75N95022R00102 SF 18 RFQ.pdf

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION

(THIS IS NOT AN ORDER)

THIS RFQ: IS NOT A SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

PAGE OF PAGES

1 9

1. REQUEST NO.

75N95022R00102

2. DATE ISSUED

09/15/2022

3. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NO.

TBD

4. CERT. FOR NAT. DEF.

UNDER BDSA REG. 2

AND/OR DMS REG. 1

RATING

5a. ISSUED BY

NIH, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), NINDS Section

6. DELIVER BY (Date)

5b. FOR INFORMATION CALL (NO COLLECT CALLS) 7. DELIVERY

OTHER

FOB DESTINATION (See Schedule) NAME

Arun Mathur, arun.mathur@nih.gov

TELEPHONE NUMBER

AREA CODE

NUMBER

9. DESTINATION

a. NAME OF CONSIGNEE

National Institute on Drug Abuse 8. TO:

a. NAME All interested offerors

b. COMPANY b. STREET ADDRESS

11601 Landsdown Street

c. STREET ADDRESS c. CITY

Bethesda

d. CITY e. STATE f. ZIP CODE d. STATE

MD

e. ZIP CODE

20892

10. PLEASE FURNISH QUOTATIONS TO THE

ISSUING OFFICE IN BLOCK 5a ON OR BEFORE CLOSE OF BUSINESS (Date)

9/20/2022, 10 A.M. EST

IMPORTANT: This is a request for information and quotations furnished are not offers. If you are unable to quote, please so indicate on this form and return it to the address in Block 5a. This request does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of this quotation or to contract for supplies or service. Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter. Any representations and/or certifications attached to this Request for Quotation must be completed by the quoter.

11. SCHEDULE (Include applicable Federal, State and local taxes)

ITEM NO.

(a)

SUPPLIES/ SERVICES

(b)

QUANTITY

(c)

UNIT

(d)

UNIT PRICE

(e)

AMOUNT

(f)

This is a request for quotation of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Scientific Research Preparatory Program which is to train and support a diverse cohort of individuals, including those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science, and to prepare them to be competitive applicants for the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) or an equivalent summer research training program in the U.S.

Attachments:

1) Statement of Work

2) Summer One Curriculum

3) Supplemental Proposal Instructions

4) Technical Evaluation Criteria

5) FAR 52.213-4, Terms and Conditions

6) Invoice Instructions (w/ IPP and w/o IPP)

7) Representations & Certifications

12. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

a. 10 CALENDAR DAYS (%) b. 20 CALENDAR DAYS (%) c. 30 CALENDAR DAYS (%) d. CALENDAR DAYS

NUMBER PERCENTAGE

NOTE: Additional provisions and representations are are not attached.

13. NAME AND ADDRESS OF QUOTER 14. SIGNATURE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO

SIGN QUOTATION

15. DATE OF QUOTATION

a. NAME OF QUOTER

b. STREET ADDRESS 16. SIGNER

a. NAME (Type or print) b. TELEPHONE

c. COUNTY AREA CODE

d. CITY e. STATE f. ZIP CODE c. TITLE (Type or print) NUMBER

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition not usable

STANDARD FORM 18 (REV. 6-95)

Prescribed by GSA-FAR (48 CFR) 53.215-1(a)

Page | 2

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION

PART I – GENERAL INFORMATION TO RESPONDENTS

1.1. Introduction

This Request for Quote (RFQ) is prepared in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. You are hereby invited to submit a quote-proposal in response to this RFQ. Respondents may submit a response in accordance with the instructions in this document.

a. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a requirement of the Scientific

Research Preparatory Program is to train and support a diverse cohort of individuals, including those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science, and to prepare them to be competitive applicants for the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) or an equivalent summer research training program in the U.S.

b. Acquisition Authority: This acquisition is being conducted under Federal

Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, which is $250,000. The resultant contract award will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2022-07, dated 08/10/2022.

c. North American Classification System (NAICS) Code: 611310 Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Small Business Size Standard:

$30.5M

d. Set-aside Status: No restrictions, Full and Open Competition

e. Competition Status: Competitive

2.1. Contact Points

The contact points for this requirement are as follows:

a. Contracting Officer: The Contracting Officer (CO) is the only person with authority to act as agent of the Government. Only the CO has authority to: (1) direct or negotiate any changes; (2) modify or extend the period of performance; (3) change the delivery schedule; (4) authorize reimbursement to the contractor any costs incurred during the performance; or (5) otherwise change any terms and conditions of the award.

Arun Mathur Email Address: arun.mathur@nih.gov

b. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

The following Contracting Officer Representative (COR) will represent the Government for the purpose of this contract:

[To be specified at time of award]

The COR is responsible for: (1) monitoring the Contractor’s technical progress, including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the Contracting Officer changes in requirements; (2) interpreting the statement of work and any other technical performance requirements; (3) performing technical evaluation as required; (4) performing technical inspections and acceptances required by this contract; and (5) assisting in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance.

mailto:arun.mathur@nih.gov

Page | 3

The Contracting Officer is the only person with authority to act as agent of the Government under this contract. Only the Contracting Officer has authority to: (1) direct or negotiate any changes in the statement of work; (2) modify or extend the period of performance; (3) change the delivery schedule; (4) authorize reimbursement to the Contractor for any costs incurred during the performance of this contract; or (5) otherwise change any terms and conditions of this contract.

The Government may unilaterally change the COR designation.

3.1 Proposal Submission

a. The respondent must submit its quote package (business volume, technical volume, signed FAR provisions at 52.204-26 and 52.204-24 pursuant to FAR 4.2103 Procedures) to arun.mathur@nih.gov by 10:00 A.M., Eastern Standard Time, on 09/20/2022.

The request for quote number and the respondent’s company name must be referenced in the subject line of the email transmission.

b. The quote must be signed by an authorized signatory authority of the company.

c. Your quote package should include:

1) Business Volume

2) Technical Volume

*See attached Supplemental Proposal Instructions for details on how to prepare your quote package.*

4.1 Request for Clarification/Questions

a. Requests for clarification/solicitation questions may be submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer not later than 12 P.M., Eastern Standard Time on Friday, September 16, 2022.

b. When submitting requests for clarification, respondents must cite the relevant section, paragraph, and page number. Questions should be written in a way that enables clear understanding of the respondents’ issues or concerns. Statements expressing opinions, sentiments, or conjectures are not considered valid inquiries and will not be provided a response. Further, respondents are reminded that the Contracting Officer will not address hypothetical questions aimed at receiving a potential “evaluation decision.”

c. Respondents may submit no more than ten (10) questions for clarification.

d. Written responses to the questions will be provided to all respondents through an amendment to the solicitation on Contract Opportunities on SAM.gov.

5.1 Award Date and Number of Awards

a. It is anticipated that one or more awards will be made from this solicitation and that the award(s) will be made on/about 09/26/2022.

b. It is anticipated that the award(s) from this RFQ is Firm Fixed-Price type with an anticipated period of performance of:

Base Period: 09/30/2022 – 09/29/2023 Option Period One (1): 09/30/2023 – 09/29/2024

See attached Statement of Work for more details.

6.1 Late Proposal Provisions

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a. Any proposal, modification, or revision that is received at the designated Government office after the exact date and time specified for receipt of proposals is “late” and may not be considered, at the discretion of the Contracting Officer.

Proposals received “late” may not be evaluated or considered for award and may be returned to the offeror.

b. Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government installation includes the time/date stamp of that installation on the proposal wrapper, other documentary evidence of receipt maintained by the installation, or oral testimony or statements of Government personnel.

c. If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that proposals cannot be received at the Government office designated for receipt of proposals by the exact time specified in the solicitation, and urgent Government requirements preclude amendment of the solicitation closing date, the time specified for receipt of proposals will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the solicitation on the first work day on which normal Government processes resume.

7.1 Terms and Conditions

a. In responding to this RFQ, it is the respondent’s responsibility to provide current, relevant, complete, and accurate information in their quotation.

b. This RFQ does not commit the Government to pay any cost incurred in the submission of quotes-proposals or make necessary studies or designs for the preparation thereof, nor to procure or contract for the products or services.

c. The Contracting Officer is the only individual who can legally commit the

Government to the expenditure of public funds in connection with this RFQ. Any other commitment, either explicit or implied, is invalid.

d. A response to this RFQ is not to be considered an offer that can be accepted by the

Government to form a binding contract. The actual purchase order is considered the offer by the Government to the contractor and the respondent’s written acceptance of the purchase order, or the commencement of performance under the order, is the respondent’s indication of their acceptance of the offer.

e. In addition to the clauses and/or provisions of this RFQ, the resultant purchase order may include FAR Clause 52.213-4 Terms and Conditions—Simplified Acquisition (Other Than Commercial Items), and any other clauses and/or provisions required by Public Law, Executive Order, or the Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulations (HHSAR) applicable to or in effect at the time of execution of the award.

f. Potential award without discussions. The Government reserves the right to issue an award(s) without discussions if the Contracting Officer determines that the initial prices are fair and reasonable and that discussions are not necessary.

g. If an award(s) will be made without conducting discussions, the respondent may be given the opportunity to clarify certain aspects of its proposal to which the respondent has not previously had an opportunity to respond or to resolve minor or clerical errors.

h. The RFQ may be amended or canceled, as necessary, to meet the

Government’s requirements.

i. All documents and deliverables described in this RFQ and amendments or modifications, shall be submitted in a professional manner and on the prime respondent’s letterhead. All work (hardware, software and services) must be Year 2000 Compliant.

Page | 5

j. The following FAR Provisions and Clauses are either incorporated by reference or included in full text.:

FAR 52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998) This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

https://www.acquisition.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/part-352-solicitation-provisions-contract-clauses/index.html

(End of provision)

FAR 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998) This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

https://www.acquisition.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/part-352-solicitation-provisions-contract-clauses/index.html

(End of clause)

1) The provisions of FAR Clause 52.213-4 Terms and Conditions – Simplified

Acquisition (Other Than Commercial Items or Services) – attached.

2) FAR 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options (July 1990)

3) FAR Clause 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000)

The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within the current period of performance provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 30 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed two years.

(End of Clause)

4) FAR 52.227-17, Rights in Data – Special Works (Dec 2007)

5) HHSAR Clause 352.237-75 Key Personnel (Dec 2015)

6) HHSAR Clause 352.227-70, Publications and Publicity (Dec 2015) https://www.acquisition.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/part-352-solicitation-provisions-contract-clauses/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/part-352-solicitation-provisions-contract-clauses/index.html https://www.acquisition.gov/

Page | 6

7) HHSAR Clause 352.231-70 Salary Rate Limitation (Dec 2015)

8) FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021) and FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation (Oct 2020) in accordance with FAR 4.2103 Procedures – attached. *REQUIRES

SIGNATURE AND RETURN WITH YOUR PROPOSAL.

PART II – SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES

1.0. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES

The purpose of the Scientific Research Preparatory Program is to train and support a diverse cohort of individuals, including those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science, and to prepare them to be competitive applicants for the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) or an equivalent summer research training program in the U.S. The program is designed specifically for rising freshman and sophomore undergraduate students (preferred) who have little or no prior research experience and intend to pursue a career in STEM-M (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine). Rising juniors and seniors in high school may be considered along with an appropriate curriculum for this targeted audience. In line with the NIH’s notice of their interest in diversifying the scientific workforce (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-031.html), the program will contribute to the development of students at institutions that have a historical focus of serving students from underrepresented populations (i.e., minority-serving institutions) and ultimately foster their career success in the sciences. The program aims to contribute to the development of students from institutions that are underrepresented in NIH funding sources and that may lack the infrastructure to participate in NIH grant program opportunities.

2.0. DESCRIPTION / SPECIFICATIONS / WORK STATEMENT

See attached Statement of Work, Curriculum Topics, and Supplemental Proposal Instructions.

PART III – PROPOSAL INFORMATION AND

INSTRUCTIONS

1.1. General

a. Responses to this RFQ will be evaluated to determine the contractor(s) that can best meet the Government’s needs at the best value. The evaluation results in assessment of the respondent’s ability to successfully accomplish the requirement.

Therefore, the Contractor should read the RFQ carefully before preparing their response. The response should be practical, clear, and concise; and should comprehensively address the requirements of this RFQ.

b. Assumptions, conditions, or exceptions with any of the terms and conditions of this

RFQ must be noted. If not noted, the Government will assume that no assumptions, conditions, or exceptions are made and the respondent agrees to comply with all of the terms and conditions as set forth in the RFQ.

c. Information requested herein must be furnished in writing fully and completely in compliance with the RFQ. The information requested and the manner of submittal is essential to permit prompt evaluation of all offers on a fair and uniform basis. Simple statements of compliance (i.e., “understood”; “will comply”) or phrases such as “standard procedures will be used” or “well known techniques will be utilized” and other generalities, without the detailed description of how compliance will be met, may not be considered sufficient evidence that the proposal can technically meet the

Page | 7 project requirements. Accordingly, any proposal in which material information requested is not furnished or where indirect or incomplete answers or information are provided may be considered not acceptable.

d. Respondents may, at their discretion, submit alternate proposals or proposals that deviate from the RFQ provided that a proposal for performance of work, as specified in the SOW, is also submitted. The alternate proposal may be considered if overall performance would be improved or not be compromised and if it is in the best interest of the Government. Alternate proposals or deviations from any requirements of this RFQ must be clearly identified.

e. The quote-proposal must be signed by an official authorized to bind the respondent’s organization.

f. The Government may request clarifying information from the respondent as it relates to its proposal.

g. The Government reserves the right to reject any or all offers or any part thereof and to waive any minor informality or irregularity in offers received.

2.1. Evaluation of Quotes and Award Determination

a. The Government will evaluate all responses received using the evaluation criteria as set forth in the attached “Technical Evaluation Criteria.” Each response will be evaluated in strict conformity with the evaluation factors, utilizing written critiques.

The evaluation will be based upon the demonstrated capabilities of the prospective contractor(s) in relation to the needs of the project as set forth in the RFQ and Statement of Work.

b. The price quoted will also be evaluated. A price reasonable determination will be made, and a best value analysis will be performed. The best value analysis will take into consideration the results of the technical evaluation and price evaluation.

The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered.

c. All aspects of the quote are subject to discussion, including price, technical approach and terms and conditions. At the completion of discussions, the contractor will ensure their technical plan and price quote reflects the mutual understandings of the requirement and if requested, submit a revised technical plan and price quote to the Contracting Officer. The Technical plan should consist of the contractor’s intent and approach to this particular effort.

d. The Government may request clarifying information from the contractor, as it relates to its quote.

e. If an award(s) will be made without conducting discussions, contractors may be given the opportunity to clarify certain aspects of their quote or to resolve minor or clerical errors.

f. The Government reserves the right to make a single award, multiple awards, or no award at all as a result of this RFQ. In addition, the RFQ may be amended or canceled as necessary to meet the Government’s requirements.

g. Offerors should review the attached Supplemental Proposal Instructions.

3.1 Technical Proposal Instructions and Format

a. The technical proposal is the most important item in the evaluation of the

Page | 8 respondent’s capability to perform the desired services. Therefore, the proposal must present sufficient information to reflect a thorough understanding of the work requirements and a detailed technical approach for achieving project objectives as set forth in the SOW.

b. All aspects of a proposal are subject to discussion, including price, technical approach, and terms and conditions. At the completion of discussions, the contractor must ensure its technical plan and price-cost proposal reflect the mutual understandings of the requirement and, if requested, submit a revised technical plan and price-cost proposal. The technical plan should consist of the respondent’s intent and approach to the requirements, any considerations that should be made by the Government, as well as any additional information that expresses the respondent’s position above competitors for this effort.

See attached Supplemental Proposal Instructions for more details.

4.1 Price-Cost Proposal Instructions

a. A firm fixed-price (FFP) proposal is requested. The fixed price quote should include a fixed price for performance of the Base Period, Option Period (One) 1, and a sum total. This is not a cost reimbursable order, therefore, it is not expected that your quote include estimated cost elements that is more traditionally part of a cost reimbursable requirement.

5.1 Evaluation Factors

The Government will award a purchase order or orders resulting from this requirement on the basis of best value, technical factors and price considered. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined are significantly more important than cost or price.

See attached Technical Evaluation Criteria for details.

6.1 Invoice Instructions

See attached Invoice Instructions either with IPP or without IPP.

ATTACHMENT 1

STATEMENT OF WORK

09/15/2022

Title of Project:

Scientific Research Preparatory Program

Statement of Need and Purpose:

The purpose of the Scientific Research Preparatory Program is to train and support a diverse cohort of individuals, including those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science, and to prepare them to be competitive applicants for the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) or an equivalent summer research training program in the U.S. The program is designed specifically for rising freshman and sophomore undergraduate students (preferred) who have little or no prior research experience and intend to pursue a career in STEM-M (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine). Rising juniors and seniors in high school may be considered along with an appropriate curriculum for this targeted audience. In line with the NIH’s notice of their interest in diversifying the scientific workforce (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-031.html), the program will contribute to the development of students at institutions that have a historical focus of serving students from underrepresented populations (i.e., minority-serving institutions) and ultimately foster their career success in the sciences. The program aims to contribute to the development of students from institutions that are underrepresented in NIH funding sources and that may lack the infrastructure to participate in NIH grant program opportunities.

Both the enrichment activities during the academic year and the seven-to-eight-week summer course should promote strong mentor/mentee relationships within the institution as well as provide opportunities for students to network with scientists in the local community. A comprehensive curriculum should be offered to introduce students to both clinical and basic research, areas of biology including neuroscience, health disparities across a range of diseases, professional development topics, relevant areas of college readiness, and the many careers in biomedical research and in the field of medicine.

For this program, eligible institutions must (1) award science degrees to undergraduate students (B.S. and B.A.), (2) have a historical mission of educating students from backgrounds that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis, (i.e., African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and U.S. Pacific Islanders), and (3) received less than $6 million per year in NIH R01 support (total funding) within the last fiscal year.

R01 support data for the latter requirement can be confirmed using the NIH RePORTER.

Background Information and Objective:

The Scientific Research Preparatory Program is a pilot program to prepare students, including those from traditionally underrepresented populations, for career success in biomedical research and medicine. The objective of this program is to expose diverse students to basic and clinical laboratory procedures and other training activities for scientists. The enrichment activities during the academic year and summer course will also offer mentoring opportunities, professional development and college readiness seminars, career exploration activities, and preparation for applying to the NIH Summer Internship Program (and other equivalent research programs) in future years.

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-031.html https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-031.html https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/degreerecipients/ https://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm

Cohorts of 10-15 students per class level will be expected. Possible topics for a program will be provided, but each offeror is expected to tailor the curriculum to their student population and the existing resources at the institution. Virtual and hybrid (combination of in-person and virtual) program applications will be considered.

Students will acquire new technical and analytical skills, plus participate in professional development seminars and career planning activities. Basic laboratory facilities and access to local medical schools or clinical facilities are highly recommended to achieve the program’s goals.

This research preparatory program should offer hands-on laboratory activities, team-based research projects, and discussions on health disparities and areas of biology including neuroscience. The students shall be exposed to laboratory techniques commonly used in biomedical research, learn how to plan and perform experiments and analyze data effectively, maintain a laboratory notebook, and read and evaluate scientific literature. Students should also participate in a variety of academic support and career readiness seminars on topics such as time management, scientific writing, oral communication, and leadership skills. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about how health disparities affect various diseases and medical conditions that are often more prevalent in underserved rural, and urban communities. The curriculum shall also include a science lecture series; this training activity can give students a chance to interact with the institution’s faculty and distinguished scientists in the local community, to learn about their area of expertise and emerging technologies. Also, having weekly informal discussions about current events related to scientific developments and human health is strongly encouraged.

The following types of institutions are encouraged to apply:

• Hispanic Serving Institutions

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)

• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Anticipated Period of Performance:

This program has an anticipated period of performance as follows.

Base Period: 09/30/2022 – 09/29/2023 (12-months) Option Period One (1): 09/30/2023 – 09/29/2024 (12-months)

General Requirements:

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform this Statement of Work.

Specific Requirements:

Contract Type: A firm-fixed-price type purchase order with one option period is anticipated.

Level of Effort:

The Contractor shall furnish services, qualified personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government under the terms of this contract. The Contractor must have extensive experience in providing academic support services to students from underrepresented populations as well as coordinating scientific research projects in the areas of biology.

The Contractor must oversee the curriculum in its entirety and provide the personnel for all employment needs of the program. A sample curriculum will be provided by NINDS, and coordination with the institution’s science departments and other local universities are highly recommended for access to laboratory and clinical facilities as well as the curriculum development for various scientific topics such as neuroscience and health disparities.

Government Responsibilities Review individual’s credentials before the final selections are made for all levels of the required personnel. No access to government facilities required. Government will not provide any space or equipment to contract personnel.

Delivery or Deliverables

Task 1: Identify qualified key personnel; travel personnel as needed.

Task 2: Define and identify the supplies (both administrative and scientific) as well as all curriculum needs for the entire program.

Task 3: Coordinate with selected personnel to identify the appropriate students for the yearly cohort.

Task 4: Coordinate with selected personnel to provide a list of student enrichment activities that will occur during the academic year. At least two activities (professional development workshops, career sessions, and/or scientific lectures) are required throughout the academic year, during both the Fall and Spring semesters.

Task 5: Coordinate with selected personnel to create the summer curriculum and schedule, including a list of seminar and workshop titles and speakers.

Task 6: Provide a tentative agenda for both the summer welcome and farewell ceremonies to the COR.

Task 7: Create weekly and/or final evaluations for the summer program for participant feedback, collecting data on the effectiveness and areas of improvement of the program, student learning outcomes, satisfaction of training activities offered (both scientific and professional development), the quality of teaching/classroom environment, administrative processes, student demographics, etc. It should be submitted to the COR at the end of the summer program.

Task 8: Track all participant’s academic progression and successes for at least 2-4 years, after completing the program. This could include if the student consistently had a strong GPA during their freshman and sophomore college years (3.0 or above), remained a science major throughout their four years of college, graduated from the university/college with a B.S. or B.A. in the sciences, and/or participated in the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) or an equivalent summer research training program as an undergraduate.

Reporting Requirements The following documents must be provided to the COR for review within a month after the completion of the summer component of the program:

• A list of student participants,

• Finalized selected personnel with CVs attached,

• All training and courses materials used in the program,

• Finalized detailed schedule/curriculum for both the academic year and summer activities,

• Evaluation/survey results of the program, and

• Student tracking data

Travel:

• One of the program coordinators is required to be onsite during the activities occur during the academic year as well as the summer course. Group leaders and guest speakers can be traveled to the site when necessary.

Key Personnel:

• Two Program Co-Coordinators and Two Group Leaders: at least one program coordinator must have either a MD, PhD, or MD/PhD degree whereas both coordinators and group leaders should have experience working at a minority-serving institution, specifically with undergraduate advising, biomedical research experience, and/or teaching expertise in any area of biological sciences.

• Two Peer Mentors: both must be either a medical or graduate student or postdoctoral trainee who are actively involved in biomedical research at a local university and display a strong commitment to mentoring students from underrepresented populations.

• All personnel must be available from 8am to 5:30pm during the summer course as well as the specific times used for academic enrichment activities.

• All personnel must have experience with laboratory training and various techniques in any field related to biology.

Information System Security Plan:

N/A

Data Rights:

N/A

Section 508—Electronic and Information Technology Standards:

Section 508 of the rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that the Federal agencies’ electronic and information technology (EIT) is accessible to people with disabilities. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Final Rule for section 508 (EIT Accessibility) can be found at www.section508.gov and at the Access Board’s Web site at https://www.access-board.gov/508.htm. The contractor must state that it will comply with the requirements of Section 508.

Publications and Publicity:

NA

Confidentiality of Information:

The Contractor will treat all NIH-provided research data and information as confidential.

Additional Terms and Conditions:

Additional terms and and condition in FAR 52.213-4 Terms and Conditions—Simplified Acquisitions (Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services) (Jan 2022) will be applicable to this requirement.

http://www.section508.gov/ https://www.access-board.gov/508.htm https://www.access-board.gov/508.htm

ATTACHMENT 2

Title of Project:

Scientific Research Preparatory Program

Possible Topics for Academic Year and Summer Program

Career and Professional Development Topics:

• One-on-one mentoring

• Reading Scientific Literature

• Talking Science

• Successful Oral Presentation

• Preparing to apply to summer internship programs and fellowships

• Research Ethics/Responsible Conduct and Research

• Planning for Career Satisfaction and Success

• Networking Strategies

• Leadership Development

• CV/Resume Writing

• Wellness and Resilience for Young Scientists

• Keeping a Lab notebook

Science Topics:

• Neuroscience

• Human Anatomy and Physiology

• Mental Health

• Health Disparities

• Epidemiology/Statistics

• Public Health

• Nursing

• Chemistry

• Biology

ATTACHMENT 3

Supplemental Proposal Instructions

Offeror’s responses to the RFQ/solicitation shall be provided in two separate volumes as follows:

Volume Format Page Limitation Volume 1 – Business Volume

PDF and Excel None

Volume 2 – Technical Volume PDF No more than 30 pages, size 12 font, excluding resumes and table of contents.

Questions regarding this RFQ/solicitation must be sent to arun.mathur@nih.gov by TBD EST. Answers to all questions received will be provided as an amendment to the solicitation on Contract Opportunities within SAM.gov.

All submissions to the RFQ/solicitation must be received TBD and sent via email to arun.mathur@nih.gov. Submissions shall be in two volumes (Business Volume and Technical Volume), along with a signed FAR provision at 52.204-26 and 52.204-24 pursuant to FAR 4.2103 Procedures.

Supplemental instructions are as follows:

1. Business Volume

Offerors are expected to propose a fixed price quote which will contain a fixed price cost for the Base Period, Option Period One (1), and a total fixed price sum for both Periods combined. The Government is requesting a quote to obtain a successfully completed summer program (with related activities outlined in the Statement of Work). Therefore, the fixed price cost of the base period is your institute’s quoted cost to complete the base period activities as outlined in the Statement of Work. The fixed price cost of Option Period One (1) is your institute’s quoted cost to complete the Option Period One (1) activities as outlined in the Statement of Work. Since this is fixed- price, Offeror’s are not expected to provide estimated line by line cost element details that may be common in a cost reimbursable requirement.

NOTE: Food and beverage cannot be reimbursed through federal appropriated dollars in this requirement. Quotes should not include any food and beverage costs. Any food and beverages provided during the period of performance is at the cost of the contractor and not with contract funds.

2. Technical Volume

Offerors’ Technical Volume will be evaluated against the technical evaluation factors contained in the Technical Evaluation Criteria attached to the solicitation. It is important that Offerors Technical Volume have sufficient information to evaluate against the technical evaluation factors A detailed proposal of your summer course and yearlong program must be submitted for review, outlining the twelve deliverables listed in the SOW and how each task will be achieved. This should include:

• All proposed personnel with their CVs or resumes,

• A plan for student recruitment and the program’s selection process to attract highly qualified candidates,

• A weekly schedule/curriculum for the summer course and all of the activities for the academic year with possible speakers and seminar/workshop titles,

• A tentative agenda for the program’s opening and closing activities,

• Sample lesson/lecture plans with proposed science and professional development activities, the required laboratory materials or computer software, possible speakers/lecturers, and learning objectives for each activity,

• The drafted program evaluation(s), and

• A student tracking plan for all who completed the summer course and yearlong program.

All of these specifics proposed will be reviewed prior to the start of the program.

Your technical volume will be evaluated by a technical evaluation panel and scored based on the “Technical Evaluation Criteria” that is included as a separate attachment to this solicitation.

Therefore, offerors should ensure the information within their technical proposal is sufficient in detail and tailored to the evaluation factors and Statement of Work.

Technical Volume Format The suggested outline for the technical plan is as follows:

a. Work Scope

b. Objectives. State the overall objectives and the specific accomplishments you hope to achieve. Indicate the rationale for your plan, and relationship to comparable work in progress elsewhere. Review pertinent work already published which is relevant to this project and your proposed approach. This should support the scope of the project as you perceive it.

c. Approach. Discuss the possible or probable outcome of approaches proposed.

d. Methods. Describe in detail the methodologies you will use for the project, indicating your level of experience with each, areas of anticipated difficulties, and any unusual expenses you anticipate.

e. Schedule. Provide a schedule for completion of the work specified in the statement of work. Performance schedules shall be indicated for phases or segments, as applicable, as well as for the overall program. Schedules shall be shown in terms of calendar months from the date of authorization to proceed or, where applicable, from the date of a stated event, as for example, receipt of a required approval by the Contracting Officer. Unless the request for quotes indicates that the stipulated schedules are mandatory, they shall be treated as desired or recommended schedules.

f. Personnel. Describe the experience and qualifications of personnel who will be assigned for direct work on this project. Information is required which will show the composition of the task or work group, its general qualifications, and recent experience with similar equipment or programs.

Resumes for personnel should be provided. Each resume should not exceed more than two pages in length.

Past Performance Information

a. Offerors are requested to submit the following information as part of their Business Volume.

A list of the three (3) contracts completed during the past five years or currently being performed that is relevant to the work within this Statement of Work. Contracts listed may include those entered into by the Federal Government, agencies of state and local governments and commercial concerns. Offerors may also submit past performance information regarding predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience or subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to the instant acquisition. For the purposes of this solicitation, a "major subcontract" is defined as a subcontract award in excess of $500,000.

Include the following information for each contract or subcontract listed:

1. Name of Contracting Organization

2. Contract Number (for subcontracts, provide the prime contract number and the subcontract number)

3. Contract Type

4. Total Contract Value

5. Description of Requirement

6. Contracting Officer's Name and Telephone Number

7. Program Manager's Name and Telephone Number

8. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code

The Government is not required to contact all references provided by the offeror.

ATTACHMENT 4

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

Selection of quoter(s) for award will be based on an evaluation of proposals against three factors. The Government intends to award one, multiple, or no purchase orders resulting from this requirement, and will make award(s) to the quoter(s) whose quote(s) provides the best overall value, mandatory qualifications, technical factors and price considered. Technical factors together will be considered more important than price. The technical evaluation factors are listed in the order of importance, with Technical Capability being more important than Personnel Qualifications which is more important than Recruitment and Retention Plan.

Offerors must address all aspects of the SoW in their proposal to the requirements for technical factors 1, 2 and 3. You must provide sufficient information to allow evaluation of your proposal against the Technical Evaluation Criteria listed below.

Offerors are advised and cautioned that proposals will be evaluated solely on the information provided in the proposal unless otherwise noted. Failure to provide any of the information required by the solicitation will result in a less than favorable evaluation of your proposal.

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

Listed below are mandatory qualification criteria for the Quoter. THE OFFEROR SHALL

INCLUDE ALL INFORMATION WHICH DOCUMENTS AND/OR SUPPORTS THE

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA IN ONE CLEARLY MARKED SECTION OF ITS TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL.

The qualification criteria establish conditions that must be met at the time of receipt of Final Quotation Revisions (FQRs) by the Contracting Officer in order for your proposal to be considered any further for award.

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA Pass/Fail

Award science degrees to undergraduate students (B.S. and B.A.)

Have a historical mission of educating students from backgrounds that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (i.e., African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and U.S. Pacific Islanders)

Received less than $6 million per year in NIH R01 support (total funding) within the last fiscal year (FY 2021).

R01 support data for the latter requirement will https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/degreerecipients/ be confirmed using the NIH RePORTER.

TECHNICAL EVALUATION

The technical evaluation criteria listed below will be used by a technical evaluation panel to evaluate, score and rate technical proposals. These criteria are listed in the order of their relative importance with points

TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

Factor 1: Technical Capability

The Contractor’s proposal shall address each area of the statement of work requirements in sufficient detail to demonstrate a clear understanding of the statement of work and compliance with requirements. Technical Capability should also include organizational capability (experience) as indication of an offeror’s ability to successfully perform the statement of work.

(a) Capability of offeror to successfully provide both a clinical/ translational and basic research program, to include access to clinical and basic research facilities.

(b) Offeror's demonstrated history of working with development of students at institutions that have a historical focus of serving students from underrepresented populations.

Factor 2: Personnel Qualifications

The Contractor’s proposal shall be evaluated for level of conformance to the key personnel qualifications and personnel qualifications identified in the Statement of Work. Contractor’s proposal shall contain a resume/CV for each proposed staff member.

Factor 3: Recruitment & Retention Plan

Contractor’s proposal shall be evaluated on its ability to meet the recruitment of students outlined in the Statement of Work. The Offeror should address in their proposal how they will recruit the appropriate number of students and provide a plan for the retention of students. This includes an explanation for how an Offeror would find a capable replacement student for Option Year 1 activities in the event a student does not remain in the Program.

Technical proposals will be evaluated using a summary adjectival rating in accordance with the following scale:

Excellent The proposal has exceptional merit and reflects an excellent approach which will clearly result in the superior attainment of all requirements and objectives. This clearly achievable approach https://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm includes several advantageous characteristics of substance, and very few disadvantages, which can be expected to result in outstanding performance. The risk of unsuccessful performance is very low as the proposal provides solutions which are unquestionably feasible and practical.

These solutions are further considered very low risk in that they are exceptionally clear and precise, fully supported, and demonstrate a clear understanding of the requirements. Risk Level:

Very Low

Good The proposal demonstrates a sound approach which is expected to meet all requirements and objectives. This sound approach includes advantageous characteristics of substance, and few relatively minor disadvantages, which collectively can be expected to result in satisfactory performance. The risk of unsuccessful performance is low as the proposal contains solutions which are considered feasible and practical. These solutions are further considered to reflect low risk in that they are clear and precise, supported, and demonstrate an understanding of the requirements. Risk Level: Low

Acceptable The proposal demonstrates an approach which is capable of meeting all requirements and objectives. The approach includes both advantageous and disadvantageous characteristics of substance, where the advantages are not outweighed by the disadvantages. Collectively, the advantages and disadvantages are likely to result in acceptable performance. The risk of unsuccessful performance is moderate, as the proposal solutions are generally feasible and practical. These solutions may also be considered to reflect moderate risk in that they may be somewhat clear and precise, partially supported, and/or demonstrate a general understanding of the requirements. Risk Level: Neutral

Marginal The proposal demonstrates an approach which may not be capable of meeting all requirements and objectives. The approach has disadvantages of substance and advantages, which if they exist, are outweighed by the disadvantages. Collectively, the advantages and disadvantages present a low or questionable likelihood of resulting in satisfactory performance. The risk of unsuccessful performance is high as the proposal contains solutions which may not be feasible and practical. These solutions may also be considered to reflect high risk in that they lack clarity and precision, are generally unsupported, and/or do not demonstrate a complete understanding of the requirements. Risk Level: High

Unacceptable The proposal demonstrates an approach which, based on a very high risk, will very likely not be capable of meeting all requirements and objectives. This approach has several disadvantages of substance, and advantages which, if they exist, are outweighed by disadvantages.

Collectively, the advantages and disadvantages are unlikely to result in satisfactory performance. The risk of unsuccessful performance is very high as the proposal contains solutions which are not feasible and practical. The solutions may also be considered to reflect very high risk in that they lack any clarity or precision. Risk Level: Very High

ATTACHMENT 5

52.213-4 Terms and Conditions—Simplified Acquisitions (Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services).

Terms and…