B. Combined Syp_Sol AHRQ327106.pdf

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly prohibited in accordance with FAR 2.101 and 3.104

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. The solicitation and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular: FAC 2023-04 (Published in the Federal Register June 2, 2023).

In accordance with FAR Part 13, competitive quotes are being requested under RFQ Number: AHRQ326077. The proposed audience for this requirement is journals that publish articles on improving patient safety and quality.

The Product Service Code and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code applicable to this acquisition is:

PSC – 7630: Newspapers and Periodicals

NAICS – 513120: Periodical Publishers

Please Note: For the purposes of this solicitation proposal, quote and response have the same meaning.

Project Title: Journal Supplement or Issue for Patient Safety Learning Laboratories

Date Issued: April 29, 2024

Request for Quote Number: AHRQ327106

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) To be completed at time of award Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857

Period of Performance:

Contract Type:

Estimated Number of Awards:

Written Questions Due Date:

Proposal Due Date and Time:

12 Months

A Firm Fixed Price order is contemplated.

May 6, 2024; 2:00PM, ET Submit electronically by e-mail to:

Jacqueline.vitale@ahrq.hhs.gov, and Reference Request for Quote Number and Project Title

May 20, 2024; 2:00PM, ET

Please Note: All questions will be processed on a non-attribution basis and should only come from the IDIQ holder.

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

Information and Quote Delivery

The offeror must email one electronic file (e.g., PDF) of the complete quote, as detailed above to:

jacqueline.vitale@ahrq.hhs.gov. In the e-mail's subject line, identify the name of the offeror and project title. AHRQ prefers that offerors submit all elements of a quote in a single e-mail.

Please provide the following information along with your business quote:

Official Company name:

Unique Entity Identifier:

All electronic files must also be received by the Government as specified above under Quote Due Date and Time.

mailto:jacqueline.vitale@ahrq.hhs.gov

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

Note: No funding or expenditures are authorized under this purchase order for travel or meeting expenses of any person that is not an employee of the contractor or approved subcontractor in accordance with the terms of the contract. See 31 USC § 1345 for appropriations restrictions.

Firm Fixed Price:

If the Government exercises its option(s) pursuant to the option article of the contract:

Period Services Period of Performance

Firm Fixed Price

Base Non-severable 12 months $

1. PURCHASE ORDER PRICING AND PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

A. Background

The progress cited in the patient safety literature during the past 20 years bears witness to the commitment, intellectual vigor, and skillful execution by many individuals and organizations to reduce patient harms and create safer health care environments. While journal editorials have noted that far too many patients are still being harmed, and our journey is not complete, the research community has made many advances that have reduced harms in areas such as infection control, medication safety, health information technology, teamwork, and safety culture.

A decade ago, AHRQ introduced a new and unique notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for patient safety learning laboratories (PSLLs) that would create a multidisciplinary research team and employ a prescribed systems engineering methodology in order to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative solutions to pressing patient safety problems associated with diagnosis and/or treatment, including issues related to inequities in care.

One of the goals of the PSLL NOFO is to engage a wider audience in patient safety improvement work and help support better integration of such work into the fabric and structure of clinical work nationwide. The PSLL NOFO provided an opportunity for applicants to be proactive and engage with others not just within the allied health care disciplines, but in the architecture, design, and engineering communities as well. Assuming a steady effort and strong system of care focus, such teams were expected to increase the likelihood of becoming truly transdisciplinary and generating innovative designs that have the potential to alter the status quo and shape a safer future rather than simply layering a new safety practice on top of the existing system.

AHRQ has funded around fifty different PSLL projects since 2014. As a commemoration of a decade long effort in this research program, AHRQ has decided to publish a set of peer-reviewed manuscripts from its former and current PSLLs for the research community, hospital leaders, and practitioners.

The primary purpose of this project is to invite the PSLLs to submit manuscripts that will undergo the journal-specific peer-review and quality assurance process and ultimately publish a special issue containing a total of 12 full-length manuscripts recommended by the journal review process.

The project assumes that the Contractor has the following capabilities in place:

1) An online and print publishing platform

2) A manuscript submission process and portal

3) An editorial review process

4) Production and layout process

5) Printing and distribution processes

6) Possession of all required technological tools and other resources for numbers 1 through 5.

B. Government furnished information

The government will provide the Contractor with the contact information of all the PSLL principal investigators (PIs).

C. Statement of Work

2. STATEMENT OF WORK

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

Overview:

The contractor and its subcontractor, if any, shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, and material, equipment, and facilities as needed to perform the specific requirements below

Under this task order, the Contractor shall perform the following tasks:

Task 1. Solicitation and Publication of Manuscripts (from ARHQ funded PSLLs) Task 2: Administrative support for Task 1

Specific Tasks/Requirements

Task 1 Solicitation and Publication of Manuscripts Task 1.1 Call for manuscripts from the PSLL principal investigators

In consultation with the COR, the contractor shall prepare a “Call for Papers“ announcement for the PSLL PIs. The Contractor shall work with the COR to determine: (1) Submission guidelines, (2) Peer review guidelines, (3) Ad hoc peer reviewers (as needed), and (4) schedule for both the authors and reviewers.

Within three (3) weeks of award, following consultation with the COR, the Contractor shall prepare and submit a description of the call for papers. Following approval, the Contractor shall communicate with the PSLL principal investigators to invite them to submit a manuscript reflecting the research work and study findings of the specific PSLL. The contractor shall allow a 60-day time limit for the manuscript submission. The Contractor shall follow up with the PSLLs 30 days before the submission due date. [The Contractor shall close the submission window after the due date and shall not receive/accept any manuscripts after the submission day.

Within a month of the award, as agreed upon between the contractor and the COR, the contractor shall finalize the submission guidelines for the authors and submit to the COR.

Within two (2) months of the award, the Contractor shall develop the peer review guidelines for the reviewers and submit to the COR.

Within two (2) months of the award, following consultation with and approval of the COR, the Contractor shall make a final list of ad hoc reviewers for the review process. The contractor shall send the finalized list of reviewers to the COR.

Task 1.1 Deliverables:

• A description of call for papers

• Submission guidelines

• Peer review guidelines

• A list of ad hoc peer reviewers

Task 1.2 Manuscript Submission and Initial Screening Following the submission of the manuscripts through the contractor’s online submission system, the Contractor shall send to the authors an automated acknowledgement of the manuscript receipt.

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

The Contractor’s assigned editorial team shall conduct an initial review to ensure the manuscript adheres to the submission guidelines. The Contractor shall provide prompt feedback to rejected manuscripts with clear reasons.

Within three (3) months of the award, following consultation with the COR and approval of the COR, the Contractor shall provide the COR with (1) a list of accepted papers for review, and (2) a list of rejected papers with documented reasons for rejection.

Task 1.2 Deliverables:

• A list of accepted papers for review

• A list of rejected papers with documented reasons for rejection

Task 1.3 Peer Review Assignment and Process

The Contractor shall assign the manuscripts that will pass the initial screening to appropriate peer reviewers based on expertise. The Contractor shall provide the reviewers clear instructions and evaluation criteria.

The Contractor shall promptly manage, with its own peer review deadlines, a peer review process that may include specific reviewer tasks, such as: assess the manuscript, provide constructive feedback, and recommend acceptance, revision, or rejection. Within two weeks of screening the manuscripts (within 3.5 months of award), the Contractor shall assign reviewers for each manuscript for review. The Contractor shall provide the COR with the list containing all the manuscripts for review and names of reviewers for each manuscript.

Within six (6) weeks of assignment (within five (5) months of award), the Contractor shall complete the initial peer review process and route the review outcomes to the editorial team as per Task 1.4.

The Contractor shall provide the COR with the list of manuscripts that completed the peer review.

Task 1.3 Deliverable:

• A list containing the manuscripts and assigned reviewers

• A list of manuscripts that completed the peer review

Task 1.4 Editorial decision

The Contractor assigned editor(s) shall evaluate the reviewer comments/concerns and make an informed decision on acceptance, revision, or rejection. The Contractor shall provide the authors with detailed decision letters with feedback within three weeks of completion of the initial review of manuscript (within 5.75 months of the award).

Within six (6) months of the award, the Contractor shall provide the COR with a list of all reviewed manuscripts with one of the following three decisions for each manuscript: (1) the manuscript is accepted without any revision, (2) the manuscript will be accepted subject to satisfactory revision, and (3) the manuscript is not accepted.

Task 1.4 Deliverable:

• A list containing the manuscripts and decision status

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

Task 1.5 Manuscript Revision

The Contractor shall manage the revision and resubmission of the manuscripts promptly with its own set of deadlines. The Contractor assigned editor(s) shall manage the revision process and communicate with authors as needed. The Contractor shall collect all revised manuscripts within six

(6) weeks of issue of initial decision letters. The Contractor shall provide the COR a list of manuscripts that were revised and resubmitted.

Within two (2) weeks of receiving the revised manuscripts, the editors/reviewers shall review the revised manuscripts and communicate with the authors on the status of the revision. The Contractor shall provide the COR a list of manuscripts with revision status.

Task 1.5 Deliverable:

• A list of manuscripts that will undergo revision and resubmission dates

• A list of manuscripts with revision status

Task 1.6 Final Decision and Copyediting

The Contractor (or the Contractor assigned editor(s)) shall make final decisions. Within a week of review of revised manuscripts (within 8.25 months of award), the Contractor shall inform the authors of the final decision of acceptance of the revised manuscripts. The Contractor shall provide the COR with a final list of manuscripts that are accepted for publication.

The accepted manuscripts shall undergo copyediting by the Contractor for style, grammar, and formatting. The Contractor shall have the authors review copyedited proofs before final approval.

Within three (3) weeks of final decision (within nine (9) months of award), the Contractor shall complete the copyediting of the manuscripts. The Contractor shall electronically provide COR with the complete status of copyediting of the manuscripts.

Task 1.6 Deliverable:

• A list of manuscripts with final decisions

• Complete status on copyediting of the manuscripts

Task 1.7 Production and Layout

The Contractor shall have the editor(s) and authors review proofs for accuracy. The Contractor shall conduct quality checks on all aspects of the content. The Contractor shall obtain all approvals (copyright, conflict of interest, and any institutional approval).

Within two (2) months of copyediting (within eleven (11) months of award), the Contractor shall complete all tasks associated with production and layout. The Contractor shall notify the COR of the status of production.

Task 1.7 Deliverable:

• Notification to the COR of all stages of proof reviews

Task 1.8 Publication

The Contractor shall publish online and in print following the predetermined publication schedule.

The special supplement shall be open access. The Contractor shall notify all authors upon publication.

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

Within a month of production (within twelve (12) months of award), the Contractor shall publish all manuscripts in a special issue of the journal. The Contractor shall provide electronic and print versions of the manuscripts to the COR by mail and email. The Contractor shall provide uniform resource locator (URL) of the special issue to the COR by email. The Contractor shall make contents of the special issue accessible to the public through the URL.

Task 1.8 Deliverables:

• Electronic and print version of all manuscripts published.

• URL for access to the manuscripts through the publisher’s online platform.

Task 2. Administrative Support Tasks Task 2.1 Conduct Project Kickoff Meeting

The Contractor shall conduct a kickoff meeting to: (1) discuss the overall project objectives, preliminary project plan, specific elements of work to be performed, and timeline; (2) delineate roles and responsibilities; and (3) establish communication protocols.

The meeting shall be virtual or in-person, or a combination thereof, at the discretion of the COR and in consideration of current public health concerns and Agency guidance. Contact information for meeting participants shall be provided by the AHRQ TOO. The Contractor shall schedule the kickoff meeting/call within five (5) business days of award.

The Contractor shall prepare a draft agenda and supporting documents for the meeting and send for the TOO’s approval. The Contractor shall submit a revised agenda and documents based on the TOO’s comments before the meeting takes place.

The Contractor shall provide a summary report of the meeting’s discussion/minutes to the TOO and all meeting participants.

Task 2.1 Deliverables

• Draft/Final Kickoff Agenda and Meeting materials

• Summary Report for Kickoff Meeting

2.2. Bi-weekly huddle

The contractor shall schedule a 30-minute bi-weekly (i.e., every other week) huddle to discuss project progress, issues, and resolution. The Contractor shall submit a meeting agenda to the COR before the meeting and send meeting minutes after the meeting take place.

• Meeting agenda

• Meeting minutes

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

The items specified for delivery below are subject to the review and approval of the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) before final acceptance. The deliverable schedule may not be changed without an authorized modification completed by an AHRQ Contracting Officer. Days mean calendar days.

The contractor shall submit the following items electronically to the COR:

Task Deliverable Format Due Date Intended Audience

Section 508 Standards

Task 1: Publication of Manuscripts (from ARHQ funded PSLLs) 1.1- Call for Manuscripts

Draft call for manuscripts to be sent to PSLL principal investigators

Final call for manuscripts

Electronic Draft due 3 weeks after contract award/

Final due within 3 business days of receiving COR feedback.

To be sent to the PSLL PIs by 1 month

COR

COR,

Public

N/A

•302 Functional Performance Criteria •602 Support Documentation •603 Support Services •All WCAG A & AA Success Criteria

1.1 Submission guidelines

Final submission guidelines

Electronic Final submission guidelines due 3 weeks after contract award

COR N/A

1.1 Peer

review guidelines

Final peer review guidelines

Electronic 2 months COR N/A

1.1 A list of

ad hoc reviewers

Final reviewer list Electronic 2 months COR N/A

1.2 Manuscript Submission and Initial Screening

List of accepted papers for review

List of rejected papers with documented reasons for rejection.

Electronic

3 months COR N/A

3. DELIVERY SCHEDULE

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

Section 508 Standards

1.3 Peer

Review Assignment and Process

A list containing the manuscript and assigned reviewers

Electronic 3.5 months

COR N/A

1.3 Peer

Review Assignment and Process

A list of manuscripts that completed the peer review

Electronic 5 months COR N/A

1.4 Editorial

decision

A list containing the manuscripts and decision status

6 months COR N/A

1.5 Manuscript Revision

A list of manuscripts that will undergo revision and resubmission dates

7.5 months COR N/A

1.5 Manuscript Revision

A list of manuscripts with revision status

Electronic 8 months N/A

1.6 Final

Decision and Copyediting

A list of manuscripts with final decisions

Electronic 8.25 months COR N/A

1.6 Final

Decision and Copyediting

Complete updates on copyediting

Electronic 9 months COR N/A

1.7 Production and Layout

Notification to the COR of all stages of proof reviews

Electronic 11 months COR N/A

1.8 Publication

Electronic and print version of all manuscripts published

URL for access to the manuscripts through the publisher’s online platform and Print

12 months COR, Public

•302 Functional Performance Criteria •602 Support Documentation •603 Support Services •All WCAG A & AA Success Criteria

Task 2. Administrative Support Tasks

2.1 Kickoff Meeting

Agenda Electronic No less than 2 business days prior to Kickoff Meeting

COR

2.1 Summary Report for

Kickoff Meeting

Electronic Within 3 business days after Kickoff Meeting

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

Section 508 Standards

2.2 Bi-weekly

huddle

Meeting agenda

Meeting minutes

Electronic At least 2 business days prior to the huddle

Within the 3 business days after the huddle

Revised Section 508 Standards apply to Information & Communication Technology (ICT) procured, maintained, or used by the Federal Government. The standards were issued under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act which requires access to ICT by people with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. This requirement extends to both federal employees and members of the public.

Examples of ICT include (but are not limited to) computers, telecommunications equipment, software, websites, and electronic documents. Accessibility is the law and provides for inclusion.

Instructions regarding 508 can be found in this contract in Sections 5 and 6 “Information & Communication Technology Accessibility” and “AHRQ Publishing and Communications Guidelines” at https://www.ahrq.gov/policy/electronic/about/policyix.html. Web sites, web tools, and/or web services (any functionality) that are new, redesigned, modified, or added cannot go-live until formal approval has been received from AHRQ’s Office of Communications. The Agency will not accept contract deliverables that fail to meet these standards and guidelines and will require the contractor to perform any tasks needed to revise deliverables to comply with 508 requirements before acceptance.

Electronic content must be accessible to HHS acceptance criteria. Official HHS Accessibility Checklists for various formats are available at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/accessibility-checklists/index.html. Electronic deliverables should be accompanied by the appropriate checklist or an updated Accessibility Conformance Report.

As part of the proposal submission, use the latest Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT

2.4 Rev 508) located at https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat.

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

4.1 Contracting Officer Representative

The Contracting Officer Representative is responsible for: monitoring the contractor’s technical progress, including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the contracting officer changes in requirements; interpreting the statement of work and any other technical performance requirements; performing technical evaluation as required; performing technical inspections and acceptances required by this contract; and, assisting in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance.

To Be Completed at Award

4.2 Contracting Officer

A Contracting Officer is the only person with authority to act as an agent of the government under this contract. Only a Contracting Officer has authority to: direct or negotiate any changes in the statement of work; modify or extend the period of performance; change the delivery schedule; authorize reimbursement to the contractor of any costs incurred during the performance of this contract; or, otherwise change any terms and conditions of the contract.

4.3 Key Personnel

Pursuant to the Key Personnel clause incorporated in Section 5 of this purchase order, the following individual(s) is/are considered to be essential to the work being performed hereunder:

To be determined

The clause above contains a requirement for review and approval by the Contracting Officer of written requests for a change of Key Personnel reasonably in advance of diverting any of these individuals from this contract. Receipt of written request at least 30 days prior to a proposed change is considered reasonable.

4.4 INVOICE REQUIREMENTS

Invoices are required to be submitted electronically in accordance with HHSAR 352.232-71.

The directions below must be followed to meet the requirements of a "proper" payment request pursuant to FAR 32.905(b) and must be in accordance with the General Provisions clause 52.232- 25 Prompt Payment (JAN 2017).

a. INVOICE CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

(1) The Contractor shall furnish the following MINIMUM information in support of costs invoiced:

NOTE: Fixed Price Invoices shall be billed in accordance with the payment schedule.

4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

a. Contractor Information – include organization name and address as it appears on the contract (or task order/BPA call as applicable). Include the TIN number

b. Contract Information – include the contract number and if applicable, the task order or BPA call number

c. Invoice Information – include the invoice number, which shall be a unique number specific to each invoice. Letters and numbers may be used. An invoice number may only be used one time regardless of the number of contracts or orders held by an organization. Duplicate invoice numbers are not allowed and will result in invoices being returned unpaid.

d. Task Number/Description/Milestone – (if applicable) identify the task number, milestone and/or description being billed

e. Current amount invoiced – by contract item/task and total dollar amount of this invoice

f. Cumulative amount invoiced – by contract item/task and total dollar amount

g. If FAR clause 52.219-14, “Limitations on Subcontracting” is included in the contract, provide calculations that demonstrate compliance with the limitation. At a minimum, provide current and cumulative amounts for prime and subcontractors, and the percentage of the total for each.

INCOMPLETE INVOICES / VOUCHERS THAT ARE SUBMITTED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED

INFORMATION WILL BE RETURNED UNPAID.

4.5 Payment Schedule

TBD

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

5. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Release and Use and Copyright of Data First Produced From Work Performed Under This Contract

(a) Release and Use – Data first produced in the performance of the Contract. As permitted in FAR 52.227-17, the provisions of this Section shall apply to any release or use of data first produced in the performance of the Contract and any analysis, tools, methodologies, or recorded product based on such data.

(b) Release and Use – Requirements related to confidentiality and quality. To ensure public trust in the confidentiality protections afforded participants in Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-supported research, AHRQ requires and monitors compliance by its contractors with section 934(c) of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) (42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c)), which states in part that

No information, if the establishment or person supplying the information or described in it is identifiable, obtained in the course of activities undertaken or supported under this title, may be used for any purpose other than the purpose for which it was supplied unless such establishment or person has consented...to its use for such other purpose. Such information may not be published or released in other form if the person who supplied the information or who is described in it is identifiable unless such person has consented...to its publication or release in other form.

In addition to this requirement, section 933(b)(1) of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 299c-2(b)(1)) requires AHRQ to assure that statistics and analyses developed with Agency support are of high quality, comprehensive, timely, and adequately analyzed. Accordingly --

(1) prior to the release or use of data based upon work performed under this Contract, the Contractor agrees to consult with the Contracting Officer’s Representative and Contract Officers regarding the proposed release or use. The Contractor will in good faith consider, discuss, and respond to any comments or suggested modifications that are provided by AHRQ within two months of receiving the proposed release or use.

The purpose of such consultation is to assure that:

(A) identifiable information is being used exclusively for the purpose(s) for which it was supplied or appropriate consents have been obtained;

(B) the confidentiality promised to individuals and establishments supplying identifiable information or described in it is not violated; and

(C) the quality of statistical and analytical work meets the statutory standards cited above.

(2) The Contractor must satisfy conditions (1)(A) and (1)(B). At the conclusion of any consultation required by paragraph (b)(1) above, if AHRQ and the Contractor cannot agree that a proposed use or release satisfies condition (1)(C) above:

(A) the research professional at the Contractor responsible for the quality of the Contract work will, in advance of any release or use of such data, certify in a letter to the Contracting Officer what differences of opinion cannot be resolved regarding the statutory standards referenced in condition (1)(C) and the basis for Contractor assertions that these standards have been met; and

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

(B) the Contractor must print prominently on the release or other product, or on any portion that is released, or state prior to any oral presentation or release of such material, the following disclaimer:

THIS PRESENTATION/ PUBLICATION/OR OTHER PRODUCT IS DERIVED FROM WORK

SUPPORTED UNDER A CONTRACT WITH THE AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE

RESEARCH AND QUALITY (AHRQ) CONTRACT# . HOWEVER, THIS PRESENTATION/

PUBLICATION/OR OTHER PRODUCT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE AGENCY.

(c) Required Statement Regarding Protected Information. On all written material or other recorded products, or preceding any presentation or other oral disclosure, release or use of material based on identifiable information obtained in the course of work performed under this contract, the Contractor shall make the following statement:

IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON WHICH THIS REPORT, PRESENTATION, OR OTHER

FORM OF DISCLOSURE IS BASED IS PROTECTED BY FEDERAL LAW, SECTION 934(c) OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, 42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c). NO IDENTIFIABLE

INFORMATION ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES SUPPLYING THE

INFORMATION OR DESCRIBED IN IT MAY BE KNOWINGLY USED EXCEPT IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR PRIOR CONSENT. ANY CONFIDENTIAL IDENTIFIABLE

INFORMATION IN THIS REPORT OR PRESENTATION THAT IS KNOWINGLY

DISCLOSED IS DISCLOSED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS

PROVIDED.

(d) Copyright – Data first produced in the performance of the Contract. Subject to the terms of this Section regarding release and use of data, AHRQ, through its Contracting Officer, will grant permission under FAR 52.227-17(c)(1)(i) to the Contractor to establish claim to copyright subsisting in scientific and technical articles based on or containing data first produced in the performance of this contract that are submitted for publication in academic, technical or professional journals, symposia proceedings or similar works. When claim to copyright is made, the Contractor shall affix the applicable copyright notice of 17 U.S.C. 401 or 402 and acknowledgment of Government sponsorship (including contract number) to the data when such data are delivered to the Government, as well as when the data are published or deposited for registration as a published work in the U.S.

Copyright Office. In such circumstances, the Contractor hereby agrees to grant to AHRQ, and others acting on its behalf, a paid-up, nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license for all such data to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, by or on behalf of AHRQ. A description of this license will be incorporated into the copyright notices required above.

(e) Subcontracts. Whenever data, analyses, or other recorded products are to be developed by a subcontractor under this Contract, the Contractor must include the terms of this clause in the subcontract, without substantive alteration, with a provision that the subcontractor may not further assign to another party any of its obligations to the Contractor. No clause may be included to diminish the Government’s stated requirements or rights regarding release or use of products or materials based on data derived from work performed under this contract.

5.2 Lack of Compliance with Requirements for Release or Use

Failure to submit materials for statutorily mandated confidentiality and statistical and analytic quality reviews as required by Section 5.1 of this purchase order will be viewed as a material violation and breach of the terms of this contract, as the requirements of this provision are necessary for AHRQ to carry out its statutory obligations and responsibilities. Records of the Contractor's performance, This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly including the Contractor's performance pertaining to this purchase order, will be maintained in AHRQ's Contracts Management Office and will be considered as an element of past performance which is part of all subsequent competitive purchase order quote reviews.

5.3 AHRQ Publishing and Communications Guidelines

All publications and communications resulting from this contract shall comply with the AHRQ publications and communications guidelines. Products will be reviewed to ensure compliance with these guidelines. Deliverables that are non-compliant are not acceptable.

The AHRQ Publishing and Communications Guidelines can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/research/publications/pubcomguide/. This will assist the contractor in this effort by coordinating the work with AHRQ Office of Communications (OC).

The Contractor must provide a written request for copyright assertion to the Contracting Officer. See Clause on Release and Use and Copyright of Data First Produced From Work Performed Under This Contract. Any manuscript or paper must include attribution/disclaimer statement substantially the same as the following:

This project was funded under Contract No. 75Q80120PXXXXXX from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The authors of this document are responsible for its content. The content does not necessarily represent the official views of or imply endorsement by AHRQ or HHS.

5.4 Award Announcement

Prior to making any announcement regarding this award or any award, the contractor shall contact AHRQ’s Media Relations Office at newsroom@ahrq.hhs.gov. All press announcements will be coordinated with AHRQ and the Department of Health and Human Services.

5.5 Public Access to AHRQ Funded Scientific Publications

Contractors shall review the document titled ‘AHRQ Announces new Policy for Public Access to AHRQ-Funded Scientific Publications’ which is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-16-008.html and comply with the policy. For all research arising from AHRQ support, this policy requires that AHRQ-funded authors submit an electronic version of the author’s final peer-reviewed accepted manuscript to the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Central (PMC) to be made publicly available within 12 months of the publisher’s date of publication.

http://www.ahrq.gov/research/publications/pubcomguide/ mailto:newsroom@ahrq.hhs.gov http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-16-008.html http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-16-008.html

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

6. PURCHASE ORDER CLAUSES

This order incorporates the following 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.

NOTE: The clause listing below contains contractual information pertinent to this RFQ and is not an exact representation of the contract document that will be awarded as a result of this RFQ. The purchase order price and other contractual provisions pertinent to the offeror (i.e., those relating to specific cost authorizations unique to the Offeror's quote and requiring Contracting Officer Prior Approval) will be included in the resultant purchase order.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) (48 CFR CHAPTER 1) CLAUSES:

FAR

CLAUSE NO.

TITLE DATE

52.203-3 Gratuities Apr 1984 52.203-12 Limitations on Payments to Influence Certain Federal

Transactions June 2020

52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirements to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights

June 2020

52.204-4 Printed or Copied Double-Sided on Recycled Paper May 2011 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial

Products and Commercial Services Feb 2024

52.227-1 Authorization and Consent June 2020 52.227-2 Notice and Assistance Regarding Patent and Copyright

Infringement June 2020

52.227-17 Rights in Data – Special Works Dec 2007 52.232-1 Payments Apr 1984 52.232-17 Interest May 2014 52.243-1 Changes – Fixed-Price Aug 1987 52.243-7 Notification of Changes Jan 2017 52.244-2 Subcontracts June 2020 52.253-1 Computer Generated Forms Jan 1991

HHSAR REGULATION (48 CFR CHAPTER 3) CLAUSES

HHSAR

CLAUSE NO.

TITLE DATE

352.203-70 Anti-Lobbying Dec 2015 352.208-70 Printing and Duplication Dec 2015 352.222-70 Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity

Investigations Dec 2015

352.227-70 Publications and Publicity Dec 2015 352.231-70 Salary Rate Limitation Dec 2015 352.237-75 Key Personnel Dec 2015 352.237-73 Non-Discrimination in Service Delivery Dec 2015 352.239-79 Information and Communication Technology Accesssibility

(Deviation) Feb 2024

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

ADDITIONAL FAR CLAUSES INCLUDED IN FULL TEXT

Any contract awarded from this solicitation will contain the following:

52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items. (Feb 2024)

(a) The Contractor shall comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses, which are incorporated in this contract by reference, to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services:

(1) 52.203-19, Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements (Jan 2017) (section 743 of Division E, Title VII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) and its successor provisions in subsequent appropriations acts (and as extended in continuing resolutions)).

(2) 52.204-23, Prohibition on Contracting for Hardware, Software, and Services Developed or Provided by Kaspersky Lab Covered Entities (Dec 2023) (Section 1634 of Pub. L. 115-91).

(3) 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment. (Nov 2021) (Section 889(a)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 115-232).

(4) 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (Nov 2015).

(5) 52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Mar 2023) (31 U.S.C. 3903 and 10 U.S.C. 3801).

(6) 52.233-3, Protest After Award (Aug 1996) (31 U.S.C. 3553).

(7) 52.233-4, Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (Oct 2004) (Public Laws 108-77 and 108-78 ( 19 U.S.C. 3805 note)).

(b) The Contractor shall comply with the FAR clauses in this paragraph (b) that the Contracting Officer has indicated as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services:

__ (1) 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Jun 2020), with Alternate I (Nov 2021) (41 U.S.C. 4704 and 10 U.S.C. 4655).

__ (2) 52.203-13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Nov 2021) (41 U.S.C. 3509)).

__ (3) 52.203-15, Whistleblower Protections under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Jun 2010) (Section 1553 of Pub. L. 111-5). (Applies to contracts funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.)

_X_ (4) 52.203-17, Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights (NOV 2023) ( 41 U.S.C. 4712); this clause does not apply to contracts of DoD, NASA, the Coast Guard, or applicable elements of the intelligence community—see FAR 3.900(a).

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.203-19#FAR_52_203_19 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-23#FAR_52_204_23 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-25#FAR_52_204_25 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.209-10#FAR_52_209_10 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.232-40#FAR_52_232_40 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/31/3903 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/31/3903 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/10/3801 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.233-3#FAR_52_233_3 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.233-4#FAR_52_233_4 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.203-6#FAR_52_203_6 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/10/4655 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.203-13#FAR_52_203_13 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.203-15#FAR_52_203_15 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.203-17#FAR_52_203_17 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/41/4712 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/3.900#FAR_3_900

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

_X_ (5) 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (JUN 2020) (Pub. L. 109-282) ( 31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

__ (6) [Reserved].

__ (7) 52.204-14, Service Contract Reporting Requirements (Oct 2016) (Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Div. C).

__ (8) 52.204-15, Service Contract Reporting Requirements for Indefinite-Delivery Contracts (Oct 2016) (Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Div. C).

_X_ (9) 52.204-27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application (Jun 2023) (Section 102 of Division R of Pub. L. 117-328).

__ (10) 52.204-28, Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders—Federal Supply Schedules, Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts, and Multi-Agency Contracts. (DEC 2023) ( Pub.

L. 115–390, title II).

__ (11) (i) 52.204-30, Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders—Prohibition. (DEC 2023) ( Pub. L. 115–390, title II).

__(ii) Alternate I (DEC 2023) of 52.204–30.

_X_ (12) 52.209-6, Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Nov 2021) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).

__ (13) 52.209-9, Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (Oct 2018) (41 U.S.C. 2313).

__ (14) [Reserved].

__ (15) 52.219-3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole-Source Award (Oct 2022) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

__ (16) 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (Oct 2022) (if the offeror elects to waive the preference, it shall so indicate in its offer) (15 U.S.C. 657a).

__ (17) [Reserved]

__ (18)(i) 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (Nov 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-6.

__ (19)(i) 52.219-7, Notice of Partial Small Business Set-Aside (Nov 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-7.

__ (20) 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Feb 2024) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(2) and (3)).

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-10#FAR_52_204_10 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section6101&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-14#FAR_52_204_14 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-15#FAR_52_204_15 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-27#FAR_52_204_27 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-28#FAR_52_204_28 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/115/public/390 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/115/public/390 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-30#FAR_52_204_30 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/115/public/390 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.209-6#FAR_52_209_6 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title31-section6101&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.209-9#FAR_52_209_9 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section2313&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-3#FAR_52_219_3 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section637a&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-4#FAR_52_219_4 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-6#FAR_52_219_6 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-6#FAR_52_219_6 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-7#FAR_52_219_7 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-7#FAR_52_219_7 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-8#FAR_52_219_8 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

__ (21)(i) 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Sep 2023) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

__ (iii) Alternate II (Nov 2016) of 52.219-9.

__ (iv) Alternate III (Jun 2020) of 52.219-9.

__ (v) Alternate IV (Sep 2023) of 52.219-9.

__ (22)(i) 52.219-13, Notice of Set-Aside of Orders (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644(r)).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-13.

__ (23) 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (Oct 2022) (15 U.S.C. 637s).

__ (24) 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (Sep 2021) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)(F)(i)).

__ (25) 52.219-27, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Service-Disabled Veteran- Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Concerns Eligible Under the SDVOSB Program (Feb 2024) (15 U.S.C. 657f).

__ (26)(i) 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Feb 2024)(15 U.S.C. 632(a)(2)).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Mar 2020) of 52.219-28.

__ (27) 52.219-29, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business Concerns (Oct 2022) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

__ (28) 52.219-30, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Women-Owned Small Business Concerns Eligible Under the Women-Owned Small Business Program (Oct 2022) (15 U.S.C. 637(m)).

__ (29) 52.219-32, Orders Issued Directly Under Small Business Reserves (Mar 2020) (15 U.S.C. 644(r)).

__ (30) 52.219-33, Nonmanufacturer Rule (Sep 2021) (15U.S.C. 637(a)(17)).

_X_ (31) 52.222-3, Convict Labor (Jun 2003) (E.O.11755).

__ (32) 52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Feb 2024).

_X_ (33) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015).

_X_ (34)(i) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Sep 2016) (E.O.11246).

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-9#FAR_52_219_9 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-9#FAR_52_219_9 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-9#FAR_52_219_9 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-9#FAR_52_219_9 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-9#FAR_52_219_9 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-13#FAR_52_219_13 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-13#FAR_52_219_13 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-14#FAR_52_219_14 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-16#FAR_52_219_16 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-27#FAR_52_219_27 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-28#FAR_52_219_28 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-28#FAR_52_219_28 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-29#FAR_52_219_29 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-30#FAR_52_219_30 http://uscode.house.gov/browse.xhtml;jsessionid=114A3287C7B3359E597506A31FC855B3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-32#FAR_52_219_32 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2018-title15/html/USCODE-2018-title15-chap14A-sec644.htm https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.219-33#FAR_52_219_33 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2018-title15/html/USCODE-2018-title15-chap14A-sec637.htm https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.222-3#FAR_52_222_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.222-19#FAR_52_222_19 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.222-21#FAR_52_222_21 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.222-26#FAR_52_222_26

This document contains Procurement Sensitive and Source Selection Information; disclosure is strictly

__ (ii) Alternate I (Feb 1999) of 52.222-26.

__ (35)(i) 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Jun 2020) (38 U.S.C. 4212).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Jul 2014) of 52.222-35.

_X_ (36)(i) 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (Jun 2020) (29 U.S.C. 793).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Jul 2014) of 52.222-36.

__ (37) 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (Jun 2020) (38 U.S.C. 4212).

__ (38) 52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (Dec 2010) (E.O. 13496).

_X_ (39)(i) 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (Nov 2021) (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Mar 2015) of 52.222-50 (22 U.S.C. chapter 78 and E.O. 13627).

__ (40) 52.222-54, Employment Eligibility Verification (May 2022) (Executive Order 12989). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items or certain other types of commercial products or commercial services as prescribed in FAR 22.1803.)

__ (41)(i) 52.223-9, Estimate of Percentage of Recovered Material Content for EPA–Designated Items (May 2008) ( 42 U.S.C. 6962(c)(3)(A)(ii)). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items.)

__ (ii) Alternate I (May 2008) of 52.223-9 (42 U.S.C. 6962(i)(2)(C)). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items.)

__ (42) 52.223-11, Ozone-Depleting Substances and High Global Warming Potential Hydrofluorocarbons (Jun 2016) (E.O. 13693).

__ (43) 52.223-12, Maintenance, Service, Repair, or Disposal of Refrigeration Equipment and Air Conditioners (Jun 2016) (E.O. 13693).

__ (44)(i) 52.223-13, Acquisition of EPEAT®-Registered Imaging Equipment (Jun 2014) (E.O.s 13423 and 13514).

__ (ii) Alternate I (Oct…