This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice (SBSS).  This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.  The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding:  (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small business; 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 relative 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.

Project Description and Requirements:

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF or Task Force) is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine. Since its inception in 1984, the Task Force has worked to improve the health of all Americans by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services and health promotion. These recommendations for adults and children address screening tests, counseling about healthful behaviors, and preventive medications.

Since 2009, the Task Force has focused on making its work as transparent as possible so that stakeholders and the public better understand and have more confidence in the approach of the Task Force. This also ensures that its work is open, credible, independent, and unbiased, and is recognized as such. Opportunities for the public and stakeholders to engage in the process contribute to transparency of Task Force’s work. Through these efforts the Task Force believes that its recommendations will be more accurate and relevant.

For additional information on the Task Force, its procedures including opportunities for public comment, and all documents (e.g., research plans; systematic evidence reviews and recommendation statements), please visit the USPSTF Procedure Manual at https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/about-uspstf/methods-and-processes/procedure-manual.

The purpose of this requirement is to use scientifically rigorous methods based on qualitative methods to support the aggregation, analysis, and synthesis of public comments for the USPSTF and to implement, coordinate, and manage processes for expert review of systematic reviews for the USPSTF.

This project will require a contractor to:

1. Develop tables for up to 30 – 40 postings each year. The tables shall include the public comments received in response to USPSTF draft research plans, draft evidence reports and draft recommendation statements and shall be used by Principal Investigators at Evidence-based Practice Centers, Task Force members and AHRQ staff. Draft evidence reports include related reports, such as decision modeling reports.
2. Establish a methodology for coding the public comments received in response to USPSTF draft recommendation statements (e.g., develop a coding scheme and process for how coders would be trained, how agreement among coders will be determined, quality control measures, how the data will be analyzed and synthesized). This methodology shall be scientifically rigorous and developed based on principles of qualitative analysis and synthesis.
3. Aggregate, review, analyze and synthesize public comments received in response to USPSTF draft recommendation statements using methods based on the standards of qualitative analysis of data.
4. Write a report for all draft recommendation statements, draft research plans and evidence reviews that summarizes public comments received.
5. Conduct an annual analysis of public comments across topics and write a report summarizing the results.
6. Manage communications with outside experts, including key informants (3-6 per topic) and expert reviewers (4 - 6 for each report)  using an established process.
7. Manage key informants for 8-12 research plans, 10-14 draft evidence reports and 1-2 decision modeling reports per year.
8. Other tasks, including but not limited to, quarterly progress reports and monthly progress calls, transition plans, and annual analysis of public comments across topics.

Anticipated period of performance:

This contract has a base year plus four option periods (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2030).  The work performed in the base period will be the same as the work performed in the option periods if the government decides to exercise the options.