License to use the Content of The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Cancer Staging System Including API Access

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT) plans to procure, on a sole source basis, a license to use the Content of The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Cancer Staging System by EVS Including API from: American College of Surgeons (ACS) American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 633 N. St. Clair Street Chicago, IL 60611-3211 The response close date of the notice for this requirement is in accordance with FAR 5.203(b). This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 - Acquisition for Commercial Items and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR Part 13.501(a) and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System code is 513199 - All Other Publishers and the business size standard is 1,000 employees. UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CONTRACTOR The American Joint Committee for Cancer Staging and End-Results Reporting (AJCC), a component of American College of Surgeons (ACS), was organized in 1959, for the purpose of developing a system of clinical staging of cancer by site acceptable to the American medical profession. This is a unique non-profit entity of with activity focused on improving the care of patients and safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment. The AJCC sponsoring organizations are: The American College of Surgeons, the American College of Radiology, the College of American Pathologists, the American College of Physicians, the American Cancer Society, and the National Cancer Institute. Each of the sponsoring organizations designates members of the Committee. The American College of Surgeons serves as administrative sponsor. Subcommittees, designated as "task forces," have been appointed to consider malignant neoplasms of selected anatomic sites for the purpose of developing classifications. Each task force is composed of committee members and other professional appointees whose special interests and skills are appropriate to the site under consideration. The American Joint Committee develop classifications that are compatible, as far as possible, with those published by the International Union Against Cancer (Union Internationale Centre Ie Cancer, UICC) and that are within the current standards of practice in American medicine. In developing its classifications, the American Joint Committee has employed the principle of the TNM system as described by the UICC where appropriate. AJCC has created a unique and comprehensive set of resource materials designed to provide in-depth information on cancer stages for the human neoplasms. AJCC experts determine evidence-based anatomic staging criteria based on current developments in oncologic, radiologic, pathologic, and molecular science to facilitate possibilities for precisely defining a prognosis and recommending a treatment based on a patient's individual data. AJCC tumor staging system is a commonly recognized gold standard used by doctors and other medical professionals treating patients, medical professionals staging cancer patients, cancer researchers, epidemiologists, and cancer registrars abstracting cancer cases nation-wide and internationally. There is no comparable or competing organization for the development, representation, and distribution of tumor staging standards for use by NCI, its collaborators, and other stakeholders in cancer research. EVS will be using AJCC content only (including access to the AJCC data via API); no acquisition of information technology or tools is involved. This procurement enables the implementation of cancer diagnosis staging standard to support clinical and research information systems interoperability and improve cancer research. The required Contractor is uniquely qualified in that they are the copyright holder and therefore the only entity capable of legitimately providing a license for the use of this material/intellectual property. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS This notice is not a request for competitive quotations. However, if any interested party believes it can meet the Government's needs, it may submit a proposal or quote for the Government to consider. The response and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain sufficient details to allow NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement. Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Contracting Officer, Adam Hernandez, at adam.hernandez@nih.gov no later than 3:00 PM EST on Friday, February 10, 2023 (02/10/2023). A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement 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. To receive an award, Contractors must be registered and have valid certification through SAM.GOV. Please reference the notice number 75N91023Q00033 on all correspondence. *** Please reference attached Statement of Work (SOW) draft for more details pertaining to the nature of the requirement. ***