36C24E21Q0260.docx

Special Notice Special Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

Veterans Health Administration Regional Procurement Office (RPO) East 323 North Shore Drive, Suite 500 Pittsburgh PA 15212-5319

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Michael Haydo michael.haydo@va.gov

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

The Veteran’s Administration (VA) Office of Research and Development, Regional Procurement Office – East in Pittsburgh, PA intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on behalf of the VA Research Central Office in Washington D.C.

The specific work to be performed includes:

1. PURPOSE. To sponsor a “Forum” on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to bring together stakeholders to provide an ongoing mechanism and a neutral setting in which the full spectrum of experts and stakeholders will explore opportunities for collective action.

2. BACKGROUND. The Forum on TBI will provide a trusted venue for the cooperative engagement of leaders from research sponsors, health care sectors, patient representatives, researchers, employers, and policy makers committed to work together to address short and long-term strategic planning for advancing TBI research and care, along the full continuum, from prevention through acute care, rehabilitation as well as other emerging issues important for improving TBI care and research systems for our Veterans.

3. OBJECTIVES. The Forum will meet two-three times per year to provide an ongoing mechanism and a neutral setting in which the full spectrum of public and private sector experts and stakeholders can explore opportunities for collective action. Topics may include issues related to current research gaps, the complexity of the systems involved in TBI treatment and rehabilitation, the challenge of coordination, and the wide range of related needs and challenges facing stakeholders in this field.

4. MANDATORY TASKS AND DELIVERABLES. The contractor shall provide at least two Forum meetings per year. The Contractor shall provide quarterly reports of the progress of the Forum's work and meetings and copies of the published summary documents or proceedings from the Forum's workshops. Specifically, the contractor shall:

4.1 Task One. Conduct a minimum of two forum meetings per year.

Deliverable 5.1.1. Provide quarterly reports of Forum progress.

4.2 Task Two. The contractor may conduct a minimum of one workshop per year.

Deliverable 5.2.1. Provide copies of the published summary documents or proceedings from the Forum's workshops

5.3 Schedule for Mandatory Deliverables.

5.3.1 Table of Base Period Mandatory Deliverables Due Dates

5. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. The period of performance shall be from the date of award.

Base period 10/1/2021 - 09/30/2022 Option year 1 10/1/2022 - 09/30/2023 Option year 2 10/1/2023 - 09/30/2024 Option year 3 10/1/2024 - 09/30/2025 Option year 4 10/1/2025 - 09/30/2026

6. KEY PERSONNEL. Certain skilled experience professional and/or technical personnel are essential for accomplishing the work to be performed. These individuals are defined as "Key personnel" and are those persons whose resumes were submitted and marked by the vendor as "Key Personnel".

Contractor Personnel Requirements. Personnel proposed shall have an in-depth knowledge of health care revenue cycle processes in addition to the following:

• Specific knowledge of Traumatic Brain Injury.

6.1 Staff Qualifications.

8.4.1 Expertise in Traumatic Brain Injury and associated conditions.

8.4.2 Evaluating scientific, technical, and policy-related issues and information.

8.4.3 Writing and editing scientific and policy documents

8.4.4 Conceptualizing, developing, and evaluating project proposals

8.4.5 Supervising and managing technical staff

8.4.6 Directing and managing expert committees in writing and preparing reports

8.4.7 Consensus-building with expert committees

8.4.8 Organizing, coordinating, and conducting national symposia and workshops

8.4.9 Procuring, managing, and monitoring program funding and annual budgets

8.4.10 Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences

TRAVEL. The CBO anticipates approximately 106 days of travel reimbursement in the base year to cover expenses of experts traveling to the contractor's location. Travel and per diem shall be reimbursed in accordance with VA and Federal Travel Regulations. Travel expenses shall be invoiced within 60 days of completion of travel in order to be reimbursed.

7. TYPE OF CONTRACT. Firm Fixed Price contract will be issued for this effort.

8. GOVERNMENT AND CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES.

12.1. The CBO shall provide the contractor with copies of documents that the VA is required to provide.

12.2. The contractor shall request other VA documentation deemed pertinent to the work accomplishment directly from the COR. The contractor is expected to use common knowledge and resourcefulness in securing all other reference materials, standard industry publications, and related materials that are pertinent to the work.

12.3. The contractor shall maintain frequent communications with the Program Office and the COR to conduct work in progress reviews. Progress reports shall be delivered electronically to the COR, with an electronic courtesy copy to the Program Office.

9. FORMAL COMMENTS ON DELIVERABLES The VA shall have 15 business days to review each document and provide feedback and comments. The contractor shall have five business days to incorporate comments it deems appropriate. A final review shall be conducted by the COR and the Delivery of the post-final review document with any incorporated comments from the final review meeting shall constitute acceptance by the VA with COR's written approval.

The Contractor shall support this effort at the contractor's facility at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 500 5th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. The sole source is pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals, however; any responsible source who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement may submit a capability statement and supporting documentation to the contracting office no later than Friday, Sept 24, 2021, (10:00 AM, EST). Interest/capability statements may be sent to Michael Haydo at Michael.haydo@va.gov. No telephone responses will be accepted. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Special Notice