NIHAI75N93022R00008.pdf

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SOLICITATION

SECTION A - SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

1. Requisition or other Purchase Authority: P.L. 81-692, as Amended

2. Request for Proposal (RFP) Number:

NIHAI75N93022R00008

3. Issue Date:

04/15/2022

4. Set Aside:

[X] No

[ ] Yes See Part IV Section L

5. Title : DIAGNOSTICS PRE-CLINICAL SERVICES PROGRAM

6. ISSUED BY:

Charles H. Jackson Jr., Contracting Officer Office of Acquisitions National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health 5601 Fishers Lane, Room 3D41 MSC-9821 Rockville, MD 20852-9821

7. SUBMIT OFFERS TO:

See Part III, Section J, "Packaging and Delivery of the Proposal," ATTACHMENT 1 of this Solicitation.

8. Proposals for furnishing the supplies and/or services in THE SCHEDULE will be received at the place specified in, and in the number of copies specified in Attachment 1, "Packaging and Delivery of the Proposal," until 3:00 PM EST local time on 07/14/22. Offers will be valid for 120 days unless a different period is specified by the offeror on the Attachment entitled, "Proposal Summary and Data Record, NIH 2043.

9. This solicitation requires delivery of proposals as stated in ATTACHMENT 1, "PACKAGING AND DELIVERY OF THE PROPOSAL." If proposals are required to be delivered to two different locations, the OFFICIAL POINT OF RECEIPT for determining TIMELY DELIVERY is the address provided for the OFFICE OF ACQUISITIONS.

IF YOUR PROPOSAL IS NOT RECEIVED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER OR HIS DESIGNEE AT THE PLACE AND TIME SPECIFIED FOR THE OFFICE OF ACQUISITIONS, THEN IT WILL BE CONSIDERED LATE AND HANDLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH HHSAR Clause 352.215-70, "Late Proposals and Revisions"

LOCATED IN SECTION L.1. OF THIS SOLICITATION.

10. Offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award of a contract. Offerors must access the CCR through The System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.

11. FOR INFORMATION CALL: Ignacio Reyes

PHONE: 301-435-7574

e-MAIL: ignacio.reyes@nih.gov

COLLECT CALLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

All questions must be submitted to ignacio.reyes@nih.gov by 3:00 PM EST on June 1, 2022. Charles H. Jackson Jr.

Contracting Officer Office of Acquisitions

NIAID

RFP Number : NIHAI75N93022R00008

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RFP TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION A - SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

SECTION D - PACKAGING, MARKING AND SHIPPING

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

SECTION J - LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

SOLICITATION ATTACHMENTS

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL ATTACHMENTS

BUSINESS PROPOSAL ATTACHMENTS

INFORMATIONAL ATTACHMENTS

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

a. GENERAL INFORMATION

a. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS--COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION

b. NAICS CODE AND SIZE STANDARD

c. TYPE OF CONTRACT AND NUMBER OF AWARDS

d. TASK ORDERS UNDER MULTIPLE AWARD INDEFINITE DELIVERY CONTRACTS

e. COMMITMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS

f. PROMOTING EFFICIENT SPENDING

g. COMMUNICATIONS PRIOR TO CONTRACT AWARD

h. RELEASE OF INFORMATION

i. PREPARATION COSTS

j. SERVICE OF PROTEST

2. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

a. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Contract Type and General Clauses

2. Authorized Official and Submission of Proposal

3. Proposal Summary and Data Record (NIH-2043)

4. Separation of Technical and Business Proposals

5. Alternate Proposals

6. Evaluation of Proposals

7. Potential Award Without Discussions

8. Use of the Metric System of Measurement

9. Specific Copyright Provisions Applicable to Software Development and/or Enhancement(s)

10. Privacy Act - Treatment of Proposal Information

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11. Selection of Offerors

12. Institutional Responsibility Regarding Investigator Conflicts of Interest

13. ROTC Access and Federal Military Recruiting on Campus

14. CERTIFICATION REGARDING TAX MATTERS (OCT 2020)

15. Past Performance Information

16. Prohibition on Contractor Involvement with Terrorist Activities

17. Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference

b. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Technical Discussions

2. Other Considerations

3. Technical Evaluation

4. Possession, Use and Transfer of Select Biological Agents or Toxins

5. Dual Use Research of Concern

c. BUSINESS PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Basic Cost/Price Information

2. Proposal Cover Sheet

3. Information Other than Cost or Pricing Data

4. Requirements for Cost or Pricing Data or Information Other than Cost and Pricing Data

5. Salary Rate Limitation

6. Small Business Subcontracting Plan

7. Mentor Protege Program, HHSAR 352.219-70

8. HUBZone Small Business Concerns

9. Total Compensation Plan

10. Other Administrative Data

11. Qualifications of the Offeror

12. Subcontractors

13. Proposer's Annual Financial Report

14. Travel Costs/Travel Policy

15. Certification of Visas for Non-U.S. Citizens

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

1. GENERAL

2. COST/PRICE EVALUATION

3. EVALUATION OF OPTIONS

4. EVALUATION OF DATA SHARING PLAN

5. TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTORS

6. PAST PERFORMANCE FACTOR

7. SUBCONTRACTING PROGRAM EVALUATION CRITERIA

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PART I - THE SCHEDULE

THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN SECTION A - SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM, HEREIN CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANY OFFEROR INTERESTED IN RESPONDING TO THIS SOLICITATION.

ANY CONTRACT RESULTING FROM THIS SOLICITATION WILL INCLUDE IN ITS SECTION A - SOLICITATION/ CONTRACT FORM, ACCOUNTING, APPROPRIATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION APPLICABLE TO THE

CONTRACT AWARD.

THE CONTRACT SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN SECTIONS B THROUGH H, HEREIN, CONTAINS CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THIS SOLICITATION. IT IS NOT AN EXACT REPRESENTATION OF THE CONTRACT DOCUMENT THAT WILL BE AWARDED AS A RESULT OF THIS SOLICITATION. THE CONTRACT COST OR PRICE AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL PROVISIONS PERTINENT TO THE OFFEROR (i.e., those relating to the organizational structure [e.g., Non-Profit, Commercial] and specific cost authorizations unique to the Offeror's proposal and requiring Contracting Officer Prior Approval) WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE RESULTANT CONTRACT. THE ENCLOSED CONTRACT SCHEDULE IS

INTENDED TO PROVIDE THE OFFEROR WITH THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO UNDERSTAND THE

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RESULTANT CONTRACT.

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

ARTICLE B.1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES

Contracts awarded from this solicitation shall provide the capacity and capability for a broad range of services necessary for IVD product development support for promising assays and platforms to detect, identify, and characterize human infectious agents. Services include expanding the breadth and depth of diagnostic knowledge in all areas of infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases and developing flexible domestic and international research capacities and capabilities to respond appropriately and when needed rapidly to mount an effective response to emerging and re-emerging disease threats both domestic and foreign on a local or global scale.

ARTICLE B.2. PRICES/COSTS

a. This is a Multiple Award Indefinite Quantity contract as contemplated by FAR 16.504. The Contractor shall be reimbursed by the Government in an amount not less than a total of $3,500 (minimum) nor more than a total of $12,000,000 (maximum) for successful performance of this contract.

b. The costs set forth in this ARTICLE will cover the contract period July 01, 2023 through June 30, 2030.

c. The Government will compete and award Task Orders based on the work described in SECTION C of this contract.

The Task Areas of this solicitation are as follows:

Task Area A- Product Development Processes and Documentation

Task Area B- Recombinant Proteins and Monoclonal Antibodies

Task Area C- Biochemical Reagents: Nucleic Acids and Oligonucleotides

Task Area D- Clinical Specimens and Bacterial Isolates

Task Area E- Next-Gen Sequencing, Immunoassays, Nucleic Acid Amplification Assays

Task Area F- Pre-Pilot and Pilot-Scale GMP Manufacturing Services

a. Ordering procedures are described in The TASK ORDER PROCEDURE Article in SECTION G of this contract.

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ARTICLE B.3. PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO DIRECT COSTS

This article will prohibit or restrict the use of contract funds, unless otherwise approved by the Contracting Officer. The following is a list of items that may be included in the resultant contract as applicable. 1) Conferences & Meetings, 2) Food for Meals, Light Refreshments & Beverages, 3) Promotional Items, 4) Acquisition, by purchase or lease, of any interest in real property; 5) Special rearrangement or alteration of facilities; 6) Purchase or lease of any item of general purpose office furniture or office equipment regardless of dollar value; 7) Travel Costs including Foreign Travel; 8) Consultant Costs; 9) Subcontract Costs; 10) Patient Care Costs; 11) Accountable Government Property; 12) Printing costs; and 13) Research Funding.

ARTICLE B.4. ADVANCE UNDERSTANDINGS

Specific elements of cost, which normally require prior written approval of the Contracting Officer before incurrence of the cost (e.g., foreign travel, consultant fees, subcontracts) will be included in this Article if the Contracting Officer has granted his/her approval prior to contract award.

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

ARTICLE C.1. DESCRIPTION-STATEMENT OF WORK

a. Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall be required to furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government, as needed to perform the Statement of Work, dated March 14, 2022, attached hereto and made a part of this Solicitation (See SECTION J - List of Attachments).

ARTICLE C.2. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

All reports required herein shall be submitted in electronic format. In addition, one hardcopy of each report shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer.

All electronic reports submitted shall be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additional information about testing documents for Section 508 compliance, including guidance and specific checklists, by application, can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/index.html under "Making Files Accessible."

All paper/hardcopy documents/reports submitted under this contract shall be printed or copied, double-sided, on at least 30 percent post consumer fiber paper, whenever practicable, in accordance with FAR 4.302(b).

a. Technical Progress Reports

In addition to the required reports set forth elsewhere in this Schedule, the preparation and submission of regularly recurring Technical Progress Reports will be required in any contract resulting from this solicitation. These reports will require descriptive information about the activities undertaken during the reporting period and will require information about planned activities for future reporting periods. The frequency and specific content of these reports will be determined prior to contract award. [Note: Beginning May 25, 2008, the Contractor shall include the applicable PubMed Central or NIH Manuscript Submission reference number when citing publications that arise from its NIH funded research.]

All reports required herein shall be submitted in electronic format. All electronic contract deliverables listed in the delivery schedule above shall be submitted via eRDS (NIAID’s electronic Report Deliverable Submission), available at the following website: http://erds.niaid.nih.gov/.

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Regular Task Order Progress Reports will be required and the frequency will be specified in Task Order Reporting Requirements. These reports will be monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.

All reports shall include a cover page prepared in accordance with the following format:

• Contract Number, Task Order Number (Designation) and Task Order Title

• Period of Performance Being Reported

• Contractor's Name and Address

• Author(s)

• Date of Submission

• Delivery Address The following reports will be required to be submitted in electronic format:

For proposal preparation purposes only, it is estimated that in addition to the required electronic version(s) No hard copies of these reports will be required as follows:

[X] Monthly [ ] Quarterly [X] Semi-Annually [ ] Annually [ ] Annually (with a requirement for a Draft Annual Report) [ ] Final - Upon final completion of the contract [X] Final - Upon final completion of the contract (with a requirement for a Draft Final Report)

Summary of Salient Results

The Contractor will be required to prepare and submit, with the final report, a summary (not to exceed 200 words) of salient results achieved during the performance of the contract. This report will be required on or before the expiration date of the contract.

Reporting on Dual Use Research of Concern

a. Progress Report For work involving an agent or toxin identified in the United States Government Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern or "DURC policy" (see http://www.phe.gov/s3/dualuse/ Documents/durc-policy.pdf), the contractor shall report the following information in the Annual/Semi-Annual/ Quarterly/Monthly Progress report:

i. Identification of agents or toxins that are listed in the DURC policy and used in research funded in this contract, and;

ii. Proposed modifications, if any, to the risk mitigation plan.

b. Special Notifications The contractor shall report to the Contracting Officer's Representative, within 30 calendar days of:

i. Any change in the status of the DURC project funded under this contract (including whether the research is determined by the contractor's institutional review entity to no longer meet the definition of DURC);

ii. Details of any changes to risk mitigation plans (such changes need to be pre-approved by the Contracting Officer's Representative), or;

iii. Instances of noncompliance with the DURC policy, as well as mitigation measures undertaken by the contractor to prevent recurrences of similar noncompliance.

Reporting on Select Agents or Toxins and/or Highly Pathogenic Agents

For work involving the possession, use, or transfer of a Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent, the following information shall also be included in each AnnualProgress Report:

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1. Any changes in the use of the Select Agent or Toxin including initiation of "restricted experiments," and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent, that have resulted in a change in the required biocontainment level, and any resultant change in location, if applicable, as determined by the IBC or equivalent body or institutional biosafety official.

2. If work with a new or additional Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent will be conducted in the upcoming reporting period, provide:

a. A list of each new or additional Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent that will be studied;

b. A brief description of the work that will be done with each new or additional Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent and whether or not the work is a Select Agent or Toxin restricted experiment as defined in the Select Agents Regulation 42 CFR Part 73, Section 13.b ( http://www.selectagents.gov/ Regulations.html) or listed on the U.S. National Select Agents Registry restricted experiments website ( http://www.selectagents.gov/index.html);

c. The name and location for each biocontainment resource/facility, including the name of the organization that operates the facility, and the biocontainment level at which the work will be conducted, with documentation of approval by your IBC or equivalent body or institutional biosafety official. It must be noted if the work is being done in a new location or different location.

d. For work with Select Agents performed in the U.S. provide documentation of registration status of all domestic organizations where Select Agent(s) will be used. For work with Select Agents performed in a non-U.S. country prior NIAID approval is required.

If the IBC or equivalent body or institutional biosafety official has determined, for example, by conducting a risk assessment, that the work that has been performed or is planned to be performed under this contract may be conducted at a biocontainment safety level that is lower than BSL3, a statement to that affect shall be included in each Annual Progress Report.

If no work involving a Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent has been performed or is planned to be performed under this contract, a statement to that affect shall be included in each Annual Progress Report.

b. Other Reports/Deliverables

1. Reporting of Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI)

All reports and documentation required by 45 CFR Part 94, Responsible Prospective Contractors including, but not limited to, the New FCOI Report, Annual FCOI Report, Revised FCOI Report, and the Mitigation Report, shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer in Electronic format. Thereafter, reports shall be due in accordance with the regulatory compliance requirements in 45 CFR Part 94.

45 CFR Part 94 is available at: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?

c=ecfr&SID=0af84ca649a74846f102aaf664da1623&rgn=div5&view=text&node=45:1.0.1.1.51&idno=45.

See Part 94.5, Management and reporting of financial conflicts of interest for complete information on reporting requirements.

(Reference subparagraph g. of the INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING INVESTIGATOR FINANCIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Article in SECTION H of this contract.)

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HHS SECURITY AND PRIVACY LANGUAGE FOR INFORMATION AND IT PROCUREMENTS

INFORMATION AND/OR PHYSICAL SECURITY

A. Security Assessment and Authorization (SA&A)- A valid authority to operate (ATO) certifies that the Contractor's information system meets the contract's requirements to protect the agency data. If the system under this contract does not have a valid ATO, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall work with the agency and supply the deliverables required to complete the ATO within the specified timeline(s) within three

(3) months after contract award. The Contractor shall conduct the SA&A requirements in accordance with HHS IS2P, NIST SP 800-37, Guide for Applying the Risk Management Framework to Federal Information Systems: A Security Life Cycle Approach (latest revision).

For an existing ATO, Contracting Officer Representative must make a determination if the existing ATO provides appropriate safeguards or if an additional ATO is required for the performance of the contract and state as such.

NIH acceptance of the ATO does not alleviate the Contractor's responsibility to ensure the system security and privacy controls are implemented and operating effectively.

B. SA&A Package Deliverables - The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall provide an SA&A package within 30 days of contract award to the CO and/or COR. The following SA&A deliverables are required to complete the SA&A package.

● System Security Plan (SSP) - due within 30 days after contract award. The SSP shall comply with the NIST SP 800-18, Guide for Developing Security Plans for Federal Information Systems, the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 200, Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems, and NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations applicable baseline requirements, and other applicable NIST guidance as well as HHS and NIH policies and other guidance. The SSP shall be consistent with and detail the approach to IT security contained in the Contractor's bid or proposal that resulted in the award of this contract.

The SSP shall provide an overview of the system environment and security requirements to protect the information system as well as describe all applicable security controls in place or planned for meeting those requirements. It should provide a structured process for planning adequate, cost-effective security protection for a system. The Contractor shall update the SSP at least annually thereafter.

● Security Assessment Plan/Report (SAP/SAR) - due 30 days after the contract award. The security assessment shall be conducted by the assessor and be consistent with NIST SP 800-53A, NIST SP 800-30, and HHS and NIH policies. The assessor will document the assessment results in the SAR.

The NIH should determine which security control baseline applies and then make a determination on the appropriateness/necessity of obtaining an independent assessment. Assessments of controls can be performed by contractor, government, or third parties, with third party verification considered the strongest. If independent assessment is required, include statement below.

Thereafter, the Contractor, in coordination with the NIH shall conduct/assist in the assessment of the security controls and update the SAR at least annually.

● Independent Assessment - due 90 days after the contract award. The Contractor (and/or subcontractor) shall have an independent third-party validate the security and privacy controls in place for the system(s). The independent third party shall review and analyze the Security Authorization package, and report on technical, operational, and management level deficiencies as outlined in NIST SP 800-53. The Contractor shall address all "high" deficiencies before submitting the package to the Government for acceptance. All remaining deficiencies must be documented in a system Plan of Actions and Milestones (POA&M).

● POA&M - due 30 days after contract award. The POA&M shall be documented consistent with the HHS Standard for Plan of Action and Milestones and NIH policies. All high-risk weaknesses must be mitigated within

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30 days and all medium weaknesses must be mitigated within 60 days from the date the weaknesses are formally identified and documented. The NIH will determine the risk rating of vulnerabilities. Identified risks stemming from deficiencies related to the security control baseline implementation, assessment, continuous monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and other security reviews and sources, as documented in the SAR, shall be documented and tracked by the Contractor for mitigation in the POA&M document. Depending on the severity of the risks, NIH may require designated POAM weaknesses to be remediated before an ATO is issued.

Thereafter, the POA&M shall be updated at least quarterly.

C. Contingency Plan and Contingency Plan Test - due 60 days after contract award. The Contingency Plan must be developed in accordance with NIST SP 800-34, Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems, and be consistent with HHS and NIH policies. Upon acceptance by the System Owner, the Contractor, in coordination with the System Owner, shall test the Contingency Plan and prepare a Contingency Plan Test Report that includes the test results, lessons learned and any action items that need to be addressed.

Thereafter, the Contractor shall update and test the Contingency Plan at least annually.

● E-Authentication Questionnaire - The contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall collaborate with government personnel to ensure that an E-Authentication Threshold Analysis (E-auth TA) is completed to determine if a full E-Authentication Risk Assessment (E-auth RA) is necessary. System documentation developed for a system using E-auth TA/E-auth RA methods shall follow OMB 04-04 and NIST SP 800-63, Rev. 2, Electronic Authentication Guidelines.

Based on the level of assurance determined by the E-Auth, the Contractor (and/or subcontractor) must ensure appropriate authentication to the system, including remote authentication, is in-place in accordance with the assurance level determined by the E-Auth (when required) in accordance with HHS policies.

D. POSITION SENSITIVITY DESIGNATIONS

All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees must obtain a background investigation commensurate with their position sensitivity designation that complies with Parts 1400 and 731 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The following position sensitivity designation levels apply to this solicitation/contract:

[ ] Level 6: Public Trust - High Risk. Contractor/subcontractor employees assigned to Level 6 positions shall undergo a Suitability Determination and Background Investigation (MBI).

[ ] Level 5: Public Trust - Moderate Risk. Contractor/subcontractor employees assigned to Level 5 positions with no previous investigation and approval shall undergo a Suitability Determination and a Minimum Background Investigation (MBI), or a Limited Background Investigation (LBI).

[ ] Level 1: Non-Sensitive. Contractor/subcontractor employees assigned to Level 1 positions shall undergo a Suitability Determination and National Check and Inquiry Investigation (NACI).

1. HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE (HSPD)-12

Roster-

a. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall submit a roster by name, position, e-mail address, phone number and responsibility, of all staff working under this acquisition where the Contractor will develop, have the ability to access, or host and/or maintain a government information system(s). The roster shall be submitted to the COR and/or CO within fourteen (14) calendar days after the effective date of this contract. Any revisions to the roster as a result of staffing changes shall be submitted within seven (7) calendar days of the change.

The COR will notify the Contractor of the appropriate level of investigation required for each staff member. An electronic template, "Roster of Employees Requiring Suitability Investigations," is available for contractor use at:

https://ocio.nih.gov/aboutus/publicinfosecurity/acquisition/Documents/SuitabilityRoster_10-15-12.xlsx.

x

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b. If the Contractor is filling a new position, the Contractor shall provide a position description and the Government will determine the appropriate suitability level. Upon receipt of the Government's notification of applicable Suitability Investigations required, the Contractor shall complete and submit the required forms within 30 days of the notification.

c. Upon receipt of the Government's notification of applicable Suitability Investigations required, the Contractor shall complete and submit the required forms within 30 days of the notification.

d. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in advance when any new personnel, who are subject to a background check/investigation, will work under the contract and if they have previously been the subject of national agency checks or background investigations.

e. All contractor and subcontractor employees shall comply with the conditions established for their designated position sensitivity level prior to performing any work under this contract. Contractors may begin work after the fingerprint check has been completed.

f. Investigations are expensive and may delay performance, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. Delays associated with rejections and consequent re-investigations may not be excusable in accordance with the FAR clause, Excusable Delays - see FAR 52.249-14. Accordingly, the Contractor shall ensure that any additional employees whose names it submits for work under this contract have a reasonable chance for approval.

g. Typically, the Government investigates personnel at no cost to the Contractor. However, multiple investigations for the same position may, at the Contracting Officer's discretion, justify reduction(s) in the contract price of no more that the cost of the additional investigation(s).

h. The Contractor shall include language similar to this "HHS Controlled Facilities and Information Systems Security" language in all subcontracts that require subcontractor personnel to have the same frequency and duration of (1) physical access to an HHS-controlled facility; (2) logical access to an HHS-controlled information system; (3) access to sensitive HHS data/information, whether in an HHS-controlled information system or in hard copy; or (4) any combination of circumstances (1) through (3).

i. The Contractor shall direct inquiries, including requests for forms and assistance, to the Contracting Officer or designee.

j. Within 7 calendar days after the Government's final acceptance of the work under this contract, or upon termination of the contract, the Contractor shall return all identification badges to the Contracting Officer or designee.

E. CONTRACT INITIATION AND EXPIRATION

1. General Security Requirements- The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall comply with information security and privacy requirements, Enterprise Performance Life Cycle (EPLC) processes, HHS Enterprise Architecture requirements to ensure information is appropriately protected from initiation to expiration of the contract. All information systems development or enhancement tasks supported by the contractor shall follow the HHS EPLC framework and methodology.

HHS EA requirements may be located here: https://ocio.nih.gov/PM/Pages/EPLC.aspx.

2. System Documentation- Contractors (and/or any subcontractors) must follow and adhere to NIST SP 800-64, Security Considerations in the System Development Life Cycle, at a minimum, for system development and provide system documentation at designated intervals (specifically, at the expiration of the contract) within the EPLC that require artifact review and approval.

3. Sanitization of Government Files and Information- As part of contract closeout and at expiration of the contract, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall provide all required documentation in accordance with the NIH Media Sanitization and Disposal Policy to the CO and/or COR to certify that, at the government's direction, all electronic and paper records are appropriately disposed of and all devices and media are sanitized in accordance with NIST SP 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.

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4. Notification- The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall notify the CO and/or COR and system ISSO within fifteen days before an employee stops working under this contract.

5. Contractor Responsibilities Upon Physical Completion of the Contract- The contractor (and/or any subcontractors) shall return all government information and IT resources (i.e., government information in non-government-owned systems, media, and backup systems) acquired during the term of this contract to the CO and/or COR. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide a certification that all government information has been properly sanitized and purged from Contractor-owned systems, including backup systems and media used during contract performance, in accordance with HHS and/or NIH policies.

6. The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall perform and document the actions identified in the NIH Contractor Employee Separation Checklist https://ocio.nih.gov/aboutus/publicinfosecurity/acquisition/Documents/ Emp-sep-checklist.pdf when an employee terminates work under this contract within 2 days of the employee's exit from the contract. All documentation shall be made available to the CO and/or COR upon request.

F. Contractor Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)- Each Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employee having access to non-public government information under this contract shall complete the NIH non-disclosure agreement https://ocio.nih.gov/aboutus/publicinfosecurity/acquisition/Documents/Nondisclosure.pdf , as applicable. A copy of each signed and witnessed NDA shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer (CO) and/or CO Representative (COR) prior to performing any work under this acquisition.

G. Vulnerability Scanning Reports The Contractor shall report the results of the required monthly special vulnerability scans no later than 10 days following the end of each reporting period. If required monthly, this report may be included as part of the Technical Progress Report. Otherwise, this report shall be submitted under a separate cover on monthly basis.

H. Government Access for Security Assessment. In addition to the Inspection Clause in the contract, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) shall afford the Government access to the Contractor's facilities, installations, operations, documentation, information systems, and personnel used in performance of this contract to the extent required to carry out a program of security assessment (to include vulnerability testing), investigation, and audit to safeguard against threats and hazards to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of federal data or to the protection of information systems operated on behalf of HHS, including but are not limited to:

a. At any tier handling or accessing information, consent to and allow the Government, or an independent third party working at the Government's direction, without notice at any time during a weekday during regular business hours contractor local time, to access contractor and subcontractor installations, facilities, infrastructure, data centers, equipment (including but not limited to all servers, computing devices, and portable media), operations, documentation (whether in electronic, paper, or other forms), databases, and personnel which are used in performance of the contract.

The Government includes but is not limited to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Government Accountability Office, and the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The purpose of the access is to facilitate performance inspections and reviews, security and compliance audits, and law enforcement investigations. For security audits, the audit may include but not be limited to such items as buffer overflows, open ports, unnecessary services, lack of user input filtering, cross site scripting vulnerabilities, SQL injection vulnerabilities, and any other known vulnerabilities.

b. At any tier handling or accessing protected information, fully cooperate with all audits, inspections, investigations, forensic analysis, or other reviews or requirements needed to carry out requirements presented in applicable law or policy. Beyond providing access, full cooperation also includes, but is not limited to, disclosure to investigators of information sufficient to identify the nature and extent of any criminal or fraudulent activity and the individuals responsible for that activity. It includes timely and complete production of requested data, metadata, information, and records relevant to any inspection, audit, investigation, or review, and making employees of the contractor available for interview by inspectors, auditors, and investigators upon request. Full cooperation also includes allowing the Government to make reproductions or copies of information and equipment, including, if necessary, collecting a machine or system image capture.

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c. Segregate Government protected information and metadata on the handling of Government protected information from other information. Commingling of information is prohibited. Inspectors, auditors, and investigators will not be precluded from having access to the sought information if sought information is commingled with other information.

d. Cooperate with inspections, audits, investigations, and reviews.

2. Section 508 Annual Report

The contractor shall submit an annual Section 508 report in accordance with the schedule set forth by the Contracting Officer (CO)/Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). The Section 508 Report Template and Instructions for completing the report are available at: http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/ contracting/technology/vendors.html under "Vendor Information and Documents."

3. Multiple Principal Investigators Leadership Plan The Contractor shall submit a revised/updated Leadership Plan in the event of a change in any of the Principal Investigators named in the Key Personnel Article in SECTION G of this contract. The revised plan is subject to review and approval by the Contracting Officer.

ARTICLE C.3. INVENTION REPORTING REQUIREMENT

All reports and documentation required by FAR Clause 52.227-13, Patent Rights-Ownership by the Government including, but not limited to, the invention disclosure report, the confirmatory license, and the Government support certification, shall be directed to the Division of Extramural Inventions and Technology Resources (DEITR), OPERA, OER, NIH, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 310, MSC 7980, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7980 (Telephone: 301-435-1986). In addition, one copy of an annual utilization report, and a copy of the final invention statement, shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer. The final invention statement (see FAR 27.303(b) (2)(ii)) shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer on the expiration date of the contract.

[ For a completion or fixed-price contract add: The annual utilization report shall be submitted in accordance with the DELIVERIES Article in SECTION F of this contract. The final invention statement (see FAR 27.303(b)(2)(ii)) shall be submitted on the completion date of the contract. All reports shall be sent to the following address:

Contracting Officer National Institutes of Health

Office of Acquisition

, Room Bethesda, Maryland 20892-

If no invention is disclosed or no activity has occurred on a previously disclosed invention during the applicable reporting period, a negative report shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at the address listed above.

To assist contractors in complying with invention reporting requirements of the clause, the NIH has developed "Interagency Edison," an electronic invention reporting system. Use of Interagency Edison is required as it streamlines the reporting process and greatly reduces paperwork. Access to the system is through a secure interactive Web site to ensure that all information submitted is protected. Interagency Edison and information relating to the capabilities of the system can be obtained from the Web ( http://www.iedison.gov), or by contacting the Extramural Inventions and Technology Resources Branch, OPERA, NIH.

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SECTION D - PACKAGING, MARKING AND SHIPPING

All deliverables required under this contract shall be packaged, marked and shipped in accordance with Government specifications. At a minimum, all deliverables shall be marked with the contract number and Contractor name. The Contractor shall guarantee that all required materials shall be delivered in immediate usable and acceptable condition.

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

a. The Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative will perform inspection and acceptance of materials and services to be provided.

b. For the purpose of this SECTION, is the authorized representative of the Contracting Officer.

c. Inspection and acceptance will be performed at:

Acceptance may be presumed unless otherwise indicated in writing by the Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative within 30 days of receipt.

d. This contract incorporates the following clause by reference, with the same force and effect as if it were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make its full text available.

FAR Clause 52.246-4, Inspection of Services - Fixed Price (August 1996).

FAR Clause 52.246-5, Inspection of Services - Cost-Reimbursement (April 1984).

FAR Clause 52.246-9, Inspection of Research and Development (Short Form) (April 1984).

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SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

ARTICLE F.1. DELIVERIES

Satisfactory performance of the final contract shall be deemed to occur upon performance of the work described in the Description Article in SECTION C of this contract and upon delivery and acceptance by the Contracting Officer, or the duly authorized representative, of the following items in accordance with the stated delivery schedule:

a. The items specified below as described in the REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Article in SECTION C of this contract will be required to be delivered F.o.b. Destination as set forth in FAR 52.247-35, F.o.b. DESTINATION, WITHIN CONSIGNEES PREMISES (APRIL 1984), and in accordance with and by the date(s) specified below [and any specifications stated in SECTION D, PACKAGING, MARKING AND SHIPPING, of this contract]:

1. Technical Progress Reports

Item Deliverables Recipients Delivery Schedule 1 Monthly Progress

Report 1 electronic copy submitted via eRDS

The report shall be submitted on or before the 15th of the month following each reporting period.

2 Final Report 1 electronic copy submitted via eRDS

Shall be submitted no later than 15 calendar days after receipt of COR comments on the Draft Final Report and within 45 days of the completion date of the Task Order.

2. Other Reports and Deliverables (Delivery Schedule)

Item Deliverables SOW Reference Recipient Delivery Schedule 3 Periodic

Updates:

Agenda, Meeting Minutes and Action Items

General Task Order Requirements Section

1 electronic copy submitted via eRDS

Distribute agenda no later than 1 full calendar day prior to meeting. Minutes/ action items shall be submitted no later than 7 calendar days from meeting.

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Item Deliverables SOW Reference Recipient Delivery Schedule 4 All test results from next-gen sequencing, immunoassays, PCR, or isothermal testing, or other contracted assay services.

Task Area requirements section 4.2

1 electronic copy submitted via eRDS

Within one week of completed synthesis or acquisition

5 Any supporting documentation to include accurate and updated information regarding design, development and production

Task Area requirements section 4.2

1 electronic copy submitted via eRDS

Within one week of completed synthesis

6 Draft and Final Study Report

General Task Order Requirements Section 3

1 electronic copy submitted via eRDS

Within 15 calendar days of completion of the study AND within 5 workdays after refinement with the COR/COR designees

a. The above items shall be addressed and delivered to:

All reports required herein shall be submitted in electronic format. All electronic contract deliverables listed in the delivery schedule above shall be submitted via eRDS (NIAID’s electronic Report Deliverable Submission), available at the following website: http://erds.niaid.nih.gov/.

All electronic reports submitted shall be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Additional information about testing documents for Section 508 compliance, including guidance and specific checklists, by application, can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/index.html under “Making Files Accessible.”

ARTICLE F.2. CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE, FAR 52.252-2 (FEBRUARY

1998)

This contract incorporates the following clause(s) by reference, with the same force and effect as if it were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make its full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address: https://www.acquisition.gov/?q=browsefar.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR CHAPTER 1) CLAUSE:

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52.242-15, Stop Work Order (August 1989)

Alternate I (April 1984) is applicable to this contract.

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

ARTICLE G.1. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

The following Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) will represent the Government for the purpose of this contract:

"To be specified prior to award".

The COR is responsible for: (1) monitoring the Contractor's technical progress, including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the Contracting Officer changes in requirements; (2) interpreting the statement of work and any other technical performance requirements; (3) performing technical evaluation as required; (4) performing technical inspections and acceptances required by this contract; and (5) assisting in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance.

[The alternate COR is responsible for carrying out the duties of the COR only in the event that the COR can no longer perform his/her duties as assigned.]

The Contracting Officer is the only person with authority to act as agent of the Government under this contract. Only the Contracting Officer has authority to: (1) direct or negotiate any changes in the statement of work; (2) modify or extend the period of performance; (3) change the delivery schedule; (4) authorize reimbursement to the Contractor for any costs incurred during the performance of this contract; (5) otherwise change any terms and conditions of this contract; or (6) sign written licensing agreements. Any signed agreement shall be incorporated by reference in Section K of the contract

The Government may unilaterally change its COR designation.

ARTICLE G.2. KEY PERSONNEL, HHSAR 352.237-75 (December 2015)

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 (including, when applicable, Human Subjects Testing requirements). 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.

(End of Clause)

The following individual(s) is/are considered to be essential to the work being performed hereunder:

Name Title

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ARTICLE G.3. TASK ORDER PROCEDURE

This contract provides for the issuance of Task Orders on a negotiated basis as follows:

a. General

Only the Contracting Officer may issue Task Orders to the Contractor, providing specific authorization or direction to perform work within the scope of the contract and as specified in the Statement of Work. Unless specifically authorized by the Contracting Officer, the Contractor shall not commence work until a fully executed Task Order has been awarded. The Contractor may incur costs under this contract in performance of task orders and task order modifications issued in accordance with this ARTICLE.

No other costs are authorized unless otherwise specified in the contract or expressly authorized by the Contracting Officer.

b. Requesting Task Order Proposals.

The Contracting Officer or a designated individual may solicit responses to requirements from Contractors within a technical area covered by a task order requirement in writing. A Task Order Request for Proposals (TORFP) will be prepared and issued for each task order requirement.

Generally, the Task Order Request for Proposal (TORFP) will include but is not limited to the following:

1. Statement of Work;

2. Reporting Requirements and Deliverables;

3. Proposal Due Date and Location to Deliver Proposals;

4. Period of Performance of Task Order;

5. Anticipated type of Task Order;

6. Technical Proposal Instructions;

7. Business proposal Instructions

8. Evaluation Factors for Award

All contract clauses contained this contract shall be incorporated in the TORFP and the resultant task order.

If conflicts exist between the contract clauses and the information outlined in the task order, the contract language takes precedence over the information in the task order.

Contractors are not required to propose on all TORFPs. Those eligible Contractors that decide not to submit a proposal shall advise the Contracting Officer, in writing, of their intention not to submit a proposal on or before the closing date and time established in the TORFP. An election not to propose on a given TORFP will not negatively affect or prohibit a Contractor from competing on future TORFPs. However, it may affect the Contractor's eligibility for continuations or extensions of the resultant Task Order.

c. Competitive Ordering Process.

1. All Contractors within a technical area will receive e-mail notification advising of the availability of each proposed task order requirement. All proposed task orders will incorporate all terms of this contract unless otherwise specified in the proposed task order.

2. Contractors will be provided an adequate time to prepare and submit responses based on the Contracting Officer's consideration of the estimated dollar value and complexity of proposed task order. Responses will not be considered a proposal as defined in FAR Part 15. However, the Contractor shall provide information sufficient for consideration in accordance with FAR Part 16. Each TORFP will indicate the criteria for the

- 18 -evaluation of proposals. The responses shall demonstrate capability for each criterion to be evaluated.

Generally, the Contractor will be asked to demonstrate the following as appropriate:

● Understanding of the requirements;

● Experience and capability on similar tasks;

● Technical approach, methods and procedures for satisfying the requirements with a discussion of potential problems to be encountered and proposed solutions and/or risk mitigation strategies.

● Procedures for assuring quality of work, products, and deliverables;

● Plan for managing the task order, including meeting requirements and schedules, and performance measures (if applicable);

● Staffing plan with skill levels and level of effort for each individual proposed. Generally, resumes will be required for proposed personnel (if not previously submitted);

● References to evaluate past performance; and

● Cost/Price to perform the task order.

d. Evaluation and Award of Task Order Proposals

The Government will evaluate the Task Order proposals against the requirements of the TORFP.

Specifically, the technical evaluation factors, cost/price, past performance and any other…