99 -- HBCU''S INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE

Notice Date

July 27, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration, Acquisition and Grants Group, 7500 Security Blvd. C2-21-15, Central Building, Baltimore, MD, 21244-1850

ZIP Code

21244-1850

Description

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly the Health Care Financing Administration intends to award on a sole source basis, under the Simplified Acquisition Procedure (Dollar Threshold of $100,000), a firm fixed price award to Bowie State University, Department of Nursing, Center for Learning and Technology, Suite 202, 14000 Jericho Park Road, Bowie, Maryland 20715-9455. The acquisition is for a initiative entitled "Developing Capacity for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Infrastructure to Conduct Health Services Research (Mid Atlantic Region). This conference is for the Directors of the Office of Sponsored Programs at HBCUs. It will identify strategies for increasing the success of HBCUs in obtaining grants and contracts for health services research. The objectives of the conference are to: 1) discuss barriers experienced by HBCUs in obtaining funding for health services research; 2) discuss the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) infrastructure that facilitate obtaining funding for health services research; 3) identify incentives available for researchers at HBCUs, such as release time or salary increases; 4) educate attendees about the process of obtaining and completing health services research grants submitted to CMS and other funding agencies; 5) identify resources, capabilities, and priorities of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Office of Academic Affairs at HBCUs; 6) increase the participation of HBCUs in research, outreach, and technical assistance activities; 7) increase the capacity of HBCUs to develop quality research; and 8) make recommendations to improve the infrastructures of HBCUs. The OSP is partnering with Bowie State University to conduct the conference. The coordination and management of all aspects of the conference will be centralized through the contractor. The conference is designed to: o Address the strengths and weaknesses of the OSP infrastructure at HBCUs. o Discuss barriers that have been encountered by the HBCUs OSP in achieving their mission, goals, and objectives. o Discuss resources that are needed to accomplish the goals and objectives at the HBCUs OSP. o Increase the capacity of HBCUs OSP in serving as a liasion between faculty, administration, grants accountant, and funding agencies. The contractor shall supply all the personnel, materials, and supplies needed to carry out this scope of work. The contractor shall have a thorough and demonstrable understanding of HBCU, their needs and capabilities, and shall conduct communications with the appropriate institutions. The contractor will make contacts with the appropriate HBCUs Director of Sponsored Programs about the Infrastructure Conference. It shall facilitate the development and implementation of this Conference. The project will involve the following major tasks: Task l. Make direct contact with HBCUs Directors of Sponsored Programs at the appropriate institutions informing them about the conference (Month 1) Task 2. Send out invitation letters and agenda to the participants for the workshop. (Month 1) Task 3. Carry out all logistics for the conference, i.e., confirmation list, program support, lodging and meal, conference registration, name tags, materials, A/V equipment, workshops, and others. (Regular Activity) Task 4. Provide for OSP project officer review and approval of materials produced by the contractor to be mailed to the HBCUs and other participants. (Regular Activity) Task 5. Work directly with OSP project director in coordinating the workshop activities.(Regular Activity) The Contractor shall: (1) Provide a memorandum of understanding regards to the contractors understanding of the issues and requirements discussed and accepted for this project. (Month 1); (2) Provide OSP project officer with the names, phone numbers, and mailing addresses of HBCUs and other participating in the conference. (Month 2); (3) Provide progress reports to the OSP project director keeping him apprised of the project activities, including tasks completed and planned project activities. (Regular Activity); (4) Produce a final report for the workshop. (Month 5) The Department of Nursing has a long history of focusing on health promotion and disease prevention with an emphasis on minority and underserved individuals. Efforts to decrease health disparities among African Americans have resulted in a number of partnerships and community based activities. A partnership with Strategic Consolidated Services (SCS), a nonprofit community based organization resulted in the first HIV/AIDS Testing Forum. This program focused on educating college students about HIV/AIDS and provided free testing and counseling. More than 30 students were tested, the largest number tested on campus to date. The project will be repeated in September at Bowie State and on HBCU campuses across the nation. The Department of Nursing has also partnered with Summit Health Institute for Research and Education (SHIRE) and other community groups to identify strategies for decreasing health disparities among African American Prince Georgians. A grant submitted to HUD in collaboration with SCS and SHIRE focuses on developing a nurse managed clinic in an inner beltway community in Prince George's County. During the summer months, it will be conducting a church based breast cancer education project. The Nursing Department has also partnered with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, CMS's HBCU Health Services Research Grant Program, to implement an HIV/AIDS Peer Education program on campus and with community groups and is actively involved in the Healthy People 2010 initiative in Prince George's County. An international program with nurses from Brazil resulted in an eight-week training session on campus for eight nurse faculty members to develop nurse practitioner skills that could be implemented to provide primary health care in the rural communities of Brazil. One of those faculty members is currently matriculating in the graduate program in the community health role. Faculty and students from the Department of Nursing are also actively involved with minority and underserved individuals from inner-beltway communities in Prince George's County. It is committed to reducing health disparities and welcome the opportunity to host conferences. The Workshop Director is also a member of the HBCU Health Services Research Network and is currently a member of the Executive Board. This HBCU has the necessary experience and unique capability to put on this type of conference. All responsible sources may submit capability statements in consideration to the Agency at the above address.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www.eps.gov/spg/HHS/HCFA/AGG/Reference-Number-735-1-923727/l isting.html)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010731/SPMSC014.HTM (D-208 SN50T252)