SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE
(DATA REPOSITORY MARKET RESEARCH)

Agency:
The National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Title: NIDDK Data Repository
This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. There is no solicitation available at this time.

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of all qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; 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 according 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.

Background:

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking an organization or an institution to serve as the NIDDK Data Repository.

The NIDDK at the NIH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), conducts and funds various longitudinal and clinical studies that generate or have generated a collection of biological specimens (biospecimens) and related phenotypic and clinical data/resources pertaining to these research activities. Storing and allowing subsequent use of biological materials and associated data collected in clinical studies is one way for the NIDDK to meet its responsibility to maximize the value of these studies. In 2003, the NIDDK established the NIDDK Central Repository, comprised of the data and specimen repositories to increase the impact of NIDDK-funded large clinical studies by making their data and biospecimens available to the broader scientific community. These repositories enable scientists not involved in the original study to test new hypotheses without any new data or biospecimen collection, and they provide the opportunity to pool data across several studies to increase the power of statistical analyses. There are two repositories under the umbrella of the NIDDK Central Repository: the Biorepository receives biosamples collected in many different studies, stores the samples under optimal conditions, and distributes them to qualified investigators. The Data Repository receives, archives, maintains, and distributes databases from studies. In addition, the Data Repository analyzes stored data in response to inquiries, assists ongoing NIDDK-funded studies in preparing data for eventual archiving, coordinates cross-referencing between the clinical data and biosamples, and maintains the Central Repository website. The NIDDK Central Repository's collection of the biosamples and associated clinical, diagnostic, genotypic, pedigree structure and other data is a resource that advances the development of diagnostic and treatment tools for many diseases.

This Sources Sought is for an organization or institution to serve as the NIDDK Data Repository. The NIDDK Data Repository stores the clinical research data from these studies, including data associated with the stored biosamples, and acts as the central coordinating entity for the NIDDK Central Repository. The NIDDK Data Repository facilitates efficient submission, distribution, and process monitoring and reporting related to study data and samples. As an archive and distributor of highly usable legacy datasets the NIDDK Data Repository also allows re-analysis of these data and, where relevant, of specific biosamples, thus encouraging work by investigators and others not included in the original funded studies. For more information on the NIDDK Central Repository, refer to the website at https://repository.niddk.nih.gov/home

All qualified small businesses, whether they are small businesses; 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; interested in submitting a corporate capability statement should demonstrate experience and knowledge for performing the following tasks:

A) Task Area A - Maintaining and Enhancing the NIDDK Central Repository Program

• Maintain and Enhance the NIDDK Central Repository Program. These required services will be used for ensuring daily, overarching performance in the administrative, statistical, programming, data management and informatics to maintain and enhance the NIDDK Central Repository.

B) Task Area B - Expanding the NIDDK Central Repository Program

• Expand the NIDDK Central Repository Program. These optional services are to further develop and identify opportunities to align NIDDK/NIH activities with changes and developments in the data science and data sharing fields; provide administrative support in conference planning to facilitate opportunities with communities of practice; and assist the Government in the exploitation of any innovations and technology improvements in the biomedical data science ecosystem.

C) Task Area C - Contract Close Out and Transitioning

• Perform contract Close Out and Transitioning. These services are to ensure the safe and orderly transition from this contract to the successor contractor.

 
Special Instructions:

If you or your firm/business has an interest and possess the required expertise we invite you to submit a corporate capability statement to assist the Government in determining in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 19.502-2(b) whether or not this procurement will be set-aside for any of the programs described above. The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industrial Classification (NAICS) code 541714 with a size standard of 1000. All respondents are requested to identify their firm's size and type of business.

Interested firms responding to this sources sought should adhere to the following:

(a) Provide a capability statement demonstrating relevant experience, skills and ability to fulfill the Government's requirements for the above. The capability statement should contain sufficient detail for the Government to make an informed decision regarding your capabilities. The capability statement should not exceed 15 pages using a font size 10 or larger.

(b) Small business concerns that possess the capabilities necessary to undertake the efforts should submit complete documentation of their capabilities to the Contracting Officer. This capability statement should include: 1) the total number of employees, 2) the professional qualifications of scientists, medical experts, and technical personnel as they relate to the requirements, 3) a description of general and specific facilities and equipment available, including computer equipment and software, and 4) any other specific and relevant information that would improve the Government's consideration and evaluation of the information presented.

Further, Past Performance documentation, which should include, but not be limited to, a minimum of two (2) contracts performed for either Government or commercial organizations shall be provided. References shall include for each contract: names, titles, contract number, total price or cost, telephone numbers of government Contracting Officer Representative and Contracting Officers.

(c) All capability statements sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) to the Point of Contact below in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The subject line must specify NIH-NICHD-2020-01. Facsimile responses will not be accepted. Electronically submitted capability statements are due no later than 3:00 PM (Eastern Prevailing Time) fifteen (15) calendar days (including date of submission to Fedbizopps) after posting of the Small Business Sources Sought Notice.
CAPABILITY STATEMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

This notice is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited.