SEQUENCING (NOVASEQX 25B 150PE, FLOW CELL)

This is a Notice of Intent, not a request for proposal. 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 Psomagen, Inc. for Sequencing (NovaSeqX 25B 150PE, flow cell). This is a follow-on request and requirement to maintain continuity and reproducibility; therefore, Psomagen must complete this last portion of the project.

The HIV Pathogenesis Section (HPS) within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) investigates inflammatory complications in HIV with a special emphasis on immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). HPS develops adjuvant immune-based therapies (IBT) to improve immune restoration in CD4 lymphogenic conditions such as HIV and idiopathic CD4 lymphopenia (ICL).

HPS plans and conducts research on the pathogenesis of 2 major risk factors of IRIS: severe CD4 lymphopenia and the presence of opportunistic infections even if clinically silent (M. tuberculosis, M. avium complex, C. neoformans or other fungi, or viral pathogens) prior to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation.

The lab is in pursuit of the development of immunomodulatory therapies, such as IL-7, with the objective to improve immune restoration and function and reduce inflammation in treated HIV infection; investigates how residual immune activation and persistent lymphopenia associate or lead to dysregulated coagulation and inflammation that are linked to cardiovascular complications in HIV.

HPS correlates mechanisms of ICL with T cell homeostasis and inflammation in HIV and initiates and evaluates the clinical predictors, biomarkers, and pathogenesis of IRIS by conducting large prospective, observational, clinical trials of ART-naive HIV+ patients with severe CD4 lymphopenia (<100 cells/L) who are followed prospectively after initiation of ART.

HPS collaborates with other NIAID investigators to develop and elucidate a murine model of mycobacterial IRIS and; collaborates with international research sites (National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) Chennai, India , Shanghai Public Health Department (Fudan University) Shanghai, China, clinical networks (INSIGHT and ACTG) conducting multi-center clinical trials on IRIS and ICL. Long COVID remains a significant public health problem and the pathophysiology remains unknown.

HPS has completed a large and detailed flow cytometry and biomarker analysis of Long COVID patients compared to healthy controls and plan to supplement this analysis with scRNA sequencing using Parse Biosciences Mega scRNA sequencing kit. The lab will perform scRNA sequencing on PBMCs from Long COVID patients, healthy volunteers, and individuals with other inflammatory disorders as controls.

Comparisons of the cell subsets and activation of intracellular signaling pathways will help elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms contributing to Long COVID and may provide targets for future clinical-translation studies. The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C. 1901 (a) (1) as implemented by FAR 13.106-1 only one responsible source and no other supply of service will satisfy agency requirements. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.

All responsible sources that could provide comparable services may submit a capability statement that will be considered. The documents must be submitted via the NIAID electronic Simplified Acquisition Submission System (eSASS) website at https://esass.nih.gov, (subject line to reference NOI-NIAID-24-2228921 by 12:00 pm eastern standard time September 5, 2024. All vendors must register in the eSASS system to submit a quotation. Instructions on how to register / submit quotes are included on the website.

Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f). All responsible sources may submit an offer that will be considered by this Agency.