BACKGROUND
NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing services that meets or exceeds the following requirements:
This contract intends to support evaluation, research, analysis, and planning for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program at NIST. The objective for this contract is to assist the NIST MEP National Network in areas of economic research, evaluation, network performance, leveraging multiple sources of data and other areas designed to improve the performance and impacts of the MEP National Network. NIST MEP has developed and leveraged an integrated approach for developing program strategy, measuring program performance, and monitoring program outcomes and impacts. While this approach has served as a model for other government programs, it has often leveraged independent and trusted third-party expertise to validate its impacts and explore research topics of interest to the National Network and other MEP stakeholders.
1. Developing specific research projects for evaluation, policy analysis, performance measurement and monitoring methodologies at conceptual and applied levels focused on the manufacturing industries, trade and needs of U.S. based manufacturing. These projects may include impact assessment, understanding important gaps in manufacturing research where MEP may contribute, case studies, etc.
2. Identifying research priorities for current manufacturing challenges including supply chain, workforce, and integrating advanced technologies.
3. Data collection and analysis projects including survey instruments, developing sample designs, OMB clearance packages, and conducting phone, mail, Internet, or on-site data collection including quality control and data checking procedures. Methodologies may also include case studies or focus groups. When conducting some data collection efforts (e.g. companies who never worked with MEP in the past, questions around customer satisfaction), potential respondents will be informed of the specific procedures being used to anonymize and de-identify data before being shared with MEP.
4. Ability to access, manipulate and analyze large data sets including, but not limited to, MEP data systems and data sets developed for both administrative and research purposes. This may include data maintained by MEP, other government agencies, manufacturing extension center administrative data, and other privately maintained data sets. The Contractor will follow all procedures used by MEP to ensure non-disclosure of proprietary information.
5. Conducting statistical analysis ranging from simple cross tabulations of data and developing simple descriptive statistics to multivariate and econometric analysis and models. The Contractor may also be asked to undertake, develop or refine the basic methodology previously developed to model and estimate the economic impact of extension services on a state or regional economy. The contractors may also be required to acquire or lease economic impact models (e.g. IMPLAN or REMI) to estimate the economic impact of extension services on a state or regional economy. Access to these models will remain the property of the Contractor and associated costs of procurement will not be reimbursed by the Government.
6. Exploring the utility and potential applicability of new or alternative methods and approaches to assess or examine program performance, center performance, or examine program impact.
7. Developing, from raw data or secondary sources, indicators that are relevant to policy, programs, or budgeting decisions.
8. Conducting qualitative studies including fieldwork, unstructured interviews and focus groups of center clients, potential center clients, other stakeholders and associations.
9. Evaluating and synthesizing research results at both technical and policy levels and communicating these results to the appropriate audiences.
10. Ability to review, summarize and synthesize current research relating to identified topics in social sciences, evaluation, economic development, manufacturing, and technology extension. The Contractor should also be able to identify “gaps” in the research literature where MEP is positioned to make contributions.
11. Producing technical and non-technical reports that provide details on the work carried out and the results and implications.
12. Designing and developing agendas for research conferences, plan sessions, and seminars and possibly including the logistics for arranging such briefings conferences, and planning session and seminars.
13. Attending meetings at MEP Headquarters or participate in a conference call to establish a common understanding regarding the scope of work and objectives outlined in the Task Order.
14. Conducting seminars, conferences, or oral presentations, or furnish written guidance in connection with work accomplished, for various MEP stakeholders, industry representative including associations, or other, including other contractors. The Contractor(s) shall be responsible for the individual work product may also be responsible for organizing its dissemination, including providing guidance for its use. The Contractor(s) may be required to make research findings, data, or other work products available on the Internet.
HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE
In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORRMATION. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response. Submit the response by email to Robert Singman at robert.singman@nist.gov notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.
- For NAICS code: 541720 - Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Small Business Size Standard $28.0M.
- Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business. See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information.
- If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement.
- If your firm has existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts for services against which the Department may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.
- Describe your firm’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the services described in Background section.
- Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for the Government to know as part of its market research for this requirement.
- Please let us know if you would like to engage to get a better understanding of the requirement or need additional information about the Government’s requirement for the services described in the Background section.
IMPORTANT NOTES
The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future.
This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.
Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.
No award will be made as a result of this notice.
The NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.
The NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate.
Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!
