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Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) are an official government contracting resource for small businesses. Find your local PTAC (opens in new window) for free government expertise related to contract opportunities.

This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition.

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

Background and Objectives:

Despite the rapid growth of plasma proteomic approaches in neuroscience research, it remains unclear the extent which the level of specific proteins, as measured in blood, relate to levels of the same proteins measured in the central nervous system, i.e., in cerebral spinal fluid. Furthermore, it is not known to what extent age and disease status affect these protein-protein relationships. Here, the Government proposes to take advantage of a unique opportunity to conduct a proteome-wide analysis in a set of participants with available blood and CSF specimens derived from the same visit. Specifically, this study will use CSF and plasma specimens from patients seen in the John Hopkins Neurology service collected by Dr. Abhay Moghekar to examine the relationship between corresponding proteins in blood and CSF, i.e., within the central nervous system. Specifically, the Government will apply large-scale proteomics to plasma and CSF specimens to quantify the correlation between 7000 proteins measured within and outside the central nervous system. Additionally, the Government will examine how age (young/middle/older age) and disease status (cognitively normal/Alzheimer’s disease) affect the relationship between corresponding proteins measured in CSF and blood. As part of this analysis, the Government will also apply the same proteomic platform to blood derived from participants in the BRINK (Brain IN Kidney Disease) study. Using these proteomic measurements, the Government will identify a set of proteins and protein networks in blood that are associated with longitudinal changes in cognition and MRI measures of brain structure in individuals with chronic kidney disease. We will then determine whether variation in the plasma proteins associated with chronic kidney disease is reflected in the CSF.

Project Requirements:

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to apply a discovery-based proteomics platform to archived cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and plasma specimens of participants with Alzheimer’s disease, chronic kidney disease, and healthy young, middle-aged, and older adults. We will examine how the relationship between plasma and CSF levels of the same protein correspond to each other across each of these three participant groups. We will also examine the association of plasma and CSF protein levels with measures of cognition and clinical status (e.g., cognitively normal vs. dementia).

Anticipated Period of Performance:

Within 6 months of receipt of samples.

Capability Statement / information sought:

Small business concerns that believe they possess the capabilities to provide the required services should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contracting Officer. The capability statement must specifically address each of the project requirements separately. Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the requirements outlined, 3) any contractor GSA Schedule contracts by which all of the requirements may be met, if applicable, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Small businesses must also provide their Company Name, Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, Physical Address, and Point of Contact Information.

Interested small businesses are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry Classification System Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number.

The respondent must also provide their Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc., pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2” x 11” paper size, with 1” top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing.

The information submitted must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response is limited to ten (10) page limit. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested.

The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

All capability statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought Notice must be submitted to Fred Ettehadieh, Contracting Officer, by email at fred.ettehadieh@nih.gov before the closing date and time of this announcement. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. Facsimile responses are not acceptable.

Disclaimer and Important Notes:

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After review of the responses received, pre-solicitation and solicitation notices may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. The solicitation release date is pending.

Confidentiality

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

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