respondent. The Government does not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this notice. Any responses received will not be used as a proposal.

Acknowledgment of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the Government's assessment of the information received.