Description
Knight Journalism Fellowship Program The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with the CDC Foundation, Atlanta, GA, 30303. (This is a non-profit organization.) The proposed contract is for the collaboration of the CDCs Office of Enterprise Communication and the CDC Foundation to establish a fellowship program for journalists that will raise the quality of medical and public health reporting in the United States and to help fill critical gaps in training for journalists by exposing them to public health problems, policies and practices. This program will establish a higher standard of public health reporting and will ultimately benefit the health communities. Background: Public health has been described as the point where science and politics meet. CDC is the nations’ premier public health agency, responsible for promoting health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury and disability. CDC’s approach to health is quite different from other organizations. Clinical medicine promotes a view of the world focused around an individual, the patient. CDC looks at entire populations, and through surveillance of population data, CDC emphasizes a quantitative approach to problem solving and decision making. This approach has the potential of being misunderstood by those who are not familiar with the approach or with statistics. When those people are journalists, it can be a problem that filters throughout the population. The resulting situations can be harmful to health at individual and national levels.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Statement of Work--This program will provide journalists with a better understanding of epidemiology and public health at the international, national, and local levels; --Provide a better understanding of the major public health issues of the day; --Help improve journalists skills in writing about public health research and programs and in framing complex issues in new ways; and --Will serve to help CDC gain a greater knowledge and understanding of the perspectives of journalists in writing about crucial health issues. The Knight Journalism Fellowships at CDC will be offered annually and consist of a one to two week boot camp type of training that provides a science-based, action-oriented introduction to population-based health. The fellowships will provide specialized training in population-based approaches to health and include work with eminent researchers and scientists at CDC, investigating an outbreak with CDC’s disease detectives, conducting research, and seeing policy in action in state, county, or local health departments. Scope of Work-- PHASE I -- (Year One) -– The CDC Foundation and CDCs Office of Enterprise Communications staff will work together to: --Establish procedures for applications, interviews, and selections and publicize the fellowship opportunity. Select Fellows to begin program in 2007 according to timeline established within one week of award. --Determine program timing and content and instructors. Recruit and arrange the best personnel and experiences at CDC and externally. Arrange mentoring relationships with CDC scientists and researchers based on Fellows’ request. --Carry out program being mindful of late-breaking opportunities that may arise to provide special experiences. --Evaluate the program through participant evaluations and instructor evaluations; --Plan a one week Knight Refresher/Reunion for June or July 2007 for past Knight Fellowship classes to enhance their knowledge and skills in writing public health articles and media releases. --Write narrative report on annual program activities. PHASE II – (Year Two through Four years) --Establish procedures for applications, interviews, and selections and publicize the fellowship opportunity. Select Fellows to begin program in 2008 through 2011 according to timeline established within one week of award --Determine program timing, content, and instructors. Recruit and arrange the best personnel and experiences at CDC and externally. Arrange mentoring relationships with CDC scientists and researchers based on Fellows’ request. --Carry out program being mindful of late-breaking opportunities that may arise to provide special experiences --Evaluate the program through participant evaluations and instructor evaluations; --Write narrative report on annual program activities. Deliverables --Meeting with all parties one week after award; --Monthly status reports as established in timeline developed one week after award --Training Agenda --Contact fellows/participates --Prepare participates list --Prepare training materials --Conduct training --Detailed report two weeks after fellowship class --Write annual status reports as established in timeline -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------THIS NOTICE IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO FAR 6.302-1. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. The determination not to compete is solely within the discretion of the Government; no additional synopsis will be published. The Government intends to solicit and negotiate only with the source identified herein. No other services will satisfy the agency requirement. The NAICS code is 611430 with a size standard of $6.5 million.