Back       Print

CRNFA RFP-W08-001: Request for Proposals
Clinical Research Network Feasibility Awards (CRNFA)


Background

Westat, in collaboration with the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap Initiative , invites currently funded Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Institutions to submit proposals for Clinical Research Network Feasibility Awards (CRNFA).

Westat has recently conducted studies of network practices for the Inventory and Evaluation of Clinical Research Networks (IECRN) project, a component of the NIH Roadmap initiative to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the clinical research enterprise. This project sought to gain new knowledge to improve the efficiency of clinical research networks in their efforts to produce high-quality clinical studies that will address multiple research questions. Westat compiled an inventory of networks, now available at the Networks for Clinical Research website: https://www.clinicalresearchnetworks.org, and also administered a series of surveys that addressed areas of network functioning including research focus, organizational and management structure, informatics and data management, training procedures, and other characteristics related to the success of a clinical research network. In addition, a "best practices" study examined the solutions, challenges and facilitators associated with network efficiency and effectiveness, extensibility, scalability, and capacity to collaborate with other networks.

Collaboration, as described in the IECRN project, can be either within network (across participating entities that have a shared mission and objectives) or between networks. NIH has identified this (both within and across networks) as an important component of the transformative research enterprise, as well as a desired outcome associated with a successful collaborative endeavor. Not only do members of research networks need to interact with each other to achieve common goals, they often must reach out to other entities for collaborative support for their research activities, for the conduct of multiple and concurrent studies, and to expand a network's scope. However, there are challenges, barriers, and tensions associated with attempts at collaboration and with nurturing and sustaining them. Barriers identified through in-depth IECRN interviews included investigators' inability or unwillingness to share ideas or to place the goals of the network ahead of individual career goals; lack of a shared scientific focus; lack of time or funds to support or energize the activities, such as communication, related to successful collaborations; lack of leadership or clearly defined goals; lack of standardized practices or common guidelines to facilitate operations; and inability to develop a constructive format for consensus building. Although network members recognized the importance of being open to new members, partners, and ideas, building relationships and organizational alliances that are sustainable and productive can be very challenging and the positive aspects of these efforts are not always clear.

The Clinical Research Network Feasibility Awards (CRNFA) are designed to provide short-term (one year) funding (up to $100,000 each) for new collaboration efforts between CTSAs and funded and existing clinical research networks. The goal of these awards is to establish collaborations among existing Government funded research networks and clinical practice networks and CTSAs, which can result in mutual benefit.

These awards will provide Westat with the opportunity to learn more about the role of collaborations in furthering the goals of the CTSA Consortium. Westat is interested in learning more about maintaining research collaborations, how these collaborations are mutually beneficial, and factors associated with the likelihood that the collaboration can be sustained over time.

This award supports research in the following areas: Translational Science Dissemination Research, Cost-Benefit/Cost-Effectiveness Research, or Community Engagement Research.

In response to this RFP, an institution can only submit, or be part of, a single application that should include detailed evidence of significant institutional commitment. Eligible applicants are CTSA Investigators (including those at affiliated institutions) who can demonstrate and provide synergy with another ongoing Government funded clinical research network or clinical practice network, including (but not limited to), those funded by the following:

  • The Agency for Health Research Quality (AHRQ)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Examples include: Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI), Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRN), Prevention Research Centers Promoting Practice-Based Research (PRC), HMO Research Network (HMORN), The electronic Primary Care Research Network (ePCRN), Research Involving Outpatient Settings Network (RIOS Net), Integrating HIV Resistance Data into the CNICS Cohort (CNICS), Michigan Clinical Research Collaboratory (MCRC)
  • Other

Statement of Work

The Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities, as needed to undertake this project.

Specifically, the Contractor shall:

  1. Develop, monitor, and track activities in establishing new collaborations with ongoing Government- funded clinical research networks and/or clinical practice networks in one or more of the following areas:
    1. Translational Science Dissemination Research
    2. Cost-Benefit/Cost-Effectiveness Research
    3. Community Engagement Research
  2. Develop an approach to study and analyze the components, functions, aims, and outcomes of the collaboration.

Reporting Requirements and Deliverables

The Contractor shall prepare and submit the following three reports in the manner stated below.

  1. Three-month, Six-month, and Nine-month Progress Reports

    The Contractor shall electronically submit a three- and a six-month report to the Westat Project Officer as described below. The report should be factual and concise and consist of the following:

    1. A title page containing:
      1. Contract number and title
      2. Sequence of report; e.g., "Six-Month Report"
      3. Period of performance being reported
      4. Contractor's name and address
      5. Date of submission
    2. Reports shall include, but are not limited to the following information for each of the Aims of the collaboration:
      1. Achievements this reporting period
      2. Plans for the next reporting period
      3. Challenges/Issues and plans for resolution
      4. Other information as may be required by the Project Officer
  2. Final Report

    The contractor shall electronically submit a Final Report to the Project Officer, which will summarize the results of the completed contract. This report will be in sufficient detail to explain comprehensively the results achieved and will be submitted no later than February 28, 2010

    The final report shall contain:

    1. Title Page as described above in paragraph I.1.a.
    2. Introduction covering the purpose and scope of the contract.
    3. Description of the overall progress. Descriptions shall include list of aims, key accomplishments, immediate rewards and benefits from the work, recommendations and best practices, plans for sustainability, and how the outcomes of the work will be disseminated, an evaluation of lessons learned, and other information as may be required by the Project Officer.
    4. Discussion of how the award facilitated the creation or sustainability of the collaboration and the importance of the collaboration in the conduct of the research.
    5. Copies of any abstracts, manuscripts, and publications.
  3. If the Contractor becomes unable to deliver the reports or other deliverables here specified within the period of performance because of unforeseen difficulties, notwithstanding the exercise of good faith and diligent efforts in performance of the work, the Contractor shall give the Contracting Officer immediate written notice of anticipated delays with reasons therefore at the address given below in section IV.


  4. Copies of the reports shall be submitted electronically to the following:

    Paula Darby Lipman, Ph.D.
    Project Officer
    Senior Study Director
    Westat
    Phone: 301-279-4555
    Email: CRNFASubmission@westat.com

Evaluation Criteria

  1. GENERAL

    Selection of an offeror for award of this subcontract will be based on an evaluation of proposals against two factors. The factors in order of importance are technical and cost. Although technical factors are of paramount consideration in the award of this task order, cost/price is also important to the overall task order award decision.

    Westat will establish and monitor an internal advisory board to conduct the review and evaluation of proposals. The evaluation will be based on the demonstrated capabilities of the Offeror in relation to the needs of the project as set forth in this RFP. The merits of each proposal will be evaluated carefully. Each proposal must document the feasibility of successful implementation of the requirements of this task order RFP. Offerors must submit information sufficient to evaluate their proposals based on the detailed criteria listed below. Proposals will be judged solely on the written materials provided by the Offeror.

  2. TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA (TOTAL POINTS: 100)

    1. Technical and Management Approach - Weight = 40 points

      Westat is interested in learning more about the challenges associated with research -related collaborations, how these collaborations are constructed so that they are mutually beneficial; and factors associated with the likelihood that the collaboration can be sustained over time. Proposals will be reviewed for evidence of an overall understanding of the project, and adequacy and feasibility of plans to address all items in the Work Statement. This includes a detailed description of specific tasks to be performed, methods to be used, and discussion of problems likely to occur and plans for addressing them. Also considered will be the investigators' plan to manage the collaboration; i.e. establishing priorities, developing a work plan, monitoring performance, managing communication needs, identifying key partners, and other factors deemed critical to oversee the project.

      The likelihood that the activity or activities supported through this subcontract will result in a sustainable collaboration that will "enhance research participation by institutions, investigators, and study volunteers to speed the application of research discoveries to real-world public health problems" (Shurin, S.B., CTS, Volume 1, Issue 1; www.ctsjournal.com) is an important evaluation criterion.

    2. Institutional Experience and Qualification of Personnel - Weight = 30 points

      A CTSA clinical investigator (including those at affiliated institutions) should be identified as the Principal Investigator for this proposal, and any additional key person(s) named from the CTSA working on this proposed research. The clinical investigator at the clinical network/clinical practice network should also be identified.

      Offerors must demonstrate that they can provide synergy with another Government funded clinical research networks and clinical practice networks; e.g., those funded by the Agency for Health Research Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), etc. Offerors must be able to demonstrate experience and/or capacity to develop, engage in, and/or support such collaborations.

      In addition, proposals need to describe research in one of the three areas of interest; Translational Science Dissemination Research, Cost-Benefit/Cost-Effectiveness Research, or Community Engagement Research.

    3. Scientific Justification - Weight = 30 points

      Offerors must describe the rationale supporting their approach to studying the cross-network collaboration, as well as their understanding of how the outcomes of the collaboration may have an impact on the research study. Areas to consider include the impact of interpersonal factors and leadership approaches, issues related to communication, factors associated with transdisciplinary teamwork, etc.

Instructions to Applicants

A Clinical Research Network Feasibility Award (CRNFA) is designed to provide funding of up to $100,000 per award to institutions submitting acceptable proposals to create new collaborations among existing research networks. Up to 6 CRNFAs are expected to be awarded. The proposals can address areas of mutual collaborative benefit and lasting and sustainable impact, and may provide the reason for mutual collaboration. The funding is intended to support new collaboration that has arisen through focused effort of mutual benefit.

The technical proposal must be no more than 10 pages in length, double-spaced (excluding appendices and budget). Appendices have a limit of 20 pages.

Budget information must be submitted in sufficient detail (e.g., labor hours, labor categories, labor rates, travel, supplies, indirect costs, etc.) in order to determine cost reasonableness and adequacy for the proposed project. Please use the attached budget template to supply this information.

The technical proposal must accomplish the following:

  1. Identify the area of research focus and describe the research project.
  2. Describe the need for the collaboration, the setting, individuals/roles, and context.
    1. Describe the need for the collaboration.
    2. Describe the participants in the collaboration.
    3. Describe whether the approach to collaboration was planned or evolved naturally over time.
    4. Describe the intended aims of the collaboration.
    5. Describe anticipated or real challenges to the collaboration.
    6. Describe approach to setting collaborative priorities or shared objectives.
    7. Describe approach to communication among collaborators.
  3. Describe personnel, facilities, equipment and resources required to establish, nurture, and sustain the collaboration.
  4. Describe documentation and materials that will be used to substantiate the collaboration (meeting minutes, working groups, action items).
  5. Describe plans to use a participatory approach to engage all stakeholders in all phases of the collaboration, including a critical assessment of the history and success of the collaboration.
  6. Describe anticipated outcomes or impact of the collaboration.
  7. Provide letter(s) of support from the Principal Investigator at a funded CTSA Institute.

Subcontracts will be awarded through Westat. Awards will be announced January 15, 2009. Period of Performance: February 1, 2009 - February 1, 2010. This is the period of time for which activities related to the collaboration can be supplemented through funding from this award.

Letters of intent and written questions are due on October 15, 2008 and may be sent via email to Westat at Email: CRNFASubmission@westat.com. Written answers will be provided to potential offerors by November 3, 2008.