Inactive

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE: Cancer System Epidemiology Insights and Future Opportunities Notice Number: 75N91020R00030 Issued By: National Cancer Institute (NCI), Office of Acquisitions (OA) http://www.nci... SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE: Cancer System Epidemiology Insights and Future Opportunities Notice Number: 75N91020R00030 Issued By: National Cancer Institute (NCI), Office of Acquisitions (OA) http://www.nci.nih.gov or http://rcb.cancer.gov/rcb-internet/ Key Dates: Capability Statement Due Date: May 15, 2020 by 12:00PM EST This Small Business Sources Sought Notice (SBSS) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to identify qualified Small Business concerns including 8(a), HUBZone or Service-Disabled Veteran-owned businesses that are interested in and capable of performing the work described herein. The NCI does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses received nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. This requirement is assigned North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 511120 with a size standard of 1000 employees. As a result of this Sources Sought Notice, the NCI may issue a Request for Quotation (RFQ). THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against NCI shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought Notice or the NCI’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. BACKGROUND Despite individual successes at identifying genetic, biological, and environmental risk factors for cancer, much of the etiology remains unexplained. A more comprehensive approach, or systems epidemiology, that accounts for multiple dimensions, integration of diverse data types, and changes over time, is needed to better understand contributors to disease and treatment outcomes and provide clues for improved interventions. In February 2019, the National Cancer Institute held a “Workshop to Facilitate Cancer Systems Epidemiology Research” where several challenges and opportunities were identified to simulate this area of research. Challenges included considering how to best promote trans-disciplinary research and promote publications using systems science for population-based research. Therefore, the NCI sought to gather a series of manuscripts by a diverse group of expert scientists to be linked as a collection. These articles would describe the field of cancer systems epidemiology research, identify opportunities for this research, illustrate results using these novel approaches, detail current research gaps, and communicate strategies to facilitate this research. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this requisition is to produce a collection of articles to disseminate to the larger community of scientists and practitioners on cancer systems epidemiology, opportunities for research, results using this approach, current research gaps, and strategies to facilitate research in this field. The collection will include 10 manuscripts to be published in journals appropriate for the scientific topic. Articles will be linked together in a dedicated, customized web page, displaying text and graphics. The collection will be sponsored by the Epidemiology and Genetics Research Program and Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences of the National Cancer Institute. SCOPE The contractor shall coordinate the submission, peer review, production and promotion of a collection of articles on Cancer System Epidemiology Insights and Future Opportunities (10 articles). Articles will be submitted to journal with most appropriate scientific content. Articles will include an overview paper describing the field of cancer systems epidemiology and identifying research gaps and papers describing opportunities for the field of cancer systems epidemiology, results using these novel approaches, and detailing strategies to advance this field. The contractor shall provide editorial support, identify appropriate journals for publication, recruit external scientific reviewers, provide input on the outline and structure of the special issue, follow up with authors about expected submissions, and coordinate the peer review process for submitted scientific papers and resubmissions leading to final drafts (including notification of paper authors). After peer review, the contractor shall submit accepted articles to the contracting officer’s technical representative (COTR) for final review and approval. The contractor should provide regular updates on the progress of the collection via email/conference calls. For accepted papers, the contractor shall copy edit, process the papers into journal format, provide final document formatting (page proofs), coordinate the electronic publication, develop a collection webpage containing links to on-line papers, submit accepted papers to PubMed central, facilitate distribution and open access of articles, publish and promote the electronic publication of the special collection. Once articles are published the contractor will promote the series through development of a Press Release, twitter promotion, and promotion at workshops. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS/ AND PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS The Contractor share perform the following tasks: Coordinate peer review of submitted articles Provide input on outline and structure of special collection to NCI Technical Point of Contact (NCI TPC) Follow-up with manuscript authors about pending submissions Identify appropriate PLOS journals for publication of submitted papers Recruit external scientific reviewers Manage the review of articles (assign papers to reviewers, provide instructions to reviewers regarding review of manuscripts, follow up with reviewers about pending reviewers, evaluate reviews). Make decisions about acceptance/rejection of submitted papers. Notify paper authors about decisions in peer review If papers need revision to address reviewer concerns, the journal will need to communicate with authors and request re-submission of papers. In this situation, tasks 4.1.4-4.1.7 may need to be repeated to resolve reviewer comments. Final peer-reviewer/ editor decisions about acceptance for publication Summarize paper decisions for NCI TPC. Process papers for publication of collection Process papers into journal format. Provide editorial support for manuscripts. Review each manuscript to ensure that the format is consistent and compliant with the assigned PLOS journal formatting, that tables and references are complete and correctly formatted; that language, syntax, and grammar are clear and correct; and that the tables and figures are explained. Create draft paper proofs for each manuscript and email paper proofs to authors for final editing. Make changes to paper proofs based on author comments. Submit final paper proofs to NCI POC for review and approval. Make any additional revisions and submit for final approval. Publish collection Coordinate and post on-line publication in PLOS journals as assigned. Facilitate open access of articles making available to all Develop and launch a collection webpage containing links to posted on-line papers. Submit accepted papers to Pubmed central Promote the publication of the special collection Development of press release promoting the publications Distribution of press release after NCI approval Social media promotion (including using Twitter) Promotion of series in major scientific workshops Progress Updates Monthly calls with NCI TPC to provide updates on progress of the above activities Provide monthly updates on article(s)/collection dissemination Provide final update on dissemination of articles(s)/collection REPORT(S)/DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE All written draft and final deliverable products shall be submitted in electronic copy for review and comment. All deliverables shall be sent electronically in Microsoft Word or Excel format, unless approved by the NCI Technical POC, per the following deliverable schedule: DELIVERABLE DELIVERABLE DESCRIPTION Estimated completion date #1 (Task 4.1.8) Final peer-reviewer/ editor decisions about acceptance for publication 5 months after award #2 (Task 4.1.9) Provide summary of paper decisions to NCI TPC 5.2 months after award #3 (Task 4.2.3) Draft page proofs for each manuscript 6 months after award #4 (Task 4.2.5) Final page proofs for each manuscript 6.5 months after award #5 (Task 4.3.3) Develop and launch a collection webpage containing links to posted on-line papers. 8 months after award #6 (Task 4.3.4) Submit accepted papers to Pubmed Central 8 months after award #7 (Task 4.4.1-4.4.2) Development and distribution of press release after NCI approval 9 months after award #8 (Task 4.4.4) Monthly progress-report calls with the NCI TPC. Monthly after award #9 (Task 4.5.3) Provide final update on dissemination of articles(s)/collection 12 months after award How to Submit a Response: Page Limitations: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement not to exceed 10 single sided pages including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc. (single spaced, 12-point font minimum) that clearly details the ability to perform the requirements of the notice described above. All proprietary information should be marked as such. Responses should include a minimum of a one page resume of the individuals meeting the requirements, and up to two pages demonstrating experience over the past two years meeting the requirements of this notice. Statements should also include an indication of current small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement (preferable placed under the eligible small business concern’s name and address). Responses will be reviewed only by NIH personnel and will be held in a confidential manner. Organizations shall demonstrate 1.) Technical Approach 2.) Personnel Requirements and Organizational Experience. Due Date: Capability statements are due no later than May 15, 2020 by 12:00PM EST Delivery Point: All information furnished must be in writing and must contain sufficient detail to allow the NCI to determine if it can meet the unique specifications described herein. All questions must be in writing and emailed to David.Romley@nih.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect calls will be accepted. Please reference number 75N91020R00030 on all correspondence. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a RFQ may be published in Fed Biz Opps. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation(s). Point of Contact: Inquiries concerning this Notice may be direct to: David Romley at David.Romley@nih.gov. Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation.