Animal Resource Contract (ARC)

Introduction

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.

Background

NIH maintains animal care and use programs that support intramural scientific investigations. The ARC requirement provides a centralized, flexible, and compliant mechanism for animal acquisition, housing, testing, transportation, animal facility operations, genetic and biosample analysis, New Approach Methodologies (NAM)/in vitro support, data science, digital analytics, and related scientific and operational support services.

Purpose and Objectives

The objective is to obtain market information to support acquisition planning, maximize competition, identify qualified small business sources, understand available commercial and non-commercial capabilities, identify socioeconomic participation opportunities, assess risks, and inform the contracting approach for a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ).

Project Requirements

- Task Area A: Nonhuman Primates (NHPs). Acquisition, testing, transportation, housing, breeding, and other associated services for Nonhuman Primates (NHPs) at contractor’s facilities.  Includes all necessary functions and activities necessary to acquire and maintain various species of NHPs, safe transportation of NHPs in compliance with applicable DOT/IATA/USDA AWAR requirements/regulations, providing the necessary infrastructure, level of staffing and expertise to operate and maintain Government-owned NHP colonies of various species, and accommodating necessary pathogen screening and other testing requirements.

- Task Area B: Small Animal and Other Models. Acquisition, testing, transportation, housing, breeding, rederivation/cryopreservation, and other associated services for rodents and other animal models (excluding nonhuman primates) at contractor facilities.

- Task Area C: Technical Support Services at NIH Facilities. Technical Support Services for Animal program operations and management at NIH facilities, including animal care, veterinary technical support, Facility Management and Operations, cage wash, sanitation, logistics, transportation, data-management, administrative, regulatory, aquatic, diagnostic and specialized support and supplies at NIH Facilities.

- Task Area D: Genetic Testing and Bio Sample Analysis. Analysis of bio samples including genotyping of wild type and genetically modified animals (including presence of transgene, copy number, homo-/hetero-zygosity, Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis), genetic mutations, etc.), genomic screening/testing, molecular testing (next generation sequencing, microarray, infectious disease testing, proteomic screening, protein sequencing, etc.), Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) typing, blood typing, microbiome, immunogenetic, and other bio sample testing and analysis services.

- Task Area E: In Vitro and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). In vitro, NAMs, human-based model systems, cell-based assays, pharmacology screening, toxicology screening, advanced translational technologies, data science, digital analytics, diagnostic, decision-support, bioinformatics, tissue samples, organoid models, and associated support services.

Anticipated Period of Performance

The Government anticipates awarding multiple IDIQ contracts, each featuring a one-year Base Period and four one-year Option periods, under which cost-reimbursement Task Orders may be placed. The options periods may be unilaterally exercised by the Government. If the Government elects to exercise these options, the Contractor shall provide the resources as stated above.

Capability Statement/Information Sought

Capability statements may address only one task area or may address more than one task area if the respondent has competency or capability in more than one task area. Respondents should address:

- Task area(s) for which the respondent is capable and interested.

- Relevant experience with NIH, Federal, academic, commercial, or biomedical animal care and research support environments.

- Animal facility credentials, OLAW/USDA/AAALAC/IACUC status, veterinary oversight, biosafety, quality, and occupational health capabilities, if applicable.

- Staffing, recruitment, retention, training, surge, transition, essential service, and continuity capabilities.

- Laboratory/sample testing, data systems, cybersecurity, chain of custody, quality, and reporting capabilities for Task Areas D/E, if applicable.

- Potential subcontractor or teaming approaches and any barriers to small business participation. Please disclose whether the subcontractor or teaming approach is required to meet some or all of the capabilities of the task area and provide prior experience with such arrangements, if applicable.

- Comments on contract type, ordering procedures, task areas, commercial practices, performance standards, and acquisition risks.

Page Limitations

Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored Capability Statement not to exceed 15 pages, excluding resumes and required certifications. Capability Statements must not include marketing brochures, links to internet web site addresses (URLs), or otherwise direct readers to alternate sources of information. Font size must be 10 to 12 points. Spacing must be no more than 15 characters per inch. Within a vertical inch, there must be no more than six lines of text. Print margins must be at least one inch on each edge of the paper. Print setup should be single sided on standard letter size paper (8.5 x 11" in the U.S., A4 in Europe). All proprietary information should be marked as such.

Required Business Information

• UEI.
• CAGE.
• Business size.
• SAM registration.
• Company Name.
• Company Address.
• Company Point of Contact, Phone and Email address
• Current contract vehicles, GSA Schedules, and/or Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) appropriate to this Sources Sought.
• Do you have a Government approved accounting system? If so, please identify the agency that approved the system.
• Type of Company (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, veteran owned, etc.) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM) located at https://sam.gov/content/home. This indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your Capability Statement (preferable placed under the eligible small business concern’s name and address).

Number of Copies

Please submit one (1) electric copy of your response as follows:

All Capability Statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to Kim Harris, Contracting Officer, at kimberly.harris2@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The e-mail subject line must specify SBSS -75N98026R00143. Facsimile responses will not be accepted.

Common Cut-off Date

Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than 5:00 PM EST 09/04/2026. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Disclaimer and Important Notes

This notice does not obligate the Government to award an IDIQ contract or Task Order or otherwise pay for the information provided in 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 a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published at SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality

Proprietary information must be clearly marked. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).