SOW_2014-69389.doc

Statement of Work TITLE: Recruitment and Administration of an NCHS/AcademyHealth Health Policy Fellowship Program: Cohort 14

BACKGROUND

In the year 2000 the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the professional organization, AcademyHealth, partnered to develop and implement a joint fellowship program aimed at the health services research community. The objective of the partnership was to foster use of NCHS data systems in the study of issues of concern to health policymakers and health services researchers. To this end, the two organizations developed a program that would annually bring up to two (2) fellows to NCHS to conduct research and to participate in health policy training activities with AcademyHealth.

Basis for Sole Source Because AcademyHealth has partnered with NCHS to complete this fellowship for the past 14 years, any other organization would have to re-invent the wheel, building a new track record and generating publicity and name recognition for a program that already has momentum.

This fellowship is aimed at the recruitment of health services researchers. It requires a specific expertise and professional network that AcademyHealth is uniquely qualified to provide. AcademyHealth is the only contractor that can perform all of the requirements to successfully manage and recruit the joint fellowship program. As the preeminent professional society for health services researchers and health policy analysts, AcademyHealth collaborates with the health services research community and other key stakeholders to support, facilitate, and assist in the development of health services researchers. AcademyHealth has over 4,200 individual members whose expertise encompasses the field of health services and medical effectiveness research and health policy. This extensive membership provides AcademyHealth with the unique ability to reach the health services research community through organizational and personal memberships. It offers a unique orientation program that exposes NCHS fellows to others conducting health policy in Washington, D.C. AcademyHealth also organizes two national conferences each year at which the fellows can interact with others in the field.

AcademyHealth is the only national membership organization that is devoted to the promotion of the field of health services research and has the mission to strengthen the link between the users and producers of health services research. It has demonstrated itself to be uniquely positioned to capture the target audience of health services researchers of interest.

AcademyHealth also has 163 organizational members reflecting the public and private sectors in health policy, clinical and academic organizations. In addition, it has extensive experience in the design and implementation of health policy fellowships working with organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Aetna Foundation, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality on their national programs. This organization’s expertise makes them uniquely qualified to design and administer such a program. Furthermore, they are the only organization with a nationally comprehensive and diverse list of health services research contacts to serve as the basis for recruitment. AcademyHealth’s constituency is uniquely comprised of the types of health policy and medical effectiveness researchers who are the targeted audiences for this program.

SCOPE OF WORK

Independently, and not as an agent of the government, the Contractor shall furnish and/or accomplish all the necessary personnel, facilities, supplies, equipment and travel required to provide and manage the accomplishment of all tasks required in the management/administration of the NCHS Fellows Program.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR VENDOR AND WHY THESE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE CDC NEED The minimum requirements for the vendor are:

a) An ongoing joint fellowship program is continued by the original co-sponsor of the program. This program contains the names of both AcademyHealth and NCHS in its title. This contract will permit the continuation of this program into its fourteenth year. By definition, no organization except for AcademyHealth can provide the needed name recognition for the “NCHS/AcademyHealth Health Policy Fellowship Program.”

b) The vendor must have specialized expertise and an extensive and diverse network that represents a wide-ranging array of disciplines in addition to statistics and epidemiology: clinicians (physicians, pharmacists, nurses), specialists in health informatics and information technology, the social sciences (sociology, economics, behavioral sciences), and health communication. Without this expertise and network, marketing and recruitment of the target audience would not be effective.

c) The vendor has a membership and network that can effectively reach the majority of the nation’s health services researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners. Without this membership, recruitment efforts would be undermined. Access to AcademyHealth’s network and various listservs is propriety information and may not be shared with any other organization.

d) The vendor has the academic prestige and reputation necessary to attract leading scholars to apply for the fellowship and to encourage their students to apply. Without this reputation, the quality of the applicants would suffer.

e) The vendor has access to a board of advisors that consists of the some of the most prominent health services researchers in the nation. Without this board of advisors, the quality of the selection process would be compromised.

f) The vendor has the existing infrastructure to provide a national orientation in health policy and can promote NCHS and its fellowship program through its existing conferences and research meetings. Without this infrastructure, promotion and marketing would be inefficient.

WORK BREAK DOWN STRUCTURE

A graphical depiction of the Government’s concept of the work required by this project is provided below:

SPECIFIC TASKS TO BE PERFORMED

Task 1 – Develop and implement a broad base national marketing plan

The Contractor shall review marketing and recruitment materials from the previous fellowship cycle (Cohort 13) and make any necessary modifications to the materials.

The Contractor shall also use general marketing approaches to raise the visibility of the NCHS National Health Care Surveys and incorporate more targeted marketing and recruitment strategies to promote the fellowship program including dissemination of the following information/items to AcademyHealth members, organizational affiliates, and others on the AcademyHealth Contractor network list:

(a) printed materials

(b) e-mail announcements

(c) placement of news items in key trade press

(d) call for applications on the AcademyHealth website

(e) video testimonials of previous and/or current NCHS/AcademyHealth fellows on the AcademyHealth website

Upon approval of the Project Officer, the Contractor will initiate an announcement for the program and placement of notices in journals and newsletters. The Contractor shall provide the Project Officer with a monthly Progress Note on the marketing/promotional efforts (including any difficulties encountered and how they were addressed) and a summary note at the end of the recruitment period.

Task 2 - Develop, implement, and manage the recruitment/selection process

The Contractor shall administer and document the recruitment process; minimum tasking includes serving as the ‘point of contact’ for all potential applicants and applicant inquiries, distribution/receipt of requested/completed application packets, and management of the application review process.

The Contractor shall provide progress notes, as requested, to the Project Officer on the recruitment process (e.g., how many statements of interest have been filled in on the AH website,).

Subtask 2.1 - Convene selection committee and conduct review of fellowship applications

Working with the Project Officer, the Contractor shall organize and convene a board to review all submitted applications and make a recommendation of selection for NCHS fellowship positions. The review board will have no more than five (5) members and will be comprised as follows:

NCHS – 1 member

AcademyHealth – 1 member

Board of Advisors – 3 members of the 9 members will serve as reviewers each year. The specific combination of reviewers each year will be designated and approved by the Project Officer.

The Contractor shall facilitate the review process; ensuring that evaluation and ranking of applicants is conducted strictly in accordance with the selection criteria as published in recruitment publications/notices. The Contractor shall maintain documentation of the review process, to include candidate ranking and selection recommendations.

Subtask 2.2 - Notify non-selected candidates and others of the selection results

The Contractor shall notify all candidates not selected and the Board of Advisors of the results of the selection process. The NCHS will notify applicants selected for fellowship positions. Electronic mail is deemed an acceptable mode of transmission for notification purposes.

Notification of non-selected candidates and the Board of Advisors will only be accomplished after NCHS notification of selected individuals and as instructed by the Project Officer.

Subtask 2.3 – Administer AcademyHealth Fellowship Activities

The Contractor shall manage NCHS’ sponsorship of the AcademyHealth’s October 2014 Health Policy Orientation meeting. Sponsorship will include registration for two (2) NCHS fellows to attend and will provide background on the legislative process and key health policy topics.

The Contractor shall arrange for NCHS’ sponsorship of AcademyHealth’s National Health Policy Conference in February 2015, and arrange for registration of two (2) NCHS fellows for attendance at the meeting.

The contractor shall arrange for a meeting of the Board of Advisors and Fellows at AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting (ARM) (June 2015), and for registration of two (2) NCHS fellows for attendance at the 2015 meeting.

TASKS TO BE PERFORMED

· Marketing and promotional efforts, including monthly progress reports;

· Summary report on marketing and promotional efforts;

· Progress report to the project officer regarding the recruitment process.

MINIMUM VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS:

An ongoing joint fellowship program will be continued by the original co-sponsor of the program. This program contains the names of both AcademyHealth and NCHS in its title. This contract will permit the completion of the fourteenth cohort of this program. By definition, no organization except for AcademyHealth can provide the needed name recognition for the “NCHS/AcademyHealth fellowship program,” nor complete the work initiated in FY 14.

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT:

This contract meets applicable policies and procedures in OMB Circular A-120

Develop/Modify and Administer the NCHS Fellows Program

Task 1

Develop and Implement a broad base national marketing plan

Task 2

Develop, Implement, and Manage the recruitment/ selection process