Description
The USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) intends to procure an epidemiological and economic assessment of the performance of the screening and diagnostic tests under the various field surveillance programs that have been used during the Virginia Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) outbreak to identify infected flocks. Submit faxed quotations to "Purchasing Section", at (612) 370-2136, Attention Larry Nelson. QUOTATIONS ARE DUE November 4, 2002, BY 10:00 a.m. local time. Simplified procurement procedures will be used as well as commercial item acquisition regulations per FAR 12. THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. NAICS 926140. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. This solicitation document incorporates provisions and clauses which are in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 01-08. Applicable FAR clauses are incorporated by reference: Prompt Payment 52.249-1 (4/84); Instructions to Offerors -Commercial Items 52.212-1; Evaluation-Commercial items 52.212-2 (10/97); Offeror Representations and Certifications 52.212-3 (10/98); Contract Terms and Conditions- Commercial Items 52.212-4 (05/01); Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders-Commercial Items 52.212-5 (10/98). ALL RESPONSIBLE SOURCES MAY SUBMIT A QUOTATION FOR CONSIDERATION. All offers must be signed. Offers should include: company name: ___________________________________________ tax payer identification number:__________________________ DUNS number__________________ and business size ___________________. SPECIFICATIONS:The contract is intended to provide USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, with a complete an epidemiological and economic analysis, of the testing methods used in each surveillance program to determine bird and flock status during the outbreak. The analysis must be specific to the poultry industry in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, as well as the poultry industry nationwide. The contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, equipment and software needed to reach program objectives. Requirements and Deliverables: The deliverable for this contract is a written epidemiological and economic assessment of the performance of all surveillance and testing strategies used during the VA LPAI outbreak that specifically addresses the following as it relates to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley and the nation's poultry industry: * Discuss the performance of each of the test (Directogen, an antigen test; AGID, an antibody test; RT-PCR, a DNA test; and virus isolation) and surveillance methods mentioned above for identifying positive birds and positive flocks. Performance attributes for the surveillance program include timeliness, cost, simplicity, and coverage of population at risk. * Compare the performance of each test used under the differing field conditions in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Specifically by species, age and flock type (breeders vs. growers; turkey vs. chickens) and as disease incidence changed. * Determine and describe the level of agreement between each test for sample status and flock status. * Determine the efficiency of utilizing individual tests in series or in parallel. * Determine the efficiency of utilizing individual surveillance strategies in series or in parallel. * Conduct a cost benefit analysis of the various testing and surveillance protocols, used in the Shenandoah Valley. * Include recommendations for future surveillance activities that will provide for rapid, but cost effective detection of AI in poultry flocks. Recommendations should also be made for what role, if any, each of these tests should play in an outbreak situation (e.g. which tests to use as screening tests and which to use for confirmation; whether different protocols needed for different situations such as species involved or estimated disease incidence) Conditions and Constraints: All data provided to the contractor by USDA, APHIS, shall be kept strictly confidential. This includes, but is not limited to producer's names, addresses, phone numbers and any other identifying information. In order to maintain the privacy of the information, the contractor shall present results in an aggregate manner. All data provided to the contractor by USDA, APHIS, shall be maintained in a secure location that is under the direct supervision of the contractor and shall not be shared with other parties, unless expressly allowed by the COR. Upon completion of the project, all data will be removed from the contractor's computers and physical location and returned to the COR. Ownership of all data will remain with USDA, APHIS, throughout the project Any publications and/or presentations resulting from the project must be cleared through USDA, APHIS prior to release. USDA, APHIS, may, at its discretion, establish an advisory committee to oversee this project. Period of Performance: The final report will be delivered to APHIS by the contractor, 6 months after the contractor receives the data from APHIS (data to be delivered in November, final report due in May). The data should span the period of the outbreak from March 1, 2002, to September 30, 2002. The final report is to include the techniques that were applied and a list of all investigators that participated. Measurement of Performance: Progress reports will be provided to the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) no later then the 7th of each month in the form of a written report. Each report must contain the following information for the previous month: * Personnel involved * Funds expended, cumulative and during the reporting period. * Status of data analysis, detailing what milestones have been completed * Contacts with collaborators Collaborators on this project will include: Dr. Dennis Senne, NVSL Dr. Bruce Akey, VDACS Dr. Martin Smeltzer, Regional Poultry Epidemiologist, VS In addition, telephone communication between the COR and research coordinators should be conducted as needed, but at minimum on a bi-weekly basis. Award will be made to the lowest priced technically acceptable quotation.