Inactive

Pursuant to the authority of FAR 6.302-1, 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) int... Pursuant to the authority of FAR 6.302-1, 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) intends to award on a sole source basis to: The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) 2101 Constitution Ave NW Washington, DC 20002 The FDA intends to award a sole source five (5) year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) to NAS. The purpose of this IDIQ is for NAS to provide studies, assessment, analyses, evaluations, conferences, reviews, workshops and other technical support services related to public health issues. In the past, the NAS and its subcomponents have undertaken several independents, objective studies and analyses of issues relevant to the FDA in carrying out its mission. In addition, as determined by the Secretary with the paragraph above in consultation with experts in science, medicine, and public health, and in cooperation with consumers, users, manufacturers, importers, packers, distributors and retailers of regulatory products; these studies have included assessment and evaluations that have provided valuable information which impacted public policy and/or programmatic decisions. Often these issues emerge with some degree of urgency. The FDA has a continuing need to utilize the unique expertise of NAS, and its subcomponents, for the study of a wide variety of issues including food, agriculture, medical, biological sciences and technical/economics. The capacity of NAS to play a unique role in advising the Federal government stems from the net impact of three interrelated attributes: To a degree unmatched elsewhere, NAS can elicit the participation of virtually any expert whom it invites to serve. As a consequence, there are at any one time some 800 committees, addressing an enormous diversity of problems, peopled by about 8,000 unpaid volunteers. The credibility of NAS Reports is maximized by the recognized impartiality of the institution, which manufactures no product, possesses no funds to disperse, has no power of decision over the scientific establishment, and enjoys no executive or regulatory authority. Thus, there is no vested interest in the outcome of deliberations and the independent advice is of unparalleled objectivity. Finally, for those studies that involve sharply divergent and well-fixed points of view, NAS has repeatedly been able to bring together about its conference tables assemblages of persons who have been conspicuously reluctant to address mutual issues, in an atmosphere of comparative calm. Committees are composed of the nation’s top scientists, doctors, engineers and other experts, all of whom volunteer their time to study specific concerns. Nominees for membership in committees at the Committee are subjected to rigorous procedures for appointment. These procedures ensure the selection of the most qualified scientists who represent a broad range of views and who, as a group, represent the spectrum of scientific thought in a subject area. Created by a Congressional Charter signed by President Lincoln in 1863, NAS is a federally chartered non-profit institution dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. The Congressional Charter is codified at 36 U.S.C.A. 150301-150305. Although the Academy is a private non-profit corporation, it is called upon by the terms of its Congressional Charter to act as an official, yet independent, advisor to the federal government in matters of science and technology. The Academy’s unique status was confirmed by President George Bush in Executive Order 12832 (January 19, 1993), which specifically recognizes the Academy’s unique qualifications, and the appropriateness of sole source awards to the Academy: When a department or agency of the executive branch of the Government determines that the Academy, because of its unique qualifications, is the only source that can provide the measure of expertise, independence, objectivity, and audience acceptance necessary to meet the department's or agency's program requirements, acquisition of services by the Academy may be obtained on a noncompetitive basis if otherwise in accordance with applicable law and regulations. These unique qualifications were confirmed by the General Accounting Office (GAO), in Moshman Associates (B-216107), which upheld the Department of Education’s sole source justification for an award to the Academy. The Comptroller General agreed with the agency that only the Academy could “provide a combination of the highest caliber of scientific expertise, independence, impartiality, credibility and audience acceptance.” The GAO specifically relied on the special independent status of Academy as a nonprofit organization, congressionally chartered for the purpose of conducting studies for the government, and that the Academy historically has enjoyed a high degree of credibility, that its scientific expertise and resources are of the highest caliber, and that it is a "distinguished and respected body." The Academy's uniqueness was recognized by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Council, which included a specific reference to the Academy in FAR 6.302-1, which provides that certain limitations on sole source awards made in connection with a specific provision of the FAR do not apply to any contract requiring the Academy to investigate, examine, or experiment upon any subject of science or art of significance to an executive agency and to report on those matters to the Congress or any agency of the Federal Government. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete as a result of information received 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. Any interested party shall submit not exceed 5 pages; a capabilities statement and/or a statement of intent to include a description of your legal authority, organizational capability, a point of contact, official agency name, address, and valid DUNS number. Responses to this notice must be sent via email to Daytona Philpotts at Daytona.philpotts@fda.hhs.gov by 11:49 pm Eastern Standard Time, November 12, 2020.