Diagnostic Microbiology Mentoring/Training and Support to the Quality Controlled Diagnostic Media Production Laboratory in Cambodia

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) intends to negotiate and award a sole source contract to DMDP, a U.S. and Cambodia based program, to support the development of hair sheep herd for diagnostic microbiology media production and training and mentoring in diagnostic microbiology, testing, and quality assurance. Importation of hair sheep and development of local capacity for utilization of hair sheep for diagnostic microbiology media production. This will provide a heat-tolerant, parasite resistant source of sheep for diagnostic microbiology media production. The second part of this effort will include mentoring and training in basic diagnostic microbiology and interpretation and utilization of the diagnostic microbiology testing results. The work will be performed at minimum in the following key laboratories in Cambodia: Takeo Provincial Hospital, Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital, Battambang Provincial Hospital, National Pediatric Hospital, and Siem Reap Hospital. The implementer must have access, expertise and existing approvals to provide diagnostic mentoring at national and provincial level laboratories in Cambodia. The implementer must have expertise in utilization of hair sheep for development of local capacity for quality controlled diagnostic media production. DMDP has demonstrated expertise and experience operating mentoring programs in Cambodian laboratories over the past 5 years, has existing approval to conduct training/mentoring within the Cambodian laboratory system and expertise in hair sheep utilization for diagnostic media production. This contract is to increase the capacity of regional laboratories to detect and identify pathogens and supplying regional laboratories with quality controlled agar and blood culture bottles for microbiological testing. DMDP will expand the use of hair sheep in Cambodia as a sustainable, standardized, and quality assured blood supply for microbiological testing. DMDP has an extensive network of contacts within the key organizations which DTRA will engage with during its support of this program including Cambodian ministries responsible for regulating agriculture and livestock. DMDP has a demonstrated track record of success in ensuring reagent quality, laboratory capacity, and capability for accurate and efficient laboratory based pathogen identification in Cambodia.