SOURCES SOUGHT
U -- Assistance in use of National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) Data
- Notice Date
- 11/4/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 561110
— Office Administrative Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Division of Acquisition Management, Parklawn Building Room 5-101 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857
- ZIP Code
- 20857
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-100-97-0034
- Response Due
- 12/21/2004
- Archive Date
- 1/5/2005
- Description
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center (PSC), SAS, Division of Acquisition Management intends to negotiate on a sole-source basis with Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to provide assistance to researchers who wish to use National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) data for secondary analysis. RTI is conducting the NSCAW on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) under Contract Number 100-97-0034. The PSC intends to modify this contract to add the additional services. The statutory authority for conducting this requirement without full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. A major goal of NSCAW always has been to provide a resource to the child welfare research community by making the data sets available for analysis by researchers representing different disciplines and perspectives. Although the original contract called for archiving data for use by the research community, the challenges that have been presented to end-users by the complexity of the data sets that ultimately were produced were unanticipated. The structure of the data, as well as the advent of new analytic techniques, necessitates more user support than originally specified. As users have begun to access the data, it has become evident that much more training and technical assistance to the users will be necessary to enable them to use the data appropriately. ACF intends to extend the amount and type of technical assistance that can be provided to users. The extended assistance will include two on-site workshops for in-depth training of new data users in the use and analyses of NSCAW data sets; development of multi-media users? tools that would provide new and on-going users with independent, self-guided learning activities and assist with manipulating the NSCAW data sets; direct technical assistance to address user questions and to assist with data analysis; assistance to users in the merging of the NSCAW data with other data sets where restricted release guidelines prohibit the secondary user from performing these merges on their own; assistance with costs associated with unannounced, on-site inspections to monitor data security procedures that are required of secondary users, and thereby reduce the cost of data licenses to those users. Necessary skills and qualifications to provide the required services include in-depth knowledge of NSCAW data sets, including the structure of all interviews at all data collection points, the availability of each variable within each interview, the statistical properties of measures used, and the methodology and rationale for the creation of existing constructed variables. RTI is uniquely qualified to accomplish this work, and the PSC does not believe that there are other potential organizations that possess the skills and resources to perform the tasks that are required for the following reasons: 1) Providing technical assistance and training on the use of NSCAW data sets requires extensive knowledge about the complex design decisions that affected the statistical weights that are needed for data analysis. RTI developed the weighting procedures for the NSCAW and are experts on the use of these weights in data analysis. Due to the substantial weight variation associated with data, proper use of the weights is essential for valid statistical inferences. In addition, when to use which weight and how to use them are areas that current NSCAW analysts find very challenging when working with these data, and knowledge of the statistical aspects of the survey and how the sample was designed and weights constructed is essential for knowing which weights to use for which analyses. 2) The length of time it would take for new statisticians to learn the details and implications of the weighting procedures would result in unacceptable delays in accomplishing the work. The NSCAW data set consists of thousands of variables, which are embedded in four different interview/questionnaire sets that differ across four waves of data collection. In addition, the data available for each interview/questionnaire set differs according to the age of the child, the setting in which the child lives, and the types of services that are provided to the child and family. 3) In-depth knowledge of the structure of the data sets, the rules that governed which items were administered for which subjects and at which time points, and the procedures that were used to construct the variables is necessary for providing training and technical assistance to others. Since the data have not been available to entities other than RTI until recently, it is not possible for other organizations to have acquired the in-depth knowledge needed to provide training to others on an array of potential topics. RTI staff has acquired this knowledge through a long-term process of actually developing the interviews and variables that now are available. Although written documentation of these procedures has been provided as part of the current contract, our recent experience with hands-on training of data users convinces us that the acquisition of this knowledge by new data users is a time-consuming process, and it is unlikely that new entities could develop this knowledge in time to be of use to the field. Again, unacceptable delays would result from having a new organization attempt to learn the amount of material that is necessary to accomplish the goals. Since the NSCAW data sets represent a snapshot in time for children who are in a rapidly changing system, the data sets become increasingly less useful for informing policy and practice as time goes on. 4) Only RTI possesses all of the skills and abilities that would allow for timely implementation of the required tasks. Vendors who are interested in this acquisition must demonstrate in writing their capability to satisfy the Government?s requirements within 45 days from the date of publication of this notice. Responses must include a written narrative statement of capability, including detailed technical information and other technical literature demonstrating the ability to satisfy the stated requirements. Failure to submit adequate documentation will result in the Government proceeding with a modification of the existing contract with RTI. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. No solicitation is available; therefore, requests for such a document will be considered inadequate responses. Responses must be submitted in writing to the attention of Anthony Webb at the above address by mail or via E-mail at awebb@psc.gov. See Numbered Note 22.
- Record
- SN00703813-W 20041106/041104211836 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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