NCS Information Management Systems

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT, NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. A SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED AND PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE REQUESTED. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) serves as the lead agency for the National Children's Study (NCS or Study), a longitudinal cohort study that will examine the effects of environmental influences on the health and development of children. Additional information about the Study is available on the Study's website at www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov. The NICHD intends to negotiate and award, on a sole source basis, a one year contract with four additional option years, to the following contractors: 1. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) 2. Northwestern University (NWU) 3. Vanderbilt University The purpose of these awards is to allow UAMS, NWU and Vanderbilt to continue the implementation, configuration, training, support, data migration, quality assurance and data submission services for their Information Management Systems (IMS). The UAMS, NWU and Vanderbilt IMS are the Clinical Research Information System(CRIS), the Navigator System and Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) system, respectively. The contracts will be awarded under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(l), FAR Subpart 6.302-l(a)(2) - Only One Responsible Source and HHSFAR 306.302-l(a)2)(iv). These contractors are currently providing their IMS and related services to several NCS Vanguard Study Centers as well as a Regional Operations Center data collection contractor. The award of a new contract will allow the NCS the opportunity to complete the data and operation migrations currently underway and also to complete the comprehensive evaluation of the feasibility, acceptability and cost of these Information Management Systems. The IMS will continue to adhere to the informatics principles of the NCS including: modular, interoperable, non-proprietary architecture, and inclusive of international data acquisition and transmission standards. Due to the required continuation of operations to ensure human subjects protections, quality data submissions, compliance with NCS study visit schedules, and inherent duplication of costs, the Government has determined that competition of this contract and related services is not feasible. This notice of intent is not a request for proposal. However, if responsible sources believe that they can perform the above request, they are encouraged to respond by submitting three (3) copies of their capability statements for consideration by the NICHD to Usha Raman, Contract Specialist, NICHD Office of Acquisitions, Contract Management Branch, 6100 Executive Blvd., Room 8B13B, MSC 7510, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510. Phone number, (301) 443-5228; email: ramanu2@mail.nih.gov All responses must be received in writing by Monday, March 18th, 2013 by 4 PM EST and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NICHD Contracting Office and the NCS Program Office to make a determination that the party can or cannot perform this requirement. The capability statement will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requ'rement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.