National Library of Medicine, Office of Acquisitions Management, Building 38A, Room B1N17, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20894

R -- PROFESSEIOINAL SUPPORT SERVICE SOL NLM 99-100/UHP DUE 072899 POC Uyen H. Phuong (301) 496-6127 E-MAIL: karen_riggs@nlm.nih.gov, uyen_phuong@nlm.nih.gov. It is the intent of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to procure professional services on a sole source basis specialized in health services with the University of Maryland's Human Computer Interface Laboratory (HCIL), 3121 Hornbake Library, College Park, MD 20742, to assist with the formative evaluation of the MEDLINEplus interface, to be conducted in the summer of 1999 as a part of a overall review of this product which must be completed by the beginning of fall 1999. The NLM group that is designing this new product needs the advice and assistance of a professional User Interfaces (UI) design team well versed in NLM systems and the needs of health consumers. The contractor will: 1) convene a panel to conduct a heuristic evaluation of MEDLINEplus to investigate its compliance with standards of practice; 2) conduct a usability test of MEDLINEplus in a laboratory setting using a sample of fifteen consumers; and 3) provide a report containing a quantitative and qualitative assessment of MEDLINEplus with recommendations for the next stage of development and a baseline for assessing improvements in future version of MEDLINEplus. HCIL and its faculty members are well recognized for their research in the design of computer software user interfaces. HCIL conducts research on advanced user interfaces and their development processes, using an interdisciplinary approach to studying the development life cycle including evaluation aspects. It has conducted several previous interface studies for NLM, including studies of the Grateful MED UI. With this prior experience, HCIL will be able to make an immediate contribution to MEDLINEplus testing as required by the overall project schedule. With a combination of professional skill in UI design and evaluation and a good understanding of consumer's biomedical information retrieval needs that MEDLINEplus must satisfy, HCIL is uniquely qualified to provide the professional services that NLM needs. This notice of intent is not a Request for Quotations (RFQ) nor is an RFQ available, however, all responsible and responsive sources may submit a proposal which will be considered by the NLM. Firms interested in responding to this notice must be able to provide professional service as specified and listed above. Responses should sufficiently demonstrate the firm's ability to meet the government's requirements. Responses are required within fifteen (15) calendar days from the publication date of this notice. NLM synopsis No. NLM 99-100/UHP. Inquires regarding this procurement may be made to Uyen H. Phuong, Lead Purchasing Agent, NLM on (301) 496-6127. Posted 07/12/99 (W-SN353127). (0193)

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