Amendment_to_CIDR_4_revised.pdf

NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE

SOLICITATION NUMBER HHS-NIH-NHLBI-CSB-HG-2016-17-DL

AMENDMENT NO. 4

DATE OF ISSUANCE: December 1, 2015

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth below. The hour and the date specified for receipt of proposals remains unchanged. Offerors must acknowledge receipt of the amendment prior to the hour and the date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

I. By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the proposal submitted. Please note that this is the preferred method.

II. By separate letter or email which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment number.

FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE

DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND

DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR PROPOSAL. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change a proposal already submitted, such change may be made by letter, provided each letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

The purpose of this amendment is to publish questions and responses and revise the Statement of Work to include a note to offerors.

This amendment revises the solicitation to incorporate questions and responses as stated below:

1. Do we need to fill out attachment 12 (regarding 508 compliance) before we are awarded the contract, or is this something we can plan to do after the contract is awarded and we transition to a new CIDR website / LIMS (among other items needing to be compliant)?

Response:

Attachment 12 needs to be completed and submitted with your proposal.

2. With Task Order (TO) Request for proposal, Task Order One (1), are we expected to incorporate all of the deliverables (in section F) and provide costing estimates for only the first year of the contract (also excluding the transition plan at contract expiration)?

Yes, Offerors are expected to incorporate all of the deliverables (in section F for Task Area 1) and provide cost estimates for only the first year of the contract (excluding the transition plan at contract expiration).

3. With respect to the program management portion (task area 1) in the statement of work, it is unclear from point 11, 12, and 13 (collectively the R & D portion) how this is to be administered and the scope of the effort desired. Elsewhere it describes a ‘significant R & D component’. Are we also expected to estimate supplies for the R & D component, or will those be part of the proposals given to CIDR and handled with additional task orders?

Offerors should include labor effort and supplies/equipment for the R&D component (Sections 11, 12, and 13 of the Statement of Work for Task Area

1) in the cost estimate for Task Order 1 (Year 1 of Task Area 1). Due to changing technology, it is difficult to accurately predict the scope of the R&D component; however, the Government estimates that the Contractor will prepare 1-2 technology evaluation proposals per year. In proposing costs for the R&D component, Offerors should estimate the likely scale of the R&D component based on their knowledge of the field, current technology, and the direction of future technology.

Please note that the yearly task orders issued against Task Area One will be cost reimbursement type task orders. This award type protects the Contractor from cost risk due to an R&D component that is higher than expected.

4. We may submit our proposal by courier, so we need to provide the courier service a contact. What is the name and phone number of the person who will sign for the delivery?

The following personnel may be listed as contacts for the purpose of delivery services.

Addressee Name Phone Number Office of Acquisitions Renu Simon 301-402-9715 Scientific Review Branch

Melinda Rose 301-496-7531

5. The RFP states that there should be a separate section in our technical proposal for the response to the Sample Task Orders for Task Area 2. Does this section count in the 30 page limit or is it a separate section outside of the 30 page limit (i.e. included in the 30 page limit would be our objectives, approach, methods and procedures for task area one and overall for task area two).

Response:

The response to the sample task orders for Task Area Two is a separate section. This section does not count towards the 30 page limit.

As a result of the response to question 3 above, Attachment 1, Statement of Work, Section C, Task Area One, Item 12. is hereby revised to add the following note to offerors:

NOTE TO OFFERORS: For proposal preparation purposes, the Government estimates that the Contractor will prepare 1-2 technology evaluation proposals per year.