Supporting Statement A REVISION 0773

Supporting Statement A for

Federally Funded Research Development Center Contract Administration System (FCAS) Vendor Portal

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

OMB# 0925-0773, Expiration Date: 10/31/2024

This is a revision to the original submission, and all changes are highlighted in yellow.

Date: September 4, 2024

Check off which applies:

• New

X Revision

• Reinstatement with Change

• Reinstatement without Change

• Extension

• Emergency

• Existing Collection in Use Without an OMB Number

Federal Government Employee Information:

Name: Scott Keasey

Address: 428 Miller Drive, Suite 59

Telephone: 301-846-1115

Fax: N/A

Email: Scott.keasey@nih.gov

Table of contents

A. JUSTIFICATION

A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

A.2. Purpose and Use of the Information COLLECTION

A.3 Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction

A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

A.5 Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

A.6 Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

A.7 Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

A.8 Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside Agency

A.9 Explanation of Any Payment of Gift to Respondents

A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions

A.12 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs

A.13 Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record keepers

A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

A.16 Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

List of Attachments

Attachment 1: FCAS Online Survey

Attachment 2: Email Invitation

Attachment 3: FCAS Vendor Portal Registration

Attachment 4: FCAS Data Field Information

Attachment 5: FCAS Vendor Portal Add Edit Vendor Users

Attachment 6: Privacy Impact Assessment

Attachment 7: Privacy Act Letter

A. Justification

This information collection request is a revision to the FFRDC Contract Administration System (FCAS) Vendor Portal for an additional three years. The plan to build the Office of Acquisitions System (OASYS) has changed, so all references to the Evaluation of Office of Acquisitions System (OASYS) system have been removed from our previous submission. This removal resulted in a name change from Evaluation of Office of Acquisitions System (OASYS) and FFRDC Contract Administration System (FCAS) Vendor Portals to Federally Funded Research Development Center Contract Administration System (FCAS) Vendor Portal Attachments 1, 4, 6, and 8 was deleted, and all attachments were subsequently renumbered.

A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

Section 412 of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC § 285a-1) authorizes the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to establish and support programs for the detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer and to collect, identify, analyze, and disseminate information on cancer research, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Office of Acquisitions (OA) located within the Office of the Director (OD) in the Office of Management (OM) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), awards and administers contracts and simplifies acquisitions in support of the Institute’s mission to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. During the acquisition process, the OA ensures that customer service is paramount and communications are open and continuous. Currently, requests and correspondence are sent to and received from vendors through email, except for the FFRDC Contractor, who submits through the FCAS Vendor Portal, which is in production. To streamline processes, increase transparency, and gain efficiencies, the OA uses the FCAS vendor portal to replace processes handled through emailing FCAS Vendor Portal Users to individual OA recipients. The FCAS Vendor Portal will serve as a one-stop shop for the transmission of requests, reports, deliverables, and other correspondence due to numerous research and development in support of R&D contracts as well as those contract vehicles awarded using various Federal Acquisition Procedures, including but not limited to FAR Part 8, Required Sources of Supplies and Services, FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, and FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items. These reports and deliverables cover a wide variety of topics in the areas of cancer research, including prevention, detection, diagnosis, and control.

This request is to obtain OMB Clearance for the FCAS Vendor Portal by (1) obtaining the required information from the vendors at the time of vendor portal registration, (2) during the submission of requests and correspondence, and (3) in a voluntary online survey. The initial information collection will be at the time of vendor firm registration. It will be required to establish the vendor profile to establish and allow access to the vendor portal account. Vendors will be invited to set up the vendor account by NCI OA staff through a link sent by email to the authorized business official at the vendor’s firm. Some of the documents that vendors and contractors will submit through the vendor portals contain sensitive and proprietary data. Subsequent information collection will be in the course of populating various data fields when submitting requests and uploading correspondence. Finally, voluntary feedback will be sought from vendor users when they utilize the system to respond to negotiations, submit documentation, make requests of OA, and/or receive requests from OA within the vendor portals.

The FFRDC Contract Administration System (FCAS) Vendor Portal went into production in March 2020 after we received OMB approval as a pilot on February 07, 2020, and the FCAS Vendor Portal has been in use by one contractor firm, Leidos and their approximate 72 employees who support the Frederick National Library for Cancer Research (FNLCR), a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) on behalf of NCI. Since March 2020, Leidos and their approximately 72 Leidos employees have been using the FCAS Vendor Portal and will continue to do so indefinitely. They will continue to enter required data field information (Attachment 4), add or edit Vendor Users as indicated (Attachment 5), and submit voluntary online surveys (Attachment 1).

The voluntary survey will evaluate vendor users' satisfaction with the accessibility and usefulness of the vendor portals. This will help the government assess the utility of the vendor portals, improve their design and functionality, and identify strategies for improving the site's user-friendliness.

A.2 Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

There are three purposes for the collection of information from the vendor users.

The purpose of information collection in the web survey for the FCAS vendor portal (after vendor firm accounts are established) is to obtain individual vendor user feedback on the vendor portals' design, functionality, utility, and user-friendliness (Attachments 1). NCI OA will use the information to assess and evaluate if system changes and improvements are necessary to increase user-friendliness and reduce the burden on vendor users. The survey data will be used to consider modifications to the content and/or appearance of the portal and navigation within the portal sections and to identify any additional information or features that may be appropriate to add.

The anticipated positive aspects of this data collection include:

• Collecting data from the vendor portal users will enable NCI OA to better understand how vendor users experience the site and further improve the design and navigation in response to their needs.

• User data will inform the development of new targeted website features or additional targeted products within the vendor portals.

• User data will identify whether expanding the vendor portals to include additional features or functionality needs to be discussed.

The negative consequences of not periodically collecting user data include:

• We cannot adapt the vendor portals to the vendor users’ needs.

• We will not be able to assess the most desirable improvements or new features.

• We cannot assess whether information in the vendor portal's user guides is appropriate.

• We will not be able to understand how to better engage users and maintain vendor user satisfaction.

The purpose of an anticipated benefit of a collection of information at registration (Attachment 5) is to ensure that unique profiles are created for each vendor firm account, to provide for access security, and to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive information, including proprietary information. Each vendor firm will utilize the FCAS Vendor Portal. Initial registration is a one-time process and will ensure that documentation and information can only be submitted by and is only accessible to those vendor users authorized and with appropriate permissions. The information collected at vendor portal registration will be stored in the system, and NCI OA will use it for negotiations and day-to-day contract administration. The personal information the vendor inputs will be specific to the company (e.g., company name, company address, company phone number) and will also include contractor employee first and last names and firm email addresses for the following vendor users: business representative, solicitation coordinator, planning coordinator, and additional vendor user roles.

The screenshots in Attachment 4 reflect separate processes available in the application; only the screenshots identified as “Data Field Information/Action Step:” highlighted in yellow require action on behalf of the Vendor Firm. The purpose and anticipated benefit of collecting information in the various data fields (Attachment 4) is to ensure submitted requests and correspondence are categorized and stored properly in the system so that the OA and program staff are alerted to pending actions in their queues. Vendor users with permission to access the account will interact with OA during the pre-award phase and, if awarded a contract, during the post-award phase. In the pre-award phase, vendors will enter data fields and upload documentation, including initial task order proposals, Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Call quotes, proposal revisions and revised quotes, final proposals and final responses to negotiation questions, to ask questions, as well as receive notifications from NCI Office of Acquisitions. Vendors that are awarded a contract, order, or BPA call will enter information in data fields and upload documentation including but not limited to correspondence submissions such as invoices, reports, deliverables, contractor-initiated requests, responses to Contracting Officer’s requests, responses to modifications, and submission of contractually required notifications. Vendor users will also receive requests from NCI OA through the system.

If a new Vendor User account needs to be added to an existing Vendor Firm account or an existing vendor user account needs to be edited, users will be sent an email invite to log in and finalize the action (Attachment 5).

No findings, pros, or cons have been discovered during the last three years. This revision is due to a system change and what is being collected.

A.3 Use of Information Technology to Reduce Burden

Online web surveys within the vendor portals will provide ease of response by the vendor users. The opportunity to provide feedback will be available in the vendor portal after login. A feedback box is included in the FCAS Vendor Portal on the left navigation pane so that wherever the vendor user is in the vendor portal site, they can provide feedback immediately from the screen they are working on. Additionally, feedback submitted will be immediately available to NCI OA. All responses will be submitted electronically.

The FCAS Vendor Portal will assist with streamlining processes and save time by gaining efficiencies. The Vendor Portals will:

1. Provide vendors with the capability to submit requests, documents, and information through the Vendor Portal to FCAS.

2. Provide the capability for NCI OA staff to transmit documents and information, including notifications and requests to vendors through the Vendor Portals.

The FCAS Vendor Portal will use technology to collect information from vendors. Vendors that do not have existing vendor portal accounts with whom NCI OA wishes to negotiate based on evaluation of their proposal will be invited by NCI OA by email (Attachment 2) to set up a vendor profile. This will allow authorized vendor users to access the subject solicitation to view and respond to the request for revised proposal and/or negotiation questions.

Information technology will only be used to store data and exchange data between vendors and the NCI Office of Acquisitions. Once vendors have set up their vendor firm portal, authorized vendor users will be able to receive email alerts and in-system notifications pushed to them by NCI OA. FCAS Vendor Portal Vendor users can submit correspondence to the FCAS vendor portals only if initiated through the pre-award and/or post-award phases. All correspondence with vendor users will occur within the vendor portals and will facilitate an opportunity for improved response time by the NCI OA staff to send and answer requests. FCAS Vendor Portal vendor users that submit correspondence populate information fields that categorize correspondence and requests, and NCI OA and NCI Program staff will receive system notifications that the information and documentation are available for action. Documents submitted by the vendors are automatically saved in the FCAS Internal Document Repository in the respective sections based on information entered into the data fields. All documents are and will be stored within the cloud. These processes will facilitate prompt notification, action, and transparency, even when NCI OA or program staff are out of the office. All emails received by vendors are automated and will include a link to where action can be taken on a correspondence.

The FCAS Vendor Portal is an additional service of existing internal systems, FCAS. The vendor portals are in the design and development phase. The NCI Privacy Act Coordinator was consulted and determined that a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) was needed. The Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is currently being updated by NIH and HHS (Attachment 6).

A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication

The information that a vendor enters will be unique to the FCAS Vendor Portals. Once a vendor user creates a vendor firm’s profile (Attachment 3) with an associated unique identifier (i.e. Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), General Service Administration’s (GSA’s) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)), the vendor’s account will be stored in the FCAS system indefinitely. The vendor firm’s portal administrator will have the ability to update the account when indicated (e.g., with a new phone number, update to address) and to add additional authorized vendor users by adding their first and last names, firm email addresses, job titles, and firm telephone numbers. When a new vendor user attempts to create an account using the same unique identifier, the system will hinder the user from creating the new profile and will notify the user to contact their vendor portal account administrator(s) to request access (Attachment 5).

FCAS Vendor Portal Vendor users enter information into data fields for each unique request they submit and each unique correspondence (document) that they upload (Attachment 4). This allows for automatic categorization and notifications for each request and document.

The web survey is available for FCAS Vendor Portal vendor users (Attachment 1) to provide voluntary feedback whenever they choose once they are in the vendor portal.

A.5 Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

Of NCI OA’s approximate 400 active contractors, several are small businesses or other small entities. A provision will be included in any Request for Proposal or Request for Quotation, and a clause will be included in any subsequent contract or order awarded to small business firms or other small entities.

A.6 Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

The Vendor Portal Registration information will only be collected when the vendor activity begins in the portal (Attachment 3). The vendor will then be able to update information except for the unique identifier (e.g., DUNS, GSA’s UEI). The data field information collected will be once per vendor request and/or vendor upload of correspondence document(s) (Attachment 4). The survey feedback is voluntary and may be submitted based on vendor choice (Attachments 1 and 2).

A.7 Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

This survey will be implemented in a manner that fully complies with 5 C.F.R. 1320.5.

A.8.1 Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice

The 60-day Federal Register Notice was published on June 4, 2024, Vol. 89, No. 108, pg. 47970 and allowed 60 days for public comment. No public comments were received.

A.8.2 Efforts to Consult Outside Agency

Of NCI OA’s approximate 400 active contractors, several are small businesses or other small entities. This information collection may impact the small businesses and/or other small entities with contracts or orders with the NCI OA if the NCI Office of Acquisitions utilizes the OASYS Vendor Portal. If this happens, this ICR will be revised to reincorporate that process.

A.9 Explanation of Any Payment of Gift to Respondents

No payments or gifts will be given to respondents.

A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

All information will be kept private to the extent allowable by law. The following Personally Identifiable Information (PII) will be collected to establish the vendor profile at the time of Vendor Portal Registration so that vendor users who are authorized can have access to their specific vendor firm’s account:

• First Name of Business Official

• Last Name of Business Official

• Business Official’s title at the firm

• Email address of the business official at the firm

• Firm/company name

• Firm/company mailing address

• Firm/company phone number

• Firm DUNS number

The following Personally Identifiable Information (PII) will be collected to add additional vendor users to the vendor portals:

• First Name of additional vendor users

• Last Name of additional vendor users

• Job Title of additional vendor users

• Email address of the additional vendor users at the firm

• Telephone Number of additional vendor users

This information will be stored within the internal FCAS system and only accessible by authorized users. The Privacy Act is applicable as determined by the NIH Privacy Officer in the Privacy Act Memo (Attachment 11). The applicable SORN is NIH Privacy Act Systems of Record 09-25-0216 Administration: NIH Electronic Discovery and 09-25-0118 Contracts: Professional Services Contractors, HHS/NIH/NCI.

A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions

No sensitive questions will be asked.

A.12.1 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs

The total annual number of responses is estimated at 4,544, with a total annual burden of 77 hours (Table A.12-1).

A.12-1 Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Form Name	Type of Respondent	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Average Time Per Response (in hours)	Total Annual Burden Hours
Survey - (Attachment 1)	Individuals	1	1	6/60	0
Registration - (Attachment 3)	Private Sector	1	1	6/60	0
Data Field Information –(Attachment 4)	Individuals	72	63	1/60	76
Add/Edit new Vendor User - (Attachment 5)	Private Sector	6	1	6/60	1
Totals		80	4,544		77

A.12-2 Annual Cost to respondent

The total annualized cost to respondents is $3,353.35.

A.12-2 Annualized Cost to the Respondents

Form Name	Type of Respondent	Total Annual Burden Hours	Hourly Wage Rate*	Respondent Cost
Data Field Information	Individuals	76	$43.55	$3,309.80
Add/Edit new Vendor	Corporations	1	$43.55	$43.55
Totals		77		$3,353.35

*Source of the mean Hourly Wage Rate is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#13-0000, Occupation Title: “Business and Financial Operations Occupations,” 13-0000.

A.13 Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers

There are no additional costs to report.

A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

The annual cost to the Federal Government is estimated to be $203,471.00 (Table A.14.1). The federal personnel are responsible for the review of data collected via the application mechanisms. The contractor's tasks include designing and implementing the systems and maintaining the active systems.

A.14-1 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

Staff	Grade/Step	Salary**	% of Effort	Fringe (if applicable)	Total Cost to Gov’t
Federal Oversight
Support Assistant	9/2	$ 70,685	40%		$ 28,274.00
Contract Specialist	13/5	$ 133,692	30%		$ 40,107.60
Contract Specialist	14/5	$ 157,982	10%		$ 15,798.20
Branch Chief	15/5	$ 185,824	5%		$ 9,291.20
Contractor Cost					$110,000.00
Travel					$0
Other Cost					$0
Total					$203,471.00

**The salary in the table above is cited from https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2024/DCB.pdf

A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

The plan to build the Office of Acquisitions System (OASYS) has changed, so all references to the Evaluation of Office of Acquisitions System (OASYS) system have been removed from our previous submission. This removal resulted in a name change from Evaluation of Office of Acquisitions System (OASYS) and FFRDC Contract Administration System (FCAS) Vendor Portals to Federally Funded Research Development Center Contract Administration System (FCAS) Vendor Portal Attachments 1, 4, 6, and 8 was deleted, and all attachments were subsequently renumbered. This change reduced the number of respondents from 919 to 80, the number of responses from 11,501 to 4,544, and a reduced burden from 230 to 77. The only other changes were updated BLS rates and Federal Pay rates.

A.16 Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

The information collected since March 2020 and will continue to be collected has not and will not be published. This information collection is planned to continue indefinitely. The FCAS Vendor Portal vendor profile was set up in March 2020 for the FNLCR Contractor, Leidos use. Additional vendor firms will be invited as they are invited to submit revised proposals in response to solicitations and/or at the time of new contract award. Therefore, new vendor users will access the vendor portals over time. Data will be analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Reports will be run quarterly and used by internal NCI OA staff to determine and evaluate if changes need to be made to the vendor portals.

Information collected to set up vendor portals will be used by internal NCI OA staff to respond to internal data calls where indicated. Information collected when vendors submit requests or correspondence to the vendor portals will be used for day-to-day contract administration.

A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

We are not requesting an exemption to the display of the OMB Expiration date.

A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.