SOURCES SOUGHT
U -- Maintenance and Expansion of Genetics and Social Science: Expanding Transdisciplinary Research Online Genetics Training Course
- Notice Date
- 8/21/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 611710
— Educational Support Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 105, Bethesda, Maryland, 20894, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20894
- Solicitation Number
- SSN-NIHLM-2012506
- Archive Date
- 9/11/2012
- Point of Contact
- Sheila R. Edmonds, Phone: 3014966546
- E-Mail Address
-
sheila.edmonds@nih.gov
(sheila.edmonds@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This Sources Sought Notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government. This notice is intended strictly for Market Research. This is a Small Business Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service- disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 611710-Educational Support Services. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR) is conducting a Market Survey to help determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses and/or HUBZone small businesses capable of serving the needs identified below: Background In 2008, OBSSR received an unsolicited proposal by the National Coalition for Health Profession Education in Genetics (NCHPEG). The purpose of the proposal was to develop a unique online educational program for OBSSR to train and educate scientists on ways of incorporating genetic data into their behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR). Since next generation training and leading trans-disciplinary team sciences are top mission priorities for OBSSR, the offer to develop an online training program was timely. NCHPEG worked with OBSSR over the course of several years and a wide range of experts, such as scientific advisors, writers, and reviewers to ensure that the type, breadth, and organization of the content would be appropriate for the broad range of social and behavioral science researchers. These scientists and experts provided robust feedback that informed the current version of the site. Because behavioral and social scientists have a wide range of substantive interests and methodological expertise, OBSSR and the team of science advisors determined that it was important that the online course be focused on a few core health outcomes that are applicable to a wide variety of BSSR professional research audiences (epidemiologists, psychologists, sociologists, economists etc). Given this requirement, the site integrates genetics training within four (4) substantive content areas: tobacco use, obesity, major depression, and breast cancer. The final product was published online January 2012 titled "Genetics and Social Science: Expanding Transdisciplinary Research": http://www.nchpeg.org/bssr/index.php. In summary, NCHPEG's unsolicited online training services on genetics helped OBSSR take one step closer toward achieving its goal in training social and behavioral scientists for future research questions-specific to incorporating genetics and biology more generally. The more immediate aim is to increase BSSR genetics literacy and assist in finding research collaborators. The more distal aim is that this resource will serve as an important training tool for potential NIH requirements that aim to integrate genetics into their social or behavioral research projects. Purpose/Objective NCHPEG received input from the scientific community and OBSSR regarding the preliminary site. OBSSR wishes to expand on NCHPEG's training website "Genetics and Social Science: Expanding Transdisciplinary Research": http://www.nchpeg.org/bssr/index.php to further advance the online education course on genetics and BSSR. However, what is now required is (1) updating substantive content to include new and emerging areas of research, (2) maintenance and service of the existing site so it can eventually migrate to an NIH server, (3) developing alternative metrics of usage success, and (4) expand on the methods that scientists can collaborate and find research partners. (1) Updating Substantive Content: The needs of the scientific community are continually changing. In fact, the rapid increase in the scientific literature and NIH applications seeking to integrate biology and social sciences is increasing at a staggering rate. Every day there are new discoveries and methodological approaches being developed that, if not updated on the training website, will eventually reduce the educational value of OBSSR's initial investments. Therefore, for the educational value of the site to remain relevant, a team of expert educators who are knowledgeable about both genetics and the BSSR community to keep the content up to date is critical. (2) Maintain and Service the Existing Training Website: In the few years that the site has been developed, the technology on which it was developed has changed dramatically. Specifically, the site was created a few years ago before the Government had an agreed upon content management systems (CMS) for web development; therefore, NCHPEG chose to use a CMS which is an industry standard, called JOOMLA. However, the NIH/OBSSR are currently migrating its web systems to the Drupal platform-an open source CMS. Therefore, a need exists for the Contractor to translate the existing material to web standards that more generally have a longer shelf life so the product can eventually live independently on an NIH server. This will require assist from the Contractor maintaining the current training website to update the underlying technical infrastructure to the Drupal CMS platform. (3) Developing Alternative Metrics of Usage and Success: Other than reporting data on unique or user hits per month, the original contract did not have a built in method of evaluating the success of the website because this area of research is generally new. Although unique visits to the web page are important, other data needs to be collected in the future. The Contractor will need to develop open and transparent methods of measuring success of the website at training scientists, such as tracking NIH grant applications that are the result of learning form the website and or quantifying new partnerships created. An understanding of the operations of the current website is required to create new analytics and gauge the website's success. (4) Expand on Means for Collaboration: The current website outlines ways that a scientist can find potential collaborators, but an update to the site should include more dynamic real time ability (e.g. allow interested researchers to find one another and network so they can combine their expertise and use that synergy to successfully apply for an NIH grant.) Many of the future partnerships will be linked to the professional organizations that helped build the current training website. Contractor Tasks: The Contractor shall undertake the following tasks: (1) Updating Substantive Web Content • Review and Update Existing Web Content o The Contractor shall review one case study and associated core concepts per quarter. • Develop New Content. According to external reviews of the website, additional scientific value could be obtained if the website starts to include more than the four (4) current case studies to help draw on additional users. To add new content, the Contractor shall: o Hold two webinars which will highlight current research experience in developing collaborative teams. o Keep the website current with the latest discoveries and methodologies and articulate standards and methods which BSSR scientists can engage genetic and biological data • Incorporate the video content of three (3) to four (4) videos involving social and behavioral science researchers into the training website in a way that is consistent with the educational intent of the page. • Add more depth to the existing case studies, specifically obesity and breast cancer case studies, by adding audio from the original interviews to augment the text content. • Create a bi-monthly blog. The blog entries will be written by a combination of the Contractor's staff and guest bloggers and highlight new research events and activities. (2) Maintain and Update Existing Website: • Migrate the current Genetics and Social Science Expanding Transdisciplinary Research training website from the Content Management System CMS Joomla platform to the CMS Drupal platform so it can eventually live independently on an NIH server. (3) Developing alternative metrics of usage and success and Expand on the Evaluation of the training site • Conduct Needs Assessment for Educator Tools o This website will be useful to supplement classroom teaching. The Contractor shall use a needs assessment survey to inform OBSSR in terms of development needs of faculty resources for future projects. (4) Expand on means for collaborating • Pilot Collaboration and Network Opportunities. One of the exciting features or potential of the website is to enable multi-disciplinary collaboration. o The Contractor shall enable a comments function. This will allow more discussion among users which will be moderated by the Contractor. o The Contractor shall investigate existing networking resources to see how these can be incorporated as new opportunities for the users. The Contractor shall increase the ability for the users to network by administering an online survey. The Contractor shall provide recommendations to OBSSR on how to proceed. Section 508 Compliance In accordance with FAR 39.2, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act is implemented in this order. Pursuant to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, all electronic and information technology (EIT) products and services developed, acquired, maintained, and/or used under this contract/order must comply with the "Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Provisions" set forth by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also referred to as the "Access Board") in 36 CFR part 1194. Information about Section 508 provisions is available at http://www.hhs.gov/od. The complete text of Section 508 Final provisions can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/provisions.htm. The proposed acquisition will be procured in accordance with the policies and procedures under FAR 15. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement which will be considered by the National Library of Medicine. This Sources Sought Notice is not a Request for Quotes (RFQ), nor is an RFQ available. (a) Provide a capability statement demonstrating relevant experience, skills and ability to fulfill the Government's requirements for the above. The capability statement should contain enough sufficient detail for the Government to make an informed decision regarding your capabilities; however, the statement should not exceed ten (10) pages. (b) The capability statement should include references, key personnel, and any teaming arrangements needed to fulfill the requirements. It must identify the responder's small business type and size; DUNS number; NAICS code; and technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. (c) All capability statements must be submitted electronically no later than 12:00 NOON on Monday, August 27, 2012 to Sheila Edmonds at sheila.edmonds@nih.gov. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
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- Record
- SN02849067-W 20120823/120822000938-40b9ced006db62af12038ffbe9fe1da4 (fbodaily.com)
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