Inactive

NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source SOLICITATION NUMBER: NIMH21000221 TITLE: ReTAINE (Real Time Assessment in the Natural Environment) Database Service Agreement CLASSIFICATION CODE: Q -- Medical services... NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source SOLICITATION NUMBER: NIMH21000221 TITLE: ReTAINE (Real Time Assessment in the Natural Environment) Database Service Agreement CLASSIFICATION CODE: Q -- Medical services NAICS CODE: 541690 – Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services RESPONSE DATE: November 16, 2020 at 5:00 PM EST PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT: Michael Horn michael.horn@nih.gov Phone: (301) 827-5871 DESCRIPTION: INTRODUCTION THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH for ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data storage, and management. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE and SET ASIDE STATUS The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 541690 – Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services with a Size Standard of $16.5M. REGULATORY AUTHORITY This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6—Competition Requirements. FAR Subpart 13.106-1 (b) Soliciting from a single source provides that: For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, Contracting officers may solicit from one source IF the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name OR industrial mobilization). The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2021-02 dated October 23, 2020. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Emotion and Development Branch (EDB) conducts research on several pediatric psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, irritability, and depression. This research includes ecological momentary assessment (EMA) -- a research method that uses mobile smartphones to assess individuals’ experiences as they occur. Participants receive and carry smartphones for a brief period of time (e.g., 1 week) and are prompted by the phones at regular intervals during the day to report on their naturally occurring symptoms. The Emotion and Development Branch is designed to conduct psychiatric studies in children and adolescents. A particular area of promising research involves examining the relationship of “real-world” functioning to brain imaging biomarkers. The current project uses ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to study youth’s naturalistic emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. This provides major insights into the causes of anxiety, irritability, and depression in children. Such insights are important to understanding the biological underpinnings of symptoms in daily life and to developing and implementing effective treatments. The ReTAINE program provides state of the art EMA collection, data storage, and management and is essential to the continuance of this project. The period of performance is one 12-month base year from the date of award and two 12-month option years. CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION The determination by the Government to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon the market research conducted. During market research, it was determined that ReTAINE holds the unique capability to collect data in real-time and store that data directly to secure (NIH-approved) servers at Sanford Health (i.e., no patient data is stored directly on the smartphones per NIH Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidelines). Other EMA-platforms use software applications that are downloaded onto the participant’s phone. In these applications when participants complete the assessments, the data remains on the device until the patients return to the laboratory and researchers upload the data from the smartphone. However, ReTAINE delivers the assessments via text message, directing participants to a secure website (login required) where they are able to complete the assessment. Thus, no data is stored on the device itself as stipulated by the IRB. This real-time collection feature also allows NIH-trained clinical staff to actively monitor symptomology for intervention when necessary. This feature was also required by the IRB. The intended source is: SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH 120 8th St S Fargo, ND, 58103-1823 CLOSING STATEMENT THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov. All responses must be received by the closing date and time of this announcement and must reference the solicitation number, NIMH21000221. Responses must be submitted electronically to Michael Horn, Contracting Officer, at michael.horn@nih.gov. U.S. Mail and fax responses will not be accepted.