R -- Interdisciplinary Research

In accordance with FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition procedures, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to procure a technical expert that would work with the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) to develop programs and initiatives involving interdisciplinary collaborative research across the full range of disciplines and stakeholders necessary to fully elucidate the complex determinants of health and health systems challenges. The period of performance is from the date of award to September 29, 2008 with one option year from September 30, 2008 to September 29, 2009. The place of performance will include NIH and offsite (including contractor facility). Background: OBSSR furthers the mission of NIH by emphasizing the critical role that behavioral and social factors play in health, health care and well-being. OBSSR serves as the focal point for coordination and development of NIH policies, goals, and objectives in the behavioral and social sciences at NIH. OBSSR is also a liaison between the NIH intramural and extramural communities, other Federal agencies, academic and scientific societies, national voluntary health agencies, the biomedical research community, the media, and the general public on matters pertaining to behavioral and social sciences research. Based on its Strategic Prospectus, OBSSR?s vision is to bring together the biomedical, behavioral, and social science communities to work more collaboratively to solve the pressing health challenges facing our nation. OBSSR?s plan includes facilitating: (a) the next generation of basic behavioral and social science research; (b) transdisciplinary ?team science? that integrates biomedical, behavioral and social-ecological perspectives; (c) research that integrates the systems and multiple levels of analysis ? from cells to society ? required to understand and model how individual, group, societal and contextual factors interact; and (d) the translation, implementation, dissemination and maintenance of best practices to strengthen the science of dissemination, put what is known into widespread practice, reduce the burden of chronic disease and help eliminate inequities in health and health care. Project Objectives: The objective of this project is to develop an implementation plan for the OBSSR Strategic Prospectus. Specifically, this contract is intended to procure a technical expert that would work with OBSSR to develop programs and initiatives involving interdisciplinary collaborative research across the full range of disciplines and stakeholders necessary to fully elucidate the complex determinants of health and health systems challenges. Such collaborations will yield new conceptual frameworks, methods, measures, and technologies that will speed the improvement of population health. Scope of Work: Despite the growing enthusiasm for interdisciplinary approaches and recent models of success, broad acceptance of interdisciplinary research remains a goal for the future. In consultation with the Project Officer, OBSSR?s Director and Staff, the Contractor shall develop programs and initiatives to facilitate an interdisciplinary, team-based approach to population health research by fostering collaborations among the broad base of stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, employers, practitioners, patients, and the general public) needed to ensure the implementation and adoption of scientific findings. The contractor shall participate in planning and advising on implementation of the key issues and foci of the Strategic Prospectus involving interdisciplinary research. Specifically, the Contractor shall develop a detailed implementation plan in consultation with the Project Officer to achieve each of the following seven key OBSSR goals: 1. Engage the scientific community through a variety of modalities such as symposia, working groups, and ad hoc committees to identify research areas that can be effectively investigated using interdisciplinary approaches. 2. Encourage and support the identification of and the development of funding opportunity announcements and Requests for Proposals to address the areas identified for interdisciplinary study. 3. Provide education and training activities to facilitate interdisciplinary research among biomedical, behavioral, and social science researchers and practitioners. Strive for appropriate representation of scientific disciplines across the natural sciences (e.g., psychology, biology), mathematics and computer science, social sciences (e.g., anthropology, economics, communications, political science, public health), and applied sciences beyond traditional health-related fields (e.g., business, education, engineering). 4. Identify, document, and share with key audiences studies that demonstrate the value of integrating social and behavioral science perspectives, constructs, and measures in health research. 5. Develop metrics and methods needed to demonstrate the economic benefits and public health impacts of rigorous, integrated biopsychosocial health research. 6. Collaborate in the development of curricula, modules, and materials to train behavioral, social, and biomedical scientists to design and conduct interdisciplinary research. 7. Strengthen the behavioral and social sciences research methods and analyses to support interdisciplinary biopsychosocial health research. Increase the degree to which behavioral and social scientists have the capacity to help fulfill the Office?s mandate and the NIH mission. All objectives should meet the SMART criteria (i.e., Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed). ? Specific ? Be precise about what OBSSR is going to achieve in the area of problem based research. ? Measurable ? Quantify the objectives. ? Achievable ? Is OBSSR attempting too much? ? Realistic ? Does OBSSR have the resources to achieve the objective? ? Timed ? State when OBSSR will achieve the objective? The expected tasks to be completed during the period of performance are as follows: 1) Convene a series of face-to-face meetings with the Project Officer, OBSSR?s Director and Staff members to consider and refine the seven goals listed above 2) Using the information gathered in task 1, develop an implementation plan based on the prioritized and refined goals with specific objectives and performance indicators of progress and success 3) Prepare the draft strategic implementation plan for the refined goals. 4) Circulate the draft plan to stakeholders and NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Coordinating Committee for review and comments 5) Revise the plan based on the comments received 6) Finalize the plan for publication The Contractor shall assist in developing an evaluation plan and indicators for the implementation of the strategic priorities and specific objectives. The Assessment Plan is critical to the ongoing progress and success of the Office?s efforts. The Contractor shall develop indicators of progress and success. The contractor shall ensure that ongoing progress assessments will be easy to conduct and supportive of the Office?s efforts. The assessment approach will yield simple reports of progress over time, and indicate where success is indicated. The progress assessment will serve not only to enable the internal OBSSR group to track progress, but also will point to communications opportunities with Institutes and Centers, external research and program partners, and other key supporters. Technical Evaluation Criteria: In determining which quote represents the best value and results in the lowest overall cost alternative (considering price, special features, administrative costs, etc.) to meet the Government?s needs, the Government shall evaluate quotes using the following technical evaluation criteria, which are listed in the order of relative importance with weights assigned for evaluation purposes: 1. Understanding the Requirements/Technical Approach (40 Points) Expert knowledge of the quality, innovativeness, and clarity of the methodological approaches involved in the development and implementation of a strategic and implementation plan. Timeliness of approach to get the information necessary to develop the implementation plan. Understanding of the Government?s intent for this procurement and the feasibility of approach to address its overall goals. Specific knowledge and experience with the content of the OBSSR Strategic Prospectus of June 2006. Evidence of the ability to access and collect data from targeted groups (NIH staff, behavioral and social science stakeholders, academicians, policy makers and others) within the specified time frame. Soundness of approach to incorporate Government input on the project. 2. Personnel/Staff Qualifications (40 Points) Qualifications, experience and availability of all proposed personnel, including any consultants and/or subcontractors, and evidence of substantial knowledge of the relevant literature (specifically, the literature on interdisciplinary ?team science? and its process, program development and outcome evaluations ) substantial experience in the diverse range of skills required for this project: behavioral and social sciences research; consulting experience in the identification, development, and evaluations of interdisciplinary scientific problem areas, the establishment and selection of members of interdisciplinary teams, the qualities of successful interdisciplinary teams and their leaders. Program evaluation expertise and methodology development, data analysis and synthesis, content analysis techniques, interview and focus group techniques, , management of complex research projects, management of NIH or other Federally-funded grant and contract programs, writing and communication, and conducting meetings. Specific knowledge and experience with the content of OBSSR?s Strategic Prospectus of June 2006. Augmentation of staff with appropriate consultants, and/or subcontractors, as necessary, and their documented expertise and commitment to the project. Evidence that proposed team can accomplish tasks in specified timeframe. 3. Organizational Capabilities, Experience and Commitment; Facilities and Resources (20 Points) Evidence of corporate consulting capability to organize and manage resources and personnel effectively. Evidence of corporate experience and success in consulting on interdisciplinary science, management of other projects comparable to the size and scope of this procurement. For any subcontractor(s) proposed, effectiveness and timeliness of management plan in specifying responsibilities allocated to each organization and how these entities shall interact. Adequacy of mechanisms in place to hire technically qualified staff on a quick turnaround basis, as needed, and to ensure that personnel assigned to a project are retained during the entire project. Corporate commitment to quality of product and deployment of necessary resources to meet the project requirements. All interested parties should respond to Sally Boakye via email at boakyes@mail.nih.gov by January 26, 2007. Please reference pre-solicitation number 07-056/SB on all correspondence to this notice. Inquiries regarding this notice may be sent to Sally Boakye at boakyes@mail.nih.gov .