The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP No. NIHMH2008001) entitled NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program on or about Decenmer 31, 2007, under full and open competitive procedures. The general objectives of resultant contract are to receive and test approximately 2,500 coded samples per year (but could range from 2,000-3,000 samples per year) in broad-based human and rodent CNS receptor assays, enzyme screening assays, and functional assays, and to provide an electronic data file for each of the screened compounds. At least 85% of these samples are to be tested in human recombinant receptor assays. Samples for screening may include, but are not limited to: novel chemical entities, structural analogs of lead compounds, genes or gene products, small molecules, enzyme inhibitors, and natural products. The specific requirements are: (1) to establish and validate assays for cloned human or rodent receptors by cloning a receptor, maintaining a stably transfected cell line expressing the receptor, and establishing the binding and functional assays for the receptor in accordance with standards established in the published scientific literature; (2) to conduct screening of compounds in broad-based primary and secondary pharmacological assays (radioligand binding and enzyme assays), functional assays, and assays to assess brain penetrance, bioavailability, and cardiac toxicity, (3) to provide an electronic data file of screening results for each compound suitable for inclusion in a scientific publication; and (4) to regularly update and maintain a binding affinity (Ki) database for compounds and drugs. Award of one (1) cost reimbursement contract is anticipated on or about June 30, 2008, with a three (3) year base period and two (2), one (1) year option periods. The continued use of a deviation to the standard patent rights clause in FAR 52.227-11 Patent Rights - Ownership by the Contractor (Dec 2007) is being evaluated for this contract, to ensure the confidentiality and protect the intellectual property and patent rights of an investigator or party supplying a proprietary sample or composition of matter for testing under this contract. The currently approved Patent Rights clause deviation applies to all discoveries resulting from routine pharmacological and functional screening activities involving the use of proprietary compounds. Discoveries resulting from research activities pertaining to the development of new screening assays or other unanticipated discoveries developed by the Contractor without the use of proprietary compounds is covered by the standard Patent Rights Clause (FAR 52.227-11 Patent Rights - Ownership by the Contractor (Dec 2007)). The proposed deviated Patent Rights clause will be incorporated in full text in the solicitation, including a Statement of Facts that will further elaborate on why NIMH believes that continued use of this clause deviation is necessary. However, a separate Special Notice will also be published on or before the date this solicitation is released, which will request public comments and proposed alternatives to the use of this deviated clause, which will be actively considered by NIMH. The solicitation notice and the Special Notice will be cross-referenced in each respective document. RFP No.NIHMH2008001 will be available on or about December 31, 2007 with the receipt date of proposals on or about February 20, 2008. The RFP may be accessed through the following sites: Federal Business Opportunities (http://www.fbo.gov/); the NIH Guide (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html); and the NIMH home page (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/). Please note that the RFP for this requirement will include the Statement of Work, Deliverables, and Reporting Requirements, the Technical Evaluation Criteria, and proposal preparation instructions. All information required for the submission of an offeror will be contained in the electronic RFP package. All responsible sources are encouraged to submit a proposal that will be considered by the NIMH. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. Please contact Bruce Anderson, NIMH Contracting Officer, at 301-443-2234 or
[email protected] for further information.