SB.8(a).Source.Sought.Notice.2015.6-12.docx

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

HHS-NIH-NHLBI-SBSS-RG-16-002

TITLE: Administrative and Technology Support Services for the NIH Peer Review Program

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6145 MSC 7902, Bethesda, MD, 20892-7902, UNITED STATES

INTRODUCTION

This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice set-aside for 8(a) companies. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are an 8(a) small business; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered an 8(a) small business under NAICS code 561110 should not submit a response to this notice.

BACKGROUND

With the advent of e-Grants electronic submittal requirements in May 2007, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CSR performs a wide range of information technology-driven and support activities to further CSR's mission as the portal for NIH grant applications and their review for scientific merit. CSR receives approximately 100,000 grant applications per year and organizes peer review groups or "study sections" that evaluate the majority (70%) of the research grant applications submitted to NIH. CSR additionally receives and coordinates the review of grant applications of other operating divisions within the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

CSR's mission is to ensure that NIH grant applications receive fair, independent, expert, and timely reviews, so ultimately NIH can fund the most promising research. In the last 12 months, CSR received and processed approximately 110,000 grant applications. Most of these applications are reviewed by study sections administered by CSR's 25 IRGs which are presently organized into 5 CSR Divisions. Approximately 231 Scientific Review Officers (SROs) coordinate the activities across the 25 IRGs. The SROs work in partnership with the scientific community to ensure that each scientific review group (study section) identifies the most meritorious science for recommended funding by the NIH's 27 Extramural Institutes and Centers.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

1. Support Services for the Operation of the Division Integrated Review Groups (IRGs)

Representative activities that shall be performed by Contractor staff, under this contract, include, but are not limited to:

· Operational Services for IRG Chiefs: The Contractor shall provide essential administrative and technology support to the 25 IRG Chiefs. The Contractor shall work closely with the IRG Chief to ensure a wide array of administrative and technology support services are provided, as well as the work with the chiefs’ subordinate staff of approximately 8 to 11 Scientific Review Officers (SROs). The Contractor shall learn about IRG and CSR review processes, policies, and procedures and comply with them to ensure accuracy and timeliness of work products. The Contractor shall also work closely with federal administrative staff to gain knowledge, skill, and ability to perform administrative work in compliance with CSR, NIH, HHS, and Federal rules and regulations.

· Support Services for Scientific Review Officers (SROs)

· Support of Scientific Review Meetings

· Support for Video Assisted Meetings (VAM)

· IRG-specific Quality Assurance Activities

· Ancillary Program Services: Provide Events Management Coordination

2. Support Services for the Operation of the Division of Receipt and Referral (DRR)

The DRR is the central office that receives all incoming grant applications to the NIH (approximately 100,000 annually). The Contractor shall work closely with DRR staff to learn and comply with receipt and referral rules, regulations, policies, and procedures in order to accomplish work with accuracy and integrity. The DRR works closely with CSR to route grant applications to the 24 IRGs for further processing. The Contractor shall provide direct support to the Director, DRR, senior management and other staff.

· Electronic Receipt and Processing of Grant Applications

· DRR Quality Analytical Activities

3. Support Services for the Division of Management Services

· Subject Matter Expert in Human Resources: The CSR requires technical assistance in the areas of human resources, ethics, and administrative office support.

· Support for the Executive Officer (EO): The CSR requires Administrative and Analytical Support to the EO.

· Support for the Administrative Services Branch Office Support

· Administrative Support across areas including DMS and IRG Divisions

4. Support Services for the Office of the Director

· Administrative Office Support

· Ancillary OD Program Services:

· Support CSR Early Career Reviewer Program

· Support Advisory Council to the Director on Diversity Working Group Subcommittee on Peer Review

· Subject Matter Expert: Operations Management Support for the Office of Planning, Analysis and Evaluation (OPAE)

· Support for the Office of Planning, Analysis and Evaluation (OPAE)

· Support for the Ethics Program

· Support to the Information Management Branch (IMB): Support for the Director of Information Management Branch

· Support for Video Assisted Meetings (VAM)

5. Scientific Review and Evaluation Activities (SREA) Program Services

NIH/CSR Centralized SREA Program is a central service management center responsible for managing and evaluating costs associated with NIH peer review to CSR and 27 NIH Institutes and Centers. The SREA Management and Service Center (MSC) coordinate the processing of reviewer payment reimbursement for honoraria, travel, hotel lodging, meals, incidentals, and other approved costs. As part of this process, SREA staff interacts regularly with reviewers in answering questions, assisting with the submission of reimbursement documentation and the procedures that surround it, and resolving reimbursement problems.

The NIH SREA Centralized Program processes meeting rosters for CSR and ICs for payment reimbursement to over 35,000 reviewers per year and submits directly to the NIH Office of Financial Management (OFM) for a wireless payment. The Contractor shall coordinate, and manage and a high volume time sensitive transactions requiring detailed attention to accuracy. In addition, the Contractor shall coordinate the government fiduciary service related to non-federal reviewer travel payment to the NIH/CSR travel contractor. Ability to communicate, collaborate and coordinate with all leadership components of CSR, NIH Institute Extramural Program Officials, Administrators, and leading scientific reviewers across the country is critical.

· SREA Website Support: The Contractor shall provide staff with the expertise necessary to maintain and update content on the SREA web pages in both the NIH Intranet and internet domains in support of the NIH public.

CAPABILLITY STATEMENTS

8(a) Small business concerns that believe they possess the capabilities necessary to undertake this work should submit complete documentation of their capabilities to the Contracting Officer. The capabilities statement must specifically address each project requirement separately. Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of scientists, medical experts, and technical personnel as it relates to the above outlined requirements, 3) a description of general and specific facilities and equipment available, including computer equipment and software, 4) an outline of previous research projects that are similar to the project requirements in which the organization and proposed personnel have participated, and 5) any other information considered relevant to this program. The capability statement must not exceed 10 single sided or 5 double sided pages in length and using an 11-point font size minimum.

Interested 8(a) small business organizations are required to identify their size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone numbers of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number.

All capability statements sent in response to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Jenn Frazier, Contract Specialist, at jenn.frazier@nih.gov and copy Nora Rivera, Contracting Officer, at nora.rivera@nih.gov in either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), within 15 calendar days of the date of this announcement. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered.

The solicitation release date is pending. The Government intends to negotiate one firm-fixed price/time-and-materials type contract, for a one (1) year base period with four (4) consecutive one (1) year options; with an approximate award date of January 1, 2016.

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).

ORIGINAL POINT OF CONTACT

Jenn Frazier, Contract Specialist, NHLBI COAC Services Branch, Phone (301) 496-6092, Email: jenn.frazier@nih.gov

Nora Rivera, Contracting Officer, NHLBI COAC Services Branch, Phone (301) 435-0712, Email: nora.rivera@nih.gov

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD, Office of Acquisitions 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6145 MSC 7902, Bethesda, MD, 20892-7902, UNITED STATES