Inactive

The purpose of this modification is to add labor hours and funding in order to establish a centralized Help Desk for the support services currently being performed under this contract. Additional labo... The purpose of this modification is to add labor hours and funding in order to establish a centralized Help Desk for the support services currently being performed under this contract. Additional labor hours and funding were added as P00003 to contract HHSN2612018000005C. This notice is to provide a sanitized copy of the Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition.

Inactive

Background: The Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is seeking to add level of effort to the “Support Service for a Prospective US Cohort set wi... Background: The Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is seeking to add level of effort to the “Support Service for a Prospective US Cohort set within Health Care Systems to Study Cancer” contract, a high-impact epidemiologic study that relates carefully-defined exposure assessments to specific outcomes and provides new insights into cancer etiology and mechanisms of action. This contract was awarded to the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) on June 4, 2018 as a cost plus fixed fee, level of effort contract with an initial base period of June 4, 2018 to June 3, 2019 and nine (9) one-year option periods for a total potential period of performance through June 3, 2028. This contract provides support services for the study fieldwork activities where participants will be recruited from nine sites across the US. This includes activities such as but not limited to: providing support for provision of procedures and protocols; staff training at recruitment sites; follow-up; data linkages and tracing of participants who have left the site’s health plan (serving as an alternate point of contact for participants); and organizing data and specimen access. NORC works with NCI, other NCI third party contractors, processing labs, NCI central repository, various oversight committees, and researchers. In addition, they provide a tiered-access study IT platform with integrated systems for study operations, study data collection, data management and review, and study data and specimen request and approval. This notice follows a Non-Research and Development Sources Sought Notice that was posted on October 22, 2020 as HHSN261201800005C. One capability statement came in and the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) determined that the vendor was not responsive, therefore not capable of doing the work. Description: The full process of successful establishment of the cohort includes the necessary preparatory work; coordination of recruitment of participants over several years; the abstraction of relevant data from electronic medical records; and the successful collection of repeat biospecimens and questionnaires. In order to collect and organize this information, NCI has a need for a centralized Help Desk that is integrated with the NCI study IT platform and other existing IT infrastructure. This system will also provide retention incentives. In order to achieve this, additional labor hours will need to be added to the existing Level of Effort, Contract HHSN261201800005C. NCI intends to modify contract no. HHSN261201800005C with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), to increase the quantity of labor hours by approximately 71,188, delivered to the Government through the remainder of the current contract period by increasing the effort to provide technical expertise and services to develop and implement a centralized Help Desk for data management and retention incentives as additional support services for the fieldwork activities. The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, National Opinion Research Center (NORC), under the authority of FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii). Statutory authority: 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), as set forth in FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. NORC is the only responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. NORC is uniquely qualified as the only source to provide these services. They are the only organization with existing knowledge of the Connect protocol and with requisite IT infrastructure and expertise for this project. NORC is well versed in the protocol, data systems, and nuances of this highly complex study and has been involved in every step of the study launch and establishing the cohort. In addition, NORC is the only organization with demonstrated experience and expertise in maintaining the privacy of personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) collected from study participants and storing these data in a FedRamp IT platform with restricted access by the contractor. NORC is also in the process of obtaining a valid authority to operate (ATO), certifying that their information system meets the contract's requirements to protect the agency data. NORC is integrally involved in the study and has established access to PII under strict data security requirements. Their depth of understanding of the cohort, combined with the fact that they host the PII, makes them uniquely qualified to assist with the Help Desk and distribute incentives. It also gives NORC the sole capability to follow-up with participants who leave membership at the recruitment sites and to link participants to external data sources such as the National Death Index (NDI) and state tumor registries. NORC also has unique experience with an established incentive system/application for tracking and maintaining incentives that can be fully integrated into a FedRamp IT System. They have experience and expertise operating a FedRamp centralized online Help Desk together with the incentive payment system that is compatible with the existing study data system through secure application programming interfaces (APIs). Additionally, NORC is the only organization with specialized experience in developing and implementing Help Desk Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for this study. NORC currently serves as a point of contact for field activities and is the only organization with the breadth of knowledge required to provide responses to Help Desk inquiries within one business day. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to continue with one source, National Opinion Research Center, under authority FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii). Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to continue with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive acquisition. Respondents should submit a tailored Capability Statement demonstrating the offerors’ facilities, qualifications and experience. Capability statements must include the respondents’ DUNS number, organization name, address, and point of contact; and small business type(s). Sources are expected to have the necessary skills and tools to meet the requirements of this project. Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed 15 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above. All capability statements sent in response to this pre-solicitation notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Rukshani Levy, Contracting Officer, at rukshani.levy@nih.gov and Nikki Arena, Contract Specialist, at nikki.arena@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) by December 9, 2020 at 12:00 PM, EST. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. No collect calls or facsimile transmissions will be accepted.

Inactive

Introduction: This is a Non-Research and Development (Non-R&D) Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obta... Introduction: This is a Non-Research and Development (Non-R&D) Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources including small and small disadvantaged businesses to perform a potential Non-R&D requirement. Background: This National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) project is for the work related to the contract below: Support Service for a Prospective US Cohort set within Integrated Health Care Systems to Study Cancer, National Opinion Research Center (Contract HHSN261201800005C) This contract was awarded on a competitive basis to National Opinion Research Center (NORC) on June 4, 2018. The award was for a ten-year period (inclusive of options) to provide support services for the study fieldwork activities. These activities include providing support for the provision of procedures and protocols; staff training at recruitment sites; follow-up, data linkages and tracing of participants who have left the site’s health plan (i.e., serving as an alternate point of contact for participants); and organizing data and specimen access. The support services contractor works with NCI, other NCI third party contractors, processing labs, NCI central repository, various oversight committees, and researchers. As such, NORC is integrally involved in the Connect study and have access to PII under strict data security requirements. This contract was awarded as a cost plus fixed fee, level of effort contract with an initial base period of June 4, 2018 to June 3, 2019 and included nine (9) one-year option periods for a total potential period of performance through June 3, 2028. The total potential value of the contract, inclusive of options, is $17,863,370. The full process of successful establishment of the cohort includes the necessary preparatory work, coordination of recruitment of participants over several years, the abstraction of relevant data from electronic medical records, and the successful collection of repeat biospecimens and questionnaires. In order to collect and organize this information, NCI has a need for a centralized Help Desk that is integrated with the NCI study IT platform and other existing IT infrastructure. This system will also provide retention incentives. In order to achieve this, additional labor hours will need to be added to the existing Level of Effort Contract is necessary under contract HHSN261201800005C. This Source Sought Notice (SS) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the NCI. Purpose and Objectives: The purpose of this Non-Research and Development Source Sought Notice is to discern whether or not there are other contractors, including small and small disadvantaged businesses, capable of and interested in 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. As a result of this Non-R&D Source Sought Notice, the NCI may issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) if it deems this necessary and appropriate. 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 Source Sought Notice or the NCI’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications of any subsequent requirement. The objective of this acquisition is to increase the quantity of labor hours delivered to the Government through the remainder of the current contract by increasing the effort to provide technical expertise and services to develop and implement a centralized Help Desk for data management and participant payments as additional support services for the fieldwork activities. Project Requirements: The Organization must establish and maintain a FedRamp approved system for a centralized Help Desk and provide retention incentives for participants. Specifically, the Organization will be required to achieve the following objectives by no later than May 15, 2021 in anticipation of the sites starting recruitment: Establish and manage an easy-to-use, online, centralized Help Desk that can be integrated with the NCI study IT platform and other existing IT infrastructure. This will assist NCI and the Integrated Health Care System (IHCS) with reasonable and customary strategies for participant engagement and retention. Develop and implement Help Desk Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and assist NCI with other support documents (e.g. phone scripts and Frequently Asked Questions) to address Help Desk requests. Manage the Help Desk throughout the entire study period, assisting eligible participants to answer questions about the study and participants with any steps of the study enrollment and follow-up activities (e.g. technical issues, participant protocol, withdrawal process, incentives and other support). This includes directing recruitment and follow-up issues that cannot be resolved at the individual site level to the centralized Help Desk. Serve as administrators to close out Help Desk tickets and, as necessary, input questions to the Help Desk if they come directly to the site and by-pass the helpdesk. Provide NCI with weekly reports on support volume, content, and resolution rates. Establish and manage an easy to use, online, centralized system to assist NCI and IHCS provide incentives for participants that is integrated in the Help Desk system. The system must be able to track who has been approved for, claimed and received an incentive. In addition, the system shall provide options to study participants who, after they completed study activities as defined by NCI, would select based on their preferred incentive. Anticipated Period of Performance: The increase of 71,188 Labor Hours is anticipated to be applied to the remaining Option Periods of the contract as follows: 5,013 hours in Option Period 2 (06/04/2020 – 06/03/2021); 6,469 hours in Option Period 3 (06/04/2021 – 06/03/2022); 10,670 hours in Option Period 4 (06/04/2022 – 06/03/2023); 12,750 hours in Option Period 5 (06/04/2023 – 06/03/2024); 12,750 hours in Option Period 6 (06/04/2024 – 06/03/2025); 10,618 hours in Option Period 7 (06/04/2025 – 06/03/2026); 6,458 hours in Option Period 8 (06/04/2026 – 06/03/2027); and 6,458 hours in Option Period 9 (06/04/2027 – 06/03/2028). It is anticipated launch of recruitment will begin May 15, 2021. The Contractor shall have a fully operation FedRamp System/application for the help desk and incentive payments no later than the anticipated start date. Other Important Considerations Capability Statement/Information Sought Tailored Capability Statements submitted as a result of this announcement should demonstrate the offerors’ facilities, qualifications and experience, specifically providing evidence as to their capability to perform this requirement, with particular attention to organizational experience in the following areas: Existing knowledge of the Connect protocol and IT infrastructure. Established incentive system/application for tracking and maintaining incentives that can be fully integrated into a FedRamp IT System that will amount to approximately $500,000 - $1,400,000 in incentives per year. Experience in establishing and operating a FedRamp centralized online Help Desk together with the incentive payment system that is compatible with the existing study data system through secure application programming interfaces (APIs). Experience in maintaining the privacy of personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) collected from study participants and storing these data in an FedRamp IT platform with restricted access by the contractor. Experience in developing and implementing Help Desk SOPs, serving as a point of contact for field activities, and providing responses to Help Desk inquiries within one business day. Sources are expected to have the necessary skills and tools to meet the requirements of this project. Capability statements must include the following: Respondents’ DUNS number, organization name, address, and point of contact. Small business type(s). Submission Information: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed 15 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above. All capability statements sent in response to this sources sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Rukshani Levy, Contracting Officer, at rukshani.levy@nih.gov and Nikki Arena, Contract Specialist, at nikki.arena@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) by November 6, 2020 at 1:00 PM, EST. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. No collect calls or facsimile transmissions will be accepted. 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 pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. 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. Contracting Office Address: 9609 Medical Center Drive Bethesda, Maryland 20852 Primary Point of Contact: Nikki Arena Contract Specialist Nikki.arena@nih.gov Secondary Point of Contact: Rukshani Levy Contracting Officer Rukshani.Levy@mail.nih.gov