A--Educational Developement Services- Research

The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare System, has a requirement for an educational expert to perform educational development services as part of the Health Services Research and Development HSRD Research on Educational Interventions for Health Professionals. It is the Governments intention to solicit and negotiate only with this source. Please refer to the Sole Source Justification. This is not a solicitation; it is notice of intent to sole source a requirement. Inquires/information received after established deadline of 3pm EST on August 18, 2009 shall not be considered. The submission of any data for review shall not impede award of this contract as planned. The Government does not intend to pay for information solicited. This synopsis is issued pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION 1. Identification of (1) the agency and (2) the contracting activity: (1) Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare, System, Jamaica Plain, MA (2) Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare, System, 940 Belmont Street, Brockton, MA 02301 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved: This documentation is to support a sole-source award to Education Development Center, a non-profit organization situated locally in Newton, MA , for the services of an EDC educational expert who will be key personnel on this award. We are requesting that the contract with EDC run from Oct 1, 2009 to September 30, 2012. The EDC educational expert will investigate the generalizable educational value of the research findings, so that our findings can be disseminated to educational researchers and continuing medical educators. By the conclusion of the contract, the EDC educational expert will construct a manuscript to disseminate the educational research findings to this larger community of educators. Since the main publications to emerge from this study are going to be published in medical journals, particularly those read by general internists and others responsible for managing hypertension, the EDC educational experts focus on the generalizability of our work for educational theory and the practice of continuing medical education represents a significant expansion of the study impact. The Health Services Research and Development HSRD Research on Educational Interventions for Health Professionals grant program focuses on understanding the relationship between educational interventions for health professionals and outcomes of health care. HSRD intends to fund the grant proposal submitted by VA Boston Healthcare System (EDU 08-422 Interactive spaced education to optimize hypertension management) in response to this program. Successful completion of this project requires that at least one member of the team be an expert in the discipline of education, and the selected contractor meets this criterion. Successful completion of this project requires that at least one member of the team be an expert in the discipline of education. EDC educational experts have extensive experience developing continuing medical education programs to change behavior and has collaborated on the development of this proposal. EDC educational experts have an extremely rare combination of a doctorate in educational research methods and adult learning, on the one hand, and enormous experience applying those skills to a wide range of clinical topics where there is a gap between evidence-based guidelines and physician behavior. Given this background, EDC educational experts are uniquely qualified to optimize the Interactive Spaced Education intervention to promote changes in hypertension-management practice-patterns. 3. Description of the services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value): The contract will be processed through Education Development Center of Newton, MA which has a federally-approved indirect rate for its contracted employees. The estimated value of the contract is for $66,835 over 3 years ($20,018.25 for year 1, $21,004.00 for year 2, $25,812.75 for year 3). Contractor must have the following qualifications: (A) A doctoral degree (PhD or EdD) in education. (B) 20 years of experience working on educational research and development projects (C) 20 years of experience developing education programs aimed at changing behavior (D) Detailed knowledge of government contracts and their requirements. 4. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition: Far 6.302-1, 41 USC 253(C) () Only One responsible source and no other services will satisfy agency requirements. 5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority sited: EDC educational experts have extensive experience developing continuing medical education programs to change behavior and has collaborated on the development of this proposal. EDC educational experts have an extremely rare combination of a doctorate in educational research methods and adult learning, on the one hand, and enormous experience applying those skills to a wide range of clinical topics where there is a gap between evidence-based guidelines and physician behavior. Given this background, EDC educational experts are uniquely qualified to optimize the Interactive Spaced Education intervention to promote changes in hypertension-management practice-patterns. In addition, the EDC educational expert will investigate the generalizable educational value of the research findings, so that our findings can be disseminated to educational researchers and continuing medical educators. Total acquisition is $66,834 and in the interest of efficiency, award to this vendor is in the best interest of the government. 6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be published: Prior to submitting the research proposal, investigators at VA Boston reviewed a range of potential collaborators from who might be interested in participating in this project. These included a range of faculty members from Harvard Medical School and Harvard Graduate School of Education. Of those contacted, only EDC educational experts met the qualification requirements and had the interest and expertise to facilitate the work proposed. The selection was reviewed with all investigators (Drs. Conlin, Kerfoot & Turchin) who agreed that EDC educational experts met the contractor requirements. An EDC educational expert subsequently was added to the HSRD grant proposal which was then re-submitted for HSRD review. The HSRD VA Central Office, Washington, DC and their grant review board approved an EDC educational expert for inclusion as a member of the VA Boston research team, and subsequently agreed to fund the project. No notice was or will be published. 7. Determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The estimated value of the contract is for $66,835 over 3 years ($20,018.25 for year 1, $21,004.00 for year 2, $25,812.75 for year 3). The contract will be processed through the Educational Development Corporation of Newton, MA which has a federally-approved indirect rate for its contracted employees. The contract for an EDC educational experts expertise and work is in line with EDCs other federally-funded projects. 8. Description of the market survey conducted (i.e., names, of firms and the date(s) the firms were contacted) and the results or a statement of the reasons a market survey was not conducted. Upon initial review of the grant proposal, HSRD mandated in writing that the project include a PhD educator who met the criteria outlined above in section 3. The investigators at VA Boston reviewed a range of potential collaborators from who might be interested in participating in this project, and they proposed an EDC educational expert to HSRD since EDC educational experts were the only potential collaborator who met these criteria. HSRD VA Central Office, Washington, DC and their grant review board approved the EDC educational experts involvement in the project. On this basis, the grant was approved for funding. was the educational investigator who was approved by for inclusion as a member of the VA research team. Given the constraints of this HSRD process, a market survey was not conducted. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition, such as an explanation why technical data packages, specifications, engineering descriptions, statements of work, or purchase descriptions suitable for full and open competition have not been developed or are not available. See factor 5 10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. None 11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required. This contracting activity will continue to promote and provide full and open competition whenever possible. POC: Tracey A. Bissonnette, Contract Specialist Fax: +1 (555) 000-0000 e-Mail: contact@example.gov