Surveillance of severe influenza-associated encephalopathy and related complications in US children

Sources Sought Notice

This notice is for market research only and is not a solicitation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking information on the availability and capability of qualified sources to perform a potential requirement for active surveillance of severe Influenza-Associated Encephalopathy (IAE) in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) across the United States. The goal is to improve understanding of the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of severe IAE in critically ill children.

Severe pediatric IAE is a rare but serious complication of influenza. Existing surveillance systems do not fully capture critically ill children, leading to gaps in understanding disease course, risk factors, and the impact of interventions. This effort aims to address these gaps by leveraging an established U.S.-based pediatric hospital network.

Respondents are asked to provide a capability statement addressing:

• Description of an established multicenter surveillance network of pediatric hospitals/centers in the U.S. for recruiting patients with severe IAE, including the number of hospitals and network duration.

• Examples of infectious diseases or complications previously surveilled by the network.

• Examples of scholarly work produced by the network.

• The network's ability to access electronic health records, obtain and upload primary radiologic imaging, and obtain and test clinical specimens, including prior experience.

• Anticipated Period of Performance: One (1) base year with up to four (4) option years.

• Submission Deadline: January 31, 2026.

• Format: Electronic PDF, limited to 10 pages.

• Submission Contact: Ms. Ada Vega-Torres (cbp0@cdc.gov).

Not applicable, as this is a market research notice, not a solicitation. No award will be made.

• This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government. No award will be made as a result of this notice.
• The Government will not reimburse any costs incurred in responding.
• No proprietary or sensitive information should be included.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To conduct surveillance for severe influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE) and related complications in hospitalized children in the U.S. to improve understanding of the disease spectrum, course, risk factors, optimal management, and the impact of influenza vaccination and antiviral treatments.

• Perform surveillance for severe IAE in hospitalized children (age ≤18 years) with laboratory-confirmed influenza using standardized case definitions.

• Collect detailed clinical information to assess risk factors, describe disease course and spectrum, and evaluate the impact of clinical interventions.

• Assess influenza vaccination status and hospital course through medical record reviews and statewide vaccine registry reviews.

• The document outlines specific deliverables and reporting schedules, including kickoff meetings, lists of healthcare facilities, surveillance protocols, data dictionaries, and bimonthly dashboards.

• Quality assurance and control measures are detailed, with specific compliance percentages for various deliverables.

• Base Period: August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027

• Option Periods: Up to four additional one-year periods through July 31, 2031.

• Place of Performance: Contractor's facility and associated academic, healthcare, or research facilities as required. No CDC onsite work is required.

• The contractor must have demonstrated experience serving as a clinical coordinating center, data coordinating center, single institutional review board, central viral laboratory, and biospecimen repository for a multicenter, prospective public health surveillance network.

• Optional tasks include evaluation of neuroradiologic reports, testing of clinical specimens, evaluation of genetic/immunologic risk factors, evaluation of neurodevelopmental/neurocognitive sequelae, and expansion of surveillance to other complications of influenza or viral respiratory diseases.