SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- The contractor will address the prevention of death of despair - Solicitation
- Notice Date
- 8/7/2017
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541720
— Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Acquisition Management Services, 7700 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, Maryland, 20857, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20857
- Solicitation Number
- 17-233-SOL-00636
- Point of Contact
- Thien T Nguyen, Phone: 3014925053
- E-Mail Address
-
thien.nguyen@psc.hhs.gov
(thien.nguyen@psc.hhs.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- In need of a contractor to address the prevention of Deaths of Despair SECTION 1 - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS 1.1 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a need for a contractor to write a white paper that provides recommendations for the prevention of "deaths of despair", as identified by Drs. Anne Case and Angus Deaton in their 2015 and 2017 papers, focusing on preventing deaths by suicide. 1.2 TYPE OF CONTRACT The Government contemplates award of a Firm Fixed price contract. 1.3 NON-SEVERABLE SERVICES The services specified in this contract have been determined to be non-severable services - a specific undertaking or entire job with a defined end product of value to the Government. 1.4 CONSIDERATION AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE (FFP) The total fixed price of this contract/order is tiny_mce_marker____________. Payments shall be made upon the delivery and acceptance of each item listed in Section 5 in accordance with the following payment schedule: Contract Period Period of Performance Fixed Price CLIN 1 Base Period 9/30/17-9/29/18 TOTAL Payment Schedule ITEM TASK DELIVERY TIME COST Task 1 Meeting with the COR and approval of final work plan 1-4 weeks after start of contract 10% payment Task 2 (Subtask a) Approval of final detailed outline of literature review 1-2 months after start of contract 10% payment Task 2 (Subtask b) Approval of final draft of literature review 3-5 months after start of contract 15% payment Task 3 (Subtask a) Convene expert panel meeting 4-5 months after start of contract 15% payment Task 3 (Subtask b) Approval of final expert panel meeting summary, including section to be included in the white paper Within 6 weeks after meeting ends 10% payment Task 3 (Subtask c) Approval of final white paper recommendations 8 months after start of contract 15% payment Task 4 Approval of final draft of white paper, formatted for clearance 9 months after start of contract 15% payment Task 5 Approval of final webinar slides and invitation Within 12 months following start of contract 10% payment 2 17-233-SOL-00636 SECTION 2 - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT 2.1 BACKGROUND In 2017, Princeton University scholars Anne Case and Angus Deaton released a follow-up to their 2015 study documenting an increase in death rates among middle-aged, white Americans. Their work showed a marked increase in the all-cause mortality of middle-aged, white, non-Hispanic men and women in the United States between 1999 and 2013. This change reversed decades of progress in mortality and was unique to the United States; no other rich country saw a similar turnaround. The midlife mortality reversal was confined to white, non-Hispanics and was largely accounted for by increasing death rates from drug and alcohol poisoning, suicide, and chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis-what they called "deaths of despair." 1 Case A and Deaton A. Rising morbidity and mortality in midlife among white non-Hispanic Americans in the 21st century. PNAS, 2015; 112(49), 15078-83. 2 Case A and Deaton A. Mortality and morbidity in the 21st century. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity. May 2017. These data and findings are consistent with data, literature, and work from a variety of sources and on a range of issues, including data from SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH); data and literature on the relationship between opioid death and suicide; literature on overall substance abuse, unemployment, social isolation, foreclosures, and poverty; and data and work being done with men in their middle years. In their 2017 paper, Drs. Case and Deaton explore potential explanations for the trend. They describe a long-term pattern of "cumulative disadvantage" among whites aged 45 to 54 for those with less than a college degree. The authors attribute a large proportion of the mortality increase to deaths of despair, coupled with a slowdown in progress against mortality from heart disease and cancer. According to their analysis, deaths of despair have risen across the country at all levels of urbanization among non-Hispanic whites who have less than a college degree, while other racial groups and those with higher levels of education have not experienced the same increase. Case and Deaton found that this midlife mortality risk is associated with an overall deterioration in socioeconomic wellbeing, which affects an individual's physical and mental health, career, and relationships. "The story is rooted in the labor market, but involves many aspects of life, including health in childhood, marriage, child rearing, and religion," they wrote. It is essential to systematically explore these and related data and findings to identify prevention strategies that can reduce these deaths by despair, with a specific focus on preventing suicide. 2.2 PURPOSE The contractor shall write a white paper that provides recommendations for the prevention of "deaths of despair," as identified by Drs. Anne Case and Angus Deaton in their 20151 and 20172 papers, focusing on preventing deaths by suicide. The white paper will include a literature review and incorporate the relevant results of an expert panel meeting organized and convened by the contractor on behalf of SAMHSA. The contractor shall also develop a webinar that presents the highlights of the white paper. The target audiences for the white paper and webinar are public health professionals, suicide prevention practitioners (with both community and clinical focuses), state suicide prevention coordinators, policymakers, researchers, and people with lived experience. 3 17-233-SOL-00636 2.3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1. Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, facilities, equipment, materials, and supplies, to satisfactorily perform the work set forth below. 2. All work under this project shall be monitored by the Government Contracting Officer (COR). The COR will have the right to approve the selection of any subcontractors selected to perform these tasks. 3. All materials produced under this project shall be the property of the Federal Government, which includes the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Any publication of research findings derived from work related to this contract shall prominently identify the financial support and partnership of CMHS and of SAMHSA in its development. SAMHSA or CMHS may utilize, print, or disseminate all such materials without further charge. No articles or publication which rely substantially on materials produced under this project shall be published by either party without prior consultation and approval. 2.4 SPECIFIC TASKS Tasks Specific to Objectives 1-5: Task 1: Project planning and development of a work plan • Meet virtually with the COR and other CMHS/SAMHSA staff in order to determine the best approach and detailed content scope for accomplishing the tasks covered by this purchase order. • Develop and submit for review a draft work plan that articulates the scope of content to be included in the white paper, the sources to be used, and the format of the report to be produced. The draft work plan will also include details for conducting the literature review, planning and implementing the expert panel meeting, and developing the webinar. The COR will review the work plan for consistency with Center priorities and guidance and will provide feedback. • Modify and submit a final work plan in response to comments provided by the COR and resubmit until final approval is obtained. Task 2: Literature review • Conduct a literature review that focuses on suicide prevention and systematically explores the work of Case and Deaton on "deaths of despair," including related literature in areas such as substance abuse (especially opioid use and deaths), unemployment, social isolation, foreclosures, and poverty. The literature review will be done in two phases: A detailed outline submitted to the COR for approval (Subtask a), followed by the complete literature review (Subtask b). 4 17-233-SOL-00636 Task 3: Expert panel meeting • Organize and handle all logistics for an expert panel meeting of up to 15 individuals whose expertise will complement and supplement the literature review and facilitate the development of actionable recommendations. The contractor will work closely with the SAMHSA COR in identifying expert participants and developing an agenda. COR approval on expert participants must be obtained prior to invitations being sent. • The meeting will be 1.5 days, allowing most participants to travel home on Day 2. The meeting will be held at SAMHSA headquarters in Rockville, MD, with no associated audiovisual or meeting room costs to the contractor. The contractor should budget for travel, lodging and per diem for all non-federally employed individuals. The contractor will process reimbursements for participants within 30 days of receipt (Subtask a). • The contractor will write and submit a summary of the meeting for COR review and approval, including the section to be included in the white paper (Subtask b). • Develop and draft the final recommendations after analyzing the literature review and the results of the expert panel meeting, and in close consultation with the SAMHSA COR (Subtask c). Task 4: White paper • Develop a white paper that provides recommendations for the prevention of "deaths of despair," identified by Drs. Anne Case and Angus Deaton, with a focus on preventing deaths by suicide. The white paper will include, at a minimum, the results of the literature review, relevant results from an expert panel meeting organized and convened by the contractor on behalf of SAMHSA, and recommendations. The target audiences for the paper are public health professionals, suicide prevention practitioners (with both community and clinical focuses), state suicide prevention coordinators, policymakers, researchers, and people with lived experience. • The style, format, and contents of the final white paper will follow SAMHSA standards, provided by the COR. The white paper will be submitted for formal clearance by SAMHSA and the Department of Health and Human Services for posting on the SAMHSA website. • The timeline for developing the white paper should include submitting final drafts to SAMHSA for feedback, incorporating comments, and resubmitting until final approval is obtained. 5 17-233-SOL-00636 SAMHSA will also send drafts to other federal agencies for comment during the development process. Task 5:
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/PSC/DAM/17-233-SOL-00636/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland, 20857, United States
- Zip Code: 20857
- Zip Code: 20857
- Record
- SN04615452-W 20170809/170807231500-237797620f81dd327a792d48672a97b2 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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