BEST PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH MODELS OF MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES DISTRIBUTION, ENHANCING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF DISASTERS

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation number is 09-233-SOL-00122 , and is issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP). The solicitation/contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-33. The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 541690 . This requirement is solicited under Full and Open Competition. This acquisition is being conducted using Part 12 and Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. A Time and Material contract is anticipated. It is the intent of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to acquire services in support of collecting best practices associated with models of both medical countermeasures distribution and enhancing community resilience in the face of disasters by conducting a wide ranging and comprehensive literature review and synthesis of articles that describe these best practices. The initial challenge for policy-makers and public health officials has been identifying these best practices and countermeasures, evaluating their potential effectiveness; and determining whether they can be replicated. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21) states: - The four most critical components of public health and medical preparedness are biosurveillance, countermeasure distribution, mass casualty care, and community resilience. - The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop templates, using a variety of tools and including private sector resources when necessary, that provide minimum operational plans to enable communities to distribute and dispense countermeasures to their populations within 48 hours after a decision to do so. - Where local civic leaders, citizens and families are educated regarding threats and are empowered to mitigate their own risk, where they are practiced in responding to events, where they have social networks to fall back upon, and where they have familiarity with local public health and medical systems, there will be community resilience that will significantly attenuate the requirement for additional assistance The initial challenge for policy-makers and public health officials has been identifying best practices associated with countermeasures distribution and community resiliency; evaluating their potential effectiveness; and determining whether they can be replicated. Because ASPR is responsible for coordinating and directing the Department's public health and medical emergency preparedness and response programs, as well as for ensuring the sustained public health and medical readiness for our communities and our nation against bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health threats and emergencies, they have researched this area of need and determined that there is no comprehensive , systematic, review, or synthesis of such academic research material. To further support ASPR/OPEO policy and development of templates called for in HSPD-21,The Division of National Healthcare Preparedness Programs (NHPP), Hospital Preparedness Programs (HPP) proposes to identify, categorize and evaluate the literature surrounding the best practices associated with models of medical countermeasures distribution enhancing community resilience in the face of disasters. For the purposes of this proposed project, ASPR/ NHPP requests services to identify, categorize and evaluate the relevant literature. An innovative methodology is needed that will allow the synthesis of available literature and evaluate the potential effectiveness and replicate models of best practices. The final work products shall be logical in structure user friendly, printable and in a searchable electronic format. Task 1. Within 1 week of the Effective Date of Contract (EDOC), the contractor shall meet with the Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR) to review and clarify goals, objectives, scope of work,(methods, work plans, deliverables) and delivery schedule, role responsibilities, and communication protocols. Task 2: Within 2 weeks of the EDOC the contractor shall submit a Project Management Plan (PMP) based on discussions with the COTR. Within 3 days of receiving comments from the COTR, the contractor shall incorporate comments/changes, and revise and update the PMP throughout the duration of the contract. Task3: Within 1 month of EDOC, the contractor shall establish an operate an overall Project Advisory Group (PAG). All PAG members shall be approved by the COTR. The purpose of the PAG is to a. ensure that diverse and relevant perspectives are considered, b. that expert opinion and experience is provided , and to ensure that the goals, objectives and methods are comprehensive , reasonable and attainable. The PAG shall be a small group whose members are jointly selected by the contractor and COTR for their diversity of knowledge, expertise and experience that will help guide the overall project and review reports and materials upon request. The contractor shall be responsible for setting up PAG meetings and any logistics associated with the PAG meetings. The PAG meetings may be via conference call, email, fax, face to face or any combination. In addition, the contractor shall participate in individual topical workgroups and other meetings requested by the COTR. Task 4: Within 10 days after the end of the previous month, the contractor shall deliver monthly progress reports in electronic format that describe accomplishments to date, remaining activities to be completed and the status of the project including monthly financial and time management report. Task 5: Within 1 month of EDOC , A. describe the specific framework that will guide a comprehensive review of available literature and documents for the purpose of identifying models of best practices describing distribution of medical countermeasures and developing community resilience to an emergency. The contractor shall suggest criteria , or a plan for developing the criteria, for determining what constitutes a model practice. B. Describe potential research themes, issues regarding development of multiple platforms for dispensing medications, as well as adaptive systems developed and operate under diverse conditions. C, Provide a concise description of the methodology, subtasks and activities proposed for developing templates, and categorizing and cataloguing all useful documents into user friendly classification systems. D. Nominate and assemble workgroups, as needed in consultation with COTR, to identify and resolve issues for various topical area not addressed by the PAG. The contractor shall propose the types of experts it would seek for each of these workgroups, as well as, a proposed meeting schedule and means of interacting. E. List and describe all proposed deliverable products. Task 6: Within 6 months of EDOC submit initial Draft Report and Draft Electronic Database to be reviewed by COTR, PAG, key informants, subject matter experts. Identify and incorporate revisions. Task 7: On or before 8 months after EDOC, the contractor shall present a Revised Draft and Electronic Database to NHPP and PAG. (6 hardcopies and email) Based on feedback the contractor shall incorporate necessary changes into Final Report and companion Electronic Database. Task 8: 11 month after EDOC, contractor shall submit Final Report Word document (6 hardcopies and email) , Final Electronic Database and Executive Summary in Power Point. After COTR approval of the deliverables, Electronic Database shall be accessible to a wide audience and disseminated through multiple outlets. Task 9: 12 months after EDOC and with the acceptance of the COTR the contractor shall make a PowerPoint presentation of the Final Report and a demonstration to ASPR staff. Task 10: 12 months after EDOC, contractor shall work with ASPR staff to produce a peer-reviewed journal article highlighting the major findings of research.. It is anticipated that the contractor shall serve as the lead author, and other ASPR/NHPP key-participants shall participate as co-authors for the Journal manuscript. The Government will award a Time and Material contract resulting from this RFP to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the RFP will be the most advantageous to the Government considering technical approach, experience and past performance, corporate capability, knowledge of the problem in that order. Offerors are cautioned that failure to address each of the evaluation factors may deem their proposal unacceptable. When combined, technical evaluation factors are more important then price. See attachment B. Offerors shall include completed copy of the provisions at FAR 52.213-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items with its proposal. The following FAR clauses apply (clauses are available in full text at http://www.arnet.gov/far); FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation Commercial Items, FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders, attached. In addition the following clauses apply: HHSAR 352.224-70 Confidentiality of Information, HHSAR 352.232-9 Withholding of Contract Payments, HSSAR 52.249-14, HHSAR 352.270-1, Accessibility of Meetings to Person s with Disabilities, 352.270-4 Pricing of Adjustments, HHSAR 352.270-5 Key Personnel, HHSAR 352.270-6 Publication and Publicity , 352.270-10 Anti-Lobbying, 352.270-19 Electronic Information and Technology. The Government reserves the right to award a contract without discussions if the Contracting Officer determines that the initial offer(s) is /are providing the best value and discussions are not necessary. Questions about this solicitation may be submitted to this email address, janet.glasz@psc.hhs.gov on July 20, 2009 on or before 5:00 pm ET. Email capacity sometimes is overwhelmed, if you have problems sending your questions contact 301-443-2475 for help. Only electronic proposals will be accepted for this solicitation and may be sent to janet.glasz@psc.hhs.gov no later than August 10, 2009 by 5:00 pm ET. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the FEDBIZOPPS website for the release of any amendments to this solicitation.