SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Program Evaluation Support Services
- Notice Date
- 11/16/2009
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Station Support/Simplified Acquisitions, 31 Center Drive, Room 1B59, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ1219021
- Point of Contact
- Susan Nsangou, Phone: 3014432104
- E-Mail Address
-
nsangous@mail.nih.gov
(nsangous@mail.nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number is 1219021 and is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ.) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-36. The Office of Science Policy and Communications, Science Policy Branch (OSP), at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), has a requirement for Program Evaluation Support Services to assist with the Phase II - Process Evaluation of the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Program. This Roadmap program is being administered by NIDA, the National Institute of Diabetes And Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The NIH Roadmap is a series of programs designed to foster new ways of doing research, to fill fundamental knowledge gaps, and to encourage risk taking to solve complex problems. The Epigenomics Program (EP) has five related components - Reference Epigenome Mapping Centers; an Epigenomics Data Analysis and Coordination Center; a research component for Technology Development in Epigenetics; a research component for Discovery of Novel Epigenetic Marks in Mammalian Cells; and a research component for Epigenomics of Human Health and Disease. The purpose of this evaluation requirement is to provide comprehensive support to the OSP/ NIDA Project Officer (PO), and the supporting Evaluation Leads (ELs) of the program from the co-administrating Institutes, for the evaluation activities of this Phase II-Process Evaluation, from a position of knowledge of program evaluation and evaluative research, knowledge of the application of program evaluation to complex funded research programs, and of graduate level knowledge of Epigenetics and Bioinformatics. This support will be for the conduct of the tasks of information collection for the evaluation, such as program documents inventorying to collect information on aspects of program process to show improvements in the program, and information on program achievement; data and information preparation, processing, and management; analyses of the information; writing/editing reports and document production; assistance in the preparation of a Supporting Statement for OMB clearance; survey administration, and information download; data searches of public databases; and to provide recommendations for the Phase III - Goal-oriented outcome evaluation to be conducted at the end of the first term of the program. The planning and conduct to date of the evaluation study for this program has been assisted primarily by one of two external Academic Advisors/Consultants who were named to the study, and who will continue to review the work and provide some oversight and recommendations to the NIH staff during the first year of this Phase II-Process Evaluation study. The Contractor can expect that some of the plans and deliverables will be reviewed by the current Academic Advisor. The Contractor offering for this present request will not be excluded as an offeror for the Phase III study. The Contractor will have an understanding of NIH policies and procedures, the ability to apply methods of evaluation to the requirements of this multiple-components program and the different stages the components are in, demonstrated ability to meet fast turn around deadlines, and graduate level knowledge of Epigenetics by at least one principal staff assigned to the project. The Contractor must also provide the services of a Consultant Advisor/Academic Advisor to the Evaluation (CA/AA) with an academic background in evaluation for the broad disciplinary knowledge and application experience in evaluating funded research programs that would provide this study with advice, guidance, and recommendations for the different evaluation tasks. The CA/AA can be a staff person or a sub-contractor to the study. Task 1 - Information Collection from Program Documents, and Reported Information - Contractor must demonstrate the ability to review scientific reporting documents from the program, to develop information collection protocols and/or systems and for extracting information, to conduct information collection, to synthesize the scientific and bioinformatics information of relevance to describe the background information of the program, to describe the program processes and achievements, and to organize the information into formats for analysis. Contractor must demonstrate the ability to search publications databases and collect information from these databases as it relates to the progress of the NIH Epigenomics Roadmap Program, and to verify that the information is correct and is not duplicative. Contractor must also have knowledge of the theoretical requirements in using survey information from small purposive sample surveys and of analytic methods for interpreting the information. Contractor will require knowledge in epigenetics, epigenomics, bioinformatics, population genetics, and of current epigenomics literature. Contractor must be knowledgeable of the NIH Epigenomics Roadmap Program, its objectives, funding mechanisms, and components. Contractor must have knowledge of the policies and legal requirements of the NIH regarding protected information in its databases. Contractor must have general knowledge of the biology of human diseases as it relates to epigenomics. The contractor will review program documents provided by the PO, as well as by the supporting ELs. The contractor will develop information collection protocols to collect the information from secondary sources. The contractor will review the documents and extract information of greatest relevance to, for example, show the progress and achievement of the components of the program, to describe the program background, to describe aspects of program conduct that may be revealing or may provide lessons to be learned. The volume of documents will be determined by the on-going program, may vary from time to time, and could include documents such as synthesized progress reports, meeting notes, meeting minutes from technical workshops. Relevance will be guided by the evaluation questions that have been developed by the NIH staff, for each program component and for the program as a whole. The evaluation questions are based on the objectives specified in the RFAs, they include complex and simple questions. The frequency of inventorying will be negotiated. The contractor may need to search publications data bases (one to two data bases may be selected by the PO and ELs /NIH program and evaluation staff), and document publications attributable to the Epigenomics program. The frequency of searches is to be negotiated. Task 2 - Information Collection from Primary Sources - Contractor must have knowledge and expertise in methods of questionnaire development, survey administration, ability to address theoretical requirements of survey data and information collection and analysis of the information; professional/technical ability in uploading and administering e-surveys; preparation, processing, and managing of survey results; successful experience in preparation of a Supporting Statement for OMB clearance. The contractor will provide assistance in the development and pre-test of the instruments as needed. There will be one survey of the Principal Investigators (PIs) funded in the program, which will need OMB clearance. There will be three information collection protocols, for a set of nine or fewer users of the data interface developed by the program. The contractor will upload and administer the instruments which may be either by survey software or email; will administer reminders to non-responders to the PIs survey for maximum completeness; will manage download and preparation of respondent information for analysis. The contractor will provide assistance in analyzing the data, providing suggestions for the best ways to demonstrate program achievement. The contractor will provide assistance to the PO as needed in preparing the OMB Supporting Statement package. Task 3 - Data Preparation and Processing for Analysis Contractor must demonstrate the ability to develop and test protocols and templates for inventorying program documents to extract relevant evaluation information; to develop systems for testing data reliability and to ensure consistency in collection; to organize the data for analysis; to conduct data analyses as needed of the information collected; to suggest data analyses that would be useful for interpretation of the information collected and to the purpose of the evaluation. The contractor will conduct all tasks of preparation and processing of the information from primary and secondary sources, and assess the reliability and validity of data documented for analysis. The contractor will suggest methods of data preparation and processing for analysis and will be open to input for modification from the PO and supporting ELs. Task 4 - Provide Advice to the Tasks of the Process Evaluation Contractor must provide the services of a CA/AA in the field of evaluation who has the academic background in evaluation for the broad disciplinary knowledge and applied experience. The CA/AA must have cutting-edge experience in evaluating transformative initiatives in biomedical and behavioral research, in the application of program evaluation methods to the conduct and process of research programs and the risks to the program idea from conduct, implementation, and methods. The CA/AA will be expected to advise both the NIH evaluation staff and the contractor staff on the major tasks of the process evaluation, particularly with regard to analyses of the information collected, and development of the PI survey instrument. The CA/AA will be expected to provide recommendations for planning and conduct of the Phase III outcome evaluation based on the Program's progress at mid-course. The CA/AA will be expected to provide recommendations on the feasibility and an appropriate post-program time period for conducting an assessment of impact from the program on Epigenomics research. The contractor must provide a description of how the CA/AA will be used and made available for the conduct of this Process Evaluation/work. This person can be a staff person or a sub-contractor to the study. Task 5- Assistance in Writing and Preparation of Final Report, and Writing Internal Reports on Work completed Contractor must have writing and editing ability, experience in report writing and preparation of a formal report document, including design/layout. The contractor will provide writing and editing assistance in any formal reporting on the evaluation - an annual report and a final report to report on the program at mid-course, are anticipated. These may be electronic. The contractor will also provide internal reports electronically to the PO, on the progress of the work. The frequency will be negotiated. The contractor shall work with the NIH evaluation staff to compile background materials as needed for writing reports. The contractor will assist with content decisions and coordinating/incorporating NIH Program staff input into reports as needed. The contractor shall evaluate materials for completeness and accuracy. The period of performance is from award of contract through September 30, 2011. It is anticipated that qualified contractor staff will work at the contractor premises, with some time spent on conference calls with the PO and NIH evaluation staff on the project, and on a limited number of in-person meetings since travel funds have not been allotted. It is anticipated that 3,730 hours will be required for this effort. **************** The contractor shall guarantee strict confidentiality of the information/data that is provided by the Government during the performance of this contract. Contractor shall not release, publish, or disclose sensitive information to unauthorized personnel, and shall protect such information in accordance with provisions of the following laws and any other pertinent laws and regulations governing the confidentiality of sensitive information: 18 U.S.C. 641 (Criminal Code: Public Money, Property or Records) - 18 U.S.C. 1905 (Criminal Code: Disclosure of Confidential Information) - Public Law 96-511 (Paperwork Reduction Act). Disclosure of the information/data, in whole or in part, by Contractor can only be made after Contractor receives prior written approval from the Contracting Officer. Whenever the contractor is uncertain with regard to the proper handling of information/data under the Contract, the contractor shall obtain a written determination from the PO. The contractor is not allowed to incur local travel costs associated with traveling to and from NIH's facilities. The Evaluation procedure is based upon the following technical criteria: (1) Understanding of the Requirements in accomplishing the statement of work - The Offeror's technical approach shall indicate compliance with the requirements as outlined in the statement of work. A suggested work plan and completion schedule shall be submitted, which will be subject to revision as needed for availability of information from the on-going Program. (2) Experience of Personnel - Documented experience, educational background and training, and availability of the proposed staff and their designated responsibility on the project. This includes the experience, managerial competence, and time commitment of the proposed project principal and the experience, technical competence, and time commitment of other scientific and technical staff, and Consultant staff; and knowledge of the life sciences and bioinformatics disciplines, as stated in the Statement of Work. (3) Past Performance - Documented successful past performance experience in the knowledge of NIH policies, and programs, inventorying of research programs' documents, development of information collection protocols, data preparation and processing for analysis, expert technical writing skills. The award will be made to the lowest priced, technically acceptable quote meeting the Government's requirements. The Government intends to evaluate offers and award a contract without discussions with Offerors. Therefore, the initial offer should contain the offeror's best terms from a technical and price standpoint. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. The offeror must include a completed copy of the provision of FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items with its offer. The provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The addenda to the clause read as follows: The offeror must include in their quotation, the unit price, the list price, 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. The FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items - Deviation For Simplified Acquisitions, applies to this acquisition. The clauses are available in full text at http://www.arnet.gov/far.
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