Performance Work Statement Sample 36C26124Q0688 Veteran Mortality Research Study VA Palo Alto.pdf

SAMPLE PERORMANCE WORK STATEMENT – SEE BELOW

Performance Work Statement

Patient Transportation Services

VA Palo Alto Health Care System

1.0 Project Scope / Background:

1.1 The Vietnam Era Veterans Mortality Study is an ongoing investigation of the association between Vietnam deployment and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Veterans Affairs (VA) research on this topic (and with this team) has spanned several decades and has provided ongoing characterization of mortality risks and trends among Vietnam War Era Veterans.

Recent efforts have examined the association between Vietnam deployment and suicide mortality, Vietnam deployment and cancer related mortality, and the intersection of Vietnam deployment and biological sex on suicide and cancer related mortality across the more than 40-year post-war period. Current efforts are focused on examining trends and trajectories associated with hypertension-related deaths. Long-term goals include the econometric analyses of hypertension among this cohort of veterans.

1.2 The services required to meet the needs of a time-limited research project are the highly specialized skills and experience of a seasoned researcher with significant expertise in the study of hypertension related mortality. Arbor Research Collaborative for Health has a long-standing reputation for health services research and policy work, population sciences/epidemiology research, and an emphasis on research on chronic disease.

Unsurprisingly, Arbor Research Collaborative for Health employs a hypertension expert (Deepika Laddu) that is an ideal fit for this work.

Specifically, the primary tasks that must be completed are:

(1) Consultation with the study data manager/analyst regarding creation/population of study dataset.

(2) Consultation with the study data manager/analyst regarding creation of all needed study variables.

(3) Consultation with the study data manager/analyst regarding creation of study analytic plan

(4) Consultation with the study data manager/analyst regarding execution of study analyses per approved analytic plan.

(5) Creation of core elements of scholarly products that result from this analysis plan, including the introduction and discussion sections of primary outcomes papers and conference presentations (and, if appropriate, secondary, and tertiary outcome papers and associated research presentations).

1.3 No Option Years.

1.4 Place of Performance: Work will be performed at the contractor’s place of business within the

Continental United States.

1.5 Type of Contract: The government will award a Firm Fixed Price Contract.

1.6. Invoicing: All invoices from the contractor shall be submitted electronically in accordance with VAAR clause 852

1.7 Definitions and Acronyms

Contractor. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or services to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

Subcontractor. One that enters into a contract with the prime contractor. The Government does not have a privity of contract with the subcontractor.

Work Day. The number of hours per day the Contractor provides services in accordance with the contract.

Acronyms:

ORD- Office of Research and Development

PI - Principal Investigator

VA - Veterans Affairs

VAPAHCS - Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System

VEVMS - Vietnam Era Veterans Mortality Study

2.0 Required Experience / Qualifications:

2.1 Contractor will supply a single individual with a doctoral degree in a health/health service-related discipline (i.e., biology, nutritional sciences, kinesiology, medicine, nursing) and expertise in cardiovascular disease prevention/hypertension mortality related research to serve as a content expert on this project.

2.2 Contractor will supply a content expert with at least 5 years of experience in population sciences/epidemiology/health services research pertinent to cardiovascular disease/hypertension mortality.

2.3 Contractor will supply a content expert (i.e., Deepika Laddu, Ph.D.) with advanced training in research methods with extensive experience and knowledge of advanced statistical techniques, and a track record of work and scholarly products in applied cardiovascular disease prevention.

2.4 Contractor will supply a content expert with at least five peer-reviewed manuscripts as a co-author using advanced statistical techniques.

2.5 Contractor will supply a content expert (i.e., Deepika Laddu, Ph.D.) and support that expert with the resources required (e.g., computer, email, internet connection) and ensure they are available to meet weekly, at a mutually agreeable time, between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm

PST.

2.6 Contractor will supply a content expert (i.e., Deepika Laddu, Ph.D.) who will be a good fit working within the VA environment and who will abide by all applicable VA rules, requirements, regulations, and directives.

3.0 Specific Tasks:

The contractor will be responsible for:

3.1 Assisting/advising the study PI and data manager/analyst regarding appropriate creation/population of the study dataset. This includes consultation on creation of all needed study variables and ability to engage productively with the data manager and VEVMS team in this regard.

3.2 Assisting/advising the study PI and data manager/analyst regarding creation of the study analytic plan.

3.3 Assisting/advising the study PI and whole study team regarding execution of the study analyses once analytic plan is approved by the VEVMS team. This requires skills pertinent to the execution of advanced statistical techniques such as mixed effects regression models.

3.4 Drafting the introduction and discussion sections for peer-reviewed publications, providing both a richly researched background section in the introduction and a nuanced interpretation of study findings in the discussion sections.

3.4.1 Connecting with senior investigators, including PI and VEVMS leadership, and integrating their feedback into a final and polished product.

3.5 Maintain open communication with the study team, particularly PI and content experts on the team throughout project and contact the PI or VEVMS study leadership promptly if a problem arises.

4.0 Deliverables:

4.1 Ongoing: Work effectively with the project team to advise and support data manager in the appropriate creation of data set (e.g., variable selection).

4.2 Ongoing: Work effectively with the project team to advise and support data manager in development of an appropriate data analysis plan.

4.3 Within 90 days of contract award: Present team with initial draft of introduction/background section of the planned outcomes manuscript.

4.4 Within 5 months of the contract award: We anticipate the database will be constructed and analyses will be executed within 5 months of the award. Upon data manager’s completion of study analyses, contractor will present the study team with initial interpretations of study outcomes.

4.5 Within 6 months of the contract award: Begin drafting discussion section of outcomes paper.

4.6 August 1 – July 31, 2025: Completion of introduction/discussions sections for manuscript and conference presentations.

5.0 Period of Performance:

5.1 From August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025

6.0 Estimated Level of Effort:

6.1 Anticipated level of effort for this task order is five hours or less per week.

7.0 Payment Method:

Monthly invoices in arrears.

8.0 Task Manager Quality Assurance Monitoring:

8.1 Monthly status reports outlining progress in terms of stated material development goals will be sent by overseeing researcher.

8.2 Overseeing researcher and selected contractor shall meet at least twice a month to review work completed and review delivery dates.

9.0 Place of Performance:

9.1 All work will take place remotely from vendor’s place of business. As this work does not involve any direct interaction with patients or study participants, it can be completed.

remotely.

10.0 Space furnished: Government space and or government furnished property will not be provided. Research study will be conducted on the contractor’s facility.

11.0 Contractor needs access to VA computer: (Yes or No) No

NOTICE: This notice is not an official request for quotes. Information obtained from this notice may be used to the assist the Agency in determining the strategy for obtaining these items/services. Please note an official request for quote may or may not be released in connection of this notice. All responses shall be submitted to Rachael.Becker@va.gov prior to the closing date of this notice.

mailto:Rachael.Becker@va.gov