Comb_Synop-Solicit-Competitive_2021.01.15.pdf

STREAMLINED SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

COMPETITIVE

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

Title: Nutrition Scientist Consulting Services for the Healthy Aging In Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) The solicitation number is 75N95021R00002 and the solicitation is issued as a request for proposal (RFP).

This acquisition is for a commercial item or service and is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures;

FAR Subpart 13.5— Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items; and FAR Part 12—Acquisition of Commercial Items, and is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) Number 2021-02, with effective date November 23, 2020.

(iv) The associated NAICS code 541990 and the small business size standard $16.5 Million.

This requirement will be set aside for woman owned small businesses only.

(v) This requirement is to procure nutrition scientist consulting services in support of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study. Services shall include data collection and analysis, and manuscript support for the nutritional domain of this study.

The NIA Intramural Research Program performs a longitudinal study of the effects of race and socioeconomic status on healthy aging in a representative sample of community dwelling residents from the Baltimore metropolitan region. This study, known as the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study, requires a detailed knowledge of the public health characteristics of this region including racial, socioeconomic, and nutritional characteristics. This information is used to assess the influences of these factors on a variety of health outcomes such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular functioning, psychophysiological and cognitive performance, and muscular strength and conditioning.

This requirement focuses on support for the nutritional aspects of the HANDLS study.

Nutritional status influences an individual's risk for the development of chronic conditions, thereby affecting a person's ability to live a healthy and productive life.

Therefore, nutrition science specific technique support, including nutritional monitoring and dietary recall, are required to determine the study population's nutritional status and the effects of nutritional status over the course of the longitudinal study.

(vi) 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 nutrition science consulting services for the HANDLS study as described below:

• Development of guidelines (such as timing of meals, assigning food groups to foods consumed in combinations) for the transformation of the dataset for food pattern analysis.

• Development of instructions to create the amino acid data set for the HANDLS study and create the amino acid data set for all HANDLS study available dietary data.

• Document information related to the amino acid composition data set of the HANDLS study for use in analyzing the amino acid content of participants’ diets and writing manuscripts.

• Assess the nutritional quality of meals and overall diet quality, over the course of the longitudinal study, of HANDLS participants using a variety of indices, provide analysis results and write manuscripts using the results for publication.

• Assess the association of flavonoid intakes with health outcomes in collaboration with USDA researchers from the Food Surveys Research Group,

• Assess the association of diet quality with health outcomes over the course of the longitudinal study and write manuscripts based on documented associations.

• Consult with HANDLS study research collaborators on the nutritional components of study and assist with the evaluation of participant's daily diets and interpretation of dietary data analyses.

• Provide expert advice for all aspects of study data collection, analyses, documentation, and publications that involve nutritional epidemiology and nutritional meal planning for participants.

• Present analysis of nutritional information from the study as directed.

LEVEL OF EFFORT

The estimated level of effort for this requirement is one (1) contractor employee on a part-time basis for 1,000 hours during the base period of performance and each of the optional periods of performance.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Government will supply workspace, office supplies such as pen and paper, a telephone, and desktop computer for contractor use at the NIH Biomedical Research Center (BRC).

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide the following reports to the Government:

Quality Assurance Reports shall be delivered to the Government Data Manager annually, within 30 days of the end of the contract period and shall include a summary of nutrition-related research activities.

All reports, as well as any manuscripts or articles prepared in the course of performance of this requirement, shall be delivered electronically via email to the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

TRAVEL

No travel is required or authorized for this requirement.

KEY PERSONNEL

The Contractor employee providing services for this effort shall be considered key personnel. Key Personnel requirements are as follows:

• Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Nutrition

• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

• At least ten (10) years of experience working in nutrition research with a focus on nutritional epidemiology in minority groups resulting in at least twenty (20) published manuscripts.

The proposed Key Personnel will become subject to the provisions of Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) Clause HHSAR 352.237-75 Key Personnel as follows:

The key personnel specified in this contract are considered to be essential to work performance. At least 30 days prior to the contractor voluntarily diverting any of the specified individuals to other programs or contracts the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer and shall submit a justification for the diversion or replacement and a request to replace the individual. The request must identify the proposed replacement and provide an explanation of how the replacement's skills, experience, and credentials meet or exceed the requirements of the contract. If the employee of the contractor is terminated for cause or separates from the contractor voluntarily with less than thirty days-notice, the Contractor shall provide the maximum notice practicable under the circumstances. The Contractor shall not divert, replace, or announce any such change to key personnel without the written consent of the Contracting Officer. The contract will be modified to add or delete key personnel as necessary to reflect the agreement of the parties.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS SECURITY

The Contractor must comply with any and all Government Information Systems Security requirements as identified by the NIA Information Systems Security Officer.

DATA RIGHTS

The National Institute on Aging shall have unlimited rights to and ownership of all deliverables provided under this procurement including data, reports, briefings, surveys, analyses, recommendations and all other deliverables. In addition, it includes any additional deliverables required by contract change. The definition of “unlimited rights” is contained in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 27.401, “Definitions.” FAR clause 52.227-14, “Rights in Data-General,” shall be incorporated into any resulting award by reference.

SECTION 508 – ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that 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 they will comply with the requirements of Section 508 or cite a justifiable reason for an exception.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION

Confidential Information means information or data of a personal nature about an individual, or proprietary information or data submitted by or pertaining to an institution or organization. Confidential Information or records shall not be disclosed by the Contractor without written authorization from the Contracting Officer. Whenever the Contractor is uncertain with regard to the confidentiality of or a property interest in information under this contract, the Contractor should consult with the Contracting Officer prior to any release, disclosure, dissemination, or publication.

COLLABORATION REQUIREMENTS

It is required that all contractors involved with the NIH community work collaboratively with federal staff and other contractors towards the NIH mission and other affected organizations and follow the direction of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and/or the designated Federal Project Manager(s)/Lead(s). This collaboration includes day-to-day activities, support, development, knowledge transfer and creating and sharing documentation when required.

NON-PERSONAL SERVICES STATEMENT

Contract employee performing services will be controlled, directed and supervised at all times by management personnel of the contractor. Actions of contractor employees may not be interpreted or implemented in any manner that results in any contractor employee creating or modifying Federal policy, obligating the appropriated funds of the U.S.

Government, overseeing the work of Federal employees, providing direct personal services to any Federal employee or otherwise violating the prohibitions set forth in Parts

7.5 and 37.1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

(vii) The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed price contract for this acquisition, and the anticipated period of performance is a 12 month base period from the date of award with four (4) one year option periods. FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract is applicable.

(viii) The primary place of performance shall be the Contractor site. Conference calls and email shall be the primary mode of communication; however, the Contractor may be required to work at Government facilities in the continental United States, primarily the NIH Biomedical Research Center located at 251 Bayview Blvd, Suite 100, Room 3A526, Baltimore, MD 21224.

(ix) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. 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.

https://www.section508.gov/ https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-section-508-standards

The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. 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 solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at these addresses:

https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html

(End of provision)

The following provisions or clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated by reference:

• FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management (Oct 2018)

• FAR 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018)

• FAR 52.204-16, Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020)

• FAR 52.204-18 Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Aug 2020)

• FAR 52.204-25 Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and

Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Aug 2020)

• FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (Jun 2020)

• FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (Aug

2020)

• FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items (Oct 2018)

• FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or

Executive Orders–Commercial Items (Nov 2020) o 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Jun

2020) o 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract

Awards (Jun 2020) o 52.204-14 Service Contract Reporting Requirements (Oct 2016) o 52.209-6 Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with

Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment (Jun 2020) o 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (Nov 2020) o 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Oct 2018) o 52.219-28 Post-Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (Nov

2020) o 52.222-3 Convict Labor (Jun 2003) o 52.222-19 Child Labor-Cooperation With Authorities and Remedies (Jan

2020) o 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Apr 2015) o 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Sep 2016) o 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Jun 2020) o 52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers With Disabilities (Jun 2020) o 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans (Jun 2020) o 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Jan 2019) o 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification (Oct 2015) https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html o 52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Jun 2020) o 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008) o 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-- System for Award

Management (Oct 2018)

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

• FAR 52.222-22, Previous Contracts and Compliance Reports (Feb 1999)

• HHSAR 352.222-70, Contractor Cooperation in Equal Employment Opportunity

Investigations (December 18, 2015).

• HHSAR 352.239-73, Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice

(December 18, 2015)

• FAR 52.212-4(g), Invoice, is supplemented by the NIH Invoice and Payment

Instructions (2/2014).

The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and are incorporated as an attachment. Offerors MUST complete the provisions at 52.204-24 and 52.204-26 and submit completed copies as separate documents with their proposal.

• FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Oct 2020)

• FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services- Representation (Oct 2020)

• Standard NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions (Aug 2014)

• Interim NIH Invoice and Payment Provisions (Oct 2020)

(x) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(a) 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. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: (i) technical capability of the services offered to meet the government requirement; (ii) past performance; and (iii) price (as referenced in FAR clause 15.304).

Technical capability is significantly more important than cost or price.

(b) The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

(xi) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement.

(xii) Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s), product description, and any other information or factors that may be considered in the award decision. Such factors may include: past performance, special features required for effective program performance, trade-in considerations, probable life of the item selected as compared with that of a comparable item, warranty considerations, maintenance availability, and environmental and energy efficiency considerations.

Responses to this solicitation must include clear and convincing evidence of the offeror’s capability of fulfilling the requirement as it relates to the technical evaluation criteria. The price proposal must include the labor categories, an estimate of the number of hours required for each labor category, fully loaded fixed hourly rate or each labor category, breakdown and rationale for other direct costs or materials, and the total amount.

The Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All offers must be received by 12:00pm, Eastern Standard Time, on January 25, 2021, and reference Solicitation Number 75N95021R00002. Responses must be submitted electronically to Diedra S. Prophet, Contract Specialist, at diedra.prophet@nih.gov.

Fax responses will not be accepted.

The name of the individual to contact for information regarding the solicitation:

Diedra S. Prophet Contract Specialist Phone: 301-402-8070 Email: diedra.prophet@nih.gov

Scott Bredow Contracting Officer Phone: 301-480-7503 Email: scott.bredow@nih.gov http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:Diedra.prophet@nih.gov