Comparative Effectiveness Review (CER) Data Linkage Project

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intends to award, under a sole source agreement, a purchase order to The Nielsen Company. Individually, and not as an agent of the Government, the vendor will provide all labor, materials, and supplies to provide the specified datasets and up to twenty user licenses for the specific datasets and services. The purpose of this project is to secure the specified product (datasets) and services (consultation and data enhancement) from Nielsen Claritas for the Comparative Effectiveness Review (CER) Enhancing the Use of Cancer Registry Project. The objective of this project is to make available datasets containing specified demographic components at the census tract level to the Cancer Surveillance Branch (CSB), the state cancer registries selected for the CER activity, and the prime contractor for the CER project. These datasets will be utilized by the registries to link with other data elements collected as a part of the CER Project. This acquisition is being procured applying simplified acquisition procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13. The authority for this sole-source acquisition is FAR 13.106-1(b). Nielsen is the only source with the required expertise to provide the data required by the CDC. The Population Facts Demographics datasets offer an unmatched opportunity to link CER project data with proprietary datasets to more fully understand cancer patient populations identified in the registries. Justification for other than full and open competition is considered in accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirement. This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation is available. All responsible contractors that believe they can provide the services are encouraged to identify themselves and give written notification to the Contracting Officer no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, on August 16, 2010, or within 15 days of the publication date of this synopsis. Determination by the U.S. Government not to compete this proposed action based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the U.S. Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. Respondents will assume all financial costs for preparing a response to this notice. The U.S. Government assumes no financial obligation for the preparation and distribution of prepared responses. Inquiries may be sent to Darlene Seminko, by e-mail at fxo3@cdc.gov or by fax to 770-488-2044.