**[Background]{.underline}**

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases will be conducting several Roundtable Discussions and
Scientific Retreats to be held during the period of February 2006 --
September 2006. The meetings will take place at the NIH, Bethesda,
Maryland and the Aspen Wye River Conference Center. Attendance is
estimated as approximately 100 participants. Independently and not as an
agent of the government, the Contractor shall be required to furnish all
the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and
facilities, not otherwise provided by the government, as needed to
perform the Statement of Work, below:

**[Statement of Work]{.underline}**

This Statement of Work is for the support of four (4) Roundtable
Discussions and six (6) NIAMS Scientific Retreats with approximately 50
invited outside participants and 50 NIAMS participants.

The Contractor shall provide administrative and management support and
all services necessary for successful conduct of the meetings to be held
on the NIH campus, Bethesda, Maryland and the Aspen Wye River Conference
Center; and shall perform the following assignments:

1.  Arrange economy class airfare arrangements for approximately
    fifty (50) participants, who will receive per diem;

2.  Reserve hotel accommodations for approximately 100 participants;

3.  Manage all aspects of registration, prior to the meetings and after
    the meetings, including electronic registration;

4.  Track participant rosters;

5.  Arrange and handle ground transportation from the hotel and meeting
    sites as permitted under the government policies;

6.  Produce name badges and table tents;

7.  Provide participant reimbursement;

8.  Coordinate audio/visual services, when necessary;

9.  Provide excellent and efficient communication as required with
    meeting attendees, hotel staff, and others;

10. Provide data to NIAMS Project Officer from start to finish regarding
    each meeting, conference, and retreat;

11. Reproduce participant list, agenda, evaluation forms and handouts;

12. Supply monthly accounting report to NIAMS Project Officer;

13. Arrange outside caterer to cover continental breakfast, lunch, and
    dinner;

14. Assist in the design/development of the documents such as meeting
    folders, book assembly, and submission of abstracts.

**[Provide Management and Administrative Support]{.underline}**

A.  Project Manager

> The Contractor shall provide a Project Manager/Director who shall
> serve as the principal point-of -contact with the government, and if
> necessary, provide a consistent, knowledgeable person to back-up the
> Project Manager. The Project Manager shall take responsibility in a
> proactive manner for (1) direct supervision and coordination of
> project staff and consultants, (2) provide and assure the quality of
> assignments/tasks, (3) provide staff continuity, (4) assure and
> prepare reports, plans, and (8) maintain budget control.

B.  Multi-Skilled Staff

> The Contractor shall assemble a multi-skilled staff, which may include
> consultants, who have demonstrated ability to support (but not limited
> to) the following activities and the Contractor shall ensure staff and
> consultants continuity and availability when making such staff task
> assignments as:
>
> Produce and distribute invitation letters;

Maintain and track NIAMS Roundtable and Scientific Retreat database;

Arrange travel arrangements for internal and outside attendees;

Reserve hotel accommodations for approximately 100 participants;

Provide prepaid tickets in advance of travel;

Provide one (1) contractor to register, record, and assist attendees;

Produce and distribute name tags for all attendees;

Arrange outside caterer to cover continental breakfast, lunch, and
dinner;

> Interface directly with world-renowned Scientist, and thus, must
> posses excellent communication and writing skills

Post conference support, including but not limited to participant
reimbursement.

**[Meeting/Conference Support Services]{.underline}**

> The Contractor and appropriate contract staff shall schedule and
> attend the initial planning meeting with the NIAMS Project Officer
> and/or delegated program person responsible for the task. This meeting
> will be for the purpose of discussing the tasks objectives, the
> expectations, requirements, and procedures for quality control and
> other needs used by the Contractor, potential problems and cost
> estimates. The Contractor shall then develop and submit a detailed
> Task Work Plan for the implementation of task. This plan must address
> all work to be accomplished under the task, as well as identifying the
> key personnel assigned to accomplish the work, including their
> availability and timelines. In addition to the major elements
> discussed elsewhere, the plan must include all required work such as
> (but not limited to) participants travel arrangements, materials, name
> cards, etc., delivery of materials to meeting site, and all
> audiovisual needs.
>
> Upon approval of the Task Work Plan, the Contractor shall begin work.
>
> During the period of the task, the Contractor will submit an interim
> progress report, including labor, activities, and costs. After the
> task is completed, the Contractor shall submit to the Project Officer
> a detailed final task report reconciling actual number of
> participants, costs, etc. with the approved Task Work Plan. This
> report shall include a supplement showing all costs incurred for that
> task.
>
> The Contractor must be able to meet with the NIAMS staff at the NIH
> campus in Bethesda, Maryland, as well as its satellite locations with
> as little as one (1) day advance notice. In urgent situations, the
> Contractor may be required to meet with as little as two (2) hours
> notice (see Special requirements below). It may be assumed that
> meeting notice will be given by telephone. Whenever possible, NIAMS
> staff will schedule meetings as least a couple of days in advance.

**[Document Preparation Support]{.underline}**

> The Contractor shall provide document preparation support throughout
> the entire task effort which may include (but not limited to)
> materials for the meetings, graphic design and development, and web
> postings.

**[Data Management]{.underline}**

> The Contractor shall develop and maintain a method for tracking
> invitation and registration of the meeting participants. This should
> include maintenance of a mailing list.
>
> The Contractor shall report to the Project Officer weekly on
> information being tracked and other progress.

**[Special Requirements]{.underline}**

> A. To ensure rapid response to urgent program needs and to ensure
> adequate day-to-day management of activities involving NIAMS staff,
> the Contractor's staff (and consultants, if any) must be available to
> meet with NIAMS program staff in Bethesda, Maryland with as little as
> two (2) hours advance notice. Such meeting may involve one or more
> members of the Contractor's team.
>
> B. The Contractor shall have sufficient staff so that the NIAMS
> Project Officer can develop a working relationship with the
> Contractor's dedicated project management from the very beginning of
> the task and work with the same assigned staff over the life of the
> contract.

C.  The Contractor shall maintain knowledge and understanding of current
    regulations, including but not limited to the provisions of P.L.
    99-234 regarding reimbursement of travel, per diem, and other
    subsistence costs, as well as handling of hotel contracts, etc. The
    contractor shall be responsible for compensating all non-federal
    participants for daily and travel expenses as authorized by task.

D.  The contractor shall deliver electronic documents in a format that
    is compatible with software used at NIAMS. At the present time, all
    text documents should be prepared using Microsoft Word, all
    spreadsheet using Microsoft EXCEL, and all web pages in HyperText
    Markup Language (HTML). Should NIAMS change desktop standards,
    during the term of the contract, the contractor shall prepare and
    deliver documents in accordance with these new standards.