HHS-NIH-NHLBI-SBSS-18HV00011R Introduction 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. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under NAICS code 541712 should not submit a response to this notice. Background The Division of Cardiovascular Sciences of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), is conducting a market survey to assess the availability and potential technical capability of small business firms to perform as the Minneapolis Area Field Center as part of the renewal of the program entitled "Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study". NHLBI plans to support one (1) Coordinating Center and four (4) Field Centers. THIS NOTICE ADDRESSES THE MINNEAPOLIS. MN AREA FIELD CENTER ONLY. It is anticipated that one award will be made in July 2018 for a period of five years. CARDIA began in 1985 in four U.S. communities (Birmingham, AL; Chicago, IL; Minneapolis, MN; and Oakland, CA). The original cohort (n=5,115) was selected to have approximately the same number of participants in subgroups of age (18-24 and 25-30), sex, race (black and white), and education (high school or less and more than high school) within each community. Eight additional examinations have been completed every 2-5 years, including a Year 30 examination completed in 2016. The objectives of the renewal of the CARDIA program are: (1) enhance statistical power to perform analyses of predictors of clinical events; (2) study the progression of risk factors to subclinical to clinical CVD; and (3) identify new risk factors or interactions among factors that inform disease pathophysiology. The operational goals are to (1) conduct continued cohort follow-up and data collection on clinical events; (2) continue to foster scientific collaborations; and (3) conduct a limited clinical examination of the CARDIA participants as a platform for ancillary study examination components. Project Requirements The important overall technical requirements associated with this acquisition for CARDIA include the following: 1) Conduct regular follow-up contacts of participants. 2) Investigate participants' self-reported clinical events by collecting supporting medical records, death certificates, and other relevant materials; perform abstraction of data from such records required for events ascertainment; and conduct expert review and classification thereof. 3) Conduct a re-examination of CARDIA participants. 4) Conduct a brain MRI in a subcohort of CARDIA participants who meet eligibility requirements. 5) Conscientiously participate in Steering Committee and appropriate subcommittee meetings to develop and implement a coordinated plan to achieve study objectives. Participate collaboratively in study committees to provide a transparent committee process, open access to study documents, clear policies for study conduct and access to data and materials, and an approval process for proposed manuscripts and ancillary studies that is fair and balanced. 6) Conduct statistical analyses and prepare scientific abstracts and manuscripts for presentations and publications. 7) Prepare and submit technical and financial reports. 8) Perform activities related to study closeout as directed by the NHLBI Project Office. 9) Work cooperatively with all study investigators and staff, the NHLBI Project Office, and any subcontractors and consultants in all relevant aspects of the study. 10) Mentor early stage investigators from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing formal training opportunities for junior or inexperienced investigators (assistant professors, fellows, and students) through diversity supplements. Capability Statement Small business firms that believe they possess the capabilities necessary to perform the tasks as articulated above are invited to submit capability statements. Firms must be able to meet the Mandatory Qualification Criteria that offerors shall provide evidence that they can seek out and include a study goal of a minimum retention rate of 70% of the eligible cohort for an in-person examination and 80% for annual follow-ups throughout the proposed period of performance in the geographical area of Minneapolis, MN. The annual follow-up contacts are performed by telephone, electronic survey, and mail. Capability statements must provide evidence of ability to perform the tasks described above and will be reviewed based on the following: (1) the professional qualifications of scientific and technical personnel in accordance with the above requirements; (2) demonstrated capacity of individuals and the institutional support to perform the functions of a Field Center for a multi-center collaborative epidemiology study, including protocol development, operational and scientific coordination, and information processing; (3) facilities and equipment available for data collection and transfer to the Coordinating Center; (4) evidence of the ability to assess and monitor quality control for data acquisition at the Field Center; (5) evidence of ability to analyze data from longitudinal epidemiologic studies, and publish results in peer reviewed journals; and (6) the small business status of the firm under NAICS Code 541712. The capability statement must not exceed 15 single sided or 7.5 double sided pages in length and using a 12-point font size minimum. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Evaluation of the capability statements shall be based first on the Mandatory Qualification Criteria. Once it has been established that the Mandatory Qualification Criteria has been met, then the capability statement shall be evaluated on each of the technical points (criterion) listed above. Each technical point (criterion) will be weighted equally. Capability statements submitted in response to this notice that do not provide sufficient information for review will not be considered. This is NOT a Request for Proposals (RFP), and responses should NOT include budgetary information. The Government intends to negotiate one contract for the period of five years with an approximate award date of July 01, 2018. Submission Instructions Your submission shall include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Please reference the above notice number. PDF electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted by e-mail and shall be sent to Arun Mathur, Contract Specialist (email address:
[email protected]). Responses are due no later than 4:00pm EST on the 15th calendar day from the starting date of this announcement. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the 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 review of the responses received, pre-solicitation and solicitation notices may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.