NINDS Scientific Research Preparatory Summer Course

UPDATE:
This notice is modified to provide the RFQ/Solicitation document with attachments. All responses to the solicitation should be sent to danny.cohn@nih.gov by the provided deadline. All prospective offerors should review the attached RFQ/Solicitation with attachments and submit any questions by close of business Wednesday, April 17, 2019 to danny.cohn@nih.gov..

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP). THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY. A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NO. NIH-NINDS-19-004523, ENTITLED: " NINDS Scientific Research Preparatory Summer Course " WILL BE ISSUED VIA FEDBIZOPPS ON OR ABOUT April 11, 2019.
It is anticipated that one or more FIXED-PRICE contracts will result from the issuance of the solicitation. The government anticipates issuing the solicitation under full and open competition.

The purpose of the Scientific Research Preparatory Summer Course is to prepare students from populations traditionally underrepresented in science, such as the American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN), to be competitive applicants for the NIH Summer Intern Program (SIP). NIH seeks colleges, universitites and medical schools uniquely situated near AIAN communitites and suited to provide a scholarly scientific curriculum and administer the AIAN SIP Prep Program. The Traditional Knowledge component of the curriculum cannot be presented by anyone outside the Native community.

Brief History: The 2019 Scientific Research Preparatory Summer Course is a two-year pilot program to prepare students from traditionally underserved populations to be competitive applicants for the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP). NINDS is taking this opportunity to approach this very important part of the NIH mission. NINDS in collaboration with the NIH Tribal Health Research Office, will provide a program that will not only continue to provide an opportunity for underserved students to have a science research experience, but will prepare these students to be competitive with their peers.

Moreover, the mission of the NIH is to develop, maintain, and renew scientific human resources that will ensure the Nation's capability to prevent disease. Therefore, encouraging enrollment of new trainees in NIH Program would be in line with the mission.

The objective of this program is to expose diverse, AIAN students to basic laboratory procedures, including planning experiments, evaluating data, keeping a laboratory notebook, reading and evaluating journal articles, and understanding basic laboratory techniques. The curriculum will also include a medical or clinical component exposing the students to opportunities and research in the medical field as well as a Traditional Knowledge component and internship and college application preparation. The objective of this contract(s) is to provide comprehensive summer training to AIAN students in support and preparation of attending the NIH in the next few years.

This is to include strategic planning and program development to support Scientific Research Preparatory Summer Course.

The scope of the contract requirement includes:

The contractor will be expected to conduct a summer internship program. The base period summer program will be based on a NINDS provided curriculum and schedule. The option period one summer program curriculum will be developed by the contractor(s). The internship participants will number between 10-15 rising junior AIAN high school students for an introductory to research session (base period summer program) and a one day fall activity that will build off of the summer program for the students. Option Period One will have a one day spring of 2020 activity building off of the prior summer curriculum and fall activity for the same group of students. The contractor is expected to develop their own curriculum for option period one summer program which is more advanced and builds off of the lessons learned in the base period summer program. In Option Period One, the contractor will utilize best efforts to retain the same group of students who participated in the Base Period. In the event a student who participated in the base period summer program elects to not participate in the option period one summer program, the contractor shall recruit and replace the departing student with a rising senior student capable of meeting the requirements of the more advanced curriculum in the option period summer program.

The Contractor shall:

Furnish services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government under the terms of this contract. The Contractor must have demonstrated extensive experience providing program support services, working with underserved populations, specifically AIAN populations, and coordinating programs to increase scientific experience. The contractor must have evidence of an ongoing relationship with the tribal community for whom they will provide training.
The contractor shall recruit 10-15 rising high school junior AIAN students to participate in the base period summer program curriculum and fall activity. Students shall be capable of returning for option period 1 spring activity and summer program. The contractor shall replace any students who participated in the Base Period activities but have subsequently not returned for Option Period One activities with capable rising senior students to participate in the Option Period 1 summer program. Option Period 1 is a Government option and is not guaranteed.

The contractor shall oversee a developing summer science curriculum for underrepresented individuals living on an AIAN reservation or living near the tribal community. The base period summer curriculum will be provided by the Government as part of the solicitation. The contractor will develop their own option period one summer program curriculum.

The contractor shall develop a one day fall activity in the base period building off of the student lessons learned in the base period summer curriculum. The contractor shall coordinate with student participants for scheduling that works best to maximize participation for the fall activity.

The contractor shall develop a one day spring activity within option period one building off of the student lessons learned in the base period summer curriculum and fall activity. The contractor shall coordinate with student participants for scheduling that works best to maximize participation for the spring activity.

The contractor shall develop and oversee an eight (8) week summer science curriculum in Option Period 1 that is more advanced and builds off of the seven (7) week base period curriculum and contract activities. Contractor will utilize best efforts to maximize retention of student participation. The goal is the same students who participated in the base period will participate in Option period 1 (should the Government elect to exercise Option Period 1). In the event that a participating student elects to not participate in the Option Period 1 summer curriculum, the contractor will utilize best efforts in identifying and recruiting a replacement student (a rising senior) capable of meeting the more advanced science curriculum of Option Period 1.

The contractor shall:

Coordinate with local high schools to recruit 10-15 rising junior students capable of participating in the base period summer program and fall activity. Students who are recruited shall be capable of returning for the option period 1 spring activity and summer program.

In the event that a student participant from the base period does not return for the summer program in Option Period 1, the contractor shall coordinate with local high schools on a rising senior student capable of meeting the more advanced summer curriculum of Option Period 1.

Coordinate with local universities and/or medical schools in region to provide a laboratory environment to host the summer program.

Provide personnel to staff the summer program.

Coordinate local travel for students to summer program.

Coordinate with local universities to provide oversight for a Traditional Knowledge activity.

Task: Find personnel; travel personnel as needed; procure transportation for students in program; provide for supplies for students to include handouts, name tags, etc.
Task: Coordinate with universitites, colleges, medical schools in the region to locate qualified personnel to coordinate the program.
Task: Coordinate with local Tribal High Schools in the region to locate qualified personnel to coordinate the program, and to identify the appropriate students.
Task: Coordinate with identified personnel to define list of supplies, both office and scientific and confirm other curriculum needs.
Task: Provide certificates for students for closeout ceremony.
Final training materials, schedule, and curriculum will be provided to the COR for review and approval prior to the start of the course.

Students are expected to record their weekly thoughts on what worked and what didn't work for them during the applicable week in the program and provide that to the contractor.

The estimated period of performance is on or about:

Base Period: 6/17/2019 - 1/16/2020
Option Period 1: 1/17/20 - 9/16/2020

The Base Period includes a seven (7) week summer program provided with the attached schedule and curriculum. The base period will also include a one day activity to be held during Fall of 2019 for the same students who participated in the summer program.

The Option Period 1 will include a one day activity to be held during the Spring of 2020 and an eight (8) week summer program.

The NINDS anticipates awarding one or more fixed-price contracts from the solicitation with a base period and one option period. There is no obligation for the NINDS to exercise any Option Period; NINDS may end the contract after the Base Period. It is also anticipated that the award(s) will be made in late May or early June, 2019.

Offerors are required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) when submitting an offer or quotation, and shall continue to be registered until time of award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract, basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchasing agreement resulting from a solicitation.

Processing time should be taken into consideration when registering. Offerors who are not registered in SAM should consider applying for registration immediately upon receipt of this pre-solicitation. See FAR 52.204-7 System for Award Management (Oct 2018) and https://www.sam.gov for information on registration.

This is NOT a Request for Proposals (RFP). Request for Proposals (RFP) No. NIH-NINDS-19-004523 will be available electronically and may be accessed through the FedBizOpps (URL: http://www.fedbizopps.gov) 15 or more calendar days after the issuance of this synopsis. THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY ONLY. OFFERORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUTINELY CHECKING THE FEDBIZOPPS WEBSITE FOR ANY POSSIBLE SOLICITATION AMENDMENTS THAT MAY BE ISSUED. NO INDIVIDUAL NOTIFICATION OF ANY AMENDMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED. All responsible sources may submit a proposal, which shall be considered by the agency.

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