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Contract Opportunity

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACT

AND IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS.

The United Stated Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, IAW FAR 13.5, with Louisiana State University/Pennington Biomedical Research Center (LSU/PBRC),as the only responsible source that can provide analytical biochemistry services of human urine, blood (plasma/serum/whole blood/red blood cells (RBC)), fecal, saliva, muscle, and wound fluid samples, and rodent plasma/serum samples. This acquisition is being conducted under FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Items. Provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular are incorporated.

The US Army Research institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) intends to procure a firm-fixed-price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with a Five (5) Year Ordering Period for all necessary personnel required to perform services at any location. The contractor shall provide Biochemistry Analysis Services Support Services.

USARIEM requires biochemistry analyses methods and data consistency in support of research study protocols. The two most critical aspects of the nutritional biochemistries analyses services are: (1) the tests be conducted in a clinical chemistry laboratory that is accredited by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS/CLIA) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) that also participates in standardization programs and follows Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines, (2) the nutritional biochemistries be analyzed using the same methodology that has been utilized in prior USARIEM field studies and laboratory studies in order to be able to reliably compare results across studies. Louisiana State University (LSU)/Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC) is uniquely qualified to perform these services as they meet all the critical aspects for the nutritional biochemistries analyses. LSU/PBRC has provided 30 years of accurate analytical laboratory results in support of USARIEM research. During this affiliation, LSU/PBRC and USARIEM have operated in a unique collaborative relationship that has resulted in the completion of over 130 projects which have led to significant improvements in operational rations, better understanding of Warfighter nutritional requirements and modifications in garrison feeding. To date, the total value of the grants and contracts awarded in support of that relationship is approximately $77 million.

The proposed IDIQ is related to and will extend the prior USARIEM field studies and laboratory studies supported by LSU/PBRC thereby enabling USARIEM to continue its research mission of determining Warfighter nutritional requirements. To further this work, and allow valid comparisons to prior USARIEM studies, the same methodology must be employed in the current/upcoming studies. Similar methodologies may be found in other organizations, but other organizations do not provide the full spectrum of biochemistry analyses required. LSU/PBRC is the only source that provides the full spectrum of required biochemistry analyses. Further, there is variability in the performance of the assays, and hence variability in results between labs. This makes it critical that samples from current/planned experiments utilize the same methodology in the same laboratory to allow direct comparisons between studies. Without this continuity, the scientific integrity and validity of comparing results across studies will be compromised, and studies that otherwise would not need to be repeated, could need to be repeated. Given the long affiliation between USARIEM and LSU/PBRC, significant costs would be incurred to repeat those studies which that have provided the foundation for current and planned USARIEM-led research.

The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 541380 with a Small Business Size Standard of $19M. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation document will be posted for this requirement. However, parties interested in responding to this notice shall submit technical data, including cost, sufficient to determine capability in providing the same product. All capability statements received by closing of this notification of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete based on 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 a competitive procurement.

Submit email capabilities statements (using PDF, MS Word, Excel attachments) to Kasey Carroll at kasey.l.carroll.civ@health.mil. Statements are due no later than 1:00 P.M. EST on 28 March 2024. Late responses will not be reviewed.

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