3_Draft_2017_BAA_Draft_2017-N-66765.final_review_by_Angie_no_funding.docx

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA)

2017-N-66765

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART V - PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION 14

PART VI - PROPOSAL EVALUATION 26

PART I - INTRODUCTION

Authority

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeks proposals to identify innovative approaches, modeling capabilities, and operational guidance to improve the ability of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and its partners to effectively prepare, respond to, and research for disasters and public health emergencies involving chemical hazards. The NIOSH Disaster Science Responder Research (DSRR) Program, within Emergency Preparedness and Response Office (EPRO), anticipates that the knowledge resulting from the award made under this announcement will contribute significantly to the evidence base for preparedness, response, and research, and lead to improved operational planning efforts and capabilities for the collection of rapid and reliable occupational exposure via multiple routes (e.g., inhalation, dermal, ingestion, etc.) information for first responders. 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 as a 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, not for profit organizations, state and local government, and private industry for research and development (R&D) in those areas covered in Part II of this BAA. This BAA will utilize contracts or Interagency Agreements (IAs) as the instrument of funding. The Government shall decide on the type of contract or IA awarded based on Offerors’ proposals. Awards under this BAA will consist of firm-fixed priced contracts.

Within the meaning of FAR 6.102 and 35.016, this announcement constitutes the government’s solicitation for this effort. There will be no other solicitation issued in regard to this requirement. Offerors should be alert for any BAA amendments that may be posted on FedBizOpps.

General Information

A. Agency Name:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-20 Atlanta, GA 30329

B. Research Opportunity Title: Development of Exposure Assessment Operational Plans for the First 72 Hours Following a Disaster Involving Chemical Hazards

C. Program Name: Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Disaster Science Responder Research Program

D. Research Opportunity Number: 2017-N-66765

E. Inquiries and Additional Information: Information and specific questions of a technical business nature only will be accepted via e-mail sent to Contracting Officer at the following address: dyf3@cdc.gov. Include your name and e-mail address on the message. Responses to the e-mail questions will be handled on a first-come basis and generally will be answered within 3 business days.

PHONE CALLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Overview

This BAA seeks proposals to develop two innovative concept of operations (ConOps) plans, and/or response models, addressing rapid identification of potential exposures to responders during the first 72 hours following a disaster involving chemical hazards. One of the two plans should be representative of a smaller, localized chemical incident, while the second one should reflect a large-scale disaster requiring federal assistance.

This BAA is a competitive approach to consider proposals that harness scientific research, innovation, and field response expertise to enhance our ability to rapidly characterize first responder exposures during the immediate aftermath of an incident involving chemicals. This will allow NIOSH to:

1. Identify potential funding recipients with recognized expertise in relevant areas[footnoteRef:1] or capability to develop and execute multidisciplinary scientific approaches, and [1: Examples of relevant areas include, but are not limited to, demonstrated expertise in emergency management, development and analysis of exposure assessment plans and/or response models for disaster scenarios, occupational exposure assessment (e.g., wearable real-time instrumentation, biomonitoring, citizen science data collection approaches, development and evaluation of questionnaire data, and legal and ethical considerations for researching responder exposures). Additional expertise is also needed to identify novel approaches to rapidly collect and screen samples and biological specimens for unknown compounds during the immediate response phase.]

2. Identify potential funding recipients with experience in rapidly deploying teams to disaster or public health emergency locations to assess and propose solutions related to logistical challenges posed during these unique, complex exposure environments.

3. Collaborate scientifically with funding recipients, depending on the interests of the Government, the availability of NIOSH science staff, and the nature of the project.

NIOSH is particularly interested in new applications of science, technologies, innovations, and modeling approaches that provide the best value to the Government and have the potential to substantially contribute to NIOSH’s goals as described in this BAA.

Specific Rights Reserved for the Government

This BAA reserves specific rights for the Government, in addition to rights described elsewhere in this document or by law or regulation, including:

1. The right to select for negotiation and award one or none of the proposals received in response to this solicitation.

2. The right to make awards without discussions, or to conduct discussions and/or negotiations, whichever is determined to be in the Government’s interest.

3. The right to accept proposals in their entirety or to select only portions of proposals for award.

4. The right to co-create the plans submitters develop under this BAA, when it is in the best interest of the Government.

5. The right to request any additional, necessary documentation upon initial review. Such additional information may include, but is not limited to: a further detailed proposal, budget, and representations and certifications.

6. The right to remove proposers from award consideration should the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions, and cost/price within a reasonable time, the Offeror fails to timely provide requested additional information, or the Government believes it is in its best interest.

Overview of Award Process

Offerors contemplating submission of a proposal under this BAA will follow a four step process:

Step 1 – Electronic Contact - OPTIONAL

Potential Offerors interested in responding to the BAA may (but are not required to) contact NIOSH by email to the Contracting Officer specified in this announcement with questions regarding concept paper submission or other aspects of the acquisition process. If necessary to address the Offeror’s questions, the Contracting Officer will seek input from the NIOSH scientific coordinator for this BAA.

Step 2 – Submission of Concept Paper (Technical Dialogue)

Potential Offerors interested in submission of a proposal must first submit a concept paper. This step is a continuation of technical dialogue. Concept papers will be limited to 4 pages in length (exclusive of resumes, bios, and references) and are aimed at facilitating an understanding of the scientific and technical aspects of the proposed research project. The concept paper is used to determine whether the concept is of sufficient technical merit and relevance to the Government’s programmatic needs prior to submission of a formal proposal. Concept papers should contain a Rough Order of Magnitude estimate (Estimated Cost). The BAA Scientific Coordinator or his/her designated technical point of contacts in the agency may reach back to the Offeror, if the Government deems it necessary to clarify or discuss scientific or technical aspects of the concept paper. The Contracting Officer will assist in this process as needed.

The Government assumes no obligation to the Offeror to continue technical dialogue following its request for, or receipt of concept papers. The Government reserves the right to reject any concept paper without comment. Similarly, receipt of a concept paper does not constitute an obligation or agreement by the Government to request submission of a formal research proposal from an Offeror.

Step 3 - Submission of Formal Research Proposal

This step ends the technical dialogue. If there is sufficient interest by the Government in a proposed project based on the concept paper, the Contracting Officer will invite the Offeror to submit a formal research proposal. The decision to solicit a formal proposal from an Offeror is strictly at the discretion of the Government. The Government may solicit any number of proposals or may opt to solicit none.

Once the Contracting Office receives a formal research proposal, communication between scientific and programmatic personnel and the Offeror is permitted only as authorized by the Contracting Officer.

Step 4 - Contract Award for Selected Projects

Formal proposals will undergo initial review by agency Contracting Officer and those that meet the requirements specified in this BAA will be formally evaluated. The primary basis for selecting proposals for award is primarily scientific/technical merit, feasibility of implementation and prior experience. Cost realism, reasonableness and fund availability will also be considered to the extent appropriate. The Contracting Officer will notify the Offeror, in writing, whether a proposal will be processed for award.

Issuance of this BAA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of NIOSH, nor does it commit NIOSH to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, NIOSH reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Government obligation Offerors are cautioned that the submission of a concept paper and a proposal is strictly voluntary. The Government is under no obligation to pay for any cost associated with a concept paper or proposal. Offerors submitting concept papers and proposals are cautioned that only a Contracting Officer may obligate the Government to any agreement involving expenditure of Government funds. There is no commitment on behalf of the Government to fund any proposal received under this Announcement.

BAA POINTS OF CONTACT

CDC’s Contractual point of contact is Dwight Favors, Contract Specialist, who may be reached at (513) 533-8137 or by email at dyf3@cdc.gov.

PART II - RESEARCH AREAS OF INTEREST AND ELIGIBILITY

NIOSH Research Opportunity Description

As the federal agency charged by Congress to conduct worker safety and health research, NIOSH has been a leader in the field of occupational disaster science research especially with regard to finding new ways to ensure responder safety and health in complex and rapidly changing environments. The NIOSH Emergency Preparedness and Response Office (EPRO) functions as the coordination point for all NIOSH emergency and preparedness activities.

In partnership with other Federal and state agencies, as well as private sector entities, NIOSH/EPRO identified response and recovery worker safety and health research an important part of its portfolio. In 2014, NIOSH began its Disaster Science Responder Research (DSRR) Program with the intent of further protecting worker safety and health by developing an approach to timely, scalable, scientifically sound responder-based research that can feasibly be implemented as part of an ongoing response. The DSRR Program strives to fulfill its mission by:

· Capturing priority occupational health and safety (OHS) research needs for response and recovery workers during all phases of the response, as well as identifying knowledge gaps in advance based on previous responses and exercises;

· Addressing major logistical challenges associated with collecting OHS data and conducting research during disasters;

· Identifying data collection capabilities and resources that can be utilized for research purposes including novel approaches enabling responders to collect their own research data (e.g., similar to “citizen science);

· Ensuring research findings and lessons learned are rapidly translated into practical outcomes that can be implemented during an ongoing response or for future events.

Improved characterization and understanding of the various chemical exposures that occur throughout the course of responding to a disaster is essential to conducting research on the potential short- and long-term health effects of workers. Lessons learned and missed opportunities from past incidents like the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, the 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill, and releases occurring during major hurricanes and/or flooding have underscored the important role of exposure assessment in making decisions about the need for medical follow-up. Incident command staff, decision makers, the public and workers need information that typically is not available for days or weeks after the initial response as it takes time for subject matter experts with the appropriate equipment and sensors to arrive on-scene. Exposure assessment conducted in the earliest phases of the response brings rapid benefits to the workers who participate in the response in that immediate remedial actions can be taken to reduce their exposures. The initial first hours of a disaster can be the most hazardous as exposures are unknown and highly variable. Historically, personal exposure data (e.g., personal breathing zone samples, wearable sensors, dermal patches, biomonitoring, etc.), including screening for unknown compounds, have not been collected beginning at the onset of a response. Data that has been available is not unique to a specific worker (e.g. stationary sampling devices that happen to be in vicinity of event), is difficult to interpret, has not been collected in a manner that can be used for research purposes, and has not included unexposed control/comparison study populations.

This BAA seeks proposals to develop two innovative concept of operations (ConOps) plans, and/or response models that could be adapted real-time to fit the needs of any given response. The plans and/or models should address approaches and solutions to logistical challenges that could be used to characterize potential exposures to responders during the immediate hours following a disaster involving chemical hazards. This would involve the time period before subject matter experts would be able to arrive on-scene and should address data collection needs to allow for the information to be used for research purposes (e.g., beyond typical response data collection efforts that commonly occur). One of the two exposure assessment plans should be representative of a smaller, localized chemical incident, while the second one should reflect a large-scale disaster involving federal assistance.

NIOSH’s research areas of interest for this announcement are listed within four broad categories below. Specific topics are expressed as general questions within the category as examples. Offerors may address any single “bulleted” topic within a category or may address multiple topics in a category if they can be feasibly addressed within the proposed project. Offerors are expected to further develop the selected topic(s) into well-defined research questions.

Note: As described in Part III of this announcement, an Offeror may submit a maximum of two (2) concept papers/proposals under this BAA.

1. Knowledge Gaps

· What are the priority research gaps in understanding exposures to responders during the immediate hours following a disaster involving chemical hazards?

· Is there a model available that can be used to assess gaps in exposure assessment data during the initial response to incidents involving chemicals and how this missing data may be impacting our knowledge on how to best prevent and/or treat health outcomes in response and recover workers?

· Are there any personal sampling data available from previous disasters during the initial hours of response (e.g., personal breathing zone samples, wearable sensors, dermal patches, biomonitoring, etc.)?

· Which responder groups would best be suited as study populations for this particular BAA?

2. Data Collection Capabilities and Resources

· What wearable sensors are available that could be used by first responders to start collecting data as soon as the response begins (e.g., similar to “citizen science”)?

· Can the predominant types of exposures (e.g., inhalation, dermal, ingestion, etc.) be anticipated for the two scenarios of interest in this BAA?

· What types of collection devices and mechanisms are needed to assess unknown compounds?

· How will data be securely collected and stored?

3. Logistical Challenges

· What unique logistical challenges will be present during the immediate hours following a response?

· How will samples and biological specimens be screened for unknown compounds?

· How will rapid IRB and informed consent be addressed for this phase of the response?

· How will the research needs be resourced (e.g., collection of samples, interpretation of data from wearable sensors, collection of biological specimens, rapid shipment to appropriate laboratory, collection of responder questionnaire data, reporting of results to individual workers, etc.).

4. Implementation of Plans and/or Response Models

· What are the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed plans and/or models?

· Can the plan and/or response model be easily adaptable to numerous scenarios to create real-time operational guidance?

· Can the plan and/or model be used to assess the effectiveness of the response?

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

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

1. Offerors shall describe their understanding of relevant scientific literature related to the research to be conducted.

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

3. Offerors are encouraged to engage with relevant partners and entities with advanced subject matter expertise in relevant disciplines, if applicable to the proposed project.

4. Offerors have flexibility as to selection of study populations and study areas.

5. Offerors have flexibility as to study methods, including the use of multiple quantitative and/or qualitative approaches.

6. It is the intent of this BAA that projects focus on response issues impacting the United States.

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

8. 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.

9. Offerors may propose projects that entail travel to one or more sites within the United States for data collection or other relevant project purposes.

10. NIOSH intends for projects funded through this BAA to be carried out in a collaborative manner between the winning Offeror(s) and Government staff. The division of labor between NIOSH and the winning Offeror for any given project will be specific to that project and established during the proposal negotiation and contracting phases. Depending on availability of NIOSH staff and features of the project, the nature of the collaboration may vary. In all cases, NIOSH shall have final decision-making authority about the technical direction of the project. Data, tools, models, 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.

11. Offerors shall describe how the results of the proposed project can improve the ability of NIOSH and its partners to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies or disasters.

12. Offerors must make a clear case as to how the proposed project answers questions or addresses problems of current relevance to the field of public health preparedness and response.

13. Offerors must specify in proposals how the resulting knowledge, practices, or tools can be effectively implemented, and include a project component that addresses dissemination of knowledge and support for translation.

14. Offerors should articulate how the implementation of new policies, practices, guidelines, or tools resulting from the proposed project can be evaluated to assess their impact on response capability, efficiency, or effectiveness.

WHAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR

1. Basic research, defined as research directed towards fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts, that cannot be directly applied to improving public health emergency preparedness and response to disasters involving chemical exposures.

2. Research that replicates knowledge gained from prior studies, without adding significant new information to the evidence base or providing a useful extension of current knowledge.

3. Solutions or practices that are less efficacious than current technologies or approaches.

4. Proven approaches that are already in use in the field.

5. Projects that lead to knowledge, tools, or practices that cannot be feasibly translated to policy or practice and evaluated for impact.

Eligibility

Public, private, for-profit, and non-profit organizations, as well as institutions of higher education, non-governmental organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and U.S. government organizations are eligible under this BAA. Eligibility includes:

· Accredited U.S. schools of public health

· Other accredited U.S. institutions of higher education and academic departments

· Private or public research institutes and centers based in the U.S.

· For-profit and non-profit scientific, consulting, and advisory organizations in the U.S.

· Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)

· State or local government agencies within the U.S.

Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and U.S. Government entities (e.g., Government/National laboratories; military educational institutions, etc.) may be subject to applicable direct competition limitations. The burden to prove eligibility shall rest solely with the proposer. FFRDCs and Government entities must provide a letter on official letterhead from their sponsoring organization citing the specific authority establishing their eligibility to propose to Government solicitations.

The intent of this BAA is to allow for co-creation and co-design where deemed in the best interest of the Government to ensure high quality research projects that meet the needs of the agency. After potential Offerors submit Concept Papers, the Government, represented by a Program Subject Matter Expert, may at its discretion, discuss elements of these papers with Offerors to clarify ideas, proposed methods, scope, or other matters pertinent to the Government’s specific research needs.

For successful proposals, funding recipients may be required to collaborate scientifically with NIOSH scientific staff as well as other staff from relevant CDC Centers. Collaboration may include NIOSH input into study design; NIOSH participating in data analyses; NIOSH participating in development of tools or products, and NIOSH leading or participating in authorship of scientific publications resulting from the research. The extent and nature of the collaboration will depend on availability of CDC resources and expertise relevant to the project. Final decision authority regarding the nature and extent of scientific collaboration is held by the NIOSH.

Offerors may formulate proposals that include subcontracting with other entities.

PART III – OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSION PROCESS

The following four-step sequence is established for Offerors contemplating submission of a proposal to this BAA. This sequence allows for an early determination of the potential for interest based on technical merit, applicability to NIOSH 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 – Electronic Contact - OPTIONAL

This step initiates a technical dialogue between the Government and the potential offerors. Potential Offerors may (but are not required to) e-mail the Contracting Officer, Dwight Favors at dyf3@cdc.gov with questions regarding the concept paper submission process or other aspects of the acquisition process no later than May 15, 2017 at 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST). If necessary, the Contracting Officer will solicit input from the NIOSH Scientific Coordinator for this BAA. The responses to all questions will be posted on the FedBizOpps website. The Government may reach out to the Offeror to clarify submitted questions. The Offeror is asked to provide a point of contact with an email address and a telephone number.

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

This step is a continuation of the technical dialogue for projects of interest. Potential offerors must submit an informal concept paper of no more than 4 pages in length (exclusive of resumes, bios, CVs and references) describing the scientific and technical aspects of the proposed research project. See page 10 or Part III for more details on submission of concept papers. Concept papers should contain information related to background/problem, an overview of the proposed project, the main intent/purpose of the project and its value proposition, brief statement of data collection methods, data sources, analyses and proposed information products. Use of the concept 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, concept papers will not be as lengthy or detailed as a formal proposal (see Part IV). Concept papers should contain a Rough Order of Magnitude estimate (Estimated Cost).

All submitted concept papers will undergo an initial review for technical merit and program applicability. The Scientific Coordinator and/or members of 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. The Contracting Officer will assist in this process as needed. Submission of a concept paper does not obligate the government to solicit a formal proposal from any Offeror. The Government reserves the right to reject any concept paper without comment.

Concept papers are due to the Government on or before May 26, 2017. There are no exceptions to this deadline.

Step 3 - Submission of Formal Research Proposal

This step ends the technical dialogue. 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. The Government may solicit any number of proposals at its discretion or may opt to solicit none. Once the Contracting Office receives a research proposal, communication between scientific personnel and the Offeror is permitted only as authorized by the Contracting Officer.

Step 4 - Contract Award for Selected Projects

All proposals will receive an initial review (see Part V). Of these, all, some or none of the proposals will be reviewed more thoroughly by a Technical Evaluation Panel. The Contracting Officer will notify the Offeror(s), 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 concept 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 development or submission of a concept 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 concept paper and a proposal is strictly voluntary.

BAA POINT OF CONTACT

CDC’s Contracting Officer for this requirement is Dwight Favors, who may be reached at 513-533-8137 or by email at: dyf3@cdc.gov.

PART IV – CONCEPT 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 concept paper and, if requested by the Government, a formal proposal. Any questions or clarification of project objectives or methods may be directly discussed between the Scientific Coordinator (or his/her designated technical points of contact) 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. Submission of a concept paper is considered part of the Technical Dialogue.

Concept paper Format and Content

Offerors are not asked to provide a detailed Statement of Work or step-by-step list of tasks as part of their concept papers; instead, Offerors are encouraged to provide more general statements about their proposed approach to the study of the topic, including geographical sites, methods, solutions to be developed, and other characteristics listed in Part I of this BAA. Offerors are encouraged to ensure that submitted concept 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. Offerors should also briefly address how the research will be translated to practice or otherwise implemented and are highly encouraged to incorporate a translation or implementation component within the project.

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

· Concept 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

· Concept paper submissions shall not contain classified information.

· Project description briefly addressing the parameters and characteristics identified in Part I, as relevant to the work proposed.

· Tables and charts are permitted in the concept paper

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

· An estimated timeline not to exceed 3 years (36 months) to complete the project.

· Offerors may submit a maximum of two (2) concept papers in response to this announcement. A concept paper must be no more than 4 pages in length. Resumes, bios, CVs and references are not counted against the 4 pages.

· 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 concept 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 concept paper. Appendices shall not count toward the 4 page limit for the Concept paper.

· In no more than 1 page (not to be counted against the 4 page limit), provide a listing and basic qualifications of likely organizational partners, sub-contractors, etc., with whom you would work if additional subject-matter expertise or other assistance is likely to be needed

Concept Paper Submission

This BAA is open and in effect from the date of release on May 5, 2017 through May 26, 2017. THIS IS AN IMMEDIATE CALL FOR CONCEPT PAPERS. Concept papers must be received by 2:00 p.m. EST on May 26, 2017 to be considered. There are no exceptions to this deadline. Concept papers must be submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer Dwight Favors at dyf3@cdc.gov.

Eligibility to Submit a Formal Proposal

Concept papers will be reviewed by the Scientific Coordinator and designated program technical experts within the agency. Scientific/technical merit, relevance and utility of the proposed project for NIOSH’s programmatic needs, and availability of funding are of equal importance. NIOSH reserves the right to determine which Offerors will be requested to provide a formal proposal, based solely on review of submitted concept papers. Concept papers not considered to have sufficient scientific/technical merit or relevance to NIOSH’s needs, or those in areas for which funds are not expected to be available, will not result in an invitation to submit a formal proposal. As stated in Part I, the Government reserves the right to reject any concept paper without comment. Offerors will be notified by the Contracting Officer if they are invited to submit a formal proposal. Invitation to submit a 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 V - PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

GENERAL INFORMATION

This section is intended to provide information needed in preparing research proposals for submission to NIOSH. 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 or IA.

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

Proposals shall not be submitted until after the concept paper due date and review period. Offerors will be notified by the Contracting Officer if they are invited to submit a formal proposal.

Any questions concerning the preparation or content of the research proposal should be directed to the Contracting Officer.

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.

Offerors must be registered in SAM.GOV in order to be considered.

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 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) with a bi-monthly (every two months) 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 bi-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 NIOSH’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 NIOSH. 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 NIOSH. Finally, the Contractor shall, upon request by NIOSH, 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 and Publication FAR Clause 52.227-14 Rights in Data-General (May 2014) shall be observed.

All data, deliverables and products developed in the performance of this work shall become and remain the property of the US Government. All material developed in the performance of this contract for publication, including derivative works, shall be identified and approved by NIOSH prior to initiation, and processes must follow NIOSH’s have final approval over manuscripts and publication of reports, articles in scientific journals, derivative works and the dissemination of findings developed in the performance of this contract. Final approval shall be in writing. Development of manuscripts, publication of reports, articles in scientific journals, and derivative works utilizing data obtained through the performance of the contract shall be the result of collaboration between the NIOSH and the contractor and all such products shall include NIOSH authorship unless declined by the Government.

CDC/NIOSH requires a data management plan (DMP) to be developed during the project planning phase, prior to the initiation of collecting or generating public health data. A DMP plan will address data security, documentation and preservation of data during the period of the contract, data and mechanisms for data access and data sharing. Any recipient of funding whose terms of award do not include submitting data to CDC/NIOSH should seek to deposit a de-identified data set, accompanying data dictionary, and other documentation relevant to use of the data set in a sustainable repository for archival and long-term preservation. Awardees will be required to inform the appropriate NIOSH point-of-contact identified by the CIO, via an update to their DMP, the location of where the data are stored. Data underlying scientific publication should be made available coincident with publication of the paper, unless the data set is already available via a release or sharing mechanism.

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 BAA.

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.).

HHSAR Part 304 Policy Homeland Security Presidential Directive – 12(HSPD-12) Requirements (November 2011)

(a) To perform the work specified herein, contractor personnel are expected to have routine 1) physical access to an HHS-controlled facility; 2) logical access to an HHS controlled information systems; or 3) access to sensitive HHS data or information, whether in an HHS controlled information system or in hard copy. This contract/order will entail the following position sensitivity level(s): 1

(b) To gain routine physical access to an HHS facility, logical access to an HHS controlled information system, and or access to sensitive data or information, the contractor and its employees shall comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors; Office of Management and Budget Memorandum (M-05-24); Federal Information Processing Standards Publication Number 201; and with the personal identity verification and investigation procedures contained in the following documents:

(1) HHS Information Security Program Policy

(2) HHS Office of Security and Drug Testing, Personnel Security/Suitability Handbook, dated February 1, 2005

(3) CDC Policy: “ISSUANCE AND UTILIZATION OF PIV CREDENTIALS”

(4) CDC Policy: "IN- AND OUT-PROCESSING OF CDC FTEs, PSCs, CONTRACTORS, AND OTHER NON-FTEs"

(5) CDC Policy: "PHYSICAL ACCESS TO CDC FACILITIES"

(6) CDC Policy: “NATIONAL AGENCY CHECK AND INQUIRY PROCEDURES”

(c) The personnel investigation procedures for Contractor personnel require that the Contractor prepare and submit background check/investigation forms based on the type of investigation required. The minimum Government investigation for a non-sensitive position is a National Agency Check and Inquiries (with fingerprinting). More restricted positions, above non-sensitive, require more extensive documentation and investigation. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in advance when any new personnel, who are subject to a background check/investigation, will work under the contract and if they have previously been the subject of national agency checks or background investigations.

(d) Investigations are expensive and may delay performance, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. Delays associated with rejections and consequent re-investigations may not be excusable in accordance with the FAR clause, Excusable Delays--see FAR 52.249-14. Accordingly, the Contractor shall ensure that any additional employees whose names it submits for work under this contract have a reasonable chance for approval.

(e) Multiple investigations for the same position may, at the Contracting Officer’s discretion, justify reduction(s) in the contract price of no more than the cost of the extra investigation(s).

(f) Language similar to this Security section shall be included in any subcontracts which require subcontractor personnel to have the same frequency and duration of (1) physical access to an HHS-controlled facility; (2) logical access to an HHS-controlled information system; or (3) access to sensitive HHS data/information, whether in an HHS-controlled information system or in hard copy; access to an information system, access to sensitive data, regular or prolonged access to an HHS-controlled facility.

(g) Inquiries on matters that affect contract compliance or terms and conditions should be directed to the Contracting Officer or designee.

(h) Within seven (7) calendar days after final acceptance of the work specified herein, the contractor shall return all identification badges in accordance with CDC's Policy titled "In- And Out-Processing of CDC FTEs, PSCs, Contractors, and Other Non-FTEs Policy". Contractor employees who separate from service under the contract prior to final acceptance shall be out processed in accordance with that same policy.

(end of clause)

Period of Performance

Proposals submitted in response to this BAA may be for a period of performance up to three years (36 months). Proposals of shorter duration are also acceptable.

Contract Types

The Government shall decide on the type of contract or Interagency Agreement (IA) awarded based on Offerors’ proposals. The Government will consider proposals for firm-fixed price contracts or IAs.

Funding

· To Be Determined

Proposal Submission

To be considered for award, an Offeror must have submitted a concept paper which was favorably reviewed by NIOSH. Favorable review refers to assessment by NIOSH staff that a concept paper adequately addresses the Government’s programmatic interests and requirements as described in Part I, meets the submission guidelines in Part III, and demonstrates sufficient…