This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information contained in this notice. This procurement is being conducted under Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13.5. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through August 11, 2009 Federal Acquisition Regulation revision, which includes the consolidation of all Federal Acquisition Circulars through 2005-36. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 813410 and the business size standard is $7 MIL. This is not a 100% small business set-aside. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) intends to contract, on a sole source basis, with the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), 10 G Street NE., Washington DC. The purpose of this effort is to increase open access to public health literature. NLM anticipates that award will be made on or about September 19, 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. Public health practitioners report not having sufficient access to the scientific literature to inform their practice. The Public Health Partners Steering Committee members have suggested that increasing open access to the public health literature will eliminate one of the barriers to the public health practitioners' usage of the literature. Several of the Partners' organizations publish journals for which little of the current content is open access. The Contractor shall: (1) develop criteria for selecting potential open access articles and controls and make them available as open access; (2) get baseline data for the final selected articles before they go open access; (3) get and analyze statistics for experimental and control articles after 30 days of open access; (4) develop promotional materials and promote the open access articles through partners' channels; (5) obtain and analyze statistics for experimental and control articles after 30 days of advertised/promoted open access; and (6) write up results for presentation at partners' steering committee meeting and submit article for publication in journal or medical librarian journal. Other tasks may be assigned to the Contractor if awarded by the Government. 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), SOPHE is the only known source that is capable of fulfilling this requirement. The National Information Center on Health Services Research at NLM has identified the SOPHE as having the requisite experience, knowledge and skills to perform this work. SOPHE is one of thirteen members of the Partners collaboration of U.S. government agencies, public health organizations and health sciences libraries. It is a professional organization whose mission is to provide leadership to the profession of health education and to promote the health of all people through education. SOPHE is the only independent professional group devoted exclusively to public health education and health promotion. SOPHE is the premier organization in continuing education and training for health education researchers and practitioners. This collaboration with NLM Partners builds on SOPHE's expertise in training its members and providing evidence-based information through its professional journals that explore social and behavior changes as they affect health status and quality of life. The journals are essential resources for public health and community planners and focus on critical and strategic information for professionals engaged in the practice of developing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion and disease prevention programs. 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 must be the producer of peer-reviewed public health journal content and hold copyright to its content. The interested parties must be able to provide online open access to this content and have mechanisms for tracking online usage and compiling summary statistics. Vendors must demonstrate satisfactory work for clients of comparable size and collection complexity to NLM and its Public Health Partners. Parties must also demonstrate the ability to provide reports and work in web-based online full-text journal databases and must supply the names of 3 references. 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 18, 2009. Faxed and emailed capability statements are NOT authorized. Questions regarding NLM-09-194-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). The contractor shall comply with all applicable Federal, State and local laws, executive orders, rules and regulations applicable to its performance under this order. Full text of clauses and provisions are available at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR): http://www.arnet.gov/far/. The following clauses and provisions shall apply to this acquisition and may be obtained from the web site: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items (June 2008); FAR 52.212-2, Evaluations - Commercial Items (January 1999); FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (August 2009) with DUNS Number Addendum [52.204-6 (April 2009)]; FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items (March 2009); FAR 52.212-4, Addendum to Clause for Year 2000 Compliance (July 1997); and FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items (August 2009).