Description
Introduction: The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) supports research related to the basic understanding of microbiology and immunology leading to the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and medical diagnostics for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of infectious and immune-mediated diseases. The NIAID, Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (NIAID/DAIT) has a requirement to identify, characterize, and develop new medical countermeasures against radiological or nuclear attacks. Description: NIAID/DAIT plans to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to Nanotherapeutics, Inc. An Offeror would conduct research and development on a nanoparticle DTPA formulation with improved oral bioavailability over the licensed DTPA products and which demonstrates decorporation of radionculdies. The Offeror, if awarded, would be required to prepare nanoparticle DTPA formulations and evaluate DTPA bioavailability, radionuclide decorporating efficacy, and toxicity of these formulations.Offeror would be required, for example, to demonstrate and document the following:1) A lead DTPA nanoparticle formulation that has shown improved oral bioavailability over the licensed Ca- or Zn-DTPA product administered orally. 2) Assays in place for detecting DTPA in biological fluids.3) Decorporation data using a candidate formulation. It is anticipated that a fixed price contract shall be awarded to a single contractor for a 1-year period of performance beginning on or about September 30, 2008, pending the availability of funds and receipt of technically acceptable proposals from the contractor. The estimated FTEs would be approximately 2.85, inclusive of work subcontracted to institutions within the United States. In addition, the Offeror will provide a proposal to accomplish the above requirements for the 1 year period of planned funding. The anticipated release date of the RFP is on or September 1, 2008, with an anticipated offer due date on or September 16, 2008. The firm date of receipt of offers will be stated in the RFP. This notice does not commit the Government to award the contract. No collect calls or facsimile transmissions will be accepted.