(2) Date: February 19, 2016

(3) Year: 2016

(4) Contracting Office Zip Code: 20892

(5) Classification Code: R499

(6) Contracting Office Address:
6701 Rockledge Drive
Rockledge II
Bethesda, MD 20892

(7) Subject/Title: Orthopedic Surgeon

(8) Proposed Solicitation Number:
HHS-NIH-NHLBI-CSB-DE-2016-074-AKM

(9) Closing Response Date: February 12, 2016

(10) Contact Point: Arun Mathur, Contract Specialist

(11) Contract Award and Solicitation Number: TBD

(12) Contract Award Dollar Amount: UKN

(13) Contract Line Item Number(s): TBD

(14) Contractor Award Date: TBD

(15) Contractor Name: TBD

(16) Description: Professional Services:

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

(ii) The solicitation number is HHS-NIH-NHLBI-CSB-DE-
2016-074-AKM and the solicitation is issued as a
request for quote (RFQ).

(iii) The solicitation document, the incorporated
provisions and clauses are those in effect
through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-85-1
effective 1 JAN 2016.

(iv) This order is being set aside for small
business. The associated NAICS code is 541990,
All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical
Services, and the small business size standard
is $15.0M. The acquisition is being conducted
in accordance with the procedures of FAR Part 12
and FAR Part 13 & 13.5.

(v) It is anticipated award will be made with a (12)
month Base Period of Performance and four (12)
month Option periods.

(vi) The Contractor Requirements are listed below

The Contractor Shall:

1. General Description of the Required Objectives and Desired Results:

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services and qualified personnel, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to establish and maintain an orthopedic outcomes research program in collaboration with the National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. This includes providing clinical consultations as requested for patients in the NIH Clinical Center, and developing and executing research protocols focused on patients with orthopedic conditions.

2. Background Information:

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is one of the nation's premier research institutions in the area of clinical research in rheumatic and other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. With the unique characteristics and availability of the state of the art clinical research hospital, NIAMS now seeks to expand its clinical research into new areas, including musculoskeletal research. To initiate this effort, we currently seek a board certified orthopedic surgeon to establish and orthopedic outcomes research program.

The NIAMS requires that the contractor provide an experienced orthopedic surgeon who has 1) an outstanding reputation for basic and clinical research based on past publications in high-quality orthopedic journals, and faculty appointment; 2) history of leading basic and clinical research teams at an academic medical center; 3) experience in epidemiology and outcomes research; and 4) a record of productivity as demonstrated by publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentation of work at national and international meeting. In addition, the identified individual must be board certified in orthopedics and must be able to be credentialed to see patients with orthopedic problems in the NIH Clinical Research Center.

The orthopedic surgeon will conduct clinical outcomes research in the Clinical Program of the NIAMS in the NIH Clinical Research Center. Responsibilities would include:

1) Develop a mentoring committee to assist in
identifying appropriate research topics
a. Utilize existing databases to provide new
insights into orthopedic outcomes, including
Medicare, the National Inpatient Sample, and
others as appropriate to the research
b. Develop protocols to study subjects with
orthopedic problems at the NIH clinical
2) Conduct meetings and interviews with other NIAMS
researchers to identify areas of potential
collaborations utilizing subjects enrolled in
existing studies
3) Teach NIAMS fellows about orthopedic problems that
relate to the practice of rheumatology.

3. Detailed Description of the Technical Requirements:

The contractor shall:
a. This person will have the following credentials:
1) Orthopedic surgical training in the US
2) Board certification in orthopedic surgery;
3) Basic and clinical research training in orthopedic
surgery;
4) Faculty experience at a US academic medical
center;
5) Prior experience as an independent investigator
6) Evidence of research productivity in basic and
clinical research as evidenced by recent (within
the past 5 years) peer-reviewed publications,
reviews, and book chapters.

b. Conduct innovative clinical outcomes research. This
should include studies of disease outcomes,
prognosis, and pathogenesis that have been
understudied or of great public health impact. This
will be accomplished through collaborative research
protocols with NIAMS investigators addressing
questions in orthopedic outcomes. The interactions
between NIAMS and contractor staff in caring
out their collaborative activities will follow the
academic model.

c. Carry out a variety of studies, as jointly identified
by the contractor, the mentoring team, and
NIAMS leadership. Initiate clinical research studies
either independently or in collaboration with
other NIH investigators.

d. Achieve and maintain quality control of protocol
implementation and data collection, including
appropriate data management plans and procedures.
Protocols will be subject to review by the
branch chief, Clinical Director, the IRB (as
applicable), and will be monitored consistent with
the established plans in the Institute for clinical
protocols. Coordinate with the NIAMS and
participating investigators in the use of the NIAMS
clinical database and any other databases directed by
protocol.

e. Encourage other orthopedists and other medical
specialists to develop working relationships with
the researchers participating in the protocols. This
will include providing seminars on the research
both internally in the NIH Clinical Center, and in
the local community of orthopedic surgeons, as
well as at national scientific meetings, with a goal
of publicizing the research in orthopedics done at
NIAMS Intramural Research Program. The purpose of
this contract is to distribute as widely as
possible the benefits of the orthopedic surgery
outcomes innovations and techniques. The
facilitation of such working relationships will be an
important element in furthering that purpose.

f. Establish a mentoring committee to provide guidance
related to research activities.

4. Clinical Research/Human Subjects:

Clinical research activity will be conducted under the auspices of the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, and shall be subject to the review and approval of the NIAMS Board of Scientific Counselors and the NIAMS-NIDDK IRB. For research conducting outside of the NIH Clinical Center, Contractor's Institutional Review Board shall approve all clinical protocols prior to their being performed on human subjects and notice of this approval shall be provided to the Contracting Officer.

(vii) Delivery of reports

1. One or more active clinical protocols (IRB approved)
at the end of year 1 and continuing
each year.
2. Three publications in peer-reviewed journals per
year.

(viii) The provision at FAR clause 52.212-1,
Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items,
applies to this acquisition.

Interested parties should submit a CV, medical Licensure, tailored quotation and capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed 20 single-sided pages (including all attachments, resumes. charts, etc.) presented in single-space and using a 12-point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above. All proprietary information should be marked as such. Statements should also include an indication of current certified small business status; this indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement (preferably placed under the eligible small business concern's name and address). Responses will be reviewed only by NIH personnel and will be held in a confidential manner.

(ix) FAR clause 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial
Items is applicable to this acquisition. The
Government will award a contract resulting from
this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose
offer conforming to the solicitation will be most
advantageous to the Government, price and other
factors considered. The following factors shall be
used to evaluate offers:

1. Technical Capability
a.Successful completion of an ACGME-approved
orthopedic surgery residency in
the U.S. (10 points)
b.Current valid American Board of Orthopedics
board certification in orthopedic
surgery (10 points)
c.Basic and clinical research training in
orthopedic surgery (10 points)
d.Faculty appointment in Orthopedic Surgery at a
US academic medical center at
the assistant, associate, or full professor
level (10 points)
e.Experience as an independent research
investigator (15 points)
f.Exceptional productivity in basic or clinical
orthopedic surgery research in the
past 5 years evidenced by peer-reviewed
publications (as first or senior author)
or grant funding (as PI) (25 points)
2. Past Performance (25)
3. Price

Technical and past performance factors, when combined, are significantly more important than price.

(b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for
award purposes by adding the total price for all
options to the total price for the basic
requirement. The Government may determine that an
offer is unacceptable if the option prices are
significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options
shall not obligate the Government to
exercise the option(s).

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer,
mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful
offeror within the time for acceptance specified in
the offer, shall result in a binding contract
without further action by either party. Before the
offer's specified expiration time, the Government
may accept an offer (or part of an
offer), whether or not there are negotiations after
its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal
is received before award.

(x) FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and
Certifications - Commercial Items, is applicable.
An offeror shall complete only paragraphs (b) of
this provision if the offeror has completed the
annual representations and certificates
electronically via http://www.acquisition.gov. If an
offeror has not completed the annual representations
and certifications electronically at the System for
Award Management (SAM) website, the offeror shall
complete only paragraphs (c) through (p) of this
provision.

(xi)FAR clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and
Conditions - Commercial Items, applies to this
acquisition.

(xii)FAR clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and
Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or
Executive Orders - Commercial Items, applies to
this acquisition. Including the following clauses:

• 52.217-9, Option to extend the term of the
Contract

(xiii)Additional Contract Requirements: None

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

(xv) All responses must be received by March 5, 2016 at
9:00 AM and must reference number HHS-NIH-NHLBI-CSB-
DE-2016-074-AKM. Responses may be submitted
electronically to [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 6213, Bethesda,
MD 20892-7902, Attention: Arun Mathur. Phone: 301-
451-8045; Fax responses will not be accepted

(17)Place of Contract Performance:

National Institutes of Health - NIAMS
31 Center Drive Bldg. 31
Bethesda, MD 20892

(18)Set-aside Status: Set aside for small business