US Pediatric Proton Comparison Group

This fixed-price purchase order was awarded using other than full and open procedures, in accordance with FAR 6.302-1 and FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i). The purpose of the acquisition is to support the assembly of data for a group of photon-treated pediatric cancer patients to serve as a comparison group to an existing cohort of proton-treated pediatric patients that is maintained by the contractor in order to evaluate the risks of second cancers in pediatric patients treated with photons versus protons. NCI proposes to create the first prospective cohort study by expanding the US Pediatric Proton Consortium Registry (PPCR) to add patients treated at photon therapy centers and systematic follow-up. The state-of-the-art registry run by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) currently includes 13 US proton centers and has enrolled 2000 pediatric proton patients since 2012. As the coordinating center for the PPCR, MGH is the only group that is collecting data from all 13 major proton centers participating in the registry, and they are the only group that has sole access to the data that are collected from these 13 major proton centers. Further, MGH has the necessary radiation oncology contacts and relationships in place to conduct the study required by the Statement of Work. The PPCR is the only known comprehensive source in the US, because they have been collecting data from the major US proton centers for the past 7 years and have the infrastructure and knowledge in place to support the assembly of a photon comparison cohort. It is important to the integrity of the study that the photon patients have characteristics similar to the proton patients such as age, age at diagnosis and type of cancer. A Small Business Sources Sought (SBSS) notice was posted on FedBizOpps on November 4, 2019 with a response date of November 13, 2019. Potential offerors were invited to submit capabilities statements or other documentation demonstrating their capability to satisfy this requirement. The Government did not receive any responses for this notice. The NCI could not identify any other potential sources for this requirement. Thus, a purchase order was issued on a sole-source basis to Massachusetts General Hospital.