SOURCES SOUGHT
T -- PUBLISHER FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN
- Notice Date
- 4/21/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 511120
— Periodical Publishers
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Mental Health, Contracts Management Branch 6001 Executive Blvd, Rm 8154, MSC 9661, Bethesda, MD, 20892-9661
- ZIP Code
- 20892-9661
- Solicitation Number
- NIMH-04-OD-0011
- Response Due
- 6/4/2004
- Archive Date
- 6/19/2004
- Point of Contact
- David Eskenazi, Contracting Officer, Chief, Contracts Management Branch, Phone 301-443-2696, Fax 301-443-0501, - Patricia Gibbons, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-443-2696, Fax 301-443-0501,
- E-Mail Address
-
de5d@nih.gov, pgibbons@mail.nih.gov
- Description
- The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to identify academic, nonprofit, or commercial entities interested in and capable of taking over publication of the National Institute of Mental Health?s (NIMH?s) peer reviewed, scientific journal, Schizophrenia Bulletin. NIMH will be ending its support of this publication by January 1, 2005, and wishes to transfer responsibility for the Bulletin to a new publisher on, or before that date. This transfer will be effected through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NIMH and the new publisher. NIMH will not reimburse transition costs incurred by the new publisher, nor will it cover production costs for the Bulletin after the transfer date. NIMH does not expect, nor will it request compensation for transferring Schizophrenia Bulletin. This Notice solicits applications that evidence the interest, capability, and vision of organizations interested in taking over Schizophrenia Bulletin. NIMH will select a new publisher after it evaluates all applications, and negotiates with those organizations that appear most qualified to continue publishing the Bulletin. NIMH will be available to work closely with the new publisher to ensure a smooth transition. Background: Schizophrenia Bulletin (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/researchfunding/schizbull.cfm) was published quarterly by NIMH, and began Volume 30 in 2004. Its mission has been ?to facilitate the dissemination and exchange of information about schizophrenia.? As a US Government publication, the Bulletin had an American focus, but it had an extensive international readership, and published articles from around the world. Scientific articles in Schizophrenia Bulletin included reports of original research, topical reviews, reports of workshops and meetings, and, in an ?At Issue? section, novel hypotheses and opinions. Submissions have been carefully peer reviewed. Usually, two of the Bulletin?s four annual issues were on special themes, focusing on particular aspects of schizophrenia. Theme issues were guest-edited by a leader in the field, who decided which areas to cover, selected researchers to write articles, arranged peer review of manuscripts, and oversaw revisions. Topics for theme issues were proposed by interested investigators, or solicited by the Bulletin?s Editors and Editorial Board. Schizophrenia Bulletin also published ?First Person? accounts submitted by people with schizophrenia or their relatives about their experiences with the illness. The front cover of every issue of the Bulletin displayed a work of art submitted by a person with schizophrenia. Since it was a Government publication, none of the material appearing in Schizophrenia Bulletin (except for the cover art) was copyrighted. NIMH currently contracts with EEI Communications (http://www.eeicommunications.com) to handle all non-scientific, production work for Schizophrenia Bulletin. EEI logged and tracked all manuscript submissions and revisions, then corresponded with authors and peer reviewers until a final accept/reject decision was made by the Editors. EEI copy edited accepted manuscripts, including theme issue manuscripts. EEI prepared each issue for printing after the Editor decided on a Table of Contents. The Bulletin was printed and mailed to subscribers by the Government Printing Office (GPO). The Superintendent of Documents handled subscriptions and renewals. Domestic subscribers paid $28.00 (USD) for a one year subscription (4 issues), while a one year foreign subscription cost $39.20 (USD). There was no provision for multi-year subscriptions or institutional subscriptions. As of November, 2003, Schizophrenia Bulletin had 2353 subscribers. Sources Sought: NIMH does not request remuneration or expect compensation for transferring Schizophrenia Bulletin. However, it hopes that the Bulletin under a new publisher will continue to be a significant resource for researchers, clinicians, patients and family members. NIMH will give preference to a publisher that will be able to carry out the many tasks involved in publishing a peer reviewed scientific journal, and has the best plan for maintaining or improving Schizophrenia Bulletin?s reputation, credibility; accessibility, and value to the community of people interested in understanding and treating schizophrenia. Organizations interested in taking over Schizophrenia Bulletin must submit an application to NIMH that addresses these requirements. This application should include: 1. Background information about the organization; including its experience with schizophrenia, psychiatry, neuroscience and biomedical research, peer review of manuscripts, as well as the editorial and production process for a scientific periodical. 2. A business plan with proposed subscription rates, advertising policy and rates (if advertisements will be accepted), and plans (if any) for sponsorship by commercial and noncommercial entities (e.g., pharmaceutical firms or nonprofit foundations) 3. A timeline and plan for transfer of responsibility that addresses how the new publisher will handle previously accepted but unpublished manuscripts. The transfer must be completed, and the new publisher must take full charge by January 1, 2005. 4. An editorial policy plan, discussing the future mix of articles, governance and any plan for making Schizophrenia Bulletin available on line. Applications should not be longer than 10 single spaced pages, plus any appropriate sample materials (e.g., an existing journal published by the applicant organization, or a web site it administers). A digital copy of the application in Microsoft Word? format, plus 10 printed copies (with sample materials) should be provided. Interested organizations should notify NIMH as soon as possible of their intent to submit an application. NIMH will accept applications through COB, Friday, June 4, 2004. Inquiries, correspondence, and application materials should be sent to: David Eskenazi Chief, Contracts Management Branch, ORM National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, DHHS Room 8154, MSC 9661 6001 Executive Blvd. (for US mail, use Bethesda, MD 20892-9661) (for hand and overnight deliveries, use 6001 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD 20852) Ph: (301) 443-2696 Fax: (301) 443-0501 Email: de5d@nih.gov Applications will be evaluated by NIMH. NIMH will negotiate with the most qualified organizations, and make a final decision by Monday, August 16 2004. Once a new publisher is chosen and a transfer date agreed upon, NIMH will notify the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and Thomson ISI? that it is transferring Schizophrenia Bulletin to a new publisher. Transition Process: Subscribers: Due to government privacy regulations, GPO cannot provide a list of the Bulletin?s subscribers and addresses to NIMH. However, NIMH can send a letter to subscribers through GPO, notifying them of the change in publisher and providing instructions for renewing subscriptions to the Bulletin. NIMH also can print this letter in any remaining issues of the Bulletin. The new publisher may begin enrolling subscribers once the MOU with NIMH is finalized, but new subscriptions may not begin until after transfer of the Bulletin is completed. Content: NIMH has a large number of accepted manuscripts in press, with a much smaller number still in the peer review process. The Bulletin has stopped accepting new submissions. NIMH wishes to ensure that all submissions that have gone through peer review and have been accepted will be published in Schizophrenia Bulletin. NIMH plans to increase the size of the issues in 2004 (Volume 30, # 1 - 4) to accommodate all accepted, unpublished manuscripts. A new publisher may ask NIMH to reserve a certain number of ?excess? manuscripts so that the new publisher will have content for its issues of the Bulletin. However, the new publisher must agree that any manuscripts so reserved will be published NIMH cancelled several special theme issues, originally scheduled for 2005 or 2006, but the new publisher may elect to revive some or all of these. A new publisher can take over the Bulletin before 2005 if it agrees to publish all accepted, in press manuscripts. The new publisher must include a disclaimer in all future issues that the Bulletin is no longer published by NIMH and is not a Federal Government publication. Digital content: Digital versions of the Bulletin have been prepared by EEI for GPO since 1998, and NIMH intends to provide these to the new publisher for any Schizophrenia Bulletin website. NIMH Assistance: NIMH will permit the current Editors of the Schizophrenia Bulletin to work with a new publisher after January 1, 2005, to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibility.
- Record
- SN00570024-W 20040423/040421211815 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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