Multidisciplinary Studies of Nutrition and Cancer

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED ON A LATER DATE.

The National Institute of Cancer (NCI), Nutrition Epidemiology Branch (NEB), within the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), is anticipating re-competing a contract for support for both methodologic and substantive nutritional epidemiology research projects and studies. This support services contract is essential to NEB to maintain its program of studies that includes:

• Multi-centric/multi-institutional studies (often international) that require extensive coordination.
• Focused studies designed to follow-up on important scientific discoveries and/or to capitalize on time-sensitive opportunities for studies in areas of relevance to NEB.
• Etiologic research studies; methods development for future etiologic studies; improving exposure assessment for diet and physical activity studies; support for NEB administration related to the studies.

The contractor will function in a supportive role carrying out specific tasks and will not engage in independent research. Any "designing" or "developing" mentioned within the scope of work does not imply research activities, but will be only for the purpose of assisting the staff of NCI in support of the main objectives of the contract. Offerors must display the ability and willingness to meet with NCI investigators on short notice in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. Offerors must also display the ability to provide support for field studies that are conducted internationally.

The contract will establish a mechanism to provide all the services required to support over seventeen (17) program studies that are time sensitive and/or require coordination across multiple sites and institutions.

Some of the major activities of the contract include:

* Development of coordination and liaison at a local or international level with collaborating investigators or institutions whose cooperation is needed for the conduct of a study.
* Assistance in the design and pilot testing of forms required for field investigations (e.g., questionnaires, abstracting forms, coding forms, manuals for field procedures and other documents).
* Supervision and management of field operations including hiring, training and supervision of field personnel (interviewers, abstractors, telephone screeners, coders, phlebotomists and others).
* Identification and location of study subjects.
* Collecting data (interviewing/record abstraction, biologic specimen collection and processing).
* Data entry and maintenance of tracking systems for data and biologic specimens.
* Data reduction activities (coding, keying, and editing) of data collected into a format suitable for computer analysis.
* Quality control and standardization for producing appropriate and valid data.
* Support and manage web-based studies
* Translate data collection instruments or manuals into appropriate languages for foreign studies. Back-translate either a portion of the material or all the material into English to assure that the original material has not been changed by the translation.
* Support a large cohort study to trace more than 500,000participants, link participants to vital statistics data such as Social Security Administration Death Master File and National Death Index, link to health care data such as Medicare and identify cancer cases by linking participants to more than a dozen state cancer registries.

The services will be acquired through full and open competitive procedures under NAICS 541990. It is anticipated that a cost reimbursement, term type contract will be awarded with a 1-year base period and four (4) 1-year options of performance beginning on or about September8, 2011.

The RFP will be available electronically on or about June 9, 2011 and may be accessed through the FedBizOpps at www.fbo.gov. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Agency. This notice does not commit the Government to award a contract. No collect calls will be accepted. No facsimile or email transmissions will be accepted. IT IS THE OFFERORS RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR THE ABOVE INTERNET SITE FOR THE RELEASE OF THE SOLICITATION Mil ANY AMENDMENTS.