HIGH THROUGHPUT DRUG SCREENING FACILITY FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE:  REQUEST 
FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Release Date:  January 11, 2001

NOTICE:  NOT-NS-01-005

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is 
considering issuing a contract for high throughput drug screening (HTS) of new 
chemical entities for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The institute 
is attempting to identify competent sources to adapt in vitro assays to HTS 
formats and screen chemical libraries for biological activity in these assays.

Background 

The NINDS wishes to facilitate the use of high throughput drug screening (HTS) 
to identify compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and for 
investigating mechanisms of these diseases. Many investigators have developed in 
vitro assays that reflect neurodegenerative disease processes. The Institute is 
considering using a contract mechanism to have these assays adapted to HTS 
formats, and then used to screen diverse chemical libraries.

The results of the screening are intended to benefit both drug development and 
pre-clinical research. Compounds that are active in the assays will be made 
available to investigators for use as research tools. Assays that prove 
practical for this approach will be made generally available to encourage 
further drug development.

Information Requested

Information in the following areas will aid in the design of solicitations for a 
HTS facility. We ask that interested organizations identify critical criteria to 
include in these solicitations and describe their capabilities to meet these 
criteria.  Information presented need not be limited to these areas.

1. Modification and Testing of Assays for HTS:

a. Describe your capabilities to modify experimental in vitro assays to produce 
assay protocols suitable for HTS. Assays developed by the source may be listed, 
as well as technical capabilities of personnel and the capacity of 
available facilities.

b. Describe the criteria by which you would judge the usefulness of an assay for 
drug development and by which you would prioritize and coordinate the screening 
of multiple assays.

c. Describe your capabilities for data analysis, including structure-activity 
analysis.

2. Chemical Libraries:

a. Describe the chemical libraries that would be purchased and screened under 
the potential contract, including costs.

b. Describe how active compounds would be made available to investigators, 
including production costs.

3. Personnel:

Describe the personnel who would be required to modify, screen and analyze one 
assay.  Include an estimate for the level of effort of each.

This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only 
and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of 
the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis 
of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted 
or the Government’s use of such information. Acknowledgment of receipt of 
responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the Government’s 
evaluation of the information received. However, should such a requirement 
materialize, no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result 
of a response to this request for information or the Government’s use of such 
information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing 
specifications for any subsequent requirement. Responses will be held in a 
confidential manner. Any proprietary information should be so marked. 

All respondents are asked to indicate the type and size of your business or 
organization, e.g., Large Business, Small Business, Hubzone Small Business, 
Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Business, 8(a), Historically Black 
College or University/Minority Institution (HBCU/MI), educational institution, 
profit/non-profit hospital, or other non-profit organization.

Responses should be identified with RFI No. NS-01-005, and are due by February 
1, 2001. Please submit three (3) copies of your response, to Patricia S. Denney, 
Contracting Officer, Contracts Management Branch, National Institute of 
Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3282, 
Bethesda, MD 20892-9531 (For Fedex or courier, use: Rockville, MD 20852). Email 
responses will also be accepted at pd22n@nih.gov.

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