Attachment_5_-_Technical_Proposal_Instructions.pdf

ATTACHMENT 5 – TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS Page 1 of 10 May 14, 2024

ATTACHMENT 5 – TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

The following technical instructions are meant to provide additional instructions as well as a uniform format for technical proposals. The information requested in these instructions should be used as a guide for formatting and preparing the proposal. Offerors should follow the instructions in Section L of the solicitation, plus include the information requested in this attachment.

Offerors are advised to consider the Statement of Work (SOW), all reference material, and attachments, the technical evaluation criteria, and the RFP, in the development of their Technical Proposal.

Technical Proposal shall not exceed 50 pages. Total page count does NOT include Cover Sheet; Table of Contents; Section Dividers that do not contain information other than title of Section; Resumes/CVs;

certifications and licensures; and letters of intent by staff and letters of commitment by proposed consultants and subcontractors. All proposal documentation shall be PDF searchable.

FORMATTING AND LAYOUT

Use your usual word processing and spreadsheet programs to prepare and format the technical and business proposals. For Excel files, please ensure everything is formula based and that there are no references to outside files. Offerors must refer to the solicitation Attachment entitled “Packaging and Delivery of the Proposal,” which details strict guidelines, including page limitations, formatting and layout of proposals and prohibits the offerors use of links to internet web site addresses (URLs) to direct readers to alternate sources of information.

Documents submitted using Adobe .pdf shall be submitted using a .pdf searchable format.

• Type size must be 10 to 12 points.

• Print setup must be standard letter size (8.5 x 11").

• Proposals shall NOT include links to Internet Web site addresses (URLs) or otherwise direct readers/reviewers to alternate sources of information.

• Additional appendices may be added as needed.

• The proposal with pagination, including appendices, shall be formatted in sections, cross referenced, and include a detailed Table of Contents with page references.

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL – TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

The offeror’s proposal (e.g., Word, PDF, or other files) should demonstrate conformance with Section 508 as instructed at Create Accessible Digital Products and HHS Accessibility Resources. (Click on the blue links for further information.)

1. PROPOSAL TITLE PAGE:

Include RFP title and number, name of organization, UEI number, and proposal part. In addition, please identify the business representative and contact information (address, email, phone) for the person authorized to negotiate a contract on behalf of the organization and the Principal Investigator and their contact information.

2. PROPOSAL SUMMARY AND DATA RECORD (NIH-2043)

https://www.section508.gov/create/ https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/additional-resources/index.html

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3. TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 2: MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

THE OFFEROR SHALL INCLUDE ALL INFORMATION WHICH DOCUMENTS AND/OR SUPPORTS THE

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA IN ONE CLEARLY MARKED SECTION OF ITS TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL.

The MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA establish conditions that must be met at the time of receipt of the Final Proposal Revision (FPR) by the Contracting Officer. If the Offeror's FPR does not meet the following mandatory criteria, the proposal will not be eligible for award.

The Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) will staff the Contact Center (CC). Proposed OCN staff must hold at least one of the following certifications OCN®, CPON®, AOCNP® and/or AOCNS®.

The Offeror must demonstrate that the proposed OCN staff meets the above mandatory criteria by providing a copy of any of the four certifications mentioned above in the technical proposal. Preferably, this documentation should be provided as part of the initial technical proposal if it is available. If the documentation is not provided with the initial technical proposal, it must be included with the FPR to be eligible for the award.

In addition, the Offeror shall document that the Contractor’s business and its employees performing this project are within the defined service areas of the United States (US).

SECTION 3: TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS

The proposal shall be organized by each criterion. A) Understanding the Work/Technical Approach, B) Experience/Capabilities and Management of Personnel, and C) Organizational Experience and D) Transition In. Please note that the offeror should not regurgitate the requirements in the statement of work.

Below information is provided to be helpful, however, it may not be inclusive of all the evaluation criteria. Be sure that you have provided information to satisfy each technical evaluation criteria (Section M) in your proposal.

A. UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK/TECHNICAL APPROACH

1. The technical proposal must indicate how each aspect of the SOW will be accomplished and should reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work to be performed. The proposal should include information on how the project will be organized, and demonstrate an understanding of management challenges, and time frames for planning and accomplishing the work to be performed.

2. Discuss meeting operation standards for a) service access; b) service quality; and c) customer satisfaction and requirements when improvements are needed.

3. Discuss the ability to collect data and the steps to be taken to ensure complete and reliable information.

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4. Discuss the Offeror’s forward thinking and innovative approach to the overall operation of the

CC.

5. Discuss the proposed security and equipment. The Government prefers the Offeror provide these services in a remote environment; however, the Offeror may propose the environment most suitable for their unique technical approach. Discuss the proposed facilities/environment, security, and equipment to be used. In addition, include a discussion documenting the security of all proposed facilities/environments, and adequate software and hardware.

6. Provide a plan indicating how the Offeror will limit local and long-distance network outages at their location through local carrier access network diversity. Indicate which local carrier access network diversity plan your organization has in place.

7. Response to Scenario (not to exceed 4 pages)

The scenario described below provides an example of an actual situation that the Contractor may encounter while performing the SOW. Responses to this scenario should demonstrate understanding of quality management, training, and ability to manage a program with changing staffing requirements. Pertinent issues related to performing the task or solving the problem should be presented.

Scenario: Navigating Cancer Related Challenges- NCI aims for clients who use our services to receive the most up-to-date information relevant to where they are in their cancer experience.

Gaps in access to care and available support services can create ongoing challenges and changes in their information needs over time. Draft and submit a plan identifying strategy, challenges, and opportunities, designed around helping patients navigate cancer-related challenges that would help to enhance services offered through the CIS.

B. EXPERIENCE/CAPABILITIES AND MANAGEMENT OF PERSONNEL

The Contractor will need to employ and retain competent, qualified personnel to perform the tasks of this contract. Offerors should carefully consider the number and type of staff necessary to fulfill the tasks in the SOW and include an organizational chart and staffing plan for the Contact Center team. The Contractor shall discuss the management approach to staffing, training and transition to independent functioning across multiple channels, time zones and languages. Discuss the challenges and possible solutions of hiring staff for this type of requirement.

1. Key Personnel

Key Personnel for Contact Center:

Key Personnel for the CC should consist of the following: Program Director (PD), Contact Center Manager (CCM), Training Manager (TM), and Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN). Key Personnel may not be consultants and should not serve other roles in the contract. Provide the percentage of time proposed for each key personnel; the availability of key personnel named in the proposal with letters of intent; and indicate any other commitments of key personnel, i.e., those commitments beyond the proposed position that could inhibit their availability.

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Resumes for each proposed Key Personnel should include:

a. Educational background.

b. Recent and prior experience related to CC operations.

c. Experience applicable to tasks in the SOW.

d. Names and employment period of previous employers.

The following describes the Key Personnel job description, estimated number of key personnel required, and qualification requirements for the CIS project:

Program Director (1)

The Program Director (PD) will be responsible for the overall management, budget management, and day-to-day operations of the contract and will be the primary contact for the Government regarding contract implementation. The PD is responsible for staffing NCI’s CC to ensure overall program management and attainment of performance standards.

The PD should have background and experience in managing complex budgets, human, and other administrative resources concerned with the operation of a major communications program. The PD is responsible for effective communication with the contracting organization to ensure support for the program and a positive relationship with the contracting organization. A chief obligation of the PD is to ensure that contract staff are fully informed of communications from the Government in a timely way and that management systems ensure that all contract deliverables are met. A 100%-time commitment is estimated for this project.

Contact Center Manager (1)

The Contact Center Manager (CCM) is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a multi-channel CC including, but not limited to telephone (cancer information and smoking cessation inquiries), LiveHelp, and Cancer.gov E-mail. The CCM should have 5 years’ experience in managing a multi-channel CC (or equivalent) and must have strong knowledge of performance and quality management. The CCM shall have the ability to mobilize staff to adapt to new technologies and program priorities. A 100%-time commitment is estimated for this Project.

The primary responsibilities of the CCM are:

a. Ensure staffing for all access channels consistent with performance measures.

b. Ensure adherence to schedules, real time management of staffing and contact queues and provide all needed information to ensure successful operation of the Government’s workforce management system.

c. Manage organizational performance to meet the SOW.

d. Ensure that a comprehensive training plan is implemented in the CC for all staff.

e. Ensure a comprehensive quality assurance process is implemented in the CC.

f. Ensure that staff have adequate supervision, resources and equipment needed to perform their work; and

g. Ensure effective planning and implementation in support of research activities to be performed in the CC.

Training Manager (1)

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The Training Manager is responsible for oversight and implementation of the CC training program as described in Task 4 of the SOW. The Training Manager will adhere to Government policies and guidelines related to training and program operations. The Training Manager should have 5 years training experience (or equivalent), relevant training certification, and/or an advanced degree with a concentration in education or related field.

The Training Manager must demonstrate competency in training curriculum design and development, assessment of learning needs, implementation of a comprehensive training program that includes all aspects of training outlined in Task 4, development of professional development plans, and assessment of training results. The Training Manager integrates results of training with other CC processes including hiring, quality monitoring and performance management. Cancer knowledge, organizational management, and communications experience are required. A 100%-time commitment is preferred for this project.

The primary responsibilities of the Training Manager are:

a. Ensure quality of training for all staff, including training on all access channels.

b. Track outcomes of training on performance.

c. Collaborate with CCM, supervisors and Oncology Certified Nurses in delivery of training and coaching Information Specialists.

d. Ensure that staff serving as trainers are competent and knowledgeable about training topics and content within the modules; and

e. Ensure training resources are available to staff.

Oncology Certified Nurse (1)

The OCN must have cancer content and cancer clinical trials expertise as they play a key role in all aspects of training, including training curriculum development and delivery of components of initial training and continuing education (see Task 4), and providing expertise to other trainers.

OCN will assist in coaching/mentoring Information Specialists and Supervisors in handling clinical trials inquiries through all access channels and to attain additional knowledge and skills in their roles, and as defined in Task 4 of the SOW. OCN will also assist CCM in mentoring Supervisors. Recent clinical experience or work in academic research is desirable.

Key Personnel for Additional Services (VA Options):

The Contractor will ensure the VA Quitline is managed by experienced personnel who are qualified to conduct of similar skill for a CC and who have a proven background and level of experience for the work required. Key Personnel include only those persons who will be assigned to this project and who will be the actual personnel responsible for management and or performance of this Task.

Program Manager (1)

The Program Manager is responsible for daily supervision of other Supervisors, Information Specialists, quality assurance on all access channels, and performance feedback and coaching of all IS. The Program Manager must be knowledgeable about CC operations, including workforce management, training, and smoking cessation information resources.

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The Program Manager must have in-depth knowledge of cessation content and NCI information resources used to respond to contacts on all access channels. The Program Manager must demonstrate excellent communication skills, be able to work cohesively in teams, mentors IS, and provides exemplary service in the CC. The Supervisor position description described applies to English and Spanish language supervisory tasks.

Program Manager must be competent and proficient in:

a. Interpersonal communication.

b. Knowledge of smoking cessation protocols.

c. Knowledge of the CC quality assurance process.

d. Performing accurate quality assurance on all access channels (interpreting quality standards, calibrating with other Supervisors and NCI).

e. Communicating performance feedback to IS.

f. Coaching/mentoring IS.

g. Tracking, analyzing, and reporting performance results to IS and CC management.

h. Providing real time support in the CC, assisting IS with questions, problems, resource retrieval; and

i. Training IS on CC operations and/or other areas as directed by the CCM.

2. Additional Personnel

The following positions are considered additional personnel, meaning that the Government does not specify the estimated number of staff for each of these positions nor require curriculum vitae or resumes for these positions. Additional Personnel may serve multiple roles in the contract.

Additional Personnel for Contact Center:

Information Specialists

NCI’s Information Specialists (IS) respond to inquiries in English and/or Spanish. IS are trained on multiple access channels, including telephone (1-800-4-CANCER and 1-877-44U- QUIT), LiveHelp, and Cancer.gov E-mail. IS complete the NCI Initial Training Program prior to responding to contacts. IS shall be trained on access channels based upon the staffing needs on each channel and public usage of each access channel. Training will likely include cross training on multiple access channels.

MUST be competent and proficient in their ability to:

a. Identify the information needs of clients.

b. Provide information that meets the needs of clients.

c. Provide information in accordance with quality standards, and according to NCI policies and procedures.

d. Collect data on each interaction using the tools (Calabrio, Workforce Management, Call

Monitoring) provided by NCI.

e. Conduct appropriate follow-up activities.

f. Meet all key performance indicators of the contract.

g. Participate in NCI-directed pilot projects.

h. Use of Microsoft Office.

i. Speak and write using plain language and knowledge management databases and provide responses using NCI information resources, such as NCI’s website.

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j. Develop responses using standard templates; and

k. Utilize systems and technology for each access channel.

Supervisors

Supervisors are responsible for daily supervision of Information Specialists, quality assurance on all access channels, and performance feedback and coaching of all IS.

Supervisors are knowledgeable about CC operations, including workforce management, training, and cancer information resources. Supervisors must have in-depth knowledge of cancer content and NCI information resources used to respond to contacts on all access channels. Supervisors must demonstrate excellent communication skills, can work cohesively in teams, mentor IS, and provide exemplary service in the CC. The Supervisor position description described applies to English and Spanish language supervisory tasks.

Supervisors must be competent and proficient in:

a. Interpersonal communication.

b. Knowledge of cancer across the cancer continuum, from prevention to survivorship.

c. Knowledge of the CC quality assurance process.

d. Performing accurate quality assurance on all access channels (interpreting quality standards, calibrating with other Supervisors and NCI).

e. Communicating performance feedback to IS.

f. Coaching/mentoring IS.

g. Tracking, analyzing, and reporting performance results to IS and CC management.

h. Providing real time support in the CC, assisting IS with questions, problems, resource

i. Training IS on CC operations and/or other areas as directed by the CCM.

Resource Coordinator

The Resource Coordinator (RC) is the expert on cancer information resources used in the CC.

The RC shall have in-depth knowledge of cancer information, cancer clinical trials, cancer information resources and other resources designated for use by the CC. The RC will coordinate the integration of resources into the CC; maintain all resources, including knowledge databases and standard language repositories; serve as the liaison to NCI on resource and content needs in the Center, and serve as a reviewer of NCI publications. The RC will work closely with the management team to support the training of all program staff according to Task 4 of the SOW. The RC functions apply to English and Spanish language needs of the CC.

Science Writers NCI’s Science Writers (SW) respond to more complex, tier II inquiries in English and/or Spanish. SWs are trained on multiple access channels, including telephone (1-800-4-CANCER and 1-877-44U-QUIT), LiveHelp, and Cancer.gov E-mail. SW complete the NCI Initial Training Program prior to responding to contacts. SW shall be trained on access channels based upon the staffing needs on each channel and public usage of each access channel. Training will likely include cross training on multiple access channels.

MUST be competent and proficient in their ability to:

a. Identify the information needs of clients.

b. Provide information that meets the needs of clients.

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c. Provide information in accordance with quality standards, and according to NCI policies and procedures.

d. Collect data on each interaction using the tools (Calabrio, Workforce Management, Call Monitoring) provided by NCI.

e. Conduct appropriate follow-up activities.

f. Meet all key performance indicators of the contract.

g. Participate in NCI-directed pilot projects.

h. Use of Microsoft Office.

i. Speak and write using plain language and knowledge management databases and provide responses using NCI information resources, such as NCI’s website.

j. Develop complex responses that may require multiple rounds of review and approval.

k. Use standard templates; and

l. Utilize systems and technology for each access channel.

Other additional Personnel for the CC may include, but not limited to: Budget Analyst and System Administrator

Additional Personnel VA Options

Supervisors

Supervisors are responsible for daily supervision of Information Specialists, quality assurance on all access channels, and performance feedback and coaching of all IS.

Supervisors are knowledgeable about CC operations, including workforce management, training, and information resources. Supervisors must have in-depth knowledge of content and NCI information resources used to respond to contacts on all access channels.

Supervisors must demonstrate excellent communication skills, can work cohesively in teams, mentor IS, and provide exemplary service in the CC. The Supervisor position description described applies to English and Spanish language supervisory tasks.

Supervisors must be competent and proficient in:

a. Interpersonal communication.

b. Knowledge of the CC quality assurance process.

c. Performing accurate quality assurance on all access channels (interpreting quality standards, calibrating with other Supervisors and NCI).

d. Communicating performance feedback to IS.

e. Coaching/mentoring IS.

f. Tracking, analyzing, and reporting performance results to IS and CC management.

g. Providing real time support in the CC, assisting IS with questions, problems, resource

h. Training IS on CC operations and/or other areas as directed by the CCM.

Information Specialists NCI’s Information Specialists (IS) respond to inquiries in English and/or Spanish. IS complete the NCI Initial Training Program prior to responding to contacts.

IS will be competent and proficient in their ability to:

a. Identify the information needs of clients.

b. Provide information that meets the needs of clients.

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c. Provide information in accordance with quality standards, and according to NCI policies and procedures.

d. Collect data on each interaction using the tools provided by NCI.

e. Conduct appropriate follow-up activities.

f. Meet all key performance indicators of the contract.

g. Participate in NCI-directed pilot projects.

h. Use of Microsoft Office.

i. Speak and write using plain language and knowledge management databases and provide responses using NCI information resources.

j. Develop responses using standard templates; and

k. Utilize systems and technology for each access channel.

3. Organizational Chart

Structure of CC management team, including staff/supervisory relationships and other personnel.

4. Staffing Plan

a. Rationale for number of staff in relation to all aspects of the CC operations; and

b. If staff are unknown at time of proposal, indicate which positions are “To Be Named” (TBN).

C. ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Proposals must demonstrate, at a minimum, 5 years of experience as an organization operating and managing a cancer related, multi-channel CC. The Offerors’ organizational experience with quality management and improvement, staff recruitment, training, performance, and budget management should be discussed.

The proposal should also discuss the organizational experience about cancer including:

1. Understanding of the cancer continuum from prevention to survivorship.

2. Knowledge concerning cancer sites.

3. Organizational knowledge, capacity and resources that support the needs of the Contact Center, including an understanding of health communication research.

D. TRANSITION PLAN

Please provide a Transition-in Plan (not to exceed 3 pages) to a new contract which includes the following:

Timeline and approach for hiring and training staff.

a. Description of how access channels will be staffed.

b. Estimated number of staff to be hired and trained for each position.

c. Discuss the plan for hybrid/remote work.

d. Plan for reporting status of transition.

Note: If the Offeror is the incumbent Contractor, submit a Transition-in Plan consistent with that role in regard to the above items.

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Other Considerations Record and discuss specific factors not included elsewhere which support your proposal. Use specifically titled subparagraphs to address issues which may include:

Any agreements and/or arrangements with subcontractor(s). Provide as much detail as necessary to explain how the SOW will be accomplished within this working relationship, including the lines of communication from the Offeror to the subcontractor and back to the Government. Include the method and level of integration between the prime and subcontractor(s), and the expected advantages of such an approach.

Please note, release, publication, and use of data: Please note that all data first produced or specifically used by the Contractor in the performance of this contract shall not be used, released to others, reproduced, distributed, or published, unless expressly authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer.