Detailed instructions on how to place a task order against PICS II are provided in section 3 the SOP. The acquisition process is described below.

Task Order Guidelines are subject to change; please refer to the latest version of the Standard Operating Procedures found on the Resources tab of this website.

The TORP will include (1) a completed TORP form, (2) a Statement of Work (SOW), (3) the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) (not released to contractors), (4) a Determination & Findings (D&F) (if applicable), and either a (5) funding memo if the total value (base value plus option years) is less than $250,000, or an (6) Acquisition Plan if the total value is greater than $250,000.

NOTE: For Task Orders Involving Conferences/Meetings:

All required conference/meeting forms and waivers based upon NIH’s most recent policy guidance must be approved and submitted prior to TORP award. If the customer does not have the required conference/meeting form to submit initially with the TORP, it must be submitted with the Selection Recommendation Document (SRD)

Additional information can be found in Section 3 of the SOP.

It is a memo stating that funds are available. It is generally signed by the EO or budget officer or any authorized personnel from your IC or agency.

A "No Response" statement must be submitted if a contractor is unable or otherwise cannot perform a requirement. This shall be submitted electronically to the TASK ORDER Contracting Officer via e-mail copying the PICS II email address (PICSii@mail.nih.gov).

All task orders are competitive. All contractors will receive all requirements unless an exception to the Fair Opportunity applies and has been approved by the PICS II CO.

Yes, all contractors will receive each TORP request in accordance with FAR 16.505(b)(1), Fair Opportunity, unless an exception to fair opportunity has been approved.

Task order timelines will be largely dependent on the Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative. The timeline for the PICS II Program Support Team to review and release the TORP to contractors is targeted to be 5 business days. Task orders with special requirements or complex orders may take longer. This processing time begins once a complete, acceptable TORP is received by the PICS II Contracting Officer. Incomplete or unacceptable TORPs will require additional time for the PICS II Contracting Officer to advise the Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative on minimum acceptable requirements.

Task Order Contracting Officer's Representatives will establish a solicitation response time that will afford contractors a reasonable opportunity to respond to the requirement. When establishing the solicitation response time, Task Order Contracting Officer's Representatives should consider the circumstances of the individual acquisition and account for factors such as the complexity, availability, and value of the requirement. Award announcements will typically be made by the PICS II Contracting Officer.

If you have any questions regarding the status of the task order, please contact your Task Order CO.

The PICS II Program Support Team (PICSII@mail.nih.gov) is available to consult users on the contract.

The Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative and Task Order Contracting Officer will coordinate the evaluation of the contractors' technical and price proposals in order to recommend an Awardee. Fifty percent of the technical evaluation panel chosen to evaluate the technical proposals will have successfully completed Contracting Officer's Representative training before assuming their designated role. It is the responsibility of the Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative to ensure that contractors are treated equitably and fairly during this evaluation process.

Based on the results of the evaluation, the Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative will recommend the contractor that can provide the best value to the Government and prepare a completed Selection Recommendation Document (SRD) describing the selection process and providing a rationale for selection.

After the task order award is signed and submitted by the Task Order CO to PICSII@mail.nih.gov, the PICS II CO and COR will announce the task order award by releasing an award letter to the winning contractor. An award notification will be emailed to all PICS II contractors.

Contractors are instructed not to begin work until they have officially received the task order award and award letter from the PICS II CO. You may contact the contractor once the PICS II CO sends out the award.

To exercise an option, please process the modification as you normally would, and send a copy of that modification to the PICS II Program Support Team (PICSII@mail.nih.gov).

Services and Task Order Types

The PICS II contract type is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract. Task orders under this contract may be Fixed-Price (FP), Time and Materials (T&M), or Labor Hour type task orders. T&M or Labor Hour task orders should be used only if FP type task order are not suitable. Use of a T&M or Labor Hour task orders require a Determination and Findings (D&F) approval from the Task Order CO for the IC or agency. T&M or Labor Hour task orders beyond three years will require the approval of the Head of Contracting Activity (HCA).

Communication goods and services, namely media, communications, and information dissemination services and technology, including:

Communications and Outreach Support:

• Communications Research (Task Area 1)
• News Media Operations Support (Task Area 2a)
• Media and Crisis Communication Training (Task Area 2b)
• Audience Outreach and Promotion (Task Area 3a)
• Outreach to Target Populations/Health Disparities Programs (Task Area 3b)
• Foreign Language, Translation, and Interpretation (Task Area 6)
• Information and Referrals ("Clearinghouses") (Task Area 7)

Material Development and Distribution Support:

• Materials Development (Task Area 4)
• Inventories / Warehouse / Distribution Services (Task Area 11)

Graphic Design, Web, and Database Support:

• Graphic Design (Task Area 5)
• IT Requirements (Task Area 10a)
• Web Design, Development, and Management (Task Area 10b)
• Preservation, Cataloging, and Storage of Web-based and Other Digital Content (Task Area 10c)
• Website Usability Testing (Task Area 1od)
• Database Design, Development, and Management (Task Area 10e)
• Information Tracking and Referral (Task Area 1of)
• Security (Task Area 10g)

Exhibit and Conference Support:

• Exhibit Development, Design, Production, Storage and Transport (Task Area 8)
• Meeting, Conference, and Event Support (Task Area 9)

See the SOW for more details.

The PICS II Contracting Officials within OLAO include the PICS II Contracting Officer and the PICS II Contract Specialist. These individuals will have the authority to act as agents of the Government under this contract. The main roles of the PICS II Contracting Officer is receiving the task order Request Package (TORP) packages from PICS II customers, reviewing TORPs, releasing TORPs to all contractors, and acting as the point of contact for contractual issues related to the PICS II vehicle.

The PICS II COR shall act as the PICS II Contracting Officer's Representative for the purpose of this contract. The main activities the PICS II COR is responsible for are monitoring the contractor's technical progress, interpreting the SOW, and assisting in the resolution of technical issues.

Task Order Contracting Officers must be an appropriately warranted Contracting Officer. These officials will be representatives of an NIH Acquisition Office and will have the authority to act as an agent of the Government under a particular task order. Their main duties include submitting the TORP, aiding in evaluation of proposals, creating and signing the Selection Recommendation Document (SRD), and awarding of the task order.

The Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative will typically be the individual requiring the services offered under the PICS II vehicle, or may be a designee within the IC requiring the service. With assistance from the Task Order Contracting Officer, the Task Order Contracting Officer's Representative will develop the requirement and will represent the Government as the main interface between NIH and the contractor during the delivery of services. The main activities are working with Task Order Contracting Officers to draft the TORP, assisting in creating and signing the SRD, providing direction to the contractor's management staff to facilitate task order performance, and monitoring performance over the life of the task order.

Not unless they have completed the FAC-COR training and are certified.

The PICS II Program Support Team (PICSii@mail.nih.gov) is available to consult users of the contract. The team will prepare and conduct information sessions to assist customers in understanding and using the PICS II contract vehicle. In addition, materials such as the Standard Operating Procedures document and a fact sheet are available on the PICS II Program Support Team's website (http://PICS.olao.od.nih.gov).

The Task Order Contracting Officer's Representatives, in coordination with the task order Contracting Officers, will be responsible for the majority of task order activities involving initiating, managing, modifying and closing out task orders but will be supported by the PICS II Contracting Officer.

The PICS II contract requires a three-way match; the contractor must submit invoices (in hard copy) on a monthly basis to the following address:

   Institutes of Health
   Office of Financial Management, Commercial Accounts
   2115 East Jefferson Street, Room 4B-432, MSC 8500
   Bethesda, MD 20892-8500

For additional information regarding invoicing procedures, please refer to Article G.4 of the PICS II contract and ask your Task Order Contracting Officer and Task Order Contracting Officer’s Representative.