Scientific, Technical, and Administrative Staff to Support the NIAID Mali ICER

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to negotiate on an other than full and open competition basis with the University of Bamako in Mali, Africa for the purpose of obtaining scientific, technical, logistical, and administrative support services to assist with facilitating NIAID's investigation into and response to emergent health crises impacting developing countries around the world. The contractor shall be required to provide scientific, technical, logistical, and administrative personnel to continue and potentially expand the existing collaborative research activities currently underway at the NIAID International Centers for Excellence in Research (ICER) program located at the University of Bamako/ Faculties of Medicine and Oral Surgery and Pharmacy /University of Science, Techniques, and Technology of Bamako (USTTB). The personnel provided by the contractor to support the NIAID ICER program shall include: administrative support staff, information technologies (IT) staff, vehicle operators, scientific and technical support staff, housekeeping, logistics and security staff. These individuals shall perform operations related to scientific, administrative, and operational support on behalf of the NIAID ICER, on the campus of the University of Bamako, to maintain the ongoing research programs - the direction of which shall be determined by consultation between senior Malian investigators and the NIAID principal investigators involved in the ICER program in Mali. The research programs include but are not limited to collaborations in malaria, including malaria vaccine testing in selected field sites, malaria entomology, filariasis, leishmaniasis, relapsing fever, Lassa virus, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus and HIV/TB co-infection. The Contractor shall subcontract with local institutions or organizations all qualified personnel necessay to undertake research activities at the various flied sites in Mali that are affiliated with the Mali ICER program, as well as provide personnel to support to the administrative infrastructure developed to manage the resulting contract. The administrative infrastructure consists of staff necessary to: prepare and execute employment contracts and agreements for ICER staff, prepare monthly pay lists and vouchers for submission to the Mali Service Center for disbursement, maintain disbursement records for all ICER staff covered under the contract, ensure that social security and income tax levies owing to the Government of Mali are deducted from all salaries and emoluments in accordance with Malian law, and maintain close liaison with the Mali Service Center to ensure that reports, vouchers, and pay records are submitted in a timely fashion. The estimated type and number of personnel are listed as follows: Labor Category (Qty) Scientific Director (2) Deputy Scientific Director (2) Sr. Scientist (30) Scientist (50) Biologist (50) Research Support (50) Research Support (student) (50) Administrative/Mgmt Specialist (10) Program Support Personnel(100) Midwife (5) Obstetrical nurse (5) Data Manager (10) Security Guard (10) It is anticipated that a five year, indefinite quantity indefinite delivery type contract will be awarded on or about March 27, 2018. Any solicitation resulting from this notice will be processed in accordance with FAR Part 15 and 16. The proposed acquisition is for items and or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1. The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (1). If you believe you can provide the services requested, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, which shall be considered by the agency. Submit emails with subject line reference: NIHAO201700083 to LaDonna Stewart at [email protected] by 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on Friday, February 9, 2018. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract acquisition based upon responses to the notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. Any solicitation resulting from the analysis of information obtained will be announced to the public in Federal Business Opportunities in accordance with the FAR Part 5. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).