• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

"Collaboration to Develop ME/CFS Educational Materials Based on IOM Report" CDC

Kyla

ᴀɴɴɪᴇ ɢꜱᴀᴍᴩᴇʟ
Messages
721
Location
Canada
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportu...cdbed4d91a7e725afa00eab110f&tab=core&_cview=0

view

Collaboration to Develop ME/CFS Educational Materials Based on IOM Report
Solicitation Number: 2015-Q-64325
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Location: Acquisition and Assistance Field Branch (Pittsburgh)

Solicitation Number:
2015-Q-64325
Notice Type:
Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

Synopsis:
Added: Aug 21, 2015 1:24 pm
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a requirement related to ME/CFS health education activities through facilitating meetings and teleconference calls for stakeholder engagement, conducting needs assessments, preparing reports for meetings and needs assessments, consultation and technical assistance, medical/scientific writing assistance and related support activities. The contractor will assist in document review and revision for CDC clearance.

It is the responsibility of prospective offerors to stay abreast of additional postings regarding this solicitation at the FedBizOpps Internet site.


(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) The solicitation is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ).


(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-83.


(iv) This requirement is solicited on a full and open competition basis (unrestricted), therefore there is no small business size standard associated with the NAICS code identified elsewhere in this announcement.


(v) The list of Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) are as follows, all quantities and units of measure for each CLIN will be reflected as a lump sum "1 Job" on any resultant order -


1. CLIN 0001: Task 1. The contractor shall coordinate a kick-off meeting with CDC and provide the minutes to the Contracting Officers Representative (COR). See SOW for further details.


2. CLIN 0002: Task 2. Engage stakeholders in the development process of ME/CFS education materials. See SOW for further details.


3. CLIN 0003: Task 3. Facilitate meetings/teleconferences with Steering Committee to develop a plan for needs assessment. See SOW for further details.


4. CLIN 0004: Task 4. Conduct needs assessment and prioritize topics/areas for the development of ME/CFS education materials based on IOM report and assist SC in disseminating this information and developing subgroups of the TDW. See SOW for further details.


5. CLIN 0005: Task 5. Facilitate the meetings and provide technical support to the Steering Committee and subgroups of the Technical Development Work Group. See SOW for further details.


6. CLIN 0006: Task 6. Develop and execute work plan for other types of education materials based on the needs assessment from Task 4. See SOW for further details.


(vi) The full description of requirement to be acquired is father provided in the Statement Of Work (SOW) attachment to this announcement.


(vii) The date(s) and place(s) of performance and delivery (FOB Destination) are further provided in the SOW attachment to this announcement.


(viii) The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, applies to this acquisition. Any addenda to the provision are anticipated to be added to this announcement within the next couple of working days.


(ix) The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The specific evaluation criteria included in paragraph (a) of the provision is anticipated to be added to this announcement within the next couple of working days.


(x) Offerors are advised to include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with its submission unless already completed and current within the government's on-line System for Award Management (SAM).


(xi) The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Any addenda to the clause are anticipated to be added to this announcement within the next couple of working days.


(xii) The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes Or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The specific additional FAR clauses cited in the clause that are applicable to the acquisition are anticipated to be added to this announcement within the next couple of working days.


(xiii) There are no additional contract requirements or terms and conditions determined by the contracting officer to be necessary for this acquisition and consistent with customary commercial practices.


(xiv) A Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) and assigned rating are not applicable.


(xv) See other parts of this announcement for the date, time and place submissions are due.


(xvi) See other parts of this announcement for the name and telephone number of the individual to contact for information regarding the solicitation.

Please consult the list of document viewers if you cannot open a file.
Statement Of Work (SOW)
Type:
Other (Draft RFPs/RFIs, Responses to Questions, etc..)

Posted Date:
August 21, 2015
SOW.pdf (71.24 Kb)
Description: Statement Of Work (SOW)

Contracting Office Address:
Post Office Box 18070
Cochrans Mill Road
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236-0070
Place of Performance:
See Statement Of Work attached to this announcement.

United States
Primary Point of Contact.:
Darrin P Barber,
Contracting Officer
dbarber@cdc.gov
Phone: (412) 386-5239
 

Kyla

ᴀɴɴɪᴇ ɢꜱᴀᴍᴩᴇʟ
Messages
721
Location
Canada
Also, anyone know how the bid process works at HHS?
Do they just take the lowest $ bid? Decide on merit?
Is there a comittee or a single person deciding?
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
This could really be either a train-wreck or an amazing opportunity depending on who gets the contract.

Anyone have any ideas about organizations to contact and suggest they bid on this?

I haven't had a chance to go through the SOW (the pdf link n @Kyla's post) yet so I don't know how I feel about the stipulations in it which is why I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing this with an org yet.



ETA: From a cursory read of the announcement, it looks as though more info might be posted in the next few business days.
" The specific evaluation criteria included in paragraph (a) of the provision is anticipated to be added to this announcement within the next couple of working days."
and references to possible addenda....
 
Last edited:

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
Also, anyone know how the bid process works at HHS?
Do they just take the lowest $ bid? Decide on merit?
Is there a comittee or a single person deciding?


I am not sure what the procedure is for these bids though I hope that others who have that info will share it here.
 

Kyla

ᴀɴɴɪᴇ ɢꜱᴀᴍᴩᴇʟ
Messages
721
Location
Canada
I haven't had a chance to go through the SOW (the pdf link n @Kyla's post) yet so I don't know how I feel about the stipulations in it which is why I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing this with an org yet.

Hi @Denise
I skimmed the SOW, it is a contract primarily to produce a new toolkit and website.

I think we all know how damaging the previous ones were for many patients.

It's not so much that I have optimism as to what the CDC will put out, but that i would rather an organization that is familiar with this illness and with patients is working on this. At the very least so they can do damage control.
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
Hi @Denise
I skimmed the SOW, it is a contract primarily to produce a new toolkit and website.

I think we all know how damaging the previous ones were for many patients.

It's not so much that I have optimism as to what the CDC will put out, but that i would rather an organization that is familiar with this illness and with patients is working on this. At the very least so they can do damage control.


I kind of get the feeling that this SOW is looking for a contractor to run the project. I don't know if any of our orgs have the capabilities (or the facilities, equipment, personnel, supplies etc) mentioned in the SOW.
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
I kind of get the feeling that this SOW is looking for a contractor to run the project. I don't know if any of our orgs have the capabilities (or the facilities, equipment, personnel, supplies etc) mentioned in the SOW.
Probably not but it is my hope that the CDc knows that patient organizations should be consulted. You'd hope that wouldn't make the same error twice (make that 3 times) (make that 4times)
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
Probably not but it is my hope that the CDc knows that patient organizations should be consulted. You'd hope that wouldn't make the same error twice (make that 3 times) (make that 4times)


The SOW mentions advocate orgs and individuals being involved.
From Task 2:
"The Technical Development Workgroup will formed as a separate entity from the Steering
Committee and will include representatives from the following:
o CDC CFS program
o CFSAC representatives (e.g. chair/co-chair, patient advocate)
o Medical professional societies (e.g., American College of Physicians, American Academy of
Family Practice, American Academy of General Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics,
American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Physician Assistants)
o Medical education organizations (e.g., Association of American Medical Colleges, American
Association of Colleges of Nursing, Association for Prevention Teaching and Research,
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health)
o ME/CFS medical specialists (2 from IOM committee and 2 not on IOM committee)
o Representatives of ME/CFS Advocacy community (such as New Jersey Chronic Fatigue
Association, Massachusetts ME/CFS Association, International Association for Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (IACFS/ME, and active individuals) (Based on discussions
with CDC, several representatives from patient advocacy groups shall be selected for their
potential role in ME/CFS education material development)"


I think it is also a question of whose voice is heard/implemented.

Reading this SOW makes me think about the recent CFSAC agenda item where Nancy Lee asked questions from HHS of the CFSAC.

This SOW also talks about using SEID and CFSAC did not agree on a term.....


ETA - also HHS has not formally endorsed/rejected/other the IOM report so I find it interesting that CDC is going ahead with this without that info.
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
One of the biggest concerns is that the SEID criteria has not been operationalized so there is no way to know how well it id's the patients it is supposed to identify.

I am also curious about the mention in the SOW of preparing for a systematic review re treatment/management.
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
I was unable to participate in all of the CFSAC meeting so I don't know what all the the CFSAC recommendations were.

Does this SOW and project align with the CFSAC recommendations on the IOM report?
(Given that the CFSAC meeting was ended 2 days before the release of this FedBizzOpp, it is unlikely that the agencies were able to respond to the recommendations in that short a period of time. Was this FedBizzOpp written after the meeting? )
 

snowathlete

Senior Member
Messages
5,374
Location
UK
It's impossible to predict at this stage where the results of this will fall along the bad/good scale. There is a lot of work here for our community to make sure we get heard. I hope we are able to focus strategically on the most important things. I guess a lot of it will come down to who is chosen to carry this out and who the people providing input turn out to be, and as much the conversations that go on behind closed doors as those in public.

This is potentially good though and I always like potentially good because it is an opportunity for change, and there is no way out of our current position without that opportunity.
 

Kyla

ᴀɴɴɪᴇ ɢꜱᴀᴍᴩᴇʟ
Messages
721
Location
Canada
I kind of get the feeling that this SOW is looking for a contractor to run the project. I don't know if any of our orgs have the capabilities (or the facilities, equipment, personnel, supplies etc) mentioned in the SOW.

I watched some of the CFSAC meeting online. There was mention of producing educational materials and the representative from IACFSME (sorry, not sure of the name) said they had the capacity to make them and were interested in taking on any contracts to do so.
This seems pretty similar to what they were proposing there.
Worth a shot.
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
Well, I called and said I would help. I mentioned I was an ME patient as well as an educator and professional science writer. Let's see if they call back.

[Edit: yes! Please don't bother him anymore, though; they are looking for a company to do this, and it is the company who will be responsible for recruiting people to put together educational materials and participate in discussions. They will have that company by September 30 at the latest. When I know the name of the company, I will post contact information here, provided I am not in crash-mode at the time.]

-J
 
Last edited:

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
This is what IOM was tasked to do by HHS:

The IOM has agreed to perform the following tasks over the next 18 months:

· Conduct a study to identify the evidence for various diagnostic clinical criteria of ME/CFS using a process with stakeholder input, including practicing clinicians and patients;

· Develop evidence-based clinical diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS for use by clinicians, using a consensus-building methodology;

· Recommend whether new terminology for ME/CFS should be adopted;

· Develop an outreach strategy to disseminate the definition nationwide to health professionals.

Shouldn't it be the IOM's obligation to disseminate the information?
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
This is what IOM was tasked to do by HHS:
Develop an outreach strategy to disseminate the definition nationwide to health professionals.
Shouldn't it be the IOM's obligation to disseminate the information?

Developing a strategy for disseminating a definition is far from 1) disseminating the definition, and 2) disseminating information about the illness. It is, in fact, a tiny fraction of the work necessary for disseminating information about the illness to both the medical community and the lay public.
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
Developing a strategy for disseminating a definition is far from 1) disseminating the definition, and 2) disseminating information about the illness. It is, in fact, a tiny fraction of the work necessary for disseminating information about the illness to both the medical community and the lay public.
Where is the strategy that the IOM developed?