SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Phase 2-Delta States Rural Development Network Grant Program
- Notice Date
- 7/22/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Division of Acquisition Management, Parklawn Building Room 5-101 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857
- ZIP Code
- 20857
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-04H120846
- Response Due
- 8/5/2004
- Archive Date
- 8/20/2004
- Point of Contact
- Darren Jansen, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-443-1857, Fax 301-443-3238, - Margaret Kelly, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-443-4988, Fax 301-443-3849,
- E-Mail Address
-
djansen@psc.gov, mkelly@psc.gov
- Description
- SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES DATE: JULY 22, 2004 REQUISITION NO: 04H120846 INTENDED SOURCE: PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE'S RURAL HEALTH POLICY CENTER (RHPC) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: DATE OF AWARD THROUGH TWELVE MONTHS PURPOSE: THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HRSA, OA, ORHP THROUGH THE PROGRAM SUPPORT CENTER, PLANS TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION TO PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE'S RURAL HEALTH POLICY CENTER. CLOSING DATE IS AUGUST 5, 2004. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROCUREMENT IS: BACKGROUND: THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY (ORHP), HRSA, PROMOTES BETTER HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN RURAL AMERICA. ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS IN DECEMBER 1987, ORHP'S RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDES POLICY ADVOCACY, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND INFORMATION DEVELOPMENT. THE OFFICE WORKS BOTH WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AT FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS, AND WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR WITH ASSOCIATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS - TO SEEK SOLUTIONS TO RURAL HEALTH CARE PROBLEMS. IN 2001, THE DELTA GRANT PROGRAM WAS AUTHORIZED THROUGH SECTION 330A OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND IN FY 2001 $5.4 MILLION IN FUNDS WERE MADE AVAILABLE FOR GRANT AWARDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE EIGHT STATES IDENTIFIED BY THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY (ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, MISSOURI, TENNESSEE). GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO A SINGLE ENTITY IN EACH OF THE EIGHT DESIGNATED DELTA STATES FOR THE PURPOSE OF STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS' ABILITY TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROJECTS TO ADDRESS LOCAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS. GRANTEES USE THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT PROJECTS WITHIN EACH OF THE 209 RURAL DELTA COUNTIES FOR CONDUCTING COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENTS; DEVELOPING FUNDABLE HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH INTERVENTION PROJECTS; IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL FUNDING FOR PROJECTS; AND FOR PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THESE COMMUNITIES TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD FOR SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES. IN PRACTICE, THE DELTA PROGRAM PROVIDES RESOURCES TO HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS TO JOINTLY ADDRESS HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT COULD NOT BE SOLVED BY SINGLE ENTITIES WORKING ALONE. THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN RURAL HEALTH CARE, AS DETERMINED BY INDIVIDUAL RURAL COMMUNITIES. ULTIMATELY, THESE EFFORTS SHOULD LEAD TO IMPROVED HEALTH STATUS FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE RURAL DELTA REGION. THE DELTA NETWORK PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY FUNDED IN A THREE-YEAR CYCLE, WITH GRANTEES EACH RECEIVING A GRANT AWARD IN FY 2001, 2002 AND 2003. GIVEN THAT IT WAS A NEW PROGRAM WITH LITTLE LEGISLATIVE SPECIFICITY, ORHP FOUND THAT ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM NEEDED TO BE FLEXIBLE OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIRST THREE YEARS. IN FY 2004, CONGRESS AGAIN AUTHORIZED FUNDS TO CONTINUE MAKING GRANTS TO THE DELTA REGION. AS A RESULT, ORHP REVISED, UPDATED, AND REWROTE THE DELTA NETWORK PROGRAM GUIDE BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THE PROGRAM. NEW AWARDS FOR ANOTHER THREE-YEAR CYCLE WILL BE MADE IN SEPTEMBER 2004. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACQUISITION IS TO OBTAIN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PHASE 2 OF THE DELTA STATES RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK GRANT PROGRAM. THIS CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE DELTA STATES GRANTEES A VALUABLE SET OF NEW TOOLS THAT CAN BE USED TO SUCCESSFULLY FIND AND APPLY FOR GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN HELP THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF DELTA COMMUNITIES. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE EIGHT AWARDED DELTA STATES GRANT PROJECTS AND COMMUNITIES BASED ON ONGOING ASSESSMENT OF THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS AND GOALS. THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT WILL ASSIST COMMUNITIES IN LOCATING AND COMPETING FOR OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, AND PHILANTHROPIC GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. THE RURAL HEALTH POLICY CENTER (RHPC) OF THE PENN STATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IS RECOMMENDED TO PERFORM THE DESIRED SCOPE OF WORK. THEY ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO CARRY OUT THESE ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF THEIR PRIOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH OTHER GRANT PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY, THEIR EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF A WIDE ARRAY OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING SOURCES AND THEIR DIRECT WORKING EXPERIENCE WITH THE DELTA STATES ON OTHER PROJECTS. STATEMENT OF WORK TASKS TO BE PERFORMED 1. DISCUSS THE WORK PLAN WITH THE PROJECT OFFICER . THE CONTRACTOR SHALL DISCUSS THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT WORK PLAN INCLUDING TIMELINES FOR ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS DATES FOR QUARTERLY CONFERENCE CALLS. 2. ASSIST IN CONVENING TWO (2) WORKSHOPS FOR DELTA STATES GRANTEES. A. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL ASSIST THE PROJECT OFFICER IN DEVELOPING THE THEMES AND FORMING AGENDAS FOR TWO WORKSHOPS FOR DELTA STATES RURAL NETWORK DEVELOPMENT GRANTEES. B. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL HELP IDENTIFY CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, DRAFT PRELIMINARY AGENDAS, AND WORK WITH PLANNING COMMITTEES TO FINALIZE THE AGENDAS. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL WORK WITH THE PROJECT OFFICER TO ENSURE THAT WORKSHOP-CONVENING EFFORTS ARE COORDINATED. 3. PLAN AND FACILITATE QUARTERLY CONFERENCE CALLS FOR GRANTEES APPROXIMATELY 90 MINUTES IN LENGTH TO DISCUSS PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PREPARE THE AGENDA FOR ALL QUARTERLY CONFERENCE CALLS, IDENTIFY ANY SPEAKERS FOR THE CALL, ENSURE THAT NECESSARY PRESENTATIONS OR OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE FORWARDED TO DELTA STATES GRANTEES AND THEIR KEY PARTNERS IN ADVANCE OF EACH CALL AND SHALL PROVIDE CALL SUMMARIES. 4. PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATION ON RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. A. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL WORK WITH DELTA STATES GRANTEES AND THEIR KEY PARTNERS BY TELEPHONE AND EMAIL TO IDENTIFY RELEVANT AND AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES AND COMMUNITIES AS NEEDS DICTATE. B. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO REVIEW AND COMMENT ON CONCEPT PAPERS OR PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS DEVELOPED BY DELTA STATES GRANTEES. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL NOTIFY DELTA STATES GRANTEES OF TIME SENSITIVE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFPS) THAT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL TO COMPLEMENT AND EXPAND THEIR GRANTEE WORK WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES. 5. DEVELOP AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DELTA STATES PHASE 2 EVALUATION CONTRACTOR. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL WORK AND PROVIDE NEEDED GRANTEE INFORMATION TO THE DELTA STATES PHASE 2 EVALUATION CONTRACTOR TO ASSESS AND REASSESS NEEDS AND PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE SPAN OF THE PERFORMANCE PERIOD. SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED UPON THE FOLLOWING: THE RURAL HEALTH POLICY CENTER (RHPC) HAS SERVED AS THE NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE OF THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION'S SOUTHERN RURAL ACCESS PROGRAM SINCE 1997. THE SOUTHERN RURAL ACCESS PROGRAM GRANTEES AND PARTNERS HAVE PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE DELTA STATES PROGRAM. SINCE 2002, THE RHPC HAS ALSO SERVED AS A SUBCONTRACTOR UNDER A GEORGIA HEALTH POLICY CENTER CONTRACT TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BOTH THE DELTA STATES RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAMS. THIS ORGANIZATION HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE DELTA STATE GRANTEES AND OTHER KEY RURAL HEALTH PARTNERS IN ALL EIGHT OF THE DELTA STATES. FROM 2002-2004, THE RHPC STAFF PLAYED IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP ROLES IN PLANNING CONFERENCE CALLS AND CONVENING OF WORKSHOPS FOR DELTA STATES GRANTEES. THEY HAVE CONSIDERABLE EXPERTISE AND A POSITIVE TRACK RECORD IN HELPING RURAL HEALTH AGENCIES LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES. THE RHPC STAFF HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE DELTA SATES PROGRAM SINCE 2001 AND HAS A DEEP UNDERSTANDING BOTH OF ITS INITIAL THRUST AND HOW IT HAS EVOLVED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. BECAUSE OF THEIR VAST KNOWLEDGE OF RURAL HEALTH AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO RURAL POPULATIONS, PAST SUCCESS IN CARRYING OUT FEDERALLY FUNDED RURAL PROJECTS AND A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE DELTA STATES RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK GRANT PROGRAM, THE RURAL HEALTH POLICY CENTER (RHPC) OF THE PENN STATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IS THE SOLE ORGANIZATION CAPABLE OF SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THIS PROJECT. THEY ARE MORE THAN QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE CONSULTATION TO THE DELTA STATES GRANTEES ON RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SECTORS AS THEY ARE HIGHLY SKILLED IN A WIDE ARRAY OF FUNDING SOURCES IN THESE AREAS. FOR ANOTHER CONTRACTOR TO OBTAIN THIS ACQUISITION WOULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT AND DUPLICATIVE COSTS FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT RHPC HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED IN THIS PROGRAM. THE PROPOSED SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION IS FOR SERVICES FOR WHICH THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO SOLICIT AND NEGOTIATE WITH ONLY ONE SOURCE (FAR 6.302-1). A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO COMPETE THIS PROPOSED SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. CONTRACTORS MAY FORWARD CAPABILITY STATEMENTS TO THE REFERENCED ADDRESS. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF DETERMINING WHETHER TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT DARREN JANSEN, IN ROOM 5C-13, PARKLAWN BLDG., 5600 FISHERS LANE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20857 OR ON 301-443-1857.
- Record
- SN00628410-W 20040724/040722211828 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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