TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE

Title: Technical Support for Office of Research Services Strategic Plan Implementation and Improvement Efforts

Acquisition objectives

The Government hereby submits a notice of intent to award a sole source labor-hour contract to provide technical advice, consultation, group discussion facilitation, key performance indicator development and support for Office of Research Services (ORS) Program and Line Offices associated with implementation of ORS Strategic Plan objectives and other ORS improvement efforts. The support includes advice in organizational planning, including advice in data collection and analysis efforts to a group of diverse service providers that make up the ORS.

Unique qualifications of the contractor(s) 

The contractor will need to have a considerable degree of familiarity with the portfolio of ORS services, and associated processes, delivered by ORS/ORF and the OD to be an effective consultant. The contractor will develop and provide training or briefings to develop leadership and the workforce on performance management approaches, methods and tools that rely on in-depth knowledge and experience with the processes, people, and organizational culture of ORS. The contractor will need to demonstrate the proven ability to work closely and effectively with the ORS Director to deliver a consistent message regarding the selected approaches, processes, methods, tools, and deliverables.

The contractor will need to work with a variety of leaders and staff in ORS to formulate, review or implement the ORS Strategic Plan and associated initiatives. Familiarity of and experience with processes, policies and practices of the NIH will be critical in the effective delivery of this task. The contractor will need to have a familiarity with the NIH organizational needs assessed that were used to develop the ORS Strategic Plan. The contractor will need to build on relationships with ORS personnel to facilitate meetings, provide technical advice, provide data analytical advice at a group or individual basis if required in an effective manner.

The contractor will need to manage the consulting relationship with participating teams to ensure that he/she is not viewed as someone who will be doing the work for leadership and teams but seen as a resource with a proven record of obtaining buy-in for provision of advice and technical assistance in the leadership’s efforts to implement goals and process improvements.

The contractor may be asked to provide technical consultation to senior ORS leadership to encourage ownership and buy-in of a culture of continual improvement. This consultation could involve educational and training sessions and facilitating discussions regarding performance improvement at the organization-wide level. This will involve advice on developing key performance indicators for groups who do not normally use data analytics to measure performance and quality. To be effective at such tasks, the contractor will need to have considerable experience working with such industry thought-leaders, and organizations of the caliber of The Federal Executive Institute, and the National Defense University.

The contractor will also be expected to have the ability share ideas for improvement with the ORS Director and Programs, and to suggest specific tools and methods that will increase the likelihood of the implementation of strategic plan goals and organizational change. While providing ideas, the contractor must have the ability to build a compelling case drawing on knowledge of NIH and ORS practices so that informed decisions can be made by the ORS Director and ORS Leadership regarding implementation

Period of Performance

The period of performance for this effort will be a 12-month base period with two (2) 12-month option periods.

Responses to this notice must demonstrate clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government, would not be cost or time prohibitive, and would not hinder the mission objective of the national solid waste recycling measurement initiative.

The determination not to compete this proposed contract action is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this notice.

This is NOT a request for quotes or proposals.

Responses to this Notice of Intent should be directed to Contracting Specialist, Isaac Bellamy, at isaac.bellamy@nih.gov via e-mail only (no phone calls/voice mail messages regarding questions will not be accepted and will not receive a response). Please indicate in the subject of your email: Notice of Intent Submission - NIH04192022.