Q--Notice of Intent to Sole source Post Deployment Health Supplement to provide Peer Review

Special Notice of Intent to Sole source for Procurement of Peer Reviewed journals, editing, printing and publishing articles This is a notice of intent to award a sole-source contract, and is not a request for competitive proposals. The Statutory authority for this sole-source procurement is FAR 6.302-1. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, solely within the discretion of the government. Please contact Cedric Jackson with responses or questions regarding this requirement at contact@example.gov. No telephone inquiries. This notice will close on January 31, 2016. NAICS code. Products service code: Q 702 Technical medical support /Q802 Clerical Medical Services or Q999 other medical services. VA's Epidemiology Program disseminates findings from public health research and surveillance to increase awareness of health outcomes among Veterans, inform treatment of conditions associated with military service, and inform related health care policies. To advance this mission, the Program seeks support from an established leader in the publishing industry to work with program representatives to solicit and publish a single supplement of an existing public health journal. The proposed publication will be unique to health of U.S. Veterans. The journal's intended audience includes Veterans, clinical care providers, research scientists, public health professionals, and those responsible for the development or implementation of health care policy. To further this goal, the Epidemiology Program with support from the Office of Public Health and the Office of Research and Development (as co- guest editors) plans to develop a supplement issue to the regularly scheduled issues produced for the peer-reviewed journal, Public Health Reports; the official journal of the United States Public Health Service and published by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). The selected vendor should meet the following qualifications: oRecognized as a national leader in the dissemination of scientific research with (1) an "impact factor" of 1.25 or greater, (2) an established readership including institutional and individual subscribers, and (3) reduced subscription fees for students and U.S. Government public health professionals. oGrant full control of final selection of scientific manuscripts (following peer- review) and development of editorial content by an Editorial Board selected by leadership from the Epidemiology Program to ensure reports and other content addresses public health priorities as identified by VA leadership and the Veterans we serve. oProvide formal education and training of public health professionals and clinicians through academic membership organizations such as the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) or Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). oHave an established relationship with a leader in U.S. public health, such as the Office of the Surgeon General or U.S. Public Health Service to ensure recognition and support from these groups. oPublish peer-reviewed journals and supplements routinely on a broad array of public health and surveillance topics including public health practice, research, and viewpoints/commentaries. oHave the capability to accept manuscripts electronically, evaluate manuscripts through peer-review, and provide editorial and production oversight. oFollow the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines for authorship and contribution. oAbility to publish supplement in accordance with pre-established timeline. We request a sole source award be provided to Public Health Reports to support publication of a supplement issue dedicated to the topic of health following active duty military service. We believe a sole source contract is justified given Public Health Report's long history of supporting dissemination efforts for federal agencies, association with the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General and relationship with Association of Schools of Public Health. This relationship facilitates the training and education of public health practitioners and students of public health. Based on these criteria, Public Health Reports is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of the Office of Public Health, VA clinical and public health practitioners and the Veterans we serve.