Statement of Work 75N95024Q00389.pdf

FAR Part 11—Describing Agency Needs

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) SERVICES

Scientific Strategy Consulting Services

GENERAL INFORMATION

Title of Project:

Scientific Strategy Consulting Services

Statement of Need, Purpose, and/or Objective:

The purpose of this requirement is to procure scientific strategy consulting services in support of Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD).

Background Information:

The NIA (National Institute on Aging) CARD is a unique center focused on fostering innovation, collaboration and highly advanced in multi-omic research of Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias. CARD’s ability to achieve its mission depends on its ability to recruit top talent; promote awareness and broad use of its open-data resources, tools and opportunities; foster scientific collaboration across and beyond National Institutes of Health (NIH); and share its findings with key players in pharmaceutical industry and academic dementia research.

Period of Performance:

The period of performance is 12-months from date of the award.

Place of Performance:

Work shall be performed at the contractor’s site and/or Building T44 located at Service Road West, Bethesda, MD 20901 as requested.

Type of Contract Contemplated:

A firm fixed price contract is contemplated.

SCOPE OF WORK

General Requirements:

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall 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 below:

Specific Requirements:

The Contractor shall provide scientific strategy consulting services as follows:

Scientific Analysis Tasks

• Advise, design, and implement genetics and genomics project initiatives in support of CARD mission. This includes identification of resources, defining stakeholder expectations, milestones, and deliverables.

• Analyze multiomic data to uncover novel information related to CARD mission, with a specific focus on long-read sequencing of RNA and DNA.

• Interpret research findings and provide strategic recommendations based on data related to CARD mission.

• Evaluate project execution and identify best practices to repeat in future CARD initiatives.

• Track new trends in genetics and genomics and suggest novel experimental technologies and data analysis tools to advance research initiatives.

Leadership Tasks

• Advise multidisciplinary CARD laboratory staff and data analytical staff on execution of integrative research projects involving DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, single-cell sequencing and proteomics techniques.

• Advise CARD trainees and provide guidance on best practices in genetics and genomics research projects including experimental techniques, data analysis, and manuscript drafting.

• Identify CARD operational and technical challenges and work with staff to identify a recommended action plan and solutions.

Programmatic Tasks

• Author scientific manuscripts and presentations related to the CARD mission and provide updates on these deliverables to the CARD Director.

• Engage with consortiums, industry, academia, and government stake holders to identify new CARD partnerships and collaborative research projects.

• Lead the organization, analysis, and pipeline development for large datasets focused on long-read sequencing. This includes uploading data to open-source platforms, advising on data structuring, analysis techniques, and providing guidance on building efficient data processing pipelines.

LEVEL OF EFFORT

The level of effort for this requirement is one (1) lead consultant on a part-time basis for sixteen (16) hours per week (or approximately 832 hours per year).

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Government will provide scientific goals and project/program to advise on and to execute. The Government will provide computing hardware (work computer) and access to the NIH HPC (Biowulf). All data provided to the Contractor must be treated as confidential and not be disclosed to any third party. FAR Clause 52.245-1 Government Property shall be applicable to this requirement.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Travel:

The principal place of performance is the Contractor’s work site and NIH Bethesda Campus Building T44. Travel for contractor employees will not be necessary.

Key Personnel:

The Contractor employees providing services for this effort shall be considered key personnel. Personnel requirements are as follows:

• A PhD in Neuroscience or related field

• 5 years or more of experience leading genetics and genomics research projects with consortiums, industry, academia, and Government

• 10 years or more of research experience in genetics/genomics of neurodegenerative diseases

• 5 years or more of experience in mentoring trainee researchers

• 5 years or more of experience with multi-omic data analyses including DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, single-cell sequencing and proteomics

• 5 years or more experience with cloud-based data sharing platforms (eg. Terra or

GCP)

• Expert level proficiency in the processing and analysis of sequencing data, including long-read DNA and RNAseq and single-cell RNAseq.

• A publication record of more than 100 publications.

Reporting Requirements:

The Contractor shall provide written monthly reports to the Director of CARD which summarize all efforts performed during the reporting period. Reports shall be given during the first business week of each month, following the first month of award.

Information Systems Security:

The Contractor must ensure that any computer system used in the course of this contract shall include the following features:

1. Any computer used in relation to this contract must be patched with most updated IT Security Patches.

2. Any Contractor computer used in relation to this contract must have virus protection loaded and running with definition files that are updated on at least a daily basis.

3. Hard drives and portable media used for this contract must be encrypted using the FIPS 140-2 standard.

4. Contractors are required to take NIH Security and Privacy Training annually http://irtsectraining.nih.gov/

5. Contractors are required to sign the NIH non-disclosure agreement http://irtsectraining.nih.gov/NIH_Non-Disclosure_Agreement.pdf

6. Contractors are required to report any lost or stolen NIH data to the NINDS ISSO within one hour of knowing of the lost or theft even if the data is on a Contractor furnished computer.

7. Contractors are required to adhere to the NIH IT rules of behavior which can be found at https://ocio.nih.gov/InfoSecurity/training/Pages/nihitrob.aspx

8. Any computers used in reference to this contract must be assessed for vulnerabilities.

9. Any computers used in reference to this contract must be backed up on an external hard drive which is password protected.

10. Any computers used in reference to this contract must have auditing enabled such that if an incident occurred then that event could be reconstructed.

11. Any computers that are used in reference to this contract must employ at a minimum user name and password authentication or if possible two factor authentications.

12. Any computer used in relation to this contract must be password protected. All Password must meet the NIH standard such that users must choose passwords that have at least eight characters and at least three of the following types of characters:

a. capital letters

b. lower case letters

c. numeric characters

d. special characters (!@#$%^&*()_+|~-=\`{}[]:";'<>?,./)

Data Rights:

The National Institute on Aging shall have unlimited rights to and ownership of all deliverables provided under this procurement including reports, analyses, recommendations and all other deliverables. In addition, it includes any additional deliverables required by contract change. The definition of “unlimited rights” is contained in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 27.401, “Definitions.” FAR clause 52.227-14, “Rights in Data-General,” shall be incorporated into any resulting award by reference.

Section 508—Electronic and Information Technology Standards:

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that Federal agencies’ electronic and information technology (EIT) is accessible to people with disabilities. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Final Rule for Section 508 (EIT Accessibility) can be found at www.section508.gov and at the Access Board’s Web site at https://www.access-board.gov/508.htm. Unless it is an “undue burden” or compliant products or services do not exist, the products must conform to Section 508. The contractor must state that they will comply with the requirements of Section 508 or cite a justifiable reason for an exception.

Confidentiality of Information:

Confidential Information means information or data of a personal nature about an individual, or proprietary information or data submitted by or pertaining to an institution or organization. Confidential Information or records shall not be disclosed by the Contractor without written authorization from the Contracting Officer. Whenever the Contractor is uncertain with regard to the confidentiality of or a property interest in information under this contract, the Contractor should consult with the Contracting Officer prior to any release, disclosure, dissemination, or publication.

Collaboration Requirements:

It is required that all contractors involved with the NIH community work collaboratively with federal staff and other contractors towards the NIH mission and other affected organizations and follow the direction of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and/or the designated Federal Project Manager(s)/Lead(s). This collaboration includes day-to-day activities, support, development, knowledge transfer and creating and sharing documentation when required.

Non-Personal Service Statement Contract employee performing services will be controlled, directed and supervised at all times by management personnel of the contractor. Actions of contractor employees may not be interpreted or implemented in any manner that results in any contractor employee creating or modifying Federal policy, obligating the appropriated funds of the https://www.section508.gov/ https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-section-508-standards

U.S. Government, overseeing the work of Federal employees, providing direct personal services to any Federal employee or otherwise violating the prohibitions set forth in Parts 7.5 and 37.1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).