Preclinical Medications Discovery and Abuse Liability Testing

This is a Sources Sought Notice (SSN). 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 business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition; and (4) whether commercials sources or services are available in the marketplace. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. This notice is issued to help determine the availability and type of qualified companies technically capable of meeting this potential government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition and determine if commercial or non-commercial services are available to meet the needs of the Government. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. The notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. The information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method including small business socioeconomic set aside possibilities and to determine the availability of commercial or non-commercial companies technically capable of meeting the Government's potential requirement. All companies with the capability and availability to perform the requirement under the applicable NAICS code are invited to submit a response to this notice. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 541715 -- Physical science research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development) Manufacturing with a Size Standard of 1,000 employees. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT The Preclinical Medications Discovery and Abuse Liability Testing Program conducts evaluation of potential pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders and abuse liability testing of new street drugs, medications, and potential medications in rodents. The primary emphasis is testing for NIDA's Addiction Treatment Discovery Program (ATDP); to a lesser extent, the contract will generate abuse liability data to inform drug scheduling decisions under the Controlled Substances Act and applicable international treaties. The ATDP was created in 2005 by consolidating NIDA's Cocaine, Opiate, and Methamphetamine Treatment Discovery Programs with smaller initiatives in smoking cessation and marijuana dependence — in part to address decreased contract funding. This contract continues that tradition of efficiency and flexibility, supporting substance use disorder medications discovery and abuse liability testing for DEA drug scheduling. Capable Organizations must demonstrate the in-house capability to perform in vivo rodent and primate pharmacology studies on potential pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders and on new drugs of abuse. This contract will be utilized by the Addiction Treatment Discovery Program (ATDP) within NIDA's Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences. Data gathered on potential pharmacotherapies will be used by the ATDP and NIDA's Medications Development Program. The data generated with new drugs of abuse will be provided to the DEA and FDA by NIDA. Capable Organizations must demonstrate its experience, personnel, facilities, and capabilities for the following activities: Intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure to evaluate compounds for their ability to produce positive or negative hedonic effects, for their ability to alter the “rewarding” properties of drugs of abuse (e.g., stimulants, opioids), or for their ability to alter the aversive state that exists during withdrawal from the chronic administration of a drug of abuse. Evaluate a compound in assays to determine its ability to alter the aversive state that exists during withdrawal from chronic opioid administration in rodents.  Evaluate a compound in assays to determine its ability to alter the aversive state that exists during withdrawal from chronic nicotine administration in rodents.  Evaluate compounds for their effects on non-reinforced operant responding (compound effects shall be evaluated under extincti