The National Library of Medicine (NLM) intends to contract, on a sole source basis, with Public Health Foundation, 1300 L Street NW., Washington DC. The purpose of this effort is part of a continuing effort to fulfill the goals of the Partners in Information Access for Public Health Professionals (Partners) in identifying and developing collaborative projects to meet information needs of the public health workforce and to strengthen collaboration among Partners. This requirement will be processed in accordance with FAR Part 12.6 - Commercial Items in conjunction with FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 813212 and the business size standard is $7 MIL. This is not a 100% small business set-aside. NLM anticipates that award will be made on or about September 1, 2009. The period of performance will be for one year from date of award. The place of performance will include NIH and offsite (including contractor facility). In 1997 NLM entered into a strategic partnership with the CDC and other federal agencies and professional organizations involved with public health, including Public Health Foundation. Named the Partners in Information Access for Public Health Professionals (Partners), the goals of this partnership are to: • Organize and deliver public health resources so they are easier to find and use. • Identify and develop collaborative projects to meet the information needs of the public health workforce. • Increase the visibility of the partnership with librarians and the public health workforce. • Increase the information literacy of the public health workforce. • Strengthen the collaboration among the Partners. This project is concerned with the first two goals listed above as they relate to improvement in the performance and accreditation of public health departments and organizations. The Contractor will: (1) develop a Quality Improvement (QI) Quick Guide consisting of a web-based online tutorial and a user guide which will provide an orientation to QI methods and tools at the basic, intermediate, and advanced levels for public health practitioners; (2) Incorporate review and input on tutorial design and QI resources from PHF's national public health partners, including CDC, ASTHO, NACCHO, and NALBOH; (3) Periodically update these tools as new resources become available. Pursuant to section 4202 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 as set forth in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 13.501(a)(1)(ii), Public Health Foundation is the only known source that is capable of fulfilling this requirement. The National Information Center on Health Services Research at NLM has identified Public Health Foundation as having the requisite experience, knowledge and skills to perform this work. Public Health Foundation has sole ownership of the Public Health Infrastructure Resource Center (PHIRC) web site, has alliances with leading public health associations and organizations and serves as the lead on performance improvement among the partners involved in the National Public Health Performance Standards Program (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Association of County and City Health Officials, National Association of Local Boards of Health, American Public Health Association, National Network of Public Health Institutes, and Public Health Foundation). Public Health Foundation is a recognized leader in quality improvement within the public health practice community. Public Health Foundation, as a member of Partners, has been instrumental in identifying synergies between the work of public health and the role of health science libraries since Partners first started in 1997. For example, Public Health Foundation proposed the Healthy People 2010 Information Access Project - a highly successful Web site that was developed jointly by public health experts working collaboratively with health sciences librarians. This is not a request for competition. However, if any interested party believes it can perform the above requirement, it may submit a statement of capabilities. The vendor must possess the knowledge of the programs of NLM and Public Health Foundation and must provide details of relevant experience. The statement of capabilities and any other furnished information must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NLM to determine if the party can perform this requirement. Capability statements must be received in the contracting office by 3:00 PM EDT September 8, 2009. Faxed and emailed capability statements are NOT authorized. Questions regarding NLM-09-166-KDP must be submitted in writing to Kimberly D. Pringle at
[email protected]. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect calls will be accepted. In order to receive an award, contractors must be registered and have valid certification in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA).