NIH Scientific & Technical Expertise & Acquisition Management (STEAM)

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE NIH SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ACQUISITION & MANAGEMENT (STEAM) Sources Sought Reference Number: 75N98027R00012 Proposed NAICS Code and Size Standard: 541990 — All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; $19.5 million in average annual receipts Sources Sought Notice Information Introduction This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) their small business and applicable socioeconomic status, including HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, veteran-owned, 8(a), woman-owned, and small disadvantaged business status; and (3) their size classification relative to the proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. Responses will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a full or partial small business set-aside is appropriate. Interested small businesses may respond for Task Area A (Professional Services), Task Area B (Highly Specialized Scientific Services), or both. Respondents should identify their ability to perform as a prime contractor, joint venture, or subcontracting team, distinguish their own capability from that of team members, and identify limitations within each task area addressed. NIH will assess capability separately for each area. To be considered capable of supporting a task area, respondents must demonstrate that their proposed performance arrangement meets the full capability requirements stated for that task area below. Capability in both areas is not required to respond. Partial capability is insufficient to be considered capable of supporting the full task area. The Government has not made a final set-aside determination. Background The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducts and supports biomedical and behavioral research to advance scientific knowledge and improve health. NIH requires professional, scientific, and technical contractor support for current and emerging research priorities, ongoing research activities, and related program operations. Changes in research programs and scientific methods create a continuing need for flexible service delivery and specialized expertise. Scientific & Technical Expertise Acquisition & Management (STEAM) will acquire contractor-provided services and expertise to accomplish varied project-based requirements across NIH. Individual task orders will define project objectives, tasks, deliverables or milestones, performance periods, required expertise, and resource needs. Contractors must furnish and manage the resources needed to perform multiple concurrent projects at substantial volume and adjust those resources as authorized project requirements change. NIH anticipates using cost-reimbursement contracting approximately 20 percent of the time. The actual mix will depend on individual requirements. Firms should describe their experience and ability to support this component, including any preparation needed. Existing cost-reimbursement capability or a prior Government accounting-system approval is not a mandatory condition of responding to this notice. Applicable requirements, including accounting-system adequacy, would need to be satisfied before award of a cost-reimbursement order. Purpose and Objectives The purpose of STEAM is to provide professional, scientific, and technical support for NIH research and related activities. Support includes basic, translational, and clinical research; vaccine research; general and specialized laboratory research; veterinary and animal research support; bioinformatics; computational biology; and related professional and technical services. The contractor will furnish and manage qualified resources to accomplish each statement of work (SOW), including responsibility for recruiting, verifying qualifications, retaining its personnel, and maintaining continuity of performance. Services will be furnished under individual funded, project-based task orders. The contractor will furnish resources, including personnel with expertise corresponding to the applicable labor categories, to accomplish the SOW and deliver the required project outcomes and milestones. The contractor will retain responsibility for employing, supervising, and managing its personnel. Services will not include inherently governmental functions or unauthorized personal services. Each task order will identify the applicable task area, project scope, qualifications, location, performance schedule, and security and safety requirements. Project Requirements Services may involve expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, infectious diseases, immunology, clinical research, bioinformatics, genomic sequencing, proteomics, image analysis, computational and systems biology, and scientific data analysis. Related requirements may include clinical trials support, laboratory operations, veterinary services, program management, and other professional or technical support within the authorized scope. Qualifications range from positions without a degree requirement to licensed practitioners and highly specialized doctoral-level professionals. The contractor must be able to furnish qualified resources within the task area or areas addressed and manage a substantial volume of concurrent project requirements. Primary anticipated locations include Bethesda and Rockville, Maryland; other locations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area; and Hamilton, Montana. Other domestic locations, overseas support, travel, or remote work may be authorized by individual orders. NIH-wide demand for task orders and contractor support fluctuates across projects, locations, and time. This notice does not provide a fixed annual volume estimate or guarantee a minimum workload. Routine task orders will establish mobilization, onboarding, and performance start schedules. Under certain circumstances, an urgent or unforeseen NIH need may require the contractor to begin authorized performance within 48 hours. For an expedited request, NIH will identify the applicable timeframe and the event from which it is measured. Respondents should describe their ability to accommodate these requests, identify the categories and locations they could support, and explain any limitations or prerequisites. Contractors must ensure that their personnel have the qualifications and relevant experience required for the assigned work and complete applicable training, competency verification, occupational health requirements, and facility-specific access approvals before beginning restricted work. For assignments involving regulated select agents or toxins, applicable individual access approvals, security risk assessments, and required training must be completed before access. Prior experience at another laboratory does not establish authorization at the receiving NIH facility. An expedited task-order request does not waive these prerequisites. The following 156 labor-category families are organized into two task areas. Each family appears once. Categories encompass applicable levels and specialties; task orders will specify required duties and qualifications. Numbered levels are not automatically equivalent to Junior, Mid-Level, or Senior designations. The task-area structure supports market research and does not establish the final award structure. Task Area A — Professional Services This area covers general professional, management, administrative, business, IT, and technical support for NIH projects, including project coordination, financial analysis, enterprise systems, and related operational services. Scientific versions of otherwise general roles are assigned to Task Area B. To be considered capable of supporting Task Area A, respondents must demonstrate the ability to fill every labor category identified under this task area with personnel who meet the applicable role-specific qualifications. Responses must address capability across all labor categories and identify any limitations. Capability in only a subset of the identified labor categories is insufficient to be considered capable of supporting Task Area A. Accessibility Specialist Accounting Technician Administration Administrative Support Administrative Support Assistant (Administrative Support) Advisor Agile Consultant Analytics Specialist BMC Administrator BMC Remedy Administrator Budget Analyst Business Process Consultant Business Systems Analyst Communications Specialist Computer Systems Analyst Consultant (Professional) Data Analyst Data Architect Database Administrator Database Analyst/Programmer Editor Engineer (Professional) Executive Consultant Facilities Management Assistant Facilities Planning Manager Facility Support Specialist Financial Analyst Grants Management Executive Graphics Designer/Web Developer Help Desk Manager Help Desk Specialist Help Desk Support Tier IT Data Scientist IT SME Management Analyst Office Manager Paralegal Payroll Support Policy Analyst Procurement Technician Program Analyst Program Assistant Program Manager Program Support Project Coordinator Project Manager Project Support Property Technician QA/QC Records Specialist SharePoint Administrator SharePoint Developer Shipping and Receiving Clerk Software Architect Software Developer Software Engineer Space Management Specialist Subject Matter Expert Systems Engineer Technical Writer Technician Web Designer Web Developer Task Area B — Highly Specialized Scientific Services This area covers scientific research and development, specialized scientific computing and analysis, laboratory services, and all clinical and animal-care roles, including associated routine support. Assignments may support basic, translational, or clinical research and specialized containment environments. Qualification requirements vary by role; not every category requires a doctoral degree or BSL-3 experience. Task Area B may include support for Biosafety Level (BSL) 1, 2, 3, and 4 laboratories and Animal Biosafety Level (ABSL) 1, 2, 3, and 4 environments, as specified in individual task orders. Support for BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories remains a significant specialized requirement. To be considered capable of supporting Task Area B, respondents must demonstrate the ability to fill every labor category identified under this task area with personnel who meet the applicable role-specific qualifications and to support all BSL and ABSL levels identified above. Responses must address capability across all labor categories and containment levels and identify any limitations. Capability in only a subset of the identified labor categories or containment levels is insufficient to be considered capable of supporting Task Area B. Animal Biologist Animal Technician Behavioral Geneticist Biochemist Bioinformatician Bioinformatics Scientist Biological Scientist Biologist Biologist/Microbiologist Bioprocess Engineer Biostatistician Biostatistician/Statistical Programmer Chemical Engineer Cheminformatics Scientist Chemist Chemist/Biochemist Clinical Advisor (Scientific) Clinical Biostatistician Clinical Informatics Project Manager Clinical Operations Manager Clinical Program Manager Clinical Protocol Coordinator Clinical Psychologist Clinical Research Associate Clinical Research Coordinator Clinical Research Pharmacist Clinical Research Support Clinical Social Worker Clinical Trials Admin Cognitive Neuroscientist Computer Scientist Consultant (Scientific) Cytogenetic Technologist Data Manager Data Scientist Echo Technologist Engineer (Scientific) Enzymologist Epidemiologist Genetic Counselor Imaging Specialist Immunologist Laboratory Animal Technician Laboratory Assistant Laboratory Manager Laboratory Operations Specialist Laboratory Technician Medical Assistant Medical Illustrator Medical Officer Medical Records Specialist Medical Records Technician Molecular Geneticist MRI Data Analyst MRI Psychology Researcher MRI Technologist Neurodiagnostic Technologist Nurse (Certified Nursing Assistant) Nurse (Licensed Practical Nurse) Nurse (Registered Nurse Research) Nurse (Registered Nurse) Nurse Practitioner Patient Care Coordinator Patient Coordinator Peer Review Specialist Pharmacologist Pharmacy Technician Specialist Phlebotomist Physician Assistant Physician Policy Researcher Quality Assurance Quality Assurance Analyst Quality Assurance Specialist Recruitment and Outreach Specialist Regulatory Affairs Specialist Research Analyst Research Associate Research Nurse Research Specialist Researcher Robotics Engineer Science Writer/Editor Scientific Data Manager Scientific Data Specialist Scientific Policy Analyst Scientific Program Analyst Scientific Program Manager Scientific Researcher Scientific Review Officer Scientist Statistician Technical Writer, Scientific Veterinarian Anticipated Period of Performance NIH anticipates a five-year ordering period, from April 2027 through April 2032, subject to final acquisition strategy. Individual orders will establish their own authorized performance periods. Planning estimates do not guarantee quantities, orders, or a share of work. Capability Statement/Information Sought Submit a separate, clearly labeled capability statement for Task Area A, Task Area B, or each area if responding to both. Each statement must address capability across every labor category identified within the task area addressed. A Task Area B statement must also address capability across BSL-1 through BSL-4 and ABSL-1 through ABSL-4. Each statement should describe the project-based services and labor categories supported, contractor personnel expertise and availability, current capacity, comparable project experience, management capability, and customer references. Identify unsupported categories, unsupported containment levels, and other limitations, as applicable. Disclosure of a limitation does not waive the full capability requirements stated for the applicable task area. Responses should address the following for each task area selected: (1) Experience managing comparable project-based service contracts and task orders, including the number and type of personnel supported, peak active headcount, concurrent orders or projects, locations, and volume of personnel mobilized to perform the work. Provide up to three relevant examples per task area from the last five years, including ongoing work, and identify the performing entity, customer, period, and reference contact. Federal, commercial, and academic examples may be used. If comparable experience is unavailable, identify other evidence supporting the proposed capability. Apply the recruitment questions below to the task area addressed; scientific recruiting is relevant to scientific assignments. Describe recruitment as the contractor’s responsibility for furnishing resources to perform the SOW. For a response covering both areas, distinguish capacity and lead times by area. (2) The approach to scientific recruiting, qualification and credential verification, retention, replacement of contractor personnel, expansion of project teams during surges, and geographically dispersed workforce management. Provide normal mobilization and personnel replacement timeframes. Separately describe the ability to begin authorized performance in response to urgent requests within 48 hours, with examples where available and an explanation of any Government or facility approvals affecting the start date. Do not assume that all categories or sites require continuous 48-hour response capability. The containment-specific information below applies to all respondents addressing Task Area B. For each BSL-1 through BSL-4 and ABSL-1 through ABSL-4 level, identify relevant contract performance experience, specialties, annual capacity to mobilize contractor personnel, maximum concurrent contractor personnel assignments, normal recruitment timeframes, and limitations. Distinguish company capability from proposed team-member capability and demonstrated experience from projected capacity. Identify unsupported levels; experience at one level does not establish readiness for another. If comparable experience at a level is unavailable, identify other evidence supporting the proposed capability at that level. Cross-reference item (7) without double counting capacity across levels. Support for all identified levels is required to be considered capable of supporting Task Area B. Item (3) places particular emphasis on BSL-3, BSL-4, ABSL-3, and ABSL-4. A-only respondents may identify this item as not applicable. (3) Experience furnishing and managing qualified contractor resources for BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories and ABSL-3 and ABSL-4 environments. Identify specialties, numbers of contractor personnel supporting performance, and relevant performance examples. If comparable experience is unavailable, identify other evidence supporting the proposed capability. Explain how training, competency, occupational health, and access prerequisites are verified and coordinated with the receiving facility. Provide aggregate readiness information without medical records, sensitive laboratory security details, or unnecessary personal information. (4) The management and financial resources available to support the proposed workforce, including supervision, payroll, timekeeping, reporting, quality control, working capital, and transition continuity. Describe cost-reimbursement experience, accounting-system capabilities, any relevant Government reviews, and any preparation needed to support the anticipated cost-reimbursement component. This information is requested for market research and is not a mandatory qualification for responding. (5) The professional qualifications and relevant experience of the respondent's proposed key personnel. Respondents should identify their own key personnel appropriate to managing STEAM and provide resumes reflecting education, relevant work, proposed responsibilities, availability, and competing commitments. NIH is not prescribing a fixed key-personnel roster or a mandatory Principal Investigator position for this notice. Resumes are not required for every potential contractor personnel assignment. (6) The proposed prime, joint venture, and subcontractor roles, including the task areas and assigned categories, expected work shares, commitment status, and the prime’s management responsibilities. Identify the ability to meet applicable small-business eligibility and performance requirements if a set-aside is selected. Explain how the proposed performance arrangement provides coverage for every labor category within each task area addressed and, for Task Area B, all identified BSL and ABSL levels. Individual team members may provide portions of the required capability, but the proposed arrangement must collectively demonstrate full coverage for the respondent to be considered capable of supporting the applicable task area. Clearly identify gaps in full-scope coverage and any discrete portions that could be supported separately. Capability limited to discrete portions is insufficient to be considered capable of supporting the full task area. (7) Quantified annual and concurrent capacity. Respondents must provide numerical capacity estimates for each task area addressed, with assumptions and supporting evidence. Report task orders (TOs) and contractor personnel assignments separately: a task order may require multiple personnel, and the two measures must not be treated as interchangeable. For these capacity questions, a personnel assignment means one role filled by contractor personnel to perform an order’s SOW; it is a workload measure, not a separate task order or a Government hiring action. (a) Annual capacity: State the maximum number of new task orders the company could accept and perform in a 12-month period, and the maximum total number of task orders it could perform during that period, including orders continuing from prior periods. Separately state the number of new contractor personnel assignments it could mobilize during that period and its capacity to replace personnel while maintaining performance. Distinguish unique assignments from successive replacements in the same role. (b) Concurrent capacity: State the maximum number of active task orders and contractor personnel assignments the company could sustain at the same time. Explain the assumed number and mix of personnel assignments per order, order duration, geographic coverage, and constraints. For Task Area B, address constraints for specialized scientific assignments and BSL/ABSL assignments at each of the required BSL-1 through BSL-4 and ABSL-1 through ABSL-4 levels. (c) Available and surge capacity: Account for existing customer commitments and distinguish capacity currently available to NIH from capacity requiring additional hiring, financing, or team members. State the additional task orders and contractor personnel assignments that could be supported during a surge, the time needed to reach that level, and how long it could be sustained. For a response covering both areas, provide a combined achievable total and explain shared resources without double counting. (d) Supporting evidence: Provide actual annual task-order and personnel mobilization volumes and peak concurrent orders and contractor personnel assignments from comparable work within the last five years, identifying the period measured. Cross-reference examples under item (1) to avoid repetition. Distinguish demonstrated performance from projected capacity, explain how estimates were developed, and identify the capacity supplied by the company itself versus proposed joint-venture partners or subcontractors. If comparable history is unavailable, provide other evidence supporting the estimates. Explain the recruiting, management, and financial resources needed to sustain the stated volume. (8) Sources Sought Question. How would your firm fund uninterrupted performance during a surge in workload and a cash-flow stress period of up to 90 days between incurring costs and receiving payment? Briefly identify available or obtainable financing, existing obligations, and mitigation of any shortfall. This information is for market research, not an eligibility determination. Financial Review Statement. The Government intends to examine liquidity, working capital, financing availability, existing obligations, and surge and cash-flow contingency plans against solicitation-specific performance needs. Reasonable alternative evidence of financial capability, including resources obtainable by award, will be considered. Financial capability will be assessed as a responsibility matter in any resulting solicitation and award. The 90-day period is a market-research stress scenario, not a proposed payment term. No binding price proposal is requested. Information Submission Instructions: Page Limitations Capability statements must not exceed five (5) pages per task area, excluding key-personnel resumes. A respondent addressing both areas may submit up to ten (10) narrative pages combined, with separate A and B sections limited to five pages each. Cover pages, business information, tables, and project examples count toward these limits; common business information may be provided once and counted within one area’s limit. Use 10-to-12-point font, at least one-inch margins, and standard letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 inches), with no more than six lines of text per vertical inch. Resumes should be limited to two pages per key person. Internet links may not substitute for requested evidence. Mark proprietary information. Required Business Information: • Unique Entity ID (UEI) and CAGE code, if available. • Company name and physical address. • Technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, telephone numbers, and email addresses. • Small-business status under the proposed NAICS code, applicable socioeconomic designations and certification status, and SAM.gov registration status. • Cost-reimbursement capability and accounting-system review status, including the reviewing agency and date, if applicable. An existing Government approval is not required to respond. Number of Copies: Submit one (1) electronic copy of the capability statement and key-personnel resumes in searchable Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by email to both contracting contacts listed below. The email subject line must specify sources sought reference number 75N98027R00012 and the company name. The response must identify Task Area A, Task Area B, or both in its cover information and email subject. NIH will post notice amendments and updates on SAM.gov. Common Cut-off Date: Electronically submitted capability statements are due no later than November 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The Government may issue consolidated responses by amendment. An extension request or pending question does not change the response deadline; only a written Government amendment can do so. Respondents should not assume an extension will be granted. All responses must be received by the stated deadline to be assured consideration. Respondents that previously submitted a capability statement may submit a revised statement addressing these amended requirements. Any revised statement must be clearly identified as revised and must comply with the notice’s existing page limits and submission instructions. The Government will assess capability statements against the requirements of the notice as amended. Revised capability statements must be received by that deadline to be assured consideration. Except as expressly revised by this amendment, all other provisions of the Sources Sought Notice remain unchanged. This remains a sources sought notice for market research and is not a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. Disclaimer and Important Notes This notice does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation, award a contract or order, or pay for information provided in response. Responses must be complete and sufficiently detailed to permit assessment of the respondent's capabilities. The Government may request clarification or verify references but is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt or provide individual feedback. Any subsequent solicitation will contain the governing requirements and instructions. A response to this notice will not substitute for a response to a solicitation. Confidentiality Clearly identify proprietary information. Information will be handled in accordance with applicable law. Do not submit classified information, sensitive laboratory security information, medical records, or unnecessary personal information. Identify supporting records requiring a Government-approved secure channel rather than attaching them to ordinary email. Contracting Office Address Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Division of Strategic Sourcing Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations (OLAO) NIH Office of Acquisition and Logistics Management (OALM) 6701B Rockledge Drive Bethesda, Maryland 20817 Points of Contact: Kishan Patel, Contracting Officer Email: kishan.patel@nih.gov Alternate contact: Som Bahrami, Contracting Officer Email: som.bahrami@nih.gov