Cancer Sureillance Support for Integrated Systems Implementation & Improvement

Contracting Office Address Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 6120 Executive Boulevard, EPS Suite 600, Room 6072, Rockville, MD 20852, UNITED STATES. Description The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences (DCCPS), plans to procure on a sole source basis with RiesSearch LLC, 956 Farm Haven Dr., Rockville, MD for cancer surveillance support for integrated systems implementation and improvement. The services herein are being procured in accordance with the simplified acquisition procedures as authorized by FAR Part 13.106-1 (b)(1). The North American Industry Classification System Code is 541990 and the business size standard in $14.0M. Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a firm fixed price type contract. Period of Performance: Performance shall be from date of award for twelve months. It has been determined that there is no opportunity to acquire green products or services under this procurement. Central to the NCI's surveillance enterprise system is the population-based high-quality SEER Program that covers 28% of the US population and collects information on incidence, survival, and prevalence from specific geographic areas and compiles reports on all of these areas plus cancer mortality for the entire U.S. Through special studies, linkage to regional and national data sources, as well as collaborations with other surveillance partners, senior leaders in the SEER Program have been in the vanguard of developing and deploying innovative data coding systems, applied information systems and technical tools, and analytical methodology to advance operations, quality, utility, performance, and interpretation of surveillance data systems built on the SEER Program. It also provides essential data to support research and decision-making across the NCI and collaborating organizations in the United States and around the world. SEER is recognized internationally as the gold standard for cancer surveillance systems. As our understanding of the biological and genetic determinants of cancer evolve, terminology and classification systems for characterizing the diagnosis and therapy for cancer will continue to change. The NCI SEER and associated surveillance systems will need to adapt data collection processes and cross-walks appropriate for the emerging clinical care, translational research, and public health infrastructure. SEER works with other national organizations involved with cancer surveillance, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries, the American College of Surgeon's National Cancer Data Base, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), and numerous international organizations and agency partners. SEER also works with international organizations such as the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) and the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR). The purpose of this procurement is to support the activities of the National Cancer Institute's national and international surveillance programs, including but not limited to the premier population-based registry system, the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program. Exemplar areas of support include: the Collaborative Stage Data Collection System (CS): updating and harmonizing selected coding schemas and related nomenclatures: developing innovative studies that investigate data flow and content among hospital-based and population-based cancer registry systems with emphasis on comparability and representativeness: assisting in the deployment and enhancement of ongoing efforts in central registry data management systems (complex and streamlined); assisting global cancer registry programs and improving international professional infrastructures with priority given to programs in low to moderate resource countries; writing and editing technical materials and high impact statistical reports; providing subject matter expertise as a liaison to public-private cancer surveillance consortia; and co-authoring articles using SEER or other cancer registry data. This procurement requires the development of standards used in the collection and coding of cancer data in the United States. RiesSearch LLC has made far-reaching contributions in this area, and is the leading national and international expert on cancer data codes and methods of their collection. RiesSearch has worked extensively with not only the SEER Program, but also the CDC National Program of Cancer Registries and the American College of Surgeon's National Cancer Data Base, through leadership on key committees and workgroups of NAACCR and the AJCC. The work involved in this acquisition requires interaction with all of these organizations, including leadership of cross-agency committees that develop data collection standards for the country. It will include efforts to update the system of Collaborative Staging, which RiesSearch originally developed to enable the pooling of data from all of the U.S. cancer registry databases. This system is expected to be the foundation of cancer surveillance for at least the next decade. RiesSearch has provided critical analyses, technical documents, and essential reports during the past 12 months for the AJCC-coordinated Surveillance Summit work groups, their Governance Committee and related Committees, the National Coordinating Council for Cancer Surveillance, the AJCC/UICC Lexicon Project, the NCI proposed journal supplement for data users on comparability of stage data over time, technical specifications for use of SEER*Stat to implement complex analyses on the 2010 and beyond data, the NAACCR Edits Committee, and various other NAACCR committees and trans-surveillance technical work groups. There is a time-sensitive need to assess the implementation and quality of data collected (2010 forward), to make adjustments in the requirements, and to harmonize requirements to the extent possible among the national and international surveillance partners. Ms. Ries of RiesSearch is an appointed member of the International Association of Cancer Registries Executive Board and provides professional and scientific assistance and expertise to the General Secretariat hosted in Lyon, France by IARC. RiesSearch's exceptional knowledge gives RiesSearch unique experience and expertise not readily available within the research community since it has guided the growth and development of the national and international cancer surveillance enterprise. This is not a solicitation for competitive quotations. However, if any interested party believes they can meet the above requirement, they may submit a statement of capabilities. All information furnished must be in writing and must contain sufficient detail to allow the NCI to determine if it can meet the above unique specifications described herein. An original and one copy of the capability statement must be received in the NCI Office of Acquisitions on or before 11:00 AM EST on August 23, 2012. No electronic capability statements will be accepted (i.e. email or fax). An original and one copy must be sent to the NCI Office of Acquisitions at the address stated above. All questions must be in writing and can be faxed (301) 402-4513 or emailed to Melissa Ward, Contract Specialist, at wardmr@mail.nih.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. In order to receive an award, contractors must have valid registration and certification in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) www.ccr.gov and the Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA), http://orca.bpn.gov. No collect calls will be accepted. Please reference solicitation number NCI-120167-MW on all correspondence.