MODIFICATION
R -- Development of a Database of Dietary Supplement Labels
- Notice Date
- 7/6/2006
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 541511
— Custom Computer Programming Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Office of Administration, 6011 Executive Blvd, Rm 538, Rockville, MD, 20892-7663
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7663
- Solicitation Number
- 263-2006-P-(GI)-0112
- Response Due
- 7/10/2006
- Description
- This announcement is hereby amended to extend the closing due date and change the time. ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST ARRIVE ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE AND TIME. THE CLOSING DATE FOR RESPONSES IS EXTENDED TO JULY 17, 2006. THE CLOSING TIME FOR THE RESPONSES IS CHANGED TO 2:30 PM. The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), National Institutes of Health, seeks to issue a statement of work (SOW) to obtain services related to the design, development, implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of a new, publicly available, web-based application for cataloging all known dietary supplement labels sold in the United States in a database tentatively called Dietary Supplements Label Database (DSLD). The goal of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit feedback from capable vendors that will help finalize the SOW. The purpose of exchanging information is to improve the understanding of both Government requirements and industry capabilities. The pre-solicitation conference is to be used to 1) disseminate background data that offer further insight into the size and complexity of this acquisition, as well as the risks of undertaking this project, 2) clarify and inform the development of a detailed statement of work, and 3) discuss anticipated difficulties. A complete and comprehensive source of information containing virtually all dietary supplement labels does not currently exist. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) supplement label database is incomplete, as it contains only supplements reported by survey respondents. The need for DSLD is apparent from numerous communications of stakeholders, from Congress, and deliberations within the ODS. It is hoped that an existing Federal database can be further developed so as to allow the research community and other interested stakeholders free access to dietary supplement label information. Such an application is needed as a resource both for research and educational purposes. The need for a complete, comprehensive, publicly available and readily accessible source of total label information and data is increasing as sales and use of dietary supplements grow (Radimer K et al, Am J Epi 160:339, 2004). ODS believes that industry cooperation is essential to obtain complete coverage of all dietary supplements sold in the United States. The ultimate NIH goal is a DSLD containing label information for all products marketed and sold through all distribution channels in the United States. This would meet the research and informational needs of research investigators, health professionals, Federal and state agencies, and consumers. Researchers conducting epidemiological studies would find the dietary supplement database application useful in estimating total exposures to various dietary supplement ingredients and their associations with health outcomes. Researchers planning clinical trials require information on dietary supplement content for calculation of interventions involving them and in assessing and planning dietary intakes. Federal and state agencies need information on the content of dietary supplements to estimate current intakes and to plan nutritional interventions and recommendations. DSLD would also meet the needs of other segments of the dietary supplement community. Dietitians would be able to obtain information on the composition of dietary supplement products for computing dietary intakes of nutrients or other bioactive constituents. Health professionals would be able to search for ingredients with beneficial or adverse effects. Industry might find product formulations or comparisons with competitive products of interest. Policy makers might find the application useful for calculating the contributions of various dietary supplements to total nutrient intakes. The immediate goal of this Request for Information is to identify capable vendors and solicit ideas on the development processes so as to inform the finalization of a Statement of Work. An integral part of this work is understanding and defining both the technical components and processes and the project management components and processes. ODS anticipates a 12-month requirements (feasibility) development effort. Requirements development should be approached by the vendor becoming familiar with other Federal research efforts in this area for the purposes of interfacing. At its completion, ODS requires a report defining the feasibility of continuing this effort into its design phase and delivery of a prototype dietary supplements label database. It is important that the DSLD interface well with existing databases, especially the NHANES/ NCHS/CDC survey dietary supplement label database and the USDA/ARS standard reference database for food composition, in order to maximize the utility of the DSLD for the government, researchers, and the public. Contractors expressing an interest should provide appropriate capability statements. The capability statement shall include the following: 1) Description of the organization?s experience and past performance with large, complex databases for use in research 2) CV?s for key personnel, including the professional qualifications and specific experience of staff who may be assigned to the requirement. 3) Description of the vendor?s ability to access labels and required information in order to populate the DSLD, including a sampling plan to demonstrate the ability to capture the full range of products in the marketplace. 4) Sample content (both nutrient and non-nutrient) to be included in DSLD. 5) Steps to ensure accuracy and quality of information in DSLD, including how to deal with complex issues such as a) capturing digital images of labels, b) methods to identify products with a unique number or code to facilitate product identification building on those already in use in other Federal databases, c) methods to distinguish among such factors as validation of quantification of true zeros, missing data, etc., d) methods for verifying the validity of information contained the sample labels, e) methods for converting the label information into units compatible with those in other Federal government databases, f) documentation of how changes in labels will be documented promptly in DSL D, g) documentation of likely challenges anticipated in developing DSLD, such as use of structured vocabulary or dictionary of synonyms, and h) methods for freezing data for archiving and reporting. 6) Plan for producing a DSLD prototype at the conclusion of a forecasted 12-month requirements development effort. 7) Outline of how DSLD will integrate with the existing National Center for Health Statistics NCHS/NHANES Dietary Supplement Database and the USDA Standard Reference Food Composition Database. 8) Detailed summary of the process to be used in requirements development. 9) Examples of user-interface design completed on projects of similar size and/or complexity. 10) Discussion of preferred programming code to be used during program code construction. 11) Discussion of effort and experience involved in system testing and quality assurance testing. 12) Copy of certified level of maturity, as it related to CMMI: Capability Maturity Model Integration 13) Names and numbers of three references from former clients involved in an effort of similar size and/or complexity including contract number, contract type, dollar value for each customer, reference and customer point of contact with phone number, and title of individual. 14) Any other specific and pertinent information as pertains to this Sources Sought Notice that would enhance NIH?s consideration and evaluation of the information submitted. 15) Name and address of firm. 16) Type of business (i.e.: small business, small disadvantaged 8(a) certified, HUBZONE, woman-owned small business, small disadvantaged business (not 8(a) certified), veteran-owned small business, disabled veteran owned business, etc.) 17) Point of contact: name, title, phone, fax and e-mail. 18) DUNS number, NAICS codes 19) A statement that the contractor has registered in the central contractor registration (ccr) data base (http://www.ccr.gov). Responses must reference Request for Information (RFI) number 263-2006-P(GI)-0112. THIS SYNOPSIS IS FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCMENT. NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION REQUESTS. RESPONDENTS WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED OF THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION. ALL INFORMATION RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI THAT IS MARKED PROPRIETARY WILL BE HANDLED ACCORDINGLY. RESPONSES TO THE RFI WILL NOT BE RETURNED. INFORMATION MAY BE SUBMITTED TO: The National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Blvd., Room 539-C, Rockville, MD 20852, Attn: Terita Stevenson, Contract Specialist. ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST ARRIVE ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. THE CLOSING DATE FOR RESPONSES IS JULY 10, 2006.
- Record
- SN01083420-W 20060708/060706220333 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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