NIMHD Division of Intramural Research (DIR) Statistical Consulting Services

Synopsis: The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), on behalf of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), is anticipating a requirement for statistical support services for a variety of observational and experimental (including randomized controlled trials) research studies led by and under the guidance of investigators at the NIMHD DIR. This is a Sources Sought for a tentative requirement to provide services that will support NIMHD's Division of Intramural Research. As part of market research, NICHD is issuing this Sources Sought to determine if there are an adequate number of qualified and interested Vendors, both small and large businesses, capable of providing support and services that fall in the scope of Technical Categories that include, but are not limited to, overall contract management, high-level statistical programming and analysis, and data management and data sharing support activities. The Government may use the responses to this Sources Sought for information and planning purposes. The description of requirements provided on this Sources Sought indicates only the currently contemplated possible scope of services and may vary from the work scope in a final Statement of Work (SOW) included in any subsequent Request for Quotation (RFQ). This request is to SEEK SOURCES ONLY. Please do not provide price quotes as this notice is only for market research purposes. Interested parties can submit a written response if their organization's capabilities and expertise are relevant to the broad requirements specified under - Project requirements below. This Sources Sought does not constitute a Request for Quotations (RFQ). Responses to this Sources Sought are not quotes on which NICHD can issue any awards. Vendors are advised not to request a copy of the RFQ. NIMHD is not required to use the Open Market for any resulting RFQ. All information received in response to this Sources Sought marked - Proprietary will be protected and handled accordingly. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their responses. Organizations are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. The Government will not pay for information received in response to this Sources Sought. There is no commitment by the Government to issue an RFQ, make an award or awards, or to be responsible for any monies expended by industry responses to this Sources Sought. Background: The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Division of Intramural Research (NIMHD DIR) plans and directs the Institute's clinical, behavioral, epidemiologic, and population health intramural research programs. Its research seeks to understand mechanisms that produce and contribute to health disparities, develop socio-behavioral interventions to reduce these disparities, and promote the health and well-being of racial/ethnic minority populations. Furthermore, the NIMHD DIR analyzes research efforts and impact to establish intramural research program priorities; collaborates with and coordinates intramural research on minority health and health disparities conducted by the Institutes and Centers to raise awareness of health disparities research; advises the Institute Director and staff on matters of scientific interest to the Institute; and assists with development of the Institute's Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Strategic Plan and its implementation. One of the ways the NIMHD DIR investigators fulfill their mission is to collect primary data and use publicly available datasets and restricted variables with appropriate approvals to analyze cohort data and data from observational and experimental studies to examine racial/ethnic health disparities and minority health. These data require sophisticated statistical analytic methods and data linkage, harmonization, and management, in order to draw valid, robust and transparent conclusions. Specifically, these data require epidemiologic analysis and analysis of randomized controlled trials in SAS, STATA, R, SPSS, Mplus, GIS, or a similar software package. Variables of interest are self-reported social, psychological, and behavioral factors as well as biomarkers, phenotypic characterization, spatial, and ecological momentary assessment data. Purpose and Objectives: The objective of this contract is to obtain comprehensive statistical support for a variety of observational and experimental (including randomized controlled trials) research studies led by and under the guidance of investigators at the NIMHD DIR. The Contractor shall provide support and services in the following related technical categories: Management & Administration Statistical Programming and Analysis Data Management and Data Sharing Support Project Requirements: Potential Vendors are asked to describe the following capabilities and performance characteristics. Management & Administration Provide a Management plan for the organization, integration, and coordination of all contract activities, including the management and coordination of activities carried out under subcontracts Provide a technical and administrative infrastructure to ensure the efficient planning, initiation, implementation, and timely completion of all projects carried out under this contract Provide a Project Manager with responsibility for overall project management and communications, tracking, monitoring, and reporting on project status and progress, and recommending modifications to project requirements and timelines, including projects undertaken by subcontractors Have monthly (at minimum) meetings with the NIMHD COR to discuss and review active/completed assignments, quality control issues, delivery schedules, and costs/budget matters (with CO) as necessary Provide a Phase-Out plan addressing the timely transition and transfer of files, documentation, and/or programs to a successor at the end of the specified contract Statistical Analysis and Programming Prepare and review statistical analysis plans; populate data shells generated by investigators; provide detailed specifications and documentation for analysis files Write complex programs and perform analyses to run high-level analyses on complex data based on short discussions with investigators. Statistical packages include: SAS Stata R SPSS Mplus GIS Other high-level statistical programming languages like C++, including embedding these programs into R Utilize appropriate methods to account for complex study designs, such as longitudinal, repeated measures, multi-level, geospatial, and complex survey data Utilize advanced methods to appropriately analyze data and answer research questions, such as structural equation modeling, mediation analysis, latent class analysis, marginal structural models, machine learning, and simulations Utilize advanced methods to account for confounding, missing data, loss to follow-up (LTFU), and other forms of potential bias, such as propensity score weighting, standardization, and multiple imputation Data visualization; Generate plots and other graphics for manuscripts, abstracts, and presentations with input from investigators Data Management and Data Sharing Support Condense, merge/link, and reformat data into files that are appropriate for data analysis in the statistical packages listed above (e.g., SAS, Stata, R); Document methods and definitions for variables created for analytic purposes (i.e., data dictionary) Condense, merge/link, and reformat data into files that are appropriate for data sharing; Prepare deidentified datasets and documentation for data sharing as needed Perform quality control on datasets and conduct error checking, data cleaning, and running summaries Assist with the obtaining and transferring of public use and restricted datasets or directly acquire data when required by the data provider; obtain institutional review board approval/determination (IRB) when separate contractor approval is required; review and execute data use agreements for restricted datasets Capability Statement Requirements: Interested organizations that believe they possess the capabilities necessary to undertake this project should submit electronic capability statements, no longer than 15 pages, with a font size of 12 point, addressing the needs described under objectives and Project Requirements as well as response requirements stated below. Any proprietary information should be so marked. Capability Statements should identify the business status of the organization (i.e., educational institution, non-profit, large business, small business, 8(a), or other corporate or non-corporate entity). Vendors must submit electronic copies of their capability statements via email to the Contracting Officer, Ms. Usha Raman @ ramanu2@mail.nih.gov by 3:30 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, December 22, 2021. Responses should also include the following business information: DUNS number Company Name Company Address Company Point of Contact, phone, and Email address Company size and type (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman-owned, veteran owned, etc.) Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. The Government reserves to 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 to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a solicitation may be published in www.sam.gov or through GSA eBUY. Responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to any forthcoming solicitation.