REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Mobile Application for Public Health Surveillance

Transcription

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Mobile Application for Public Health Surveillance Part I. Overview Information Part II. Full Text of Announcement Section I. Funding Opportunity Description 1. Background 2. Objectives 3. Deliverables 4. Timeline Section II. Award Mechanism 1. Mechanism(s) of Support 2. Funds Available Section III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants Section IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Content and Form of Application Submission 2. Submission Dates and Times a. Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates b. Submitting an Application c. Application Processing Section V. Application Review Information 1. Criteria 2. Review and Selection Process Section VI. Award Administration Information 1. Award Notices 2. Recipient Rights and Responsibilities 3. CSTE Responsibilities PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION Issuing Organization: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Participating Organizations: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Project Funding: CSTE s funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cooperative Agreement Number 5U38OT

2 PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT Section I. Funding Opportunity Description 1. Background In 2016/2017, CSTE, in partnership with SAMHSA, contracted a multidisciplinary project team to develop a fully functional mobile application compatible with ios and Android devices for population surveillance of health and health behavior. Feasibility testing was conducted with a small university population. Currently, CSTE is seeking contractor to develop the mobile application and pilot with a general adult population. This Phase 2 of the Mobile Application for Health Surveillance Project will further address the methodological questions and contribute to the evidence base for population surveillance using new technology with a focus on establishing usability, reliability, and validity. Traditional population surveillance methods are facing declining response rates and rising costs. CSTE and SAMHSA aim to test the feasibility of a mobile application to obtain rapid, low burden, and valid results on population health topics. The potential to obtain timely local data by engaging the public in answering brief assessments will be pilot tested. Outcomes should include psychometric analyses related to the platform, including reliability and validity of the questions, recruitment and sampling strategies and associated constraints and statistical adjustments, as well as analyses of the flexibility, rapidity and granular nature of the method. CSTE serves as the voice for state, tribal, local, and territorial epidemiologists through ongoing technical assistance, coordinated information sharing, and resource development. 2. Objectives CSTE will contract with a university or other contractor to develop a mobile application for rapid, low burden, valid and reliable public health surveillance. The selected contractor will partner with a local health department (to be selected by CSTE) to pilot the application with a focus on addressing methodology issues related to mobile technology for surveillance. The contractor will collaborate with CSTE and SAMHSA to design, test, and pilot the mobile application, and to disseminate the project findings related to addressing methodological issues around usability, reliability, and validity for this type of surveillance. 3. Deliverables To meet the above-mentioned objective, the contractor will be required to: Work with CSTE and SAMHSA to identify key methodology issues related to population surveillance using new technology;

3 Develop the fully functional mobile application, backend and app design o Application should be compatible with Android and ios devices, should be made available on Google Play and Apple Store for pilot participant download; o Application should include ability to pull GPS location and other relevant paradata from user; o Application should be HIPAA compliant for collection of health data; o Application should be able to send push notifications when new questions are available for pilot tester response; Develop application branding for recruitment appeal and test application for usability; Work with CSTE and SAMHSA to develop assessment questions for the application with a focus on psychometric properties of questions; Partner with the health department selected by CSTE to design a sampling framework using multiple methods, and recruitment strategy for pilot testing; Partner with the health department selected by CSTE to implement pilot testing; Analyze and report pilot test results; Advise CSTE members, partners, and key stakeholders throughout the project implementation; Participate in ongoing meetings including workgroup calls, conference calls, webinars, or in person meetings related to the project; Co-author, edit, and publish manuscripts, white papers or scientific summary reports of the project results and recommendations; Present at relevant professional conferences or meetings; Develop sustainability and future development plan and recommendations for nationwide roll out and future development of the App. 4. Timeline The Mobile Application for Public Health Surveillance contractor will be working on contract deliverables until June 30, All funds for the contract should be invoiced for and spent by June 30, Section II. Award Mechanism 1. Mechanism(s) of Support CSTE will manage all matters related to financial support for this project. CSTE will reimburse the contractor only for approved costs for the project in a firm-fixed contract. In all cases, funds will only be reimbursed upon receipt of invoice from the contractor, as well as documentation of sufficient progress as determined by CSTE made toward the activities of the project as outlined in this RFP and contract agreement with CSTE. 2. Funds Available CSTE intends to commit up to $500, to this project included all associated expenses incurred through June 30, Applicants must provide a detailed budget proposal with

4 direct and indirect costs, travel-associated expenses and cost justifications. The final award is contingent on approval of the selected contractor s final budget proposal. CSTE receives funding for this project from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cooperative agreement number 5U38OT Funds awarded to contractors under this announcement are subject to the laws, regulations and policies governing the U.S. Public Health Service grant awards. All estimated funding amounts are subject to the availability of funds. Section III. Eligible Applicants 1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are non-federal public health professionals (including but not limited to those from institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and public health agencies, or private consultants) with advanced knowledge and experience of applied epidemiology, public health surveillance, survey methodology, mobile application development, data security, and data management. The contractor must have work experience and a demonstrated understanding of population health surveillance, and in developing projects using novel methods of surveillance. Experience working with state or local public health departments is preferred. Section IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Content and Form of Application Submission: Applications should include the following headings in the order listed and should thoroughly address the issues included under each heading below: a) Contact Information, include key project personnel (2-page maximum) b) Statement of interest and experience (6-page maximum) a. Describe expertise and experience with population surveillance, using novel methods or technology for surveillance, and with study design. b. Describe prior experience in mobile application development, data management and data security. c. Describe prior experience with surveillance project participant recruitment and retention. c) Work Plan/Methods (6-page maximum) a. Describe a detailed work plan for successful completion of the abovedescribed deliverables, including a detailed b. Include a timeline for all activities. d) Detailed Budget and Justification, including estimated travel, direct and indirect costs (3-page maximum) *note that direct pilot implementation costs will be covered by the selected local health department, only contractor time involved in collaboration should be included in proposal budget estimate. e) CV or Resume of 3 key project team personnel

5 For further assistance, technical questions, or inquiries about the application, contact Megan Toe at CSTE ( or Representatives from CSTE will be available to speak to potential applicants to discuss technical or administrative questions. All questions and answers will be made available to all potential applicants upon request. 2. Submission Dates and Times a) Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates: Applications Submission Deadline: December 12, 2017 at 11:59 pm EST Award Notification Date: January 12, 2018 Anticipated Start Date: January 22, 2018 Anticipated End Date: June 30, 2018 All dates are subject to change b) Submitting an Application: Application materials should be sent to Megan Toe at and must be received by 11:59 pm ET on December 12, Notification of successful receipt of the application will be sent to the applicant upon request. Electronic applications are encouraged, however, CSTE will accept applications mailed to CSTE National Office at the following address: Megan Toe Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 2872 Woodcock Blvd, Suite 250 Atlanta, GA Mailed applications must still arrive by the aforementioned deadline. c) Application Processing: Applications will be reviewed based on criteria described in Section V. Section V. Application Review Information 1. Criteria The following criteria will be used to review all submitted applications: a) Statement of interest and experience (50 points) a. Prior experience (30 points) b. Qualifications (20 points) b) Plan/Methods (40 points) a. Detailed work plan, method, and timeline for completing work (25 points) b. Feasibility of proposed work plan (15 points) c) Budget and Justifications (10 points) 2. Review and Selection Process Eligible applications that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by CSTE in accordance with the review criteria stated above. A review panel of the CSTE National Office, key partners and select CSTE members will score the applications. Funding

6 awards will be made based upon the quality of the submitted proposal and the ability of the applicant to meet the criteria stated above. Section VI. Award Admission Information 1. Award Notices All applicants will be notified via or phone no later than January 12, Any delay in award notification will be shared with all applicants. 2. Award Recipients and Responsibilities The award recipient will have primary responsibility for the following: a) Accomplish the objectives and deliverables listed in this announcement b) Provide written progress reports and invoices to CSTE as required in the contract agreement c) Be available through multiple avenues for feedback and discussion (conference calls, webinars, s) on a regular basis as needed. d) Actively engage partners and stakeholders. e) All project related presentations or manuscripts will be shared with CSTE and SAMHSA prior to submission. 3. CSTE Responsibilities CSTE will have the primary responsibility for the following: a) Serve as the awardee s principal point of contact b) CSTE will review work and provide avenues for communication between awardee and stakeholders, including CDC, other public health non-profit agencies, and STLT workgroup members c) Monitor the terms of the agreement d) Fund according to the terms of the agreement For more information, contact: Megan Toe Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 2872 Woodcock Blvd, Suite 250 Atlanta, GA (phone) (fax) mtoe@cste.org