Literature Acquisitions for the NLM

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This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service- disabled , veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition (4) Seeking feedback on the Government¿s requirements. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible.
This Sources Sought Notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government. This notice is intended strictly for market research.

BACKGROUND

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) in Bethesda, Maryland, is a part of the National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Library¿s primary mission, as mandated by Congress, is to provide biomedical and health care literature and information to health professionals. NLM, the world¿s largest biomedical library, acquires and preserves biomedical literature from throughout the world in all formats and languages. The Collection Development and Acquisitions Section of the Technical Services Division is responsible for building the NLM biomedical literature collection, including print and electronic resources. The focus of the collection is original research and works of international interest aimed at health professionals, scholars, and scientists. The NLM online public access catalog may be searched at https://catalog.nlm.nih.gov/discovery/search?vid=01NLM_INST:01NLM_INST or https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this agreement is to obtain biomedical monographs, monographic series (numbered and unnumbered), and related services for NLM through firm and standing orders and approval plans. The biomedical literature is published worldwide by multinational, commercial, governmental and non-commercial organizations. Publications are acquired from all regions of the world in various languages.
Under this contract, the Contractor shall identify monographic literature (print and electronic formats) available for the NLM collection based on the Collection Development Guidelines of the National Library of Medicine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518693; prepare information (a slip or notification Approval Plan service) about the publications for NLM to review; process orders in accordance pricing in the anticipated contract; consolidate the shipping and invoicing and ship the literature.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), NLM is conducting a market survey to help determine the availability and technical capability of qualified vendors to serve the needs identified below.
In addition, NLM is seeking feedback on contract order type and contract structure. NLM is anticipating a hybrid firm-fixed price/time-and-material type contract. For the anticipated contract/agreement, under no circumstance can the Contractor ship material to the NLM that has not been authorized for payment by delivery order, purchase order, or credit card. Currently, NLM is interested in cost effective, efficient vehicles that allows the Government to collaborate with the Contractor, order and receive the biomedical and health care literature and information when available.
NLM is considering a single award or a multi-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) or blanket purchase agreement (BPA). The awardee(s) shall meet the requirements of the SOW.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS:
See attached draft SOW requirements.

Anticipated Period of Performance
The period of performance will be for one year from the date of award, with four (4) one-year option periods, if exercised. The anticipated award date is expected to be around August 2023.

Other Important Considerations
This Sources Sought Notice is not a Request for Quotes (RFQ), nor is an RFQ available. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement which will be considered by NLM.
Interested firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice must adhere to the following:

(a) Provide a capability statement demonstrating relevant experience, skills and ability to fulfill the Government's requirements for the above. The capability statement should contain enough sufficient detail for the Government to make an informed decision regarding your capabilities; however, the statement should not exceed 10 pages.
(b) The capability statement must identify the responder's: small business type and size; UEI number; NAICS code; and technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.
(c) As part of your response, please address:
i. Offers may respond to selected service categories, geographic regions, or countries. Please be specific if your company is capable of meeting all the service categories, geographic regions, or countries. If not, which areas is your company capable of meeting and how.
ii. Recommendation on contract-type, vehicle and pricing structure
iii. Any questions or concerns with the draft requirements.

(d) Any general, marketing responses will be not be considered. Your response shall directly address this requirement.

(e) All capability statements must be submitted electronically no later than 12:00 p.m. local prevailing time on Thursday May 25, 2023. NLM requires capability statements to be submitted electronically via email to LaDonna Stewart at ladonna.stewart@nih.gov

Firms interested in responding to this notice must be able to provide the professional services required by NLM outlined in the attached Statement of Work. The vendor shall include all information necessary to document and/or support the qualification criteria in one clearly marked section of its proposal. All responses from responsible sources will be considered.

Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in sam.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

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