MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR SOLICITATION The Indian Health Service (IHS) is conducting market research to support the Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention (DDTP). This is a Sources Sought notice to determine the availability of small businesses capable of supplying the required services to coordinate and facilitate IHS activities to address food insecurity. This notice is for planning purposes only, and does not constitute an invitation for Bids, Request for Proposal or Request for Quotation or an indication the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this notice. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. Scope of Work: Respondents to this notice shall have the capabilities to furnish the necessary personnel, materials, services, equipment, facilities, and otherwise do all things necessary for the performance of the work described below. The contractor shall be required to independently and not as an agent of the Government perform services under the follow task areas: 1. Coordinate, Review, Assist, and Evaluate the Produce Prescription Pilot Grant Program This task shall involve the provision of a variety of skills needed to provide project management services to bring together a broad range of interrelated tasks and desired outcomes related to the pilot program. The quality, quantity, and timeliness of performed services will make a significant impact on the overall program performance. This will ultimately affect key stakeholders that include P4 grantees and IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian Organizations (I/T/U) healthcare programs nationwide. As such, the contractor shall have the following capabilities: Capability to synthesize information gathered from workgroups and evaluations to determine priorities and content of needed resources. Brief DDTP leadership on recommendations for prioritizing project-related tasks. Capability to coordinate and lead project tasks that are interrelated to ensure efficient processes are followed and to avoid duplication of activities. Capability to monitor progress of project tasks. Identify potential delays or problems and develop/implement contingency plans. Review any necessary revisions with DDTP leadership. Capability to communicate with DDTP leadership on a regular basis to identify project requirements and establish milestones, due dates, and progress reports. Meetings will be at least monthly and conducted via conference phone, webinar, e-mail, or in person. Capability to provide ongoing coordination of a number of very significant and detailed tasks including, but not limited to: Coordinating the programmatic aspects of the grant program Capability to support the development of the grant application process, review coordination, and processing of P4 grants annually. It includes coordination, technical assistance, and auditing to ensure the grantees are meeting all grant-reporting requirements, in addition to the provision of administrative and clinical consultation. Capability to assist with developing Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for future P4 funding. Capability to provide coordination and assistance with the implementation of the Objective Review Committee (ORC) process for P4 competitive grant applications. For each P4 continuation year, capability assist with developing the continuation application, coordinate the review process, and assist with application reviews, as requested. Capability to assist with developing and maintaining grantee databases, distribution lists, and spreadsheets; generating requested information and reports; and distributing communications to grantees, as needed. Capability to assist with providing technical assistance to grantees, DGM staff, and Project Officers regarding the grant application process. Capability to provide data management services for the P4 by coordinating and implementing the collection and analysis of outcome and statistical data, inclusive of: Assisting with determining requirements for data submission, processing, and reporting. Collecting the data from the P4 grantees and organize the data via a database/data management system. Summarizing, analyzing, and reporting on P4 outcome measures. 2. Organizing and facilitating meetings and workgroups This shall require requires a strong meeting facilitator with experience in planning and coordinating and activities, along with the capabilities to accomplish project objectives; planning meeting formats; obtaining participant input and maximizing feedback; ensuring participants achieve meeting goals and objectives, while maintaining timelines; recording and summarizing meeting activities and outcomes; and maintaining a database of internal and external partners. As such, respondent contractors shall have the capabilities to: • Assist with conducting Food Insecurity Workgroup and P4 Planning meetings, approx. one (1) to four (4) times a month, which address the following: Nutrition Security in Native Communities Nutrition website revision process Food Insecurity Surveillance (individual groups and community level) P4 planning, implementation, and evaluation process Training Special Projects • Assist with conducting virtual and in-person meetings and trainings for P4 grantees (Approx. one (1) to three (3) times a month). • Prepare meeting minutes for meetings and conference calls, as requested. 3. Developing and maintaining a Nutrition website/Food Insecurity Resource Hub Respondent contractors shall have the capability to assist DDTP with the development, maintenance, and utilization of the IHS Nutrition Security website/resource hub as the primary platform for dissemination of information and resources for clinical staff, P4 grantees, and Tribal community members. Inclusive of: • Providing coordination of website strategy and content. • Working with DDTP’s website team to discuss the implementation of updates and processes. • Disseminating current information, training, resources, and links for clinicians, patients, community members, and P4 grantees. • Collaborating with DDTP leadership, develop blogs, special training announcements, images, photos, videos, etc. to post on the Nutrition Security website, as well as social media platforms. • Working with the OIT for new changes and requirements to website infrastructure and organization. 4. Coordinating the food insecurity surveillance process (at individual and community levels) Respondent contractors shall have the capabilities to assist DDTP with the nutrition security assessment process for individual groups and Native communities. Inclusive of: Working with the IHS Office of Public Health Support to: Developing and implementing a food insecurity assessment process that can be applied to IHS employees, other grant programs, patients in select health care facilities, and Native communities. Assessment process will include, determining appropriate assessment tools and outcome measures, data collection, and data analysis. Benchmark with other agencies that have conducted nutrition community assessment surveys, i.e. the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Develop a database of outcome measures that can be monitored and tracked over time 5. Organizing nutrition security training and awareness activities for IHS employees and Native community members Capable contractors shall have a variety of skills available that shall assist DDTP in developing and implementing training webinars to provide AI/AN people, providers, educators, community representatives, P4 grantees, etc. information about nutrition, nutrition security, assessing for food insecurity, evidence based interventions to address food insecure people or families, and how to efficiently and effectively coordinate a P4 program. Activities include: Assisting with developing webinar trainings for P4 grantees Coordinating and facilitating training presenters versed in nutrition, nutrition security, and Native community resources. Work with presenters for each training, ensuring educational objectives are appropriately met. Market and deliver virtual trainings to grantees and other stakeholders. Assist with coordinating the Advancements in Diabetes webinar series, which offers approved CE/CME/CPEU credit for participants. Participating on IHS and national work groups addressing priority public health topics Capabilities Required: Interested potential sources shall have the following capabilities to be determined as capable: Experience and knowledge of administrative services required to support the all staff assigned to this work, such as internal payroll, internal document handling, etc. Experience and knowledge managing contractor staff. Experience retaining and recruiting staff (when required) to ensure continuity of services required. Basic working knowledge of nutrition and food security. Experience working with AI/AN people/communities. Grants Management Experience Data Management Experience Capability Statements: Responses to this sources sought shall unequivocally demonstrate the respondent's capabilities to provide the services above. At a minimum, responses shall include the following: 1. Cover Page: Business name and bio, DUNS number, business address, business website, business size status (i.e., SB, Native Owned, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, SDB, WOSB, LB), point of contact name, mailing address (if different from business address), phone number and email address. Provide this same information again if responding to provide a service offered by another firm. 2. Relevant Past Performance information inclusive of date of services, description, dollar value, client name, client address, client contact name, client point of contact mailing address (if different from that provided for client), client point of contact phone number, client point of contact email address, and name of company (to include DUNS number and size status) if not the respondent. 3. Descriptive literature, brochures, marketing material, etc. detailing the nature of services the responding firm is regularly engaged in providing. At a minimum, to be considered a potentially capable source this material should include information detailing the organizations ability to fulfil the capabilities required above. 4. If applicable, identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement are also requested. If a large business, provide if subcontracting opportunities exist for small business concerns. The Government is not responsible for locating or securing any information, not identified in the response. Response Instructions: Interested parties shall respond with capability statements; no larger than 20 pages (not inclusive of the cover letter) via e-mail in PDF or Word format before 4:00 PM Eastern Time on January 23rd, 2023 to
[email protected] In your response, please use "IHS-22-SS-Nutrition" followed by your organizations name as the subject line. 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 Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. 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).