Updated Cancer Incidence Data in the Atomic-Bomb Survivors

Type of Notice: 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: The mission of the Radiation Epidemiology Branch (REB), Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program (EBP), Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), National Cancer Institute (NCI) is to plan and conduct studies on cancer risk associated with exposure to radiation. In support of this mission, REB collects and analyzes cancer risk data in the long-term follow up of cohorts of Japanese atomic-bomb survivors and their children. Purpose and Objectives: The purpose of this acquisition is to acquire updated cancer incidence and epidemiological data from long-standing cohort studies of atomic bomb survivors conducted in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The Contractor shall provide updated data on cancer incidence, radiation dose, and other factors among members of the Life Span Study (LSS) and other cohorts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki for radiation risk assessment conducted by REB investigators. Project Requirements: The Contractor shall construct updated data sets that will enable the REB investigators to conduct statistical and epidemiological analyses focusing on four major cancer sites/purposes, including skin cancer, second primary cancers, prostate cancer/Prostate-Specific-Antigen (PSA) measurement, and lymphoid malignancies/leukemia. In assembling the dataset required by the Statement of Work, the Contractor shall update LSS-cohort cancer incidence data, using various data resources in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and throughout Japan; these include the nation-wide family registry for ascertainment of vital status of cohort members, access to death certification for mortality information, tumor and tissue registries in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The cohort is also linked with sources of information, including the latest version of organ-specific atomic-bomb radiation dose estimates, a large number of mail surveys previously conducted in the cohort in the past decades for information on smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary habits and other lifestyle factors, female reproductive history data, medical history, etc., the Adult Health subset of the LSS for clinical data available from biennial health examination data. As part of the data preparation, the Contractor shall work closely with NCI-investigators to develop and document the methods and procedures to be used for organizing data to be suitable for planned statistical/epidemiological analyses. The Contractor shall provide to NCI analytical datasets as required in the Contract in accordance with the timeline required in the Contract. The Contractor shall also be responsible for periodic reporting on planned work. See the attached statement of work for a detailed description of the tasks to be performed for this acquisition. Anticipated Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance for this requirement is one year, with one twelve-month option period and potentially one additional twelve-month option period. Capability Statement/Information Sought: We encourage all responsible small business sources to submit a capability statement which will be considered by NCI. Organizations that submit capability statements in response to this notice shall clearly document the capability to accomplish the following: 1. Documented access to this unique LSS cohort population consisting of survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This includes having ownership and a controlling interest in all existing information on this cohort of atomic bomb survivors in Japan. 2. Documented ability to obtain the necessary IRB approvals for the studies related to the LSS cohort. 3. Documented infrastructure and training to ascertain cancer cases among members of the LSS cohort. 4. Documented ability and experience in conducting nation-wide mortality follow-up through the Japanese family registry system, linkage to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tumor registries, and clinical follow-up by biennial health examinations. Interested qualified organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed 20 pages (12-point font minimum), including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc., that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above. Capability statements should also include an outline of previous or similar projects performed. All responses must include an indication of current certified small business status, and clearly marked on the first page of the capability statement, as well as the eligible small business concern's name, point of contact, address, and DUNS number. Information Submission Instructions: All capability statements sent in response to Sources Sought notice must be received electronically (via email) by Gary Debes, Contract Specialist at gary.debes@nih.gov, and Rosa Lopez, Contracting Officer at rosa.lopez@nih.gov in either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) by January 21, 2019 04:30 PM, Eastern Time. All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. 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).