SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Consulting Services for Biomedical Nanotechnology
- Notice Date
- 8/3/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Office of Administration, 6011 Executive Blvd, Rm 538, Rockville, MD, 20892-7663
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7663
- Solicitation Number
- 263-06-Q-GV-0186
- Response Due
- 8/17/2006
- Archive Date
- 9/1/2006
- Description
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director (OD) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with The Hastings Center, 255 Elm Road, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510, for professional consulting services for evaluating ethical, legal and societal issues (ELSI) in biomedical nanotechnology for a period of one year. The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) is 541710, and the business size is 500 employees. The contract shall: 1. Identify the major ELSI issues raised by biomedical nanotechonology. 2. Shall consider whether and how ELSI issues are addressed by existing ELSI and other related scholarship activity. Gaps shall be identified in knowledge, and lessons learned shall be characterized pertinent to nano concerns. 3. Shall suggest thoughtful strategic approaches for responding to new or extant nano-specific ELSI issues. 4. Shall determine the fair and appropriate ways to communicate to identifiable audiences about the technology?s emerging issues in a way that earns and maintains public trust. 5. This project shall be developed as a phased, iterative process, with activities at each phase being developed by the contractor on the basis on interactive consensus reached at monthly or more frequent conference calls and/or meetings with the Office of Science Policy (OSP) staff and selected members of the Trans NIH Nanotechnology Task Force. 6. The three (3) phases to be developed by the contractor shall be as follows: a. Phase I (Background and Information Accrual) This shall entail development of a critical synthesis of findings and lessons learned from the ELSI and other relevant literatures on communicating with the public, and from personal interviews and other methods as appropriate (e.g. focus groups) with biomedical investigators, scientists, engineers, ethicists and policymakers. This phase shall also entail focus on ELSI issues that arise when biomedical research involves nanotechnology, with specific emphasis on in-depth exploration of safety, public trust and understanding, and governance. b. Phase II (Refine Key Questions for NIH) Based on the findings from the Phase I work, the contractor shall work interactively with NIH staff to focus and refine those questions and critical analyses (emerging from Phase I) which are most pertinent to this agency?s needs in the ELSI nanotechnology arena. For all scheduled conference calls and meetings throughout the course of this project, the contractor shall electronically submit written materials for discussion and development to NIH staff three days in advance. c. Phase III (Synthesis, Summary and Recommendations) During the final two months of the contract period, the contractor shall develop a White Paper providing an annotated description of key ELSI issues ? new or old ? in nanobiomedicine that are most relevant and pressing for NIH, and an integrative synthesis of these findings. 7. The contractor shall have at least 30 years experience in bioethics research, and exploring fundamental and emerging questions in health care, biotechnology, and the environment. 8. The contractor shall have at least 20 years of expertise in Genetics and Biotechnology; Ethics, Science & Environment; Health Care & Health Policy; and Ethics & Scientific Research. 9. The contractor shall be able to quickly and reliably identify those ELSI issues that will be unique to biomedical nanotechnology (nano-ethics) and those that have been addressed previously in other scientific fields and may have bearing on biomedical nanotechnology. The proposed action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source. The Hastings Center is believed to be uniquely qualified to perform the work identified above due to its unique status as an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit bioethics research institute with interdisciplinary teams experienced in the fields of genetics and biotechnology, ethics, science and environment, health care and health policy, and ethics and scientific research. This organization has a unique background includes extensive research focusing on ethical, legal and social issues in emerging biomedical technologies such as genetics research and neuron-ethics and already exhibits the prerequisite knowledge necessary to quickly and reliably identify those ethical, legal and social issues that will be unique to nano-ethics, as well as those that have been addressed previously in other scientific fields and may have bearing on biomedical nanotechnology. This expertise is critical in successfully completing the required work within the necessary timeframe, and their imprimatur is critical in ensuring that key questions are addressed and that findings are accepted by target audiences. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, all quotes received within ten (10) days after the date of publication (August 3, 2006) of the synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed simplified acquisition requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive acquisition. Concerns that respond to this synopsis shall furnish concise responses directed specifically to the requirements mentioned above and are invited to submit proposal and/or capability statements in an ORIGINAL PLUS TWO (2) no later than ten (10) business days from the date of this announcement, August 3, 2006, due in COB August 17, 2006. Written responses shall include complete description of the services to be provided, containing sufficient technical information to permit agency analysis to establish a bona fide capability to meet the stated requirements as listed above. PROPOSALS AND/OR CAPBILITY STATEMENTS SHALL BE SENT TO: (a) If mailing your capabilities through the U.S. Postal Service use the following address: National Institutes of Health, Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations, OA, 6011 Executive Blvd., Rom 529-T, ATTN: Carol Hayden, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone: 301-402-3340; fax: 301-402-7494 or 301-402-3407. (b) If hand delivering, or using a courier services such as: UPS, Federal Express, etc., use the following City, State and Zip Code: Rockville, MD 20852. Respondents will not be notified of the evaluation results. (c) Questions made be emailed to Carol Hayden at Haydenc@od.nih.gov no later than August 10, 2006.
- Place of Performance
- Address: 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD
- Zip Code: 20852
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 20852
- Record
- SN01105184-W 20060805/060803220447 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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