Science and Health Communication Consulting Services

SAM.gov

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

1. Solicitation Number:  75N95025Q00031

1. Title:  Science and Health Communication Consulting Services

1. Classification Code:  R499

1. NAICS Code:  541690

1. Description:  Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services

This is a Small Business Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition.

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition.  It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.  Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes.  No award will be made as a result of this notice.  The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.  This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

Background:  The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD) is a unique center focused on fostering innovation, collaboration and training 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 the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and share its findings with key players in pharma, industry and academic dementia research. All of these activities require excellent digital communication assets and content.

Purpose and Objectives: The purpose of this requirement is to procure science and health communication services in support of National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD), for both internal and external communication needs.

Project requirements:

The Contractor shall provide science and health communication consulting support services as follows:
 

Task Categories

     Tasks

Internal CARD Communications

• Creation and distribution of a monthly internal newsletter, fully written and designed by consultant
• Ideation, design, creation and publishing of weekly content for CARD building digital MVIX screens
• Photography and videography services on-site at CARD as needed.

Support for CARD scientific communications

• CARD scientific manuscript editing support: review, copy-editing and copy-writing
• CARD research poster creation support
• Creation of custom scientific visuals (e.g. manuscript figures, infographics, visual abstracts, etc.) with support from professional designers/artists also contracting with CARD
• Bi-monthly science communication trainings / webinars for CARD staff as needed

Community Building

• Build community through internal communications and diversity and inclusion efforts, such as leading efforts to translate CARD communications into different languages, help CARD staff learn American Sign Language for Deaf and Hard of Hearing colleagues, etc.

External communication for broader audiences of CARD

• Maintenance and regular updates to the content of the CARD website: Maintain and update the CARD website with NIA Office of Communications and Public Liaison to reflect new research initiatives, newly hired staff bios, open staff positions, and training programs. Liaise closely with website designers and CARD employees to support the delivery and regular updates of expert groups and CARD personnel on the website.        
• Promotion of CARD Training opportunities: Work with CARD Training and Outreach team to maintain a calendar of conferences/workshops/events where CARD programs can be advertised.
• Creation of custom assets (flyers, graphics, etc.), with support from professional designers/artists also contracting with CARD, for training opportunities and other communication / marketing needs
• Quarterly creation of communication assets to highlight CARD science and personnel, such as comic strips or other storytelling assets, with support from from professional designers/artists also contracting with CARD.
• Work with the NIA Office of Communications and Public Liaison to develop digital communications for CARD programs, training opportunities and projects, including Twitter and LinkedIn posts, NIH and extramural blog posts, and digital or physical flyers.
• Weekly blog posts for CARD website
• Bi-monthly external CARD newsletter, sent to subscribers for CARD’s website, fully written and designed by consultant
• Promotion of new research: Work with CARD project management team to develop email communications for CARD staff on recent publications and press releases in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Past Performance

• Consultant must have evidence of previous communication support tasks for Government, including on-site photography/film services, staff communication trainings, website maintenance, and collaboration with Government public liaison offices.
• Consulting must have evidence of scientific manuscript editing, figure creation, and writing in ADRD research.
• Consultant must have evidence of past collaboration with professional artists and designers.

Anticipated period of performance:

The anticipated period of performance is January 8, 2025 through January 7, 2030.

Requested Response:

The intent of this sources sought notice is to define the procurement strategy (e.g. set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation that is intended to be posted soon. Interested contractors are requested to respond by (1) identifying how their proposed product meets or exceeds the project requirements listed above; and (2) providing product literature, white papers, or capability statements that demonstrate their bona fide ability to supply such an item within the time frame described above.

In addition, please state your business size status and whether you are the manufacturer or authorized distributor of the item you propose.

Please note that NIA is particularly interested in small business sources. If you are a small business, please state the type of small business (small business; HUBZone; service-disabled, veteran-owned; 8(a); veteran-owned; woman-owned; or small disadvantaged businesses) and your size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible.

The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.), pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

The information submitted must be must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirements and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein.  A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer.  Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

The response must be submitted to Kevin Alvarez, Contracting Officer, at e-mail address kevin.alvarez@nih.gov.

The response must be received on or beforeNovember 21, 2024, 9:00am, Eastern Time.

Disclaimer and Important Notes:  This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published at SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).