Added: Jul 22, 2008 10:48 am
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) plans to procure on a sole source basis, a study using real-time polymer chain reaction (PCR) to determine mtDNA mass from leukocyte and using PCR to detect mtDNA site-specific oxidative damage with Changhua Christian Hospital; Changhua, Taiwan.
The services herein are being procured in accordance with the simplified acquisition procedures authorized by FAR Part 13.106-1 (b) (1). The North American Industry Classification System Code is 541690 the business size standard is 6.5 M employees.
The period of performance for this procurement is August 30, 2008 through August 29, 2009.
The contractor shall analyze 1,700 DNA samples for mitochondrial DNA copy number and oxidative damage in several molecular epidemiologic studies. Normal cell mitochondria have between two and ten copies of their mtDNA genome and experimentally, cells challenged with Reactive oxygen species (ROS) may synthesize more copies of their mtDNA. The most common oxidative product of DNA is 8-OHdG, which is detectable in mtDNA of human tissue Cells. Under enhanced oxidative stress, the amount of 8-OHdG in mtDNA was found to increase. Human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) can recognize 8-OHdG and catalyze the removal of 8-OHdG through cleavage of the phosphodiester bond in modified DNA. It has been shown that 8-OHdG is one of the important oxidative DNA lesions related to mitochondrial dysfunction and aging. If an 8-OHdG is present at a specific region of the DNA template, digestion of the 8-OHdG by hOGG1 can break the DNA template at the lesion site and block the amplification of this region by DNA Taq polymerase. Therefore, the greater the proportion of mtDNA in the samples contained 8-OHdG, the less intact mtDNA was left after hOGG1 digestion.
The lab in Vascular and Genomic Center in Changhua Christian Hospital was the first lab in the world and is the only source known to the NCI that to develop an assay method of mitochondrial mass and site-specific oxidative damage. This is a proprietary method and as such no other contractor can fulfill the requirements of this contract. The staff at The Vascular and Genomic Center are experts who have studied mitochondrial function for many years. They are knowledgeable about all aspects required and have the experience that is necessary. To maintain consistency of data, it is critical that the laboratory at The Vascular and Genomic Center be used to analyze the samples.
This is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a statement of capabilities. The statement of capabilities and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the researcher to determine if the party can meet this requirement. One (1) original and one (1) copy of the capability statement must be received in the contracting office by 11:00 a.m. ET on August 4, 2008. All questions must be in writing and can be faxed to 301-402-4513 or sent via email to Malinda Holdcraft: holdcram@exchange.nih.gov. It is the vendor s responsibility to ensure questions have been received. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect calls will be accepted. In order to receive an award, contractor must have valid, updated registration and certification in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA).
Please reference NCI-80135-NG on all correspondence.
