SPECIAL NOTICE
R -- Participant Recruitment Support Services for the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program
- Notice Date
- 6/13/2019
- Notice Type
- Synopsis
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- 6001 Executive Boulevard Room 4211, MSC 9559 Bethesda MD 20892-9559
- ZIP Code
- 20892-9559
- Solicitation Number
- N02DA-20-9001
- Response Due
- 7/15/2019
- Archive Date
- 9/30/2019
- Point of Contact
- Joshua T. Lazarus, Contract Specialist, Phone 3014436677
- E-Mail Address
-
josh.lazarus@nih.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Request for Information (RFI). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain knowledge and information for project planning purposes. Purpose and Objectives: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) conducts state-of-the-art research on basic mechanisms that underlie drug abuse and addiction, and to develop new methods for the treatment of drug abuse and addiction. In general, these studies evaluate the nature of drug abuse and addiction by assessing the abuse potential of drugs, investigating their underlying mechanisms and assessing treatment modalities for substance use disorders. In support of its mission, NIDA IRP is seeking information from companies with experience in providing participant advertising and recruitment services, participant eligibility screening, and remuneration support necessary to maintain the operation of the NIDA-IRP's Clinical Research Program. Through this RFI, NIDA IRP hopes to: 1. Learn about the current best practices in the fields of research participant recruitment, advertising, and screening services for clinical research studies; 2. Obtain recommendations from industry experts on processes and procedures to achieve the project requirements identified below; 3. Identify specific metrics that can be used to measure the success and effectiveness of targeted advertising and recruitment campaigns; and 4. Identify companies that have the experience and capabilities necessary to support the requirements stated below. Requirement Background: The current NIDA IRP Participant Recruitment Support Services contract has 3 main requirements. The activities associated with each requirement is broadly described below: 1. Targeted Advertising and Recruitment of Specific Populations of Research Subjects: a. Studies require specific populations to be targeted based on varying Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria and may include those who are generally healthy but may also have substance use disorders and those who do not have a substance use disorder, but are otherwise closely matched (e.g. with regard to socioeconomic status (SES), IQ, race, ethnicity, etc.). b. Most research participants will need to be local to the Baltimore/ Washington metropolitan area. c. Some populations will be easier to recruit than others and NIDA IRP will need the contractor to use evidence-based statistics and creativity when devising recruitment strategies to target each population. Target populations include but are not limited to those who smoke cigarettes (treatment seeking and non-treatment seeking), ex-smokers, and those with marijuana, opioid, cocaine or alcohol use disorders, not necessarily in combination with one another, who may or may not be seeking or are in treatment. Some studies are also seeking to enroll HIV positive populations. Many studies look for participants who do not have dual substance use disorders, nor other comorbidities such as mental health disorders, or any significant illness. d. The NIDA-IRP has had low rates of enrollment for Hispanic populations and some challenges recruiting females, so increasing overall enrollment of these populations is also needed. e. The Clinical Program also has many Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies or studies utilizing non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (e.g. transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which require different inclusion/exclusion criteria. These criteria have made recruitment challenging but is important to the science of the studies and recruitment targets must be reached within reasonable timeframes. f. Most studies have a target enrollment of 12-15 new participants per month, per study. g. Ongoing and evolving advertisements - NIDA IRP needs the marketing strategies (e.g. performance of each ad) used to be tracked and the effectiveness of each ad to be assessed, continuously monitored and have the results used to develop plans to improve strategies and optimize recruitment goals per protocol on an ongoing basis. h. Recruitment strategies are expected to include but are not limited to print, internet, community outreach, working with local clinics and businesses to raise awareness of available research studies or to obtain and track participant referrals. 2. Screening Research Candidates: a. Two phases of screening Research Candidates are currently conducted: 1) telephone interviews and 2) in-person screening. b. The telephone interview is a structured computer-based screening process and designed to capture relevant information from the aforementioned populations to assess their histories and needs, interpreting the data in the context of the current epidemiology and natural history of drug use, misuse, use disorders and treatment for appropriate referral to research opportunities. c. Current volume of phone screens is approximately 350 per month and generally Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM. However, the IRP would like to solicit industry standards for the best way to handle higher volumes of calls and more flexible time-frames to accommodate research candidates. d. Approximately 100 initial and 100 follow up in-person screening appointments are scheduled monthly. e. The in-person screening process includes basic medical assessments (e.g. obtaining vital signs, drawing blood, performing echocardiograms (ECGs), urine pregnancy testing, CO monitoring, breathalyzer and testing urine for drugs of abuse. The Contractor will also supply the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waiver testing kits needed for pregnancy, HIV and urine testing for drugs of abuse. f. The screening process also includes assessment of drug use disorders via medical and psychiatric measures, and psychiatric interviewing. 3. Travel and Remuneration Support: a. In keeping with the NIDA Remuneration Policy, participants receive remuneration as they complete sections of a protocol. b. Remuneration may be dispersed as checks, gift cards or cash, or paying bills for the participant as defined by the protocol. c. NIDA IRP also coordinates transportation as needed per protocol (e.g. taxi, train, bus, plane, Uber, Lyft) and possibly local hotel accommodations, consistent with NIH policies. d. As some studies require multiple visits, transportation can be a challenge for some participants due to lengthy public transit times. Unique approaches to transportation that is cost effective and less burdensome to participants is also sought. e. All expenses must be tracked in the individual's electronic medical record in addition to overall record keeping of all funds distributed. Information Sought/Capability Statement: The information requested in this RFI is intended for planning purposes only. Interested organizations should include relevant and specific information on each of the following questions below: 1. Describe the current best practices in the fields of research participant recruitment, advertising, and screening services for clinical research studies; 2. Provide a recommended approach to achieve the project requirements identified in this notice, and any possible solutions and approaches that may currently exist in the marketplace, and information regarding innovative ideas or concepts; 3. Identify specific metrics that can be used to measure the success and effectiveness of targeted advertising and recruitment campaigns given the activities described above; and 4. Provide an assessment about the difficulty and/or feasibility of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition, 5. Breifly describe your experience and capabilities necessary to support the requirements. Please include in your response: a. staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; b. current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; c. prior completed projects of similar nature; d. corporate experience and management capability; and e. examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information; Respondents 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. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2" x 11" paper size, with 1" top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The information submitted must be must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement 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 is limited to ten (10) page limit. The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested. 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 Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted to Josh Lazarus at josh.lazarus@nih.gov. The response must be received on or before July 15, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. INDUSTRY DAY ANNOUNCEMENT: Please also note that NIDA IRP intends to host an Industry Day in support of this requirement to be held at the NIDA-IRP Biomedical Research Center, located at 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21224 following the initial RFI period. Attendance is anticipated to be limited to only five representatives per firm. If the government decides to host an industry day, a separate announcement will be made in the future with additional information through ww.FBO.gov. 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. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. 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. Any solicitation resulting from the analysis of information obtained will be announced to the public in Federal Business Opportunities in accordance with the FAR Part 5. 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). NOTE: THIS NOTICE WAS NOT POSTED TO FEDBIZOPPS ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (13-JUN-2019); HOWEVER, IT DID APPEAR IN THE FEDBIZOPPS FTP FEED ON THIS DATE. PLEASE CONTACT 877-472-3779 or fbo.support@gsa.gov REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
- Web Link
-
Link To Document
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NIDA-01/N02DA-20-9001/listing.html)
- Record
- SN05339958-F 20190615/190613230024 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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