B.2 Combined Sources Sought & Presolicitation Notice.pdf

COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT AND PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE

Title: Part-Time Consultant for the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) Cannabinoid Working Group

Solicitation Number: RFQ# HHS-NIH-NCI-TSB-0504

Posted Date: 04 May 2022 Response Date: 19 May 2022 Classification Code: R499 Support Professional: Other NAICS Code: 541690 Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services Small Business Size Standard: $16.5 million

Contracting Office Address: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 8490 Progress Drive Suite 400, Frederick, MD 21701

USA.

Description:

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), NCCIH, plans to procure on a sole source basis services for a subject matter expert in cannabis pharmacodynamics pharmacokinetics and therapeutics, Dr. Steven Gust, 8615 Lochaven Dr, Gaithersburg, MD, 20882.

The response close date of this notice is in accordance with FAR 5.203(a)(1). This acquisition will be processed under FAR part 12- Acquisition for Commercial Items and in accordance with simplified acquisition procedures as stated in FAR Part 13.106-1(b)(2) and 41 U.S.C. 1901 and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System code is 541690 “Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services,” and the business size standard is $16.5 million.

Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a combined Firm Fixed Price type contract with travel reimbursement in accordance with FAR 52.212-4 Alternate I.

A severable base period of six months plus three six-month option periods is anticipated for a period of performance of 15 August 2022 through 14 August 2024. Base Period of Performance: 15 August 2022 through 14 February 2023; Option Period 1: 15 February 2023 through 14 August 2023; Option Period 2:

15 August 2023 through 14 February 2024; Option Period 3: 15 February 2024 through 14 August 2024

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is the Federal Government’s lead agency for scientific research on complementary and integrative health approaches. The mission of NCCIH is to determine, through rigorous scientific investigation, the fundamental science, usefulness, and safety of complementary and integrative health approaches and their roles in improving health and health care.

The NCCIH supports rigorous scientific investigation of natural products such as the cannabis plant and its components and is looking to hire a contractor to provide consultation services to our Cannabinoid Working Group to assist with promoting the research, assisting outreach to the extramural research community and setting up a trans-National Institutes of Health (NIH) Cannabinoid Working Group. These activities will be advanced through multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary research efforts. To this end, NCCIH wishes to engage the activities of an individual with broad expertise in the cannabis and cannabinoid research field, with established contacts in that field, and with experience with NIH extramural program and procedures.

The Contractor shall perform the following, unless otherwise noted:

Support initiatives to expand NCCIH and trans- NIH supported extramural cannabinoid/cannabis research focused on potential therapeutic use, in the form of funding opportunity announcements, internal and external meetings and workshops, or other vehicles, briefly described below and in the attached Statement of Work:

1. Contribution to the development of meeting agendas content, synthesizing relevant concepts and gaps and directions from internal meetings;

2. Assist in the organization and coordination of stakeholder meetings;

3. Assist in the writing of funding initiatives that arise from such meetings and from related efforts;

and

4. Serve as a liaison to the NIH Institutes and key external stakeholder to support interest and action as needed in the development of grant -funding initiatives.

Dr. Steven Gust brings a unique set of skills regarding knowledge of cannabis pharmacodynamics pharmacokinetics and therapeutics in addition to the federal and state regulatory requirements affecting cannabis research gained over his 35+ years in government service at the National Institutes of Health.

He has served as a subject matter expert on cannabis, its pharmacological and behavioral effects, for 30 years while at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). In addition, he has similar experience working with the DEA and FDA on the various regulatory requirements for cannabis research on behalf of the Institute and its researchers. This combination of scientific and regulatory knowledge and experience make him uniquely qualified to assist with NCCIH in its efforts to expand research on the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids and cannabis constituents. Pursuant to FAR 13.106-1(b), Dr. Gust is the only one source reasonably available who will satisfy the agency program requirement.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES:

The Contractor is required to provide written progress reports every 30 business days for the duration of the project period. The progress report shall cover all work completed during the specified period and shall present the work to be accomplished during the subsequent period. This report shall also identify any problems that arose and a statement explaining how the problem was resolved. This report shall also identify any problems that have arisen but have not been completely resolved and provide an explanation.

This notice is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party, especially small businesses, believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a capability statement which shall be considered by the agency. The statement of capabilities and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement.

Tailored capability statements should not exceed twenty (20) single sided pages including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc. (single spaced, 12-point font minimum) that clear details the firm’s ability to perform the aspects of the draft Statement of Work. Tailored capability statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement (preferable placed under the eligible small business concern’s name and address) as well as the eligible small business concern’s name, point of contact, address and Unique Entity Identifier.

Capability statements must be received in the contracting office by 12:00PM EST, on Thursday, 19 May 2022. All responses must be in writing and sent electronically (via e-mail) to Rachel Turk, Contract Specialist, at rachel.turk@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format. The e- mail subject line must specify RFQ# HHS-NIH-NCI-TSB-0504. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Capability statements received after this date and time will not be considered.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect calls will be accepted. The successful offeror must be registered and have a valid, current Entity Record, mailto:rachel.turk@nih.gov including current Representations and Certifications, in the System for Award Management (SAM) through SAM.gov.

Reference RFQ# HHS-NIH-NCI-TSB-0504 on all correspondence.

Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

CONFIDENTIALITY: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).