Metabolic Epidemiology Branch Support Services

Type of Notice: This is a Small Businesses Sources Sought notice (SBSS). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small business; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses, 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; women-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged business; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your response to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. Background: The Metabolic Epidemiology Branch (MEB) in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) of National Cancer Institute (NCI) is re-competing a full and open contract for support services for feasibility projects, pilot studies, methodologic studies, specialized tasks in large scall studies, full scale support for cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies. This project is for the re-competition of contract HHSN261201300016C, which was awarded to Westat, Inc. on a competitive basis for a five-year period. This Small Business Sources Sought (SBSS) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as an obligation on the part of NCI. Purpose and Objectives: A major objective of DCEG is to identify and understand mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Studies within MEB focus on the role of nutrition, energy balance, hormones, and metabolism in cancer etiology through population-based epidemiologic studies. MEB research relies heavily on large prospective cohort studies, but our portfolio includes targeted case-control, cross-sectional, and case series analyses as needed. These studies are carried out in environments that are optimal for achieving our scientific goals and may include special high-risk populations. To achieve its goals, MEB's approach has been to (1) integrate risk factor information with many different biologic markers into interdisciplinary molecular epidemiologic investigations to understand a variety of exposures as related to multiple cancers and gain insights into mechanisms that mediate risk factors; (2) to sub-divide tumors into etiologically and prognostically distinct entities; (3) examine natural history of and progression for cancer precursors; (4) address rapidly emerging issues in cancer epidemiology through novel investigations of poorly understood risk factors and under-studied cancers; and (5) assist in training the next generation of molecular epidemiologists. The philosophical focus of MEB research is to conduct high-impact epidemiologic studies that relate carefully defined exposure assessments to specific outcomes to provide new insights into cancer etiology, hormonal carcinogenesis, and to investigate the roles of diet, body size, and physical activity and their mechanisms of action including intermediate biologic markers. Molecular approaches play a critical and increasingly important role in MEB research. Approximately twenty-eight studies will likely receive support under the contract. Project Requirements: This support services contract is essential for MEB to conduct high-impact epidemiologic studies that integrate risk factor information with many different biologic markers to provide new insights into cancer etiology and mechanisms of action. The NCI/MEB requires the assistance of an organization highly experienced in providing technical support for all phases of epidemiologic studies, including support for pilot and feasibility efforts to assess capabilities for launching multidisciplinary studies, development of precise methods of defining exposures to identify new causes of cancer and to adequately characterize the shape of the exposure-response relationship, and to understand the interaction of genetic and environmental factors related to cancer risk. Thus, the support services contract will need to provide staff with superb logistical skills, knowledge of epidemiological studies and diverse biological specimens, and appreciation of specimen collection and handling requirements to enable technologically sophisticated assay development and performance. The contract will establish a mechanism to provide all the services required to conduct a wide variety of domestic and international (case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, pilot, and feasibility) studies. The scientific design and oversight of the activities are the responsibility of the MEB professional staff. Some of the major activities of the contractor include: 1) obtain necessary information to determine effective study resources (e.g., capabilities of collaborating institutions, numbers of eligible study subjects, exposure information, etc.) and prepare, pretest, evaluate and produce data collection forms and specifications manuals, including computer-assisted questionnaires; 2) provide support in the coordination of multi-center studies and facilitate cooperation between NCI and its collaborators; 3) prepare training programs and materials for abstractors, interviewers and other study personnel and procedure manuals; 4) arrange for the collection, handling, transport and storage of biologic and environmental samples; 5) validate cancer incidence and cause of death by obtaining medical records and death certificates, and have them coded by appropriate nosologists, pathologists or clinicians; 6) trace study subjects to locate them for interview or biologic specimen collection, to determine their vital status, to evaluate environmental and genetic susceptibility, or to obtain other information necessary for the study; 7) hire, train and supervise abstractors, interviewers, telephone screeners, coders, phlebotomists and others who will be involved with acquiring and assembling data; abstract, scan, photocopy or obtain computer records (clinical or office medical records, hospital charts, pathology reports, death certificates etc.); 8) interview subjects or surrogates using mail, telephone, computer-assisted or personal interviews; 9) provide support in evaluating the feasibility of integrating specific molecular components into planned epidemiologic studies; 10) act as a clinical liaison for collection of clinical specimens for pilot, feasibility or other efforts; 11) arrange for laboratory evaluation of biologic material; 12) arrange for collection and delivery of biologic or environmental samples to laboratories or individuals for storage and/or analysis; 13) enter coded information into suitable computers; 14) design and maintain computer databases and associated reporting software and prepare edit programs, edit data, and correct computer files where necessary; prepare analytical data files as requested by MEB staff; 15) document each step of a study and maintain, in an orderly arrangement, all relevant material so that any aspect of the study may be reviewed and evaluated by the NCI staff at any point in time; 16) develop subcontracts for conducting field studies outside the U.S., for specialized field procedures in the U.S., and for laboratory analyses of biologic samples. Anticipated Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance, inclusive of options, for this proposed acquisition is five years: one base year and four one-year options. Capability Statement/Information Sought: To be deemed capable of providing the current need for the study, the offeror shall submit a written capability statement demonstrating the ability and experience in performing the requirements noted in this notice. Organizations that submit capability statements in response to this notice will evaluated by the experience and expertise in conducting and managing small and large epidemiological studies (domestic and international) that integrate risk factor information with many different biologic markers. Offerors should demonstrate past performance and expertise in (1) providing organization and staffing to ensure efficient planning, initiation, implementation, conduct, and completion of small and large epidemiological studies (domestic and international) and (2) coordinating and managing, either directly or through subcontract mechanisms, the conduct of specialized field studies both within and outside of the U.S.; and (3) collection, processing, storage, transport and arranging for technologically sophisticated laboratory analyses of biologic samples. Information Submission Instructions: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed 20 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above. Statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement, as well as the eligible small business concern's name, point of contact, address and DUNS number. NCI does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses received, nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information received. All capability statements sent in response to this sources sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to Helen Wesley, Contract Specialist, at helen.wesley@nih.gov in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by August 7, 2017, 10:00 AM, EDT. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. No collect calls or facsimile transmissions will be accepted. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).