Attachment 1_Statement of Work (official).pdf

Version 11-30-2016-1 FAR Part 11—Describing Agency Needs

STATEMENT OF WORK (SERVICES)

(SOW)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Title of Project: Mental Health in Rural and Frontier America

Statement of Need and Purpose: The project has two deliverables in two separate phases. The first deliverable is a compilation of the knowledge gaps in rural and frontier mental health as reported by multiple stakeholders in rural mental health, including providers, patients, family members, advocates, and policy makers. The contractor should propose a plan to source and collect a variety of diverse stakeholder feedback.

As part of this, NIMH will solicit feedback and comments collected through a NIMH-issued Request for Information (RFI) along with other information sources that NIMH may undertake to support this activity. The phase 1 deliverable will be the comprehensive summary of the input from stakeholders collected by the contractor and will describe the gaps in knowledge. It should incorporate and integrate any findings from the information provided to the contractor by NIMH. The NIMH staff serving as point of contact along with the contractor will discuss phase one deliverable which will serve to form the framework for the literature review and gap analysis conducted in the second phase, which will constitute the second deliverable. The phase 2 deliverable is an online publication that will provide a description of stakeholder input, a description of the current state of knowledge and an outline of the gaps in information that can be addressed through research that will include the following.

1. How to increase the number and/or reach of mental health care providers in rural and frontier areas and/or improve access to quality care

2. How to increase the utilization and impact of telehealth and telepsychiatry in rural areas

3. How to examine why rural areas are so vulnerable to substance use disorder (e.g., opioid crisis, methamphetamine, fentanyl) as well as suicide.

4. How to improve access to employment opportunities/reduce the disability rate of rural residents who are recovering from substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment, as well as mental health diagnosis treatment.

5. How to reduce the rates of trauma and adverse childhood events in rural areas and improve the care of rural children, who experience high rates of mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders.

6. How to increase the use of effective, evidence-based interventions for mental health and substance use treatment available for rural communities.

7. How to enhance the use of effective screening and referral procedures for mental, developmental, and substance problems in rural healthcare settings.

8. How to examine the nature of the relationship between social determinants of health, mental health, and substance misuse in rural places.

9. How to determine the causal inter-relationships between rural culture, mental health, and substance use (e.g., alcohol, tobacco) and misuse.

10. How to empower the research community to conduct innovative research that is methodologically well-suited for rural settings and likely to yield interventions that would be adopted.

11. How the above topics intersect with diverse populations, as well as additional challenges faced by under-represented and marginalized groups in rural places.

Background Information and Objective: The publication will provide an updated overview of the latest information and knowledge regarding mental health in rural America.

This compendium will include information from published research, policy reviews, and other literature that has focused on rural mental health issues including substance use and misuse. The publication will also provide a comprehensive annotated bibliography of rural mental health literature. The proposed publication would consist of approximately 120 pages. The contractor will submit this publication electronically.

Period of Performance:

Base Period: September 15, 2020 – March 14, 2022

SCOPE OF WORK

General Requirements:

Approximately 20 percent of Americans live in rural places. Targeted investments in rural mental and behavioral health research is dependent on understanding the unique characteristics of the communities and the conditions, or environment, under which health care is delivered.

Rural communities also differ in their demographics, environmental, economic and social characteristics. These factors influence the magnitude and types of health problems communities face.

Rural areas are often neglected in health care planning because it is often easier and more economical to rely on existing urban models than to gather information and to plan models specifically suited for rural communities. As a result, rural communities are often forced to use or adapt service systems or service support mechanisms designed for conditions that differ greatly from those in most rural areas.

The deliverables of this contract will examine and identify gaps in understanding and outline some of the research needs to advance viable clinical practices that will better serve rural residents in the domain of mental health and treatments for addiction.

The phase 1 deliverable of the contract will describe research priorities and gaps identified through stakeholder interviews. Stakeholders will consist of rural mental health providers, researchers, patients, policy makers, advocates and family members. Stakeholders will be sampled from a variety of rural settings, regions, and states, and will include representation from the many demographic groups significantly represented in rural areas (e.g., African Americans, American Indians and Alaskan Natives, veterans, etc.) Preceding this effort, staff from NIMH will solicit public feedback on research needs in mental health for rural communities through a Request for Information and other public outreach. The results from the NIMH outreach efforts will be summarized and shared with the contractor, to help form a basis and framework for the stakeholder interviews the contractor will conduct.

The contractor will summarize the research gaps identified through the stakeholder interviews, as well as integrate these results with the NIMH summary that served as the starting point. The resulting integrated summary will be shared with NIMH, and the contractor and NIMH will discuss the summary and how it will help form the framework for the second phase of this contract, the literature search and publication. At this point, the proposed chapter outline will be revisited and revised as appropriate.

The phase 2 deliverable of this contract will culminate in the planned new edition of Mental Health and Rural America: 2005 – 2015. This book, as its predecessors, will provide researchers, policymakers, educators and health care providers with the latest information and results from research from the past decade concerning mental illness and mental health in rural areas with a particular focus on identifying the gaps in knowledge where additional research is needed.

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 the Statement of Work below:

Specific Requirements: throughout the contract, the contractor will set up a monthly phone call with NIMH representatives, followed by a summary email, that will describe progress and any obstacles encountered. This is an estimate.

Work Plan

Deliverable Date of Delivery

Accept summary of NIMH outreach efforts, including Request for Information summary, Interview stakeholders about research gaps

Month 3

Prepare and submit draft summary of research gaps identified from the community of stakeholders to NIMH; schedule meeting with NIMH to discuss.

Month 4

Prepare and submit written and electronic final copy of research gaps identified by stakeholders as a report to NIMH, to include a discussion of the chapter outline of the publication and any changes needed. This is the first deliverable.

Month 6

Design and perform a comprehensive rural mental health and rural substance use/misuse literature search informed by the results of the previously developed summary of research gaps.

Month 8

Conduct an editorial meeting in Denver or virtually Month 9

Complete knowledge synthesis and draft of overview.

Month 10

Submit draft overview to NIMH for review/approval.

Month 11

Compile and complete draft annotated bibliography Month 14

Submit draft annotated bibliography to NIMH for review/approval

Month 15

Attend post-edit editorial meeting with NIMH in Bethesda or virtually if required; accept NIMH-authored preface or forward for inclusion in final product.

Month 16

Front matter and Final Draft to NIMH for review/approval. Final version will include disclaimer that, although NIMH paid for the production of the materials, the views expressed within the materials do not necessarily reflect the views of the NIMH.

Month 17

Submit Final Product as an open access e-book suitable for adoption by libraries, in a format suitable for posting on a website hosted by NIMH, and pdf format. This is the second deliverable.

Month 18

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Phase 1 NIH/NIMH will conduct outreach via stakeholders in rural mental health including a Request for Information and share a summary with the contractors. The contractor will conduct qualitative interviews with a variety of stakeholders to identify research gaps from their perspective and integrate those results with the original NIMH summary and share that document with NIMH.

NIMH will review and request edits in the preliminary draft of the first phase (summary of stakeholder input integrated with NIMH summary) in Month 4 of the contract within 20 calendar days. NIMH will review and approve the final draft of the first phase in month 6 of the contract within 10 calendar days.

Phase 2 NIMH will review the draft publication due in Month 11 within 30 days and respond with requested edits and revisions.

NIMH will review the preliminary annotated bibliography due in month 15 and reply with preliminary feedback within 15 days, followed with more informal feedback during the meeting to be held in month 16. NIMH will submit a forward/preface to contractor for inclusion in the second and last deliverable in month 16. Formal requests for edits and revision will be sent to the contractor by NIMH within 10 calendar days after the meeting is held.

NIMH will review the forward, preface, and the final draft of the annotated bibliography submitted in month 18 in electronic document form as well as website form, check for 504 compliance, and will respond with feedback within 30 calendar days. .

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Throughout the contract, the contractor will set up a monthly phone call with NIMH representatives, followed by a summary email, that will describe progress and any obstacles encountered.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Travel:

Travel is expected to be covered by the contractor. Some travel to conduct interviews with stakeholders and travel to review the almost-final report in Bethesda are both expected. Public health concerns might require that virtual meeting technology is used instead of travel for some or all of these meetings.

Key Personnel:

Staff with technical expertise in making scientific information ready for electronic display while also 508 compliant, staff with scientific writing expertise, expertise in writing about research on rural mental health, staff with professional relationships with stakeholders in rural mental health, staff with trusting, respectful relationships with rural American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes, and staff with both senior and junior status.

Information System Security Plan:

There is no federal information system being developed, accessed, hosted, or maintained from this contact.

Data Rights:

The NIMH shall have unlimited rights to, and ownership of all deliverables provided under this Contract, not limited to the research and publication that are a product off this contract.

In addition, it includes any additional deliverables required by contract change. The definition of “unlimited rights” is contained inFederal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 27.401, “Definitions.”

FAR clause 52.227-14, “Rights in Data-General,” is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this contract/order.

Section 508—Electronic and Information Technology Standards:

No electronic of information technologies will be developed as part of this contract. However, the second and final delivered product, the website version intended for internet use, must be 508 compliant.

Publications and Publicity:

The deliverables are expected to be available to the wider public through a public-facing website which will be maintained by the NIMH. The website version of the final product will be consistent with all federal laws, regulations, and rules, including being 508 compliant.

Confidentiality of Information:

No personal, confidential, or proprietary information will be provided to the contractor from the government, nor from the contractor to the government.