The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health has a continuing requirement for technical and logistical support for NIH Laboratory Animal Research.

NIH laboratory animal programs involve the use of approximately 575,000 square feet of space located primarily in twenty-six buildings on the Bethesda campus and thirteen buildings at the Animal Center in Poolesville, MD. Remote facilities include four leased facilities in Rockville and Gaithersburg and two Government-owned facilities in Baltimore, MD. All NIH animal programs and facilities comply with applicable laboratory animal regulations, guidelines and standards, and are accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC).

Laboratory of Animal Research Contract (LARC) is a multiple award contract providing animal care and technical research support services to the NIH intramural research community. This contract vehicle supports most NIH Institutes through numerous Task Orders for specific requirements. The LARC provides direct access to experienced providers of laboratory animal research support services.

• Continuous high quality animal care shall be provided as set forth in the applicable animal welfare regulations, standards and guidelines
• Animals must be maintained under carefully controlled conditions to minimize research variables and allow the accurate interpretation of laboratory results
• It is essential that animal colonies be properly maintained to avoid any situation or condition such as undue stress, diseases, animal identification problems, escapes, etc., that might adversely affect ongoing research