MODIFICATION
D -- Information Technology services, including telecommunications services
- Notice Date
- 9/21/2005
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 541512
— Computer Systems Design Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases/AMOB, 10401 Fernwood Drive, Suite 2NE70, MSC 4811, Bethesda, MD, 20817
- ZIP Code
- 20817
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ5088
- Response Due
- 9/26/2005
- Archive Date
- 10/11/2005
- Point of Contact
- Lisa Josephowitz, Purchasing Agent, Phone 301-402-6150, Fax 301-480-3695, - John Foley, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-402-2284, Fax 301-480-0689,
- E-Mail Address
-
lj39u@nih.gov, jfoley@NIAID.NIH.GOV
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The response date is extended to 9/26/05. The following are questions and answers generated by interested parties: 1. The overall RFQ is a bit vague. Can we get a brief overview of what the office automation system is? It mentions a lot of different capabilities; can you better describe how the application will be used? Answer: We have workflows in Visio but we are particularly looking for a COTS product that is pre-configured to the work of an Institutional Review Board. We are aware of 7-8 of these already in the marketplace. 2. The FedBizOpps notice says the automation system should support electronic submissions. What type of submissions are these and what are they comprised of and in what format would they be in? Answer: Word, RTF, PDF, XML 3. From bullet two, please define workflow configuration. Answer: Refers to the capability of business super-users doing the workflow configuration rather than programmers. 4. From bullet four, which application does the end user want templates to be in? What database would these templates be merged into? Will that database be part of this application? Answer: We are anticipating a SQL database such as SQLServer. SQLServer is preferred since NIH has a site license and that represents lesser cost to government. 5. In bullet 6, please explain what auditing capabilities the end user wants. Answer: Regulatory requirements including who did what, when and why to submissions. 21 CFR Part 11 requires that audit trails be difficult or impossible for administrators to alter. 6. Bullet 10 mentions improving the accessibility of research submission data. Do you currently have an application that you are using now to perform these functions? How is research submission data accessed now and what sort of improvements are you looking for? Answer: We have a custom application developed 7 years ago but which no longer serves our requirements and uses older programming languages which are no longer well supported. 7. From bullet 13, for providing automated alerts, what kind of tickler alert or notification are you referring to? Would an e-mail alert suffice? Answer: For the most part email alerts will work. The app must be able to leverage our Exchange service for addresses and other metadata. 8. Should the RFQ response be in a particular format? If so, could you please forward further format instructions? Answer: All information is called out in the synopsis. 9. Do you need the resumes for personnel that would work on this project? Answer: Key Personnel 10. Does the work need to be performed on-site? Answer: absolutely 11. Is there a detailed requirements document available for vendors to look at? Answer: Yes 12. What exactly is expected by the due date (September 23, 2005)? Is there a certain format that the response must follow? Answer: We are looking for a COTS product that is fully developed for use by Institutional Review Boards. We are aware of 7 to 8 of these in the marketplace. We expect a response that shows how the vendor?s product is a configured, near-ready product for this very specified niche. 13. Our company was certified 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business by SBA as of September 9, 2005 but the CCR database hasn?t been updated to reflect this new status for the company. Will this prevent us from being qualified to bid for this contract? Answer: No, but be aware that this is not an 8(a) set-aside. 14. What is expected in the offer, a COTS product or a custom solution proposal? The language in the pre-solicitation notice is a little confusing. It says ?The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) has a requirement for an Office automation system to include two additional installments with the software?, which implies that NIAID is looking for two additional installments of a particular software package, while the rest of the notice implies that it is a custom software development effort to deliver required functionalities. Would you please clarify exactly what is needed? Answer: This remark is an artifact of our COTS thinking. We assume there will be a license acquisition phase, an installation phase and a configuration and deployment phase. Yes. We are absolutely looking for as mature a COTS product as we can find. 15. Would a North Carolina (CCR registered) company be allowed to take part in this? If so, can we develop most of the application at our site? (It will minimize travel expenses). Answer: Any company located elsewhere can participate. We are looking for a COTS product, not development. If a COTS product does not emerge that fits our needs, we would consider off-site development. 16. Right now, you have a business process for the submissions and approval which is semi-automatic with paper handling and human intervention? Answer: Yes 17. Do you want to automate this process as much as possible with a very good audit trail and in a more efficient way? Answer: We have already engaged in a gap analysis, workflows, requirements process and have a very defined idea of how we?ll improve our process. 18. You have Microsoft technology already in your office. Is it acceptable to develop a Microsoft solution using .Net framework and MS SQL server as the database? Is this acceptable? Answer: We are looking for a COTS product that has been developed specifically for the work of an Institutional Review Board. We want to avoid development and comply with Clinger-Cohen Act. 19. Will this be a web based system running on the Intranet? Answer: This is our vision. It would also have to be platform independent as we have many Macintosh computers in our group. 20. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has a requirement for an Office automation system to include two additional installments with the software. Do you have the software to install OR is this a development effort? Answer: We are looking for responses from vendors with mature COTS applications. 21. As can be seen from your website, you have multiple offices and multiple users. Can you give me a rough idea on number of users, number of submissions per year, number of approvals per year? Answer: Approx. 200 users and 700 submissions per year. 22. Is the intent of this RFQ to procure via "simplified acquisition" procedures, so total value of contract will not exceed $100k, correct? Answer: The RFQ is prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 as a commercial item. 23. Is the RFQ contract expected to be awarded in FY2005 (before the end of the fiscal year) or FY2006? Answer: Award in ?05 24. Are you allowed to provide a Rough Order of Magnitude amount for what is available (e.g., $50,000, $100,000, $300,000, 1 million)? Answer: No 25. We have developed web-based questionnaire, reporting, and workflow technologies under Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contracts from the NIH and Air Force. These technologies are prototypes that could be adapted to meet most of the needs of the NIH, but that would take a year of development, customization, and testing. Our technologies are not commercial off the shelf (COTS) products. For example, requirement #3 asks for "Include Microsoft Office and Acrobat PDF integration out-of-the-box. Answer: This requirement is being conducted using FAR Subpart 12.6 for Commercial Items. We are looking for a COTS product that is fully developed for use by Institutional Review Boards. We?re aware of a number of products in the marketplace. 26. Is the technology expected to encode the specific forms, data, and workflow processes required by NIAID or provide NIAID with capabilities for it to encode this knowledge? Answer: Yes 27. Will NIH staff be available to refine requirements (e.g., either templates to the different types of forms or the forms themselves depending on the answer to the previous question)? Answer: Yes. 28. Will NIH staff be available for beta testing? Answer: Yes. 29. Our company has an out-of-the-box solution that meets these requirements. Is this acceptable? Answer: It appears your company has a configurable portal. We are looking first for a COTS product that has been thoroughly configured to the work of an Institutional Review Board. We?re aware of a number of products in the marketplace. Only if we could not find a product compliant with Clinger-Cohen directive and which supports a large proportion of our business process out-of-the-box would we consider a configurable portal. 30. How much experience would be needed to perform this task? Answer: A thorough understanding of Institutional Review Boards and their business and regulatory environments is needed. 31. Are any clearances needed? Answer: PSL-5. 32. Are there any subcontracting opportunities available? Answer: That is for each vendor to determine. 33. Can more information be provided in general? Answer: We are looking at responses from vendors with fully configured COTS application intended for use by Institutional Review Boards. We do not wish to develop other than as a last resort. We are aware of 7-8 COTS products in the marketplace that are intended for IRB use.
- Place of Performance
- Address: National Institutes of Health/NIAID, Bethesda, MD
- Zip Code: 20892
- Zip Code: 20892
- Record
- SN00900197-W 20050923/050921211650 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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