Q--Notice intent to Sole Source - WILDLIFE DISEASE

Notice of Intent for Sole Source Award: The US Fish and Wildlife Service intends to award a sole source requirement to UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA for a 5 year contract for: disease diagnostics and field and laboratory investigations. The diversity of wildlife diagnostic, training and research services provided by the UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SWCDS)) in support of state and federal wildlife agencies would require multiple other institutions of comparable scientific capability to achieve the same scope of work. While many animal disease diagnostic laboratories possess a subset of the diagnostic capabilities equivalent to that available at SCWDS - including such areas of specialty as pathology, immunohistochemistry, microbiology and molecular diagnostics -- no other laboratory serving the southeastern US possesses such research, training and diagnostic expertise in wildlife. Disease often presents differently in wildlife than in domestic animals, and it would be cost prohibitive and burdensome for the Government to find and attempt to patch together similar but disparate and uncoordinated services from the multiple additional institutions needed to otherwise accomplish the required scope of work. SCWDS has expertise and a 60 year history serving state and federal wildlife agencies in wildlife disease diagnostics, field wildlife morbidity and mortality investigations, research to identify and describe the ecology of pathogens in wildlife, course development and training for field personnel. SCWDS is the only laboratory of its kind located in the southeastern United States, and its program is not duplicated by any existing State or Federal Laboratory or Agency operating in the region. Both the Service’s Avian Health and Disease Program and the Wildlife Health office have historically received support from this laboratory in the past with excellent results, including the identification of new disease pathogens with significant impact to wildlife. As zoonotic diseases are increasingly transmitted to humans, the comprehensive services provided by SCWDS will uniquely allow the FWS Wildlife Health office to expand support to Refuges and other Program. If you disagree with this sole source, you may submit your argument and a statement of capability to provide power for this requirement for consideration. Responses are due No Later Than 10:00 AM (Pacific Time) on 23 DEC 2025. Questions may be addressed to Robert Sung, Contracting Officer, E-Mail: [email protected]