INTRODUCTION
THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME).

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Office of Acquisitions (OA) on behalf of the Center for Scietific Review (CSR) intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition (Including brand-name) to Heliotext, LLC, 4205 Preston Forest Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24060 for of the Grant Redundant Application Search Program (GRASP) Software Licensing and Annual Maintenance.

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE
The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 541990 with a Size Standard of $14.0M.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY
The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 05-76 effective August 25, 2014.

This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in FAR subpart 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures at an amount not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold ($150,000).

STATUTORY AUTHORITY
This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures, Subpart 13.106-1 (b) (1), Soliciting from a single source and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6-Competition Requirements.

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT

Background
CSR contracted with HelioText for the development of the Grant Redundant Application Search Program ("GRASP") system built as a turnkey hardware and software solution that would seamlessly gather data from the NIH grants management database system (IMPAC II) to build an automated analysis and access system that would:

• Calculate text similarity between a submitted document and a user prescribed set of comparison documents
• Display an output summarizing findings

CSR's primary objective in having the system developed was to obtain the capability of comparing new grant application submissions to a database of previous application submissions, with the potential of adding additional search resources. This comparison work will be done in order to minimize resources and time currently used to identify inequality amongst grant submitters.

The GRASP system was built to be scalable with the ability to support expansion in a number of dimensions.

Purpose and Objectives
The system was initially installed on 9/1/2009 and CSR requires constant and consistent maintenance of the system to alleviate as much down time as possible.

The following are tasks that CSR will require of the vendor, in an effort to maintain continuity of service:

• Changes or upgrades in system functionality
• Hardware and software maintenance including hardware upgrades
• Service patches for O/S, as required
• Monitoring of the entire system, to ensure consistency in availability

Period of Performance
October 19, 2014 through October 18, 2015

Project Description - GRASP Statement of Work
• All data, data manipulation and data output will occur within the NIH/CSR firewall.
• The server and system will be kept up to date on security patches and use accepted state of the art systems to minimize the potential for unauthorized intrusion,
• The contractor will coordinate with the NIH/CSR ISSO to ensure that NIH/CSR security best practices are in place. All pertinent security controls set forth by HHS/NIH/CSR must be applied to the systems.
• The Contractor will routinely work with the NIH/CSR ISSO to provide information regarding datacenter specific requirements to house the server (example, power requirements, network ports, etc.).
• The Contractor will provide assistance for the completion of the following government mandated documents as necessary for Certification and Accreditation.
      • Systems Security Plan
      • eAuthentication Report
      • Risk Assessment
      • Disaster Recovery Plan
      • Privacy Impact Assessment
      • ST&E (System Test & Evaluation)
      • Change and Configuration Management
• The Contractor personnel will have root access to the server with the assistance of the NIH/ ISSO. NIH/CSR personnel shall have user access at levels necessary to ensure security and functionality. The Contractor personnel will have access to the server from outside the NIH/CSR firewall via VPN.
• System shall have an uptime of at least 95% when adequate power and environment are provided.
• The Contractor will have access for maintenance and upgrades
• Complete server hardware replacement, as called out on the annual maintenance, shall not exceed seven (7) days. Minor hardware replacements (failed disk drives) will be handled via NIH/CSR personnel exchanging front panel snap in drives, including 2 spare drives to be on site at the NIH/CSR for replacement within 1 day. Server troubleshooting, looking at error messages in error logs and assessing the issues of the servers will be done by HelioText, LLC.
• The Contractor must also monitor the system log files on a weekly basis to ensure that no issues have or are occurring. The Contractor must contact the CSR ISSO for the necessary flags in syslog to implement such that all necessary items are captured for successful system evaluation and monitoring.
• Backups: The Contractor shall maintain a full system backup and software backups (following any software upgrades), as well as database backups.
      • Prohibit the storing of NIH/CSR data on Contractor Furnished 
        Equipment (CFE):
      • The Contractor must not backup or store CSR/IMB GRASP data to
        Contractor Furnished Equipment (CFE). CFE is defined as personally-
        owned equipment and software that are not issued or provided by NIH for
        official NIH Federal use.
      • The Contractor must only backup or store GRASP data to GFE
        (Government Furnished Equipment) such as the existing GRASP systems
        or Government furnished storage. The Contractor must contact the 
        CSR/IMB Server team to request storage space on Government 
        Furnished Equipment (GFE) necessary for the placement of backup data
        when needed.
• Response time: in general, this will be less than 1 minute per query, but typically will be approximately 1 second.
• Database updates: dependent on volume of new documents, and will be conducted at off-hours (between 6:00 pm to 6:00am, Eastern Time)
• General performance: expectations are estimated based on an expected rate of user activity of up to 2,000 queries or database accesses per day.
• Higher levels of performance may require hardware upgrades
• Data retention: most recent backups following agreement termination will be held for 1 year. User data will be retained for one year.
• Error handling: will be addressed following user submission via email and will involve direct contact with user, and reasonable effort to resolve issue.
• Validation rules: the similarity system shall be validated on user and test data, via analysis by the Contractor's personnel, with reports as to performance provided to NIH/CSR. Text similarity system calibration and validation shall be performed with each weekly data update.
• Conventions/Standards: the GRASP system interface will be via web browser, and will support at least Windows Internet Explorer (most recent version).
• Constraints:
      • Server software will have access to NIH/CSR application document
        control system and database to enable automated synchronization of
        new applications. Alternatively, the NIH/CSR application document
        control system will deposit applications in a file system or storage area
        available to the GRASP system.
      • Access and software to access the NIH/CSR system is not unusually
        complicated or protected such as to limit functionality or require
        unexpected high level of customization
      • The Contractor employees will have remote access to server, NIH/CSR
        personnel at server site will be occasionally be available to power
        up/down server and swap in disk drives (easily done through front panel
        without tools). All remote access to GRASP servers will be done through
        CSR ISSO approved VPN access only. No other connection is allowed by
        the Contractor's members.
      • The Contractor's employees' devices (Contractor Furnished Equipment 
        used to connect via NIH VPN to GRASP systems such as laptops,
        desktops for example) must have Anti-Virus software installed with the
        latest Virus signatures updated at all times. Additionally, HelioText
        employees' devices used to connect via NIH VPN to GRASP systems
        must be scanned monthly or when malware is identified. The Contractor's
        employees' must not connect to GRASP systems with infected devices.
        Any questions regarding this must be addressed to the CSR ISSO.
• Non-Disclosure:
       • The Contractor's employees and any sub-contractors performing under
          this SOW shall not release, publish, or disclose non-
          public Departmental information to unauthorized personnel, and shall
          protect such information in accordance with provisions of the following
          laws and any other pertinent laws and regulations governing the
          confidentiality of such information:
             • 18 U.S.C. 641 (Criminal Code: Public Money, Property or Records)
             • 18 U.S.C. 1905 (Criminal Code: Disclosure of Confidential
                Information)
             • Public Law 96-511 (Paperwork Reduction Act) 
• Contractor-Employee Non-Disclosure Agreements 
       • Each contractor/subcontractor employee who may have access to non-
         public Department information under this contract shall complete the
         Commitment to Protect Non-Public Information - Contractor Agreement
         (which will be provided at contract award). A copy of each signed and
         witnessed Non-Disclosure agreement shall be submitted to the Project
         Officer prior to performing any work under the contract. 
       • The Contractor's employees will be bound by non-disclosure and will not
          participate in future grant reviews for NIH/CSR to avoid conflict of
          interest. 
• Change Management: IMB requires advance notice from The Conractor's /GRASP personnel before changes are made to the GRASP application, operating system, application and/or database. No change can be done without change management notification and approval from CSR/IMB. This includes shutting down or rebooting servers or application for example. Change management notification must be done in writing via email to the group of members in CSR/IMB in the Web Team, ISSO, Server Team and CIO. The Contractor must contact CSR/IMB for the list of names of these members to email change management request/information to for approval and notification.
        • GRASP must create, implement and provide upon request the following
           change management requirements for the GRASP systems:
               • Procedures for version control for the system(s), application, and 
                  database.
               • Process for IMB approval of configuration-controlled changes to 
                  the system with explicit consideration for security impact analyses.
               • Procedures for performing emergency fixes to systems
               • Documenting emergency changes.
               • Implementing change control procedures and schedules for 
                  routine cleaning and preventative maintenance. 
               • Documenting approved configuration-controlled changes to the
                  system.
               • Restricting maintenance on system components to authorized
                  personnel 
               • Documenting and implementing data and system recovery 
                  procedures.
               • Testing and verifying restore procedures.
               • Reporting: Monthly In progress Review Support
        • The contractor shall provide a monthly status report monitoring the 
          quality assurance, configuration management, and security
          management applied to the contract.
• Deliverables:
  1) Monthly Status Report due Monthly, by the 10th day
  2) Monthly Invoice due Monthly, by the 10th day

Other Important Considerations
Due to the proprietary nature of the modules residing in the GRASP system, no other companies are currently permitted to work on or maintain the GRASP system. HelioText, LLC developed the GRASP system for use by the CSR in evaluating instances of text similarity in grant applications. At the core of this system are proprietary HelioText technologies including Contaro, a search engine that makes rapid comparison possible.

HelioText, LLC's propriety text similarity engine, Contaro©, has been tailored for NIH/CSR needs. The result is an output system that clearly displays critical decision-making metrics and relevant details.

The GRASP system was built to accommodate NIH/CSR's desire to screen thousands of annual grant submission documents for further review.

CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION
The determination by the Government to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon the market research conducted as prescribed in FAR Part 10-Market Research.The review and evaluation of the responses to this notice published in the FedBizOpps will be used as additional Market Research.

Name and Address of the Intended Source:
Heliotext, LLC
4205 Preston Forest Drive
Blacksburg, VA, 24060

CLOSING STATEMENT
This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov."

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement.

All responses must be received by 2PM EST on September 25, 2014 and must reference number NHLBI-CSB-RG-2015-003-JEF. Responses may be submitted electronically to Jenn Frazier at [email protected] or by U.S. mail to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Office of Acquisitions, COAC Services Branch,6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite Room 6145, Bethesda, MD 20892-7902, Attention: Jenn Frazier. Fax responses will not be accepted.

"All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency."