Real-Time Monitoring of the Demonstration and Sentinel Surveillance System of Personal Protective Equipment Usage by Healthcare Workers in the U.S.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), Surveillance, Communication and Scientific Support, hereby announces its intent to issue a purchase order to The Vanderbilt University of Nashville, TN for Real-Time Monitoring of the Demonstration and Sentinel Surveillance System of Personal Protective Equipment Usage of Healthcare Workers in the U.S.. Background: The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) is a division of NIOSH within CDC that has as its mission: to prevent work-related injury, illness, and death by advancing the state of knowledge and application of personal protective technologies (PPT). The Laboratory is responsible for (1) conducting work site surveillance of hazards for which PPT and personal protective equipment (PPE) are used, and studying patterns of PPT use; (2) conducting a variety of laboratory and field research related to the development and evaluation of innovative PPT and equipment; (3) researching and developing criteria, standards and guidelines related to PPT performance, quality, reliability and efficacy; (4) directing and performing the NIOSH respirator approval program and related laboratory, field, quality, and records activities; (5) producing and disseminating research findings, technical information, training materials, performance criteria, and recommendations for using PPE to improve protection of workers; and (6) developing, studying and assessing the effectiveness of communications and training approaches and technologies relating to PPT. Real time monitoring of the demonstration and sentinel surveillance project is necessary to collect the metrics from the Vanderbilt data systems, to ascertain the capacity and feasibility of transferring occupational respirator-related data to a data collection system at NIOSH. It will collect the data fields needed to populate the system, create data collection tool, collect 6 months of data from Vanderbilt, prepare a dashboard display of the results and provide a written report of the successes and the difficulties. This project will serve as a pilot of a system that could be scaled up to include additional hospitals in future projects. It will identify, describe, and evaluate surveillance systems utilized in a medical center setting to track activities, resources, and outcomes related to PPE that would complement other infection control measures and be utilized to control nosocomial transmissions of infectious diseases during an influenza pandemic, bioterrorism attack, or other disasters (natural or man-made). The contract will be focused on the core NPPTL responsibilities that focus on workers who rely on PPE and technologies in the Health Care and Social Assistance (HCSA) sector (specifically health care subsectors including ambulatory services, hospitals, and residential care facilities). Under an existing contract, we have partnered with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, TN to develop the data points of PPE usage at VUMC. Under this proposed contract, VUMC will conduct a real-time monitoring of the established PPE surveillance system and build upon the work already completed to conduct real-time monitoring. The VUMC built the original system and have access to the data points. The team is a high-energy, very experienced group of professionals determined to provide quality, value-added services to NIOSH. In addition, VUMC has established a very efficient and reputable system to build upon rather than for NIOSH to start from scratch with another vendor. Tasks: The Contractor will develop a resource-loaded milestone chart that is formatted to reflect the activities required to complete each identified task. Each task will include a budget, itemized by labor category, hours and dollars, and duration of activity. This chart will allow the Project Officer to evaluate the appropriateness of each budgeted cost activity. These activities will then form the basis for the monthly progress report. Each activity should be uniquely enumerated and named, and these names and numbers will be addressed in the monthly progress report to determine completion percentage, anticipated remaining effort, and cost at completion. All materials submitted by the Contractor to NIOSH (e.g., questionnaire, sampling methodology, reports) will be subject to the review and approval of the Project Officer and other key NIOSH personnel involved in this project. Within two weeks of the receipt of materials from the Contractor, NIOSH will complete the review and return edits/comments to the Contractor. The Contractor will then have two weeks to submit a final version that incorporates NIOSH edits and comments. A telephone meeting between NIOSH and the Contractor will take place every two weeks to report on progress, issues, and the resolution of issues. Responsible sources that believe they possess the expertise and capabilities identified above are encouraged to submit to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the posting date of this notice, their written item description/item characteristics and pricing information in the format they choose, not to exceed 10 pages. Please forward the item description and pricing information to Margaret L. Mooney, CDC NIOSH, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, Reference 2012-Q-14690. All vendors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) prior to an award of a federal contract. The website is: www.ccr.gov. The Government will review any/all item descriptions and pricing information submitted and determine if other qualified sources do exist that could provide this requirement. Information received in response will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. If no affirmative responses are received within 15 days, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), negotiations will be conducted with The Vanderbilt University, 110 21st Avenue S, Suite 937, Nashville, TN 37203 as the only source and a purchase order will be issued without any additional notices being posted.