NIH Medical Support Assistants

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the solicitation for Medical Support Assistants at the NIH Clinical Center.

• Incumbent Contractors: BGE Consulting and American Staffing are the current contractors.
• Deadline Extension: The deadline has been extended through May 15, 2026.
• Proposal Submission: Both mailed/printed and electronic copies of the technical proposal are required.
• Roles & Responsibilities: Specific distinctions between General Clerk III (MSA) and PSSD Medical Support Assistant (MSA) positions, as well as PSSD Medical Support Assistant (MSA) and PSSA Lead positions, are detailed in the SOW (pages 1-8).
• Program Managers: Two Program Managers are required, one for each task area. Resumes are required for each task area.
• Wage Determination: The Wage Rate Determination Number is 2015-4269.
• NAICS Code: The NAICS code is 561110, with a corrected SBA standard size of $12.5M.
• Contract Type: The contract type is an IDIQ labor hours contract, with one year base and two 1-year option periods. Awards are expected to be IDIQ labor hours.
• Evaluation: Tasks will be evaluated independently. Award will be made using a best-value tradeoff methodology, with technical factors being more important than past performance and price.
• IT Licensing & Travel: IT licensing is government-furnished. Travel is not anticipated due to the fully onsite nature of the work.
• Security: NACI is required for onsite staff. An ATO is not required for contractor systems.

Several questions led to clarifications on submission requirements, roles, contract type, and evaluation criteria. The deadline was extended, and specific details regarding pricing, staffing, and deliverables were clarified or referenced to other sections of the solicitation.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for administrative medical support services at the NIH Clinical Center. The contract will be long-term, with one base year and two option periods. The acquisition is being processed under a Partnership Agreement (PA) between HHS and the Small Business Administration (SBA), specifically for eligible 8(a) firms. NIH is a designated pilot agency under this PA, meaning awards will be made directly to 8(a) firms, with SBA retaining responsibility for 8(a) certification and eligibility.

• Provision of administrative support personnel over the life of the contract.

• Services to be performed in a clinical research hospital setting.

• Compliance with security and privacy language for information and IT procurements, including Security Assessment and Authorization (SA&A) package deliverables (System Security Plan, Security Assessment Plan/Report, Independent Assessment, POA&M, Contingency Plan).

• Background investigations for contractor personnel commensurate with position sensitivity designations (Level 1: Non-Sensitive, Level 5: Public Trust - Moderate Risk, Level 6: Public Trust - High Risk).

• Adherence to NIH policies regarding electronic mail, library resources, and confidentiality of information.

• Monthly special vulnerability scanning reports.

• Government access for security assessment.

• Contract Type: Labor Hours IDIQ.

• Period of Performance:

  • Base: 06/01/2026 – 05/31/2028
  • Option 1 (if exercised): 06/01/2027 – 05/31/2029
  • Option 2 (if exercised): 06/01/2028 – 05/31/2030

• Award anticipated on or about May 29, 2026.

• Question and Answering Period: Closes April 30, 2026, at 12:00 P.M. (EST). Questions must be submitted in writing via email.

• Proposal Due Date: May 8, 2026, at 12:00 P.M. (EST). Late or incomplete responses will not be considered.

• Submission Format: Electronically via email to Ryssa.nix@nih.gov (subject line must include vendor name and RFP NIH-OD-26-000008) AND a printed copy of technical proposals (Tasks 1 and 2) in a 3-ring binder (hand deliveries not accepted).

• Proposal Structure: Separate technical and business proposals. Technical proposal divided into Task 1 and Task 2. Must include a cover sheet with company information, RFP number, and authorized signatory. Must include ATTACHMENT 3: Pricing Worksheet in the business proposal.

• Evaluation: Proposals will be evaluated by a technical review panel based on factors detailed in ATTACHMENT 2: Evaluation Criteria. The Government reserves the right to make an award based on initial proposals without discussion.

• This solicitation is an 8(a) competitive set-aside. Offers are solicited only from small business concerns expressly certified by the SBA for participation in the 8(a) Program. Bids or proposals received from others will be considered nonresponsive.

• NAICS Code: 561110

• Small Business Size Standard: $7.5 Million

• Prospective awardees must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award.

• The Contracting Officer is Susan A. Nsangou (susan.nsangou@nih.gov).

• The Contract Specialist is Chris Ryssa Nix (ryssa.nix@nih.gov).

• ATTACHMENT 1: Combined Statement of Work (SOW).

• ATTACHMENT 2: Evaluation Criteria.

• ATTACHMENT 3: Pricing Worksheet.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This Statement of Work (SOW) outlines the requirements for providing Medical Support Assistant (MSA) staffing services to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (CC) in Bethesda, Maryland. The primary goal is to support the NIH's mission of conducting clinical research to improve health by providing consistent and reliable administrative and patient support services.

Task 1: Nursing Department MSA

• Provide dedicated contract personnel for Medical Support Assistant staffing within the Nursing Department.
• Staff must be committed to the NIH mission and provide consistent, reliable services.
• May require staff to work beyond assigned tours of duty to meet program needs.
• Contractor must implement a Structured, Stackable Shift Differential Pay Plan to recruit and retain qualified personnel for off-shift coverage (evenings, nights, weekends, holidays).
• Specific duties include scheduling activities, admissions and outpatient registration, reception, patient record activities, clinical support, equipment/material/supply support, travel and local transportation services support, and statistics/reporting/administrative activities.

Task 2: PSSD MSA

• Provide contract personnel to deliver administrative support to admissions, inpatient/outpatient care areas, and other patient support service areas within the Patient Support Services Department (PSSD).

• Employees may be required to float to other units within PSSD.

• Duties include customer service, patient appointment activities, reception activities, teamwork, equipment/material/supply support, scheduling activities, admissions activities, patient travel voucher activities, clinical support activities, and statistics/reporting/administrative activities.

• Customer Service: Personnel must provide outstanding, consistent customer service, demonstrating understanding, responsiveness, care, and compassion, especially with anxious or fearful patients.

• Timeliness: Accurate and timely performance of all duties is required.

• Compliance: Adherence to all NIH policies, procedures, and standards, including those related to patient confidentiality, infectious disease control, and personal appearance.

• Staffing: Contractor must maintain sufficient staffing to meet all performance requirements and adhere to approved work schedules, providing coverage for planned and unplanned leave.

• Location: National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892.

• Hours: Full Time/Part Time/Intermittent - Medical Support Assistants. Shifts include Days, Evenings, which shall include holidays, weekends, and may include overtime as needed. On-site hours are typically 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Monday - Friday, but may vary.

• The Clinical Center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and MSAs are considered "emergency essential" personnel.

• Experience: Minimum of 1 year experience in a healthcare setting working directly with patients and basic knowledge of medical terminology.

• Training: Government will provide training for the specific MSA role. Mandatory orientation and computer-based training are required.

• Background: Must meet federal requirements for obtaining a PIV ID badge and/or background investigation.

• Medical: Compliance with mandatory vaccinations (e.g., Rubeola, Hepatitis B, Influenza) and infectious disease control regulations is required. Pre-placement evaluations for TB and Varicella are necessary.

• Appearance: Professional office attire is required; specific guidelines on clothing, tattoos, and footwear are provided.

• Conduct: Adherence to strict standards of conduct, professionalism, and ethical behavior is expected.

• Communication: Effective oral and written communication in English is required.

• Physical: Duties may require walking, carrying up to 50 pounds, and working with computers.

• Documentation: Contractor must provide extensive documentation for new hires, including resumes, background checks, medical requirements, and vaccination records.

• Quality Control: Contractor must develop and implement a proactive Quality Control Program and respond to events/complaints within 24 hours.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the evaluation criteria for the "Nursing Department MSA" and "PSSD MSA" tasks. It details how offerors will be assessed based on various factors and sub-factors.

Task 1: Nursing Department MSA

• Factor 1: Management Plan/Corporate Resources (50 Points)
  • Sub-factor 1: Management Infrastructure: Assesses capability to provide reliable infrastructure, communication approach, supervision, and oversight. Requires discussion of planned management approach, cost-effectiveness, performance tracking, customer satisfaction, and past personnel performance issues. Specific requirements include understanding staffing, duties of Medical Support Assistants, mission-critical designation (24/7/365), training, appearance, conduct, patient confidentiality, reporting, and invoice procedures.
  • Sub-factor 2: Recruitment and Retention Plan: Evaluates ability to recruit and maintain a stable, experienced staff. Requires a plan detailing identification, screening, placement, monitoring, training, and retention of qualified personnel, as well as capacity for surge needs and corporate retention rate. Specific details required include capabilities for fluctuating staffing needs, backup plans, number of active profiles/resumes, plan for trained staff at contract start, timeframe for resume submission, contractor holidays, replacement process for vacancies/leave, counseling/termination process, recruitment/selection process, training programs, and timekeeping procedures.
  • Subfactor 3: Contractor's Employee Salary: Requires acknowledgement of Service Contract Act labor law compliance.
• Factor 2: Related Experience (30 Points): Evaluates prior experience in similar contracts, weighted more heavily for the Offeror than subcontractors. Specific experience in clinical/research and government environments is preferred. Requires a minimum of two to three related experience statements, with one additional statement per main subcontractor. Information required for each statement includes contracting organization, contract number, type, period of performance, total contract value, detailed description of services, obstacles overcome, number of personnel managed, Contracting Officer and Program Manager contact information, and NAICS code.
• Factor 3: Key Personnel (10 Points): Assesses appropriateness and adequacy of education, experience, and competence of key personnel, with emphasis on availability. The Program Manager is a key position, requiring onsite, full-time presence. Resumes for the Program Manager are required.
• Factor 4: Past Performance (10 Points): Evaluates past performance based on reference checks, weighted more heavily for prime contractors. Areas assessed include quality of service, timeliness, business relations/customer satisfaction, and program manager/staffing performance. Offerors with no past performance receive a neutral rating. Requires a minimum of two and a maximum of three references within the past three years.

Task 2: PSSD MSA

• Factor 1: Management Plan / Corporate Resources (50 Points): Similar evaluation criteria as Task 1, focusing on management infrastructure, recruitment, and retention plans.

This document is critical for bidders as it details the specific criteria and weighting used to evaluate proposals for the "Nursing Department MSA" and "PSSD MSA" tasks. Understanding these criteria is essential for developing a competitive proposal that addresses all required elements, including management approach, recruitment and retention strategies, relevant experience, key personnel qualifications, and past performance.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is an Excel spreadsheet titled 'ATTACHMENT 3 Pricing Worksheet.xlsx'. It appears to be a template for bidders to provide pricing details for the opportunity.

• The worksheet includes columns for 'Labor Category', 'QTY', 'Rate', and 'Total' for different labor categories.
• It also includes sections for 'MSA Health and Welfare', 'MSA Evening/Night Differential', 'MSA Weekend Differential', 'MSA Holiday Differential', and specific roles like 'Program Manager (Supervisor)', 'PSSD MSA', and 'PSSA Lead'.
• There are columns for 'Base Period', 'Option 1', and 'Option 2', suggesting pricing should be broken down by contract period.
• Sections for 'Other Direct Costs (ODCs)' including 'IT Licensing' and 'Travel' are present, along with 'Admin Cost'.
• All 'Rate' and 'Total' fields are currently populated with '0.0', indicating that bidders need to fill in their proposed rates and calculate totals.

This worksheet is crucial for bidders to calculate and submit their proposed pricing for the contract. Bidders must accurately fill in the quantities, rates, and associated costs for all labor categories and other direct costs across the base period and option periods as required by the solicitation.