RFP NIAID-DAIDS-75N93022R00029.pdf

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SOLICITATION

SECTION A - SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

1. Requisition or other Purchase Authority: Public Law 81-692, as amended

2. Request for Proposal (RFP) Number:

75N93022R00029

3. Issue Date:

December 16, 2022

4. Set Aside:

[X] No

[ ] Yes See Part IV Section L

5. Title : Cellular Immunology Core Laboratory

6. ISSUED BY:

Office of Acquisitions (OA) Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 5601 Fishers Lane, Room 3D10, MSC 9821 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9821

7. SUBMIT OFFERS TO:

See Part III, Section J, "Packaging and Delivery of the Proposal," ATTACHMENT 1 of this Solicitation.

8. Proposals for furnishing the supplies and/or services in THE SCHEDULE will be received at the place specified in, and in the number of copies specified in Attachment 1, "Packaging and Delivery of the Proposal," until 3:00 PM local time on March 17, 2023. Offers will be valid for 120 days unless a different period is specified by the offeror on the Attachment entitled, "Proposal Summary and Data Record, NIH 2043.

9. This solicitation requires delivery of proposals as stated in ATTACHMENT 1, "PACKAGING AND DELIVERY OF THE PROPOSAL." If proposals are required to be delivered to two different locations, the OFFICIAL POINT OF RECEIPT for determining TIMELY DELIVERY is the address provided for the OFFICE OF ACQUISITIONS.

IF YOUR PROPOSAL IS NOT RECEIVED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER OR HIS DESIGNEE AT THE PLACE AND TIME SPECIFIED FOR THE OFFICE OF ACQUISITIONS, THEN IT WILL BE CONSIDERED LATE AND HANDLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH subparagraph (c)(3) of FAR Clause 52.215-1, Instructions to Offerors - Competitive Acquisition, LOCATED IN SECTION L.1. OF THIS SOLICITATION.

10. Offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award of a contract. Offerors must access the CCR through The System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.

11. FOR INFORMATION CALL: Kim Dormer

PHONE: 301-761-6391

e-MAIL: kimberly.dormer@nih.gov

COLLECT CALLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

We strongly suggest that any questions regarding the solicitation be submitted by 3:00 PM local, on February 14, 2023, so that we can provide timely responses before proposals are due.

Kim Dormer Contract Specialist https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

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1. Requisition or other Purchase Authority: Public Law 81-692, as amended Office of Acquisitions

DEA, NIAID, NIH, DHHS

RFP Number : 75N93022R00029

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RFP TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION A - SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

SECTION D - PACKAGING, MARKING AND SHIPPING

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

SECTION J - LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

SOLICITATION ATTACHMENTS

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL ATTACHMENTS

BUSINESS PROPOSAL ATTACHMENTS

INFORMATIONAL ATTACHMENTS

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

a. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS--COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION

b. NAICS CODE AND SIZE STANDARD

c. TYPE OF CONTRACT AND NUMBER OF AWARDS

d. LEVEL OF EFFORT

e. COMMITMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS

f. PROMOTING EFFICIENT SPENDING

g. COMMUNICATIONS PRIOR TO CONTRACT AWARD

h. RELEASE OF INFORMATION

i. PREPARATION COSTS

j. SERVICE OF PROTEST

2. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

a. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Contract Type and General Clauses

2. Authorized Official and Submission of Proposal

3. Proposal Summary and Data Record (NIH-2043)

4. Separation of Technical and Business Proposals

5. Alternate Proposals

6. Evaluation of Proposals

7. Potential Award Without Discussions

8. Use of the Metric System of Measurement

9. Privacy Act - Treatment of Proposal Information

10. Selection of Offerors

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11. Institutional Responsibility Regarding Investigator Conflicts of Interest

12. CERTIFICATION REGARDING TAX MATTERS (OCT 2020)

13. Past Performance Information

14. Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference

b. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Technical Discussions

2. Other Considerations

3. Technical Evaluation

4. Obtaining and Disseminating Biomedical Research Resources

c. BUSINESS PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Basic Cost/Price Information

2. Proposal Cover Sheet

3. Information Other than Cost or Pricing Data

4. Requirements for Cost or Pricing Data or Information Other than Cost and Pricing Data

5. Salary Rate Limitation

6. Small Business Subcontracting Plan

7. Mentor Protege Program, HHSAR 352.219-70

8. HUBZone Small Business Concerns

9. Total Compensation Plan

10. Other Administrative Data

11. Qualifications of the Offeror

12. Subcontractors

13. Proposer's Annual Financial Report

14. Travel Costs/Travel Policy

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

1. GENERAL

2. COST/PRICE EVALUATION

3. EVALUATION OF OPTIONS

4. EVALUATION OF DATA SHARING PLAN

5. TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTORS

6. EVALUATION OF ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY- SECTION

7. PAST PERFORMANCE FACTOR

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PART I - THE SCHEDULE

THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN SECTION A - SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM, HEREIN CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANY OFFEROR INTERESTED IN RESPONDING TO THIS SOLICITATION.

ANY CONTRACT RESULTING FROM THIS SOLICITATION WILL INCLUDE IN ITS SECTION A - SOLICITATION/ CONTRACT FORM, ACCOUNTING, APPROPRIATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION APPLICABLE TO THE

CONTRACT AWARD.

THE CONTRACT SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN SECTIONS B THROUGH H, HEREIN, CONTAINS CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THIS SOLICITATION. IT IS NOT AN EXACT REPRESENTATION OF THE CONTRACT DOCUMENT THAT WILL BE AWARDED AS A RESULT OF THIS SOLICITATION. THE CONTRACT COST OR PRICE AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL PROVISIONS PERTINENT TO THE OFFEROR (i.e., those relating to the organizational structure [e.g., Non-Profit, Commercial] and specific cost authorizations unique to the Offeror's proposal and requiring Contracting Officer Prior Approval) WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS AND WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE RESULTANT CONTRACT. THE ENCLOSED CONTRACT SCHEDULE IS

INTENDED TO PROVIDE THE OFFEROR WITH THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO UNDERSTAND THE

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RESULTANT CONTRACT.

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

ARTICLE B.1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES

This contract shall provide support for activities to conduct, develop, acquire, improve, implement, validate, and analyze (data from) assays to evaluate and characterize the cellular immune responses in samples from in vivo or in vitro studies investigating SIV, simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), HIV, Mtb, and/or other potential pathogens.

ARTICLE B.2. ESTIMATED COST - OPTION

a. The estimated cost of the Base Period of this contract is $ ______________.

b. The fixed fee for the Base Period of this contract is $ _____________. The fixed fee shall be paid in direct ratio to the level of effort expended; that is, the percent of fee paid shall be equal to the percent of total effort expended. Payment shall be subject to the withholding provisions of the clauses ALLOWABLE COST AND PAYMENT and FIXED FEE referenced in the General Clause Listing in Part II, ARTICLE I.1. of this contract.

c. The total estimated amount of the contract, represented by the sum of the estimated cost plus the fixed fee for the Base Period is $ __________.

d. If the Government exercises its option pursuant to the OPTION PROVISION Article in SECTION H of this contract, the Government's total estimated contract amount represented by the sum of the estimated cost plus the fixed fee will be increased as follows:

Estimated Cost

Fixed Fee

Estimated Cost Plus Fixed Fee

Base Period

Option Period(s):

Total

[Base Period and Option(s)]

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ARTICLE B.3. PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO DIRECT COSTS

This article will prohibit or restrict the use of contract funds, unless otherwise approved by the Contracting Officer. The following is a list of items that may be included in the resultant contract as applicable. 1) Conferences & Meetings, 2) Food for Meals, Light Refreshments & Beverages, 3) Promotional Items, 4) Acquisition, by purchase or lease, of any interest in real property; 5) Special rearrangement or alteration of facilities; 6) Purchase or lease of any item of general purpose office furniture or office equipment regardless of dollar value; 7) Travel Costs including Foreign Travel; 8) Consultant Costs; 9) Subcontract Costs; 10) Patient Care Costs; 11) Accountable Government Property; 12) Printing costs; and 13) Research Funding.

ARTICLE B.4. ADVANCE UNDERSTANDINGS

Specific elements of cost, which normally require prior written approval of the Contracting Officer before incurrence of the cost (e.g., foreign travel, consultant fees, subcontracts) will be included in this Article if the Contracting Officer has granted his/her approval prior to contract award.

1. CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION AND CONTROL OF MATERIALS

The Contractor shall guarantee strict confidentiality of the information/data that is provided by the Government during the performance of the contract. The Government has determined that the information/ data that the Contractor will be provided during the performance of the contract is of a sensitive nature.

Certain information and data provided to the Contractor shall require confidential treatment. Information to be treated confidentially may pertain to proprietary information provided by the AIDS vaccine product and reagent developers and vaccine trial investigators. All information supplied by the COR should be assumed to be proprietary unless specifically identified as non-confidential in writing by the COR.

Primate specimens and HIV- or SIV-specific reagents obtained as a result of this contract shall be restricted to contract-related studies, and shall not be released to any other investigators without approval of the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

(a) The Contractor agrees that the use of materials provided to the Contractor by or through the Government for studies performed under this project shall be restricted to contract-related projects and shall not be released to any other party without approval of the COR.

(b) Because the Contractor may be utilizing and evaluating materials provided to the Government by third parties, including AIDS vaccine product and reagent developers and AIDS vaccine trial investigators, it is essential to include provisions that will protect the rights of these third parties. Therefore the Contractor agrees that manuscripts/abstracts based on data/information generated under this contract will be submitted for review, comment, and identification of proprietary information by the collaborating AIDS vaccine product and reagent developers and AIDS vaccine trial investigators at least fifteen (15) days before manuscripts are submitted for publication or results are submitted for oral presentation. The Contractor also agrees, upon request by a collaborating third party, to delay any proposed public disclosure for up to thirty (30) additional days as necessary to prepare and file a patent application. Contract support shall be acknowledged in all such publications. A "publication" is defined as an issue of printed material offered for distribution or any communication or oral presentation of information. Publications must comply with NIH Public Access Policy (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm). The NIAID will use its best efforts to assist and expedite the review process by the Third Party Suppliers wherever possible.

2. INVOICES - COST AND PERSONNEL REPORTING AND VARIANCES FROM THE NEGOTIATED BUDGET

a. The Contractor agrees to provide a detailed breakdown on invoices of the following cost categories:

1) Direct Labor - List individuals by name, title/position, hourly/annual rate, level of effort, and amount claimed.

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2) Fringe Benefits - Cite rate and amount

3) Materials & Supplies - Include detailed breakdown when total amount is over $1,000.

4) Travel - Identify travelers, dates, destination, purpose of trip, and amount. Cite COA, if appropriate. List separately, domestic travel, general scientific meeting travel, and foreign travel.

5) Consultant Fees - Identify individuals and amounts.

6) Subcontracts - Attach subcontractor invoice(s).

7) Equipment - Cite authorization and amount.

8) Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) - Cite rate and amount.

9) Total Cost

Monthly invoices must include the cumulative total expenses to date, adjusted (as applicable) to show any amounts suspended by the Government.

b. The Contractor agrees to immediately notify the Contracting Officer in writing if there is an anticipated overrun (any amount) or unexpended balance (greater than 10 percent) of the amount allotted to the contract, and the reasons for the variance. Also refer to the requirement of Limitation of Cost Clause in the contract.

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SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

ARTICLE C.1. STATEMENT OF WORK

a. Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall be required to furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government, as needed to perform the Statement of Work, dated October 17, 2022, attached hereto and made a part of this Solicitation (See SECTION J - List of Attachments).

ARTICLE C.2. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR USE WITH THE ELECTRONIC REPORT DELIVERABLE SUBMISSION

(eRDS) SITE

All reports required herein must be submitted in electronic format. All electronic contract deliverables must be submitted via the NIAID electronic Report Deliverable Submission (eRDS) Site, available at the following website: https://erds.niaid.nih.gov/ . All electronic reports submitted must be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additional information about testing documents for Section 508 compliance, including guidance and specific checklists, by application, can be found at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/ index.html and at: https://www.section508.gov/create/documents , "Create Accessible Documents."

a. Technical Progress Reports

In addition to the required reports set forth elsewhere in this Schedule, the preparation and submission of regularly recurring Technical Progress Reports will be required in any contract resulting from this solicitation. These reports will require descriptive information about the activities undertaken during the reporting period and will require information about planned activities for future reporting periods. The frequency and specific content of these reports will be determined prior to contract award. [Note: Beginning May 25, 2008, the Contractor shall include the applicable PubMed Central or NIH Manuscript Submission reference number when citing publications that arise from its NIH funded research.]

For proposal preparation purposes only, it is estimated that one electronic version of the following reports will be required:

1. Semi-Annual Progress Report

By the 30th of the month following the end of each six month contract period, the Contractor shall submit a semi-annual progress report as described below. One (1) electronic copy each should be submitted to the COR and the Contracting Officer. This report shall include a summation during the reporting period and a description of the activities planned for the ensuing reporting period. The minutes from the biweekly teleconferences should also be included. The initial report will be submitted for the first full six months of the contract performance including and fractional part of the initial month. Thereafter, the reporting period shall consist of six full calendar months. The Semi-Annual Progress Report should be factual and concise and consist of the following:

a) A title page containing:

• Contract number and title

• Sequence of report; e.g., "Year 1, 1st Semi-Annual Progress Report"

• Period of performance being reported

• Contractor's name and address https://erds.niaid.nih.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/index.html https://www.section508.gov/create/documents

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• Date of submission

• Delivery address

b) Contract progress, to include, but not be limited to the following information:

• A brief introduction covering the objective and scope of the contract effort.

• A description of overall progress plus detailed descriptions of the methodology and reagents employed for each immunological assay employed during the performance period, including any changes made in critical reagents or protocols.

• Separate tables listing:

1) An inventory of specimens received during the performance period, but on which assays have not yet been performed.

2) The assays performed during the performance period, indicating number of each performed.

3) An inventory of the specimens on which assays were performed during the performance period.

4) List of all active studies, data, and results of assays conducted on specimens received during the performance period. Results are to be grouped by the study protocol number or investigator’s name and identified by animal number, date, and any other relevant information provided with the specimen. When assays are conducted as part of a continuing study, the results from previous reports are to be included so that a complete and updated data set for an ongoing study is included in each report for which new assays are conducted.

5) An interpretation of results from all immunological assays performed during the performance period, as appropriate.

• A description of any technical or performance problems encountered and corrective actions planned or taken. An explanation of any differences between planned and actual progress shall be included.

• Copies of abstract, manuscripts, and publications of work supported by this contract.

• Selected other information as directed by the COR and the Contracting Officer.

c) A Semi-Annual Progress report is not due when an Annual Progress Report is due.

2. Annual Progress Report

On or before the 30th of the month following the end of each contract year, the Contractor shall submit one electronic copy of an Annual Progress Report to each of the COR and the Contracting

Officer. The Annual Progress Report shall summarize progress for the entire contract year, following the same format as for the semi-annual reports. In addition, a summary of all data that have been deposited in the central data storage repository shall be included. An Annual Progress Report will not be required for the period when the Final Report is due. A Semi-Annual Progress Report shall not be submitted when an Annual Progress Report is due.

The Contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer's Representative and Contracting Officer with two

(2) copies of the Annual Progress Report in draft form thirty (30) calendar days prior to the delivery

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3. Final Report

The Contractor shall submit one electronic copy of the Final Report to the COR and one electronic copy to the Contracting Officer. The Final Report shall consist of the work performed and results obtained for the entire contract period of performance as stated in SECTION F of the contract. This report shall be in sufficient detail to describe comprehensively the results achieved. The Final Report shall be submitted on or before the last day of the contract performance period.

The final report shall contain:

• Title Page as described above, for the Semi-annual Progress Report

• Introduction, covering the purpose and scope of the contract effort

• Description of the overall progress of the contract, plus a separate description of each protocol and type of assay employed and its modifications and performance on the contract during the period of performance

• Immunological assay data organized by SVEU study or other study, and presented in tables or graphs as appropriate; a description of significant results achieved, conclusions resulting from analysis, and a scientific evaluation of the data accrued under the contract

• Copies of abstracts, manuscripts, and publications containing data generated by this contract

• Summary of all data deposited in the central data storage repository

The Contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer's Representative and Contracting Officer with one (1) copy of the Final Report in draft form, in accordance with the DELIVERIES Article in SECTION F of this contract, sixty (60) calendar days prior to the completion date of this contract. The Contracting Officer's Representative will review the draft report and provide the Contracting Officer with comments within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt. The Final Report shall be corrected by the Contractor, if necessary and the final version delivered as specified in the above paragraph.

Summary of Salient Results

The Contractor will be required to prepare and submit, with the final report, a summary (not to exceed 200 words) of salient results achieved during the performance of the contract. This report will be required on or before the expiration date of the contract.

Reporting on Select Agents or Toxins and/or Highly Pathogenic Agents

For work involving the possession, use, or transfer of a Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent, the following information shall also be included in each Progress Report:

1. Any changes in the use of the Select Agent or Toxin including initiation of "restricted experiments," and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent, that have resulted in a change in the required biocontainment level, and any resultant change in location, if applicable, as determined by the IBC or equivalent body or institutional biosafety official.

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2. If work with a new or additional Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent will be conducted in the upcoming reporting period, provide:

a. A list of each new or additional Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent that will be studied;

b. A brief description of the work that will be done with each new or additional Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent and whether or not the work is a Select Agent or Toxin restricted experiment as defined in the Select Agents Regulation 42 CFR Part 73, Section 13.b https://www.selectagents.gov/ regulations/index.htm) or listed on the U.S. Federal Select Agents Registry restricted experiments website ( https://www.selectagents.gov/compliance/guidance/restricted/index.htm);

c. The name and location for each biocontainment resource/facility, including the name of the organization that operates the facility, and the biocontainment level at which the work will be conducted, with documentation of approval by your IBC or equivalent body or institutional biosafety official. It must be noted if the work is being done in a new location or different location.

d. For work with Select Agents performed in the U.S. provide documentation of registration status of all domestic organizations where Select Agent(s) will be used. For work with Select Agents performed in a non-U.S. country prior NIAID approval is required.

If the IBC or equivalent body or institutional biosafety official has determined, for example, by conducting a risk assessment, that the work that has been performed or is planned to be performed under this contract may be conducted at a biocontainment safety level that is lower than BSL3, a statement to that affect shall be included in each Progress Report.

If no work involving a Select Agent or Toxin and/or a Highly Pathogenic Agent has been performed or is planned to be performed under this contract, a statement to that affect shall be included in each Progress Report.

b. Other Reports/Deliverables

1. Reporting of Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI)

All reports and documentation required by 45 CFR Part 94, Responsible Prospective Contractors including, but not limited to, the New FCOI Report, Annual FCOI Report, Revised FCOI Report, and the Mitigation Report, shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer in electronic format. Thereafter, reports shall be due in accordance with the regulatory compliance requirements in 45 CFR Part

94. 45 CFR Part 94 is available at: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-94.

See Part 94.5, Responsibilities of Institutions regarding Investigator financial conflicts of interest for complete information on reporting requirements.

(Reference the INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING INVESTIGATOR FINANCIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Article in SECTION H of this contract.)

2. Other Reports and Deliverables Required by the Statement of Work

In additional to the above reports, the following are considered other reports and deliverables under this contract and are identified in the contract or Statement of Work. A listing of these reports will be included in ARTICLE C.2., Reporting Requirements, of any resultant contract, as follows:

Item Reports/ Deliverables

SOW Reference Recipient Delivery Schedule

a. Monthly Budget Report SOW: Project Management (section F2)

1 electronic copy to COR and CO

The first report is due on/before June 1, 2024.

Thereafter, each report is due on/before the 5th https://www.selectagents.gov/regulations/index.htm https://www.selectagents.gov/regulations/index.htm https://www.selectagents.gov/compliance/guidance/restricted/index.htm https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-94

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Item Reports/ Deliverables

SOW Reference Recipient Delivery Schedule of each month following each reporting period.

b. Assay data and results for each set of samples received by the Contractor

SOW: Management and Reporting of Study Data (Section E3d)

1 electronic copy to COR; COR designee for deposition into SVEU Vaccine Study Database

Within 30 calendar days after completion of each study.

c. Specimens or reagents, including those received by the Contractor from the COR or designated investigators

An electronic listing of accurate and updated information on specimen inventory, including activities of the Contractor, Computerized data files, original data and any necessary information related thereto

SOPs

Government-owned equipment and property.

SOW: Initial and Final Transition (section G)

COR and/or Designee On or before the expiration date of the contract

HHS SECURITY AND PRIVACY LANGUAGE FOR INFORMATION AND IT PROCUREMENTS

INFORMATION AND/OR PHYSICAL SECURITY

A. Assessment and Authorization (A&A)- A valid authority to operate (ATO) certifies that the Contractor's information system meets the contract's requirements to protect the agency data. If the system under this contract does not have a valid ATO, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must work with the agency and supply the deliverables required to complete the ATO within the specified timeline(s) within three (3) months after contract award. The Contractor must conduct the A&A requirements in accordance with HHS IS2P, NIST SP 800-37, Guide for Applying the Risk Management Framework to Federal Information Systems: A Security Life Cycle Approach (latest revision).

For an existing ATO, Contracting Officer Representative must make a determination if the existing ATO provides appropriate safeguards or if an additional ATO is required for the performance of the contract and state as such.

NIH acceptance of the ATO does not alleviate the Contractor's responsibility to ensure the system security and privacy controls are implemented and operating effectively.

B. A&A Package Deliverables - The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must provide an A&A package within 30 days of contract award to the CO and/or COR. The following A&A deliverables are required to complete the A&A package.

C. System Security Plan (SSP) - due within 30 days after contract award. The SSP must comply with the NIST SP 800-18, Guide for Developing Security Plans for Federal Information Systems, the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 200, Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems, and NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations applicable baseline requirements, and other applicable NIST guidance as well as HHS and NIH policies and other guidance. The SSP must be consistent with and detail the approach to IT security contained in the Contractor's

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D. Security Assessment Plan/Report (SAP/SAR) - due 30 days after the contract award. The security assessment must be conducted by the assessor and be consistent with NIST SP 800-53A, NIST SP 800-30, and HHS and NIH policies. The assessor will document the assessment results in the SAR.

The NIH should determine which security control baseline applies and then make a determination on the appropriateness/necessity of obtaining an independent assessment. Assessments of controls can be performed by Contractor, government, or third parties, with third party verification considered the strongest. If independent assessment is required, include statement below.

Thereafter, the Contractor, in coordination with the NIH shall conduct/assist in the assessment of the security controls and update the SAR at least annually.

E. Independent Assessment - due 90 days after the contract award. The Contractor (and/or subcontractor) must have an independent third-party validate the security and privacy controls in place for the system(s). The independent third party must review and analyze the Security Authorization package, and report on technical, operational, and management level deficiencies as outlined in NIST SP 800-53. The Contractor must address all "high" deficiencies before submitting the package to the Government for acceptance. All remaining deficiencies must be documented in a system Plan of Actions and Milestones (POA&M).

F. Plan of Actions and Milestones (&M) - due 30 days after contract award. The POA&M must be documented consistent with the HHS Standard for Plan of Action and Milestones and NIH policies. All findings/weaknesses must be documented in the POA&M and remediated/mitigated from the date the weaknesses are formally identified and documented by the timelines below:

• Critical within 30 days;

• High within 60 days;

• Medium within 1 year; and

• Low within 1 year.

The NIH will determine the risk rating of vulnerabilities. Identified risks stemming from deficiencies related to the security control baseline implementation, assessment, continuous monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and other security reviews and sources, as documented in the SAR, must be documented and tracked by the Contractor for mitigation in the POA&M document. Depending on the severity of the risks, NIH may require designated POAM weaknesses to be remediated before an ATO is issued. Thereafter, the POA&M must be updated at least quarterly.

G. Contingency Plan and Contingency Plan Test - due 60 days after contract award. The Contingency Plan must be developed in accordance with NIST SP 800-34, Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems, and be consistent with HHS and NIH policies. Upon acceptance by the System Owner, the Contractor, in coordination with the System Owner, must test the Contingency Plan and prepare a Contingency Plan Test Report that includes the test results, lessons learned and any action items that need to be addressed.

Thereafter, the Contractor must update and test the Contingency Plan at least annually.

H. E-Authentication Questionnaire - The contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must collaborate with government personnel to ensure that an E-Authentication Threshold Analysis (E-auth TA) is completed to determine if a full E-Authentication Risk Assessment (E-auth RA) is necessary. System documentation developed for a system using E-auth TA/E-auth RA methods must follow OMB 04-04 and NIST SP 800-63, Rev. 2, Electronic Authentication Guidelines.

Based on the level of assurance determined by the E-Auth, the Contractor (and/or subcontractor) must ensure appropriate authentication to the system, including remote authentication, is in-place in accordance with the assurance level determined by the E-Auth (when required) in accordance with HHS policies.

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I. POSITION SENSITIVITY DESIGNATIONS

All Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) employees must obtain a background investigation commensurate with their position sensitivity designation that complies with Parts 1400 and 731 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). To determine the designation, the Position Designation Tool (PDT) discussion is found at: https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/resources/Pages/investigation-requirements-for-your-position.aspx and the link to access the tool is found at: https://pdt.nbis.mil/.

The following position sensitivity designation levels apply to this solicitation/contract:

[X] Tier 2S with Subject Interview: Moderate Risk Public Trust (MRPT).

J. HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE (HSPD)-12

Roster-

The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must submit a roster by name, position, e-mail address, phone number and responsibility, of all staff working under this acquisition where the Contractor will develop, have the ability to access, or host and/or maintain a government information system(s). The roster must be submitted to the COR and/ or CO within fourteen (14) calendar days after the effective date of this contract. Any revisions to the roster as a result of staffing changes must be submitted within seven (7) calendar days of the change. The COR will notify the Contractor of the appropriate level of investigation required for each staff member. An electronic template, "Roster of Employees Requiring Suitability Investigations," is available for contractor use at: https://oamp.od.nih.gov/nih-document-generation-system/dgs-workform-information/attachment-files-section-j

a. If the Contractor is filling a new position, the Contractor must provide a position description and the Government will determine the appropriate suitability level. Upon receipt of the Government's notification of applicable Suitability Investigations required, the Contractor shall complete and submit the required forms within 30 days of the notification.

b. Upon receipt of the Government's notification of applicable Suitability Investigations required, the Contractor must complete and submit the required forms within 30 days of the notification.

c. The Contractor must notify the Contracting Officer in advance when any new personnel, who are subject to a background check/investigation, will work under the contract and if they have previously been the subject of national agency checks or background investigations.

d. All contractor and subcontractor employees must comply with the conditions established for their designated position sensitivity level prior to performing any work under this contract. Contractors may begin work after the fingerprint check has been completed.

e. Investigations are expensive and may delay performance, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. Delays associated with rejections and consequent re-investigations may not be excusable in accordance with the FAR clause, Excusable Delays - see FAR 52.249-14. Accordingly, the Contractor must ensure that any additional employees whose names it submits for work under this contract have a reasonable chance for approval.

f. Typically, the Government investigates personnel at no cost to the Contractor. However, multiple investigations for the same position may, at the Contracting Officer's discretion, justify reduction(s) in the contract price of no more that the cost of the additional investigation(s).

g. The Contractor must include language similar to this "HHS Controlled Facilities and Information Systems Security" language in all subcontracts that require subcontractor personnel to have the same frequency and duration of (1) physical access to an HHS-controlled facility; (2) logical access to an HHS-controlled information system; (3) access to sensitive HHS data/information, whether in an HHS-controlled information system or in hard copy; or (4) any combination of circumstances (1) through (3).

h. The Contractor must direct inquiries, including requests for forms and assistance, to the Contracting Officer or designee.

https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/resources/Pages/investigation-requirements-for-your-position.aspx https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ser/dpsac/resources/Pages/investigation-requirements-for-your-position.aspx https://pdt.nbis.mil/ https://oamp.od.nih.gov/nih-document-generation-system/dgs-workform-information/attachment-files-section-j https://oamp.od.nih.gov/nih-document-generation-system/dgs-workform-information/attachment-files-section-j

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i. Within 7 calendar days after the Government's final acceptance of the work under this contract, or upon termination of the contract, the Contractor must return all identification badges to the Contracting Officer or designee.

K. CONTRACT INITIATION AND EXPIRATION

a. General Security Requirements- The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must comply with information security and privacy requirements, Enterprise Performance Life Cycle (EPLC) processes, HHS Enterprise Architecture requirements to ensure information is appropriately protected from initiation to expiration of the contract. All information systems development or enhancement tasks supported by the Contractor must follow the HHS EPLC framework and methodology or and in accordance with the HHS Contract Closeout Directive (2018) located at: https://oamp.od.nih.gov/ sites/default/files/DGS/contracting-forms/HHS-Closeout-Directive-2018.pdf. HHS EA requirements located at: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/eplc-policy-dec-2016.pdf and NIH EA requirements are located at: https://ocio.nih.gov/PM/Pages/EPLC.aspx.

b. System Documentation- Contractors (and/or any subcontractors) must follow and adhere to HHS System Development Life Cycle requirements, at a minimum, for system development and provide system documentation at designated intervals ( specifically, at the expiration of the contract) within the EPLC that require artifact review and approval.

c. Sanitization of Government Files and Information- As part of contract closeout and at expiration of the contract, the Contractor ( and/ or any subcontractor) must provide all required documentation in accordance with the NIH Media Sanitization and Disposal Policy to the CO and/ or COR to certify that, at the government's direction, all electronic and paper records are appropriately disposed of and all devices and media are sanitized in accordance with NIST SP 800- 88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.

d. Notification - The Contractor ( and/ or any subcontractor) must notify the CO and/ or COR and system ISSO within fifteen days before an employee stops working under this contract.

e. Contractor Responsibilities Upon Physical Completion of the Contract- The C ontractor ( and/ or any subcontractors) must return all government information and IT resources ( i.e., government information in non- government- owned systems, media, and backup systems) acquired during the term of this contract to the CO and/ or COR. Additionally, the Contractor must provide a certification that all government information has been properly sanitized and purged from Contractor- owned systems, including backup systems and media used during contract performance, in accordance with HHS and/ or NIH policies.

f. The Contractor ( and/or any subcontractor) must perform and document the actions identified in the NIH Contractor Employee Separation Checklist https://ocio.nih.gov/aboutus/publicinfosecurity/ acquisition/Documents/Emp-sep-checklist.pdf when an employee terminates work under this contract within 2 days of the employee's exit from the contract. All documentation must be made available to the CO and/ or COR upon request.

g. Contractor Non- Disclosure Agreement (NDA)- Each Contractor ( and/ or any subcontractor) employee having access to non- public government information under this contract shall complete the NIH non- disclosure agreement: https://ocio.nih.gov/aboutus/publicinfosecurity/acquisition/Documents/ Nondisclosure.pdf, as applicable. A copy of each signed and witnessed NDA must be submitted to the Contracting Officer ( CO) and/ or CO Representative ( COR) prior to performing any work under this acquisition.

h. Vulnerability Scanning Reports - The Contractor must report the results of the required monthly special vulnerability scans no later than 10 days following the end of each reporting period. If required monthly, this report may be included as part of the Technical Progress Report. Otherwise, this report must be submitted under a separate cover on monthly basis.

i. Government Access for Security Assessment. In addition to the Inspection Clause in the contract, the Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) must afford the Government access to the Contractor's https://ocio.nih.gov/PM/Pages/EPLC.aspx

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i. At any tier handling or accessing information, consent to and allow the Government, or an independent third party working at the Government's direction, without notice at any time during a weekday during regular business hours contractor local time, to access contractor and subcontractor installations, facilities, infrastructure, data centers, equipment (including but not limited to all servers, computing devices, and portable media), operations, documentation (whether in electronic, paper, or other forms), databases, and personnel which are used in performance of the contract. The Government includes but is not limited to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Government Accountability Office, and the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The purpose of the access is to facilitate performance inspections and reviews, security and compliance audits, and law enforcement investigations. For security audits, the audit may include but not be limited to such items as buffer overflows, open ports, unnecessary services, lack of user input filtering, cross site scripting vulnerabilities, SQL injection vulnerabilities, and any other known vulnerabilities.

ii. At any tier handling or accessing protected information, fully cooperate with all audits, inspections, investigations, forensic analysis, or other reviews or requirements needed to carry out requirements presented in applicable law or policy. Beyond providing access, full cooperation also includes, but is not limited to, disclosure to investigators of information sufficient to identify the nature and extent of any criminal or fraudulent activity and the individuals responsible for that activity. It includes timely and complete production of requested data, metadata, information, and records relevant to any inspection, audit, investigation, or review, and making employees of the contractor available for interview by inspectors, auditors, and investigators upon request. Full cooperation also includes allowing the Government to make reproductions or copies of information and equipment, including, if necessary, collecting a machine or system image capture.

iii. Segregate Government protected information and metadata on the handling of Government protected information from other information. Commingling of information is prohibited. Inspectors, auditors, and investigators will not be precluded from having access to the sought information if sought information is commingled with other information.

iv. Cooperate with inspections, audits, investigations, and reviews.

3. Section 508 Annual Report

The Contractor must submit an annual Section 508 report in accordance with the schedule set forth by the Contracting Officer (CO)/Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). The Section 508 Report Template and Instructions for completing the report are available at: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/ default/files/web/508/contracting/technology/section_508_annual_report.doc.

ARTICLE C.3. INVENTION REPORTING REQUIREMENT

All reports and documentation required by FAR 52.227-11, Patent Rights-Ownership by the Contractor including, but not limited to, the invention disclosure report, the confirmatory license, and the Government support certification, shall be directed to the Division of Extramural Inventions and Technology Resources (DEITR), OPERA, OER, NIH, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 310, MSC 7980, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7980 (Telephone: 301-435-1986). In addition, one copy of an annual utilization report, and a copy of the final invention statement, shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer. The final invention statement (see FAR 27.303(b)(2)(ii)) shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer on the expiration date of the contract.

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/web/508/contracting/technology/section_508_annual_report.doc https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/web/508/contracting/technology/section_508_annual_report.doc

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The first annual utilization report shall be due on or before June 15, 2024. Thereafter, reports shall be due on or before the 15 day following the reporting period. The final invention statement (see FAR 27.303(b)(2)(ii)) shall be submitted on the expiration date of the contract. All reports shall be sent to the following address:

Contracting Officer Office of Acquisitions, DEA National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institues of Health Department of Health and Human Services 5601 Fishers Lane, Room 3D10, MSC 9821 Bethesda, MD 20892-9821

If no invention is disclosed or no activity has occurred on a previously disclosed invention during the applicable reporting period, a negative report shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at the address listed above.

To assist contractors in complying with invention reporting requirements of the clause, the NIH has developed "Interagency Edison," an electronic invention reporting system. Use of Interagency Edison is required as it streamlines the reporting process and greatly reduces paperwork. Access to the system is through a secure interactive Web site to ensure that all information submitted is protected. Interagency Edison and information relating to the capabilities of the system can be obtained from the Web ( http://www.iedison.gov), or by contacting the Extramural Inventions and Technology Resources Branch, OPERA, NIH.

http://www.iedison.gov

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SECTION D - PACKAGING, MARKING AND SHIPPING

All deliverables required under this contract shall be packaged, marked and shipped in accordance with Government specifications. At a minimum, all deliverables shall be marked with the contract number and Contractor name. The Contractor shall guarantee that all required materials shall be delivered in immediate usable and acceptable condition.

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SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

a. The Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative will perform inspection and acceptance of materials and services to be provided.

b. For the purpose of this SECTION, the Contracting Officer’s Representative is the authorized representative of the Contracting Officer.

c. Inspection and acceptance will be performed at:

Preclinical Research and Development Branch Vaccine and Prevention Research Program Division of AIDS National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH Department of Health and Human Services 5601 Fishers Lane Bethesda, MD 20852

Acceptance may be presumed unless otherwise indicated in writing by the Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative within 30 days of receipt.

d. This contract incorporates the following clause by reference, with the same force and effect as if it were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make its full text available.

FAR Clause 52.246-8, Inspection of Research and Development - Cost-Reimbursement (May 2001).

Alternate I (April 1984) is not applicable to this contract.

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SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

ARTICLE F.1. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

a. The period of performance of this contract shall be from March 1, 2024 through February 28, 2031.

b. If the Government exercises its option(s) pursuant to the OPTION PROVISION Article in Section H of this contract, the period of performance will be increased as listed below:

Option Option Period Option 1 (Contract Year 2) March 1, 2025-February 28, 2026 Option 2 (Contract Year 3) March 1, 2026-February 28, 2027 Option 3 (Contract Year 4) March 1, 2027-February 29, 2028 Option 4 (Contract Year 5) March 1, 2028-February 28, 2029 Option 5 (Contract Year 6) March 1, 2029-February 28, 2030 Option 6 (Contract Year 7) March 1, 2030-February 28, 2031

ARTICLE F.2. LEVEL OF EFFORT

a. During the period of performance of this contract, the…