NINDS_IC_Wide_Logistical_Meeting_Conference_Support_Contract_DRAFT_SOW.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Project Entitled: Logistical Meeting/Conference Support for the National Institute National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

A. Background Information

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts, fosters, coordinates and guides research on the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological disorders and stroke, and supports basic research in related scientific areas. In support of this mission, the Institute sponsors workshops, meetings and conferences which encourage collaborations among, members of the research community, voluntary and advocacy groups and other stakeholders on the advancement of neurological research. The dramatic progress in advances against brain disease in recent years has led to a significant increase in the number of initiatives supported by NINDS.

NINDS hosts several meeting/conferences throughout the year, as it is important to provide a platform to bring together scientists, researchers, clinicians, educators, patients, advocates and other members of the community so that they have an opportunity to inform, collaborate and engage each other on the latest scientific findings. In 1990, the NINDS developed a requirement for an Institute-wide logistical support services contract. The support requirements included the planning and management of conferences, workshops and meetings; assistance with automatic data systems and processing; writing, editorial and document preparation; queries and information/publication dissemination; typing, editing and proofing of documents; development of slides, graphics and design materials.

B. Objective

In support of the NIH/NINDS Mission, the purpose of this requirement is to acquire a logistical and administrative support contract to support the fulfillment of requirements for planning and implementation of workshops, conferences, and meetings; from here-on referred to as

Meeting/conference(s) unless otherwise referred to individually.

C. Technical Requirements/Services

This requirement is for non-commercial services. The type of services that will be required under any resulting contract could be defined in part as commercial in nature. However, our need to acquire a targeted number of meetings/conferences, each of which can be categorized by different and unique needs, makes it impossible to consider any resultant award using a firm-fixed price or fixed priced with economic price adjustment. Therefore, while the nature of some of the individual services might be deemed commercial, defining this acquisition as a commercial item acquisition, which by regulations requires the use of firm-fixed price contracts, is not consistent with our needs or implementation of the type of contract deemed most appropriate in this instance. Therefore, we are concluding that this requirement is not for the acquisition of commercial items.

In addition, this acquisition will not involve the procurement of "commercial or industrial activities" subject to the provisions of OMB Circular A-76, and as addressed in FAR Part 7.3. It has been determined that none of the functions to be performed under the proposed acquisition are "inherently governmental" (FAR 7.103(q).

This is a non-R&D requirement. However, the meeting/conferences that the Contractor will be required to implement are in support of our R&D strategic planning and development processes integral to the mission of NINDS.

The contractor shall, independently and not as an agent of the Government, furnish all necessary services, qualified personnel, materials, equipment and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government, to provide logistical support services for meetings and conferences on a scheduled, and as needed, basis for the NINDS. The contractor must be able to provide recurring services for meetings and conferences that vary in size and complexity. Please note: This is a Level of Effort contract with estimated hours as follows:

Period of Performance Hours

Base Period (12 months) 9,690

Option Period 1 (12 months) 9,690

Option Period 2 (12 months) 9,690

Option Period 3 (12 months) 9,690

Option Period 4 (12 months) 9,690

Total 48,450

Increased Quantity Option Items Hours Maximum Number of Times Option Quantity

Can be Exercised

Max Hours

Option Quantity 1 (Base Period) 190 15 2850

Option Quantity 2 (Option Period 1) 190 15 2850

Option Quantity 3 (Option Period 2) 190 15 2850

Option Quantity 4 (Option Period 3) 190 15 2850

Option Quantity 5 (Option Period 4) 190 15 2850

Total 14,250

The NINDS Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), through the Contracting Officer (CO), will periodically provide a list of estimated meetings/conferences to the contractor that will serve as a guide for workload planning purposes.

This requirement will support all meeting/conference-related activities from the early planning stages to finalizing all the pre-meeting/conference details, including, but not limited to, potential last-minute changes, oversight, support and staffing of meetings/conferences, conclusion and post meeting/conference activities, and maintaining close interaction and communications with the NINDS COR throughout the process.

The contractor shall provide services which may include, but are not limited to, activities such as:

1. Meet with the NINDS COR to outline the specifications and/or requirements for meeting/conferences;

2. Date Selection, which includes polling key participants for availability;

3. Site selection, which includes site visits, coordinating hotel letter of intent/contracts for lodging, facilities, and services, such as audio-visual (A/V), along with the associated equipment, and hotel contract terms that are favorable to the Government, in the event the Government needs to cancel or reschedule the meeting/conference;

4. Draft and disseminate summary of action items and project plans for each meeting/conference;

5. Design, development and monitoring of a single solution registration website, which shall be able to host multiple registration websites via separate URLS, have the functionality to collect up to four (4) multipage documents, as well as conduct financial transactions ensuring compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act;

6. Coordination and dissemination of meeting/conference invitations, announcements and welcome letters;

7. Preparation and dissemination of meeting/conference materials (agendas, folders, program booklets, name badges, name tents and signage); ensuring compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act;

8. Coordination of presentations, ensuring compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act;

9. Coordination and tracking of poster abstracts and speaker’s bios;

10. Coordination and monitoring of hotel room blocks.

11. Arrange travel support for approved participants/attendees, including lodging and transportation in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTRs);

12. Coordinate and arrange other vendors services prior to or during a meeting or conference

(e.g. catering, poster board rental, shuttle services, transcription, science writer services, photography, or video recording);

13. Coordination and confirmation of meeting/conference room set-up, audio visual equipment needs and other meeting requirements;

14. Provide on-site staff to host a welcome/registration/information desk, manage meeting/conference flow, provide badging as necessary, or as requested by the COR;

15. Coordination of NINDS teleconferences, providing a secure call-controlled conference line interface, ensuring compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act for all shared information. Secured call-controlled conference line should allow for the ability to move members to sub rooms for closed discussions and include a call directory to identify the callers to know who is supposed to be where, the ability to call out, and host control features.

16. Coordination of the NINDS Webinar meetings, ensuring compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act for all shared information, registration pages, slides, landing pages, flyers, etc.;

17. Perform post-conference services, including post conference debriefing, summary/final reporting, receive, review and process hotel and vendor invoices, and other follow-up activities;

18. Provide approved participants/attendees travel reimbursement within thirty (30) days of receipt of expense reports; coordination of honorarium payments. Note: No travel, lodging, or personal costs shall be paid for Federal employees under this contract; and

19. Provide related or associated activities that support meeting/conferences (e.g., travel services only, ground transportation of attendees to and from a meeting/conference, passport and visa assistance, signage/graphics, internet, etc.).

For each specific meeting/conference, the contractor shall utilize an electronic tracking system capable of (as applicable):

1. Tracking each meeting/conference by component and timelines. For each meeting/conference, the contractor shall utilize a chronological tracking and coding system with a cross reference to full meeting/conference titles, dates, and responsible contacts, both Federal and non-Federal. The contractor will assign a tracking number for each meeting/conference;

2. Inviting and coordinating with meeting/conference participants and program presenters, including drafting invitation and confirmation letters, and mechanisms for tracking and managing cancellations, partial attendance, and no shows;

3. Providing logistical arrangements for non-Federal program invitees (speakers, presenters, attendees), as well as timely reimbursements of travel expenses, coordination of payment of honoraria, and other allowable meeting/conference related expenses. Note: All Non- Federal travel and reimbursements shall be conducted in accordance with guidelines and procedures governed by the FTRs;

4. Ensuring each meeting/conference is conducted smoothly, including systems for providing necessary A/V presentation aids, room set up, coordination of speakers/presenters, and procedures for managing unforeseen incidents, such as inadequate meeting space, lodging difficulties, transportation or accommodation problems;

5. Coordinating draft meeting/conference agendas, materials, presentations, and reports.

This includes the system or procedures for final distribution of pre-meeting/conference materials, such as agendas, meeting packets, and post meeting/conference reports;

6. Obtaining auxiliary meeting/conference services when required, such as transcription, photography, science writer, recorder/video, A/V equipment, editors, web design, and technical support for A/V or webinars;

7. Meeting Federal requirements for compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act;

8. Managing, recording, or transcribing proceedings of meeting/conferences, including the commissioning of papers and short publications; and

9. Managing the work flow for presentations/meeting materials between the COR, presenter(s), and contractor.

D. Planning and Logistics for Each Meeting/conference

For each meeting/conference, the Contractor shall perform the following, as applicable:

1. Arrange meeting/conference dates in accordance with the final dates provided by the COR. The dates will be established and finalized by the COR; however, some meetings may also involve corresponding with participants to coordinate available times and dates;

2. Coordinate and finalize the meeting site. It is expected that most of the meeting/conferences under this contract will be held within the D.C. metropolitan area, either at Federal venues or local hotels. Periodically, meetings will be held out of town or at international sites. Conference rooms at the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland, the Neuroscience Building in Rockville, Maryland, and the Fishers Lane Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland, may be utilized. When it is in the Government’s best interest to hold a meeting outside the Washington, D.C. area, site selection, except where indicated, will be arranged by the contractor and approved by the NINDS;

3. Arrange and coordinate travel, lodging accommodations, and ground transportation for all participants/attendees who are approved for travel support by the COR. The contractor shall directly pay participant/attendee lodging and transportation cost unless otherwise noted;

4. Coordinate reimbursement for all attendees/participants for allowable expenses and honoraria within thirty (30) days of receipt of participants’ completed voucher/claim;

5. Follow-up with each attendee/participant for outstanding vouchers. If a travel claim is not received within two (2) weeks of the close of the meeting/conference, the contractor shall contact the attendee in writing or by telephone to request submission of the delinquent voucher. The COR shall be notified one (1) month after the meeting, and every thirty (30) days thereafter regarding any travel claims that have not been received or reimbursed. If any travel voucher is not received after ninety (90) days from the close of the meeting/conference, the contractor shall send a “Final Request” indicating that the meeting/conference activities will be closed out and no claims for reimbursement will be accepted after forty-five (45) days from the date of the “Final Request.” In cases of incomplete or incorrect vouchers, the contractor shall contact the participant to obtain the necessary information;

6. Work closely with the COR to ensure pre-meeting support, auxiliary services, and if required, on-site administrative support is provided in accordance to approved meeting assignments. Timelines shall be established based on approved work plans for each meeting/conference;

7. In accordance with the “NIH Policy on Promoting Efficient Spending: Use of Appropriated

Funds for Conferences and Meetings Space, Food, Promotional Items, and Printing, and

Publications,” dated June 1, 2015, all provision of free food or beverages for any NIH sponsored/funded meeting/conference, with a few exceptions, such as award ceremonies and non-DHHS training meeting/conferences where food is included in the registration, are prohibited. The policy also places limits on the procurement of meeting space. Further information regarding the NIH Policy on Promoting Efficient Spending can be found at http://oamp.od.nih.gov/news/NIH-efficient-spending-policy. The contractor is expected to acknowledge and adhere to all applicable policies and guidelines throughout the performance of the contract.

E. Section 508 Requirements/Compliance

This language is applicable to the Statements of Work (SOW) generated by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that require a Contractor or consultant to: 1) produce content in any format including reports, documents, charts, posters, presentations (such as Microsoft PowerPoint) or video material that could be placed on a Department-owned or Department-funded website; or 2) write, create, or produce any communications materials intended for public or internal use.

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 can access government information and services.

There are three (3) regulations addressing the requirements detailed in Section 508. The Section 508 technical and functional standards are codified at 36 CFR Part 1194 and may be accessed through the Access Board’s Web site at http://www.access-board.gov. The second regulation issued to implement Section 508 is the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). FAR Part 39.2 requires that agency acquisitions of EIT comply with the Access Board’s standards. The entire FAR is found at Chapter 1 of the Code of Federal Register (CFR) Title 48, located at http://www.acquisition.gov. The FAR rule implementing Section 508 can be found at http://www.section508.gov. The third applicable regulation is the HHS Acquisition Regulation

(HHSAR).

Regardless of format, all web content or communication materials produced for publication on or delivery via HHS websites, including text, audio or video, must conform 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. All Contractors (including subcontractors) or consultants responsible for preparing or posting content intended for use on an HHS-funded or HHS-managed website must comply with applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, and where applicable, those set forth in the referenced policy or standard 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.

The following Section 508 provisions apply to the content or communications material identified in this SOW:

1. 36 CFR 1194.21 (all)

2. 36 CFR 1194.22 (all)

References:

1. HHS Policy for Section 508 Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) (January 2005) website: http://www.hhs.gov/od/Final_Section_508_Policy.html

2. HHS Section 508 website: http://508.hhs.gov/

3. HHS ASPA Web Communications Division website:

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

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

http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm

F. Estimated Meetings Hours

The NINDS estimates that approximately Ninety-one (91) meetings/conferences will be held annually for a total of 9,690 hours per period. However, the estimated number of meeting/conference sizes will most likely fluctuate to meet the NINDS’s needs during each performance period. Therefore, the estimates are provided for use when estimating the cost proposal only.

Small Sized Conference/Workshop - Approximately 130 over the 5-year period of the contract, estimated at 26 per year, each lasting 1-2 days in duration, and involving up to 100 attendees each.

Medium Sized Conference/Workshop - Approximately 60 over the 5-year period of the contract, estimated at 12 per year, each lasting 1-2 days, involving approximately 100-300 attendees each.

Large Sized Conference/Workshop - Approximately 15 over the 5-year period of the contract, estimated at 3 per year, each lasting 1-3 days, involving approximately 300-500 attendees each.

Teleconference and/or Webinar Calls - Approximately 250 over the 5-year period of the contract, estimated at 50 per year, can vary throughout the duration of the contract and involve up to 40 attendees each.

G. Options

In accordance with Article B.2. of the contract, the NINDS may exercise option items to increase the number of acquisition hours to support a wide range of meetings. However, the estimated number of meeting sizes will most likely fluctuate to meet the NINDS’s needs during each performance period.

1. Option Period 1 through 4 - Option to Extend the Term of the Contract

This option consists of an additional one (1) year period of performance during which the Contractor will perform the work as set forth in the Statement of Work and the associated Schedule of Deliverables. This option may be exercised four (4) times during the life of the contract. Each option is estimated to be 9,690 hours.

2. Option Quantity Items 1-5 – Option for Additional Labor Hours

If exercised, each of these option quantities of one hundred and ninety (190) hours would perform the tasks outlined in the Statement of Work. NINDS may exercise an option quantity up to fifteen (15) times for the Base Period and each Option Period, respectively, potentially resulting in an additional 2850 hours of labor per option period.

H. Transition of Meeting Planning Activities

If a conference or meeting is transitioned from the predecessor to the incumbent, the meeting assignment shall clearly state expectations and responsibilities of the incumbent contractor. At minimum, the contractor shall be expected to:

1. Coordinate and arrange hotel accommodations and/or meeting facilities, ensuring that contracts are negotiated with favorable considerations for the Federal Government, i.e., cancellation policy, rescheduling policy, etc.;

2. Facilitate participant travel and related reimbursements;

3. Coordinate A/V needs, including technical staff when applicable, ensuring billing and payment as appropriate;

4. Provide on-site personnel as specified in the meeting/conference requirements;

5. Prepare and submit a detailed cost proposal and milestone schedule for the work assigned for the transition; and

6. Prepare any completion status reports.

I. Government Responsibilities

No government furnished property will be provided to fulfill this contract. The Government shall only be responsible for providing the contractor with a list of sponsored participants for each event. The Government will also provide the name and details of any federal facility utilized for events.

J. Schedule of Deliverables

Deliverables Due Date

Orientation Meeting/Teleconference 5 business days after award

Work plan with timeline and deliverable dates 10 business days after award

Registration website 2-4 weeks after award (will be determined by COR)

Registration/Travel Update 1 business day prior to scheduled meeting (via email)

Project status call/in person meeting (as needed) Bi-weekly, starting weekly 4 weeks before event

Proofs for all printed materials for meeting/conference to COR/PM

5-7 business days prior to event

Sponsored participants’ travel arrangements 3 days after receipt of attendance

Collection of meeting/conference speaker presentation materials

3 business days prior to event

Meeting/Conference Participant name badges 5 business days prior to the event

Printing of meeting/conference program materials 5 business days prior to the event

Meeting/Conference Report 10 business days after the event

Reimbursement of receipts of travel expenditures To be included in event report

Draft Written meeting/conference summary 30 days after the Event

Final Written meeting/conference summary 60 days after the Event