**Statement of Work**

*Meeting and Travel Support for the Presidential Advisory Council on
AIDS (PACHA)*

**[Background]{.underline}**

The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), established in
1995, was to provide recommendations to the Federal Government on issues
related to HIV/AIDS. President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and
Secretary Donna Shalala initiated PACHA. President Bush and Secretary
Thompson renewed the Council's charter in 2001.

PACHA holds approximately three full council and six subcommittee
meetings per year and provides recommendations to the Secretary on
programs and policies that affect prevention, research, and treatment of
HIV/AIDS. PACHA has three subcommittees that develops and provides
approved recommendations to the Full Council. The subcommittees are
International, Prevention, and Treatment and Care.

The Office of AIDS Research (OAR) oversees and manages activities
related to PACHA that are funded through mandatory contributions from
several Federal Agencies. In order to provide meeting planning support
and to manage the complex coordination and relationship between the OAR,
PACHA staff, and the Council Members, the contractor must be extremely
knowledgeable of the Council's history, membership charter, committee
management requirements and the Federal Travel Regulations.
Additionally, expertise and historical knowledge of political and
scientific issues surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic is of key
significance.

Currently, Social and Scientific Systems is providing these services.
Without causing disruption to work in progress, OAR requests a
continuation of services from Social and Scientific Systems.

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

The contractor will provide a range of support services under this task
order. These services will include the following for *each meeting.*

-   Provides assistance in selection and arrangement of suitable
    conference locations and facilities for up to three PACHA full
    council and six subcommittee meetings per year.

-   Make travel and lodging arrangements for speakers or PACHA guests
    who are not Federal Employees.

-   Setup a direct billing with hotel for sleeping rooms, and provide a
    reservation service for hotel and/or motel accommodations for the
    attendees at the conference/meeting.

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-   Provides the hotel with rooming list of participants and update list
    with changes, cancellations, and guarantees as the information is
    received, to include initiating telephone or fax calls to
    participants as needed to collect this information if it is not
    returned within the established deadline.

-   Confirms hotel dates and provides direction to the hotel and other
    relevant information (such as confirmation of hotel/dates with
    participants). Maintains contact with participants as needed, and
    serve as responder for inquiries from applicants about logistics of
    meeting.

-   Provides meeting participants with a logistical package that will
    include information about the meeting location, hotel, and
    transportation options.

-   Prepares and provides each participant with name badge, nameplate,
    and 2-pocket folder to include a final agenda, participant list, pad
    and pen, and other materials designated by meeting organizers, and
    purchase all supplies & materials needed.

-   Duplicates and distributes briefing materials to PACHA members prior
    to meetings.

-   Provides onsite support to include set-up, operations of A/V
    equipment, interaction with staff and vendors, troubleshooting,
    information and close-out, receiving and transferring messages to
    participants, and informal assistance with ground transportation as
    requested. If necessary, provides laptop computer support and makes
    arrangements with a computer company to have laptops and printers
    available during conference for participants' use.

-   Reviews and processes vendor invoices.

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-   Provides technical writers and transcriptionists familiar with
    PACHA-related activities for preparation of a detailed and complete
    record of each full council meeting, within departmentally required
    timeframes.

-   Finalizes meeting documentation.

-   Work with OAR to follow-up with Council members who have not
    submitted their expense reports.

**[Justification for Sole Source]{.underline}**

The Office of AIDS Research requests a task order with Social and
Scientific Systems (SSS). This contractor is in the unique position that
provides administrative and logistical support for PACHA since it's
inception in 1995, and has established a long history of detailed
records on Council's membership until this present time. In the past,
staff within the PACHA office has changed frequently and the
contractor's knowledge of the program and the Council has been very
beneficial in keeping the activities of the office moving forward. In
addition to the knowledge of PACHA, they have extensive experience in
supporting HIV/AIDS related meetings from the research, community, and
international perspective. To change contractors would create a hardship
for PACHA staff and Council members, as the current working system is
familiar, effective, and efficient. Initiating a new contractor would
also incur unnecessary costs and delays in the Council's accomplishing
its mission of advising the Secretary.

*FAR citation: 6.302-2 (b) 2 Delay in award of a contract would result
in serious injury, financial or other, to the Government.*

*Far citation: 16.505(b) (2) (ii), this sole-source request is
authorized.*