Improve National Tobacco Surveillance System

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 6079, Rockville, MD 20852, UNITED STATES. Description The National Cancer Institute (NCI), Tobacco Control Research Branch (TCRB) plans to procure on a sole source basis with University of Massachusetts 100 Morissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125 to improve national tobacco surveillance system through vector surveillance. This acquisition will be processed in accordance with simplified acquisition procedures as stated in FAR Part 13.106-1(b)(1). The North American Industry Classification System Code is 541990 and the business size standard is $7 Million. Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a firm fixed price type contract. The period of performance shall be twelve (12) months from date of award. The Tobacco Control Research Branch (TCRB) within the Behavioral Research Program (BRP) manages research grants related to tobacco addiction and control, including factors affecting tobacco toxicity, smoke chemistry and carcinogenicity and other adverse aspects of tobacco use at the individual, community and population levels of society. In order to improve the national tobacco surveillance system and thereby strengthen the nation's system for monitoring and understanding factors that impact morbidity and mortality from tobacco use, TCRB created the Tobacco Surveillance, Epidemiology and Evaluation Network (TSEEN). TSEEN is important to TCRB's research goals because few instruments in the U.S. currently measure the activity of the tobacco industry (e.g., advertising and sales, etc.), which affect tobacco control efforts. The purpose of this network is to improve the national tobacco surveillance system through vector surveillance (monitoring, advertising, sales, and other activities of the tobacco industry). The contractor shall maintain and refine the existing Tobacco Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Evaluation Network (TSEEN) internet tool to monitor the availability of new oral tobacco products and marketing strategies being used by the tobacco industry. The University of Massachusetts Center for Survey Research (CSR) is unique in that it is a leader in the field of both survey methodology and smokeless tobacco products. It is critical that the contractor be familiar with and understands the tobacco industry and its marketing and research strategies. The University's CSR and its staff are highly qualified in this area, having been involved in the research for over 20 years and the TSEEN itself for 5 of those years. The CSR designed the TSEEN which has made excellent progress in studying the fundamentals of what the tobacco industry is doing in addition to other related research areas. The University of Massachusetts Center for Survey Research is the only known source which has access to the TSEEN and its data, making it uniquely qualified to perform this work. The Center is an expert at designing and conducting online surveys such as those described in this market requisition and in obtaining high response rates for research of this nature. The CSR is the only known source which has enough familiarity with the TSEEN and its operation to satisfactorily conduct this research. 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 22, 2010. 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 to the address stated above. All questions must be in writing and can be faxed (301) 402-4513 or emailed to Miguel Diaz, Contract Specialist at miguel.diaz@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-110144-MD on all correspondences.