R -- NHGRI/ORD GENETIC AND RARE DISEASES INFORMATION CENTER

Notice Date

April 6, 2001

Contracting Office

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Acquisitions Management Branch, 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Building 4401 Research Commons, P.O. Box 12874, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

ZIP Code

27709

Solicitation Number

N/A

Response Due

June 18, 2001

Point of Contact

Mary W. McConnell, Contract Specialist; Antoinette Bridges, Contracting Officer; 919-541-3813

Description

The National Human Genome Research Institute and the Office of Rare Diseases are interested in obtaining the services described below: PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) are seeking an organization to provide all management, technical, logistical, and administrative services to operate the NHGRI/ORD Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. The NHGRI and the ORD, in order to respond to the public's need for information on genetic and rare disorders, plan to establish the NHGRI/ORD Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. The purposes of the Information Center are to: 1) serve as a central, national repository of information materials and resources on genetic and rare diseases, conditions, and disorders; 2) collect, produce, update, and disseminate information on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of genetic and rare disorders; and 3) coordinate with organizations and associations interested in genetic and rare disorders to explore networking capabilities, avoid duplication of effort, and identify information gaps. The Information Center will focus on meeting the information needs of the general public, including patients and their families, health care professionals, and biomedical researchers by carrying out six main activities: Compilation and storage of materials on genetic and rare diseases and disorders; Development and maintenance of a computerized bibliographic database; Ongoing operation of an information service with toll-free telephone service, a faxback system, and capacity to respond by e-mail within one week or less; Development and distribution of materials; Collaboration and coordination with professional organizations and voluntary patient support organizations concerned with genetic and rare disorders, conditions, and diseases; and Outreach to identify potential users of the Information Center and to provide information about the services of the Information Center to the intended audiences. WORK TO BE PERFORMED: Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor will furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities to perform the specific tasks delineated below: Task 1: Planning and Management 1a. Work plan 1b. Reports 1b-1. Monthly Reports 1b-2. Annual Reports 1b-3. Final Report 1b-4. Special Reports 1c. Procedures manual 1d. Cost information 1e. Communications Task 2: Inquiry Services 2a. Inquiry response 2a-1. Toll-free telephone 2a-2. Written 2a-3. Electronic mail 2a-4. Training and quality control 2b. Inquiry log 2c. Faxback service Task 3: Materials Development 3a. Planning, Clearances and Management 3a-1. Low Literacy Materials Plan 3b. Translation of Materials into Spanish Optional Task 4: Database Maintenance: Combined Health Information Database (CHID) 4a. Maintenance of the Medical Genetics and Rare Disorders Subfile of CHID 4b. Increase accessibility to and use of the Medical Genetics and Rare Disorders Database 4c. Identification, screening and acquisition of new information 4d. Retrieving, abstracting, and indexing of new and updated information 4e. Expanding and updating glossary (Thesaurus) 4f. Inventory of archival material 4g. Special searches Task 5: Communication Research and Evaluation Assessment of User Satisfaction Task 6: Storage, Distribution, and Inventory 6a. Warehouse capability 6b. Computerized inventory system 6c. Receipt and storage 6d. Distribution 6e. Messenger service Task 7: Outreach 7a. Outreach plan Task 8: Graphics Design, Production and Reproduction Services Task 9. Facilities and Services Task 10: Transition Plan and Contract Close Out The Contractor will begin to respond to inquiries within 40 business days after contract award. Exceptions to the provision of inquiry services include requests for information from members of Congress and their staff, State legislators, voluntary health groups, and media, which will be referred immediately to the Project Officers. Note: It is anticipated that the Information Center will receive 10,000 12,000 inquiries the first year and between 15,000 -- 18,000 inquiries per year thereafter, the majority of which will be received by e-mail or by phone. The Contractor will assign to this task individuals with extensive experience in oral and written communications on health and medical subjects for lay and professional audiences. The Contractor also will have available the services of a physician and a genetic counselor and an individual with health communication expertise who can understand and communicate verbally and in writing in Spanish. The Contractor will have available for use in performance of the contract a teletypewriter/telecommunication device for the deaf (TTY), approved by the Project Officers, or the Contractor will be able to use communications software and TTY modem equipment so that TTY calls can be received through the computer independent of a TTY machine. The Contractor will make disks available in ASCII format for printed material and will be able to arrange for it to be recorded or converted to Braille and converted to large print for sight-impaired individuals. The Contractor will obtain approval from the Project Officer prior to converting print materials to recordings, Braille or large print. The Contractor will apply appropriate computerized information retrieval methods and systems to seek existing information, including the databases maintained by the National Library of Medicine and the NIH Division of Computer Research and Technology (DCRT) and other Institutes, Centers, and Offices of NIH, the Combined Health Information Database (CHID), and other Internet resources. "Standard" responses refer to inquiries for information that can be answered with existing information, whether printed or electronic. Existing information includes materials already developed and/or used by the NHGRI or ORD as well as materials gathered and reviewed by the contractor as part of a special search. Examples of existing materials include question-and-answer sheets, fact sheets, glossary of terms, reports, CHID or OMIM searches, and current lay and technical articles on the topic. The Contractor will review and revise/update, if necessary, all standard responses on a semiannual basis, beginning six months after the first response was produced. The Project Officers will periodically review sample responses that have been updated/revised for future use. In addition, the Contractor will submit to the Project Officers a sample of five standard responses each month with the Monthly Progress Report. "Custom" responses refer to inquiries for information that cannot be answered with existing information. Custom responses may require a tailored letter developed with guidance from the Project Officers or the development of specific materials, such as a fact sheet or Q&A. For custom responses, the Contractor will conduct appropriate research, draft the response, review the draft with the physician or genetic counselor as needed, and prepare the response for Project Officer's approval. This may require input from information science specialists to assist in identifying information about specific disease entities, ongoing research, patient support services, genetic counseling services, and translation of genetic or rare diseases research findings into lay language. In complex cases, this may also include consultation with NHGRI/ORD staff and/or individuals knowledgeable in the subject area as determined by the Project Officers. The Contractor will not contact NHGRI/ORD or other NIH staff without prior direction from the Project Officers. The Contractor will design and carry out a plan to train Information Specialists at the beginning of the contract and each time when new Information Specialists are hired. The plan will be based on the proposal and will be submitted to the Project Officers 10 business days after contract award and implemented 10 business days after approval to enable responses to inquiries within 40 business days after contract award. The Contractor must provide to the Information Specialists regular continuing education training, and the Specialists will also regularly review journals pertaining to genetic and rare diseases. The Contractor will develop procedures to ensure that inquirers receive courteous, accurate, appropriate, sensitive, and timely responses to their requests for information and/or materials. The period of performance shall be September 17, 2001, to September 16, 2004, with one optional renewal period of two calendar years. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is 514199 with a size standard of $5M. The solicitation will not be restricted to small businesses; it will be for full and open competition. Requests to receive a copy of the solicitation should be submitted in writing to the Contract Specialist at the address above or faxed to (919) 541-2712.*****

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010410/RSOL003.HTM (W-096 SN50I5P3)