Preventing Opioid-Related Harms in the Construction Industry

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE AN ORDER/CONTRACT. This is not a request for competitive proposals/quotes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), hereby announces its intent to issue a sole source order/contract to Center for Construction Research and Training, 8484 Georgia Ave, Ste 1000, Silver Spring MD 20910.

The NAICS code for this acquisition is 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, with a size standard of $15 million.

The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) is a non-profit (501(c)(3)) dedicated to reducing injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the construction industry through research, training, and service programs conducted in partnership with industry stakeholders, health and safety professionals, academics, and key government agencies. Established in 1978, CPWR was created by the Building and Construction Trades Department, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and began its relationship with NIOSH in construction safety and health in 1990. CPWR has successfully competed to administer the National Construction Center since 1995.
NIOSH funds a National Construction Center in 1995, using a cooperative agreement mechanism, to focus on applied research; translation of scientific discoveries for target-specific users to prevent or reduce construction related injury and illness; effective prevention practices and products (e.g., research-to-practice (r2p)); education and outreach; and sustainable partnerships. The Center links directly to the diverse construction community, serves as a leader in applied construction research, and diffuses and disseminates effective interventions in the construction industry. The Center also contains a data and statistical program, and a publically accessible r2p repository for construction hazards and solutions, educational materials and other products

The purpose of this requirement is to help reduce opioid-related harms among construction workers. This is a complex problem. Achieving success will require the collaboration of multiple stakeholders in the effort to prevent these harms, including efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths. Studies of Ohio construction workers reveal that they are seven times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than workers in other professions. A similar report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health examined fatal opioid overdoses in the state by occupation from 2011-2015. They found that construction workers had the highest rate of opioid overdose of any profession, and were six times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than the average worker in Massachusetts. The underlying risks for opioid misuse and overdose in this industry are numerous. Currently, the construction industry has one of the highest injury rates of all. Opioids have commonly been prescribed to construction workers to treat the pain caused by these occupational injuries. Use of prescription opioids has the potential to increase the risk for opioid misuse and overdose deaths. Injured construction workers may are also often unable to work while injured, may not have access to paid sick leave or other benefits. Insecurity of employment, common in some construction jobs, may also increase risks of opioid misuse. Additional insights and interventions are needed to address this challenge. A great focus on primary prevention of opioid misuse is paramount.
This task will help address this crisis among construction workers by:

• Exploring more effective means of communicating opioid-related harms and primary prevention strategies to reduce opioid misuse within workers in the construction trades
• Improving training strategies, approaches, products, and tools for this group of workers to decrease opioid-related harms
• Exploring the development of peer advocacy and support networks for this vulnerable profession.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action will be based on responses to this notice and is solely in the discretion of the Contracting Officer. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

All vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov , prior to an award of a federal contract.

This action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) and 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit quotations.

This is not a request for competitive quotations; however, the Government will review any/all product, capabilities, and pricing information submitted prior to the closure of this notice. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.
Responsible sources that believe they possess the expertise and capabilities identified above are hereby afforded the opportunity to submit to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the posting date of this notice, their written capabilities statement and pricing information in the format they choose, not to exceed 10 pages. Please forward product and pricing information to Diane Meeder, Contracting Officer, CDC, OAS, through email at Dmeeder@cdc.gov.

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