R--Research Support Services

The Veteran's Administration Office of Research and Development, Program Contracting Office - East in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, intends to negotiate a Sole Source basis with the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, to award a Firm Fixed Price Contract, for the services of two Research Assistants as described in the attached Sole Source Justification and Statement of Work. The sole source is pursuant to FAR 6.302-3 (a) (2) (ii) - Full and Open Competition need not be provided for when it is necessary to award the contract to a particular source or sources in order to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center. Estimated Contract Price; $90,875.00 This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive proposals, however; any responsible source, who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement, may submit a capability statement to the Contracting Office no later than 4:00PM on 08/25/2014. Interest/capability statements may be sent to contact@example.gov. No telephone responses will be accepted. Information received will be for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a competitive procurement. The determination to conduct a competitive procurement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541720 and the Small Business Size Standard is 500 employees.? DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Justification and Approval For Other Than Full and Open Competition Identification Number: Purchase Request 646-14-4-4472-0112 1. Contracting Activity: VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Contracting Office (90C-A) 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, Pa. 15215 2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: The Office of Research Service, Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), is requesting approval to establish a sole source contract with the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System's Affiliate - the University of Pittsburgh, for research and development services. This request is pursuant to FAR Subpart 6.302-5 Authorized or required by statute. The statute which authorizes this request is 38 U.S.C. 8153(research with affiliates). The anticipated contract will be a firm fixed service contract for a period of one (1) year. The period of performance will be August 1, 2014-July 31, 2015. Estimated Total Value - $90,875 3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency's Needs: The anticipated contract is to acquire specialized research and development medical services through the department of Bioengineering that will include individuals all have a background and/or experience in research fields related to Rehabilitation Engineering and/or Assistive Technology including but not limited to working with/in wheelchairs, prosthetics, and in clinical rehabilitation settings. Research Associates need to have a degree in a Rehabilitation-related field such as Rehabilitation Science/Engineering, Kinesiology, Biomechanics, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, Physical or Occupational Therapy, or Medicine that has allowed them to participate in research related activities. The individuals will need to have a working knowledge of human research activities such as protocol development (including programming/prototype design/clinical activity development); institutional review board (IRB) requirements and processing; subject recruitment; data collection, management and analysis. Additionally the RA will need to have experience with research publications, presentation, posters and dissemination of research findings in both academic and community areas. Additional areas of expertise that may be required are biomaterial applications and electrical design related to assistive technology; engineering based software knowledge with programs like SolidWorks, MatLab, FeatureCAM, SolidCAM, and Altium Designer; and statistical packages such as SPSS and SAS. 4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition: In accordance to FAR Subpart 6.302-5, the proposed acquisition strategy is consistent with legal precedence for sole sourcing research related affiliate contracts in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 8153. 38 U.S.C. 8153(a)(3)(a) states, if the health-care resource required is a commercial service, the use of medical equipment or space, or research, and is to be acquired from an institution affiliated with the Department in accordance with section 7302 of this title, including medical practice groups and other entities associated with affiliated institutions, blood banks, organ banks, or research centers, the Secretary may make arrangements for acquisition of the resource without regard to any law or regulation (including any Executive order, circular, or other administrative policy) that would otherwise require the use of competitive procedures for acquiring the resource. 5. Demonstration that the Contractor's Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority: The Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), VA Center of Excellence on Wheelchairs and Associated Rehabilitation Engineering (WARE) is the only center of its kind in the United States. HERL is collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of Pittsburgh. Minimum Requirements would be specific education, training, and work experience in the fields of Rehabilitation Engineering, Assistive Technology, and/or Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Individuals all have a background and/or experience in research fields related to Rehabilitation Engineering and/or Assistive Technology including but not limited to working with/in wheelchairs, prosthetics, and in clinical rehabilitation settings. Research Associates need to have a degree in a Rehabilitation-related field such as Rehabilitation Science/Engineering, Kinesiology, Biomechanics, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, Physical or Occupational Therapy, or Medicine that has allowed them to participate in research related activities. The individuals will need to have a working knowledge of human research activities such as protocol development (including programming/prototype design/clinical activity development); institutional review board (IRB) requirements and processing; subject recruitment; data collection, management and analysis. Additionally the RA will need to have experience with research publications, presentation, posters and dissemination of research findings in both academic and community areas. Additional areas of expertise that may be required are biomaterial applications and electrical design related to assistive technology; engineering based software knowledge with programs like SolidWorks, MatLab, FeatureCAM, SolidCAM, and Altium Designer; and statistical packages such as SPSS and SAS. The proprietary data is part of a collaborative research effort between the VA WARE VA Center of Excellence and the Pitt Human Engineering Research Laboratories. Any developments must be reported according to VA's Office of Technology Transfer and the University of Pittsburgh's Office of Technology Management. The material/service must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit and function) with existing systems presently installed/performing. Describe the equipment/function you have now and how the new item/service must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system. One individual has met all VA training requirements and is currently working on the noted. To replace the individual would cause extensive delays and jeopardize successful outcomes for the projects. This individual is already part of the program and we ideally want to hire the same staff. All research grants are funded on a strict timeline. Particular timelines are dictated by grant start and end dates, fiscal years, and additional deadlines set within institutions. If deadlines are missed and research results delayed; future research projects will be delayed or halted all together. Not meeting specific timelines and goals within the grant protocol can also cause an agency to pull funding. This can eventually have a negative and direct impact on the WARE Center and all Veterans and individuals who use wheelchairs and assistive technology. 6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable: Our Research lab is a collaborative effort and the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology is the only rehab science department of its kind in the United States which can provide the background, training, and experience related to the work conducted by the VA WARE Center of Excellence. FAR 6.302(a)(2)(i) Full and open competition need not be provided for when a statute expressly authorizes or requires that the acquisition that the acquisition be made through another agency or from a specified source. 7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable: The Government is paying for the Vendor's actual costs plus an indirect cost that has already been deemed fair and reasonable by the Division of Cost Allocation (DCA). DCA is a division under Health and Human Services which processes universities' proposals and negotiates an indirect rate through the guidance in OMB Circular A-21. Historical data gathered from VA Contract VA240-C-13-0057 for the same or similar services shows the FTE rate for research associates ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 based upon education and experience. It is anticipated that this will remain constant with the new contract as University of Pittsburgh's rates generally increase approximately 3% per year. The government has historical data from VA244-12-C-0539 as well that shows pricing in this range for same or similar services. The VA also receives a decrease in cost related to salaries. At VAPHS, these individuals would classify no lower than a GS-9 which is $60,459 (including fringes at 25%) full time, significantly more than the contract price for this support. This information was derived from and is contained within the Independent Government Cost Estimate. This contract will have two research associates. 8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted: Market research has been conducted by knowledgeable individuals in the Government. These knowledgeable individuals include the PI assigned to the grant, VAPHS research program office, and the contract officer. Market research has shown that the supplies/services are of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace, but not for varying periods of time. These varying periods of time can be for one month or continue for several years. This can become especially difficult with a time limited grant. The University affiliate allows the VA to hire exceptionally qualified individuals without term limits who can be WOC approved and work within HERL/WARE for the required length of time without breaks due to ending term limits or delays in VA grant funds. This VA contracts allows the VA to maintain these individuals who are invaluable to the successful completion of the VA research due to their extensive expertise and experience related to rehabilitation research. 9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition: There is an urgent and compelling need. 10. Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition: No sources have expressed an interest. 11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required: Given the unique nature of this requirement and the collaborative nature of the research work being conducted, services must continue to be met through the sole source provisions of 38 U.S.C. 8153 and FAR Subpart 6.302-5. 12. Requirements Certification: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide Need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. _____________________________ _6/17/2014_______________ Dana Sinciline Date Administrative Officer HERL/VAPHS 13. Approvals in accordance with FAR 6.304 a. Contracting Officer's Certification (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. _____________________________ ________________________ Elaine DiBucci Date Contract Officer NCO 4 b. NCM/PCM (Required $3K and above): I certify the justification meets requirements for other than full and open competition. _____________________________ ________________________ Herb Byrns Date Deputy Director of Contracting NCO 04 ? STATEMENT OF WORK (VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System and University of Pittsburgh) The Center of Excellence in Wheelchairs and associated Rehabilitation Engineering (WaRE), an RR&D Center of Excellence at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, requires contract services of two Research Assistants from their educational affiliate University of Pittsburgh. The mission of the Center is to continuously improve the mobility and function of people with disabilities through advanced engineering in clinical research and medical rehabilitation. The WaRE Center's primary academic affiliate is University of Pittsburgh. The WaRE Center's application, which is peer-reviewed, is judged partially on the strength of the academic affiliation with University of Pittsburgh and the availability of expertise of the affiliate. Because of the high level of specialized research involved, the WaRE Center requires contracted services with their educational affiliate who has substantive knowledge of Wheelchairs and Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Engineering Research, particularly within VAPHS. The University Of Pittsburgh School Of Engineering offers master's and doctorate level degrees in Biomedical Engineering. The students in this graduate program are being taught the concepts and skills that are specifically required to successfully assist with the WaRE Center's research projects. The Research Assistants (RAs) services from University of Pittsburgh will be utilized to provide timely support to WaRE. These individuals have highly relevant work experience in rehabilitation and or biomedical engineering, human subjects research, and/or computer engineering. This contract for crucial expertise and support in the conduct of wheelchair and associated rehabilitation engineering research; data collection, analysis, and transcription; the development of new software and maintenance of computerized research equipment; and data presentation support that cannot be provided by the medical center is established under the authority of VHA Handbook 1200.2 (Research Business Operations) and contains all essential elements as outlined in VHA Handbook 1200.2 Appendix A (Contract Essential Elements). Principal investigator(s) will provide guidance to the RA's in their efforts aiding research focused on wheelchairs and associated rehabilitation technology, and bring their research findings and approaches developed in the course of study to projects in VA.