Major Outreach Subcontract
Request for Proposals
There is currently no funding available for Major Outreach Subcontracts in Option Year 01 (May 2012 - April 2013).
If you have questions regarding this subcontract, contact Ruth Holst, Associate Director . Email Ruth or send an email to gmr4u@uic.edu. To contact the GMR by phone, call 1-800-338-7657 and press one (1) for the Regional Network Office. Subcontract recipients will be publicized on the GMR website, GMRLIST and/or in The Cornflower, the GMR blog. A list of previous Major Outreach Subcontract Recipients is available.
Purpose
The primary purpose of the Major Outreach Subcontract is to assist Network members with conducting outreach projects in support of the mission of the NN/LM, which is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public health by providing all U. S. health professionals with equal access to biomedical information and improving the public’s access to information to enable them to make informed decisions about their health.
The GMR is offering the Major Outreach Subcontracts for up to $25,000 in two broad program areas: (1) Consumer Health and (2) Health Professionals and/or Public Health Workers. The major subcontracts require collaborations among Network members or between Network members and local community or other organizations called upon to provide health information by its constituents. Such organizations may include: health care clinics, public health departments, community organizations, and health information resource centers in order to assess the information needs of the underserved health professionals and to plan appropriate outreach programs to meet those needs.
Consumer health proposals should be directed at improving health information literacy and/or ensuring that health care consumers and the public are aware of and have access to high quality electronic information resources to make informed health care decisions. Health professional/public health proposals should assist health information professionals and health sciences librarians to provide information services to public health workers and/or to address public health disparities. For both program areas, preference will be given to proposals that address the needs of minority populations and other vulnerable groups.
Applicants are encouraged to refer to information and maps identifying Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs),
Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) or Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs) from the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services Bureau of Health Professions
Shortage Designation
web page.
Outreach can take various forms depending on the needs of the target audience: promoting awareness of relevant health information resources at the regional, state, and local level through presentations, demonstrations, and exhibits; linking individuals and organizations with a National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) member for backup assistance in locating hard to find information; obtaining the full text of journal articles; teaching how to search the Internet for reliable and authoritative health information; demonstrating and teaching the use of NLM databases and resources to obtain health information; and developing links to local, state and regional health-related information to enhance what is available from national databases.
Eligibility
Proposals will be accepted from NN/LM GMR Full and Affiliate Members.
Technical Requirements
Proposed outreach projects should fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Improving access to high quality health information for minority and underserved populations
- Increasing awareness among health professionals and the public about the resources and services of the National Library of Medicine
- Increasing awareness of and skills among health professionals and the public for locating high quality biomedical and health information
- Collaboration between libraries and community organizations
- Providing equipment for “under-connected” organizations or institutions
- Library Services to unaffiliated health professionals
- Training in the use of NLM products and other key electronic health information resources
- Train the trainer projects that enhance the skills of librarians and other health information intermediaries to train health professionals and the public
- Promoting health information literacy in health education and health care
- Developing new and innovative uses of technology to improve information skills and usage by healthcare provider
Priority will be given to proposals addressing one or more goals outlined in Health People 2020 (http://www.healthypeople.gov) This icon designates a link outside the NN/LM GMR Web site and
indicates a non-GMR hosted resource.
. Other topics not specifically mentioned herein may be considered by the GMR if they are aligned with the mission (http://nnlm.gov/about/) of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and if funding is available.
Technical Proposal Instructions
A detailed plan must be submitted indicating how the statement of work will be implemented. All elements outlined in the Statement of Work must be addressed in as much detail as necessary to demonstrate a clear understanding of the work being undertaken.
Please prepare your Technical Proposal according to the following outline:
Title Page
- Title of the project
- Date of submission
- Name of the library and institution
- Name, address, phone and fax numbers, and email address of the primary contact
- LIBID(s) of the member organization(s)
Mandatory Qualification Criteria for the Lead Institution (separate page)
Please check the appropriate answer to each of the following statements.
The lead institution is an NN/LM GMR Full Member (DOCLINE® participant).
___Yes ___ No
The lead institution is an NN/LM Affiliate Member.
___Yes ___ No
The lead institution has a library with a health sciences collection.
___Yes ___ No
The lead institution is willing to provide document delivery and backup reference service to the targeted institutions or communities for the duration of the project.
___Yes ___ No
The lead institution has the ability to set up an account for the project and obtain the project funds from the NN/LM GMR on a cost-reimbursement basis.
___Yes ___ NO
Statement of Work
The statement of work will include technical requirements and specific tasks. Project descriptions are expected to be succinct. The statement of work must address the following:
I. Summary
A one paragraph summary statement of the project.
II. Introduction and Background
Provide an introduction and include background information describing what led to the development of the proposal.
III. Identification of Need and Description of Target Population
Identify the target populations and geographic areas to be covered. Describe the information needs of the target populations and how you determined those needs. If a needs assessment was conducted for this population, attach a copy of the needs assessment tool and describe the results of the assessment. Explain how the project will impact the target population and estimate what percentage of the target population will be reached through this project.
Indicate the rationale for the project and its relationship to comparable work elsewhere, if known. Review pertinent work already published and relate it to the proposed approach. Explain how the proposed project will improve health information services for the health professionals' access to consumer health information.
IV. Partnerships
Please note: this section revised 28 June 2012.Identify the specific organizations participating in the project; explain the role(s) of the partner organization(s) in carrying out the project. For each organization, information must be provided on:
- Organization name, address, and primary contact person
- Purpose of the organization
- The demographics of the population(s) served
- Geographic areas covered
- Facilities, equipment, resources and/or services available to support the project
For each participating organization, please provide a letter of support which includes a statement of commitment for the participant's expected role in the project. Include the letter(s) as the Attachments described below.
V. Project Objectives and Outcomes
State the goals and specific objectives to be achieved by the project. Objectives should be stated in measurable terms. Include process objectives about what will be done (outputs) and outcomes-based objectives that specify what will happen or change as a result. Use of a logic model to develop an outcomes-based project plan is strongly recommended (See Booklet 2: Including Evaluation in Outreach Project Planning.)
VI. Methodology
Describe how each of the objectives will be achieved. Provide a detailed plan of the outreach services and methods that will be used during the course of the project, and include expected outcomes. Detail how the project will be implemented, that is, what tasks will be performed and who will perform them. For training projects, applicants are expected to use or adapt existing training materials before developing new materials. If training materials are developed as part of the project, they should be registered in the Medical Library Association (MLA) Continuing Education (CE) Clearinghouse (http://cech.mlanet.org/).
VII. Publicity/Promotion
Provide a detailed plan for promoting the project to the targeted populations.
VIII. Personnel
Identify all project personnel. Include a narrative summary of qualifications as they relate to the statement of work and project responsibilities. Evidence of the Principal Investigator's ability to manage a project of similar scope should be provided. A summary of estimated hours of project work and percentage of total hours worked should be provided for all personnel. Include curriculum vitae or resume for all proposed project personnel. If a position is new and will not be filled by current staff, please provide a detailed job description and minimum qualifications for the position. Preference will be given to bidders with prior experience/knowledge of the target group and experience in providing PubMed, MedlinePlus and Internet training. If the bidder has no prior experience in developing and conducting related programs, indication should be provided concerning the steps that will be taken to obtain adequate background or experience prior to carrying out the project.
IX. Facilities/Institutional Support
Describe the (bidding) institution, its resources and services, as it pertains to the statement of work. Describe the services that will be provided to project participants. Include a letter of commitment from the bidding institution’s administration, and letters of commitment from the administration of all libraries and organizations involved in the project. Include a description of how this project will build on other initiatives to improve health information services, if applicable.
X. Schedule
Provide a timeline that outlines the schedule for the delivery of items specified in the statement of work. The schedule must conform to the Period of Performance.
XI. Evaluation Plan
Describe the plans for evaluating the project's success in reaching the target group. Evaluation methodologies must be described in full. The evaluation plan should be closely tied to the statement of work and the project goals and objectives. The evaluation should also seek to identify the general health information needs and behaviors of targeted community as observed during the project, and report the usefulness of the information products/services used, especially NLM resources. Recommendations for future services/products geared toward the targeted community and identification of needs that could not be met should also be included.
For needs assessment and/or evaluation plans, applicants should follow the guidelines established in
Measuring the Difference: Guide to Planning and Evaluating Health Information and the three
supplemental planning and evaluation booklets published in 2006 found on the
NN/LM Outreach Evaluation Resource Center website.
XII. Continuation of Activities After Project Completion
Describe intent to continue project services to targeted community after completion of the project. What services will be continued and how will they be funded? Describe any plans for sharing results of the project with participants.
XIII. Other NLM or NN/LM GMR Support
Please list grants/contracts/competitive purchase orders with NLM or NN/LM GMR that were funded previously, are currently active, pending review, or being prepared for submission. Include dates of awards, amount of award, title of project, period of performance and funding agency.
Attachments
- Curriculum vitae of key personnel
- Description of facilities and resources available to the project
- Letters of support from applicant’s institution as applicable to the project described (administration, information technology, etc.)
- Letters of support from partnering institution(s)/organization(s)
- Other supporting information
Cost Proposal Instructions
A narrative justification for each expense category in the budget is required. The budget should be broken down into the following categories:
- Personnel
- Travel
- Equipment
- Supplies
- Communications
- Reproduction
- Exhibit and Training Expenses
- Other Costs
- Totals
- Total Direct Costs
- Modified Total Direct Costs
- Indirect Costs
- Total
For IT/Computer Hardware, please include the following as part of your cost proposal/application process:
- For IT/Computer Hardware under $3,000, submit catalog pricing. List equipment type (printer, scanner, etc.), brand name and model number.
- For IT/Computer Hardware of $3,000 or more, submit three (3) vendor
quotes (preferably valid for 60 days, minimum of 30 days). Quotes may include General Service
Administration (GSA) price lists (Reference: http://www.gsa.gov
). Vendor quotes are
necessary to determine price reasonable for purchase of over $3,000 or more. The absence of competitive quotes
must be documented and justified. An institutional policy that outlines preferred vendor requirements
is an example of such documentation.
are requested, the following statement must
appear in the budget justification:
The recipient of the funding agrees that there is a legitimate purpose for the personal appeal items and use of the items by the Subcontractor(s) will be managed in accordance with policy. Items will not be used in a way that would discredit the NN/LM, the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health or the applicable Institution.
Applicants are encouraged to provide a separate list of in-kind costs that will be donated by the applicant’s institution.
Definitions and Instructions for Budget Narrative Justification
A narrative justification for each expense category in the budget is required. Use the following definitions to guide you:
Personnel:
May include professional and support personnel for the project.
Supplies:
May include paper, pens, software, and display items.
Equipment:
May include rental or purchase of equipment and software.
Communications:
May include postage, parcel and other delivery services, and telephone and data line charges.
Travel:
May include air travel, ground transportation, parking, hotel, and meals.
Reproduction:
May include costs for printing/photocopying of project related materials.
Other Costs:
May include honoraria, exhibit fees, or any others items that do not fit into one of the other lines.
Please provide a breakdown of what has been included in this category.
Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) are calculated by subtracting Capitalized Nonexpendable Equipment from the Total Direct Costs. Overhead (Indirect Costs) are applied only to the Modified Total Direct Costs. The total amount requested is calculated by adding Total Direct Costs to Overhead.
If indirect costs are charged, they must be limited to no more than 20% of the MTDC, and must be included as part of the total, not charged in excess of the budget. Total cost for the subcontract must not exceed $25,000.
Please Note: Funds requested to develop print collections of consumer health materials or to purchase access to any commercial electronic health information product may not exceed 5% of the total amount of the project budget.
Period of Performance
The recommended period of performance is 8 months. All projects must be completed by April 30, 2013. Institutions that require more than 8 months to complete their projects may apply for an optional 6-12 month period for up to $15,000. A separate budget and justification are required for the option year and funding for the option year is contingent on GMR funding from the National Library of Medicine.
Proposal Review Process
Proposals are reviewed by the GMR staff, members of the Regional Advisory Council and, for larger projects, by the NN/LM National Network Office. Questions and comments from these review bodies may be sent to the applicant for clarification and revision of the proposal. The merits of each proposal will be carefully evaluated, based on responsiveness to the RFP and the thoroughness and feasibility of the technical approach proposed. Applicants must submit information sufficient to evaluate their proposals based on the criteria listed below.
Technical Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals. The criteria are listed in the order of relative importance with points assigned for evaluation purposes. Proposals will be scored against these criteria, so be certain that all criteria have been addressed.
IDENTIFICATION OF NEED/DESCRIPTION OF TARGET GROUP
35 Points
- Target population is well described. The actual or perceived need for the proposed project is documented using local data/evidence derived through needs assessment or data/evidence derived from a literature search.
- The size of the target population is provided, including the portion expected to be reached through this project.
- Estimation of the program's potential future impact is discussed.
METHODOLOGY/TECHNICAL APPROACH
40 Points
- Objectives are clear and measurable
- Methodologies to achieve project objectives are creative, logical, feasible, and cost-effective.
- Timeline is included.
- Evaluation plan is well defined and demonstrates how successful completion of objectives will be measured.
- Statement about continued support of the project objectives beyond the project period is included.
EXPERIENCE AND FACILITIES OF THE RESPONDENT AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
25 Points
- Proposal describes the experience of the personnel in developing and conducting the proposed project.
- There is evidence of institutional facilities and resources adequate to support the proposed project.
- Letters of commitment from bidding institution’s administration and any partner organizations in the project are included.
Total Points Possible: 100
Proposal Submission Requirements
Respondents should submit one electronic copy and one hard copy of their proposal to the following address.
Ruth Holst, Associate Director
NN/LM Greater Midwest Region
1750 W. Polk Street M/C 763
Chicago, IL 60612-4330
rholst at uic.edu
The preferred electronic formats are Microsoft Word and PDF and applicants are urged to limit their electronic proposals to one or two documents if possible. Please paginate the proposal. Include "MAJOR" and your LIBID in the subject line of the email.
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Quarterly & Final Reports
Quarterly and final reports are required and will be entered and submitted to the Online Contract Reports (OCR) System: https://outreach.nlm.nih.gov/. Contact your GMR program coordinator for additional information on the OCR and/or to obtain an account for a funded project.
In addition, recipients are encouraged to report on the project experience in The Cornflower, the GMR blog, and agree to allow the NN/LM GMR to republish reports and materials.
Reporting Schedule
Quarterly reports are due on the 15th of the month following the end of the quarter as follows:
| Period Covered | Date Due |
| May 1 to July 31st | August 15th |
| August 1 to October 31st | November 15th |
| November 1 to January 31st | February 15th |
| February 1 to April 30th | May 15th |
Portions of a quarter (less than 3 months) may be incorporated into the following or preceeding quarterly report as needed. Complete reporting guidelines will be provided to the recipient at the time the subcontract/award is made.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Publications Resulting from NN/LM Funded Projects
As of April 7, 2008, final peer-reviewed manuscripts arising from NIH funds must be submitted to PMC (PubMed Central) upon acceptance for publication. The NIH Public Access Policy (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm ) ensures that the public has access to the published results of NIH funded research. It requires scientists to submit final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts that arise from NIH funds to the digital archive PMC (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ ) upon acceptance for publication.
To help advance science and improve human health, the Policy (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/FAQ.htm ) requires that these papers are accessible to the public on PubMed Central no later than 12 months after publication. The NIH Public Access site should be consulted for additional information: (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm ).
Development of Training Materials
Successful applicants are expected to use or adapt existing training materials before developing new materials. Consult the Medical Library Association (MLA) Educational Clearinghouse, http://cech.mlanet.org prior to developing materials. Training materials developed as part of the award should be submitted to the MLA Educational Clearinghouse.
508 Compliance
The Department of Health and Human Services synopsis of Section 508 accessibility requirements, requires that all Federal agencies are obligated to make all electronic and information technology (EIT) that they develop, maintain or use compliant with Section 508. EIT purchases made on or after June 25, 2001, are subject to Section 508.
Federal regulations and guidelines (e.g., Section 501 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) require equal access for individuals with disabilities. Therefore, Federal agencies are required, upon request, to provide information and data to individuals with disabilities through an alternative means of access that can be used by the individuals.
The National Library of Medicine is a part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Recipients of National Library of Medicine funding through the NN/LM must also meet these requirements.
Credit Statement
The awardee shall acknowledge the support of the National Library of Medicine whenever publicizing the work under this award in any media by including an acknowledgment substantially as follows:
This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, under Contract No. HHSN-276-2011-00005C with the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Required Statement
The following statement is required to be included in this solicitation to comply with regulations for annual appropriation of federal funds:
All awards issued under the NLM Contract with University of Illinois at Chicago are subject to the Government's availability of appropriated funds in compliance of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.232-18, Availability of Funds. No legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment may arise until funds are made available to the Contracting Officer for this contract and until the Contractor receives notice of such availability, to be confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer.
All awards spanning more than a 12 month period of performance are subject to FAR Clause 52.232-20, "Limitation of Costs"; FAR Clause 52.232-22, "Limitation of Funds", under the NLM Prime Contract.
