Research Publication and Consultation Services

Introduction:This is a Sources Sought notice. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, ABSTRACTS, OR QUOTATIONS. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and does not commit the Government to any contractual agreement. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on responses under this announcement nor otherwise pay for preparing any information sent for the Government's use. Any proprietary information should be so marked.The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding; (1) the availability and capability of qualified sources, (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses, service-disabled, veteranowned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; small disadvantaged businesses; or other-than-small businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the

information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set aside is possible.Background:A major research direction of the Drug Design and Synthesis Section (DDSS), in the Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch (MTMDB) of the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), is the elucidation of the structure and function of neurotransmitter systems in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) and the molecular mechanism of action of CNS active drugs. Organic/medicinal chemistry is the foundation of the multidisciplinary antagonists, imaging agents, affinity ligands, and other drugs for specific applications. New, highly selective ligands for drug receptors are synthesized, using all of the contemporary tools of medicinal chemistry. DDSS is involved with research on: (1) central opioid receptor subtypes and peripheral opioid receptors, (2) narcotic tolerance and dependence, (3) the synthesis of haptens for a heroin and a fentanyl vaccine, 4) compounds that are almost or completely biased towards the G-protein-coupled receptor and that do not recruit beta-arrestin, 5) compounds that are capable of interacting with both mu- and delta-opioid receptors as potent full agonists that do not cause respiratory depression.Potent and selective ligands are prepared for specific opioid receptors. DDSS has provided tools for PET imaging of opioid receptors, purified the delta opioid receptor to homogeneity seven years prior to cloning, introduced corticotropin releasing hormone antagonists for study of stress-induced relapse to drug abuse and developed the NIH Opiate Total Synthesis. The latter renders the natural opiate enantiomers available independent of the opium poppy and thus offers poppy eradication a strategy to combat heroin abuse. It also provides unnatural opiates as valuable research tools and as potential agents for the treatment of drug abuse via functional antagonism of Toll-like 4 receptors. DDSS, MTMDB, is unique in its ability to forge ahead on these difficult and extremely important areas of science. It is essential that the research findings of DDSS, MTMDB, be made available to the scientific community by publication in highly rated journals.Purpose and Objectives:It is essential that the research findings of DDSS, MTMDB, be made available to the scientific community by publication in highly rated journals or through patents. DDSS, MTMDB, has determined that it is cost efficient and in the best interests of the Government to have a contractor perform this service, as well as a consultative service for advice on publication, rather than employing a full–time permanent employee to write publications. The contractor must have current and working knowledge of the science involved with drug-abuse research, especially in the areas of medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. He/she must be conversant with the literature in the field and have decades of experience in writing manuscripts for publication in major, highly rated, refereed journals, and able to consult with the Chief, DDSS, MTMDB, about current and future research topics that will be published. Further, the contractor must have knowledge of organic chemistry, the major spectroscopic techniques used in the field, such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. He/she must be able to interpret the spectra obtained from these techniques, must be able to determine the accuracy of calculated empirical analyses, must be conversant with x-ray crystallographic determinations, and must be knowledgeable about the in vivo and in vitro techniques used in pharmacological analyses of the evaluated compounds (such as antinociceptive assays – tail flick, phenylquinone, hot plate, tail flick antagonism of morphine, AD50 assays for determination of agonist behavior at individual receptor sites, single dose suppression assays, precipitated withdrawal, dependence potential and abuse liability determinations in animals, receptor binding techniques, GTPgammaS assays, and numerous other techniques that are included in publications in, for example, the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Tetrahedron, Organic Letters, Journal of Organic Chemistry, Tetrahedron Letters, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, and Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry.The DDDS requires contractor support to ensure that scientific data obtained in the Section is published in refereed journals and to acquaint interested DDSS postdoctoral scientists about the publication process. Support is also required for consultation to ensure that current and future research projects suitable for publication will be carried out. Training and support will be provided by the contractor to help the postdoctoral fellow - the DDSS Visiting Fellows and IRTAs, mostly organic chemists (some of whom may not have English as their primary language), become more familiar with the writing of manuscripts in various scientific journals, and with the background of the research. The contractor will also aid with the presentation of posters and oral reports by postdoctoral fellows and will be available for consultation both onsite and/or through a home office via phone or email.Project Requirements:The Contractor must be expert in the fields of organic and medicinal chemistry, spectroscopy, and pharmacology as they relate to the scientific areas of importance to DDSS, and is required to have the experience, knowledge and ability to accomplish the following:1) Dissemination of DDS work: the contractor will assist the Chief (DDSS, NIDA) to collect, review, and select DDSS research data to publish in first-rate, refereed scientific journals. The number of manuscripts is variable and is dependent on the number and the output of the postdoctoral fellows. During the past several years, the Chief (DDSS, NIDA) has been a co-author on about 100 publications. The contractor will also aid with the presentation of posters and oral reports by postdoctoral fellows and will be available for consultation both onsite and/or through a home office via phone or email.A) Manuscript preparation: The contractor shall write, and train interested postdoctoral fellows to write, manuscripts for publication. This will include the introduction, results and discussion, and conclusion, compile the references and the acknowledgement sections of the manuscript, as well as gather material (e.g. CCDC numbers when necessary for publication), for all DDSS manuscripts. The postdoctoral fellows in DDSS will provide written experimental work needed for the manuscript.i. The Contractor will create manuscripts including both text and visual elements using Microsoft Word, ChemDraw, Endnote, etc. The work must be compatible with the Apple operating system for Mac computers.ii. The Contractor will modify the written experimental work provided by DDSS postdoctoral fellows for compliance with the journal’s requirements, will examine the experimental work to assure that it is complete and sufficient for publication, and will request additional information from these scientists when the Contractor or Chief (DDSS, NIDA) deems it necessary.iii. The Contractor will ensure that all manuscripts are written in accordance with the requirements of the journals in which they shall be published, and proof-read all manuscripts for spelling, grammar, and nomenclature. The journal will be chosen by joint agreement of the Chief (DDSS, NIDA), the author (s), the DDSS postdoctoral fellows involved, and the Contractor. These journals include, but are not limited to, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Journal of Organic Chemistry, Chirality, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Letters, Science, Helvetica, Tetrahedron, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Heterocycles, Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry, Synthesis, Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals, Journal of Natural Products, Tetrahedron Letters.B) Manuscript submission:i. The Contractor will assist postdoctoral fellows in the preparation of finalized manuscripts for journal submission. Manuscript articles are generally submitted online and submission cover letters drafted for approval by the Chief (DDSS, NIDA). The Contractor will submit manuscripts to journals for the Chief (DDSS, NIDA), and will teach interested postdoctoral fellows how publication is accomplished.ii. The Contractor shall make as many unbound copies of the printed manuscript as needed (at this time one copy is needed), prior to submission to the journal and send the copy through the proper channels to the Chief of the Branch, for the Office of the Intramural Scientific Director, for approval. The Contractor shall also provide a copy of each submitted manuscript to each author, either by email or in printed form, as desired by the authors.iii. The Contractor will ensure that all paperwork necessary to establish the manuscript as work of the US Government is completed. Generally, this includes the NIH Publishing Agreement which will be filled out and provided to the Chief (DDSS, NIDA) or to the Chief of the Branch for signature, and sent by the Contractor to the journal, generally via an online site, or by whatever other means is deemed necessary.C) Manuscript revision:i. Following journal review, the Contractor will assist postdoctoral fellows in the manuscript revision process, and provide answers, if needed, to any comments or questions from journal reviewers and via editorial review. The Contractor may contact the manuscript author(s) as necessary for assistance, and the Contractor will compile the information required for any needed revision.ii. The Contractor will resubmit the revised manuscript, generally using the online site of the journal. Upon resubmission, the Contractor shall write and include a letter for the Chief (DDSS, NIDA) to the journal editor explaining all revisions made to the manuscript. This entire process will also be used as a teaching tool for interested DDSS postdoctoral fellows who wish to become involved in the process.D) Manuscript Distribution:i. Following manuscript acceptance and publication, the Contractor will ensure that the manuscript is forwarded to PubMed Central for publication in PubMed. The Contractor will be responsible for any manuscript changes needed for PubMed publication and will contact the authors as necessary for this purpose.2) Posters and oral presentationsA) Posters from postdoctoral fellows will be examined, corrected, and input will be provided, when necessary.B) Oral presentations of postdoctoral fellows will be aided, and input will be provided, when necessary, especially for DDSS postdoctoral scientists for whom English is not their primary language.3) Current and working knowledge of the science involved with drug-abuse research, especially in the areas of medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, and pharmacology.A) Current knowledge of the literature in the field, and considerable experience in writing manuscripts for publication in major, highly rated, refereed journals,B) The ability to discuss with the Chief, (DDSS, NIDA), possible current and future research topics that will have the potential for publication, and the ability to discuss with DDSS postdoctoral scientists the background and rationale for their work and prepare them, if needed, to present their work to audiences at national and international scientific conferences and aid in their preparation of seminars/lectures for employment after they leave DDSS, NIDA.C) Knowledge of the major spectroscopic techniques used in the field, such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.D) The Contractor must be able to interpret the spectra obtained from various techniques, must be able to determine the accuracy of calculated empirical analyses, must be conversant with x-ray crystallographic determinations.E) The Contractor must be knowledgeable about the in vitro (binding assays and 35S-GTPγS assays) and in vivo techniques used in pharmacological analyses of evaluated compounds (such as antinociceptive assays – tail flick, phenylquinone, hot plate, tail flick antagonism of morphine, AD50 assays for determination of agonist behavior at individual receptor sites, single dose suppression assays, precipitated withdrawal, dependence potential and abuse liability determinations in animals, and numerous other techniques that are included in DDSS publications. Contractor must have extensive knowledge of the structure-activity relationships of the opioids, cannabinoids, psychomotor stimulants, and other classes of drugs of abuse.Period of Performance:This purchase order shall have a base period of performance of twelve months. The purchase order shall also contain four (4) twelve-month option periods. Option periods may or may not be exercised at the unilateral discretion of the Government. Should all option periods be exercised, the purchase order will have a total duration of five years.Estimate of Effort: The estimate of effort is one (1) part-time individual at 20 hours per week.Capability Statement:Contractors that believe they possess the ability to provide the required services should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contract Specialist.The capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the above outlined requirements, 3) an outline of previous scientific research writing activities in which the contractor has participated, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Contractors must also provide their Company Name, DUNS number, Physical Address, and Point of Contact Information. Contractors also should provide a list of IDIQ or GWAC contracts currently maintained that may be of relevance to this potential requirement.Interested organizations are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry Classification System Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered nonresponsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number.All capability statements sent in response to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Alexander Beraud, Contract Specialist, at Alexander.Beraud@nih.gov before the closing date and time of this announcement. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered.Note:This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After review of the responses received, pre-solicitation and solicitation notices may be published on https://beta.sam.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. The solicitation release date is pending. The Government anticipates negotiation of a firm fixed price contract.Place of Performance: Services shall generally be performed onsite by the Contractor, and the Government will provide the necessary resources and space. Sufficient equipment (e.g. laptop computer) will be loaned to the Contractor to enable home-based work whenever necessary, and to answer necessary questions whenever they are requested by the Chief (DDSS, NIDA), or DDSS postdoctoral scientists. The Contractor is expected to meet with DDSS scientists at the DDSS site formally or informally as necessary. A total of 3 or more on-site meetings per week for an anticipated onsite duration of 20 hours/week, and when deemed necessary by the Chief (DDSS, NIDA), the Contractor may use a home office offsite to complete manuscripts, or answer the questions of DDSS postdoctoral scientists relating to the scientific work of DDSS. The DBSS site is located inRockville, Maryland 20850.Primary Point of Contact:Alexander Beraud, Contract SpecialistAlexander.Beraud@nih.govPhone: 301.827.6857Secondary Point of Contact:Andrew Hotaling, Contracting OfficerAndrew.Hotaling@nih.govPhone: 301.443.6677