final 33479 1 .pdf

(Date) (Hour)

SEC. PAGE(S) PAGE(S) SEC.

CALENDAR DAYS

14. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amend-ments to the SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated:

15A. NAME

AND

ADDRESS

OF

OFFEROR

(Type or Print)

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

RATING

PAGE OF

1 74

2. CONTRACT NO.

3. SOLICITATION NO.

2010-N-33479-1

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

SEALED BID (IFB)

X NEGOTIATED (RFP)

5. DATE ISSUED

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE

NO.

7. ISSUED BY CODE 2536 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

Centers for Disease Control and Prenvention (PGO) Acquisition & Assistance Branch A 2920 Brandywine Road Atlanta, GA 30341-5539

Centers for Disease Control and Prenvention (PGO)

National Center for Health Staticis (NCHS)

3311 Toledo Road

Hyattsville, MD 20782 Attention: Desiree Harris Approved as to Form and Legality: __________________________

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations “offer” and “offeror” mean “bid” and “bidder.”

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and 5 copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if handcarried, in the depository located in Block 8 until 2:00pm local time 7/15 /2010

CAUTION -- LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

10. FOR INFORMATION

CALL:

A. NAME

Desiree C. Harris

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)

AREA CODE NUMBER: EXT:

(301)-458-4629

C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

Huq9@cdc.gov

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

(X) DESCRIPTION (X) DESCRIPTION

PART I – THE SCHEDULE PART II – CONTRACT CLAUSES

X A SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM 1 X I CONTRACT CLAUSES 8

X B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS 2 PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

X C DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT 21 X J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 4

X D PACKAGING AND MARKING 1 PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

X E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 1 REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND

X F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE 3 K OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

X G CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 4 L INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

X H SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS 13 M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See Section I, Clause No. 52-232-8)

10 CALENDAR DAYS

20 CALENDAR DAYS

30 CALENDAR DAYS

AMENDMENT NO. DATE AMENDMENT NO. DATE

CODE FACILITY 16. NAME AND ADDRESS OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER

15B. TELEPHONE NO.

AREA CODE NUMBER EXT.

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS

IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

17. SIGNATURE

18. OFFER DATE

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED 20. AMOUNT estimated

See Section B

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

See Section B

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)( ) 41 U.S.C. 253(c)( ) 23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN (4 copies unless otherwise specified)

ITEM

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7) CODE 2536 25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE 434

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PGO)

Acquisition & Assistance Branch A

2920 Brandywine Road

Atlanta, GA 30341-5539

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (FMO)

PO Box 15580 404-498-4050 1-800-335-2455

Atlanta, GA 30333-

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

28. AWARD DATE

IMPORTANT -- Award will be made on this form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION STANDARD FORM 33 (REV. 9-97)

PREVIOUS EDITION IS UNUSABLE Prescribed by GSA

K

Section B - Supplies Or Services and Prices/Costs

Base Year

Period of Performance: August 1, 2010 thru July 31, 2011

ITEM SUPPLIES / SERVICES QTY / UNIT UNIT PRICE EXTENDED PRICE

0001 Technical Support Services.

The Contractor shall provide technical support services, and related work as described in the Performance Work

Statement.

1/Job

0002 Remuneration.

Funding for provision of incentive payments to survey respondents in accordance with Task (2) as described in the Performance Work Statement.

1/Lot

TOTAL FUNDED YEAR

Option 1 Year 2

Period of Performance: August 1, 2011 thru July 31, 2012

ITEM SUPPLIES / SERVICES QTY / UNIT UNIT PRICE EXTENDED PRICE

0003 Technical Support Services.

The Contractor shall provide technical support services, and related work as described in the Performance Work

Statement.

1/Job

0004 Remuneration.

Funding for provision of incentive payments to survey respondents in accordance with Task (2) as described in the Performance Work Statement.

Option 2 Year 3

Period of Performance: August 1, 2012 thru July 31, 2013

ITEM SUPPLIES / SERVICES QTY / UNIT UNIT PRICE EXTENDED PRICE

0005 Technical Support Services.

The Contractor shall provide technical support services, and related work as described in the Performance Work

Statement.

1/Job

0006 Remuneration.

Funding for provision of incentive payments to survey respondents in accordance with Task (2) as described in

Option 3 Year 4

Period of Performance: August 1, 2013 thru July 31, 2014

ITEM SUPPLIES / SERVICES QTY / UNIT UNIT PRICE EXTENDED PRICE

0007 Technical Support Services.

The Contractor shall provide technical support services, and related work as described in the Performance Work

Statement.

1/Job

0008 Remuneration.

Funding for provision of incentive payments to survey respondents in accordance with Task (2) as described in

Option 4 Year 5

Period of Performance: August 1, 2014 thru July 31, 2015

ITEM SUPPLIES / SERVICES QTY / UNIT UNIT PRICE EXTENDED PRICE

0009 Technical Support Services.

The Contractor shall provide technical support services, and related work as described in the Performance Work

Statement.

1/Job

0010 Remuneration.

Funding for provision of incentive payments to survey respondents in accordance with Task (2) as described in

Section C - Description/Specification/Work Statement

Section C – Description/Specifications/Performance Work Statement

Title of Project: Office of Research and Methodology’s Questionnaire Design Research Laboratory and

Inter-Agency Mission Support Project

C.1 Background and Need

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people – at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships.

CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, health promotion and education activities. As part of CDC, the National

Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) located in Hyattsville, Maryland provides statistical information that will guide actions and policies to improve the health of the American People.

As the Nation’s principal health statistics agency, NCHS leads the way with accurate, relevant and timely data. Within NCHS, The Office of Research and Methodology (ORM) plans, coordinates, and stimulates the NCHS' applied and basic research program in the fields of mathematical statistics, survey design and methodology, cognitive and interpretive aspects of survey measurement, and automated statistical, graphical, and geographical technologies, and conducts research in each of these fields. The Office serves as the Center's consultants in the fields of survey design and methodology, data collection, data analysis, and question design, and formulates and implements statistical standards in these areas. Within ORM, the Questionnaire

Design Research Laboratory (QDRL) was established as a resource for the NCHS and other

Federal statistical agencies to develop and test survey instruments. Continuing in this capacity, the fundamental mission of the QDRL is to improve the quality and usefulness of Federal statistics by improving the reliability and validity of NCHS survey instruments and providing an understanding of the substantive meaning represented in survey statistics. As an expanding focus, the QDRL seeks to understand how response processes and response error might differ across socio-cultural or diverse language populations—work that is necessary for developing comparable health measures intended for global use and among varied cultural and economic populations. To perform this function, various methods are used evaluate questions including:

cognitive interviewing, focus groups, and usability testing. Respondents are recruited to participate in hour or 1 ½ hour interview/focus group and are given remuneration. Interviews and focus groups are audio or video recorded. On-line and internal applications are used to conduct evaluations. They include: Q-Video, Q-Notes, Q-Notes Plus and Q-Bank.

Q-Video is a digitized video/audio application that captures, stores, and indexes the video and audio of a cognitive interview at the questionnaire level in a digitized database for the purpose of searching individual questions and conducting analysis. All Q-Video tasks are done manually.

Q-Notes is a software program that supports the structured collection and analysis of cognitive interview data. Hence, it serves as an audit trail tracing each finding to the original source.

Q-Notes Plus in an extension of Q-Notes, where the actual interview is embedded within the application so that the findings can truly be traced to the original source.

Q-Bank (a product of an interagency collaboration and hosted by NCHS), is a database consisting of evaluated questions from Federal surveys and links each question to the scientific report that evaluated the survey question. Questions are searchable by survey title, question topic (e.g. income, demographic, chronic health conditions), information type (e.g. objective characteristics, behavioral reports, attitudes), response category (e.g. yes/no, open-ended, quantity), response error (e.g. problems with terms, recall problems). In addition, users can search for keywords within individual questions. Q-Bank is intended to help users of survey data interpret the survey questions on which the data are based and understand the potential errors that might be associated with these questions. A steering committee of representatives from various agencies directs the future and development of the database.

The Inter-agency Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from various agencies who direct the future development of Q-Bank which is developed, implemented, managed and hosted by NCHS.

Services are requested to architect, manage, develop, operate, train, support, and assist systems and methods designed to support the CDC/NCHS/ORM/QDRL and the Inter-Agency Steering

Committee, in performing their evolving missions though training, development, operation, support and services of systems and methods, providing domain augmentation services in the area of pre-fielded survey question analysis and analytical reporting resulting in improvement of the overall process, methods, systems, and resulting findings related to survey question analysis.

All services as outlined in this statement of work are to be performed onsite at NCHS, Hyattsville, MD which operates on a five day a week schedule (Monday through Friday).

C.1.2 Objective

Architect, manage, develop, operate, and support systems and methods designed to support the

CDC/NCHS/ORM/QDRL and, on behalf of the QDRL, support the Inter-Agency Steering

Committee mission to improve the overall process, methods, systems, and resulting findings related to survey question analysis.

C.2 Scope of Work

Support and assist the CDC/NCHS/ORM/QDRL and, in behalf of the QDRL, the Inter-Agency

Steering Committee, in performing their missions through the development, operation and support of systems and methods as well as providing domain augmentation services in the area of survey question analysis and reporting.

Additionally, work with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCISO), the Information

Technology Services Office (ITSO) support, CDC/NCHS IT, CDC Mid Tier Data Center and

CDC/NCHS/ORM to provide overall systems and applications project management, development, operations, and support services. Also provide domain experienced administrative, cognitive and other analytical project services as required to conduct analysis and report findings of pre-fielded survey questions projects.

C.2.1 Adequate Services Support From previous contractual history by CDC/NCHS/ORM/QDRL, the following table demonstrates suggested functional labor categories and hours. This table is only an example for the purpose of indicating the initial scope of work and the workload expressed as functional labor categories and estimated number of hours per annual period of performance. This table is not a mandatory requirement.

Functional Labor Category Estimated Support hours

Respondent recruitment, informed consent, remuneration

2080 hours per year

Cognitive interviewing and support services 1040 hours per year

Video database indexing, quality assurance, interviewer support

2080 hours per year

Application development and support 2200 hours per year

Systems support, maintenance, and operations 2200 hours per year

Project Management, CDC Process, Procedures and Methods, and Inter-Agency

Coordination

1440 hours per year

This quantity is only an example and is not intended to be the only possible solution to the requirement. Given the dynamic nature of the mission, the actual workload may vary during the period of performance and the contract may be modified accordingly. The functional labor categories and estimated number of hours established in the contract may be modified during the period of performance to reflect current mission requirements.

If the execution of work to be performed by the contractor requires the hiring of sub-contractors you must clearly state this in your proposal. Sub-contractors must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined.

This is a non-personal services contract. The Government and the Contractor understand and agree that the services to be delivered under this contract by the Contractor to the Government are non-personal services and the parties recognize and agree that no employer-employee relationship exists or will exist under the contract between the Government and the Contractor personnel. It is, therefore, in the best interest of the Government to afford both parties a full and complete understanding of their respective obligations.

Contractor personnel under this contract shall not be: (1) Placed in a position where they are under the supervision or evaluation of a Government employee; and (2) Placed in a position of command, supervision, management or control over Government personnel, or personnel of other contractors, or become a part of the Government.

Given the nature of the contract requirements and the working environment, it is necessary for

Government and Contractor personnel to work as a team to accomplish work objectives, share knowledge, and work in a mutually supportive role. This should be accomplished while preserving the non-personal services nature of the contract. The operational need to work in concert should be accomplished in a manner consistent with preserving the management responsibilities of the contractor.

Working in a team environment, absent a designated contractor supervisor, may require the

Government to provide work direction to contractor personnel. Work direction means a communication to Contractor personnel that directs or approves approaches, documents, presentations, or refinements to work; fills in details or otherwise completes the general description of work or documentation items; shifts emphasis among work areas or tasks; or furnishes similar instructions to Contractor personnel. Work direction includes requiring analyses and development of other procurement-related products within the scope of work for the contract.

The Contractor is at all times responsible for the quality of contractor personnel work. It is the direct responsibility of the Contractor to perform all tasks normally associated with an employer-employee relationship, e.g., completing time cards, resolving quality of work issues, ensuring high motivation and morale, and resolving Government-identified contractor performance concerns. The physical absence of a Contractor direct line supervisor does not relieve the

Contractor of these responsibilities.

To function effectively and efficiently as a team member in this environment, the Contractor must ensure personnel provided possess a high degree of subject matter knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the tasks relating to the objective. The Contractor supervision of Contractor personnel must also reflect the need to sustain a high-performing, highly motivated, and responsive team.

C3.Requirements

C.3.1 Qualification Requirements

The Contractor employee must possess the following qualifications:

Must have a combination of domain experience and specialty systems development and support experience in pre-fielded survey question evaluation and reporting.

Domain experience must include analytical question evaluation methods including cognitive interviewing practices, and the various survey types including interviewer administered and self-administered for population and establishment surveys, and related field terminology.

Proven knowledge of development of qualitative software applications.

Must have specific experience with projects that include video recording, digitized database systems, and textual applications in support of structured and ad-hoc research and analysis.

Must have experience in projects where OMB Information Collection Approval and

Privacy Act of Records, as well as Assurance of Confidentiality and Informed Consent

Agreements are required.

Must have experience in managing projects in a secure/confidential environment.

Must be experienced in the management of hardware and software selection, system, application, and network architecture, development, deployment, documentation, and training in open as well as secure environments.

Must have experience managing a project without fully developed, defined, or detailed requirements.

Must demonstrate experience developing applications without firm fixed requirements.

Must have experience in Inter-Agency projects.

Must have demonstrable experience in architecting, designing and developing systems that have gained a CDC Authorization to Operate (ATO) as well as experience in developing modifications and enhancement that conform to, and maintain, the

Certification and Accreditation achieved. Must be experienced in providing any input necessary to update the C&A and maintain the ATO as may be necessary.

Must be experienced in developing 508 compliant applications in CDC and NCHS environments.

Must demonstrate a thorough understanding and successful experience working in the

CDC Change Control Process and successfully managing the architecture, design, testing and implementation of system enhancements and new development.

Must have knowledge and maintain current understanding of the CDC System

Development Life Cycle (SDLC) necessary to ensure the development life cycle employed will address the minimum requirements of the CDC SDLC.

Must have experience completing and maintaining the CDC Enterprise Systems Catalog

(ESC) and Systems Inventory.

Must have experience managing a project and working in coordination with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCISO), the Information Technology Services Office

(ITSO), CDC/NCHS IT, and the CDC Mid Tier Data Center (MTDC).

Must have experience working with program staff, the Procurement and Grants Office

(PGO), and the Financial Management Office (FMO) in matters related to the project.

Must have experience working with Agency, technical, supplier, and program staff at all levels.

C.3.1. Systems, Software, and Hardware Requirements

The Contractor employee must have experience and have expertise in the following, systems, software and hardware:

Software:

Windows XP

Windows Server 2000

Microsoft .NET

Microsoft SQL Server

Dell Open Manager

Virage Video Solution

Virage Video Logger

VSS SDK

VSS Client

Windows Media Player

Vbrick Manager

Vbrick Integrated Web Server

Vbedit

Vbrick Stream Player Plus

Windows Media Player

Vx Update

Norton Ghost

AMX Software

Asante User Interface

Veritas Symantec Backup Exec 10d

Veritas Symantec Backup Utility

Veritas Symantec Ghost

Raid Watch

SAS

Hardware:

Various Dell and HP Desktop PC’s

Dell 2650 Power Edge Servers

Dell Gx270 Optiplex

Dell RAID Storage Systems

Asante 65120 Switch

AMX Control System

Vbrick MPEG Encoder

Vbrick MPEG Decoder

PESA VMA

Wohler Audio Monitor

Bitronics Power Supply

EX MVP Video Processor

Panasonic Color Mounted Cameras

C.3.2 Tasks to be performed

The Questionnaire Design Research Laboratory (QDRL) serves as a resource for and responds to requests from NCHS, CDC, and other Federal statistical agencies to develop and cognitively test survey questions. Requestor’s deadlines for analysis of their survey questions prior to programming or fielding of the survey questions drives the majority of the tasks to be performed and therefore deliverable dates cannot be attached to a majority of the tasks to be performed.

If the execution of work to be performed by the contractor requires the hiring of sub-contractors you must clearly state this in your proposal. Sub-contractors must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined.

The contractor shall be required to perform the following:

Task 1: Kick-off Meeting/Operational Start-up

Kick-off meeting within 7 business days after contract award. The contractor and at least

3 of the contractor’s key personnel will participate in a kick-off meeting with

CDC/NCHS/ORM/QDRL Staff to review the tasks and to discuss issues related to the conduct of the work. The government may elect to have other parties participate in this meeting. These parties, if any, will be selected based on their involvement with and interaction with the contractor and CDC/NCHS/ORM/QDRL Staff.

Hours of operation: The contractor’s hours of operation shall be from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

Contract personnel and staff shall be available and present during these hours. Business related travel may be outside of normal business hours of operation.

Contracted employees must complete ―Protecting Human Research Participants‖ on-line training within 10 business days after contract award or hire.

Contracted employees conducting cognitive interviews must complete CDC Dual Use

Research of Concern (DUR) training within 10 business days after contract award or hire.

Contracted employees must view NCHS video on Confidentiality within 10 business days after contract award or hire.

Contracted employees must read ―NCHS Confidentiality Practices for Federal

Employees and Contractors‖ within 10 business days after contract award or hire.

Contracted employees must read and sign the Contractor Non-Disclosure Affidavit within

10 business days after contract award or hire.

Contracted employees must complete CDC Records Management System training annually.

Contracted employees must complete HHS Security Awareness training annually.

Task 2: Respondent recruitment, informed consent, remuneration

Call, screen and schedule prospective respondents for cognitive testing based on evolving sponsor-driven cognitive testing project schedule.

Administer informed consent documents, acquire informed consent, and other agreements/paperwork at time of cognitive testing and maintain documentation

Provide cash funds for respondent remuneration and manage and maintain remuneration accounting following established procedures and controls.

Make remuneration payments to cognitive testing respondents and maintain documentation.

Write and submit monthly Activity/Status Report to COTR due the first of every month summarizing activities outlined in this task.

Task 3: Cognitive interviewing and support services

Conduct cognitive interviews.

Operate field video equipment in order to record interviews conducted in the field.

Analyze conducted cognitive interviews.

Enter cognitive interviewing notes into Q-Notes

Provide written input into the Principal Investigator’s final report.

Task 4: Video database indexing, quality assurance, interview support

Work with the Primary Investigator to gain understanding of the goals of the project.

Provide domain and systems support to the Primary Investigator of a project.

Provide video operation services during cognitive interviewing projects.

Provide hand held video operation services during cognitive interviewing projects when the main video system (Q-Video) is inoperable.

Run all hand held recordings through main video system (Q-Video) once main system is operable.

Using Virage software, index and review all indexed digitized video necessary to ensure quality and search-ability within the digitized video database.

Task 5: Application development and support

Coordinate and work with QDRL staff, the Inter-Agency Steering Committee, CDC Mid

Tier Data Center, CDC/NCHS IT, and the Information Technology Services Office

(ITSO) in defining and analyzing requirements for architecture, design, and development alternatives of all existing system enhancements and new application development.

Provide council and recommendations on best approach(s).

Provide application architecture, design, development, debugging, testing, training and training support for all QDRL application requirements.

Provide development, debugging, testing, maintenance, and support for Q-Video.

Provide development, code, debugging, testing, maintenance, and support for Q-Notes, and Q-Bank.

Develop or assist in the development of training classes and training documentation.

Develop and maintain documentation for new or modified applications, user, system(s), code, testing, and training classes.

Complete CDC Mid Tier Data Center (MTDC) change control process documentation.

Complete CDC and NCHS 508 application requirements and gain CDC and NCHS 508 approval for various requests.

Task 6: Systems support, maintenance, and operations

Maintain, support, and troubleshoot the QDRL Network, system, administration, and desktop computers, servers, routers, cameras, and related video equipment.

Monitor, evaluate, resolve, tune and analyze QDRL Network system performance to maintain maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

Work in conjunction with the Information Technology Services Office (ITSO) to provide

Desktop support for ORM/QDRL staff.

Act as the administrator for hardware and software on the QDRL Network.

Plan, implement, and conduct system security checks required to improve, continue, maintain, recover and restore data.

Provide rapid response (within 2 hours) and troubleshooting for Q-Video and Q-Notes outages and/or system problems.

Record, report, and track system problems and malfunctions discovered during these activities.

Recommend, justify, and manage the purchase of upgrades and replacement hardware, software, and systems.

Coordinate and work with QDRL Staff, the Information Technology Services Office

(ITSO), and CDC/NCHS IT and purchasing staff.

Install new hardware and software upgrades and configure the various operating systems and applications.

Monitor and manage digital video storage usage and future requirements.

Conduct video system back-ups, performance tuning, and problem resolution.

Provide technical support to the CDC Certification and Accreditation (C&A) process for new systems or modifications to existing systems. Provide technical information, guiding the development process in order to meet current security policy.

Task 7: Project management, CDC process, procedures and methods, and Inter-Agency coordination

Manage a project without fully developed, defined, or detailed requirements.

Manage projects that include video & digitized video recording, digitized database systems, and textual applications in support of structured and ad-hoc research and analysis.

Manage and develop systems supporting the analysis of the effectiveness of questions contained in pre-fielded surveys from various agencies.

Manage hardware and software selection, system, application, and network architecture, development, deployment, documentation, and training in open as well as secure environments.

Manage projects in a secure/confidential environment.

Manage projects where a high level of confidentiality of respondents’ identifiable data is required and where confidentiality requirements and regulations may differ from Agency to Agency.

Manage, work, and coordinate with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCISO), the Information Technology Services Office (ITSO), CDC/NCHS IT, and the CDC Mid

Tier Data Center (MTDC).

Manage the CDC Change Control Process and successfully manage the architecture, design, testing and implementation of system enhancements and new development.

Manage projects in an Inter-Agency environment.

Manage a project that must address various Agencies’ policies, regulations, and accepted practices.

Perform final systems justification and recommendation and sign-off as required

Complete all CDC Certification and Accreditation (C&A) forms and documentation for all new, modified, and renewals as required and gain Authorization to Operate (ATO).

Complete CDC and NCHS 508 application requirements and gain CDC and NCHS 508 approval for various requests.

Complete the CDC System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) prototyping life cycle framework or methodology and manage requirements. Provide recommendations for the effective use of new and emerging technologies throughout the program life cycle.

Complete and maintain the Enterprise Systems Catalog (ESC) and Systems Inventory and the Enterprise Performance Life Cycle (EPLC). Provide recommendations for the effective use of new and emerging technologies throughout the program life cycle.

Complete PGO, FMO, QDRL related contract, invoice, documentation and funds balance log

Work with Agency, technical, supplier, and program staff at all levels.

Work with program staff, Procurement and Grants Office (PGO), and the Financial

Management Office (FMO) in matters related to the project.

C.3.3 Information Security

Information Security is applicable to this solicitation and the following information is provided to assist in the preparation of proposals.

Federal Information Systems Management Act (FISMA) of 2002 (P.L. 107-347) requires each agency to develop, document, and implement an agency-wide information security program to safeguard information and information systems that support the operations and assets of the agency, including those provided or managed by another agency, contractor (including subcontractor), or other source. FISMA requires agencies to provide information security protections commensurate with the security risks to federal information collected or maintained for the agency and information systems used or operated on behalf of an agency by a contractor.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued publications that provide guidance in the establishment of minimum security controls for management, operational and technical safeguards needed to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of a Federal

Information system and its information.

Pursuant to Federal and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Information Security

Program policies, the contractor and any subcontractor performing under this contract shall comply with the following requirements:

- The contractor shall ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive federal information and/or federal information systems, including development of an IT Security

Plan (see FAR 7.103(u), 7.105(b)(17), and 39.101).

- The contractor shall develop and maintain the software product in compliance with information system security regulatory requirements, while ensuring the application functions and performs in accordance with the business needs, objectives, and operational specifications agreed upon in the contract.

- The contractor will take appropriate action to mitigate security risks and vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with HHS and CDC policies as defined in FISMA and NIST security guidance.

- The contractor shall ensure information and system security requirements are considered and implemented, and complied with in all phases or stages of product during the period of performance of the contract.

- If new or unanticipated threats or vulnerabilities are discovered by either the Government or the Contractor, or if existing safeguards have ceased to function, the discoverer shall immediately bring the situation to the attention of the other party for appropriate resolution and action.

- The contractor shall not publish or disclose in any manner, without the Contracting Officer’s written consent, the details of any safeguards either designed or developed by the Contractor under the contract or otherwise provided by the Government.

- The contractor shall afford the Government access to the Contractor’s technical capabilities, operations, documentation, records, and databases to the extent required to carry out a program of inspection to safeguard against threats and hazards to the security, integrity, and confidentiality of Government data.

- The certification and accreditation (C&A) process remains the primary standard by which system security is evaluated. Consistent with Departmental requirements, security documentation to include the constituent parts of the C&A package must be maintained and reviewed for each system reported under FISMA, including contractor systems. A contractor system is defined as any general support system, major application, or minor application hosted or maintained by contractor staff including information system used or operated by a contractor of an agency or other organization on behalf of CDC. This includes all systems physically or logically located within the boundaries of the contractor facilities and systems which reside within CDC boundaries but the primary support for which is delivered by contractor staff. NIST and Departmental guidance provide minimum documentation standards for C&A packages. C&A packages typically consist of the following:

- Risk Assessment

- System Security Plan

- Baseline Security Requirements

- Contingency Plan and Contingency Plan Test Plan and Results

- ST&E Plan and Security Assessment Report

- Plan of Action and Milestones

- Self Assessment

While CDC personnel are responsible for the review, approval, implementation, and annual evaluation of the C&A package and the SSP, the initial responsibility for the development of the required documentation for this contract will be assigned to the contractor.

References for adherence:

(1) Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA), Title III, E-Government

Act of 2002, Pub. Law 107-347 http://csrc.nist.gov/policies/FISMA-final.pdf

(2) NIST SP 800-18, Guide for Developing Security Plans for Federal Information Systems http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-18-Rev1/sp800-18-Rev1-final.pdf

(3) NIST SP 800-53 Rev2, Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-final.pdf

Annex 1, Low Impact Baseline http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-annex1.pdf

Annex 2, Moderate Impact Baseline http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-annex2.pdf

Annex 3, High-Impact Baseline http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-annex3.pdf

(4) NIST SP 800-64 Rev2, Security Considerations in System Development Life Cycle http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-64-Rev2/SP800-64-Revision2.pdf

(5) NIST SP 800-37 Rev 1, DRAFT Guide for Security Authorization of Federal Information

Systems: a Security Lifecycle Approach http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsDrafts.html#SP-800-37-Rev.%201

(6) NIST SP 800-37, Guide for the Security Certification & Accreditation of Federal

Information Systems http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-37/SP800-37-final.pdf

(7) NIST SP 800-60 (Volume I), Guide for Mapping Types of Information and Information

Systems to Security Categories.

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-60-rev1/SP800-60_Vol1-Rev1.pdf

Volume II, Appendices to Guide for Mapping Types of Information and Information Systems to

Security Categories http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-60-rev1/SP800-60_Vol2-Rev1.pdf

(8) FIPS PUB 199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and

Information Systems http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fips199/FIPS-PUB-199-final.pdf

(9) FIPS PUB 200, Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information

Systems http://csrc.nist.gov/pubications/fips/fips200/FIPS-200-final-march.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/policies/FISMA-final.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-18-Rev1/sp800-18-Rev1-final.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-final.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-annex1.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-annex2.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev2/sp800-53-rev2-annex3.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-64-Rev2/SP800-64-Revision2.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsDrafts.html#SP-800-37-Rev.%201 http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-37/SP800-37-final.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-60-rev1/SP800-60_Vol1-Rev1.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-60-rev1/SP800-60_Vol2-Rev1.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fips199/FIPS-PUB-199-final.pdf http://csrc.nist.gov/pubications/fips/fips200/FIPS-200-final-march.pdf

(10) FAR 52.239-1, Privacy or Security Safeguards http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/FARTOCP52.html#wp340130

C.3.4. Confidentiality Concerns

This procurement complies with the OMB Notice, published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2007, entitled ―Implementation Guidance for Title V of the E-Government Act, Confidential

Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA).‖ On page 33376, the notice includes an Appendix, entitled ―Requirements for Contracts and Written Agreements for

Agents Acquiring or Accessing Confidential Information under CIPSEA,‖ which states that federal contracts that require the collection of confidential information must contain certain details about how the confidential information will be handled.

This procurement is covered by applicable laws, including the Confidential Information

Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) of 2002. The intent of CIPSEA was to standardize and strengthen the statutory protections for the confidentiality of individually identifiable data that were included in laws relating to the many statistical agencies of the federal government that collect statistical data. The law provides strong penalties, including fines of up to $250,000 and up to 5 years in prison, for disclosure. It reinforces laws such as the Privacy

Act, and Section 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act, which guarantees that data provided to

CDC\NCHS\ORM\QDRL respondents shall not be disclosed without the respondent’s consent, the Privacy Act, and others.

Concerns with information security and confidentiality are heightened on this contract for two reasons: first, because of the sensitivity of the data that are collected; and second, because all respondents answering CDC/NCHS/ORM/QDRL pre-tested survey questions, are promised that

CDC/NCHS will do everything possible to protect the confidentiality of their answers. No breach of confidentiality has ever occurred QDRL pre-tested survey questions, and it is the intention of CDC/NCHS that that record shall be maintained.

As a part of the training for all staff having access to the data, the contractor shall include awareness of staff responsibilities under CIPSEA, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 USC 552a), and other applicable laws. The Contractor shall also ensure that all such staff have completed the following: 1) Complete ―Protecting Human Research Participants‖ on-line training; 2) Those staff conducting cognitive interviews must complete CDC Dual Use Research of Concern (DUR) training; 3) staff must view NCHS video on Confidentiality; 4) staff must read ―NCHS

Confidentiality Practices for Federal Employees and Contractors‖; 5) staff must read and sign the mandated Contractor Non-Disclosure Affidavit; 6) staff must complete CDC Records

Management System training annually; and 7) staff must complete HHS Security Awareness training annually (Deliverable, Task 1).

http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/FARTOCP52.html#wp340130

C.8 Special Considerations

Estimated level of effort and minimum qualifications:

Qualification Requirements

The Contractor employee must possess the following qualifications:

Must have a combination of domain experience and specialty systems development and support experience in pre-fielded survey question evaluation and reporting.

Domain experience must include analytical question evaluation methods including cognitive interviewing practices, and the various survey types including interviewer administered and self-administered for population and establishment surveys, and related field terminology.

Proven knowledge of development of qualitative software applications.

Must have specific experience with projects that include video recording, digitized database systems, and textual applications in support of structured and ad-hoc research and analysis.

Must have experience in projects where OMB Information Collection Approval and

Privacy Act of Records, as well as Assurance of Confidentiality and Informed Consent

Agreements are required.

Must have experience in managing projects in a secure/confidential environment.

Must be experienced in the management of hardware and software selection, system, application, and network architecture, development, deployment, documentation, and training in open as well as secure environments.

Must have experience managing a project without fully developed, defined, or detailed requirements.

Must demonstrate experience developing applications without firm fixed requirements.

Must have experience in Inter-Agency projects.

Must have demonstrable experience in architecting, designing and developing systems that have gained a CDC Authorization to Operate (ATO) as well as experience in developing modifications and enhancement that conform to, and maintain, the

Certification and Accreditation achieved. Must be experienced in providing any input necessary to update the C&A and maintain the ATO as may be necessary.

Must be experienced in developing 508 compliant applications in CDC and NCHS environments.

Must demonstrate a thorough understanding and successful experience working in the

CDC Change Control Process and successfully managing the architecture, design, testing and implementation of system enhancements and new development.

Must have knowledge and maintain current understanding of the CDC System

Development Life Cycle (SDLC) necessary to ensure the development life cycle employed will address the minimum requirements of the CDC SDLC.

Must have experience completing and maintaining the CDC Enterprise Systems Catalog

(ESC) and Systems Inventory.

Must have experience managing a project and working in coordination with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCISO), the Information Technology Services Office

(ITSO), CDC/NCHS IT, and the CDC Mid Tier Data Center (MTDC).

Must have experience working with program staff, the Procurement and Grants Office

(PGO), and the Financial Management Office (FMO) in matters related to the project.

Must have experience working with Agency, technical, supplier, and program staff at all levels.

Systems, Software, and Hardware Requirements

The Contractor employee must have experience and have expertise in the following, systems, software and hardware:

Software:

Windows XP

Windows Server 2000

Microsoft .NET

Microsoft SQL Server

Dell Open Manager

Virage Video Solution

Virage Video Logger

VSS SDK

VSS Client

Windows Media Player

Vbrick Manager

Vbrick Integrated Web Server

Vbedit

Vbrick Stream Player Plus

Windows Media Player

Vx Update

Norton Ghost

AMX Software

Asante User Interface

Veritas Symantec Backup Exec 10d

Veritas Symantec Backup Utility

Veritas Symantec Ghost

Raid Watch

SAS

Hardware:

Various Dell and HP Desktop PC’s

Dell 2650 Power Edge Servers

Dell Gx270 Optiplex

Dell RAID Storage Systems

Asante 65120 Switch

AMX Control System

Vbrick MPEG Encoder

Vbrick MPEG Decoder

PESA VMA

Wohler Audio Monitor

Bitronics Power Supply

EX MVP Video Processor

Panasonic Color Mounted Cameras

C.8.1. Facilities and Government Furnished Property (GFP)/Contractor Acquired

Property (CAP)

All tasks outlined in this RFP are to be performed onsite at CDC/NCHS, Hyattsville, Maryland.

The Government will supply the Contractor, as government-furnished property, all systems and supplies necessary to perform services requested in this RFP including the physical cognitive laboratory, CDC/NCHS furnished offices, desks, chairs, filing cabinets, office supplies, phones, computers with appropriate CDC and/or QDRL LAN connection, printers, software, hardware, network, tools and testing equipment, etc.

The Government-furnished property is for use only within the Government facility (CDC/NCHS, Hyattsville, Maryland), the control and accountable record keeping for such property shall be retained by the Government (see FAR 52.245-1, Property Records). The Contractor shall remain accountable for loss or damage, but will not be required to submit an annual inventory or place its own bar code on the items. The Government will provide and install CDC/NCHS bar code labels and other identification for the Government-furnished property.

C9.Deliverables

The Questionnaire Design Research Laboratory (QDRL) serves as a resource for and responds to requests from NCHS, CDC, and other Federal statistical agencies to develop and cognitively test survey questions. Requestor’s deadlines for analysis of their survey questions prior to programming or fielding of the survey questions drives the majority of the tasks to be performed and therefore deliverable dates cannot be attached to a majority of the tasks to be performed.

Task Deliverable Due Date

Task 1: Kick-off

Meeting/Operational Start-up

Kick-off meeting Within 7 business days after contract award

Complete ―Protecting Human

Research Participants‖ on-line training

Within 10 business days after contract award or hire

Contracted employees conducting cognitive interviews must complete

CDC Dual Use Research of

Concern (DUR) training

Within 10 business days after contract award or hire

View NCHS video on

Confidentiality

Within 10 business days after contract award or hire

Read ―NCHS Confidentiality

Practices for Federal

Within 10 business days after contract award or hire

Employees and Contractors‖

Read and sign the Contractor

Non-Disclosure Affidavit

Within 10 business days after contract award or hire

Complete CDC Records

Management System training

Annually

Complete HHS Security

Awareness training

Annually

Task 2: Respondent recruitment, informed consent, remuneration

Submit monthly

Activity/Status Report to

COTR summarizing activities outlined in this task

Due the first of every month

Task 4: Video database indexing, quality assurance, interview support

Submit monthly

Activity/Status Report to

COTR summarizing activities outlined in this task

Due the first of every month

Task 5: Application development and support

Submit monthly

Activity/Status Report to

COTR summarizing activities outlined in this task

Due the first of every month

Task 6: Systems support, maintenance, and operations

Provide rapid response (within

2 hours) and troubleshooting for Q-Video and Q-Notes outages and/or system problems

Response time: within 2 hours

Conduct video system back-ups, performance tuning, and problem resolution.

Submit monthly

Activity/Status Report to

COTR summarizing activities outlined in this task

Due the first of every month

Task 7: Project management, CDC process, procedures and methods, and Inter-Agency coordination

Submit monthly

Activity/Status Report to

COTR summarizing activities outlined in this task

Due the first of every month

C.10 Performance-based Matrix

Performance-based Matrix Desired End Result Feature(s) of end result to be surveilled

(Indicator)

The required performance level for each feature

(Standard)

Quality

Assurance

Incentives/Payment-Quality

Link end result to be surveilled

(Indicator)

The required performance level for each feature

(Standard)

Quality

Assurance

Incentives/Payment-Quality

Link

Task 1: Kick-off

Meeting/Operational

Start-up

Customer satisfaction or complaints and timeliness

Within 7 business days after contract award

Surveillance will be primarily customer observations

1.Positive incentives:

a.Payment of contract labor rate for satisfactory survey.

b.Contractor performance evaluated using the National

Institute of Health (NIH)

Contractor Performance

Report. The evaluation will be considered when future

AGENCY contract selections are made.

2. Payment is linked to quality through FAR 52.246-

4 Inspection-of Services-

Fixed Price (AUG 1996)

a. The labor rate for corrected work shall be reduced to exclude that portion of the rate attributable to profit.

b. If the Contractor fails to proceed with reasonable promptness to perform required correction, the

Government may charge to the

Contractor any increased costs.

c. The Government may at any time require the Contractor to correct work without cost to the Government if the failure is…