[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1849-1850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-735]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7438-9]


Innovative Technologies for Remote Collection of Data for the 
National Children's Study; Notice: Request for Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice; request for information for Innovative Technologies for 
Remote Collection of Data for the National Children's Study.

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SUMMARY: This request for information from the National Center for 
Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development for 
Innovative Technologies for Remote Collection of Data for the National 
Children's Study is for state-of-the-art technology (currently 
available and those possible in the future) to enhance data collection 
for this longitudinal study currently being planned by a coalition of 
federal agencies. This request for information (RFI) is intended 
strictly for market research purposes and may not lead to a 
solicitation or contract.
    The National Children's Study (NCS) is a large long-term study of 
environmental influences on children's health and development. This 
study will explore a broad range of environmental factors, both helpful 
and harmful, that influence the health and well-being of children. For 
this study, environment is broadly defined to include chemical, 
physical, social, and behavioral influences on children, and to better 
understand the role of these factors on health and disease. More 
information on the NCS is available at http://www.NationalChildrensStudy.gov.
    In initial discussions, the NCS Technology Group, consisting of 
technology experts within the federal government, has highlighted the 
utility of remote collection of data for longitudinal studies. 
Approaches identified include the use of Personal Digital Assistant 
(PDA), wireless technology, the Internet, and other technologies 
currently in development for collection of data between in-person 
visits/appointments. The three major areas discussed include: (1) 
Collection of questionnaire data (e.g., diaries, symptom check lists, 
information on doctor's visits, and medications); (2) measurement and 
transmittal of environmental measurements (e.g., devices that measure 
indoor or outdoor air quality, store the data over time, and transmit 
it to a central data location either by phone hook-up or wireless 
technology; devices used that collect samples, e.g., dust or volatile 
organic compounds that can be sent to laboratories for analysis; and 
Global Positional System (GPS) devices that would transmit location for 
use in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyses); and (3) 
measurement and transmittal of health/biological measurements such as 
physiological measures (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, and weight).
    The information provided as a response to this RFI will be included 
with background material in a meeting being planned to discuss these 
issues. Presentations and discussions during this workshop will 
identify the most promising and urgent of the above issues, identify 
existing technology that could be used or adapted for use, along with a 
discussion of security and confidentiality. For example, regardless of 
the study design, use of remote technologies for collection of 
questionnaire data will be a data collection method implemented from 
the beginning of the study. Other items will be ranked by urgency and 
amount of lead time needed for development. Part of this exercise would 
be the identification of pros and cons of the proposed technology.
    The government is also seeking information from hardware and 
software

[[Page 1850]]

vendors to ensure that all available commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) 
products that provide capabilities applicable to the NCS have been 
identified. All manufacturers and suppliers of appropriate technology 
that could be applied to support the NCS are offered this opportunity 
to describe how the government can best employ their products to meet 
the NCS mission needs.
    In addition to currently available products, the government wants 
to understand the capabilities of leading-edge products currently under 
development that will be available by mid Fiscal Year 2004. The 
information submitted will be used to assist the government in the 
continuing development of its NCS implementation strategy.
    This RFI is the first of several steps to solicit input and 
interest from the vendor community and to promote competition in 
response to needed technology for the NCS. We expect to issue other 
RFIs as planning evolves.

DATES: Information should be submitted via website not later than 
January 31, 2003, to http://www.NationalChildrensStudy.gov. Responses 
submitted after this date will not be accepted. The government will not 
request additional information or discuss submissions received in 
response to this RFI with individual responders.

ADDRESSES: Submit responses to [email protected] (http://www.NationalChildrensStudy.gov). Responses are limited to a total of 20 
pages, and in WordPerfect or Microsoft Word. Page size must be 8.5 x 
11'', font must be 12 point or larger, and margins must be at least 1 
inch. Briefly describe your product, the company that produces it, and 
the company's other products, services, history, ownership, and 
information you deem relevant. Provide points of contact for the 
product, including name, address (also include web address, if 
available), phone/fax number, and email address. Discuss technical 
feasibility alternatives and provide nonbinding order-of-magnitude cost 
and estimates of developmental time for the alternatives. Hardware and 
software vendors should submit a concept paper describing how the 
product could meet potential NCS needs. Indicate whether your product 
is commercially available or is on the General Services Administration 
Federal Supply Schedule. Supplemental product brochures or marketing 
materials outlining specifications and capabilities also may be 
submitted, and will not be counted in the overall page count limits.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please 
contact Sherry G. Selevan, Ph.D.; mailing address: National Center for 
Environmental Assessment-Washington (8623D), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 202-564-3312; 
facsimile: 202-565-0078; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Disclaimer

    This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and 
does not constitute a solicitation. The government does not intend to 
award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for 
information received in response to this RFI. Responses to the RFI will 
not be returned, and because they will be available for background 
material for a workshop, submission will not be treated as proprietary. 
Information provided in response to this RFI will be used to assess 
tradeoffs and alternatives available for determining how to proceed in 
the planning process for the NCS and may lead to the development of a 
specification for the NCS. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses 
to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to 
form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all 
expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

    Dated: January 3, 2003.
George Alapas,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 03-735 Filed 1-13-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P