The US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health has a continuing requirement for Animal Care and Laboratory Support Services to the Vaccine Research Center.

As part of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) Non-Human Primate (NHP) Program has played an active role in vaccine and therapeutic development for infectious diseases including global killers such as human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and tuberculosis, emerging and re-emerging health threats such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza virus, Zika virus, chikungunya virus, West Nile virus, and Coronaviruses such as COVID-19 and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV); and “deliberately emerging” threats from potential agents of bioterrorism such as smallpox virus.

Since 2001, the VRC Non-Human Primate (NHP) Program has utilized a series of contracts, consistently advancing the VRC’s mission to develop medical countermeasures. The program operates with VRC government-owned NHPs housed at a contractor-operated, AAALAC-accredited facility capable of accommodating over 600 NHPs, which supports ABSL2 and ABSL3 research protocols. This contract includes comprehensive colony management, health monitoring, and the provision of skilled personnel, including scientific staff, to facilitate critical research efforts. The program supports a broad spectrum of research activities, including specimen collection, testing, and regulatory support, as well as study coordination.

The incumbent contract #75N93019C00069, with Bioqual, Inc., was selected through a competitive negotiated acquisition, effective from September 2019 through September 2026.

• The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities for the housing and care of NHPs to support VRC investigators and collaborators developing vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases. The project requirements include comprehensive housing, care, and technical support for Non-Human Primates (NHPs) essential to vaccine and therapeutic development. The Contractor will be required to deliver all necessary services, qualified personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities, including those capable of handling up to 500 NHPs annually. Key technical requirements include providing Biosafety Level-2 (BSL-2) and Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) animal holding facilities, with specialized capabilities such as a dedicated Tuberculosis (TB) suite equipped with GFE PET/CT scanning for ABSL-3 level studies. The Contractor must ensure strict adherence to NIH and federal animal care and biosafety standards. Deliverables include regular reports on animal care, veterinary services, and technical procedures, as well as detailed records of all activities conducted under the contract. Of particular importance is the maintenance of a secure and compliant environment, ensuring the humane treatment of NHPs, and the capability to support long-term and high-containment infectious disease studies.