DRAFT SOW.doc

DRAFT

STATEMENT OF WORK

National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Information Support Services including: Information Centers (NIAIC and ADEAR); Database Development and Website Management; Health Communication Research; Publication Development; Public Inquiry Response; Logistical Support; Warehousing and Distribution; and other Communication Support Services.

A.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Institute was authorized in 1974 (PL 93-296) to improve the health and well-being of older Americans through research. Specifically, NIA supports and conducts research on aging processes, aging-related diseases, and the special problems and needs of older people; trains highly skilled research scientists; develops and maintains state-of-the art resources to accelerate research progress; and communicates with the public about health and research advances. Subsequent amendments to this legislation designated NIA as the primary Federal agency on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research.

The NIA Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) plans and carries out a legislatively mandated education program to disseminate the research findings of the Institute and all other relevant information to help older Americans deal with the problems of, and understand the processes associated with, aging. Along with a myriad of other tasks (logistics, publications, communication support, etc.), to assist in this outreach and communication effort, the NIA funds two national information centers: the National Institute on Aging Information Center (NIAIC) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center.

The NIAIC supports the aging-related information dissemination and outreach efforts of the NIA, principally those led by the OCPL. In addition, the NIAIC manages all NIA Web sites, including Internet sites (NIA, ADEAR, and Spanish), Intranet, and NACAnet (a site for the National Advisory Council on Aging), and an Extranet site for internal communication with NIA staff.

The NIA initiated the ADEAR Center in response to a Congressional mandate to disseminate information on research and services related to AD. The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1986 directed NIA to establish a center to “gather, maintain, and disseminate information about AD and publish an annual summary of the latest information” (P.L. 99‑660, Part F, Section 951). The primary goal of the ADEAR Center is to serve as a national resource of information about AD. Other goals of the Center include: (1) maintaining national electronic databases of AD information and AD clinical trials and (2) preparing materials to communicate the nature of the disease and its symptoms, treatment, and appropriate methods of caring for and supporting patients and family members, as well as publications to reach out to the general public and special populations and materials to assist health professionals recruit participants for clinical trials.

B. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROCUREMENT

Through the NIA, the Government is purchasing goods and services for the continued operation of NIA’s Federal Information Centers, including but not limited to provision of a wide variety of technical logistical and administrative services. The NIA Information Centers include the NIAIC and the ADEAR Center. In dealing with the public and other Information Center users, each of these two national, information centers has a separate and unique identity. The NIAIC disseminates aging-related health education and disease prevention information, and the ADEAR Center provides accurate, timely, research-based information about Alzheimer’s disease, its consequences and potential treatments, research, and available services. Each Information Center serves a broad audience of the general public, patients and family members, physicians and other health professionals, researchers, special interest groups, service organizations, other government agencies, and the mass media.

In support of NIA’s mission to disseminate information, the resulting contract will allow the Government’s purchaser of goods and services (hereinafter referred to as “the Government” or “NIA”) to provide continued day-to-day management and operation of both NIA Information Centers under the direction of the NIA Project Officer, as well as, other support to NIA including: database development; information management; Web site management and maintenance; public inquiry response; materials/publications development; communications research, outreach; other communications support services; logistical support and conference/meeting support; warehousing/materials storage and distribution;

C.

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

C1.

Technical Requirements

1. Any and all firms, business concerns, sellers of services, individuals, and vendors awarded contracts under this effort (hereinafter referred to as “Contractor”) must understand the biomedical research community and the workings of NIH and HHS.

2. The Contractor must understand NIA's mission and the Institute's mandates in the areas of public information, health education, and outreach.

3. The Contractor must understand the function of the OCPL and the role the office plays in planning and carrying out a legislatively mandated health education program for older people, their family members, the general public, mass media, physicians, researchers, health care workers, special interest groups, other agencies, and service organizations.

4. The Contractor must have the expertise and capability to respond orally and in writing in English and Spanish to questions about aging and AD, as well as sensitivity to and familiarity with special populations including but not limited to older adults and people with AD, their families, and caregivers.

5. The Contractor must have experience working with intermediaries to develop contacts with organizations that can help accomplish the goals of the Information Centers, including but not limited to professional and lay organizations and health and aging groups.

6. The Contractor must be able to develop, implement, and maintain real-time electronic systems to support the information dissemination and outreach activities of the Information Centers including but not limited to inquiry tracking, inventory management, and reporting. In addition, the Contractor must have the capability to develop, implement and maintain an Extranet site for communicating with and reporting to NIA staff.

7. The Contractor must have expertise in and familiarity with developing and managing multiple searchable online information databases (including but not limited to the AD Clinical Trials database, Health and Aging Organizations database, and ADC Articles database).

The Contractor must have expertise in and familiarity with accessing health and medical literature, selecting and searching appropriate databases, and capturing “fugitive” literature (material that is not typically found in library collections such as textbook chapters, journal articles, brochures, teaching manuals, directories, videos and other media, bibliographies, program descriptions, monographs, newsletters, and reports -

See: http://www.alzheimers.org/adlib/) in the fields of aging and AD and related disorders.

8. The Contractor must have expertise and capability sufficient to abstract, index, and maintain the Alzheimer’s Disease Library (AD Lib), consisting of a physical library of materials, an online database, and a thesaurus.

9. The Contractor must have the expertise and capability to design, manage, and maintain public and internal Web sites using the Microsoft Content Management System. Familiarity and experience with Microsoft SharePoint is desirable.

10. The Contractor must have a .NET framework for developing additional Web applications.

11. The Contractor must have knowledge and expertise sufficient to adapt and communicate technical information on aging and AD research to diverse professional and lay audiences.

12. The Contractor must have the capability to develop, implement, and evaluate health communication messages and write, design, and produce outreach materials and campaigns. The Contractor also must be able to work in all types of media, including but not limited to print, broadcast/cable, electronic, advertising, and display.

13. The Contractor must have the capability to disseminate e-mail announcements and maintain and update e-mail subscriber lists.

14. The Contractor must be able to implement all logistical aspects of conference planning and management.

15. The Contractor must be knowledgeable about domestic and foreign mailing regulations of the U.S. Postal Service and the NIH.

C2.

Logistical Requirements

1. The Contractor must have the facilities and equipment (including but not limited to computer hardware and software and any and all requisite parts, accessories, and resources) to operate and maintain a fully-functional national health resource center. The Contractor is responsible for providing all equipment, furniture, supplies, and miscellaneous needs to operate the NIAIC and the ADEAR Center. All furniture and equipment must be in very good condition and coordinated as would be appropriate for a national organization with high visibility.

2. The Contractor must establish and maintain a fail-safe communication system with the public and the NIA OCPL by telephone, in writing, and using electronic communication methods. NIAIC and ADEAR Center users include but are not limited to the general public, AD patients and families, physicians and other health professionals, researchers, special interest groups, service organizations, other agencies, and the mass media.

3. The Contractor must maintain the toll-free telephone services needed to operate the Information Centers (with dedicated voicemail, a minimum 12-line capability, fax, and toll-free TTY service for hearing-impaired callers). The Contractor also shall provide additional backup telephone services when the Information Centers’ toll-free telephone numbers are promoted in the national media. In addition, the Contractor shall provide direct telephone service to enable the NIA Project Officer to communicate with the Project Manager and project staff.

4. The costs for the toll-free number are the responsibility of the Government. At the time of transition, NIA shall arrange to transfer the 800 numbers to the successful bidder. The Contractor shall be responsible for the local lines on which the 800 numbers reside, local telephone service, all outgoing long distance, and any mobile phone services needed for the contract.

5. The Contractor must provide daily courier service, mail pickup, and delivery between the Contractor’s facility, the Project Post Office boxes, the OCPL, and the Government’s mail facilities located at 301 North Stonestreet Avenue in Rockville, MD, or as specified. The NIA OCPL is located on the NIH campus at Building 31, Room 5C27, 31 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD. The Contractor shall maintain the Post Office boxes for the NIAIC and the ADEAR Center located in Gaithersburg and Silver Spring, MD, and/or in other designated locations. The Contractor shall provide additional delivery services to other NIA facilities as required, including but not limited to the Gerontology Research Center in Baltimore and the Gateway Building in Bethesda.

6. The Contractor must maintain the Information Centers within the Washington, DC, metropolitan area as designated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. This applies to all references included in this Statement of Work (SOW). The Information Centers must have sufficient space for all Information Center activities, including but not limited to a public reception area and a library. The Contractor shall provide a separate accessible entrance for the NIAIC and the ADEAR Center so that visitors will not be routed through other offices or lobbies. The Information Centers shall be clearly identified with signs at or near the entrance and in the building lobby. Currently, the NIA Information Centers are located at 5515 Security Lane, Suite 800, North Bethesda, MD 20852.

7. The Contractor shall use and produce materials using software including Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, and PowerPoint and operating systems compatible with those of NIA and in accordance with specifications and regulations laid out by the Federal Government.

8. The Contractor shall establish and maintain appropriate security measures to protect NIH information and information systems, including but not limited to any and all Web sites and Web-based applications. The Contractor shall consult with the NIA Information Systems Security Officer and other designated staff to remain current with NIA/NIH/HHS security policies and other Federal security requirements. (See Section V. Contractor Security Requirements for specific information security requirements, including the Draft System Security Plan and Draft PII Security Plan to include in the Contractor’s technical proposal.) Contractor staff shall apply for the appropriate level of security clearance based on their position and level of responsibility and in accordance with NIA/NIH/HHS Security Policies and Procedures. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that each employee has completed the NIH Computer Security Awareness Training course and NIH Privacy Awareness Training course prior to performing any contract work, and thereafter completing the NIH-specified fiscal year refresher course during the period of performance of the contract.

9. The Contractor shall ensure that all Web content or communications materials produced for publication on or delivery via HHS Web sites – including text, audio, or video – conforms to applicable Section 508 standards to allow Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities to access information that is comparable to information provided to persons without disabilities. HHS has established acceptance standards for Section 508 compliance (www.hhs.gov/web/508/testdocuments.html).

10. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) requires Federal agencies to purchase electronic and information technologies (EIT) that meet specific accessibility standards. This law helps to ensure that Federal employees with disabilities have access to, and use of, the information and data they need to do their jobs. Furthermore, this law ensures that members of the public with disabilities have the ability to access information and services.

11. The Contractor (including Subcontractors or consultants) responsible for preparing or posting content intended for use on an HHS-funded or HHS-managed Web site must comply with applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, and where applicable, those set forth in the referenced policy or standards documents below. Remediation of any materials that do not comply with the applicable provisions of 36 CFR Part 1194 as set forth in the SOW shall be the responsibility of the Contractor or consultant retained to produce the Web-suitable content or communications material.

References:

1. HHS Policy for Section 508 Electronic and Information Technology (E&IT) (January

2005): www.hhs.gov/od/Final_Section_508_Policy.html

2. HHS Section 508 Web site: http://508.hhs.gov/

3. HHS ASPA Web Communications Division Web site:

www.hhs.gov/web/policies/index.html

4. US General Services Administration (GSA) Section 508 Web site:

www.section508.gov/index.cfm

C3.

Specific Tasks

The major tasks of both Information Centers are as follows:

1.

Management

2.

Database Development and Information Management

3.

Web Site Management and Maintenance

4.

Information and Referral

5.

Training and Quality Control

6.

Communications Research

7.

Product Development and Graphic Design Services

8.

Outreach

9.

Meeting and Conference Support

10.

Warehouse, Inventory, and Distribution

11.

Transition Plan and Contract Closeout

Task 1. Management

The Contractor shall develop, implement, and maintain an effective and efficient project management and planning process for the NIAIC and the ADEAR Center operations. This process shall include but is not limited to the planning, identification, evaluation, execution, and assessment of methods to control costs incurred in the performance of this contract. The overall goal of this objective is to ensure quality performance of all requirements of this contract within or below the initial cost estimates for these efforts.

1.1 Staffing

The Contractor shall develop and submit a staffing plan that provides full support for the requirements of the contract. The plan will include an organizational chart for the proposed staff by job category (not by name) showing areas of responsibility and lines of authority. During the contract, the Contractor shall provide resumes to the Project Officer when key staffing changes are proposed and obtain the Project Officer’s approval before implementing changes. The Contractor shall provide staffing to accomplish on-site tasks as needed and required by the Project Officer. In addition to off-site contractor staffing, the contractor may also be required to provide on-site staffing for certain tasks.

1.2 Reports

The Contractor shall submit the following reports for each Information Center in accordance with the delivery schedule:

1.2.1 Monthly Reports

Monthly progress reports shall contain an overview that highlights the most significant activities and describes opportunities, problems, or difficulties that arose during the preceding calendar month, as well as proposed solutions or steps taken to solve problems. The reports also will describe by task the Contractor's accomplishments for that month. These reports will contain a publication activity report, current usage statistics, including Web site statistics, and Web site projects and support to NIA divisions. The monthly reports shall be submitted electronically to the Project Officer by the 12th business day of the following calendar month and will be made available on an Extranet Web site (see 1.5 Extranet).

1.2.2 Annual Reports

Thirty business days after the end of each contract year, the Contractor shall submit a short annual report that provides an overview of Information Center accomplishments and summary data of all major Information Center functions for the year. These reports shall include graphs demonstrating Information Center usage. They also shall be submitted electronically and made available on the Extranet.

1.2.3 Final Reports

At the conclusion of the contract, the Contractor shall submit electronically to the Project Officer a final report that summarizes the activities and accomplishments of both Information Centers for the entire contract period and include statistical summaries of major Information Center activities. Summary charts of the most important activities also should be included.

1.2.4 Special Reports

At the direction of the Project Officer, the Contractor shall submit reports that describe certain activities or particular aspects of the NIAIC or the ADEAR Center. These reports may be requested for activities, including but not limited to presentations, media events, speeches, and briefings. In addition, the Contractor shall submit publication and promotion plans annually for each Information Center; detailed descriptions of these plans are found in Tasks 7.1 and 8.1. Three times each year the Contractor shall submit a list of contract accomplishments to be incorporated into the NIA Director’s Status Report for National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) meetings. The Contractor also shall respond to requests for specific data, such as the semi-annual commercial design and printing report required by HHS, IT data calls, or other requests.

1.3 Management of Subcontractors

The Contractor shall establish subcontracts with other vendors, as needed, and oversee budgets, timelines, and deliverables from the Subcontractors. Twice each year, the Contractor shall submit a status report, including but not limited to a list of current subcontracts/work order assignments, budgeted dollar amounts for each project, status of projects, and expiration dates.

1.4 Budget Planning and Management

The Contractor shall develop, implement, and maintain an effective cost control and management process. This process shall include but is not limited to annual budget planning and monthly expense tracking to manage project costs and spending. In preparation for each new fiscal year and in conjunction with the OCPL budget justification process, the Contractor shall prepare and submit a publications plan (see Task 7.1), outreach plan (see Task 8.1), and any other budget and cost estimates required by the Government.

1.5 Extranet

The Contractor shall develop and maintain a secure Extranet Web site accessible to OCPL and Information Center staff members within 4 weeks of contract award. Items on the Extranet shall include, but not be limited to:

· Information Center reports (monthly, annual, WebTrends, etc.)

· Inventory levels of all current materials

· Calendar of events/exhibits

· Staff contact information

· Graphics library

· Documents in development

· Any other trend indicators or decision-making tools that may be appropriate or required

The Contractor shall manage the Extranet site and should propose additions and enhancements if required and funds permit.

Task 2. Database Development and Information Management

The Contractor shall keep current with the vast array of new information and resources on aging and Alzheimer’s disease constantly becoming available through many channels and formats, keep staff up to date, and make relevant information searchable and accessible to the public in a timely manner.

The ADEAR Center and NIA Information Center manage and maintain a number of Information Center-related databases, including but not limited to those that support the internal and administrative functions of the Centers, as well the publicly accessible databases described below. The Contractor shall develop and maintain online systems to facilitate the use of Information Center resources including but not limited to the AD Lib, Aging and AD Clinical Trials databases, and Health and Aging Organizations database, as well as standard responses, inventory, and the inquiry tracking system so they can be accessed easily and quickly. The Contractor shall establish a regular schedule to evaluate the current databases and systems, and should propose improvements, additions, and refinements to existing databases when technology or program needs make them necessary or as required.

2.1 AD Lib

The ADEAR Center maintains AD Lib, a publicly accessible library collection and bibliographic database of more than 8,500 currently available AD-related materials, including but not limited to fact sheets, textbook chapters, journal articles, brochures, teaching manuals, directories, videos and other media, bibliographies, program descriptions, monographs, newsletters, and reports that are available from a wide variety of sources. Many of these materials are not found in other libraries or databases. Within 4 weeks after contract award, the Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining and expanding this resource, which is used to respond to inquiries and develop materials. (See www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Resources/SearchHealthLiterature/.)

2.1.1 Updating and Maintaining the AD Lib Collection

The Contractor shall continuously monitor the likely sources engaged in developing materials and information about aging and AD for health professionals, patients and family members, and the general public. The Contractor must identify aging-related materials, including but not limited to those dealing with the problems and processes associated with aging, as well as AD- and other dementia-related materials, including, but not limited to, those dealing with causes, course, diagnosis, risk factors, treatment, care, training, financing, and social and economic aspects of AD.

Using established policies and procedures, the Contractor shall screen materials to determine whether they are appropriate for acquisition and acceptable for entry into the database. The Contractor shall attempt to acquire at least one free copy of all materials to be included in AD Lib; however, occasionally items will need to be purchased. In addition to journal articles, other types of material in the collection should include but are not limited to books, reports, newspaper and magazine articles, films and other audiovisual media, Web sites, posters, teaching aids, directories and catalogs, as well as materials not found in standard collections such as newsletters, unpublished conference papers and proceedings, research reports, brochures, and training materials. In addition to acquiring new materials, the Contractor shall establish a regular schedule to monitor and update existing database records and cull records of items no longer available.

2.1.2 Abstracting and Indexing Materials

For each item to be entered in the AD Lib database, the Contractor shall obtain or write abstracts that provide an abbreviated, objective description of the contents. The abstract shall contain the document’s most important points and enable the reader to determine whether it would be of interest. In addition, the database record shall include searchable key words, audiences, and availability information. The Contractor shall abstract and index up to 1,500 documents per contract year and submit the abstracts monthly in batches of 30 to the Project Officer for review and approval.

In addition, the Contractor shall maintain, evaluate, and update the online thesaurus of health terms for indexing and retrieving information for AD Lib, using the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) as the major indexing authority. New subject headings shall be recommended to and approved by the Project Officer as needed. The current thesaurus is available at www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Resources/SearchHealthLiterature/thesaurus.htm.

2.1.3 Custom Searches and Resource Lists

At the direction of the Project Officer, the Contractor shall provide custom searches of AD Lib and other medical literature for NIA staff members and selected others who contact the NIA Information Centers.

The Contractor also shall propose “frequently searched topics” for the automated online search feature. The topics will be selected on the basis of the number of inquiries received on a particular topic, recommendations of NIA staff, and the importance of the subjects. For sample automated searches see: www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Resources/SearchHealthLiterature/searches.htm.

In addition, the Contractor shall use AD Lib to update and create new resource lists and annotated bibliographies of selected materials on various topics, to be posted on the Web site and sent in response to inquiries. See www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/resourcelist.htm for a sample resource list.

2.1.4 AD Lib Use and Enhancement

The Contractor shall track the use of AD Lib, include statistics in the monthly report, and make recommendations to the Project Officer about improving the usability of the database. In addition, the Contractor may recommend ways to make the acquisition, review, and processing of materials more efficient.

2.2 Clinical Trials Databases

In conjunction with NIA program staff, the Contractor shall develop, maintain, and revise the aging and AD records that are part of www.clinicaltrials.gov, an NLM database. In addition to the records maintained in clinicaltrials.gov, the ADEAR Center maintains a separate, specialized database of AD clinical trials (www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/ResearchInformation/ClinicalTrials/). The Contractor shall work with NIA staff and grantees to develop, maintain, evaluate, and promote both www.clinicaltrials.gov and the AD Clinical Trials database. The Contractor also shall assist NIA grantees and others to register aging and AD trials as required by Public Law 110-85. The clinical trials databases shall be operational within 4 weeks post award.

2.2.1 Aging and AD Clinical Trials in ClinicalTrials.gov

The Contractor shall develop, maintain, and revise the aging and AD clinical trials records that are made available to the public through www.clinicaltrials.gov posted on the NIA Web site. NIA anticipates that more than 50 studies sponsored by the Institute and its grantees, as well as by pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, will be added annually. The Contractor shall review the accuracy of all records at least twice per year and shall update the records as new developments occur. These updates could include the addition of new study sites, changes in protocols, completed recruitment, completed studies, cessation of studies, or new reporting and trial registration requirements.

2.2.2 AD Clinical Trials Database

The Contractor shall maintain, evaluate, and promote the AD Clinical Trials database. The Contractor shall work with NIA grantees, such as the AD Cooperative Study, and shall continuously monitor www.clinicaltrials.gov, other databases, and other likely sources for information on AD clinical trials and studies that are recruiting participants. Using established guidelines, the Contractor shall work with principal investigators and study coordinators to gather information on new trials and develop database records, which include information on the rationale for the study, intervention to be tested, inclusion and exclusion criteria, study sites, and contact information.

The Contractor shall systematically review the accuracy of all records at least twice per year and shall update the records as new developments occur. Updates include but are not limited to the addition of new study sites, changes in protocols, completed recruitment, completed studies, and stopping of studies.

2.3 Health and Aging Organization Database

The database at www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/ResourceDirectory is a searchable, online tool for the public and serves as a primary source for information specialists to refer inquirers to organizations that provide information about health and aging research, treatment, and services. Resource organizations are defined as NIA-supported research centers, voluntary organizations, professional societies, private groups, health institutions, automated databases, libraries, Government organizations, and other Information Centers that provide health information to the public and to health care and social service providers. For each organization or resource, the database includes at a minimum an address, phone, fax, Web site, and a brief description of services provided.

The Contractor shall routinely identify and field requests from organizations for possible inclusion in the database. At least annually, the Contractor shall review inclusion criteria and update information on all organizations in the database. The health and aging organization database shall be operational within 4 weeks post award.

2.4 Additional Specialized Databases

The Contractor also shall develop and manage specialized databases as needed for internal or public use. The Contractor manages NIA’s slide library for executive staff (Director, Division Directors, Planning Office) in SlideManager, providing support for organizing the collection and tagging slides with key words, training and assisting users, and ensuring format consistency.

The Contractor shall manage the ADC Articles database, a collection of current articles that AD research centers (ADCs) can use or adapt for their own newsletters. The Contractor shall monitor ADC and ADEAR Center newsletters for potential additions to the database, ensuring they are submitted in proper format and with permissions, tag the articles with keywords, and remove articles no longer current. (See http://adc.niapublications.org/adcarticle/index.aspx.) The ADC articles database shall be operational within 4 weeks post award.

The Contractor also shall manage the Health Disparities Resource Persons Network (HDRPN), a Web-based application through which research professionals in aging, geriatrics and gerontology can volunteer their services to NIA and its research community to improve minority health and reduce health disparities. Professionals with expertise in minority aging research, health disparities or health inequities can register online at http://rpndemo.niapublications.org//index.php to be a part of the resource network or to search or view information about other experts in the field. The Resource Persons Network shall be operational within 4 weeks post award.

In addition, the Contractor shall host and manage the online NIA Rodent Ordering System and ensure proper functioning of the ASP 1.1 system and SQL 9.0 databases. This includes managing administrative and user accounts, ensuring secure and complete data transmission, application support, custom report creation, and other technical support as needed. See http://arc.niapublications.org/acb/stores/1/. The Rodent Ordering System shall be operational within 4 weeks post award.

Additional databases may be developed as needs arise.

Task 3. Web Site Management and Maintenance

The Contractor shall be responsible for all aspects of the design, operation, management, application support, and maintenance of the following NIA Web sites, which currently are hosted within NIH at the Center for Information Technology (CIT):

· NIA Internet site (www.nia.nih.gov)

· ADEAR Center Internet site (www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers)

· NIA Spanish Internet site (www.nia.nih.gov/espanol)

· NIA Intranet site (http://intranet.nia.nih.gov )

· National Advisory Council on Aging dedicated site (www.nia.nih.gov/NACANet/)

CIT manages the CMS Server hardware, including but not limited to the development, authoring, and production servers. CIT also serves as the administrator and provides access to NIA staff and the Contractor to update content and perform maintenance tasks.

The Contractor shall be responsible for equipment, operation, and maintenance of the following Web sites, which currently are hosted offsite at the Contractor’s facility:

· Online publications ordering system for NIA, ADEAR and Spanish publications (www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications)

· NIA rodent ordering system (http://arc.niapublications.org/acb/stores/1/)

· Health Disparities Research Person’s Network (http://rpndemo.niapublications.org)

The NIA Web sites shall be operational within 4 weeks post award. Over the next few years, NIA anticipates moving to Microsoft SharePoint to manage internal and public Web sites.

The Contractor shall work closely with the Project Officer and the NIA Information Technology Branch (ITB) Chief and other staff, as well as the NIH CIT, to coordinate activities and identify and resolve problems in a timely manner.

The Contractor shall adhere to the HHS Enterprise Performance Life Cycle (EPLC) framework and align EPLC with Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) requirements to ensure effective and efficient processes for developing and operating IT investments by defining standard life-cycle phases and deliverables for managers to use in planning and executing investments, as well as review and approval processes for providing effective oversight to the development and operating process. The EPLC framework, which organizes the activities, deliverables, and governance reviews of an IT project into life-cycle phases, allows tailoring to accommodate the specific circumstances (size, duration, complexity, and acquisition strategy) of each investment. However, some fundamental elements can never be removed from the EPLC framework, including:

· Identifying the business need

· Documenting correct, clear, and adequate functional and nonfunctional requirements

· Following processes that ensure the system will be able to operate within the as-is and/or target enterprise architecture

· Adequate investment testing

· Appropriate operations and maintenance documentation

3.1 Web Development and Management Plan

The Contractor shall develop and submit an annual plan for managing NIA Web site activities in conjunction with the ITB and OCPL budget justification and planning process (August 15 each year or other specified, established deadline). The plan shall include an assessment of the NIA sites, including but not limited to usage statistics, quality control, and currency of content, as well as recommendations for developing new features and revising and updating existing site design, content, and features. The plan should be proactive in proposing strategies and anticipating ongoing needs. The Contractor, in collaboration with the Project Officer and ITB liaison, shall work with NIA program staff to gather needs and requirements for Web development projects and updates and estimate costs as needed. The Contractor shall submit the first plan August 15 and at the same time in each subsequent year of the contract.

3.2 Security

The Contractor shall establish and maintain appropriate security measures to protect the integrity of the Web sites, their content, and related data files. NIA information systems are certified and accredited based on the standards defined in NIST SP 800-37, Guide for the Security Certification and Accreditation of Federal Information Systems. NIST SP 800-37 provides guidelines for the security certification and accreditation of information systems supporting the executive agencies of the Federal government, and these guidelines are applicable to all Federal information systems other than those systems designated as national security systems, as defined in 44 U.S.C., Section 3542.

Certification and Accreditation (C&A) is the process of formal assessment, testing (certification), and acceptance (accreditation) of system security controls that protect IT systems and data stored in and processed by those systems. It is a process that encompasses the system’s life cycle and ensures that the risk of operating a system is recognized, evaluated, and accepted. The C&A process implements the concept of “adequate security,” or security commensurate with risk, including the magnitude of harm resulting from the unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of information, which is defined in OMB Circular A-130.

The NIA C&A process ensures that information systems are:

· Operating with appropriate management review

· Performing ongoing security control monitoring

· Submitted for reaccreditations before the end of the accreditation period (at least every

3 years) or when there is a significant change to an information system or its environment, whichever is sooner.

It also involves recommendations to enhance existing system security controls and to implement additional security controls to mitigate system vulnerabilities discovered while conducting a risk assessment. A security plan, including but not limited to ongoing security and privacy awareness training, should be incorporated into the proposal. (See Section V.) The plan shall be reviewed annually by the Contractor and approved by the Project Officer in consultation with ITB.

3.3 Web Site Management and Maintenance

The Contractor shall provide ongoing management and maintenance of all NIA Web sites, which currently include approximately 5000 documents (HTML, PDF, DOC, KLS, PPT), with approximately 60 new submissions per month. The Contractor shall review all new content submissions for 508 compliance and adherence to NIA style within 2 business days. Additional responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

· Transferring, maintaining, hosting, replacing as necessary, and providing security for:

· 2 Web Application Servers

· 2 Database Servers

· 1 E-mail Server

· 1 SharePoint Farm

· 1 Extranet Web Server

· Designing, producing, editing, and maintaining NIA content, publications, and graphics in HTML and PDF formats and ensuring that all content and graphics are compliant with section 508 requirements (approximately 8-10 requests per month)

· Reviewing and editing of the Web site for usability, content, and Section 508 compliance (approximately 60 submissions per month)

· Providing routine maintenance of all sites, including updates, link checking, archival of outdated content, removal of obsolete content, and review of external links and disclaimer notification pages

· Providing technical content editing support for the Content Management System (CMS) (approximately 1-2 projects per month)

· Maintaining and updating the interactive online publications ordering system, including the capability to collect cost-recovery fees as needed

· Maintaining the rodent ordering system and databases, including managing user accounts, order submissions and data transfer, custom payment gateways, and reporting

· Maintaining InMagic Web Publisher

· Maintaining Live Chat Service

· Ensuring the functionality of all databases and other Web-based features (e.g., online forms)

· Monitoring Web site traffic, identifying popular documents and types of users, and reporting this information by the 12th business day of each month (as part of the monthly report) for the sites overall, the 4 program areas, and the Intranet

· Recommending and developing new Web-based features or updating existing features as needed

· Reviewing and implementing relevant feedback from usability testing, customer responses, or surveys

· Troubleshooting

3.4 Quality Control

The Contractor must have the ability to produce accurate, well-written and designed, error-free Web content and ensure that the Web sites remain accurate, up-to-date, and accessible at all times. The Contractor shall develop an effective procedure to review and update the Web sites regularly for broken links and outdated content, and ensure that all areas of the sites are functional. The Contractor shall review the NIA Web sites annually for compliance with HHS, OMB, and e-Gov Web site standards and guidelines.

3.5 Support for the National Advisory Council on Aging

The Contractor shall support the NACAnet portion of the NIA Web site, a password-protected site used by NIA Advisory Council members and staff to share confidential information in preparation for NACA meeting activities. In preparation for NACA meetings (a minimum of 3 times per year in January, May, and September), the Contractor shall assist NIA staff in posting material and updating the site.

3.6 Staff Training and Technical Assistance

The Contractor shall provide 4-6 CMS on-site training sessions per year, refresher training, and technical assistance to NIA staff who have been assigned to post documents in CMS in their program areas of the Web site.

3.7 Web Enhancements

The Contractor shall make every effort to remain current on new and emerging technologies and thinking that may apply to the NIA Web environment. The Contractor shall be proactive and forward-thinking in proposing and implementing improvements and enhancements for the NIA sites.

Task 4. Information and Referral The Contractor shall respond to written, electronic, and telephone inquiries received directly or assigned to the Information Centers by the OCPL. The Contractor must have the ability to respond to both written and telephone requests received in English and Spanish. Information specialists must be knowledgeable about the full range of NIA publications and resources for inquiry response and distribution, as well as other research centers and organizational resources. Information specialists shall provide accurate, current information about aging and AD to health professionals, patients and their families, and the general public. Information specialists shall apply widely accepted best practices in customer service to their interactions with the public and NIA stakeholders.

Information Center inquiries will range from simple questions that can be answered with a standard response to highly complex ones that require extensive research. The Contractor shall use standardized responses, NIA and ADEAR Center publications, AD Lib and other NIH databases and Web sites (such as PubMed or MedlinePlus), medical literature, and reference files or Web sites to respond to inquiries. The Contractor shall use the online Health and Aging Organizations database (www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/ResourceDirectory.htm) as the primary tool for referring callers to organizations that provide information about research, treatment, and services. Requests for information beyond the scope of the Contractor shall be referred to the OCPL for assistance or response.

For planning purposes, estimate a monthly volume of:

· 900 written inquiries (mail, email, etc.) – 700 to NIAIC and 200 to ADEAR

· 2,100 phone calls and voicemails – 1,400 to NIAIC and 700 to ADEAR

· 2,300 online orders – 1,500 to NIAIC and 800 to ADEAR

Currently approximately 85-90 percent of the NIAIC requests are publication orders and 10-15 percent are substantive responses. NIA anticipates this will change to mirror the ADEAR Center inquiries, which are about 75 percent publication orders and standard answers directly from NIA material. The remaining 25 percent are more complex responses requiring some research. These statistics are subject to change given potential shifts in the incidence and prevalence of health conditions; advances in science, health, and medicine; and additional mandates that may be required by the Government as directed by Congress and the Executive Branch.

4.1 Inquiry Tracking System

The Contractor shall develop an electronic system to record and track all inquiries. The inquiry tracking system shall be operational within 4 weeks post award. At a minimum, the system shall capture the type of requester and/or organization (e.g., health care professional, caregiver), the geographic location of the requester, the nature of the inquiry, how the inquirer learned about the Information Center, how the inquiry was received, the response given, and referrals and/or publications provided. This system will be capable of adding names to mailing lists, when requested by callers and appropriate lists exist.

The Contractor shall maintain detailed statistics (without personal identifiers) to enable the Project Officer to conduct trend analyses and develop future plans. The Contractor shall report statistical information, including but not limited to the 10 most frequently asked questions, in chart and/or tabular form in both the monthly and annual reports.

Procedures shall be in place to ensure the confidentiality of those who request information, protect personally identifiable information, and comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act. The Contractor shall develop a system to temporarily store data and delete it when it is no longer actively needed.

The electronic inquiry tracking system should be implemented as soon as possible after contract award, but must be ready to use 1 month after contract award.

4.2 Written Inquiries

The Contractor shall respond to written communications sent directly to the NIAIC and the ADEAR Center, as well as letters and emails forwarded from the OCPL and correspondence sent to other Government offices and directed to the NIA for reply. Written responses may be classified as standard, custom, or controlled. The Contractor shall apply widely accepted best practices in customer service to written communications directed to the public and NIA stakeholders.

4.2.1 Standard Written Responses

Typically, NIAIC and ADEAR Center information specialists respond to written inquiries (mail, email, fax, or other source) in English and Spanish using a standard set of reference tools, including NIA publications, press releases, Web sites, and databases (described in Task 2), as well as any guidance provided by the Project Officer or NIA staff on previous calls and questions. The NIAIC and the ADEAR Center maintain files of previously written responses, which can be adapted or modified to respond to similar questions. The contents of these files shall be transferred to the successful Contractor. As changes occur and new responses are needed, the Contractor shall compose and/or revise responses and submit them to the Project Officer for approval. Standard responses also are provided for requests for information that can be found in existing NIA and ADEAR Center materials. The response will be publications and an enclosure card or form letter.

4.2.2 Custom Written Responses

Custom written responses are provided for written inquiries (mail, e-mail, etc.) that cannot be answered with publications alone or a previously developed response. The Contractor shall respond to the concerns expressed in the inquiry, relying on previous correspondence, NIA and ADEAR Center publications, AD Lib and other databases, medical literature, Web resources such as MedlinePlus and other NIH Web sites, reference files, and previous correspondence. Custom responses shall be personalized to the extent possible and must be approved by the Project Officer. In consultation with the Project Officer, inquiries designated "difficult to answer" will be given extended deadlines. We anticipate that the NIAIC will handle more aging research-related questions in this scope of work than previously, and the Contractor shall develop staff capability to respond to a broad range of aging queries.

4.2.3 Controlled, Special, and Media Responses

Controlled responses are provided to letters or e-mails originally addressed to the President, members of Congress, the Secretary of HHS, or other Government officials and forwarded to the NIA for reply. The Contractor shall respond to the inquiry, obtain Project Officer approval, and meet all deadlines specified in the directions from NIA or the NIH Executive Secretariat. The Project Officer and NIA staff will provide guidance, as needed, for letters that are highly technical, sensitive, or otherwise not routine.