ANTIGENIC VARIATION OF HIV-1 AND RELATED LENTIVIRUSES NIH GUIDE, Volume 21, Number 36, October 9, 1992 RFP AVAILABLE: NIH-NIAID-DAIDS-93-13 P.T. 34 Keywords: Viral Studies (Virology) Immunology Bioassay Biological Resources National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases The Vaccine Research and Development Branch, Basic Research and Development Program, Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has a requirement for a contractor to receive and process virus-infected, human-derived samples on a large scale basis and to isolate, expand and immunologically characterize HIV-1 and related lentiviruses from these samples. Specifically, the selected contractor will be responsible for: 1) performing virus isolation, expansion, and characterization from samples supplied to the Contractor; 2) performing specific immunological assays for HIV and related lentiviruses; 3) classifying all virus isolates received into antigenic subgroups based upon serological/immunological assays; 4) securing, receiving, cataloging, processing, and storing samples from both domestic and international sites, and distributing samples to other investigators; 5) providing inventory and a Database Management System; 6) providing facilities and resources; 7) reporting progress according to reporting requirements; 8) meeting with the Project Officer; 9) obtaining clearance for publication; and 10) implementing an orderly transition to a successor Contractor. This is an announcement for an anticipated Request for Proposals (RFP). RFP NIH-NIAID-DAIDS-93-13 will be issued on or about October 9, 1992 with a closing date tentatively set for December 22, 1992. One contract will be awarded as a result of this solicitation. It is expected that the contract will have a five-year period of performance. A level-of-effort cost-reimbursement contract is anticipated. Requests for the RFP shall be directed in writing to: Chief, Contract Management Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Solar Building, Room 3C07 Bethesda, MD 20892 FAX: (301) 402-0972 Please provide this office with three self-addressed mailing labels. Telephone inquiries will not be honored and all inquiries must be in writing. A short-form version of the RFP will be provided first. That version includes only the statement of work and the Evaluation Criteria to be used for selection of the awardee. After examining this, a full-text version of the RFP must be requested, in writing for those offerors interested in responding. FAX requests are acceptable for the full-text version only. All proposals from responsible sources will be considered by the NIAID. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. .