[NHCOLL-L:4362] Contract at the Smithsonian Institution

[Comizzoli, Pierre]

Statement of Work 
Over the past several decades, scientists at the Smithsonian Institution have collected and stored at low temperatures thousands of biomaterials (DNA, germplasms [including a sperm bank], gonadal tissues, embryos, serum, urine and feces) from thousands of wild animal and plant species.  Samples are being held and maintained in different collections within three Smithsonian Institution units (Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, NZP; National Museum of Natural History, NMNH; Smithsonian's Tropical Research Institute, STRI).  At each unit, the collections are kept at different locations, each with independent management and database systems.  The objective is to conduct a comprehensive inventory to know the precise quantity and quality of the Smithsonian frozen collections.  The contractor will need to travel to the different units and perform the following tasks over a period of one year (starting August 2009):
*	A physical inventory of low temperature collections located in the three units (including the temperature of stored samples [-20°C; -80°C; liquid nitrogen] and the way samples have been collected, identified, and maintained)
*	Assessment of current cataloging methods and procedures of the various collections
*	Assessment of current record type and database management

Deliverables
*	The contractor will report on a regular basis to the Center for Species Survival by submitting a monthly progress report
*	The contractor will write a first draft document about the results of the inventory including suggestions for future directions no later than May 31, 2010
*	Contractor will submit the last version no later than August 31, 2010

Please email any inquiries by June 30, 2009 to: Dr. Pierre Comizzoli comizzolip at si.edu



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