JOFOC_RFP-16-018_REDACTED.pdf

JOFOC – June 2016 HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RFP-16-018 Page 1 of 6

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity.

a. Federal agency and contracting activity. HHS.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Neuroscience Consolidated Operations Acquisition Center (COAC) NIMH/NIA R&D Contracts Management Branch

b. Sponsoring organization.

National Institute on Aging (NIA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) Laboratory of Epidemiology and Populations Studies (LEPS)

c. Project Officer Information.

• Project Officer Name. REDACTED

• Mailing Address. REDACTED

• E-mail Address. REDACTED

• Telephone Number. REDACTED

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

a. Acquisition purpose and objectives.

The purpose of this requirement is to assess what happens to physical activity after retirement. There are a number of studies in which change in physical activity around retirement has been examined, but all these studies are self-report and there is no consensus on the effect of retirement. We plan to use two waves of objective measurements, one prior to retirement and the other after to attempt to describe the effects of retirement on physical activity and in this way avoid recall bias.

The objective is to analyze data that identify change in physical activity based on objective monitoring and then to understand which factors might enhance a positive change. These results will be written up in publishable form.

b. Project background

This is a new requirement and will be nested in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study, which is funded by a cooperative agreement, supported by the National Institute

HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RFP-16-018 Page 2 of 6 on Neurological Disorders and Stroke. REGARDS is an ongoing cohort study in which a multiracial cohort was recruited with oversampling in the southeastern United States, an area known for having a high risk of stroke. REGARDS is of particular interest because earlier in the study two measures of importance to estimation of activity in old age were carried out. The first was a measurement of activity using an ActicalTM accelerometer, mailed to the participant, and worn on the hip for seven days. The second measure was an occupational questionnaire supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and administered to cohort members. The purpose of this new requirement is to collect repeat accelerometry data for all participants who have passed the retirement age of 65, had worn the accelerometer in the past, and who participated in the NIOSH-CDC questionnaire. This is new work that is currently not part of the grant-funded study.

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

a. Project title. Objective Measurement of Activity After Retirement in REGARDS Study participants.

b. Project description. See attached Statement of Work.

• 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): ______________________

• 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): ________________

HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RFP-16-018 Page 3 of 6

Time and materials Indefinite delivery (specify whether indefinite quantity, definite quantity, or requirements): ___________ Other (specify): Cost Reimbursement Completion Form Term form

• Acquisition identification number.

HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-RFP-16-018

c. Total estimated dollar value and performance/delivery period.

REDACTED

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.) 3400(c)(1) as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of section 4202 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Services

Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 (41 U.S.C. 428a).

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).

University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health 1665 University Blvd.

Ryals Public Health Building Birmingham, AL 35294-0022

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

This requirement needs to be carried out in the context of a research study in which there is a) a large group of people who are at risk to retire sometime between the ages of 62 to 65; b) this group of individuals at risk to retire has had an objective measurement of activity performed during the pre-retirement years; c) this group of individuals at risk to retire has had an occupational questionnaire administered during the pre-retirement years; and d) there has been and remains active follow-up of events and mortality in the REGARDS Study. The REGARDS has a negotiated grant that supports collection of data with the NINDS, operating as a cooperative agreement.

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The University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Public Health, home of the REGARDS Study is an outstanding institution noted for its research especially dealing with minority health. Several major studies of stroke, cardiovascular disease, women’s health and related studies are housed at this institution and the faculty has unique qualifications for this type of study having had success in past years in recruiting and maintaining minorities in studies of this type.

UAB is uniquely qualified to conduct further study as the REGARDS study began at UAB and the raw data resulting from the initial period of study is owned by UAB and not publicly available or transferrable. All critical study components have been developed, implemented, field tested, and refined by UAB in collaboration with the NIA over the course of the REGARDS study. No other contractors could provide a comparable service in a timely and cost-efficient manner. In addition, successful follow-up of cohort participants requires continued and regular contact that has been established and maintained by UAB. It is essential for optimal performance of this contract that there be no disruption in work performance and that smooth continuation of REGARDS study research is maintained by UAB.

6. Description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable. Indicate whether a FedBizOpps notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

Two (2) Sources Sought notices were publicized to solicit potential sources for this acquisition on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website as follows:

• A Small Business Sources Sought Notice was posted on March 24, 2016 with a response date of April 4, 2016.

• An R&D Sources Sought Notice was posted on March 24, 2016 with a response date of April 4, 2016.

A Pre-Solicitation notice was posted on FedBizOpps on May 9, 2016, with a response date of May 23, 2016.

As a result of the notifications, one (1) company responded by submitting a capability statement. See paragraph 10 below for a listing of the source.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost/price to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The CO will compare the Independent Government Cost estimate to the proposed cost once the proposal is received to determine fair and reasonable cost. REDACTED. Final costs will be subject to negotiation. The CO may request a separate pre-award audit of indirect costs if the information isn’t already available from an existing audit.

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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.

In addition to the Project Officer’s extensive search of cohorts which might fit the criteria through outreach in the research community; a list was made of the major active population cohorts. They were contacted to see if a) the studies were still in the field; b) the age group of the participants; c) there were enough people who were progressing through the peri-retirement period; d) those subjects in the peri-retirement age group had had an accelerometry measurement during the peri-retirement period when they were still working; and e) those subjects in the peri-retirement age group who had an occupational questionnaire administered during the peri-retirement period. The REGARDS Study was the only study that met these requirements.

UAB is the only organization with an established working history on this study.

The organization has the specialized knowledge, experience and proprietary baseline data for the study. Therefore, there is no other source capable of fulfilling this requirement.

Further, as discussed in paragraph 6 above, two (2) notices were publicized in FedBizOpps. However, no suitable offeror was found capable of performing the scope of work.

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

This requirement involves follow-up assessments of participants of the REGARDS study. The objectives of the current proposal are dependent on the use of initial data collected prior to this requirement. The raw participant data was collected by UAB and is owned by UAB. It is not possible for another vendor to perform the follow-on study because the required data collected cannot be transferred to another offeror. Should a new contract be granted the award, any delay would lose additional subjects to death as the post-retirement group is beginning to get quite old.

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

As a result of the sources sought notifications discussed above, REDACTED, a large business was the only offeror that provided a capability statement.

The capability statement was reviewed by the Project Officer as well as three (3) NIH researchers: REDACTED. These reviewers are not responsible for making programmatic or administrative recommendations or decisions concerning the proposed action as part of their official duties regarding the sources sought notice. The reviewers found that while REDACTED had relevant experience, it did not possess all the necessary qualifications in order to perform the entire scope of work. For instance, it does not have access to the required previously collected cohort data.

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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.

If it is determined that it is necessary to continue the study beyond the proposed period of performance, a thorough analysis of the requirements will be conducted to remove or overcome any unnecessary barriers to competition.

12. Program office certification. This is to certify that the portions of this justification that have been developed by the undersigned program office personnel, including supporting information and/or data verifying the Government’s minimum needs, schedule requirements and other rationale for other than full and open competition, are accurate and complete.

REDACTED