D -- UPGRADE AND SUPPORT EXISTING MS-ACCESS 2000 APPLICATION FOR THE HIV/AIDS BUREAU

Notice Date

June 13, 2001

Contracting Office

5600 Fishers Lane, Room 13A-19 Rockville, MD 20857

ZIP Code

20857

Solicitation Number

HRSA-HAB-SKS-2001

Response Due

July 9, 2001

Point of Contact

Suzanne Stinson, 301-443-5130

Description

SOURCES SOUGHT: This announcement is a sources sought notice, not a request for proposal or solicitiation. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), seeks to identify potential sources with extensive experience developing relational database applications and who can upgrade and support an existing MS-Access 2000 application for the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB). The contractor shall provide comprehensive, user-friendly technical support; and have extensive experience and knowledge of public health data collection and management in order to maintain, upgrade, and support HAB's Ryan White (RW) CAREWare software for it Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act grantees and providers. RW CAREWare software was initially distributed in January 2000, has undergone a number of revisions, and is now used by over 200 providers and grantees. This software has become an important component of the Bureau's overall effort to improve data collection and HIV service evaluation capacity among its grantees. Critical to the success of this software project has been the services of a very competent small business that is responsive to users and has extensive knowledge of public health data applications, in particular HIV and other sexually transmitted infection reporting systems. Because the core of this application has been fully created, the Bureau seeks to identify offerors who have the skills to develop and upgrade the software further and NOT redesign the application from scratch. The application was developed in MS-Access 2000 with visual basic and SQL programming and uses the ADO programming interface to process and manipulate data. Prospective vendors must be skilled in these programming areas, and also other languages/platforms as needed to develop future upgrades that may include: 1) Creating a network (internet) version of RW CAREWare using either Java or ActiveX (or other platform as recommended); 2) developing customized reports to assess the quality of HIV care; and 3) overhauling and upgrading the unduplication module (essential to grantees for accurate HIV service evaluation and needs assessment) such that all features of CAREWare can be run under one application. In addition to the technical programming and development expertise, all offerors must be skilled in providing user-friendly technical support and be able to answer a variety of questions posed by users on a tollfree helpline. Potential sources wishing to obtain further information on RW CAREWare software may go to the Bureau's website at www.hab.hrsa.gov/careware. All sources that are able to perform this work must submit their interest in writing, including a written capability statement (no longer than 10 pages) clearly illustrating their ability (knowledge, experiences, resources) to respond to the work described. The cover page of the capability statement should include company name, address, telephone number, FAX number, type of business (large or small, educational institution, large or small non-profit, 8(a), etc.) and point of contact. Responses are due no later than July 9, 2001 and can be mailed, emailed or sent by facsimile. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this "sources sought" announcement. Should this market survey determine that there are organizations capable of providing such services, HRSA may release a Request for Proposal sometime in the future. The point of contact for this sources sought is Suzanne Stinson, HRSA, Parklawn Bldg., Room 13A-19, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. The Fax number is (301) 443-6038, Attn Suzanne Stinson. The email address is: sstinson@hrsa.gov. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR SOLICITATION. See numbered Note 25.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010615/DSOL009.HTM (W-164 SN50O8H6)