Notice_of_Intent_to_Award_to_The_RAND_Corporation.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Program Support Center

Acquisition Management Services

7700 Wisconsin Avenue, 8th Floor

Bethesda, MD 20857

October 22, 2019

Notice of Intent to Award

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) intends to award a sole source contract to

The RAND Corporation utilizing acquisition procedures under the authority of FAR Part 6.302-1, for the

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). This notice of intent to award is not a request for competitive proposals. The purpose of this notice is merely to obtain capability statements to allow interested firms an opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications for the standards below.

The purpose of this contract is to improve knowledge and understanding of the clinical diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)/neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) by clinical providers and researchers throughout the U.S.

The period of performance for the contract shall be for one 12 month base period with four (4) twelve

(12) month option periods.

In order to respond to this notice, qualified firms must be able to clearly convey its experience and/or ability to perform the following tasks identified below in a capability statement:

1) Demonstrates intrinsic knowledge of HHS’ legislative mandates pertaining to opioid use disorder and mother-infant dyad care including strategies and implementation of the Protecting Our

Infants Act of 2015 and the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and the Communities Act 2018, HHS’ 5-point strategy to combat the opioid crisis, and successful methods to increase the effectiveness of existing efforts to improve the care for opioid-exposed mothers and infants.

2) Provide technical, research and programming expertise to OASH by planning, initiating, and executing the ExpertLens methodology to facilitate investigation of specific clinical questions pertinent to NAS/NOWS on a national level, ensuring that a broad, diverse and inclusive representation of experts comprise the process of discussion from start to completion.

3) Provide Project Management and Evaluation that reflects an in-depth analysis of multiple sources of information and perspectives from panels of federal and non-federal experts applying the virtual, iterative system central and specific to the ExpertLens methodology. Provide an interdisciplinary team of researchers with specific expertise in the ExpertLens methodology to:

(1) design the research study based on the clinical question at hand, (2) develop a protocol for the study within the ExpertLens methodology, (3) conduct a pilot test of the study, (4) conduct the comprehensive study following edits made through the pilot testing process.

4) Provide a progression (e.g., broad based to highly customized) of Technical Knowledge

Development, Sharing and Transfer strategies that increase the knowledge base and understanding on clinical diagnostic criteria for NAS/NOWS by planning and executing the following phases of the ExpertLens methodology: (1) Round 0 Idea Generation, (2) Round 1

Assessment, (3) Round 2 Feedback and Discussion, (4) Round 3 Reassessment to complete the comprehensive iterative process.

5) Develop, from start to finish, the online platform and tools to facilitate expert online discussions ranging from independent expert response via individual open-ended questions to collaborative efforts via online moderated discussion. Design and execute questions, both open-ended and close-ended, as appropriate for comprehensive expert elicitation and stakeholder engagement as per the specific critical steps of the ExpertLens methodology.

6) Develop and implement a qualitative analysis: descriptive analytics of the data/responses collected as per the ExpertLens data analytics protocols and methodology.

7) Develop and implement a quantitative analysis: a Bayesian approach centering around

ExpertLens data modeling structure and protocol.

8) Comprehensively combine qualitative and quantitative data collected and analyzed through the

ExpertLens methodology Round 0 through Round 3; provide a detailed report of this comprehensive analysis with a focus on 1) clinical priorities, 2) areas of disagreement, 3) potential solutions identified during the investigative process.

9) Demonstrate a wealth of knowledge regarding: NAS/NOWS, the clinical knowledge gaps, academic literature that is comprehensive and up-to-date and pertinent to this OASH project on

NAS/NOWS.

Qualified firms must also include the following information

a) Company Name.

b) Company DUNS number.

c) Company point of contact, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and website address 4

d) Name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a company point of contact

e) who has the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with government representatives

f) Date submitted

g) Applicable company GSA Schedule number or other available procurement vehicle.

h) Do you have a Government approved accounting system? If so, please identify the agency that approved the system.

i) Type of Company (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, veteran owned, etc.) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM). All respondents must register on the SAM located at https://www.sam.gov

No solicitation document is available. Capability statement must be submitted to the contact point and address given above. All capability statements are due to the Contracting Officer by 3:00pm EST

October 29, 2019. Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date.

The maximum number of pages for submission is 5 pages. If no capability statements are received which specifically demonstrate the requirements above, the Government shall proceed with a sole source contract to The RAND Corporation.

Government Official Designated for Receipt of Capability Statements

Cassandra Ellis

Contracting Officer

Email: Cassandra.Ellis@psc.hhs.gov