1. Introduction: This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice (SBSS). This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small business; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. 2. Project Description and Requirements: Social determinants of health (SDOH) represent the social, economic, and environmental factors – where people, live, learn, play, and work – that impact health, health outcomes, and overall population health. Small-area (community or sub-county level) SDOH data, along with similar data at other geographic levels, are therefore an integral part of a robust data infrastructure for patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). PCOR researchers need access to high-quality SDOH data on relevant individual, community, and geographic variables to generate actionable evidence that informs decisions and improves health outcomes. In response to this need, the AHRQ SDOH database processes and standardizes data from a variety of publicly available data sources, incorporates additional variables developed from disaggregated data, and enables linkages with other data sources by geography. The initial “beta” version of the AHRQ SDOH database, posted in December 2020, included 10 years of county-level data and 8 years of zip code tabulation area-level data across the SDOH domains of social context, economic context, education, health care, and physical environment. Version 1 of the SDOH Database, released in July 2022, replaced the initial “beta” version. Version 1zip code-level data files for 2011-2020, and census tract level data files for 2009-2020 for all available variables to address the need for SDOH data at very small geographic units (larger units, such as counties, can contain wide variations in socioeconomic circumstances).[1] It also includes documentation and codebook files. The purpose of this project is to build on the prior work by adding additional years of data, adding additional data sources, adding additional variables, constructing new census block group level data files, and continuously evaluating, improving, and promoting the database. There are five core tasks in this project: (1) Overall Project Management (2) Develop SDOH Database Versions 2 – 4 – this task entails updating the database on an annual schedule to include new years of available data and additional data source and variables. Data from multiple sources must be processed, cleaned, formatted, standardized, and linked to create public use data files. It also requires extensive quality control testing and development of both internal and public-facing documentation. (3) SDOH Database Assessment – the purpose of this task is to continuously improve and refine the database with each new version by assessing its content and utility. It requires ongoing assessment and evaluation of the database through development of an evaluation plan, identifying new data sources, providing technical assistance to end users, creating public-facing technical assistance resources, and performing data linkages using the SDOH database. (4) Engage SDOH Database Users – this task requires providing support for regular virtual meetings with federal stakeholders (quarterly) and PCOR researchers (annually or biannually). Meeting support includes drafting agendas and meeting materials, hosting virtual meetings, and providing meeting minutes or summaries. Additionally, this task requires synthesizing all available user input into a cohesive document for internal planning. (5) Promote and Market the SDOH Database – this task entails developing and implementing a plan to market and promote each new version of the database, creating public-facing user materials including a PowerPoint presentation, video(s) to support SDOH use, identifying topics for data visualizations, selecting products highlighting the SDOH database for promotion, and presenting on use of the SDOH database at conferences. The impact of this project on PCOR data capacity is two-fold. Improving researchers’ access to a wide range of standardized and linkable SDOH data will improve (1) the efficiency with which PCOR studies can be designed and conducted, given the availability of public, readily usable data and (2) the robustness of the evidence that is generated, by leveraging a more comprehensive set of variables. 3. Anticipated period of performance: Base Period: 14 months Option Period 1: 14 months Option Period 2: 14 months 4. Capability Information Sought: Capabilities necessary to fulfill this requirement include: Project manager with experience managing the development and analysis of large databases used in health outcomes research and managing budget and task priorities for a large, visible project. Experience with data production and analysis, including programming languages relevant to large scale data manipulation, such as SAS, R, and additional similar products; data manipulation, data cleaning, data linkage, data file construction, and data harmonization including transforming data to multiple geographic levels; quality control testing; and statistical analysis. Ability to produce comprehensive, high-quality technical documentation for both internal and public consumption. Staff with experience using one or more of health care claims, electronic health records, or SDOH data for analytic or research purposes. Experience conducting thorough and extensive quality control testing on data products. Experience with iterative assessment and improvement of data products. Ability to create clear and concise public-facing resources (e.g., presentations, videos, infographics, etc.) on data products. Expertise in Section 508 compliance. The capability statement response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice should include the following information: a) Staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; b) Current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; c) Corporate experience and information on prior projects of similar size and complexity; d) List any Government wide contracting vehicle for which the respondent has a contract (example, GSA schedule, etc). 5. Information Submission Instructions Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement. The cover page must include the following: UEI number Organization name Organization address Size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HUBZone, etc.) pursuant to NAICS code 541720. Technical point(s) of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone, and e-mail addresses. All Capability Statements sent in response to this SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES SOUGHT notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to Michelle Beaber, Contract Specialist,
[email protected] in MS Word, or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), no later than 10:00 AM EST on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Responses should not exceed 15 single-sided pages (including the cover page, all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above. 6. 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 pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. 7. 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). [1] https://www.ahrq.gov/sdoh/data-analytics/sdoh-data.html