**STATEMENT OF WORK**

**TITLE**

**Meeting Support Services for the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives (CSSI)**

**OVERVIEW**

The purpose of this contract is to provide meeting support for the
National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Center for Strategic Scientific
Initiatives (CSSI). CSSI is seeking an organization with offices in the
Washington, DC metropolitan areas that will, acting independently and
not as an agent of the Federal Government, provide all logistical
arrangements involved in planning and implementing conferences and
meetings for the Center. This will include analytic work incidental to
workshop/conference preparations, establishment of workshop/conference
registrations systems, coordination of travel arrangements, preparation
of graphics for signage and registrations systems, coordination of
travel arrangements, and meeting follow up tasks.

The meetings will range from small meetings, such as the technical
workshops involving 20- 30 participants, small meetings which may
include 50-100 people and large meetings which may include 300
participants. It is anticipated that 4-5 workshops, 4-5 small meetings
and 1 large meeting will occur annually. The Contractor must be flexible
and prepared to accept tasks for changes to the meetings on short notice
(\<30 days advance notice). The specific tasks will be provided by the
NCI as details for these meetings arise.

**BACKGROUND**

The NCI Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives (CSSI) provides
programmatic and policy direction regarding advanced technologies to
support NCI research initiatives. To attain this goal, research programs
in advanced technologies are designed to revolutionize the approaches to
diagnose, detect, prevent, and treat cancer. Advanced technologies
include innovative platforms that measure genomic and proteomic
parameters of cancer. Platforms include a variety of nanotechnology,
protein detection and measurement systems, imaging modalities, genomic
sequencing technologies, and many others.

Supporting these technology programs are affiliated activities to
enhance system-wide biospecimen resources; information dissemination
about advanced technologies including public interest, safety, and
societal benefits; small business programs; establishment of strategic
partnerships with other Federal R&D agencies involved in technology
development; and coordination of partnerships with private sector
entities that work together to bring advances in technology to clinical
application. CSSI works closely with government, academic, and industry
partners and often includes senior leadership of these organizations.
CSSI meetings often provide feedback to the NCI Advisory Committees and
support policy setting on issues of national importance consistent with
the NCI Strategic Plan. In these activities, it is of vital importance
to develop effective communication strategies to accomplish complex and
integrated goals. State-of-the-art information technology and software
development practices are employed. Outreach programs to Cancer Centers
are important to facilitate the transfer of technologies with the goal
of accelerating technology implementation in cancer research.

CSSI includes 7 major program areas: Proteomic Technologies, Genomic
Technologies, Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program,
Biospecimen Research, Nanotechnology, Interagency Oncology Task Force
(collaborations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), and Small
Business and Partnership Programs. Managing the development and
implementation of technology programs (e.g. the Alliance for
Nanotechnology in Cancer \[nano.cancer.gov\]), is a major part of
CSSI\'s responsibilities. CSSI programs include a variety of grants and
contracts programs that have a wide array of technology projects
included in a community of investigators. The importance of coming
together to share ideas on overcoming research barriers is critical to
achieving organizational goals.

The CSSI workshops (20-30 participants) are generally of two types. The
first type focuses on assembling technical teams to develop solutions to
specific challenges or barriers. The second type of workshop is directed
at scoping emerging issues across the cancer research continuum. In both
cases, the meetings a broad array of experts from academia, industry,
advocacy organizations, and government officials. Other small
CSSI-related meetings may also require support over the course of the
year and CSSI wishes to retain the right to add these as specific tasks
under \"small meetings.\"

The Small and Large CSSI meetings are typically focused on critical gaps
in the discovery-development-delivery continuum and involve participants
from diverse communities (private sector and academia) with as many as
15% of participants representing foreign countries. The meetings are may
be 2 days in duration, often with an opening session in the evening.
Guests and participants include the heads of Federal agencies, private
sector CEOs, or other dignitaries which require special consideration.
Many of these meetings will include an organizing committee that will
hold conference calls in advance of the meeting.

Meetings and conferences are predominantly held in the greater
Washington, D.C. region; however, approximately 1 conference and 2
workshops each year are held in other major cities (East and West Coast
of the continental United States).

CSSI will increasingly rely upon web-based meetings and conferences to
support its activities and programs, particularly as program initiatives
mature and associated working groups meet more frequently. Such meetings
are likely to require the meeting support contractor to provide
sophisticated and secure document sharing systems and detailed online
workspaces to facilitate virtual meetings with real-time presentations
and to enable password-gated internet-based sharing of information.

**STATEMENT OF WORK**

**General Requirements**

In addition to performing the detailed list of meeting support functions
described below, the Contractor shall support the following general
requirements:

First, CSSI meetings address how they relate to the NCI Strategic Plan.
The Contractor may be required to develop highly technical and accurate
background meeting materials, and to respond to inquiries from meeting
participants during the meeting planning process.

Second, many CSSI meetings are organized at the request of the NCI
Leadership under extremely tight deadlines (\<30 days), and involve
unpredictable and changing requirements. Therefore, the Contractor must
respond to last-minute changes regarding facilities, participants, and
other meeting requirements.

Third, several CSSI meetings are organized in a series, involve common
participants, and address topics that build on previous meetings. These
meetings represent an important venue for stimulating dialogue with the
scientific research community. Due to the highly innovative nature of
CSSI programs, these meetings are part of a constant exchange of
information. Without a central contractor handling sequential meetings,
CSSI risks detrimental loss of institutional memory and direct
experience to facilitate and execute meetings efficiently. Therefore, it
is critical for CSSI to have continuity in its meeting support
contractors.

Fourth, a large proportion of CSSI meeting participants are high-level
executives from the public and private sectors; therefore, the
Contractor must be capable of accommodating these individuals. This will
include complete travel arrangements and reimbursement.

Finally, CSSI often holds multiple events in close succession;
therefore, the Contractor must have sufficient capacity to organize and
manage multiple meetings within a short timeframe.

**Detailed List of Meeting Support Functions**

I.  **Conference Pre-planning and Logistics Requirements (all
    meetings)**

> Conference planning and management includes responsibility for all
> logistical arrangements involved in planning and implementing the
> conference, analytical work incidental to conference preparation (e.g.
> researching facility options and requirements), establishing the
> conference invitational list, and coordinating travel arrangements,
> including covering the costs of sponsored travel for non-federal
> participants/speakers.

II. **Special Requirements (all meetings)**

> For each project or activity, the Contractor shall submit to the
> Government a proposed timeline to project target completion dates for
> work activities. The timeline shall be subject to review and approval
> by CSSI and shall be updated weekly during contract performance to
> reflect current status of each identified activity.
>
> Prior to initiation any work, the Contractor shall prepare a
> consolidated work plan clarifying the Contractor and CSSI
> responsibilities, projected costs (budget estimate) for the project.
> Finally, based on the timeline, work plan and budget estimate, the
> CSSI and the Contractor shall negotiation projected levels of effort
> and cost ceilings for the meeting as well as negotiated cost ceilings
> for individual tasks involved in its implementation.

III. **Requirements for Small Meetings of Up to 50 Participants**

> These meetings could be of various types, such as meetings of the
> Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer or the NCI Biospecimen
> Coordinating Committee. They can vary in size from 10 participants to
> 50 participants. In 2007 and into 2008, CSSI anticipates holding up to
> 4-5 meetings of about 40-50 participants.

a.  **Task 1: Meeting Location and Lodging Support**

> Meeting planning and management includes responsibility for all
> logistical arrangements involved in planning and implementing the
> meeting, establishing and maintaining a meeting invitational list, and
> coordinating all travel arrangements, including covering the costs of
> sponsored travel which may include long distance travel, ground
> transportation, meals and incidental expenses, lodging and honorarium
> not to exceed \$200/day for non-federal participants/speakers.

i.  **Subtask 1.1**

> The Contractor shall provide support for five one- or two-day meetings
> with estimated average attendance of 40-50 participants. Logistical
> needs of the meeting will be addressed through an initial meeting
> between the Contractor and CSSI. The Contractor may be requested to
> research site options and provide a list of options to CSSI.

ii. **Subtask 1.3**

> The Contractor may be asked to negotiate facility **contracts** handle
> all facility arrangements including reservation of sleeping rooms for
> attendees based on information provided on their registration forms. ,
> The contractor shall negotiate rates within government per diem

iii. **Subtask 1.4**

> If the meeting is held outside a government facility, the Contractor
> shall research the off-site locations and provide competition (cost
> comparison of 3 different sites including a determination of adequacy
> of lodging rooms at the established per diem rates, overall
> convenience of the conference location, cost of the meeting space,
> lodging rooms, equipment, supplies and food and light refreshments, if
> applicable) information to the Project Officer for completion of Form
> NIH 827-1. In addition, the Contractor shall work with the hotel to
> provide light refreshments for the morning and afternoon breaks,
> subject to government regulations and advance approval. Agreement for
> meeting space, lodging rooms, food, etc. generally include a
> cancellation and/or attrition fee that must be paid if the event is
> cancelled or minimum agreements are not met. Therefore, prior
> Contracting Office approval is required for all agreements that
> contain a cancellation and/or attrition fee.

b.  **Task 2: Administrative Support**

    i.  **Subtask 2.1**

> The Contractor shall prepare all letters, registration forms, and
> other meeting materials as needed to be included in the invitation
> mailings.

ii. **Subtask 2.2**

> The Contractor shall prepare speaker invitation packets, including a
> merge letter, draft agenda, logistics fact sheet, registration forms,
> and other materials as needed. All materials will require CSSI review
> prior to distribution. Prepared packets will be labeled and sent by
> FEDEX and/or FAX from Contractor\'s facility.

iii. **Subtask 2.3**

> The Contractor shall maintain a database of all participants, which
> shall include all pertinent contact information.

iv. **Subtask 2.4**

> The Contractor shall prepare name badges for all participants and
> table tents for all speakers.

v.  **Subtask 2.5**

> The Contractor shall coordinate electronic presentations and
> facilitate with the host institution their presentations through
> audio-visual technicians.

vi. **Subtask 2.6**

> The Contractor shall prepare meeting packets/binders, including the
> final agenda, list of speakers, and participants, logistics
> information, evaluation forms (this may require OMB clearance which
> the contractor will need to verify) and background materials provided
> by CSSI.

vii. **Subtask 2.7**

> The Contractor shall prepare any post meeting materials on an NCI
> website (when needed), such as a meeting report, PowerPoint
> presentations, a summary of \"lessons learned" and follow-up
> correspondence letters to participants.

c.  **Task 3: Contractor On-Site Support**

    i.  **Subtask 3.1**

> The Contractor shall provide staff for meeting participant
> registration and to provide meeting materials.

IV. **Requirements for Large Conferences in 2007 and 2008**

> For the past several years, CSSI has convened at least one major
> conference which has brought together more than 350 participants
> representing the diverse advanced technology and cancer research
> community stakeholders to facilitate interaction, collaboration, and
> partnerships. Up to 300 people are expected for this planned meeting
> in 2007.
>
> Annual meeting planning and management includes responsibility for all
> logistical arrangements involved in planning and implementing the
> conference, establishing a conference invitational list, maintaining a
> registration system, marketing activities to increase attendance, and
> coordinating all travel arrangements, including covering the costs of
> sponsored travel for non- federal participants/speakers. Meeting
> follow-up activities include developing a logistical summary and
> drafting and mailing of thank you letters to all summit speakers and
> participants.

a.  **Task 1: Conference Location and Lodging Support**

    i.  **Subtask 1.1**

> The Contractor shall provide complete support for two, two-day CSSI
> conferences with estimated attendance of 300 participants in 2007 and
> 2008. Logistical needs of the meeting will be addressed through an
> initial meeting between the Contractor and CSSI. It is expected that
> separate meetings of CSSI technology specific working groups may be
> held the day before and the day after the annual meeting.

ii. **Subtask 1.2** The Contractor shall research site options in the
    wider-Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area and provide a list of options
    to CSSI.

iii. **Subtask 1.3**

> The Contractor shall negotiate facility contracts; handle all facility
> arrangements including reservation of sleeping rooms for attendees
> based on information provided on their registration forms.
>
> **Subtask 1.4**
>
> The Contractor shall reserve/secure additional hotel space, ballroom
> space, and exhibit space and equip them with standard audiovisual
> equipment (i.e. PowerPoint projector with laptop computer, 9x9 screen,
> laser pointer, microphones, including wireless microphone) and
> wireless and wired Internet connections as directed by CSSI.

iv. **Subtask 1.6**

> The Contractor shall work with the hotel to provide light refreshments
> for the morning and afternoon breaks and other meals as permitted by
> Federal regulations.

v.  **Subtask 1.7**

> The Contractor shall assist in identifying appropriate facilitators
> who can help emphasize key points during meeting discussions and
> facilitate decision making processes.

b.  **Task 2: Administrative Support**

    i.  **Subtask 2.1**

> The Contractor shall prepare all letters, registration forms, and
> other meeting materials as needed to be included in the invitation
> mailings.

ii. **Subtask 2.2**

> The Contractor shall prepare speaker invitation packets for all
> non-federal attendees, including a merge letter, draft agenda,
> logistics fact sheet, registration forms, and other materials as
> needed. All materials will require CSSI review prior to distribution.
> Prepared packets will be labeled and sent by FEDEX and/or FAX from
> contractor\'s facility. The Contractor shall maintain a list of
> speakers, including all pertinent contact information.

iii. **Subtask 2.3**

> The Contractor shall design an on-line registration system for
> conference participants and shall maintain a database of all
> participants, which shall include all pertinent contact information.

iv. **Subtask 2.4**

> The Contractor shall prepare name badges for all participants and
> table tents for all speakers.

v.  **Subtask 2.5**

> The Contractor shall coordinate electronic presentations and
> facilitate with the host institution their presentations through
> audio-visual technicians.

vi. **Subtask 2.6**

> The Contractor shall prepare meeting packets/binders, including the
> final agenda, list of speakers, and participants, logistics
> information, evaluation forms and background materials provided by
> CSSI.

vii. **Subtask 2.7**

> The Contractor shall prepare signage for the conference site,
> including signage for the registration desk and the conference site,
> directing participants to sessions. As requested, the contractor shall
> organize space for poster presentations and other special features as
> the program determines.

viii. **Subtask 2.8**

> The Contractor shall prepare all conference materials for upload to a
> designated CSSI Web Site.

c.  **Task 3: Contractor On-Site Support**

    i.  **Subtask 3.1**

> The Contractor shall provide staff for meeting participant
> registration. Staff should be available not only during registration,
> but throughout the meeting for assistance as needed.

ii. **Subtask 3.2**

> The Contractor shall be prepared to provide support for media
> attending the meeting.

iii. **Subtask 3.3**

> The Contractor shall collect PowerPoint presentations electronically
> from speakers prior to the meeting for loading onto conference
> laptop(s) and provide photocopying, collating, and distribution of
> material, including PowerPoint presentations, to participants.

iv. **Subtask 3.4**

> The Contractor may be asked to provide Web support; photography, which
> may require a separate clearance, testing and setup of computer
> presentations; programming for online abstract submission; providing
> Web casting or satellite broadcast services; and other technical
> support as required.

d.  **Task 4: Follow-up Services and Reports**

    i.  **Subtask 4.1**

> The final meeting report shall include a budget summary, a logistical
> summary (a report of all activities related to the conference), a
> final list of attendees and analysis of evaluation forms collected
> from summit participants. Photographs if taken may be requested.

ii. **Subtask 4.2**

> The Contractor shall draft thank you letters and mail them to meeting
> participants after approval by CSSI.

V.  **Requirements for Web-Based Conferences in 2007 and 2008**

    a.  **Task 1: Leveraging NIH internal and external resources\
        **

        i.  **Subtask 1.1**\
            The Contractor shall use the online meeting resources
            available through NIH and through external suppliers.\
            **Subtask 1.2**\
            The Contractor shall identify the best approaches for
            particular meeting or working group requirements, accounting
            for number of participants, facilitation needs, timetables
            (occasional, on-going, etc.) and make recommendations to
            CSSI staff for cost-effective execution.

    b.  **Task 2: Infrastructure development and maintenance\
        **

        i.  **Subtask 2.1\
            **The Contractor shall develop meeting workspaces with
            necessary functionality on short notice.\
            **Subtask 2.2**\
            The Contractor shall assemble and employ libraries of
            meeting workspaces assembled from other CSSI meetings to
            maximize efficiency of online meeting facilitation.

        ii. **Subtask 2.3**\
            The Contractor shall integrate meeting workspaces with
            CSSI's secure intranet forums as needed to facilitate online
            meetings of program participants and grantees as well as
            outside collaborators as needed.

    c.  **Task 3: Real-time facilitation and user assistance\
        \
        **The Contractor shall have staff immediately available and
        participating in every CSSI online meetings to provide technical
        assistance on an individual basis and ensure smooth
        functionality of the meeting workspace.

**Funding and Dates of Contract**

The contract will extend from May 1, 2007 until Feb. 28, 2008.
Extensions may be required. Funding will be incremental with a minimum
\$500,000 and a maximum of \$1.5 M.

**Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition-Narrative**

**[Part 1: Background Information and Description of
Acquisition]{.underline}**

(1) **Program and Project Officer Information:**

Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives, National Cancer Institute,
NIH

(2) **Title of Project and Name of Proposed Contractor**

[Title:]{.underline}

Meeting Support Services for the National Cancer Institute Center for
Strategic Scientific Initiatives

[Project Officer:]{.underline}

Julie Schneider

**(3) Statement of the purpose of the acquisition and a brief history**

**(a) Overall Program and Purpose**

The NCI Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives (CSSI) provides
programmatic and policy direction regarding advanced technologies to
support NCI research initiatives. To attain this goal, research programs
in advanced technologies are designed to revolutionize approaches to
diagnose, detect, prevent, and treat cancer. Advanced technologies
include innovative platforms that measure genomic and proteomic
parameters of cancer. Platforms include a variety of nanotechnology,
protein detection and measurement systems, imaging modalities, genomic
sequencing technologies, and many others.

(b) **Brief History of the Project**

The purpose of this contract is to provide meeting support for the
National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Center for Strategic Scientific
Initiatives (CSSI). Organizing regular meetings of high-level executives
in the public and private sectors is critical to CSSI's mission. This
meeting support requirement has continued for the last 4 years and will
continue because the NCI has as its mission to cure cancer by 2015.
These meetings are in support of this mission.

(c) **Services required to meet program goals**

CSSI requires a meeting support Contractor to provide all logistical
arrangements involved in planning and implementing conferences and
meetings. This includes analytic work incidental to workshop/conference
preparations, establishing workshop/conference registrations systems,
coordination of travel arrangements, preparation of graphics for signage
and registrations systems, coordination of travel arrangements, and
meeting follow up tasks.

(d) **Description of benefit to the Government**

A fixed price labor hour contract is the most appropriate contract
mechanism for purchasing the services required. Because of unique
meeting requirements described in detail below, there is a substantial
benefit to the Government to maintain continuity in CSSI's meeting
support Contractor.

(e) **Timeline**

The work will begin on May 1, 2007 and end on Feb 28, 2008.

(f) **Statement of future plans for contract**

There are no future plans for the contract at this time; however it may
be necessary to extend the contract into out years.

**[Part II: Facts and Reasons to Justify Other than Full and Open
Competition]{.underline}**

# Sole Source Justification

CSSI's unique meeting support requirements require continuity in
Contractor support for several reasons and therefore the continued use
of Capital Consulting for meeting support.

Capital Consulting Corporation (CCC) is uniquely qualified to contract
with NCI OTIR for this project due to their extensive experience working
on OTIR's programs and initiatives, including meetings and workshops
sponsored by OTIR, NCI.  They have been working with CSSI for the last 4
years.

Further, CCC has experience creating and maintaining Web and database
products already in use by OTIR, NCI.  CCC maintains several proprietary
customized databases which are maintained and updated by them on a
regular basis. One database contains contact information for several
thousand participants/attendees to NCI events which are used to generate
invitations and track participant attendance. This database is being
used for upcoming meetings that OTIR intends to support. CCC also
developed the Nanotechnology intranet system and a tracking/retrieval
system for the First Generation Guideline (FGG) which allows the BCC
committee to extract data on public feedback to the FGG document.
Several functions of this intranet are currently in progress. To
replicate these systems would be extremely costly and labor intensive.

CCC is working on a number of scientific and policy papers that are
currently in progress, such as the Center for Strategic Science and
Technology Initiatives Report. Significant amount of effort has been
invested in these reports and it would be quite cumbersome to finalize
these reports using a new contractor with new staff.

CCC has already begun planning a number of late 2007/early 2008
meetings, which includes sending out invitations/posting web notices and
signing hotel contracts. Invitations have already been distributed with
CCC's contact information. NCI would have to reissue these materials on
short notice if this contract is not exercised. 

In addition, two CCC staff members are working full-time with OTIR staff
on program planning. This planning is ongoing, and OTIR needs these
staff to continue with their work. CCC staff have intimate knowledge of
program activities and specifications for NCI products. To lose these
staff would not only result in cost increases, but potentially a
reduction in the quality of work. Many CSSI meetings are organized at
the request of the NCI Leadership under extremely tight deadlines (\<30
days), and involve unpredictable and changing requirements. Therefore,
CSSI's meeting support Contractor must be highly knowledgeable with the
subject matter addressed at these meetings and the high-level executives
from the public and private sectors who attend these events to respond
appropriately to last-minute changes regarding facilities, participants,
and other meeting requirements.

Several of the CSSI meetings are organized in a series, involve common
participants, and address topics that build on previous meetings. These
meetings represent an important venue for stimulating dialogue with the
scientific research community. Due to the highly innovative nature of
CSSI programs, these meetings are part of a constant exchange of
information. Without a continuity in the Contractor handling sequential
meetings, CSSI risks detrimental loss of institutional memory and direct
experience to facilitate and execute meetings efficiently. Without CCC's
continuing work on NCI programs and activities, NCI will face
significant cost increases associated with a contract transfer at this
time, including reissuing meeting materials, learning curves associated
with products and systems and the loss of institutional knowledge and
databases.

Also, CSSI meetings address highly technical subject matter in the 7
CSSI program areas: Proteomic Technologies, Genomic Technologies,
Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program, Biospecimen
Research, Nanotechnology, Interagency Oncology Task Force
(collaborations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), and Small
Business and Partnership Programs. Therefore, CSSI's meeting support
Contractor requires detailed knowledge of technical matters addressed by
each of these program areas to develop highly technical and accurate
background meeting materials, and to respond to inquiries from meeting
participants during the meeting planning process.