R -- Sole Source: SRCD Executive Branch Policy Fellow

Background and Objectives: In accordance with FAR Part 13, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) intends to procure professional services on a sole source basis from the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Executive Branch Policy Fellowship in Child Development Program. The SRCD Executive Branch Policy Fellowship program is designed to provide greater interaction between the developmental research community and federal research programs and policies. Following a two-week science policy orientation program at American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Fellows work as resident scholars in a federal agency that sponsors developmental research, providing advice and guidance to programs, and working in partnership with research teams within the federal government. The period of performance shall be from March 1, 2007 thru August 31, 2007 with one additional one-year option period. Scope of Work: The contractor will provide the OBSSR with an SRCD Executive Branch Policy Fellow (Fellow) to perform the following tasks: ? Assist the Director and OBSSR staff in (1) the process of establishing directions for social and behavioral sciences research at the National Institutes of Health and (2) also assist in the scientific planning in a wide range of behavioral and social sciences topics while gaining an understanding of the role of science administrators in the scientific process. ? In collaboration with OBSSR and NICHD colleagues, plan a conference/workshop on the evaluation of early childhood interventions. A focus of the conference/workshop will be the methods for measuring child parent interactions. ? Assist OBSSR and NICHD colleagues in implementing the Workplace Workforce Mismatch Initiative. Specifically, assist in planning the 2nd conference, which will examine current workplace policies and programs, state and federal laws and policies pertaining to work, and employees? notions about workplace policies and programs. ? Serve as the OBSSR Representative to the National Children?s Study. This task involves attending the regular planning meetings and monitoring the role of behavioral and social sciences research in the design of the study. Provide staff support as assigned to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on cataloguing the available instruments to measure experience of racism to support the efforts of this study. ? Serve as the OBSSR liaison person to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Attend the NICHD Advisory Council Meeting and report to the OBSSR on current and proposed initiatives relevant to behavioral and social sciences research. ? In collaboration with OBSSR staff, NICHD, NHLBI, and other NIH ICs, and the CDC, plan a workshop on how to untangle the role of occupation from other common socioeconomic determinants in the social variation in most health outcomes in the US population. ? Serve as OBSSR Representative to the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. This is a Department of Education study that has NIH support. The Fellow will coordinate the review of applications for a training session on the use of this database. The Fellow also attends regular planning meetings and reports to OBSSR. ? Serve as OBSSR Representative to the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Coordinating Committee. The Fellow attends meetings and prepares reports on OBSSR activities in this area. ? The Fellow will be responsible to perform other duties as assigned to help meet the pressing needs of the office on a day-to-day basis. Sole Source Justification: The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) is the only organization that can provide an SRCD Executive Branch Policy Fellow on March 1, 2007 as required by OBSSR. The SRCD has identified Dr. Dara Blachman as a candidate who is willing and qualified to perform the tasks identified above. Contractor Qualifications: The SRCD was founded in 1933 to advance research in child development, to foster an interdisciplinary consideration of substantive and methodological problems in the field of child development, and to encourage applications of research findings. The Society publishes two journals, a newsletter, a membership directory, and a social policy report; holds biennial meetings in March or April of odd-numbered years; sponsors conferences; and supports a Washington, DC-based policy and communications office. Its membership of more than 5,600 is representative of the various disciplines and professions that contribute to knowledge of child development. Under the guidance of the Committee on Policy and Communications, the Society helps to bring the results of research to bear on the formulation of policy affecting children and families. One way this is done is through the Society for Research in Child Development Policy Fellowships. Since 1978, SRCD has recruited and facilitated the placement of more than 60 AAAS congressional and (since 1991) executive branch fellows. The goals of these fellowships are to contribute to the effective use of scientific knowledge in developing public policy, to educate the scientific community about the development of public policy, and to establish a more effective liaison between scientists and the federal policy-making mechanisms. Evaluation Criteria: The technical proposal will receive paramount consideration over price or cost factors. The evaluation will be based, in addition to price, on a written quotation detailing the demonstrated capabilities of the prospective vendor in relation to the needs of the project as set forth in the Statement of Work. Offerors must submit information sufficient to allow NIH to evaluate the following criteria for award. Criterion A: (50 points) - Vendor must have at least 15 years experience in the area of child development and executive branch policy, as well as an in-depth understanding of the role played by social and behavioral sciences research within the NIH mission. Vendor must be experienced in placing research and policy fellows within the executive branch (specifically NIH). Criterion B: (50 points) - Vendor must have an executive branch fellow with a Ph.D. in psychology from a highly rated academic program. The fellow must also have extensive experience in psychology, child development policy, and the behavioral and social sciences. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all responses received by 4PM EST on February 23, 2007 will be considered by NLM. The quoter shall include all information, which documents and/or supports the qualification criteria in one clearly marked section of its quotation. The contractor shall comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, executive orders, rules and regulations applicable to its performance under this order. NLM Synopsis No. 07-072SB shall be noted on all correspondence to this announcement. Inquiries regarding this procurment may be sent electronically to Sally Boakye, boakyes@mail.nih.gov .