DATES_ADJUSTED_-_BAA_-_Innovative_Applied_Research_on_Resilience_for_Public_Health_-_2014-N-15798.pdf

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND

PREVENTION (CDC)

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA)

2014-N-15798 Innovative Applied Research on Resilience for

Public Health

ISSUE DATE: 11 February 2014 BAA EXPIRATION DATE: 03 March 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I - INTRODUCTION

Authority

Process Step 1 - Telephone Contact (Technical Dialogue) Step 2 – Submission of Informal White Paper (Technical Dialogue) Step 3 - Submission of Formal Research Proposal Step 4 - Contract Award for Selected Projects

Government obligation

PART II - CDC RESEARCH INTERESTS

PART III - WHITE PAPER SUBMISSION

White Paper Format and Content White Paper Submission

PART IV - PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

GENERAL INFORMATION

Eligibility Post-Employment Conflict of Interest Restrictive Markings on Proposals Reporting Requirements Other Requirements

RIGHTS IN DATA

Non-U.S.Citizen Participation Contract Types Funding Proposal Submission Follow-On Contracts

PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposal Copies Proposal Content Section I - Technical Section Contents

Technical Proposal – Limited to 10 Pages (single spaced)

Offeror’s Statement of Work (SOW) Notice Regarding IT Security

Section II - Administrative Section Contents Contract Type Environmental Considerations Organizational Conflicts of Interest Disclosure Requirement Understanding of Evaluation Policy Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Offerors Subcontracting Plan (Only Applicable to Large Businesses) Title to Equipment

Section III - Cost Section Contents Period of Performance

Direct Labor Materials Other Direct Costs Subcontracts Consultants Miscellaneous Indirect Costs Fee/Profit

PART V - PROPOSAL EVALUATION

INITIAL REVIEW

PEER/SCIENTIFIC REVIEW

(1) Scientific and Technical Merit

(2) Staffing, Management and Prior Experience

(3) Cost Realism Administrative Proposal

PART VI - PROPOSAL FORMS

PART I - INTRODUCTION

Authority

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, issues this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under the provisions of FAR 35.016 and FAR 6.102(d)(2), which provides for the competitive selection of research proposals. Contracts that are awarded based on responses to this BAA are the result of full and open competition and therefore in full compliance with the provisions of PL 98-369, "The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984."

The CDC may award contracts with educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, state and local government, and private industry for research and development (R&D) in those areas covered in Part II of this BAA.

Process

Funding of research within CDC will be determined by funding constraints and research priorities set during each budget cycle. Therefore, those contemplating submission of a white paper are encouraged to contact the CDC BAA Technical Coordinator or the technical points of contact as noted below to determine whether the research warrants further inquiry. If the research warrants further inquiry and if funding is available, then submission of a white paper/proposal will be entertained.

The following four-step sequence is established for Offerors contemplating submission of a proposal under this BAA. This sequence allows for an early determination of the potential for interest based on technical merit, applicability to CDC and projected funding. This process is designed to limit Offeror and Government expenditure of effort to prepare and review formal proposals for research that may have little chance of being supported.

Step 1 - Telephone Contact (Technical Dialogue)

This step initiates a technical dialogue between the Government and the potential Offeror. The initial point of contact may direct callers to a specific scientific/technical point of contact based on the topic area and specifics of the proposed research project. The initial contact points for this BAA are shown below:

Research Area

Technical Points of Contact

Phone Number

Innovative applied research on resilience for public health

Eric Carbone, Ph.D. 404-639-0617

Technical dialogue between the Government and potential Offerors will be conducted beginning 11 Feb 2014 through 03 March 2014.

Step 2 – Submission of Informal White Paper (Technical Dialogue)

This step is a continuation of the technical dialogue for projects of interest. The scientific point of contact may request submission of an informal white paper no more than 4 pages in length (exclusive of resumes and appendices) to facilitate their understanding of the scientific and technical aspects of the proposed research project. Use of the white paper is intended to determine which efforts are of sufficient technical merit and applicability to the Government’s goals and interests prior to submission of a formal research proposal as described in Part IV; therefore, informal white papers will not be as lengthy or detailed as a formal proposal (see Part IV). Informal white papers should contain a Rough Order of Magnitude estimate (Estimated Cost).

All submitted papers will undergo an initial review for technical merit and program applicability. The technical review team may discuss the proposed project with the potential Offeror, as required, to facilitate the Government’s understanding of the scientific and technical aspects of the proposed research project. Submission of a white paper does not obligate the government to solicit a formal proposal from any Offeror.

White papers may be submitted to the Government beginning on 11 Feb 2014 and must be submitted no later than 03 March 2014.

Step 3 - Submission of Formal Research Proposal

This step ends the technical dialog. If there is sufficient interest by the Government in a proposed research project, the Contracting Officer will invite the Offeror to submit a formal research proposal (see Part IV). The decision to solicit a formal proposal from an Offeror is strictly at the discretion of the Government. Once the Contracting Office receives a research proposal, communication between scientific personnel and the Offeror is permitted only as authorized by the Contracting Officer.

Please note that the Government may use non-Government participants during the evaluation of the proposals technical section (See Part III – Use of Non-Government Personnel).

Step 4 - Contract Award for Selected Projects

All proposals will receive an initial review (see Part V) and the Contracting Officer will notify the Offeror, in writing, whether the proposal will be processed for award. The primary basis for selecting proposals for award shall be scientific/technical merit, feasibility of implementation and prior experience. Cost realism, reasonableness and fund availability will also be considered to the extent appropriate. See Part V for specific evaluation criteria. The Government has the right to make multiple awards.

Government obligation

Offerors submitting white papers and proposals are cautioned that only a Contracting Officer may obligate the Government to any agreement involving expenditure of Government funds. The Government is under no obligation to pay for any cost associated with a white paper or proposal.

There is no commitment on behalf of the Government to fund any proposal received under this Announcement. Offerors are cautioned that the submission of a white paper and a proposal is strictly voluntary.

BAA POINTS OF CONTACT

CDC’s BAA primary point of contact for this project is Dr. Eric Carbone, who may be reached at (404) 639-0617 or by email at vln0@cdc.gov.

CDC’s Contract Specialist for this requirement is Marie Bartkevicius, who may be reached at (770)

488-8493 or by email at mbartkevicius@cdc.gov.

mailto:vln0@cdc.gov mailto:mbartkevicius@cdc.gov

PART II - CDC RESEARCH INTERESTS

Project Title: Innovative applied research on resilience for public health

Background: The concept of resilience has gained considerable traction in the public health and healthcare arena over the last decade, accompanied by a proliferation of models, programs, and interventions addressing different levels of analysis (individual, organizational, community, population). Mirroring this menagerie is a research base that spans many academic disciplines, frameworks, and resilience factors of interest. This breadth and complexity has left significant gaps and questions yet to be adequately addressed. Broad topics that require further study include but are not limited to:

The relationship between individual health and well-being and community resilience.

The interaction of mental and physical health and how this interaction impacts resilience.

The challenges to building community resilience in an era of increasing social and economic disparities, and how these challenges can be mitigated or overcome.

Building resilience for those with chronic conditions, including the estimated 60 million individuals in the U.S. who suffer from two or more chronic conditions and are particularly affected by significant gaps in connectivity, integrated care, and coordination of health services in our health care system.

Identifying the particular characteristics, resources, or actions taken by special groups (e.g., military families) that have been shown to demonstrate resilience in the face of significant stressors; determining if these characteristics and behaviors can be translated to other vulnerable populations.

Identifying critical issues in integration of public health, healthcare, and emergency management systems, as well as factors that lead to improved integration of these systems and better health outcomes following disasters.

The application of newer paradigms and methods (e.g., social networking theory; systems dynamics modeling; novel qualitative approaches; integration of multiple data types) to understand and enhance community resilience.

The development and validation of systems and tools to measure and monitor community resilience.

Evaluative research to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the myriad resilience-building programs in existence and to inform development of novel programs.

Policy research to assess the impact of new policies aimed at enhancing health resilience.

This project stems from, and aligns with the CDC Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR) “National Strategic Plan for Public Health Preparedness and Response” (Strategic Plan;

September 2011). This Strategic Plan aligns with the National Health Security Strategy (NHSS), and provides overall direction for CDC’s preparedness, response, and recovery portfolio. Objective 3 of the Strategic Plan calls for the promotion of “resilient individuals and communities.” Specifically, this objective describes key pathways to community resilience by supporting the work of state and local health departments in achieving the 15 Public Health Preparedness capabilities, as well as through enhancement of public health and healthcare system networks. Objective 5 of the Strategic Plan, “Increase the application of science to preparedness and response practice,” emphasizes the importance of ensuring that “preparedness science” is translatable and actionable for public health officials, practitioners, and entities within public health systems. Lastly, Objective 2 of the Strategic Plan calls for integration of public health, the healthcare system, and emergency management as a means to bolster resilience to and recovery from disasters and other public health emergencies, including the development of tools and processes that foster integration.

The focus of this project is therefore on generating findings useful for future public health preparedness or response planning and/or which have implications for the development of strategies and interventions to mitigate the impact of adverse events and hasten a return to normal functioning.

The intent is not to conduct epidemiological studies or surveillance for the purpose of identifying and meeting immediate health or mental health needs of any populations studied. The overall objective is innovative research that will yield knowledge, practices, processes, and/or tools that can be applied to support state and local public health efforts to increase community resilience.

Purpose: The purpose of this BAA is to solicit White Papers and proposals (hereafter: “submissions”) that address any of the questions or topics described above, or a combination thereof, regarding community health resilience, especially as directly applicable to state and local public health and its coordination with the healthcare system. It is the general intent of this BAA for Offerors to propose projects to conduct research, to include primary data collection, which is innovative in the use of novel or emerging theories or methods, or in applying established theories or methods in new ways.

Offerors shall describe in their White Paper, and subsequent proposal, feasible approaches to addressing any of the community resilience-related questions posed above (or a combination thereof).

Offerors shall review and consider the enumerated points, below, and include them, as feasible, in their white papers. White papers are meant to be as much conceptual as operational, so detailed tasks, timelines, and the particulars of the project are not required at this point – however a high-level overview of the proposed project is required.

Offerors shall take into consideration the following points and incorporate them into submissions as appropriate (these are listed in no particular order of importance and do not need to be addressed in order):

1. Offerors shall describe their understanding of relevant literature related to community resilience, with a particular emphasis on public health and healthcare of affected populations as well as the role health departments and their partners in fostering community resilience.

2. Offerors shall articulate specific research, scientific and/or technical questions upon which their proposed projects will be based.

3. Offerors shall propose a research project that includes primary data collection.

4. Offerors may also propose use and analysis of existing data sources as an adjunct to primary data collection.

5. Offerors have flexibility as to the particular populations, methods, and public health agencies and systems to be studied. Examples can include, but are not limited to, population-based surveys in affected areas; surveys, interviews, or focus groups with public health officials, staff, providers, etc. Oversampling of specific sub-populations is also permissible, as feasible, depending upon the research project being proposed. Research designs and methods may include, but are not limited to, surveys, retrospective cohort studies, data mining, or combinations of approaches as appropriate to the research questions of interest.

6. Offerors may consider the feasibility of inclusion of specific at-risk populations, for example, individuals with chronic health conditions; community-dwelling older populations, children (e.g., schools, day care), etc.

7. Offerors have flexibility to propose projects that utilize multiple or mixed methods and/or collect data from multiple populations (all dependent on specific research questions and the aim of the proposed project).

8. Offerors that choose to propose a population-based survey shall have flexibility in the choice of unit of analysis, including individual, household, or community-level studies. However, Offerors should keep in mind the desire for the project to yield knowledge that is translatable to state and local public health, as well as healthcare systems.

9. Offerors that choose to propose a population-based survey shall determine the most appropriate survey method(s), such as telephonic surveys (landline and cell phone), web-based surveys, mail surveys, or other types.

10. Offerors shall address in sufficient detail how they intend to develop a sampling strategy, and shall state a proposed (and scientifically defensible) response rate. Offerors shall also state specific numbers of interviews, focus groups, etc., they intend to complete as part of their proposed projects.

11. Offerors shall address in sufficient detail how they intend to ensure that the method(s) employed reach the desired sample, and achieve a scientifically-defensible response rate.

12. As applicable, Offerors shall propose in their submissions projects that utilize existing instruments, scales, and items on topics that may include but are not limited to resilience, recovery, overall health, mental health, quality of life, well-being, preparedness, access to care, continuity of care, access to resources/services, organizational characteristics, and contextual information (including demographics, SES, employment, etc.).

13. Offerors have the flexibility to propose projects that entail travel to one or more sites for data collection or other relevant project purposes.

14. Offerors shall incorporate an Office of Management and Budget / Paperwork Reduction Act

(OMB/PRA) package development task into their submission, if their projects necessitate it.

15. Offerors shall incorporate support for addressing Human Subjects Protections (HSP) requirements and Institutional Review Board (IRB) review, if their projects necessitate it.

Please note that all proposed research, even if anticipated to be Exempt or involving minimal risk to human subjects, will require HSP review by CDC.

16. CDC intends for this project to be carried out in a collaborative manner between the winning

Offeror and Government staff. CDC anticipates the following division of labor between CDC and the winning Offeror:

It is anticipated that CDC and the winning Offeror shall co-lead the following task:

study design

It is anticipated that CDC shall lead the following tasks: data analysis, write-up of findings, manuscript development, including final approval over manuscripts and publication of reports, articles in scientific journals, and other dissemination of findings.

It is anticipated that the winning Offeror (Contractor) shall lead the following tasks:

translation of proposal to work plan, work plan (project plan), sampling strategy and weighting, IRB protocol development (if needed), OMB/PRA package development (if needed), telephone number/cell phone bank acquisition (if needed); data collection

(e.g., telephone surveys, interviews, focus groups, aggregation of secondary data, etc.), data cleaning/quality control; output and basic report generation, if requested;

technical writing and editing; and formatting assistance for manuscript development

It is anticipated that the winning Offeror shall substantively support CDC and be available for consultation, input, and collaboration on the tasks CDC leads

Offerors shall describe additional steps or tasks not enumerated above as required by their projects

CDC anticipates allocating significant Ph.D.-level staff resources and level of effort to support the winning proposal; therefore, Offerors are strongly encouraged to propose projects that embrace a team-oriented, collaborative approach with CDC scientific staff

CDC (the COR) shall have final decision-making authority about the technical direction of the project

Data, tools, products, and other deliverables resulting from the project remain the property of the U.S. government, although they may become part of the public domain in accordance with applicable laws and regulations

17. Although the contract period of performance for this project may be up to 24 months, Offerors may propose projects that are completed substantially before that time (e.g., 18 months after contract start date)

18. Offerors shall propose deliverables and timelines for this project, to include at a minimum:

Work plan

Progress reports

Sampling strategy, as applicable

Strategy to acquire telephone numbers/cell phone bank, if needed

Completed surveys, if surveys are proposed

Completed interviews or focus groups, if either or both of these are proposed

Completed assessment instruments or experiment data, if proposed

Interim and final datasets, data dictionaries, and related output

A final report

Offerors are not asked to provide a detailed statement of work or step-by-step list of tasks as part of their white papers; instead, Offerors are encouraged to provide more general statements about their proposed approach to the study of this topic, including geographical sites, methods, etc.

Offerors are encouraged to ensure that submitted white papers demonstrate a clear grasp of content area for this project as well as an equally clear grasp of the methodological challenges (and potential solutions) for studying the topic effectively. Proposals that approach the challenges through novel, cross-disciplinary, or mixed-method approaches are highly encouraged.

For semantic clarification, “pre-disaster” efforts generally refer to recovery planning as might be undertaken prior to an incident (in the preparedness or mitigation phases of the emergency/disaster management cycle). “Post-disaster” pertains to recovery efforts implemented during the response (peri-event) and recovery (post-event) phases of a disaster.

PART III - WHITE PAPER SUBMISSION

Steps 1 and 2 provide for technical interchange prior to the submission of a formal proposal, and include the key elements for consideration in developing a white paper and a formal proposal. Any questions or clarification of project objectives or methods may be directly discussed between the Government technical representatives and the potential Offerors during the Technical Dialogue. The purpose of the Technical Dialogue is to obviate excessive expenditure of resources for projects that do not warrant consideration based on insufficient technical merits or funding limitations.

Use of Non-Government Personnel

Offerors are hereby notified that non-Government participants may have access to the Offerors’ white papers and that providing a white paper shall constitute consent to the disclosure of proprietary information to all non-Government participants in the white paper review process. The non- Government participants are employees of commercial firms under contract to the Government and they will be authorized access to only those portions of the white paper and discussions that are necessary to enable them to provide specific technical advice on specialized matters or on particular problems, and for tracking and recording purposes. All non-Government participants have executed a Certificate of Non-Disclosure.

White Paper Format and Content

Each white paper must address all of the following elements and should be no more than 4 pages in length (exclusive of resumes and appendices):

White Paper must be written in the following format:

a. Font size: 12-point, unreduced

b. Single-spaced

c. Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches

d. Page Margin Size: One inch

e. Printed only on one side of page

f. Descriptive Title of the Proposed Project

g. Number and title of this announcement

White Paper submissions shall be unclassified.

Project description addressing in sufficient detail the characteristics identified in Part II, above.

Tables and charts are permitted in the white paper

A rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimate to implement the research effort.

An estimated timeline not to exceed two years to complete the project.

Offerors may propose multiple options for a project, or multiple projects. The page length requirement of 4 pages, total, still applies (i.e., 4 pages for all options/projects, combined).

Resumes of Key Personnel: Key personnel are those skilled, experienced, professional and technical personnel essential for successful accomplishment of the proposal objectives, such as the principal investigator, team leader, etc. Information regarding the qualifications, capabilities, and experience of the proposed key personnel should be addressed. Include the resumes of the prime contractor, subcontractor, and consultant personnel to include the names, brief biography, and list of recent publications of the Offeror’s key personnel.

Documentation of previous work or experience in the field of the proposer is especially important. Resumes should not exceed 4 pages per person and shall not count as a part of your white paper proposal page limit. Offerors may, but are not required, to utilize the NIH biosketch format for resumes.

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/biosketch.pdf

Include as an appendix a description of any current or previous (in the last 5 years) work similar or related to the project proposed in the white paper. Appendices shall not count toward the 4 page limit for the White Paper.

White Paper Submission

This BAA is open and in effect for 21 days from the date of release 11 February 2014 through 03 March 2014. THIS IS AN IMMEDIATE CALL FOR WHITE PAPERS. Prior to submission of a white paper, Offerors are encouraged to contact the point of contact for this project, Dr. Eric Carbone, at (404) 639- 0617. White papers must be received by 03 March 2014 to be considered. There are no exceptions to this deadline. White papers should be submitted electronically to Dr. Eric Carbone at vln0@cdc.gov.

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/biosketch.pdf mailto:vln0@cdc.gov

Eligibility to Submit a Formal Proposal

CDC reserves the right to determine which Offerors will be requested to provide a formal proposal, based solely on review of submitted white papers. Offerors will be notified as to the outcome of this review.

Invitation to submit a formal proposal does not constitute selection of the proposed effort for contract award and does not establish a binding commitment for the Government to fund the effort in whole or in part.

PART IV - PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

GENERAL INFORMATION

This section is intended to provide information needed in preparing research proposals for submission to CDC. Proposals submitted under this BAA must contain technical, administrative, cost, and other supporting information as described below.

Most of the information needed to prepare a proposal will be found within this section. Blank proposal forms are included in Part VI and are designed to provide the required information needed for contracting purposes. Use of the enclosed proposal forms will expedite award of the research contract.

All proposals should include the information specified in this announcement in order to avoid delays in evaluation.

CDC encourages nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, small business, small disadvantaged business concerns, HubZones, and Woman Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) concerns to submit white papers for consideration.

Any questions concerning the preparation or content of the research proposal should be directed to:

Contract Specialist Phone E-Mail

Marie Bartkevicius 770.488.8493 mbartkevicius@cdc.gov

Please submit questions by email no later than February 20, 2014.

Eligibility

To be eligible for award of a contract, a prospective contractor (except other Governments, including State and Local Governments) must meet certain minimum standards pertaining to financial resources, ability to comply with the performance schedule, prior record of performance, integrity, organization, experience, operational controls, technical skills, facilities, and equipment.

Post-Employment Conflict of Interest

There are certain post-employment restrictions on former federal officers and employees, including special Government employees (Section 207 of Title 18, United States Code). If a prospective Offeror believes that a conflict of interest may exist, the situation should be brought to the attention of the Contracting Officer before time and effort is expended in preparing a proposal.

Restrictive Markings on Proposals

Offerors that include in their proposals data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose, or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes shall:

(a) Mark the title page with the following legend: “This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed -- in whole or in part -- for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, a contract is awarded to this Offeror as a result of -- or in connection with -- the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. This restriction does not limit the Government’s right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets];” and

(b) Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend: “Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.”

All Offerors should also complete the Research Proposal Cover Page (Attachment 1) and should complete the statements of Attachment 2 indicating their preference for release of information contained in proposals and their understanding of the policy regarding evaluation of the proposals.

The Offeror is cautioned, however, that portions of the proposal may be subject to release pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended.

Reporting Requirements

In addition to all other required deliverables, the winning Offeror (Contractor) shall provide the COR with a monthly progress report detailing tangible accomplishments and progress towards benchmarks, milestones, and production of deliverables as well as identify key risks and challenges (and potential solutions) to successful completion of specific deliverables or the overall project. The Contractor shall provide, either as part of the monthly progress report or the billing invoice, a breakdown of labor hours by personnel (including rates charged), as well as a brief summary of work undertaken/completed by each person performing work during the invoiced period. Finally, the Contractor shall, in partnership with the COR, develop a mutually agreed upon plan for communicating by conference call or in-person (including frequency of such communications) with the COR (and/or other staff, as determined by COR), and shall adhere to that plan.

Other Requirements

The Contractor and all project staff shall agree to sign and be bound by the requirements of CDC’s non-disclosure agreement. The Contractor further agrees not to publish or disseminate information obtained or generated from this project during or following the conclusion of the period of performance without express written permission from the Division of State and Local Readiness, Applied Science and Evaluation Branch. In addition, the Contractor shall agree to share project management information, data and/or documentation related to resource allocations and expenditures, to include but not be limited to individual or aggregate labor hours per task, activity or sub-task; progress tracking; burn rates; and forecasting, upon request by CDC. Finally, the Contractor shall, upon request by CDC, provide requested documentation, files, or other information related to the project (data, output, meeting notes, etc.) within two working days of request.

RIGHTS IN DATA

Material developed for publication shall be identified and approved by CDC prior to initiation, and processes must follow CDC’s Authorship and Scientific Clearance Policies, as applicable, prior to submission for publication. The Contractor is explicitly prohibited from publishing or disseminating information obtained or generated from this project without the prior written approval of CDC. All data and products developed under this contract shall become and remain the property of the US Government.

Non-U.S.Citizen Participation

If the proposed research (or a portion of the proposed research) requires access to critical technology, sensitive unclassified information, For Official Use Only material, or intelligence material, non-U.S.

citizens may participate in the resultant contract (or portion of the resultant contract) only if special written permission is granted by the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer will require the review and concurrence of the CDC Foreign Disclosure Officer (FDO) before granting this permission.

If the proposed research (or a portion of the proposed research) requires access to classified information (i.e., confidential or secret), non-U.S. citizens may participate in the resultant contract (or portion of the resultant contract) only if a Limited Access Authorization (LAA) is granted. A LAA can be granted only in the event that there are no U.S. citizens that can perform the effort. Granting of LAAs is not anticipated under this Broad Agency Announcement.

If any non-U.S. citizen requires access to CDC buildings, or other Government facilities, special written permission must be requested and obtained from the Contracting Officer and Security Officer through the resultant contract’s Technical Point of Contact. Requests shall specify purpose, duration, frequency, and location (specific room, lab, etc.).

Period of Performance

Proposals submitted in response to this BAA may be for a period of performance up to two (2) years.

Contract Types

The Government shall decide on the type of contract awarded based on Offerors’ proposals. The Government will consider proposals for firm-fixed price, cost-plus-fixed fee, and time & materials contracts.

Funding

Fiscal Year Funds: 2014

Approximate Total Funding: $800,000

Approximate Average Award: N/A

Floor of Award Range: N/A

Ceiling Award Range: N/A

Anticipated Award Date: June 6, 2014

Total Period of Performance: Up to two (2) years. CDC’s commitment to this award will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the contractor, and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Government.

Proposal Submission

To be considered for award, an Offeror must have submitted a white paper which was favorably reviewed by CDC. Favorable review refers to assessment by CDC staff that white paper adequately addresses relevant points enumerated in Part II. Offerors whose white papers receive favorable review will then be formally notified by the Contracting Officer to submit a formal proposal. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will identify a due date for submitting the proposal. The Offeror must follow the proposal submission guidelines as identified in this section and the Request for Proposal (RFP) letter.

Follow-On Contracts

A proposal for continuation of a given research project will be considered on the same basis as proposals for new research. The proposal should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the termination of the existing contract so that if it is accepted, contract performance may be continued without interruption.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

The proposal is the only vehicle available to the Offeror for receiving consideration for award. The proposal must stand on its own merit; only information provided in the proposal can be used in the evaluation process leading to an award. The proposal should be prepared simply and economically, providing straightforward, concise delineation of the proposed project and the capabilities possessed by the Offeror to perform the proposed work. The technical proposal must be accompanied by a fully supported cost proposal as cost and technical considerations are reviewed simultaneously.

Each proposal shall be submitted under cover of Attachment 1 and shall contain three distinct sections. The first section shall contain the technical discussion. The second section shall contain contractual information, certifications, and other documentation. The last section shall contain a breakdown of the anticipated costs.

Proposal Copies

Offerors shall submit copies of their proposal as follows:

Proposal Section Paper Electronic

Technical Proposal 1 Original One

Administrative Proposal 1 Original One

Timeline and Cost Proposal 1 Original One

Each paper and electronic copy must contain any restrictive legends and the electronic copy must be in a format compatible with Microsoft Office 2010 or 2007.

All proposals, written communications or documentation concerning this BAA shall be forwarded to the following address:

Attention: Marie F. Bartkevicius

Contract Specialist

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Procurement and Grants Office (PGO)

Branch 2/Team 2

2920 Brandywine Rd (MS-K69)

Atlanta, GA 30341 vgj6@cdc.gov (E)

770-488-8493 (O)

Proposal Content

Section I - Technical Section Contents

The Technical Section shall contain the following:

Technical Proposal – Limited to 10 Pages (single spaced)

a. Cover Page: The cover page should include the BAA Number, research topic and reference number, name and telephone number for the principal points of contact (both technical and contractual), and any other information that identifies the proposal. The cover page should also contain the proprietary data disclosure statement, if applicable.

The cover page does not count towards the technical proposal page limit.

b. Table of Contents: It is highly recommended that the Offeror prepares a table of contents and use it for a final quality-control checklist. The table of contents does not count towards the page limit technical proposal page limit.

c. Summary Statement of Proposed Research, including Impact for Public Health

Preparedness and Community Recovery (one page limit): Provide a brief overview and summary of the proposed project, to include a statement of the problem and research question(s) to be addressed, proposed research site(s), data sources and collection methods, deliverables, timeline for completion of major deliverables and anticipated impact of completed research. The summary statement does not count towards the technical proposal limit.

d. Scientific/Technical Approach: In this section, the Offerors should provide as much technical detail and analysis as is necessary or useful to support the technical approach they are proposing, including any prediction and modeling techniques useful for public health research. This section should include, at a minimum, a description of the following (as applicable to Offerors’ proposals):

Statement of the problem and relevant research questions

Approach(es), techniques, or research methods to addressing the problem and research questions

Research site(s), disaster-affected or other geographic areas (if applicable), etc., specific organizations/agencies, etc.

Specific population(s) of interest

Data sources (including whether new or existing)

Information regarding strategies to acquire respondent contact information

(telephone numbers, cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, mail addresses, etc.)

Data collection methods

Approach to sampling strategy, including desired numbers of responses, interviews, and defensible (and achievable) response rate

Instruments, items and scales to be employed

Partners required or leveraged to carry out this project (e.g., state/local health department staff, other public or private organizations at the research site(s)

Deliverables and/or products (e.g., instruments, datasets, data dictionaries, interim output, sampling strategy, phone number lists/banks, interviews conducted)

Timelines for completion of key benchmarks, milestones, or deliverables

e. Project Support: This section should describe additional activities and support the Offeror agrees to provide, if requested (e.g., technical editing/formatting, statistical consultation for analysis, ad hoc presentations to CDC staff and partner agencies, presentation development/support (e.g., PowerPoint slide development; “one-pagers” / technical briefs); document generation, mail survey generation and mailing, etc.).

Offerors shall include note-taking for key meetings in this section.

f. Proposed Staff Allocation / Level of Effort: This section should contain, at a minimum, a brief narrative describing how Offeror’s staff are proposed to be allocated to the proposed project, as well as a table with two columns. In any given row, the cell in the first column should state the staff position/role (e.g., Project Manager; Research Associate; Data Analyst; etc.), and the second column should contain proposed number of labor hours to be worked by that staff person on the project. Offerors are encouraged to indicate proposed Level of Effort (indicated as an FTE or percentage of time, e.g., 0.8 FTE or 80% time) for Key Personnel as well, in narrative form or as third column in table.

g. References: Any good technical discussion must present the basis for and reference the findings cited in the literature.

h. Schedule: The schedule represents the Offeror's commitment to perform the program tasks in an orderly, timely manner.

(1) Time Line Chart by Task: Each major task identified in the Statement of Work

(SOW) must appear as a separate line on the program schedule. Time line should include a kick-off meeting and at least quarterly 1.5 day in-person meetings with no more than 2 contractor staff.

i. Management and Technical Team: Include prime contractor and subcontractor, principal investigator (PI), and additional key staff who are involved in this project. This should specifically identify what tasks will be performed by which party and why each subcontractor, if any, was selected to perform its task(s).

(a) Prime Contractor Responsibilities

(b) Subcontractor(s) Responsibilities

(c) Consultant(s) Responsibilities

Include in this section a statement about quality and risk management controls the Offeror has or will have in place to assure that work and products will be best quality possible.

h. Capabilities and Relevant Experience of Key Personnel: Key personnel are those skilled, experienced, professional and technical personnel essential for successful accomplishment of the proposal objectives, such as the principal investigator, team leader, etc. Information regarding the qualifications, capabilities, and experience of the proposed key personnel should be addressed. Include the resumes of the prime contractor, subcontractor, and consultant personnel to include the names, brief biography, and list of recent publications of the Offeror’s key personnel. Resumes do not count toward the technical proposal page limit. Documentation of previous work or experience in the field of the proposer is especially important. Please be sure to address how key personnel possess the following capabilities and relevant experience related to the study and/or practice of:

Public health and/or disaster preparedness/response

Community and/or disaster resilience and recovery

Public health or mental health systems research

Integration of public health and healthcare systems

Survey design

Sampling/weighting techniques

Expertise in other research methods being proposed (e.g., focus groups, social network analysis, advanced statistical techniques to be employed, etc.)

Specific data collection techniques (e.g., interviews, telephonic surveying, focus groups, web-based surveys, etc.)

i. Evidence of partner support. If available, provide a statement of support by relevant partners for successful completion of proposed project. Examples include, but are not limited to, relevant state/local health departments, mental health agencies/organizations, non-government organizations, other entities or agencies within the public health system in affected area(s), etc.

j. Examples of previous similar or related projects, including funding amounts and points of contact. Points of contact on these other projects may be contacted.

k. Appendix(es): Appendices may include technical reports, published papers, and other referenced material. A listing of these reports/papers with short descriptions of the subject matter is usually adequate. Do not provide commercial product advertising brochures; these are unwanted. Appendix(es) do not count toward the technical proposal page limit.

Offeror’s Statement of Work (SOW)

a. It is the intent of the Government to use the Offeror's SOW, as written, provided that the Offeror’s SOW accurately describes the work to be performed, is enforceable, and is void of inconsistencies. If, in the Government’s opinion, the Offeror's SOW does not reflect these requirements, the Government will prepare an SOW using information available in the Offeror's proposal; this process may delay the award.

b. The Government reserves the right, prior to contract award, to modify the geographic area, type of disaster, or other salient components of the research proposal if, in the Government’s opinion, it can better support the project by incorporating such changes.

c. The SOW shall be a separate and distinct part of the proposal, and must also be submitted electronically in the format called out below. Do not include any proprietary information in the SOW. The SOW shall be written as a performance-based SOW. To ensure all technical proposals receive proper consideration, the Government requires that the SOW format below be strictly adhered to. The SOW does not count toward the technical proposal page limit.

d. Below is the required format for the SOW. Begin this section on a new page with the Title of the Project at the top of the page. Start your SOW at Paragraph C.1.

C.1 Background and Need – (Describes the requirements in general, non-technical terms. This section should explain why the acquisition is being pursued and how it relates to past, current, or future projects. Include a summary of statutory program authority and any regulations that are applicable. If any of the techniques have been found to be tried and been found to be effective, they should be included here.)

C.2 Project Objective – (A succinct statement of the purpose of the acquisition. It should outline results that the Government expects and may also identify the benefits to the program that is contemplated.)

C.3 Scope of Work – (An overall, non-technical description of the work to be performed. It expands on the projected objectives, but does not attempt to detail all of the work required. It must be consistent with the detailed requirements.)

C.4 Technical Requirements – (Spells out precisely what is expected of the contractor in the performance of the work.

Describes the specific tasks and phases of the work

Deliverables to be generated from the described tasks must be clearly defined

Specifies the total effort each task or phase is to receive

Considerations that may guide the contractor in its analysis, design, or experimentation on the designated problems

Identifies the requirements and indicates the scope of each

C.5 Reporting Schedule – (Describes any reporting requirements including content and format.)

C.6 Special Considerations – (Information that does not fit neatly or logically into one of the other sections. For example, it may be used to explain any special relationships between the contractor and other contractors working for the government.)

C.7 Government Furnished Property

C.8 References – (Describes any reference materials that may be relevant to the work being performed.)

Deliverables – (Defines and describes the deliverables, the quantity required, the recipient(s), and the schedule should be attached to the SOW.)

NOTE: Deliverables included in Deliverables table must correspond to the tasks outlined under “Technical Requirements”

Notice Regarding IT Security

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 USC 794d) Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board Electronic and Information (EIT) Accessibility Provisions (36 CFR part 1194), require that, unless an exception applies, all EIT products and services developed, acquired, maintained, or used by any Federal department or agency permit:

(1) Federal employees with disabilities to have access to and use information and data that is comparable to the access and use of information and data by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities; and

(2) Members of the public with disabilities seeking information or services from a Federal agency to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use of information and data by members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities.

Accordingly, any vendor submitting a proposal/quotation/bid in response to this solicitation must demonstrate compliance with the established EIT accessibility provisions. Information about Section 508 provisions is available at http://www.section508.gov/. The complete text of Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at http://www.access- board.gov/sec508/provisions.htm.

The Section 508 standards applicable to this solicitation are identified in the Statement of Work/Specification/Performance Work Statement. In order to facilitate the Government’s evaluation to determine whether EIT products and services proposed meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must prepare an HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template, in accordance with its completion instructions, and provide a binding statement of conformance. The purpose of the template is to assist HHS acquisition and program officials in determining that EIT products and services proposed support applicable Section 508 accessibility standards. The template allows vendors or developers to self-evaluate their products or services and document in detail how they do or do not conform to a specific Section 508 standard. Instructions for preparing the HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template may be found at http://508.hhs.gov.

Respondents to this solicitation must also provide any additional detailed information necessary for determining applicable Section 508 standards conformance, as well as for documenting EIT products and/or services that are incidental to the project, which would constitute an exception to Section 508 requirements.