00HCCHD-2026-97923 Black Lung Services

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is awarding a sole source firm fixed price contract to West Virginia University, Inc. for a three-year project to study and improve participation in the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program by characterizing coal miners’ perspectives on black lung screening and low-dose computed tomography for lung health monitoring. The base period runs from July 15, 2026, to July 14, 2027, with two one-year option periods extending through July 14, 2029. The agency is using simplified acquisition procedures under FAR 13.106-1(b) and 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), justifying sole source selection based on the unique capability of West Virginia University to conduct integrated mixed-methods research with rural Appalachian communities without relying on subcontractors, thereby minimizing performance risk. The total estimated value of the contract is $150,000 for the entire period, encompassing all deliverables across all years. The project requires robust qualitative and quantitative research to assess barriers and facilitators to screening participation, develop culturally appropriate communication materials, and test a final implementation-ready toolkit among coal workers in central Appalachia, primarily in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia. Deliverables include annual reports, revised message prototypes, field testing summaries, a comprehensive final report, and an accessible communication toolkit delivered in standard electronic formats. Compliance with federal regulations is mandatory, including HHS and CDC confidentiality policies, Section 508 accessibility standards requiring submission of an HHS Accessibility Conformance Checklist, NIST SP 800-88 media sanitization, FIPS 140 encryption, and adherence to the Controlled Unclassified Information framework under Executive Order 13556. All personnel must complete CDC Non-Disclosure Agreements, annual security and privacy training, and follow strict incident response protocols, including 24-hour reporting of any compromise of personally identifiable information. System security must align with NIST SP 800-53 or 800-171 controls, and all data handling must occur in accordance with CDC’s Information Security and Privacy Protection policies. Proposals must be submitted via email to dwb7@cdc.gov by 7:00 AM ET on July 9, 2026, and while the government may consider responses to this notice, it is not obligated to compete the procurement. No formal contract clauses beyond those related