DHHS, PSC, DAM, GAB, Room 5-101, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857

Q -- TO CONDUCT STANDARDIZED HAND RADIOGRAPH READINGS FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS FOR NHANES III. SOL 909055 DUE 080999 POC Jo Ann Lasko, Contract Specialist, 301-443-3589 E-MAIL: PROGRAM SUPPORT CENTER, JLasko@psc.gov. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), through the General Acquisition Branch, PSC, plans to award a twelve (12) month simplified acquisition to read the radiographs for Osteoarthritis (OA) on individuals examined in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES). The objective of this project to conduct standardized readings for OA using the Osteoarthritis Research Society atlas of individual radiographic features (IRF) of OA, plus the Kellgren-Lawrence atlas for hand OA to obtain IRF and global readings for hand OA from the hand radiographs done in NHANES III. Anticipated release date is on or about August 26, 1999. Request for copies of the solicitation must be in writing and may be requested by fax (301) 443-3238. Potential offerors shall possess the following qualification: 1. have as a minimum a Ph.D. with a background in human biological or anthropological sciences, especially human anatomy, or a four year medical degree. It is preferred that the qualified reader of the radiographs also hold subspecialty certification as a rheumatologist or as a bone and joint radiologist; 2. be trained in standardized readings of radiographs for osteoarthritis using an atlas standard which includes assessment of both global and individual radiographic features of hand OA, as evidenced by established inter- and intra-rater reliabilities (Kappas or ICCs 0.75) in conducting such standardized readings in large clinical cohorts or epidemiologic surveys using said atlas. Please supply reader reliability results in proposal, preferably in the form of results published in peer-reviewed journals. 3. have experience with a standardized protocol for quality control of radiograph readings. 4. have standard equipment (e.g. a radiograph view box, hot light, etc) to read radiographs and copies of validated atlases for osteoarthritis of the hand which includes assessment of aggregate (Kellgren-Lawrence atlas) and individual radiographic features of osteoarthritis (OARS atlas). Posted 07/23/99 (W-SN358510). (0204)

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