Inactive

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (ACQUISITION OF FELLOWS FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH GASTROENTEROLOGY/HEPATOLOGY SCHOLARS PROGRAMS) AGENCY: The National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Dia... SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (ACQUISITION OF FELLOWS FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH GASTROENTEROLOGY/HEPATOLOGY SCHOLARS PROGRAMS) AGENCY: The National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) TITLE: ACQUISITION OF FELLOWS FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH GASTROENTEROLOGY/HEPATOLOGY SCHOLARS PROGRAM PROPOSED SOLICITATION NUMBER: NICHD-23-052 PROJECT SERVICE CODE: R499 - SUPPORTPROFESSIONAL: OTHER This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. There is no solicitation available at this time. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of all qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification according to the North American Industry Classification System, (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. 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. BACKGROUND: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts, supports, and coordinates research on many of the most serious diseases affecting public health. The Institute supports clinical research on the diseases of internal medicine and related subspecialty fields, as well as many basic science disciplines. The Gastroenterology Fellowship Program is part of the Digestive Diseases Branch (DDB) in the NIDDK Intramural Research Program (IRP) and consists of two medical doctors who have finished advanced training in medicine and at least one year of clinical training in gastroenterology. To justify board certification, it is required that the NIDDK component of the fellowship program be part of an accredited gastroenterology training program. Therefore, this component of the contract supports the association of the Fellowship Program with a center with an established GI training program. A major component of the gastroenterology fellowship training program involves participation in provision of consultation services for patients with GI disorders followed in protocols sponsored by various other NIH departments. These consultations require the constant availability of state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic services. To adequately administer this service, it requires an individual (Fellows in gastroenterology) shall be available twenty-four (24) hours a day to report to the NIH. Fellows shall be directly supervised by board certified attending gastroenterologists who are members of the medical staff of the NIH Clinical Center. In addition to general consultation services, the fellows must have demonstrated proficiency for performing standard upper and lower GI tract endoscope, including colonoscopy. In order to support this effort previously, the NIH worked with the University of Maryland to administer an American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited joint Gastroenterology Fellowship Program. NIDDK provided a two-year (base plus one option year) purchase order (75N94021P00213) and also a five-year (base plus four option years) purchase order (HHSN275201600932P) to the University of Maryland. SALIENT / REQUIRED FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS: Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the organization will provide 2 fellows in FY2023 and 2 fellows per year in subsequent years. Fellows accepted into the Program will complete their first year of training at the awarded University. After completing this first year of training, fellows will complete the subsequent 2 years of Gastroenterology training in the NIDDK intramural program at the Clinical Research Center on the campus in Bethesda, MD. 1) Technical Requirements a. Selection and oversight process for trainees - Steering Committee: A Steering Committee shall be comprised of equal numbers of faculty members from the University and NIH, not to exceed 8 members. It is expected that both the Head and GI Program Director at the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and that both the NIH branch chiefs for Gastroenterology and Hepatology will be members of the Steering Committee. Possible additional members include the Chief of GI at the BVAMC and a hepatologist. The Steering Committee will have the responsibility of interviewing and selecting new fellows for the Scholars Program. Moreover, the Steering Committee will monitor the progress and success of fellows in the Scholars Program. This committee will meet either in person or by teleconference at least every two months. b. NIH/NIDDK shall: • Provide funding for salary for 2 fellows per year, training, and parking • Provide fellows with workspace, computers, and necessary supplies for work at the NIH • Comply with ACGME-mandated policies and procedures • Comply with the policies and procedures for Gastroenterology fellowship training of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Specifically, this shall include at least six months of clinical training during the 2-year rotation at NIH that is necessary to complete ACGME requirements for credentialing in Gastroenterology. Fellows shall require 2-3 months of Hepatology training to comply with the mandated five months of Hepatology training during fellowship • Provide Weekly day outpatient continuity clinic experience at NIH, and, as mandated by the ACGME, the fellows will remain in the same clinic for at least six-month blocks c. University shall: • Administer and provide an ACGME-accredited Gastroenterology Fellowship program • Provide 2 new positions per year in the 5-year Gastroenterology Fellowship program for fellows in the Program (total of 10 Fellows in the Program by FY2028) • Treat Fellows in the Program equally with the other University Fellows in the first year of training • Participate along with NIH staff in advertisement, interviewing and selection of the Gastroenterology Fellows entering into the Program (see Section 3.a for composition of Steering Committee designed for this purpose) • Ensure that all Fellows accepted into the Program are graduates of an accredited medical school and that they have satisfactorily completed an internship approved by the Council on Medical Education. Residents must have completed at least 3 years of graduate medical training and be approved by the Medical Staff Affairs Office, Clinical Center, NIH • Provide clinical opportunities and rotations in the first year of training as necessary to meet ACGME requirements for board certification in Gastroenterology d. Period of Performance The period of performance shall be for the base period and four (4) option periods. The following are the dates: Base Period: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Option Period One: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 Option Period Two: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 Option Period Three: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 Option Period Four: July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028 This Sources Sought is for an organization or institution to provide the NIDDK with 2 fellows in FY2023 and 2 fellows per year in subsequent years. Fellows accepted into the Program are graduates of an accredited medical school and they have satisfactorily completed an internship approved by the Council on Medical Education. Residents must have completed at least 3 years of graduate medical training and be approved by the Medical Staff Affairs Office, Clinical Center, NIH. The purchase of these services is necessary to maintain the high quality of our research. All qualified small businesses, whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; interested in submitting a corporate capability statement should demonstrate their capability to provide equipment that meets the characteristics below. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR Part 13.5 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This is a full and open competitive requirement. This is a requirement for the ACQUISITION OF FELLOWS FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH GASTROENTEROLOGY/ HEPATOLOGY SCHOLARS PROGRAM. The vendor will be evaluated on their quoted product meeting the specifications under section SALIENT / REQUIRED FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS. If you or your firm/business has an interest and possess the required expertise we invite you to submit a corporate capability statement to assist the Government in determining in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b) whether or not this procurement will be set-aside for any of the programs described above. The associated NAICS code is 611310, Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools, and the small business size standard is $34.50. All respondents are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business. Interested firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice should adhere to the following: (a) Provide a capability statement demonstrating relevant experience, skills and ability to fulfill the Government's requirements for the above. The capability statement should contain sufficient detail for the Government to make an informed decision regarding your capabilities. The capability statement should not exceed 15 pages using a font size 10 or larger. (b) Small business concerns that possess the capabilities necessary to undertake the efforts should submit complete documentation of their capabilities to the Contracting Officer. This capability statement should include: 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of scientists, medical experts, and technical personnel as they relate to the requirements, 3) a description of general and specific facilities and equipment available, including computer equipment and software, and 4) any other specific and relevant information that would improve the Government's consideration and evaluation of the information presented. Further, Past Performance documentation, which should include, but not be limited to, a minimum of two (2) contracts performed for either Government or commercial organizations shall be provided. References shall include for each contract: names, titles, contract number, total price or cost, telephone numbers of government Contracting Officer Representative and Contracting Officers. (c) All capability statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to the Point of Contact below in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The subject line must specify NICHD-23-052. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Electronically submitted capability statements are due no later than 9:00 AM (Eastern Prevailing Time) seven (7) calendar days (including date of submission to amber.harris@nih.gov) after posting of the Small Business Sources Sought Notice. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED This notice is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited.