NIH ODSS Advancing Data Transparency Best Practices to Promote Scientific Reproducibility and Rigor

This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice for market research purposes only. 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 businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition.

Your responses 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.

This notice is being issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting Government requirements and to determine the method of acquisition. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes.  No award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

Background: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS) has an ongoing need for advancing a biomedical and behavioral research ecosystem that leverages data science and data transparency to catalyze new biomedical discoveries.

Modern biomedical and behavioral science advances are being powered by an active and fundamental transformation of basic biological and biomedical experiments and data science-enabled studies. Data transparency drives new discoveries and advances the scientific body of knowledge by ever-more-extensively and fluently leveraging existing data, for which the government has already paid, to enable new opportunities for scientific inquiry. Yet implementation of data transparency across NIH-funded science has not been fully understood, embraced, or successfully pursued and remains immature and in need of further advancement.

To maintain US scientific dominance, the NIH data research ecosystem must increase data sharing and reuse – which includes data transparency – through strategic improvements that improve reproducibility. ODSS leads NIH’s mission to advance scientific data transparency, including through the NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science and seeks to advance data transparency by creating and implementing best practices that promote scientific reproducibility and rigor. Such best practices will dramatically advance data sharing and reuse, creating an environment more enabling for new discovery while also reducing duplicative research expenditures (including for data storage). ODSS has an unprecedented opportunity under this administration to shape a research ecosystem that leverages data science and data transparency to catalyze new biomedical discoveries.

Purpose and Objectives: Acquiring these services are urgent priorities that will enable ODSS to aggressively advance scientific data transparency and reproducibility by creating a viable operational change paradigm, driven by best practices, for the NIH and extramural NIH-funded communities. The creation of this much-needed knowledge and infrastructure will support the research community’s research data use and sharing and advancing the transparency and reproducibility in discoveries that ultimately create new treatments and better healthcare for the American people at lower cost. Furthermore, it will drive towards the Administration and Department’s (HHS) following end outcomes:

• Promotes increasing the level of scientific data transparency, consistent with the Executive Order establishing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission - Section 2, item A (transparency): A marked change in data transparency and scientific finding generation and reproducibility should be evident based on improvements to the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of NIH-funded scientific outputs.
• Promotes increasing the level of scientific data transparency, consistent with the Executive Order establishing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission - Section 2, item A (cost): The resources required for long-term stewardship of key scientific data and software assets should likewise have moderated, with considerable opportunities for both real savings and reduced future growth of costs achieved.

Project requirements: The potential requirements include tasks for data transparency advancement such as advancement of best practices, data management and sharing optimization, and further advancement of best practices. These services shall promote data transparency within the NIH and across the extramural community. This Task overall supports efforts to provide analytical support and best practice guidance to NIH and the NIH-funded scientific community. Functional analyses and assessments to promote efficiency and effectiveness, including business process and technology gap analyses and redesign efforts, are also in-scope. Leveraging internal and external partners will be undertaken, as needed, to advance this work. Optional SOW tasks shall include services in support of 1) task management services for feedback regarding progress and knowledge transfer; 2) performance analytics services for performance measurement and reporting support; cost/benefit analysis support, and program development support; and 3) strategic evaluation services for redesigned data ecosystem components proof-of-concept and AI/ML proof-of-concept support.

Anticipated period of performance: The anticipated period of performance shall include one 12-month base period effective at time of award and two 12-month option periods.

Capability statement /information sought.

Small business concerns that believe they possess the capabilities to provide the required services should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contracting Officer. The capability statement must specifically address each of the project requirements separately. Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the requirements outlined, 3) any contractor GSA Schedule contracts and/or other government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) by which all of the requirements may be met, if applicable, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Small businesses must also provide their Company Name, UEI number, Physical Address, and Point of Contact Information.

Interested small businesses are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number.

The respondent must also provide their UEI number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc., pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2” x 11” paper size, with 1” top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing.

The information submitted must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein. A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response is limited to five (5) pages and does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested.

The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer at at rieka.plugge@nih.gov.  Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

The response must be received on or before 2/27/2026 at 11:00 A.M., Eastern Time.

“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 presolicitation synopsis and solicitation if applicable may be published in Federal Business Opportunities on SAM.gov. 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).”