Bioinformatics Analysis Software for Analysis/Detection/Evaluation of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Signature Erosion (PSET) and for In Silico Design of New Assays Contracting Office Edgewood Contracting Division, 110 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 240, Frederick, MD 21702 Primary Point of Contact: Ursela C. Jackson
[email protected] Description: This is a Request for Information (RFI) for planning purposes only. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. No solicitation document exists or is guaranteed to be issued as a result of this RFI. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. The Joint Project Lead CBRND Enabling Biotechnologies (JPL CBRND-EB) Defense Biological Product Assurance Office’s (DBPAO) mission is to employ best practices in providing the Department of Defense and its partners with a comprehensive collection of biological products that are: thoroughly characterized, of the highest quality, adaptable and traceable from source to application. The Government is seeking information from qualified companies with capabilities to support the DBPAO in their requirements for the continued development of PSET, sustainment of the current version of PSET software and hardware to include assay analysis support, technology transition of PSET software and hardware. Development of enhancements to PSET The contractor shall have computer systems that will work with PSET. The contractor shall remote access into GFE (IBM Power8 computer) located at Noblis’ facility. The contractor shall assist with instantiation of PSET on cloud platform. The contractor shall develop and implement the following new features to PSET: Loop-mediated isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assays Improvements to Epitope Signature Erosion (ESET) Visualization Pipeline Deploy improved version of ESET in the current Graphical User Interface as another module in the landing page Add quantification of assay performance feature based on wet lab test data The contractor shall install updated versions of PSET on GFE as new features are developed. The contractor shall perform testing of updated PSET after installation on GFE. The contractor shall support end-user testing after installation of updated PSET on GFE. The contractor shall include results of testing of updated PSET in monthly progress reports. (SOW section 5.3.2) (CDRL A001) The contractor shall provide bioinformatics Subject Matter Expert support for development, testing and analysis of PSET software after implementation of new features. The contractor shall provide troubleshooting support, identify software bugs and implement bug fixes. The contractor shall provide software security updates. The contractor shall update the PSET user manual to include all new features developed and implemented, and update the troubleshooting section of the manual with list of software bugs identified and fixes implemented. (CDRL A003) The contractor shall submit a draft version of the user manual for Government review within nine months of contract award. The Government will submit comments, edits, and corrections to the contractor within five weeks of draft user manual submission. The contractor shall provide the final version of the user manual after Government review and concurrence within 12 months of contract award. The contractor shall deliver the final version of PSET to the Government after Government testing and acceptance. (CDRL A005) The contractor shall assist and collaborate in the preparation of materials for one mutually agreeable publication pertaining to PSET. The contractor shall assist and collaborate in the preparation of materials for one mutually agreeable presentation pertaining to PSET at a conference to be designated by the Government. Sustainment of current version of PSET software and hardware The contractor shall have computer systems that will work with PSET. The contractor shall obtain remote access to Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), IBM Power8 computer, located at current performer’s facility. The contractor shall have systems compatible with GFE. The contractor remote access into IBM Power8 computer located at current performer’s facility. The contractor shall maintain all features and functions of current version of PSET. The contractor shall verify and validate the performance of PCR assay signatures. The contractor shall provide assay analysis support. The contractor shall provide analytical response as needed (approximately 24 analyses in one year), to compare emerging and re-emerging pathogen whole genome sequences to track mutations affecting diagnostic assay sequences and/or epitope erosion, and generate/design new assays in silico . The contractor shall provide biweekly reports on assay analyses results that include graphics and documentation of technical analyses performed. The contractor shall provide periodic updates of local Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) database from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and other public domain data. The contractor shall provide bioinformatics Subject Matter Expert support for assay analysis and hardware sustainment. The contractor shall provide troubleshooting support, identify software bugs and implement bug fixes. The contractor shall provide software security updates. The contractor shall maintain and update the PSET user manual to include software security updates done during sustainment, troubleshooting efforts performed, list of software bugs identified and fixes implemented. (CDRL A003) Technology transition of PSET software and hardware. The contractor shall have a transition plan for PSET software and hardware, including transition of the system to a cloud platform. The Government requires unlimited rights in data and software resulting from this effort IAW DFARS 252.227-7013 Rights in Technical Data—Noncommercial Items and DFARS 252.227-7014 Rights in Noncommercial Computer Software and Noncommercial Computer Software Documentation. The Government will provide PSET source code. The Government will provide applicable technical data package from the current performer. The contractor shall have appropriate systems that will work with PSET. The contractor shall assist with DISA requirements determination. The contractor shall assist with system installation. The contractor shall test the software and hardware in the new environment. The contractor shall support end-user testing after transition. The contractor shall provide a report of tests performed and test results, including end-user tests. (CDRL A004) The contractor shall provide troubleshooting support to include identification of software bugs and provide bug fixes. The contractor shall assist with software and hardware security updates, if needed during transition. Respondents should supply the Government with a description of their ability to perform the required capabilities described in this request for information. The Government will retain comments and information received in response to the RFI. Proprietary information should be identified as Company Proprietary. Do not use Government Security classification markings. All written responses must be received by April 8, 2022. The Government Contracting Officer is Ms. Susan Ruzicka and the Contracting Specialist is Ms Ursela Jackson. Responses should be sent by e-mail to:
[email protected] or by regular mail to: Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground/Edgewood Division, Attn: Ms. Ursela C. Jackson, 110 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 240, Frederick, Maryland 21702. Material that is advertisement only in nature is not desired.