SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Data Analysis for Subclinical Vascular Disease and Change in Neurocognition in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Lifespan (HANDLS) Study
- Notice Date
- 3/10/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions, 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- HHS-NIH-NIDA-(SSSA)-2014-110
- Archive Date
- 6/30/2014
- Point of Contact
- Debra C Hawkins, Phone: (301) 594-2178, Hunter Tjugum, Phone: (301) 435-8780
- E-Mail Address
-
dh41g@nih.gov, hunter.tjugum@nih.gov
(dh41g@nih.gov, hunter.tjugum@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- SOLICITATION NUMBER: HHS-NIH-NIDA-(SSSA)-2014-110 TITLE: Data Analysis for Subclinical Vascular Disease and Change in Neurocognition in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Lifespan (HANDLS) Study INTRODUCTION This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation, request for proposals (RFP), proposal abstracts, nor a request for quotations (RFQ). The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources that includes; (1) other than small businesses (large businesses, education institutions, non-profits, etc.); (2) small business sources; (3) HubZone small businesses; (4) service-disabled small businesses; (5) veteran-owned small businesses; (6) 8(a) small businesses; (7) veteran-owned small businesses; (8) woman-owned small businesses; (9) small disadvantaged businesses; and (10) private contractors and consultants, who can perform the requirements of the size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code as specified below. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes. No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. The notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. The information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a small business social-economic set-aside, competitive or non-competitive method is possible, and to determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government's requirement. ALL organizations with the capability and availability to perform the requirement under the applicable NAICS code are invited to submit a response to this notice. NORTH AMERICAN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE The NAICS code applicable to this requirement is 5416920 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services and the associated small business size standard of $14.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The purpose of this requirement is conduct data analysis for Subclinical Vascular Disease and Change in Neurocognition in the Health Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Lifespan (HANDLS) Study for the National Institute of Aging (NIA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) Background information. The Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study examines age-related health disparities in overall health and specific problems, and concerns in representative residents of communities throughout Baltimore. The purpose of the study is to understand some of the diseases related to aging in African Americans and whites in Baltimore. Little is known about the connection between age-associated cognitive change and the interaction between race and socioeconomic status. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as high blood pressure also create risks for stroke and other changes in the brain that may yield premature declines in cognitive performance. Subclinical CVDs, such as atherosclerosis and arterial stiffening, are pre-cursors to clinical CVD that occur without overt symptoms, yet can confer as much, if not more, risk for cognitive decline than traditional CVD risk factors. Subclinical CVDs are more prominent among ethnic minorities and those living in poverty, and may be an important explanatory factor in disparities in cognitive functioning. Repeated assessments of neurocognitive performance in the ongoing Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study address these issues. There are little data in the literature on the connection between subclinical CVD, cognitive performance, and brain structure. Furthermore, it is unknown whether these measures are related with age, sex, race, or povet1y status, the four main design elements of HANDLS. Overall, we expect participants with greater subclinical vascular disease will have significantly accelerated cognitive decline and MRl-assessed subclinical brain pathology, and that these associations will be most pronounced among African Americans and persons living in poverty. The successful contractor will provide resources and expertise necessary to analyze HANDLS data to examine longitudinal changes in neurocognition as a function disparities associated with socioeconomic and racial differences. CAPABILITY STATEMENT /INFORMATION SOUGHT Interested parties are expected to review this notice to familiarize itself with the requirements of this project. Failure to do so will be at your firm's own risk. Respondents must provide, as part of their responses, clear and convincing documentation of their capability of providing the services specified in this notice Respondents must provide a general overview of the respondents' opinions about the difficulty and /or feasibility of the potential requirement, and any information regarding innovative ideas or concepts. The Respondent must also provide information in sufficient details of the respondents' (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information. The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements. All responses to this sources sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Debra Hawkins, Lead Contract Specialist at debra.hawkins@nih.gov on or before March 17, 2014, 12:00 noon eastern time. Facsimile responses will be accepted at 301-480-1358. The response must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS 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).
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/HHS-NIH-NIDA-(SSSA)-2014-110/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Record
- SN03305931-W 20140312/140310234216-42518c26beccc06408f4c06cfdde4b6a (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |