B -- STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE EVIDENCE-BASED REVIEW OF THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF FOOD ALLERGY

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION NOTICE. This is a Request for Information (RFI) synopsis. There is no solicitation available at this time. The Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT) at the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is requesting information to determine the availability of qualified contractors to produce an evidence-based literature report that will summarize the state of the science for definition, diagnosis, and management of food allergy. The NIAID plans to use this evidence-based report, in conjunction with consensus expert opinion, to develop clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy. The NIAID will coordinate the process of guidelines development through a 3-step process (outlined below). This process is analogous to that used by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute to develop asthma guidelines through the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. Step 1: Review of the scientific and clinical literature by an independent contractor that will perform a systematic review, evaluate, and grade the data. This contractor will produce an interim and final evidence-based report summarizing the state-of-the-science. Step 2: The NIAID will establish an Expert Panel that includes representatives from professional organizations, patient advocacy groups, NIH Institutes, and other government agencies that have a substantial interest in the care of individuals with food allergy. The Panel will develop a draft of Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy. The Panelists will use both the evidence-based literature report and consensus expert opinion as the basis for developing draft guidelines. Draft guidelines will be made available for public review and comment prior to completing the final guidelines. It is anticipated that one or more contractors who produced the evidence-based report (step 1) will serve as consultants to the Expert Panel in an ad hoc capacity. Step 3: The Expert Panel will develop the final set of guidelines based on its review of the draft guidelines, public comment, and endorsement by the participating organizations. The final guidelines will then be disseminated to healthcare practitioners and the public via the NIAID and the participating organizations. This RFI is seeking capability statements in order to identify individuals and/or organizations which can produce an independent high-quality systematic review and evidence-based report on definition, diagnosis and management of food allergy. Please submit a Statement of Capabilities, not to exceed 5 pages in length, including the following: - Provide contractor's business size and type - Demonstrate contractor's ability to fully meet the technical and personnel requirements outlined above - Outline the approaches to systematic review and evidence grading that would be pertinent to this work - Demonstrate contractor's ability to perform systematic reviews of the literature and to write high quality evidence-based reports - Describe prior work by this contractor that was part of the process of development of clinical guidelines and/or similar work, and provide the dollar value of that work - Describe prior timelines for completion of a systematic review, interim report, and a final report summarizing the state-of-the-science. - Describe knowledge and expertise in food allergy, allergic diseases, or other diseases associated with food allergy NO QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. This RFI is being used as a marketing research tool to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources.