National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6100, MSC 7902, Bethesda, MD 20892

R -- CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION/CLOSEOUT OF R&D TYPE CONTRACTS SOL NHLBI-HL-P-98-241 POC Gina M. Cianflone, Contract Specialist, 301-435-0363 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and potential technical capability of small businesses to provide support to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Division of Extramural Affairs (DEA), Contracts Operations Branch (COB). The intended procurement will be classified under SIC code 8741, Management Services, with a size standard of $5M. One of the responsibilities of the Contracts Operations Branch is to administratively close-out expired R & D contracts. This activity is required by current contract regulations and the progress achieved by NHLBI in closing contracts is regularly tracked by DHHS staff. This work requires considerable contract expertise, knowledge of Department of Health and Human Services policy and procedures, and can often require considerable time and effort. The contractor shall perform the following tasks: 1) The contractor shall organize and maintain complete files and records of documents neededand received for the closure of contracts. The files and filing of closeout material shall be kept current. The closeout status of the contract shall be readily apparent from a summary record kept in the file. Contract files shall be transferred to the Federal Records Center once they have been closed. 2) The contractor shall communicate in a professional manner with contractors by telephone, through correspondence or in person to resolve problems delaying contract closure. Written summaries shall be prepared and placed in the contract file to document important communications. Repeated follow-up communications with contracts shall be conducted until the contract files can be closed. This work shall include the meeting of any established schedule milestones for closing contracts. In addition, effort shall be made to resolve problems delaying contract closure before the need to include them in a quarterly closeout status report which the offeror shall assist NHLBI staff in preparing. 3) The contractor shall obtain necessary contract documentation. This documentation shall include equipment reports and forms, patent title applications and determinations, indirect cost rate agreements and contractor release forms. Letters, memoranda, and contract modifications shall be prepared as required. This documentation shall reflect compliance with applicable regulations and procedures and shall be consistent with the history of the contract. Documentation shall be carefully reviewed, and any problems that are discovered shall be expeditiously resolved. 4) The contractor shall perform desk audits to resolve questions of contract cost as required. The audits shall be performed when all necessary financial records are available. The audit shall be used to determine the total cost of the contract and to establish that costs were incurred in compliance with current regulatory requirements. The contractor shall submit to the project officer a weekly report of progress on the number of contracts closed-out to date, contracts whichare being currently worked on including difficulties which are occurring, and a list of the remaining contracts yet to be closed. This contract support is to be conducted at the Contracts Operations Branch site, Bethesda, MD using government equipment. The Government anticipates that there will be a single contract award. The NIH intends to negotiate a 1-year contract with four (4) subsequent 1-year options. Firms must provide information that provides evidence of their capability to meet the requirements above either partially or wholly. This capability statement must also state business size, annual receipts (average gross revenue) for the last fiscal years, and whether or not the firm has been approved as a small business by the SBA under the applicable SIC code. Capable firms should provide two (2) copies of a capability statement to the above noted address with fifteen (15) business days from the date of this notice. This a market survey and does not constitute the CBD announcement for the actual solicitation. (0034)

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