The following roundup is based on recently awarded federal contracts or official notices of intent to issue an award. We selectively cover acquisition activities for laboratory, medical and CBRN equipment and services for insight into the mission priorities of organizations as well as the competitive landscape for suppliers.
Contents
USAMRIID Award to GMU for Host Response Characterization
The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity intends to award a sole source contract to George Mason University for phosphoproteomic profiling and functional characterization of host response to pathogens through intracellular and intercellular signaling.
The research is in support of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). Only George Mason University is capable of providing the required services because this is a follow-on contract for the continued provision of highly specialized services, and it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government.
Medical Countermeasures Award to Nanotherapeutics
Nanotherapeutics, Inc. of Alachua, Florida was awarded a $9,647,917 modification (P00018) to contract W911QY-13-C-0010 for Medical Countermeasures (MCM) Advanced Development and Manufacturing (ADM) capability for rapid development of countermeasures against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks and outbreaks of naturally occurring and genetically engineered infectious diseases. Fiscal 2014 research, development, testing, and evaluation funds in the amount of $9,647,917were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date is March 19, 2015. Work will be performed in Alachua, Florida. Army Contracting Command, Natick, Massachusetts is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 28, 2014).
NIAID Award – Vascular Protection Against Select Agents
The Hampton University Department of Biological Sciences has been awarded a 3-year, $900,000 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop vascular protection against select pathogens.
Researchers will use zebrafish vascular models of pathogen entry developed in their lab to further demonstrate that distinct pathogens generate unique effects on the vascular lining that can be blocked using specific inhibitors. The grant will support a number of chemical library screens to identify potential therapeutic compounds, which may also have specific functions in regulation of vascular function.
Medical Equipment Award to Spacelabs Medical
Spacelabs Medical Inc. of Issaquah, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $13,460,681 modification (P00101) exercising the fifth option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D1-09-D-8351), with nine one-year options, for patient monitoring systems, subsystems, accessories, consumables, and training. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Washington, with an Oct. 7, 2015, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2015 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Check Point Explosives Detection Systems
Alakai Defense Systems, Inc. of Largo, Florida, was awarded an $8,734,134 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, with options, for Check Point Explosives Detection Systems-2 (CPEDS-2) upgrades for detecting bulk home-made explosives and precursors in the field. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 28, 2015. One bid was solicited, with one received. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,734,134 are being obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Research Triangle Park Division, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W911NF-14-C-0156).
USAMRAA Award to Fast Track Drugs & Biologics
The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) intends to issue a contract to Fast Track Drugs & Biologics, LLC in Gaithersburg, MD for the requirement entitled “Continuation and Completion of Cryopreserved Platelets (CPP) Clinical Trial Protocol #S-12-04 (CPP1-05)” dose escalation study evaluating the safety of dimethyl sulfoxide cryopreserved platelets compared with liquid stored platelets in patients with uncontrolled bleeding not responding to standard platelet therapy.
FDA Award to Illumina
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has awarded $163,336 to Illumina for unspecified Next Generation DNA Sequencing systems.
DHS Award for SenseNet Biodetection Program
PositiveID Corporation in conjunction with its partner, ENSCO, Inc., has been awarded a SenseNet Program contract from the U.S. Department of the Interior on behalf of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate. The goal of this SenseNet award is to implement faster, less expensive bio-threat detection systems, using existing infrastructure where possible, to provide an added level of security.
As part of this award, PositiveID will offer its Firefly Dx system, which is a point-of-need system designed to deliver molecular diagnostic results using real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) chemistry. Firefly is designed to derive results from a sample in less than 20 minutes at the point of sampling. ENSCO will be responsible for the systems integration and decision support.
Trima Blood Collection Systems
The United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), Fort Detrick, MD intends to issue a sole source award to Terumo BCT, Inc. for the Trima Blood Collection System.
The Coagulation and Blood Research Task Area at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR), Fort Sam Houston, TX has one Trima blood collection system and wants to procure two additional identical Trima blood collection systems.
The two new Trima systems are needed to increase Coagulation and Blood Research Task Area’s collection capacity to satisfy the demand created by additional funded studies. One Trima will go to Ft. Sam Houston and one will go to Lackland AFB Blood Donor Center. These new Trima systems will be used in parallel to the existing Trima system for a multicenter study.
USAMRIID Award to CambridgeSoft
The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) in support of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) is awarding a sole source contract to CambridgeSoft Corporation, a subsidiary of PerkinElmer, Inc., of Waltham, MA, for software licenses and related services.
USAMRIID requires the purchase of High Content Profiler Perpetual powered by TIBCO Spotfire manufactured by PerkinElmer, Inc. Additionally, as this software is intended to work with TIBCO Spotfire Analyst, USAMRIID will also purchase TIBCO Spotfire Analyst Perpetual licenses, manufactured by TIBCO Software, Inc.
The items will fulfill the need at USAMRIID for one of the major research areas in the toxicology department, supporting medical countermeasure drug discovery. USAMRIID is utilizing imaging methodologies to identify small molecules, siRNAs that act as antagonist against lethal pathogens.
The data generated from these screens runs in Tera bytes. USAMRIID requires TIBCO Spotfire and HC profiler that integrate with existing imaging instruments like Opera, Operetta and Columbus to do statistical analysis, lead discovery etc.
RFQ: PCR Instrument for Malaria Research
The US Army’s requirement is to acquire a real-time PCR instrument. It is an essential requirement for the Malaria Vaccine Branch, Department of Molecular Diagnostics to perform qualification tests on the Malaria Multiplex Sample Ready Real-time PCR assay to gain FDA approval as a Drug Development Tool. It will be delivered to Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), in Silver Spring, MD. Further requirements available here. Deadline is October 17, 2014.
Patient Monitoring Systems and Consumables
Mindray DS USA, Inc., Mahwah, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $59,334,862 modification (P00101) exercising the fifth option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D1-09-D-8352), with nine one-year options, for patient monitoring systems, subsystems, accessories, consumables and training. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is New Jersey, with an Oct. 18, 2015, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Airborne Mine Neutralization System
Atlas North America LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is being awarded an $8,022,044 firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract for depot level repair, maintenance, modifications, engineering services and spare parts for the AN/ASQ-232 Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS) to support the Navy for the currently deployed Airborne Mine Countermeasures legacy systems.
The AMNS provides neutralization of shallow and deep-water mines located by the AN/AQS-24A Mine Detecting Set, and/or other mine countermeasures assets. The system is used by Navy ships and helicopters. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $43,294,929. Work will be performed in Panama City Beach, Florida (60 percent); Bahrain (25 percent); Virginia Beach, Virginia (10 percent); South Korea (2.5 percent); and Japan (2.5 percent); and is expected to be completed by October 2015. Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61331-15-D-0002).
NRC Canada Funds Response Biomedical Sepsis Biomarker Test
Response Biomedical Corp. has entered into a funding agreement with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program for up to $412,000 to support the development of a new sepsis biomarker test for use on Response’s RAMP test platform. Response believes that the development of this test will enable the Company to successfully expand its sales to its current RAMP instrument customer base and also to help penetrate new markets.
Global Biodefense Articles
Additional contracting news recently appearing on Global Biodefense:
- Systems Protection from Environmental, Biological and Chemical Hazards
- RFI: Large Scale Applicator for CIDAS CBRN Decon
- BAA: Innovations to Assist Ebola Healthcare Workers
- Battelle Awarded Grant to Study New Forensic DNA Tools
- Scripps Awarded 6.6M to Investigate Deadly Lassa Virus
- Profectus Biosciences Awarded Funding for Ebola Vaccine
Sources: FedBizOpps, Defense.gov, various industry and university websites
