Intent to Sole Source: NAICS Code: 511210 Software Publishers - Applications software, computer, packaged. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, with Laboratory of Mathematical Chemistry (LMC), University ¿Prof. Dr. Assen Zlatarov¿, a firm fixed-price purchase order under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) for the purchase of an annual license(s) and maintenance for OASIS TIMES (tissue metabolism simulator) for human health toxicity endpoints and integrated approach to testing and assessment (IATA) Pipelines for human health endpoints for EPA¿s Office of Research and Development (ORD), National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), Immediate Office (IO) located in the Research Triangle Park (RTP), NC. The purchased license(s) will allow for the use and maintenance of LMC¿s proprietary software for the term of 1 year with the option to extend the purchase order for an additional two 1-year period of performance. The NCCT has an innovative program which has included the generation of high-throughput screening (HTS) data for thousands of chemicals, and the development and application of global (Q)SAR models for the prediction of relevant toxicities. A critical research question that remains is to better understand the chemical landscape underpinning the HTS data. This can be addressed to a large extent by probing the chemical space using well established and mechanistically transparent structure-toxicity relationships (SARs). The exercise serves to facilitate the development of robust chemical grouping approaches (such as read-across) and local (Q)SARs. These local (Q)SARs should enable HTS data to be integrated with chemistry insights to result in better predictions of in vivo toxicity. Metabolism is a critical consideration and predictions of metabolites will help rationalize inconsistencies between the HTS bioactivity in vitro data (which currently has little if any metabolic competency) and in vivo toxicity outcomes. TIMES is a unique expert system that incorporates mechanistically transparent structure-toxicity relationships (some of which are underpinned by 3D (Q)SARs) coupled with metabolism simulators specifically - in vitro and in vivo liver metabolism, skin metabolism and autoxidation. There are no other software tools capable of making skin metabolism and autoxidation predictions. TIMES has also pioneered an approach for rationalizing its metabolism predictions so that they are tailored to the endpoint of interest. There is no comparable software available to generate such metabolism-adjusted predictions for specific toxicity endpoints. The OASIS Pipelines incorporate the TIMES models and enable a more efficient means of generating predictions from a number of TIMES models concurrently. The TIMES models mechanistic underpinning is transparent and will facilitate new insights to be derived from the ToxCast/Tox21 library that currently cannot be effectively realized through any existing commercial or publically available tools. LMC is the only source capable of providing the proprietary software, TIMES, and related software, OASIS Pipelines. This purchase order is therefore being directed, without competition, to LMC. The circumstances permitting Other than Full and Open Competition at this time is FAR 13.106-1(b) Soliciting from a single source, only one responsible source and no other supplies or service will satisfy agency requirements. The intent of this synopsis is to state the Government¿s intention to sole source this acquisition and to determine if any other source(s) exist; and, therefore, no solicitation (RFQ) is available. All interested parties who believe they can provide the required service should 1) fully explain their capabilities and qualifications in writing and submit same via FedConnect, a government web portal, within 10 days from the date of this announcement; and 2) must submit itemized pricing that is sufficient to make a determination that competition is feasible. Consequently, any responder(s) failing to provide the aforementioned data but instead choosing merely to submit a routine letter requesting a copy of the RFQ will not be honored. Offerors must submit all technical questions / responses concerning this synopsis electronically through FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/. This notice and any amendments will be available via the Internet at the following URL: www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/ . You must register with FedConnect as an interested party to submit questions and to view responses. Vendors can register with FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect technical questions please call the FedConnect Help Desk at (800) 899-6665 or email at
[email protected]. FedConnect is a web portal that connects agencies and vendors to streamline the process of doing business with the federal government. Through FedConnect contractors will be able to receive, review and respond to contract pre- and post-award actions and documents such as correspondence, request for proposals, tasking instruments and contract modifications. The use of FedConnect also furthers the EPA¿s commitment to moving towards a paperless acquisition environment by reducing its carbon footprint and conducting its business in an ecologically friendly manner. There is no charge to use FedConnect. In addition, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), as this facilitates registration for FedConnect. Please note that vendors MUST have their SAM profile set to ¿public,¿ otherwise FedConnect will not be able to access the SAM information required to validate vendor credentials. Registration may be completed and information regarding the registration process may be obtained at http://www.sam.gov. There is no charge for registration in SAM.