SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Sources Sought Notice: Professional, Technical and Administrative Support for the Office of Extramural Research (OER) - SOW
- Notice Date
- 4/14/2015
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 105, Bethesda, Maryland, 20894, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20894
- Solicitation Number
- HHSNLMOASS15456
- Archive Date
- 5/13/2015
- Point of Contact
- Eliza M. Menchaca,
- E-Mail Address
-
eliza.menchaca@nih.gov
(eliza.menchaca@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Statement of Work (SOW) The National Institutes of Health, (NIH), Office of Extramural Research (OER), within the Office of the Director (OD) is conducting this market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of qualified businesses, including small businesses, 8(a) small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, woman-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses or HUBZone small businesses capable of providing professional, technical and administrative support. This SSN will determine the interest and feasibility of small business set-asides. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. All responding firms are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business. The anticipated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services and the Small Business Standard is $15 million. Teaming arrangements and joint ventures may be considered for any subsequent procurement based on the Government's market research. BACKGROUND INFORMATION OER supports extramural research by providing policy and guidance to the 24 NIH Institutes and Centers that award grants. OER serves as a vital interface between the NIH and the biomedical research community by guiding investigators through the process of attaining grants funding and helping them understand and navigate through federal policies and procedures. OER's mission is to provide the corporate framework for NIH research administration, ensuring scientific integrity, public accountability, and effective stewardship of the NIH extramural research portfolio. Through interactions with major stakeholders, OER supports the research enterprise by ensuring appropriate policies, procedures and systems for oversight are in place while, at the same time, considering the impact on our research partners. Our responsibilities span a wide breadth of support systems including developing policies and procedures and providing electronic systems (eRA) for extramural staff and more than 100,000 investigators worldwide. For many of these activities we provide support to other agency partners as well. OER functions are carried out through six (6) separate offices, which each may require support under this acquisition. Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW): Responsible for guidance and interpretation of the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, support of educational programs, and monitoring compliance with the policy by assured institutions and PHS funding components to ensure the humane care and use of animals in PHS-supported research, testing, and training, thereby contributing to the quality of PHS supported activities. Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA): Provides leadership and oversight for grants management policy and compliance, intellectual property, and OMB clearances to the extramural research community and NIH extramural staff through policy development, expert guidance, analysis, outreach, and related information dissemination in order to promote effective stewardship of NIH extramural funds in support of health research. Office of Extramural Programs (OEP): Provides leadership and expertise in science program management, including program and policy development, interpretation, coordination, oversight, evaluation, training, and outreach for the extramural research community and NIH extramural staff. OEP promotes the highest quality and sustained capability of research and training programs in order to improve public health. Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS): Provides IT systems, data and reporting support for grants processing for NIH and other agencies (HHS operating divisions, Veterans' Administration, and others) and works with the user community to provide efficient techniques for the conduct of extramural business. This effort is intended to guide the management of the NIH research portfolio and improve the nation's health. Office of Administrative Operations (OAO): Serves as an organizational liaison by providing information, guidance, administrative support, and analytical services to ensure that OER obtains and manages the resources needed to carry out its mission. The Division of Central Grant Processing resides within OAO and provides centralized support activities for grants management focusing on grant closeout. Office of Planning and Communications (OPAC): Oversees OER evaluation and planning activities such as program evaluations, strategic planning, and other activities that cross OER units where centralized coordination shall assist in developing policy or guidance. OPC supports the NIH and OER missions by providing NIH staff and the extramural research community with a centralized source of accurate and timely information on grants policies, processes and systems. It also coordinates much of OER's federal-wide reporting and is involved in the Congressional appropriations process as it relates to OER. SCOPE The purpose of this project is to provide a variety of support specialists and experts to assist the Office of Extramural Research, Office of Administrative Operations (OAO) in successfully supporting NIH Offices and Centers. OAO requires program support, executive administrative support, data analysis support, communications and outreach support, program evaluation and analysis, technical support specialists, grant processing specialists, trainers, grant information specialists, and a variety of other positions to provide support as workload fluctuates and programmatic needs change. OBJECTIVE OER continuously seeks to analyze the effectiveness of NIH extramural grant area, measure performance of the NIH Institute's and Centers, existing grantees and to enhance the grants making process. The Contractor shall provide staff with experience in serving and supporting in similar OER office missions; providing leadership, oversight, tools and guidance needed to administer and manage NIH grants policies and operations. TASKS / REQUIREMENTS The Contractor shall provide general management of activities performed. The Contractor shall appoint a Project Manager to meet on an as need basis with the COR to discuss work in task areas and problem areas. If the Project Manager is part of the staff performing specific tasks, the Government expects that the individual designated should not spend more than twenty-five percent of their time engaged in project management activities. Tasks may vary from administrative support to high level analytical support depending on the needs and priorities of the office. Responding firms must be capable of providing a wide range of skills and flexibility in the level of support. The incumbent contractor provides 20 full time (onsite) staff. Companies submitting Capability Statements are encouraged to propose suggested number of staff. Tasks may vary from administrative support to high level analytical support depending on the needs and priorities of the office. Responding firms must be capable of providing a wide range of skills and flexibility in the level of support. Federal grants management experience as a prime contractor similar in size, scope and complexity is a requirement and a key success indicator for the tasks identified as Grants-Specific listed below. All staff must possess the following characteristics: •Demonstrated experience in oral and written communication. •Excellent customer service and ability work in a collaborative environment. •Organized and deadline driven. Program Support The Contractor shall provide program support that may include, but is not be limited to, data gathering and reporting, project administration in tracking progress and reporting of various activities, project planning support, office relocation planning, property management, and financial reporting and budgeting. The Contractor shall directly communicate and collaborate with all personnel (Government and other contractors) involved in a team environment. The Contractor shall provide charts, diagrams, and tables to assist in analyzing problems when requested. The Contractor shall ensure that proper procedures are being applied in accordance with applicable Federal, HHS, and NIH policies. The Contractor shall use various web-based and database applications provided by the Government in support of these efforts. Additionally, the Contractor shall offer ideas for improvement and potential automation as opportunities arise. The Contractor shall perform a variety of activities related to planning, hosting, and executing meetings. These tasks shall include planning and holding pre-meeting interviews with participants who influence decisions to determine any special requirements. The Contractor shall provide meeting action plans for all meetings/retreats/reviews. For meetings in a non-government facility, the Contractor shall arrange for appropriate meeting room facilities and accommodations for meeting participants and speakers. These arrangements shall include site selection (if required). In accordance with the HHS Efficient Spending Policy the Contractor shall not any incur any expenses or perform any activities subject to the Efficient Spending policy without prior approval from the Contracting Officer. Executive Administrative Support The Contractor shall provide executive administrative support for OER managers. This may include, but is not limited to, meeting scheduling, responding to inquiries, preparing reports, preparing correspondence and technical forms, developing presentations, travel planning and documentation, performing research, and committee management support. The Contractor shall possess a general working knowledge of the areas supported and operate under all applicable policies and procedures. Staff requires strong computer skills (such as MS Office suite), excellent interpersonal skills, project coordination experience, and the ability to work well with all levels of internal management and staff, as well as outside clients and vendors. The Contractor shall perform other duties as assigned. The Contractor shall provide general administrative support performing clerical functions to include, but not be limited to, receiving visitors, screening calls, maintaining files, scheduling meetings, tracking property, and data entry. The Contractor shall perform other general office support as assigned. Data Analysis Support The Contractor shall be responsible for conducting a variety of analytical activities including collecting, gathering, validating, cleaning, analyzing, interpreting, processing and reporting against a wide range of data sets. Experience in analyzing and merging very large databases is highly desirable. Data analysis support shall develop and implement coordinated data quality rules that shall coordinate the monitoring and verification of the quality of data. The Contractor shall provide data analysts with strong analytical skills and data analysis backgrounds. Communications and Outreach Support The Contractor shall assist OER with the dissemination of information regarding grants policy, process, and systems information to the NIH and applicant/grantee community to include, but not be limited to the following: •Providing service desk support for questions from the applicant community about NIH grants policy, process and systems. Support shall be provided through email, phone, and manning NIH grants information booths at select approved conferences. •Providing technical support for webinars, videos, podcast recordings, and approved conferences, to include management of the systems and tools required, coordination and training of staff in other OER offices, real time event support, and editing videos and podcasts. •Developing communications products related to grants process, policy and systems, to include content for websites, frequently asked questions (FAQs), videos, etc. Program Evaluation and Analysis The Contractor shall assist OER personnel with program evaluations and/or analysis as needs arise. Tasks include, but are not limited to, the following: •Providing expert guidance and assistance in the design of new automation processes or IT system applications, and the enhancement and maintenance of existing processes and applications, including websites. •Evaluating and/or auditing existing systems, as requested, to assist in automating metric data collection for measuring successes, ensuring compliance with grant making conditions and identifying technical assistance to improve and enhance OER operations. •Providing organizational or program needs assessments. This task may include workforce analysis, space analysis, developing or revising standard operating procedures, conducting surveys or gathering information via meetings or systems, documentation, and presentations to management. •Providing subject matter expertise related to a specific grant policy or function performed by OER and utilizing the advanced knowledge to recommend appropriate actions and provide evaluation. Task may include technical writing and analysis for policy or other specialized documents, compliance analysis, developing presentations for scientists or senior management, and providing detailed reports or other pertinent documentation. LABOR CATEGORIES •Admin Support 1 •Admin Support 2 •Executive Assistant 1 •Executive Assistant 2 •Project Control Analyst 1 •Project Control Analyst 2 •Program Analyst •Cost Analyst •Systems Analyst •Sr. Program Analyst •Subject Matter Expert 1 •Subject Matter Expert 2 •Technical Writer 1 •Technical Writer 2 POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL LABOR CATEGORIES - TBD Communications and outreach support task •Writer/Editor IWriter/Editor II •Web Tech Administrator •Web Content Manager •Graphic DesignerSenior Training Specialist •Training Specialist/Instructor Program Analysis Support Task •Functional Analyst I •Functional Analyst II •Data Analyst Consultant I •Data Analyst Consultant II •Senior Technical Analyst I •Senior Technical Analyst II DELIVERABLES The Contractor shall provide the following deliverables: •Monthly Status Reports: The Contractor shall provide monthly reports to the COR with an emphasis on tasks accomplished. Reports shall address the financial status, as well as any outstanding problems and issues and the nature and status of their resolution. The Contractor shall use Project Server; a Government provided online application, to submit hours worked. Project Server is used by the government to track contractor hours worked and does not eliminate the requirement for the contractor to have its own timekeeping system. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The contractor shall provide staff to perform the specific tasks on-site at the NIH offices in Bethesda, MD, unless otherwise agreed to by both parties. RESPONDING TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE Interested firms responding to this sources sought notification should adhere to the following: (a)Provide a capability statement demonstrating relevant experience, skills and ability to fulfill the Government's requirements for the above. The statement should contain enough sufficient detail for the Government to make an informed decision regarding your capabilities; however, the statement should not exceed 5 pages. Must be in Times New Roman font - 12 point. Page limitation does not include (1 cover page, or 1 letter of introduction page) (b)Suggested Contract Type - Contractors are encouraged to provide contract type suggestions based on service needed, industry standards, and best value to the government. (c)The statement should include references, key personnel positions, and any teaming arrangements needed to fulfill the requirements. (d)The capability statement must identify the responder's: Business Type and Size; DUNS number; NAICS code; and Technical and Administrative points of contact (POC's), including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. (e)Companies responding may include their applicable Streamlined Government Contract Vehicles they have been awarded such as: GSA Schedules or NITAAC GWACs. (f)List of three organizations to which equivalent types of services have been previously provided within the last three years - to include contract number, dollar value, name and telephone number of customer. (g)All capability statements must be submitted electronically no later than 4:00pm eastern standard time on Tuesday, April 28, 2015 to Eliza Menchaca Contract Specialist, eliza.menchaca@nih.gov. The e-mail shall contain the following subject line: Sources Sought Announcement Number and Title - Professional, Technical, and Administrative Program Support for OER. DISCLAIMER 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 pre-solicitation synopsis and/or solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. A determination by the Government to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside is within the discretion of the Government. If capability statements are not received from at least two responsible small businesses by the response date or if the Government determines that no small business concerns are capable of performing this requirement based upon an evaluation of the capability statements submitted, the Government may proceed with a full and open competition. 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).
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