Revised Draft Statement of Work-Hep C Survey Correctional.pdf

Statement of Work

Title: Assessing Capacity to Expand Hepatitis C Testing and Treatment in United States Carceral Settings

SECTION 1 – BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common bloodborne infection in the United States. Approximately 30% of persons with HCV infection rotate in and out of the United States carceral system each year. The prevalence of HCV is estimated to be 10-20 times higher in carceral settings as compared to the general population. Since 2013, direct acting antivirals (DAAs) have simplified hepatitis C treatment and have cure rates of >95%.

Improving hepatitis C elimination in carceral settings is essential to achieving national hepatitis C elimination targets.

Treating HCV infection is cost effective at both the individual and community levels. Hepatitis C treatment not only prevents further health complications such as liver damage, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cirrhosis, but it also reduces the burden of paying for care as it relates to those complications. Successfully treating individuals for their hepatitis C infection prevents further transmission during incarceration and after being released back into their communities.

There has been steady progress towards hepatitis C elimination in carceral systems as the costs of DAAs have declined, simplified treatment algorithms have been developed, and lawsuits led by incarcerated people have led to rulings or settlements that increase funds allocated for hepatitis C treatment. However, progress towards hepatitis C elimination in carceral settings has been uneven, with many states not adopting best practices and employing strategies to lower DAA costs and implement practices that facilitate broader treatment of their population.

CDC wishes to expand hepatitis C testing and treatment in carceral settings but lacks the knowledge of which carceral facilities have implemented best practices to eliminate hepatitis C and which facilities have high numbers of people with hepatitis C that pass through their systems. This includes both state Departments of Correction (DOCs) prisons as well as large jails which may have the capacity to diagnose and treat hepatitis C while an individual is incarcerated. To increase CDC’s effectiveness in advancing hepatitis C elimination in carceral settings, CDC aims to characterize hepatitis C burden of disease as well as prevention, testing, and treatment policies at carceral facilities nationally.

CDC previously piloted the Comprehensive Understanding of Readiness for Elimination of Hepatitis C in Corrections (Cure-HepC) survey with a partner in 9 jurisdictions. The goal of this contract is to administer the Cure-Hep survey to all 50-state DOCs, the district of Columbia, and a selection of large jails. This survey captures data on HCV screening and testing practices, hepatitis C prevalence, hepatitis C practices and treatment rates, access to substance use disorder treatment including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and challenges in scaling hepatitis C testing and treatment.

The results of this survey will be used to accelerate the implementation of hepatitis C testing and treatment best practices and track the elimination of hepatitis C in carceral settings. Point prevalence data allows for the appropriate allocation of resources to support state prisons and jails in their efforts to eliminate hepatitis C in carceral settings. Understanding challenges in best practices implementation can shape technical assistance and resources to accelerate their adoption. The importance of this task is monumental in that carceral health is community health and eliminating hepatitis C in carceral settings greatly advances overall elimination efforts.

SECTION 2 – PURPOSE

The purpose of the contract is for the Contractor to administer the CURE-HepC survey to state DOCs and large jails and then send CDC the deidentified data file in csv format. This will aid in understanding where the most need is to move the needle on national goals towards hepatitis C elimination. Carceral settings pose a unique challenge to hepatitis C elimination in that these data are not readily available for analysis. CDC does not collect data on hepatitis C within state DOCs or large jails. This contract will provide CDC the opportunity to collaborate with a well-respected community partner that has built trust among state DOCs and jails. The Contractor will administer a survey that will advance the Division of Viral Hepatitis 2025 Strategic Plan to eliminate viral hepatitis in the U.S.

• Goal 1: Reduce new viral hepatitis infections

• Goal 2: Reduce viral hepatitis-related morbidity and mortality

• Goal 3: Reduce viral hepatitis-related disparities

SECTION 3 – SCOPE OF WORK

For the purposes of this contract, carceral settings are defined as facilities that house people who are incarcerated, detained and/or awaiting sentencing to include prisons and jails.

The Contractor shall work with and report to the designated point of contact at CDC. The Contractor will provide a written report of the general make-up of state prisons and jails that they will target to include: region of state prisons and state of jail and estimated operational capacity. The selection of responding facilities should be diverse in geographic location and operational capacity to allow for meaningful analysis. The Contractor shall submit a timeline for the deliverables prior to/or within 30 days of the first meeting. The timeline will be reviewed by CDC and modified by joint agreement between CDC and the Contractor of what is feasible in the 12-month contract period. As the Contractor progresses through the development of the deliverables, CDC and the Contractor will participate in monthly calls to monitor progress towards developing the deliverables and implementing adjustments to the timeline as necessary. By the final meeting, the Contractor shall present a finalized csv data file that is deidentified to the granularity described in Data Management Plan below and includes all survey responses.

SECTION 4 – TASKS TO BE PERFORMED

The Contractor shall perform the following tasks:

Task 1: Administer survey to the carceral facilities

The Contractor will use the previously developed and piloted CURE-HepC survey that will have received OMB PRA approval by the time this Contract commences. The survey will be administered through an instrument of choice by the Contractor (e.g., REDCap, Survey Monkey, Microsoft Office product). CDC will provide the CURE HepC survey to the Contractor for administration to all 50 state DOCs, the District of Columbia DOC, and at least 10 large jails. This survey will exclude facilities that are not eligible for federal funding.

Task 2: Delivery of the survey responses

The Contractor will provide to CDC a csv file of all the CURE-HepC survey responses deidentified to the granularity described in Data Management Plan below. The dataset must be cleaned, validated, and delivered by the end of the contract period.

Task 3: Facilitate communication with responding carceral systems

After CDC analyzes the deidentified dataset to select carceral systems that would benefit from technical assistance, the Contractor will reach out to the responding carceral systems to ask permission to de-anonymize their data and facilitate a meeting with CDC. Carceral systems wishing to remain anonymous may indicate so and the Contractor will not disclose their identity to CDC. The Contractor shall facilitate an introduction between CDC and the carceral systems that agree to disclose their identity to CDC for technical assistance purposes.

Task 4: Progress calls/mid-term meeting

The Contractor shall coordinate with the CDC Project Officer for all project-related communications. The Contractor shall maintain regular communications with the CDC Project Officer involved with the project. The chief means of communication will be via progress calls that will be scheduled monthly at an interval jointly agreed on by the CDC Project Officer and the Contractor that ensures timely resolution of outstanding issues or challenges. Additional calls may be scheduled as needed to facilitate project success. All meetings shall be held virtually via MS Teams, Zoom, or another platform that all parties have access to. The Contractor shall provide an agenda and minutes for each call. All progress calls shall be scheduled and administered by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall respond to all emails and telephone communications from the CDC Project Officer within three working days. If Contractor wishes to update the date/time of the meetings, the Contractor must do so at least 5 business days prior to the scheduled call.

The Contractor shall coordinate a mid-term meeting with the CDC Project Officer where they will meet with the CDC Project Officer and other relevant CDC staff to discuss mid-term progress for the project. The mid-term meeting shall be held virtually via MS Teams, Zoom, or another platform that all parties have access to. The Contractor shall provide an agenda and minutes for the mid-term meeting.

Task 5: Final meeting

At the final meeting to occur in the final month of the Contract, the Contractor shall summarize the successes and challenges of conducting the CURE-HepC survey, report any work planned but not accomplished during the contract period, and make suggestions on how to better implement the CURE-HepC survey in subsequent years.

SECTION 5 – GOVERNMENT FURNISHED MATERIALS

No Government material will be furnished.

SECTION 6 – PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance shall be 12 months (base period only – no options): September 26, 2024 – September 25, 2025

SECTION 7 – DELIVERABLES/REPORTING SCHEDULE

Task Deliverable Quantity Delivery Date Deliver To 1 Survey administration At least 61 survey responses

Compile responses 2 months prior to final meeting

CDC PROJECT

OFFICER

2 Data file 1 csv file At least 10 business days before the final meeting 3 Facilitating communication with responding carceral systems Ongoing Throughout the

Contract period

CDC PROJECT

4 Progress Calls

Mid-term Meeting

10 progress calls: 1 Agenda and 1 Meeting Summary per call

1 Midterm

: 1 Agenda and 1 Meeting Summary per Meeting

1 Agenda and 1 Meeting Summary per Meeting

Progress Calls: Once monthly

Mid-Term Meeting:

6 months into the contract period +/- 1 month)

Agendas: At least 3 business days before each meeting

Meeting Summaries: Within 1 week of the

5 Final Meeting 1 final meeting

Within the last month of the contract

SECTION 8 – REFERENCE MATERIALS

N/A

SECTION 9 – POINT OF CONTACT INFORMATION

The Point of Contact (POC) for this procurement is:

Michtta Jean-Louis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd NE Atlanta, Georgia 30324 Telephone Number: 954-232-2801 E-mail Address: qdy2@cdc.gov Preferred method of communication: Email

SECTION 10 – PAYMENT TERMS

N/A

SECTION 11 – MINIMUM VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS AND LEVEL OF EFFORT

Refer to Section 12 Evaluation Factors below.

SECTION 12 – EVALUATION FACTORS

The following technical evaluation criteria will be used to evaluate proposals and will be weighted as indicated below for all technical proposals submitted.

Similar Experience

The offeror’s proposal shall provide the general background, experience, and qualifications of the organization related in scope, magnitude, and complexity. The offeror’s plan shall provide a general background of the work performed and describe how the work is related to the requirements of the Statement of Work.

The Contractor must have extensive experience in carceral healthcare as well as connections to DOC leadership through collaborations that encompass custody, operations, facility design, and carceral leadership thereby ensuring a holistic understanding of the constraints and challenges of hepatitis C elimination in carceral settings and ability to execute the deliverables. Further, the Contractor must have established connections and history of collaboration with the leadership of all the state DOCs to ensure that trust in sharing data from state DOCs and some large jails.

The proposal shall be further evaluated on the offeror’s demonstrated experience of managing projects relevant to the content and complexity of this requirement. This criterion will be evaluated to determine appropriate experience of assigned personnel and of the organization.

Technical Approach

The offeror is to provide a technical approach for delivering the services required for this contract. The offeror is to provide a detailed and comprehensive statement of the problem, scope, and purpose of the project to demonstrate a complete understanding of the intent and requirements of the contract and potential challenges that may be encountered. The description of the technical approach shall be in the Contractor’s own words, not a restatement of the listed requirements.

This criterion will be evaluated according to the soundness, practicality, and feasibility of the Contractor’s technical approach for providing the services required for this contract.

Staffing and Management Plan

The offeror’s proposal shall describe in detail the current staff capacity of the vendor to complete proposed activities and provide a detailed statement of staffing and management approach for managing the work outlined in the statement of work. This shall include any plans to subcontract work with the name of the subcontractor, if known. The offeror should include the percent time each staff person is expected to put towards this project so that CDC can adequately evaluate whether the staffing plan is adequate. Additionally, the management plan should include clear lines of responsibility to ensure it is clear how staff member will be organized in a management structure.

The offeror shall demonstrate their understanding of the labor requirements by proposing appropriate staff and including (a) resumes for key personnel outlining the credentials and background of key management, professional, and technical personnel to be used for this requirement, including the percent time on this and other projects; (b) a detailed plan that describes current staff available for this task order, percent time that all staff will dedicate to this requirement, and how the team will interface with CDC, and (c) a clear delineation of staff authorities and line of responsibility with special emphasis on relationships with subcontractors, if any.

This criterion will be evaluated according to the soundness, practicality, and feasibility of the Offeror’s staffing and management plans for this contract.

Price/Cost Evaluation: A price analysis of the cost proposal will be conducted to determine the reasonableness of the Contractor’s cost proposal.

Special Considerations

(a) 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 Standards (36 CFR part 1194), require that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

(b) Accordingly, any offeror responding to this solicitation must comply with established HHS EIT accessibility standards. Information about Section 508 is available at http://www.hhs.gov/web/508. The complete text of the Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at http://www.access-aboard.gov/sec508/standards.htm.

(c) The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this contract are: 1194.

205 WCAG 2.0 Level A & AA Success Criteria 302 Functional Performance Criteria 502 Inoperability with Assistive Technology 504 Authoring Tools 602 Support Documentation 603 Support Services

To facilitate the Government's determination whether proposed EIT supplies meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must submit an HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template, in accordance with its completion instructions. The purpose of the template is to assist HHS acquisition and program officials in determining whether proposed EIT supplies conform to applicable Section 508 accessibility standards. The template allows offerors or developers to self-evaluate their supplies and documentation detail - whether they conform to a specific Section 508 accessibility standard, and any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues. Instructions for preparing the HHS Section 508 Evaluation Template are available under Section 508 policy on the HHS Web site http://hhs.gov/web/508.

To facilitate the Government's determination whether proposed EIT services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must provide enough information to assist the Government in determining that the EIT services conform to Section 508 accessibility standards, including any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues.

(d) Respondents to this solicitation must identify any exception to Section 508 requirements. If an offeror claims its supplies or services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, and it is later determined by the Government, i.e., after award of a contract or order, that supplies or services delivered do not conform to the accessibility standards, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its expense.

(e) Electronic content must be accessible to HHS acceptance criteria. Checklist for various formats is available at http://508.hhs.gov/, or from the Section 508 Coordinator listed at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section- 508/additional-resources/section-508-contacts/index.html. Materials that are final items for delivery should be accompanied by the appropriate checklist, except upon approval of the Contracting Officer or Representative.

Data Management Plan

Type of date to be collected: The Contractor shall administer the CURE-HepC survey and collect all variables in the survey including facility identity. The Contractor shall then conduct data validation and cleaning of the dataset and then share a deidentified csv file with CDC. The data transmitted to CDC will not contain any facility or personally identifiable information. To maintain confidentiality of survey respondents, the data shared will be at the regional-level for state prisons and state-level for jails.

Type of data collected for time-period of January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023 or the previous 12-months, which ever provides the most current data includes:

• Facility type (e.g., prison, jail, unified system)

• Operating capacity (e.g., average daily census)

• Aggregate demographic data of the incarcerated or detained population

• HCV screening and testing practices

• Prevalence of hepatitis C during intake screening

• Prevalence of hepatitis C among the overall incarcerated population

• Hepatitis C treatment practices

• Access to substance use disorder treatment

• Challenges in scaling hepatitis C testing and treatment

The Contractor is required to store the data for a period of 5 years.

Data preparation for transfer, preservation and sharing

The Contractor will collect and maintain the data including carceral facility identifiers. The Contractor will provide CDC a deidentified dataset that does not include facility identity but does include an anonymized facility identifier for potential data linkage. Further, geographic location will be anonymized to the level of ‘region’ for DOCs and ‘state’ for jails. The transfer of information will be performed using a secure application as identified in the Data Security and Confidentiality Guidelines for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Disease, and Tuberculosis Programs: Standards to Facilitate Sharing and Use of Surveillance Data for Public Health Action (cdc.gov). If the Contractor requires access to CDC databases and/or network we will follow the “Data Security and Confidentiality Guidelines” above.

The Contractor will be provided with CDC guidance on the collection, storage, and use of data while maintaining confidentiality as outlined here: Data Security and Confidentiality Guidelines for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Disease, and Tuberculosis Programs: Standards to Facilitate Sharing and Use of Surveillance Data for Public Health Action (cdc.gov)

CDC will perform an analysis that will include a stratified analysis by national, region (prison), and state (for jails).

CDC will use the data to identify carceral systems that may benefit from technical assistance to improve the implementation of hepatitis C elimination best practices. During the period of performance, if CDC wishes to https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelines.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelines.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelines.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelines.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelines.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelines.pdf contact a responding carceral system, the Contractor will ask the carceral system for permission to de-anonymize their data to CDC and facilitate an introduction. Carceral systems wishing to remain anonymous may indicate so and the Contractor will not disclose their identity to CDC. The Contractor shall facilitate an introduction between CDC and the carceral systems that agree to disclose their identity to CDC. Ongoing facilitation of communication after the period of performance is encouraged but not required though may be included as requirements in subsequent collaborations.