The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intends to award a sole source cost reimbursement type Research and Development contract to University of Texas Austin as a follow-on to contract W912HQ-07-P-0039. The description of the requirement is as follows: The services are to further develop Molecular Biology Tools (MBTs) that are useful to assess biodegradation potential and activity at contaminated field sites, and this goal will be pursued in the context of perchlorate. Aligned with this purpose, the project has two main objectives. The first objective is to refine quantitative assays that target functional genes related to perchlorate reduction. The second objective is to improve the Prokaryotic cDNS Subtraction protocol, to increase the likelihood of identifying biodegradation genes in novel environmental bacteria. The protocol will be applied to a perchlorate-reducing bacterium to expand the database of functional gene sequences related to perchlorate reduction. This is a special notice prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. However, any firm that believes it can meet this requirement may give written notification to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the date of publication of this announcement. Supporting evidence must be in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to comply with the requirement. Responses received will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government to compete the proposed procurement based on the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will proceed with awarding a cost reimbursement type contract to the University of Texas at Austin. Point of Contact for this requirement is Damon Moore at
[email protected] 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22315.