Attachment 1: Performance Work Statement

National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN)
Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Performance Work Statement Diagnostic Testing by NAHLN-approved Laboratories

A. BACKGROUND

Establish an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract with NAHLN-approved laboratories to reimburse for diagnostic testing services. The NAHLN is a cooperative effort between two USDA agencies the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). It is a multi-faceted network comprised of laboratories that focus on NAHLN-scope diseases, using common testing methods and software platforms to process diagnostic requests and share information.
At the Federal level, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) serves as the national veterinary diagnostic reference and confirmatory laboratory. NVSL coordinates activities, participates in methods validation, and provides training, proficiency testing, assistance, materials, and prototypes for diagnostic tests.

B. SCOPE OF WORK

The laboratories in the NAHLN perform diagnostic tests for endemic animal diseases of high consequence as well as for foreign animal diseases. These laboratories also participate in the development of new assay methodologies.
Networking these resources provides an extensive infrastructure of facilities, equipment, and personnel that are geographically accessible no matter where disease strikes. The laboratories have the capability and capacity to conduct nationwide testing for the early detection of an animal disease outbreak as well as test large numbers of samples rapidly during an outbreak and to demonstrate freedom from disease after eradication.
Key elements of the NAHLN system include:
 Increased and more flexible capacity for laboratory support of routine and emergency animal disease diagnosis, including bioterrorism events;  Standardized, rapid diagnostic techniques used at State, Regional, and National levels;  Secure communication, alert, and reporting systems;
 Modern equipment and experienced personnel;
 National training, proficiency testing, and quality assurance;  Facilities that meet biocontainment and physical security requirements;  Regional and National animal health emergency training exercises (scenario tests) to test and evaluate the communication and reporting protocols of the network.