MODIFICATION
D -- Topic Modeling for USDA/NIFA data
- Notice Date
- 5/21/2013
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541511
— Custom Computer Programming Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Acquisition and Property Division, Acquisition Branch (MD), 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Building 3, Mailstop: 5116, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20705
- Solicitation Number
- TopicModelingNIFA0001
- Archive Date
- 6/15/2013
- Point of Contact
- James D. Mills, Phone: 3015040901
- E-Mail Address
-
james.mills@ars.usda.gov
(james.mills@ars.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request for Information: Topic Modeling of NIFA Data Solicitation Number: 0001 Agency: Department of Agriculture Office: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, NIFA Location: Washington D.C. 20024 SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE: Topic Modeling of NIFA Data This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE / REQUEST FOR INFORMATION; not a pre-solicitation notice or solicitation for proposals/quotations. Pursuant to FAR Part 10 (Market Research), the purpose of this notice is to: (1) determine if sources capable of satisfying the agency's requirements exists, (2) determine if commercial items suitable to meet the agency's needs are available or could be modified to meet the agency's requirements, and (3) determine the commercial practices of companies engaged in providing the needed service or supply. This is not a request for proposal or request for quote. The USDA will not award any contract through this RFI. Data collected through this RFI is for informational and market research purposes. This notice in no way obligates the Government to any further action. REQUIREMENT: This notice is issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agriculture Research Service (ARS), Beltsville, Md. on behalf of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to identify sources capable of providing the following: Summary: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is conducting market research, for informational purposes only, to identify businesses that have the capability, qualifications, and experience to topic model NIFA data. Background: NIFA achieves its mission, in part, by providing grants for research, education, and extension to universities and other partners. Data is collected about these grants through a variety of means and is stored in a variety of systems that are poorly integrated with each other, making it difficult for NIFA staff to accurately analyze and report on accomplishments or outcomes for NIFA programs. For example, data from applications submitted to grant programs is collected by NIFA's Grant Management System (C-REEMS). For applications awarded a grant, data about the progress of the project supported by the grant are collected and stored within the NIFA Current Research Information System (CRIS). CREEMS and CRIS are not fully integrated, creating islands of data and challenges for NIFA staff when asked to create reports for Congress or others about our grant programs. Specific Background Information: NIFA is often asked to prepare and present information on the specific activities that are supported with NIFA funds. We are asked to respond promptly to ad hoc Congressional requests such as "What research do we support on topic X, who is doing the work, and how much is spent on it?" We also must respond to questions from other federal agencies such as "What work are we doing in antimicrobial resistance and what percent is devoted to vaccine development and what percent is devoted to diagnostics?" We are required to have the ability to overcome the issue of being bound to our current, static pre-determined classifications over time and to discover emerging/changing areas of research to guide our programs. Additionally, NIFA program managers require the ability to objectively and quickly examine data on un-awarded project applications, current projects, and new proposals to determine redundancies and gaps. Similarly, program managers must be able to mine information contained in new proposals to recruit relevant expertise for peer review panels and identify relevant researchers based on individual or sets of projects or articles. In terms of our outputs, we must be able to capture and report them effectively and efficiently. NIFA's Applications - Which Address This RFI: The following data (from the referenced systems below (A) - (B) is recorded in the Research, Education, and Economics Information System (REEIS) Enterprise Data Warehouse. (A) CRIS Grant Performance Reporting System Currently, NIFA utilizes a static classification system, from the Current Research Information System (CRIS), to group outcomes, activities, and impacts. NIFA has developed search tools which go against this CRIS database to respond to inquiries from internal and external stakeholders. However, the current NIFA toolset does not have the ability to mine CRIS data - outside this static classification system and develop " thematic " topics on the fly. (B) Plan of Work System (POW) NIFA has created the Plan of Work (POW) web based data collection, relational database, and business application to collect, manage, analyze and report upon Land Grant University (LGU) plans for agricultural research and outreach (known as agricultural extension services) programs funded by NIFA. POW was implemented in 2005 and has been in production since. POW consists of two web based data collections; a forward looking Plan and a retrospective Accomplishment Report. Approximately 85 LGU entities enter a Plan and an Accomplishment Report each year. Description of Services: •A. Taking impacts, outcomes, and activities reported in the Current Research information System (CRIS) databases, we are seeking prototype software which develops topics- themes from unstructured text data and compares this information against the CRIS data. · This software should provide a web-based, data analysis platform for visualizing, analyzing, reporting, retrieving, and communicating topics about that data. The categories ('topics') are unofficial - they are determined purely from the text of grant titles and abstracts without the use of keywords or NIFA administrative categories. They are provided for discovering relationships among NIFA grants, and to assist in understanding the types of research that NIFA funds. · This software should provide a graphical, web-based platform for automatically clustering grants into 'topic maps' from which they can be searched and selected. In this context, grants are located in groups that are thematically related to one another. Clustered "topic' should drill down to the individual underlying proposals or project reports so that the NIFA staff can reconcile to the official NIFA reporting structures and databases. •B. Building on the Description of Services Part A (above), we are seeking prototype software which compares duplicate research and provides reporting tools to extract these datasets. Currently, Congress asks how NIFA ensures that is it not funding duplicative research. In an effort to address this question, National Program Leaders (NPL's) create a search strategy and searches CRIS by keyword, Knowledge Area (KA), or other defined criteria to identify any projects that might be duplicative of a project proposed to be funded. The NPL reads through projects and subjectively makes a determination that the project is/is not duplicative. Responding to the RFI NIFA requests that vendors respond to this RFI no later than 3:00 PM EST on May 23, 2013. Please send responses via email to: james.mills@ars.usda.gov Vendors should not include information that would be considered sensitive or confidential. In responding to items listed in the Information Requested section, please feel free to provide all the information that you believe is relevant to the topics addressed in this request. There is no specific format required for your response. The only requirement is that you respond to each of the points covered in the information request. Responses can range from a pure narrative response to a brief narrative supported by case studies, sales collateral, etc. This RFI is issued solely for informational purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by NIFA to acquire any product or service or to enter into a contractual agreement. After review of the responses to this RFI, a company may be requested to provide a face-to-face oral presentation to NIFA. A synopsis and/or solicitation announcement may be published at a later date. Information Requested •1. Format is entirely flexible; however, clarity and brevity are strongly encouraged. •2. Please provide the following information about your company: a. Brief corporate description b. Year founded c. # FTEs d. Customer list/case studies •3. Please describe the experience your company has in: a. Providing technical solutions, services, and/or products; b. Definition and validation of software requirements; c. Integration of replacement software solutions in complex organizations d. Working directly with grant making organizations; e. Implementation of paperless solutions; f. Working with US federal government agencies. •4. Please provide a clear and concise description of the products, services, and/or capabilities that you believe are germane to this RFI based on the background and needs as described above. As it is applicable to what your company offers, please include information on: a. Technical architecture/design considerations b. Development/management/planning methodologies c. Key functionality/expertise d. Configuration and customization considerations e. Interoperability f. Integration approach g. Support, training, documentation h. Scalability i. Licensing and cost considerations j. Hosting considerations k. Mobile integration •5. Identify the three(3) most recent contracts and provide the following information for each: a. Contract type b. Contract number c. Technical description d. Dollar amount e. Period of performance f. Customer reference name and telephone number Note: This information must be submitted on either on-going or completed contracts, not more than three years ago, that demonstrate performance relevant to the requirements stated above. •6. Please provide a rough order of magnitude cost for the implementation of your proposed solution, approach, or service. As applicable, touch on the cost of licenses, development, and/or integration.
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