HHSN261201400004I-J_A FINAL_Redacted.pdf

The Surveillance Research Program (SRP) directs the collection and analysis of pertinent data in order to answer key questions about cancer incidence, morbidity, mortality, and cancer-related health status in diverse regions and populations in the United States. As part of its mission, the SRP manages the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) Program, an integrated, comprehensive, multiple population-based reporting system.

The SRP also provides leadership in the interpretation of cancer statistics and in developing statistical methodologies appropriate for analyzing trends and evaluating the impact of cancer control interventions as well as geographic, social, behavioral, genetic, and health care delivery factors on the cancer burden.

The on-going objective of the current IDIQ contract is to support training/educational workshops and working groups to disseminate technical assistance and improve effectiveness of registry operations, trans-agency investigations of data comparability and quality, publication of pooled data based on statistical analyses and quality control field studies, and development of quantitative methods and metrics that assess data quality and benchmarks for pooling.

Many federal and private agencies are involved in the national cancer surveillance effort. The need to coordinate cancer registration program was recognized more than two decades ago through creation of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR). The NAACCR is a collaborative umbrella organization of professionals. It is supported by the central cancer registries in the United States and Canada, agencies of the federal government involved in cancer surveillance, professional societies, and private agencies. A major NAACCR goal is to encourage and work towards increased use of cancer registry data and improve data quality. Since 1993, regional, state and provincial registries with statutory authority to collect data on cancer patients voluntarily submit their non-identified data to NAACCR for evaluation and publication. In addition, subsequent to Memorandums of Understanding established in February 2000, and updated in April 2005, the NCI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have continued processes in place for coordination of their respective programs related to cancer surveillance, including endorsement of the role of other key partners such as NAACCR in the national cancer surveillance enterprise.

Central cancer registries throughout North America have made great strides in their ability to uniformly collect cancer information in a complete, accurate, and timely manner. Many of these advances have occurred as a result of NAACCR activities. The NAACCR mission is to coordinate and encourage the development, enhancement, and application of cancer registration techniques in population-base groups, so that quality data will be available for cancer control and epidemiologic research, public health programs, and improved patient care to reduce the burden of cancer.

NAACCR promotes established standards for cancer registration, trains and educates cancer registry professionals in cancer registry operations;

certifies registries that achieve standards of high quality; aggregates data from population-base registries throughout the U.S. and Canada; and promotes the use of cancer registry data in surveillance, cancer control, and population-based research.

This acquisition is a continued effort to making the NCI’s cancer surveillance program more responsive to the needs of the division, institute, and nation, and more integrated with other partners within the national cancer surveillance enterprise.

b. Project background.

This action would allow the NCI to award a task order in FY 2020 to initiate and develop the NCCR and focus on leveraging existing registry data – across NCI Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Registries and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR); bringing in and coordinating data from multiple and diverse sources that can supplement childhood cancer data in critical categories. Once the initial infrastructure is operational, the NCCR shall: (1) facilitate the linkage of confidential Central Cancer Registry databases with existing patient data in the SEER data; (2) build and support a broader connected data infrastructure to enable sharing of childhood cancer data from multiple data sources; (3) monitor and assess quality of data through automated and manual processes; (4) develop processes for data utilization by qualified investigators; and (5) assist in development of an administrative and governance plan for long term operations. The purpose of the NCCR project is to create an aggregated national level childhood cancer patient database in partnership with many leading pediatric oncology organizations across the U.S. The database will be hosted by the NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) Biomedical Computing Contractor, currently Information Management Services, Inc., under a separate contract.

The objective is for the NAACCR to serve as the coordinating center supporting the NCCR.

Acquisition History:

In September of 2000, the National Cancer Institute entered into a 3-year cost-reimbursement / completion contract with NAACCR to provide technical support for cancer surveillance activities. The contract N02-PC- 05030 awarded September 30, 2000, was negotiated at $1,673,000 and was funded annually.

A 5-year follow-on acquisition (HHSN261200444001C) with NAACCR by other than full and open competition was awarded July 16, 2004, negotiated at $2,417,000.

A 5-year follow-on acquisition (HHSN261200900015C) with NAACCR by other than full and open competition was awarded July 1, 2009, negotiated at $3,510,000.

The current 7-years follow-on Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with NAACCR by other than full and open competition was awarded July 1, 2014, with a maximum value of $7,700,000. It expires June 30, 2021. The total amount obligated to date via task orders is $6,468,694.

3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

a. Project title. Technical Support for Cancer Surveillance

b. Project description. The resulting standard processes and procedures developed under this contract will continue to enhance the national capacity for cancer surveillance. Surveillance activities include, but are not limited to the collection, measurement, and analysis of comparable data from multiple population-based cancer registries, their reporting sources, and related health information systems, and data on socio-demographic population characteristics. Activities continued to be supported through this contract initiative will: (1) develop, implement, and disseminate technical procedures, guidelines and standards in cancer registry operations that advance the field toward more consistent, efficient, and effective performance; (2) refine and promote standards for registry operations methodology, including evaluation of comparability of methods for consolidation of records from different sources on the same cancer to promote and advance best practices related to quality improvement, recommendations processing different types of incomplete cancer records, and the use of emerging bioinformatics technologies and data systems; (3) participate in collaborative efforts that use high quality population-base cancer registry data and prepare technical and scientific reports. Area of focus include, but are not limited to, Data use and Quality, Research Metrics and Methods, and the Social and Economic determinants of disease; (4) build and enhance ties with cancer surveillance organizations in the international arena, which may include presentation at international cancer registry meetings, collaborative articles, dissemination of information about cancer registry documents and helpful training tools to the international community, harmonization of data standards and registry processes, and promotion of the Contractor’s website as a vehicle for international access to these materials.

Requirement type.

Research & development (R&D) R & D support services Support services (non-R&D) Supplies/equipment Information technology (IT) Construction Architect-engineer (A & E) services Design-build Other (specify):

Type of action.

New requirement

Follow-on Other (specify): Justification for Other than Full and Open

Competition to increase to the maximum value of the current sole-source Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract from $7,700,000 to $9,900,000 to allow for more in-scope task orders to be awarded for Programmatic CCDI related requirements. These requirements complement, enhance and support efforts aligned with the ongoing Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, Research (STAR) Act of 2018 (Public Law No. 115-180). The STAR Act of 2018 was enacted to maximize discovery, and accelerate development and availability, of promising childhood cancer treatments.

Proposed contract/order type.

Firm-fixed-price Other fixed-price (specify, e.g., fixed-price award-fee, fixed-price incentive-fee):

Cost-plus-fixed-fee Other cost reimbursement (specify, e.g., cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee):

Time and materials Indefinite delivery (specify whether indefinite quantity, definite quantity, or requirements):

Other (specify):

Completion Form Term form

Acquisition identification number. N02PC35000-41;

HHSN261201400004I resultant IDIQ contract.

c. Total estimated dollar value and performance/delivery period. Increase the initial IDIQ contract maximum value of $7,700,000 by $2,200,000 to allow for more in-scope task orders to be awarded that was not known at the time of the acquisition planning in 2014 nor factored when determining the current IDIQ’s maximum value of $7,700,000.

No change to the current IDIQ contract Period of Performance of July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2021.

4. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 253(c)(_1_) as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302- _1_.

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor(s) unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

a. Name and address of the proposed contractor(s).

North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) 2050 W. Iles Ave, Suite A Springfield, IL 62704-4194

b. Nature of the acquisition and proposed unique qualifications of the contractor(s).

The unique qualification of the Contractor, stated in the Justification and Approval (J&A) document dated 02/24/2014 for the sole-sourced, single-award IDIQ contract HHSN261201400004I, still applies to this active IDIQ contract and the National Childhood Cancer Registry Initiative. “As an established collaborative professional society whose members are interested in the development and application of population-based cancer registration and surveillance research techniques to studies of defined population groups and to the conduct of cancer control programs, NAACCR provides a unique forum in which to advance the capacity for national cancer surveillance. NAACCR is a national not-for-profit educational organization whole membership consists of central cancer registries representing the United States and Canada with endorsement from sponsoring organizations including the American Cancer Society, American College of Surgeons, American Joint Committee on Cancer, Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries, College of American Pathologists, National Cancer Registrar’s Association, and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It has the ability to bring together cancer registry standard-setting organizations, central cancer registries, hospital cancer registries and software developers; to utilize their member’s cancer registration subject matter expertise to develop data item definitions, codes, format, transmission record layouts, and timeline for implementation for new standards; to organize their members into committees and workgroups which through consensus develop and promote best practices for registry operations and uniform data standards for cancer registration in North America; and to harness resources among the members to implement agreed upon agendas. For more than two decades, NAACCR and its technical committees, composed of representatives from the full spectrum of members, have developed and promoted standards for data consent, quality and use, as well as procedures for registry operations and reporting data. NCI works through many channels, including professional groups such as NAACCR, to continue improving the national capacity to study emerging trends and to measure the cancer burden in the United States, which is specifically mandated by the National Cancer Act of 1971.”

In addition, NAACCR has unique experience to serve as the coordinating center supporting the NCCR due to their work on the current Virtual Pooled Registry task order HHSN261201400004I / HHSN26100007.

6. Description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable. Indicate whether a FBO notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR

5.202 applies. A notice was transmitted to beta.SAM.gov, the Government Point of Entry (GPE), on April 15, 2020. The notice closed at 4:00PM ET on April 30, 2020. No responses were received.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost/price to the

Government will be fair and reasonable. An IDIQ contract, and Task Order HHSN26100001 were award to the NAACCR on July 1, 2014 as a result of a Cost Analysis that found the costs to be fair and reasonable. The IDIQ minimum was satisfied in Task Order HHSN26100001. The Contracting Officer will conduct a Cost Analysis on anticipated Task Orders and make a determination of fair and reasonable prior to any Task Order award.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted. The COR, in conjunction with Subject Matter Experts, via extensive experience and knowledge of the market, has determined that the NAACCR is still the best source capable of performing the requirements needed to provide these services. As stated above, the Incumbent has established the expertise, resources, and infrastructure necessary to provide these requirements.

As stated above, a notice was transmitted to beta.SAM.gov, the Government Point of Entry (GPE),on April 15, 2020. The notice closed at 4:00PM ET on April 30, 2020. No responses were received.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

If the current IDIQ’s maximum value is not increased via this action, all Programmatic CCDI related requirements that complement, enhances and support efforts aligned with the STAR Act of 2018 (Public Law No. 115-180) will not occur until July 1, 2021—the effective date of the follow-on award to this IDIQ requirement. This would create significant unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements in support of the ongoing STAR Act of 2018 that was enacted to maximize discovery, and accelerate development and availability, of promising childhood cancer treatments.

Moreover, there is an immediate FY 2020 Programmatic need for the IDIQ maximum value to be increased in order to fund a task order for the CDDI related National Childhood Cancer Registry (NCCR) requirement. This task order would be funded from FY 2020 CCDI funds that support the ongoing STAR Act of 2018.

10. Listing of sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

No sources responded to the notice transmitted to beta.SAM.gov, the Government Point of Entry (GPE) pon April 15, 2020.

11. Statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the required supplies or services. As stated in the Justification and Approval document dated 02/24/2014 for the sole-sourced, single-award IDIQ contract HHSN261201400004I, a follow-on acquisition by other than competitive means is likely if market research does not reveal viable sources that can perform the work.