Recruitment and Screening for the Insight into the Determination of

Sources Sought Notice RFP Number: HHS-NIH-NIDA(AG)-SBSS-09-008 This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. BACKGROUND: Longevity combined with good health and functioning at the end of life is the goal of most individuals. Finding ways of promoting this condition is an important goal of National Institute on Aging (NIA). Although research has been done on the correlates of long life and functional decline, we still know relatively little about why certain individuals live in excellent health into their 80's while others fail much sooner. In other words, how factors related to physiology and pathology affect longevity and healthy aging is not clear. It may be hypothesized that in older persons who escape diseases and disability, homeostatic mechanisms (integrity of anti-oxidant mechanisms, low level of oxidative damage to macromolecules, low inflammation, unimpaired autonomic reflexes, normal hormone levels etc.) should be relatively intact, with little accumulated damage. Understanding these mechanisms may open new opportunities of disability prevention. To accomplish this goal, NIA intends to include in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (BLSA), its longest study on aging, 500 new participants older than 80 years and in very good health and functional status. This new extension of the BLSA has been named the "Insight into the Determination of Exceptional Aging and Longevity" or IDEAL study. Including these new individuals, the BLSA will be able to utilize fully the extensive set of measures that have been recently introduced in the study for pursuing the original "mission" of the BLSA which is the study of healthy aging, independent of the effect of disease. The NIA plans to enroll in the BLSA individuals who have already reached the goal of healthy longevity (IDEAL cohort) and to compare them with current BLSA participants who were no longer healthy or fully functional when they reached the age of 80 years old. As it is customary in the BLSA, we plan to follow this IDEAL cohort for life with yearly visits. The principal aim of this study is to identify factors and characteristics that distinguish individuals eligible for the IDEAL cohort from those who are not. In the current BLSA, an extraordinarily wide range of information is collected on biomarkers, physiological measures, behavioral and environmental risk factors and functional and disease-related outcomes. The NIA plans to collect the same information in the newly enrolled IDEAL cohort and to compare the two groups (IDEAL cohort and the BLSA) to identify factors that discriminate between those individuals who age successfully and those who do not. The second aim is to identify physiological, environmental and behavioral characteristics that are risk factors for "losing the healthy aging condition" over several years or longer. The NIA suggests that the mechanisms of extreme longevity are probably different from those associated with delay or escape from disease and disability. It can be conservatively estimated that approximately 1% of individuals 80 years or older in the population are eligible for the IDEAL study. The catchment area identified for the BLSA IDEAL project is 150 miles around Baltimore. This is a highly populated area, with more than 8 million people living in the Baltimore-Washington area and approximately another 7 million people living in the rest of the large catchments area. Since the percentage of those 80+ in the population is approximately 4.0%, there are approximately 600,000 80+ individuals, and it can be estimated that 6,000 of them would be eligible for the IDEAL Study. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: This contract provides for the recruitment and screening of individuals for eligibility for the IDEAL Study from the Baltimore-Washington area (in a catchment area of 150 miles around Baltimore, Maryland). Eligible individuals will be considered those 80 years or older who meet the current BLSA inclusion criteria for healthy aging. The contract provides advertising and recruitment strategies aimed at reaching the most individuals possible in order to meet enrollment goals. In addition, the contract shall provide two stages of screening of potential participants. The first stage shall be a telephone interview and the second stage shall consist of in person visits with all individuals who meet the screening criteria in Stage One. The Contractor shall develop, maintain and release to the NIA, a database of information collected from screened individuals. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall design and implement a recruitment plan that includes multiple, parallel strategies on order to successfully reach potential participants for the IDEAL Study, with particular attention to the recruitment of minorities. The recruitment efforts shall include: a) Development of a dedicated website containing information on the BLSA and the IDEAL Study; b) Articles written and placed in local and non-local newspapers and magazines, selecting those most likely to reach older individuals who are likely to qualify for the IDEAL Study; c) Develop and run advertisements on local radio stations that broadcast in the catchment area; d) Develop and run advertisements on television stations that broadcast in the catchment area; and, e) Develop pamphlets and brochures for distribution to organizations who have contact with many older individuals who are likely to qualify for the IDEAL Study. The Contractor shall conduct screening in two stages. Stage One shall consist of a telephone interview conducted on all interested individuals 80 years or older recruited. Stage Two screening shall be conducted on all individuals who meet the screening criteria in Stage One. This screening shall consist of in person visits performed either at the homes of potential participants or in an assessment facility established by the Contractor. The Contractor shall conduct a physical exam, a medical history, simple cognitive evaluations, an electrocardiogram (EKG), the administration of physical performance tests, as well as certain blood tests. In addition, the Contractor shall obtain the individuals' consent for participation in the BLSA. The Contractor shall meet a minimum enrollment of 100 participants per year enrolled into the BLSA who are eligible for the IDEAL Study. A database of all information collected from all potential participants screened in both stages shall be developed by the Contractor. A System of Records shall be maintained for this contract in accordance with the Privacy Act. The Contractor shall establish and maintain appropriate information system security measures to protect NIH information and information systems; ensure that all web content or communications conforms to applicable Section 508 standards (see: http://www.hhs.gov/od/Final_Section_508_Policy.html and http://www.hhs.gov/od/508policy/index.html ). The Contractor shall develop and implement standards and procedures for the entry and quality control of all data, ensuring that all data are accurate, complete and entered into the database in a timely fashion. Contractor personnel shall be trained as necessary to ensure a high quality of data collected and entered. REPORTS AND DELIVERABLES: The following reports will be required: Project Plan, Manual of Operations, Interview Guide, Monthly Technical Progress Report, Annual Technical Progress Report, and Final Report. ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The anticipated period of performance is five (5) years from 04/01/10 through 03/31/15. OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541712 with a size standard of 500 employees is being contemplated. CAPABILITY STATEMENT/INFORMATION SOUGHT: Respondents to this notice must provide, as part of their responses, a capability statement to include the following: (1) information regarding the respondents' (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and, (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information; (2) respondents' DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code; and, (4) any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the OPDIV's acquisition requirement. INFORMATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Respondents should provide responses accordingly: (1) submit information both electronically and by mail. No telephone or facsimile responses will be accepted; (2) format capability statements using Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF including attachments, resumes, charts, etc. Use single space, 12 font minimum and 8 - x 11 size paper; (3) organize material in such a manner that clearly identifies and address capability requirements and provide an executive summary; (4) capability statement should not exceed ten (10) single sided pages including references; (5) respondents must send two original copies via mail and one electronic copy via email; (6) responses should be received no later than May 21, 2009 at 2:00 PM Local Time; (7) include respondents' technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses; and (8) send responses to this notice via email to russelldr@mail.nih.gov. The original statements mailed using the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to ATTN: Drake Russell, National Institutes of Health, Office of Acquisitions - NIDA Neuroscience COAC, NIA R&D Contracts Management Section, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8154, MSC 9661, Bethesda, MD 20892-9661. If using a courier service such as the UPS, Federal Express, etc., change the City, State and Zip Code to Rockville, MD 20852. (Please be aware that the U.S. Postal Service's "Express Mail" DOES NOT deliver to the Rockville, Maryland address.) DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. CONFIDENTIALITY. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s)."