Objective Review Committee Teleconference and Field Meetings

Attached are the questions and answers for this solicitation.

The purpose of this modification is to provide PreProposal Conference Questions and Answers related to this solicitation, a transcript of the Pre-Proposal Conference and revisions to the Request for Proposal.

Attached are the following documents:



1. Questions and Answers for the PreProposal Conference

2. PreProposal Conference Transcript

3. Corrections, Comments and Answers to the PreProposal Conference Transcript

4. List of Companies attending the PreProposal Conference

5. Standard Form 26

6. Revisions to the Request for Proposal regarding Equipment





Questions must be submitted in writing by December 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. EST.



The closing date for receipt of proposals remains January 18, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. EST.

This is the solicitation. Attached are 6 files.

HRSA-08-DIR-ORC-Teleconference and Field-Meetings

The proposed acquisition listed herein is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is obtaining administrative, technical and logistical support services to HRSA's Office of Federal Assistance Management (OFAM), Division of Independent Review (DIR) to plan, direct, and execute the independent review of applications for HRSA grants and cooperative agreements for Web-Assisted Teleconference meetings and for Field Review Meetings.



HRSA receives about 6,000 applications per year for over 100 separate programs. Each eligible application must be evaluated by a minimum of three individuals (review participants) who have knowledge and expertise in the program area under review. Each reviewed grant application must be individually scored. Each applicant receives a review summary which cites the major strengths and weaknesses of their application as determined by the panel. Information gathered and transmitted through this process must be quality controlled at designated steps to assure that all applications are objectively reviewed, scored and recorded without error.



The contractor should have the staff, facilities, equipment and capabilities to perform the following: 1) Assist HRSA in securing and assigning review participants into review groups called panels; 2) Pick up, inventory, assign, and mail out review materials; 3) Arrange travel, lodging, and reimbursement for review participants; 4) Arrange and pay for meeting logistics; 5) Deliver final copies of documents to HRSA; 6) Use security measures as appropriate to safeguard government information, documents, and equipment used for review meetings; and 7) Prepare various administrative, financial and progress reports.



Specifically, the tasks included in the contract are divided into four areas: Pre-Review Planning; Reviews; Post-Review; and Closeout. PRE-REVIEW ACTIVITIES include: selecting qualified review participants; receiving and processing applications; confirming the review approach; making logistical arrangements; assigning applications to individual review participants; preparing and transmitting review materials to review participants; assigning review participants to panels; informing review participants of confidentiality requirements; and conducting a pre-review orientation with review participants. CONDUCT OF THE REVIEW ACTIVITIES include: preliminary reviewer assessments; review of applications; scoring of applications and determining eligibility for funding factors; budget discussion, proposed award conditions, and recommendations. POST-REVIEW ACTIVITIES include: calculating overall scores; generating rank order lists; submitting a draft and final Summary Statement; transmitting review results; holding debriefings; completing the official review file; and compensating review participants. CLOSEOUT ACTIVITIES include: scanning and copying documents to CDs.



The Contractor shall have experiences with and possess the ability to perform grant and cooperative agreement reviews and logistical services. The Contractor shall have the capability to administer and coordinate interrelated tasks in an effective and timely manner as well as organizing and managing resources and personnel effectively. The Contractor shall be competence in starting projects quickly, conducting multiple projects concurrently, completing tasks within short time frames, and assuring quality of products. The Contractor shall possess financial, accounting and reporting systems as well as an IT infrastructure capable of supporting the project. Contractor staff shall be competent with DHHS independent grant review processes, meeting logistics, meeting preparation, and meeting travel for health-related programs similar to those administered by HRSA.



The anticipated period of performance is for twelve (12) months from the effective date of contract award with four (4) twelve-month option periods. The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 561920.



The Government will hold a Pre-proposal conference for Offerors to meet with staff on December 12, 2007 from 1:00am to 4:30pm at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857. THIS IS THE SAME PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE FOR THE 08-DIR-FACE TO FACE MEETINGS.



The building is accessible by the #93 Ride-On shuttle from the Red Line Twinbrook station. In good weather, the walk is less than 15 minutes and the building can be seen from the station. Taxis are available at the Metro station. Should you drive, limited visitor parking is located at the end of Fishers Lane on the left, and charges an hourly fee payable in cash only.



The building is accessed by visitors only from the Fishers Lane entrance and requires clearance through Security. You will present a photo ID to check in, and receive a temporary building badge for the meeting. You will be escorted from the front lobby to the conference room for the duration of the meeting. You will be escorted back to the lobby area at the conclusion of the meeting. During the meeting you will not be permitted access to areas outside of the 3d floor PSC Conference Center.



To access the building, your personal briefcases, bags, and purses will be screened by x-ray machines. Please do not bring any prohibited items such firearms, explosives, unusual personal electronic devices, video or digital cameras, or flammable liquids not labeled as commercial personal care items.



You will be asked to walk through a metal detector to enter the building. We suggest you place automobile keys, cell phones, large amounts of change, and other largely metallic personal materials in your briefcase or purse to be scanned. This will expedite your clearing the scanner. Please do not wear any large metal belts, buckles, clothing with large metallic adornments, or footwear with metal plates or shanks. If you have metal implants or medical devices, please let the security personnel know this before you enter the scanner.



Response to the meeting has been brisk, so space in the conference room will be at a premium. Please do not bring extra baggage or clothing that will not neatly roll or fold and fit under your seat during the meeting. You are not permitted or authorized to photograph, record, or tape the proceedings.



You will be limited to two representatives from your company, and building access requires pre-registration. To register, please submit the your full name, name of your organization, work address, phone number, fax number, and email address for your attendees by December 10, 2007 to abroider@hrsa.gov.



All questions regarding the pre-proposal conference shall be submitted via email to Ms. Aileen Broider at abroider@hrsa.gov no later than 5:00pm on December 7, 2007.



THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH FEDBIZOPPS ON OR ABOUT 15 DAYS AFTER THIS POSTING. THE CLOSING DATE WILL BE 30 DAYS FROM ISSUANCE OF THE RFP.