Other Professional, Technical and Scientific Services

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute(NHLBI) Office of Acquisitions (OA) for the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with New York State University, Stony Brook, Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research, West 5510 Frank Melville Memorial Library, Stony Brook, NY 1179433 to continue an ongoing collaboration study between the Communication Research Section of NHGRI's Social and Behavioral Research Branch to examine and survey the study of the Beliefs About Hereditability of Disease and Health Behaviors Among Community Health Center Patients. The contractor will: 1) develop the content of health messages about disease risk and disease prevention to be tested by community members, 2) hire and train data collectors to implement the project, 3) perform a pilot test of the messages developed and 4) recruit a sample of up to 500 community health center patients to test the messages. This survey research is needed in order to expand upon earlier work born out of the successful scientific collaboration between NHGRI and SUNY Stony Brook in previous fiscal years. In the second phase of the study, propose to contribute to the scientific literature by further examining the critical issues surrounding communicating genetic susceptibility to lay audiences by performing research wherein individuals responses to health messages about inherited risk will be tested using a randomized study design and a sample of up to 500 community health center patients. Audience research is needed to systematically examine reactions to health messages regarding the inherited basis of disease risk and disease prevention in a diverse community-based sample. The sole source determination is based upon the fact that the contractor has expertise in examining beliefs about hereditability of disease and the associations of these beliefs with various outcome measures. The Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research have unique characteristics critical to the success of the study. The program has a highly quantitative, interdisciplinary research team with expertise in demography, biostatistics, community-based participatory research, epidemiology, health economics, and health services research. The center has existing associations within the community health centers in communities with sociodemographic and racial/ethnic diversity. These associations will allow testing of health communication messages among a more representative sample of United States adults that has often been included in social and behavioral research on genetics and genomics. The period of performance for this research is May 11, 2009 - May 10, 2010. The place of performance is the National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. The reference number for this notice is NHLBI-PB-(HG)-2009-135-TMB The resultant acquisition will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13, simplified acquisition procedures and the resultant purchase order will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 05-31. The total estimated amount of this contract is NOT expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold of $100,000.00. The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industry Classification System code 541990, with size standard of $7.0m per annum. Market Research conducted by the Government in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10, Market Research, has determined that the sole / single source reference, is currently the only company that can provide the services / items specified herein. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. The resulting acquisition will be entered into pursuant to the acquisition authority set forth in FAR 6.302-1 and 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) and HHSAR 306-302-1. Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit a response. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Responses to this announcement, referencing synopsis number NHLBI-PB-(HG)-2009-135-TMB may be submitted to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Office of Acquisitions, Procurement Branch, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 6042, Bethesda, MD 20892-7902, Attention: Tracy Brooks. Responses may be submitted electronically to brookstr@nhlbi.nih.gov. Responses are due May 5, 2009 7:30am EST. Responses will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized company representative. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.