Amendment_NIHES2016091_000002_DR2.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICAITON NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicble)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICIATION NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a)By completing items 8 and 15, and returning copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment your desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPIRATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc. ) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION ( Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

ATTACHMENT VI - NIHES2016091 000002 - GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSES TO INDUSTRY QUESTIONS

No. Reference Question Response

1 General Is this a new requirement?

This is being classified as a follow-on requirement since the services are currently being provided under an existing order. The current order, HHSN273201500083U, is currently being performed by MDB Incorporated under a General Services Administration (GSA) contract, GS00F0001S. The current order was awarded on September 22, 2015.

2 General How many trips and to what locations does the government anticipate?

Up to 3 trips per yearly. The locations will be near the NIEHS location in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, in support of strategic planning and related program activities.

Periodic in-person meetings with NIEHS OD Bethesda staff at the NIH Campus in Bethesda, MD (up to 12 meetings per year), to plan, strategize, review, and discuss upcoming events, etc.

For future exercises, workshops, or related DR2 activities to be planned under new/future task orders, the contractor should anticipate up to 2-4 trips per year to locations within the U.S. that will be determined, as indicated. Historically, DR2-related travel expenses for the contractor have not exceeded $12,000.00.

3 General The response time for this RFQ is two weeks will the government extend this effort? See amendment 000001 for extension information.

4 Attachment II

– STO SOW

Please clarify the primary location for the sample task order? The RFQ indicates The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), is in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and that the NIEHS Office of the Director-Bethesda (OD-B) is in Bethesda. Is the STO in support of the Office of the Director?

The primary support and location for this contract is with the NIEHS Office of the Director in Bethesda. Maryland (OD-B).

5 Attachment II

– STO SOW

The information provided in the STO does not provide enough data to estimate ODCs and travel. Is there historical data we can use or can the Government provide a plug number for evaluation purposes?

See response to question 2 above.

Historically DR2-related travel expenses for the contractor have not exceeded $12,000.00.

6 Attachment I

- SOW Who is currently performing this work (incumbent contractor)? See response to question 1 above.

7 Attachment II

– STO SOW

We believe there is not enough detail in the Sample Task Order to warrant making this a firm fixed price contract. None of the support requested is quantified and there are no deliverables listed in the Sample Task Order. The lack of detail makes it extremely difficult to prepare a cost estimate for the Sample Task Order.

Therefore, we would suggest making this a time and materials labor hour contract.

- If there is a specific reason this needs to be fixed price,

- This is currently being performed on a FP basis; there is no reason to switch to a different type of pricing structure and increase the risk to the Government.

Note that future task orders will provide specific details to allow for more accurate pricing. At this time, this is an IDIQ.

we suggest making it Fixed Price Level-of-Effort (FAR Part 16.207)

- Questions 2-8 below are examples of the issues that need to be specified or clarified in order for this to be acceptable as a fixed price task order.

8 Attachment I

- SOW What type of tracking system are you looking for?

The tracking system will focus on monitoring NIEHS activities related to various DR2 program activities and responses to specific disaster situations, including relevant responses by NIH grantees.

Contractor will be expected to keep a running log or spreadsheet of identified activities, dates, participants, action items, etc. Such tracking or monitoring is not considered to be complex and can be accomplished with Excel spreadsheets, MS Project, or other similar software.

9 Attachment I

- SOW

With regard to the strategic planning, what is the expectation of the number of strategic planning meetings, concept papers, models, and flow charts?

Contractor should anticipate up to four strategic planning discussions or meetings annually, with at least two of these sessions occurring in-person. At least one of the two in-person strategic planning meetings will be held at the NIEHS campus in RTP, NC. Products of these meetings (e.g., flow charts, summaries, concept papers, etc.) will be determined as needed based upon the scope and content of these meetings.

Contractor should also expect up to weekly 1-hour teleconferences to discuss issues, upcoming events, plans, action items, etc. related to DR2 Program efforts and activities.

10 Attachment I

- SOW

How many analyses, reports, briefings, presentations, manuscripts, and other materials will the contractor be expected to produce?

Contractor should anticipate development of agendas, participant lists, short summary reports, and lists of action items etc. in association with all meetings and events.

Historically, support for manuscripts have not exceeded four per year and support for presentations have not exceeded 12 per year.

11 Attachment I

- SOW

With regard to outreach and integration activities, how many forums, meetings, web-based exchanges is the contractor expected to support? How many communications materials are expected to need to be developed?

Contractor should anticipate the following: 1) up to one weekly 1-hour teleconference to discuss issues, upcoming events, plans, action items, etc. related to DR2 Program efforts and activities, 2) monthly NIH Disaster Interest Group teleconference meetings, 3) up to ten 1-hour in-person meetings in the Washington DC area related to DR2 outreach activities, 4) one NIH Campus Annual in-person workshop, and 5) additional time-sensitive bursts of increased meetings and activities, not to exceed 15 hours/per week in response to a disaster situation.

As noted above, contractor should anticipate development of agendas, participant lists, short summary reports, and lists of action items etc.

in association with all meetings and events.

12 Attachment I

- SOW

With regard to implementation of the RAPIDD protocols, can you quantify and describe the types of activities, processes, and issues the contractor will be involved in.

The contractor will not be involved in the development of NIH RAPIDD Protocols, but rather the design of program concepts of operations, strategies, and coordination that support implementation of such protocols, as well as the information dissemination, communications, and outreach with partners about the collection of NIH DR2 products, such as RAPIDD, the DR2 Repository, and the DR2 website.

13 General Given that this is a fixed price contract, can you put a limit on the number of disasters the contractor will be expected to provide support for?

See response to 11 above. The number of scope of disaster situations cannot be anticipated in advance.

NIEHS understands that additional work beyond general expectations as described in Response 11 (i.e., additional time-sensitive bursts of increased meetings and activities, not to exceed 15 hours/per week in response to a specific disaster situation) may require additional work orders to the base contract to support particular disaster-specific response activities, as indicated.

14 General

Please quantify timely and possibly high intensity, technical support for DR2 meetings, coordination of discussions, outreach to NIEHS grantees and other stakeholders in response to disaster situations.

See response to question 13 above.

15 Attachment I

- SOW

In section 4.1.1 of the Statement of Work (SOW), p. 2 it mentions “…utilizing products being developed by NIEHS DR2 Project and the platforms created through ongoing NIEHS engagement, coordination, and forums for stakeholder interaction.” Can you expand on what those platforms are? And whether the cost of recommended technologies and funding for licenses and other associated costs will be provided through the contract?

As noted in 12 above, the Contractor will NOT be involved in the actual development of the DR2 RAPIDD Protocols, DR2 Repository, or NIH websites as part of the this SOW, but rather will focus on the design of program concepts of operations, strategies, and coordination that support implementation of such protocols, as well as the information dissemination, communications, and outreach with partners about the collection of NIH DR2 products.

No funding will be used to license new technologies through this contract.

16 Attachment I

- SOW

In Section 9 of the SOW, p. 5, the first bullet requests monthly progress reports with “time on task” summaries that include amount of time spent for each employee. Is reporting time spent for each labor category sufficient? Reporting by labor category would be consistent with the way the budget is built and monitored.

Time-on-task spent for “each labor category” IS sufficient for reporting for the monthly progress reports under this contract.

17 Attachment II

– STO SOW

The tasks listed in the sample task order are open ended in terms of scope, frequency and thus level of effort required. This makes accurately estimating cost difficult. Can you specify the

See responses to questions above and below.

anticipated LOE for this task order (FTEs)?

General/

Attachment I

- SOW

Can you also provide estimates of the following requirements?

- Expected number of working group meetings and other formal or external meetings requiring support and coordination.

- Will any specialized meeting support be required (meeting transcription, sign language interpreter, etc.)

- What percentage or number of meetings are expected to take place in Bethesda (and surrounding area) and Research Triangle Park (and surrounding area)?

- For the in-person meetings, will NIEHS provide the meeting space or should the budget include rental of meeting space?

- Will the contractor be required to provide a webinar platform, if so, how many seats? Will a toll free number be required?

- Can you estimate the expected number and scope of each type of deliverable (e.g., reports, briefings, presentations, manuscripts, webinars, newsletters, handouts, surveys requiring OMB approval, protocols requiring IRB approval, etc)

- See 11 above.

- As noted above, meeting summaries and notes are expected.

Specific meeting transcription and sign language has historically not been needed for activities under this contract.

- Over 90% of the meetings are expected to take place in Bethesda and Washington, DC area. Contractor should expect 1-2 trips per year to NIEHS in RTP, NC. Also, future exercises, workshops, or related DR2 activities to be planned under new/future task orders, the contractor should anticipate up to 2-4 trips per year to locations within the U.S. that will be determined, as indicated. Historically DR2-related travel expenses for the contractor have not exceeded $12,000.

- It is not anticipated that meeting space fees will be needed.

Historically NIH has provided meeting space or made arrangements for meeting spaces as needed through other means.

- Historically, we have used NIH Webex or similar platforms with no costs associated for these services.

- See responses to items above for anticipated scope and number of deliverables.

19 General Is there an incumbent for this effort? See response to question 1 above.

20 General What percentage of work will be performed on site in RTP? Is the Government open to offsite contractor support?

As noted above only 1-2 meetings per year will be in RTP. The government is open to offsite contractor support but expects several in-person meetings to occur each year at the NIH Bethesda campus and around the Washington DC area as noted above.

21 General What travel is anticipated and should the contractor's budget include all travel costs, or will these costs be reimbursed separately?

- Travel related costs should be included in the proposed budget. Over 90% of the meetings are expected to take place in Bethesda and Washington, DC area. The Contractor should expect 1-2 trips per year to NIEHS in RTP, NC.

Historically DR2-related travel expenses for the contractor have not exceeded $12,000.00.

- Also, future exercises, workshops, or related DR2 activities to be planned under new/future task orders, the contractor should anticipate up to 2-4 trips per year to locations within the U.S. that will be determined, as indicated.

22 General What public funded and/or government resources with be available to awarded team to use as research and bench marks for best practices?

The National Library of Medicine is a co-partner of the NIH DR2 Program and many resources are available through their programs and services. Other needed support information is available through publicly available information and websites as indicated.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

The purpose of this Amendment is to provide the Government's response to industry questions.

1. The RFQ closing date is not extended.