NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS), Morgantown, West Virginia hereby announces its intent to issue a purchase order to The American College of Radiology for the training for health care professionals in the International Labor Office (ILO) Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses. Background and Need - Since the passage of the 1969 Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, officials from NIOSH involved in managing the periodic radiographic screening program for coal miners mandated by the Act have recognized a need for professionally competent medical and technical advice and guidance in making high quality chest radiographs and interpreting them according to a uniform, universally acceptable system of classification. Professional advice and guidance have been provided through a series of contractual agreements which have assisted in establishing and reviewing professional standards in 1) developing Federal regulations which were promulgated to implement the x-ray examinations program mandated by the 1969 Act; 2) making and interpreting chest roentgenograms of the pneumoconioses, 3) training physicians in the ILO Classification system; 4) training radiological technologists in the techniques required to make radiographic images of a quality acceptable for accurate classification of the pneumoconioses; 5) evaluating and approving x-ray facilities and physicians wishing to participate in the x-ray examinations program for coal miners; 6) assisting in updating and modernizing the ILO classification system, including revisions adopted by the ILO in 1980 and in 2002; and 7) reviewing the radiological aspects of selected program activities, surveillance and research protocols, investigations, and results concerning persons with or subject to occupational respiratory diseases.

The NIOSH Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program, and other public or private research, surveillance, and public health activities which use chest radiographs, require the services of physicians who are competent in evaluating chest radiographs for evidence of the pneumoconioses using the most up-to-date standards. In addition to the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program, other Federal regulations such as the OSHA Asbestos Standard have been promulgated that require employers to provide chest radiographic surveillance to at-risk employees. These programs require the radiographs to be interpreted by a physician according to the most recent classification standards. Thus, adequate numbers of competent physicians are needed for Federal and non-Federal occupational health programs, and for research, surveillance, and other public health activities.

As the current group of qualified health care professionals retire or otherwise cease to be involved in the classification of radiographs, there is a continuing need to train health care professionals in the process of evaluating chest radiographs for evidence of the pneumoconioses and in the use of the current ILO Classification System for systematically, accurately, and reproducibly describing radiographic changes associated with pneumoconioses.

Project Objective - Provide a training course for health care professionals during or around March 2009. The course should use a lecture format, as well as provide extensive practicum instructional experience, to cover current issues related to the pneumoconioses and to familiarize the trainees with the specific methods, procedures, and equipment needed for the appropriate and accurate application of the ILO Classification System for classifying radiographs of the pneumoconioses. After completing the course, individual participants will be prepared to sit for a comprehensive examination evaluating their mastery of the materials and techniques presented for the appropriate and accurate application of the ILO Classification System.

Scope of Work - The vendor will provide all labor, materials, facilities, and equipment required to complete the tasks outlined below.

Technical Requirements -
1. Conduct a training course for health care professionals on the radiology of the pneumoconioses, as well as current issues related to the epidemiology, pathology, and medical aspects of the pneumoconioses. The major focus of the course will be methods and approaches to the practical application of the International Labor Office (ILO) radiographic classification system. The training course shall include at least 2 days (14 hours of didactic instruction), should occur during or around March 2009, and should be held in or around Reston, Virginia, or the greater Washington, DC, metropolitan area to assure easy access by participants.

2. Assist the staff of NIOSH, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS) with the coordination and/or conduct of an up to one-day (7 hour) seminar addressing current issues in the pneumoconioses, including non-radiological issues, to be held in conjunction with the training course. The vendor shall provide any necessary assistance with the development of the attendee list, location and timing of the training, and coordination of the training course with any other professional activities with which it may be associated.

3. Assist the staff of NIOSH, DRDS with the coordination of one or two sessions of B Reader certification and recertification examinations of sufficient size to accommodate all course participants who wish to be tested following the training course.

Reporting Schedule - Within 90 days after completion of the training course, the contractor will provide NIOSH, DRDS with a final report detailing the number of course participants, their professional background, summary information about the written course evaluations completed by participants, and itemized financial data indicating expenses and income generated by the course.

Government Furnished Property - the contractor will use the sets of NIOSH films (NIOSH teaching syllabus films) in the conduct of these training courses that have been stored since 2001 under a loan agreement between NIOSH and the ACR .

Deliverables -

Arrange Hotel / Meeting Site:
The contractor will contract with a hotel or other convention facility with sufficient meeting room space and electrical capability for the NIOSH seminar, the training course on radiology of the pneumoconioses, and on-site administration of the B reader certification examination.
- NIOSH seminar: sufficient meeting room space will be available for up to 200 participants (or the number of participants in the course, whichever is smaller). Appropriate audiovisual capabilities will be available for conducting PowerPoint presentations to the group, including a computer with software, projector, and audio equipment.
- Training course on radiology of the pneumoconioses: sufficient meeting space, electrical connections and view boxes will be available for up to 200 participants (or the number of participants in the course, whichever is smaller) to be taught by didactic PowerPoint presentations (as for the NIOSH seminar), as well as by practical training in use of the ILO radiographic classification system of the pneumoconioses by evaluation of radiographs on viewing boxes, with no more than 2 participants per viewing box.
- NIOSH B reader certification examination sessions: sufficient meeting room space, electrical connections, and view boxes will be available for up to 100 participants (or half the participants in the course, whichever number is smaller) to take the NIOSH B reader certification or recertification examinations per examination session, with a total of up to 2 examination sessions offered as needed to accommodate all course participants wishing to take the examinations on-site.
- The contractor will secure a contract at the training site or other nearby hotel for sufficient lodging rooms to accommodate all course participants. NIOSH will be responsible for securing rooms for NIOSH staff who will attend as part of the NIOSH seminar, the teaching course in radiology of the pneumoconioses, or the NIOSH B reader examination session.

Develop Course Goals & Objectives and a Curriculum:
The contractor will develop course goals & objectives and an associated curriculum, working with NIOSH-DRDS as needed. These will be subject to final review and approval by NIOSH-DRDS.

Recruit and Engage Faculty to Conduct the Course:
The contractor will identify, recruit, engage and fully reimburse appropriate faculty to participate in the training course in radiology of the pneumoconioses. These will be subject to final review and approval by NIOSH-DRDS.

Provide X-ray View Boxes for Course:
The contractor will provide x-ray view boxes in sufficient quantity to permit all participants to view x-rays that are part of the training course. In addition, the x-ray view boxes will be used by the NIOSH staff during the post-training B Reader Certification and B Reader Re-Certification Examination sessions. The contractor will ensure that all x-ray view boxes are in good working order. Storage and refurbishing of existing x-ray view boxes is an appropriate expense under this contract. The contractor will be responsible for transporting view boxes from their storage site to the training site and then back to a site of ACR's preference.

Provide Training Film Sets for Course:
ACR currently houses the training film sets. Storage of training film sets is an appropriate expense under this contract. The contractor will be responsible for transporting training film sets from their storage site to the training site and then back to a site of ACR's preference.

Develop and Use Digital Training Materials for Course:
The contractor and/or lecturers engaged by the contractor will develop lecture materials that can be displayed using modern electronic presentation software and hardware (such as PowerPoint and LCD projector). These materials will include high-quality radiographic images needed for teaching the topics. Developing materials for the course may involve high quality digitization of existing 35mm slide film-format images and/or developing new materials.

Develop a Marketing Plan:
The contractor and NIOSH will jointly market the training course. The contractor will draft a proposal for their portion of the marketing strategy, including projected costs, for review and approval by NIOSH. NIOSH will assist in marketing the training course through the use of existing CDC/NIOSH internet pages, e-mailed newsletters, and other marketing opportunities such as announcements made via professional conferences and relevant professional societies.

Manage Course Finances:
Expenses necessary to put on the course will be appropriate under this contract. The contractor will be permitted to collect a registration fee for the training course. The contractor will provide a final report, including a final financial report, as noted under Reporting Schedule above.

This project is supported by justification for other than full and open competition to The American College of Radiology under authority of 41 U.S.C.253(c)(1). Responsible sources that believe they possess the expertise and capabilities identified above are encouraged to submit to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the posting date of this notice, their written capabilities statement and pricing information in the format they choose, not to exceed 10 pages. Please forward the capability statement and pricing information to Rebecca Mullenax, Purchasing Agent, CDC, NIOSH, 1065 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505 or e-mail RMULLENAX@CDC.GOV or Fax to 304-285-6083. Please reference # 000HCCHD-2008-56611, all vendors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) prior to an award of a federal contract. The website is: www.ccr.gov.

The Government will review any/all capabilities statements and pricing information submitted and determines if other qualified sources do exist that could provide this requirement. Information received in response to this announcement will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

If no affirmative responses are received within 15 days, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), negotiations will be conducted with The American College of Radiology, 1891 Preston White Drive, STE1, Reston, VA 20191-5431as the only source and a purchase order will be issued without any additional notices being posted.