The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 22, is issuing this notice of intent (NOI) to inform industry contractors of the Government s intent to execute a Sole Source award under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), specifically FAR Subpart 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items with Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies, located at 5791 Van Allen Way, Carlsbad, CA 92008. This requirement will be used for Research Services of Genomic editing and Human Cell products for the San Diego Healthcare System Research Services. VA San Diego Healthcare System Research Services, is requesting single source procurement for Research Services of Genomic editing and Human Cell products from Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies, who is needed to provide gene-edited isogenic HUES9 stem cells that carry PERK alleles linked to Alzheimer s Disease, use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to introduce 3 SNPs that lead to 3 amino acid changes in the PERK protein. Also as a control experiment the creation of a mutation that leads to no PERK protein generation. The resulting isogenic cells will enable direct examination of the role of PERK proteins in stem cells, and in neurons and glia differentiated from these stem cells carrying mutant PERK alleles. Multiple clones of the PERK gene-edited products must be delivered. Specific tasks include: 1. Sequencing of the native PERK alleles in HUES9 stem cells at contractor s facility. 2. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of HUES9 stem cells to introduce the disease-associated SNPs into PERK. 3. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of HUES9 stem cell to create null allele of PERK. 4. Mycoplasma testing of gene-edited cell lines. 5. Normal karyotyping of gene-edited cell lines. 6. Pluripotency testing of gene-edited cell lines. 7. Multiple clones of same edit, heterozygous, or homozygous gene-edited cell lines. The proposed period of performance will be from 6/1/2018 through 5/31/2019. The estimated value is of $94,210.00 for the life of the contract. This procurement is being conducted using commercial item procedures pursuant to FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 13, specifically FAR Subpart13.106-1(b)(1)(i) allowing the Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit from one source. This will be a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) award and an anticipated award date is set for 5/25/2018. The place of performance is as follows: Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies, located at 5791 Van Allen Way, Carlsbad, CA 92008. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is, 325414- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing. The Small Business Administration size standard for this sector is 1250 employees. This notice of intent is neither a formal solicitation nor a request for competitive proposals. No solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be honored. No award will be made on the basis of unsolicited quotations or offers received in response to this notice. Any response to this notice must show clear, compelling and convincing evidence that competition will be advantageous to the Government. The intent of this synopsis is for informational purposes only. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this action based on this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All inquiries and concerns must be addressed in writing via e-mail to Corey R. Kline at
[email protected] with the following information referenced in the subject line, 36C26218Q0572 - Genomic editing and Human Cell products Contract . All interested parties who are responsible, certified, and capable may identify their interest and may submit an offer or quotation which shall be considered by the agency no later than 12:00 P.M. Pacific Standard Time (PST) on May 20, 2018 to Corey R. Kline at
[email protected]. The interested parties bear full responsibility to ensure complete transmission and timely receipt.