SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Data Coordination and Systems Management
- Notice Date
- 8/8/2022 11:13:40 AM
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541715
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIDA Bethesda MD 20892 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20892
- Solicitation Number
- 75N95022R00092
- Response Due
- 9/8/2022 7:00:00 AM
- Point of Contact
- Karen Mahon
- E-Mail Address
-
Karen.Mahon@nih.gov
(Karen.Mahon@nih.gov)
- Description
- This is a Research and Development (R & D) Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential R & D requirement. This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition.� It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.� Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes.� No award will be made as a result of this notice.� The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.� This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only. Background:� The National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), conducts and funds various longitudinal and clinical studies on aging that generate or have generated collections of biological specimens (biospecimens), related phenotypic and clinical data, imaging data, and other resources pertaining to these research activities. The NIA�s Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology established the AgingResearchBiobank (Biobank) and officially announced it in January 2019 �(https://agingresearchbiobank.nia.nih.gov/). The main goal is to provide a state-of-the-art inventory system for the receipt, storage, maintenance, and distribution of biospecimens, related phenotypic and clinical data, imaging data, and other resources in support of future research initiatives. Receiving, storing, managing, and allowing subsequent use of biological materials and associated data collected in clinical studies is one way for the NIA to meet its responsibility to maximize the value of these studies and comply with NIH Data Sharing Policy (https://sharing.nih.gov/data-management-and-sharing-policy).� Scientists not involved in the original studies are enabled to test new hypotheses without new data or biospecimen collection and potentially pool data across several studies to increase the power of statistical analyses. Further, the collection of patient and control biospecimens from many different studies in a single repository is extremely valuable because researchers can more rapidly access them through the Biobank to validate clinical hypotheses and algorithms for clinical decision making. These collections considerably contribute to a better understanding of the aging process by advancing the development of prognostics, markers, and therapeutics for conditions related to aging. Biospecimens are generally received as bulk relocations at the end of a study, but partial relocations or intermittent shipping from ongoing studies also occur. Current collections already in house (10 study collections, with a total of 2,476,086 samples (as of June 2022) include the following various types of biospecimens associated with phenotypic, clinical and/or imaging data and other related resources: adipose tissue; buffy coat, cell pellets (including buccal cell pellets; dry cell pellets); cryopreserved cells; DNA, EVB B-cells; EBV B-Cell pellets; muscle tissue; packed cells; PAXgene; PBMC; plasma (including plasma citrate; plasma EDTA); serum; urine (including 24-hour urine; spot urine); whole blood.� Optional tasks under this statement of work target, among others, the expansion of the Biobank�s program through inclusion of new collections of biospecimens and related phenotypic and clinical data, imaging data and other resources on an ongoing basis for the duration of the contract periods. Once included in the Biobank, these new collections estimated in 500,000 new biospecimens with phenotypic, clinical, and imaging data will undergo the same required services outlined here for receipt, storage, maintenance, and distribution. The biospecimens and phenotypic and clinical data currently stored or to be stored in the Biobank were or are being collected over many years from studies that carefully selected subjects and are available in a finite quantity. These resources are unique. Therefore, it is critical that they are properly cared for, following standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best biobanking practices. The Contractors responsible for the Biobank�s Data Coordination and Systems Management (Data Contractor) and for the Biobank�s Biological Specimens Receipt, Storage, Maintenance and Distribution (Biospecimens Contractor) shall collaborate closely to develop tools to facilitate management and usage of the Biobank�s resources. �The inclusion of imaging data from existent collections or new incoming collections is a new area of work to involve up to 10TB of de-identified, ready for distribution imaging data. Purpose and Objectives: The Data Coordination and Systems Management contract will strengthen, enhance, and expand the capabilities of the Biobank into new areas aligned with advances in data sharing and data science that may include indexing phenotypic data, storing, querying, and sharing data with higher complexity or digital images through transfer or visualization; potentially working with electronic health records, data standardization terminology (e.g., SNOMED, LOINC), or OHDSI program and the OMOP CDM to support clinical research, experience with data analytics, machine learning or artificial intelligence, and exploring making resources available through a cloud environment. Enhancements and expansion in these areas would improve access to potential uses of resources held by the Biobank, thereby maximizing their scientific value and utilization by the research community and allowing the NIA to explore and adapt to innovation that aligns with future aims and priorities of the NIA and NIH. The Data Contractor will facilitate efficient distribution of data-related to biospecimens. As an archive and distributor of highly usable datasets, the Data Contractor also allows re-analysis of these data and, where relevant, of specific biospecimens, thus encouraging work by investigators at different levels of development, those proposing novel approaches, and others not included in the originally funded studies.� The information systems and database archiving tasks are highly technical and require extensive experience. The data from each study represent the efforts of hundreds of investigators to improve the public health through biomedical research, and the voluntary participation of thousands of patients and family members. The data and samples also represent taxpayer funded work by NIH and it is important that these be made available to qualified researchers for the public benefit. The data cannot be replaced at all or without great expense and effort, and, therefore, it is essential that they be protected from loss, damage, or misuse. Project requirements: This requirement aims to give continuity to services already in place, improve these services, and expand the Biobank�s program by bringing additional new data (phenotypic and clinical, imaging), and other resources from study collections already in the Biobank or from new collections to be included in the Biobank.� The Data Contractor shall accomplish the following in a highly efficient, rapid, secure, and cost-effective manner: A) Planning and logistics to ensure continuation and expansion of a scientific, technical, and administrative infrastructure that supports efficient planning, initiation, implementation, and management of the Biobank�s activities. B) Receive and test the validity of electronic databases including phenotypic, clinical, and imaging data from completed or ongoing studies, store, maintain and distribute datasets to investigators granted access by the NIA Contracting Officer�s Representative (COR).� C) Assure data integrity while acquiring/migrating, storing, and distributing scientifically valuable human data (phenotypic, clinical, and imaging) related to biospecimens from NIA-funded or existent and incoming study collections. D) Curate data to derive study metadata and descriptive variables that permit web-based searches of the entire inventory using keywords and other features of biospecimens or samples and datasets. E) Carry out activities to support cross-listing of samples inventory with other national and international sample catalogues when applicable or upon request by the NIA COR. F) Provide guidance to investigator(s) transferring their data (phenotypic, clinical, and imaging) to the Biobank, for example, by setting-up labeling systems to cross-reference samples/associated data. Imaging data to be hosted by the Biobank must be properly prepared (de-identified) by investigators prior to transfer, as the Biobank will only store and distribute such data. G) Review current website content, components, and features, propose enhancements, update the website as needed including with the development of new interactive features, while maintaining a secure website for the Biobank. This task shall also include the current online system/process for the submission and review of research applications requesting biospecimens and/or data (phenotypic, clinical, imaging) or resources, as well as submission of applications requesting inclusion of new collections in the Biobank. H) Maintain a searchable, up-to-date central inventory of data (phenotypic, clinical, imaging) related to biospecimens and other resources from study collections already in or incoming to the Biobank. G) Provide inventory reporting structures for individual studies. Expand and maintain a searchable inventory of relevant documents associated with each study collection, as needed, or as directed by the NIA COR. I) Quality Assurance Surveillance Program (QASP) for prospective evaluation of short and long-term data coordination and systems management. J) Support the work of the NIA COR by exercising good and timely communication with the NIA COR. Anticipated period of performance: Base Period: August 30, 2023 � August 29, 2024, with four option years Capability statement /information sought. Companies that believe they possess the capabilities to provide the required services should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contracting Officer. The capability statement must specifically address each of the project requirements separately.� Additionally, the capability statement should include 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of personnel as it relates to the requirements outlined, 3) any contractor GSA Schedule contracts and/or other government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) by which all of the requirements may be met, if applicable, and 4) any other information considered relevant to this program. Capability statements must also include the Company Name, Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov, Physical Address, and Point of Contact Information. The response must include the respondents� technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. Interested companies are required to identify their type of business, applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code, and size standards in accordance with the Small Business Administration. The government requests that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in a response to this notice. However, responses that indicate the information therein is proprietary will be properly safeguarded for Government use only. Capability statements must include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with Government representatives. Capability statements in response to this market survey that do not provide sufficient information for evaluation will be considered non-responsive. When submitting this information, please reference the solicitation notice number. One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2� x 11� paper size, with 1� top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing. The information submitted must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein.� A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required. The response is limited to ten (10) page limit.� The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested. All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer.� Facsimile responses are NOT accepted. The response must be submitted to Karen Mahon, Contracting Officer, at e-mail address Karen.Mahon@nih.gov. The response must be received on or before September 8, 2022 at 10:00 am, Eastern Time. �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 presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in www.sam.gov. 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).�
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/4726148a92684df9a760a9c92cf9644b/view)
- Record
- SN06418496-F 20220810/220808230119 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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