SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Income Tax Advice & Assistance Services for the NIH Visiting Scientist Program
- Notice Date
- 5/24/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, MD, 20892-7902
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7902
- Solicitation Number
- NHLBI-OR-P-05-070
- Response Due
- 6/8/2005
- Archive Date
- 6/23/2005
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- This is a synopsis for commercial items, prepared in accordance with the format in FAR subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This is a Small Business Set Aside. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute intends to solicit proposals for Income Tax Advice and Assistance for the NIH Visiting Scientist Program under solicitation number NHLBI-OR-P-05-070. The Acquisition Method used will be Total Small Business Set-Aside for a period of performance of one (1) year with four (4) twelve month renewable option years beginning with the effective date of the contract award. The anticipated effective date of award is September 30, 2005. This acquisition is in support of the Division of International Services. The mission of the Division of International Services (DIS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to provide the highest level of professional guidance and immigration-related services to the NIH intramural community, and to the visiting foreign scientists. DIS also ensures that the NIH maintains compliance with all applicable U.S. immigration laws governing and/or regulating their stay in the United States as set forth by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Labor, and other government agencies pertaining to our foreign researchers, scholars, and other staff. All Visiting Program participants must pay U.S. income taxes, unless they are exempted by an income tax treaty between the United States and their country of residence (for tax purposes). Although the tax assessment differs according to stipend/salary level (higher levels are taxed at higher rates), Visiting Program participants can expect to pay at least 14 percent of their stipend/salary in federal income tax. All participants, including those exempted from federal tax, must pay state income taxes, depending on their state of residence. Before leaving the United States, all foreign nationals must fulfill their tax obligations. Professional, expert advice on U.S. income taxation matters concerning international scientists at NIH is available, on a limited basis, through DIS, Office of Research Services, at no cost to the individual. Those for whom the service is offered includes NIH Visiting Program participants (Visiting Fellows, Visiting Scientists), Guest Researchers, Special Volunteers, Special Experts and other nonimmigrant scientists at NIH in an official capacity. This is a request for contract to provide income tax advice and guidance services for visiting foreign scientists at the National Institutes of Health as required by the U.S. government. Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities not otherwise provided by the Government, as needed to provide income tax advice and guidance services for visiting foreign scientists at the National Institutes of Health. Specifically, the Contractor shall: 1. Revise and update the existing "Income Tax Handbook for Visiting Foreign Scientists at the National Institutes of Health" (for newly arrived foreign scientists) to reflect the latest changes in the U.S. Tax Code applicable to foreign nationals, including changes in country specific information for those countries with which the United States has tax treaties. The Handbook should be sectioned to separately address the tax issues of the different categories of foreign scientists at NIH (e.g. one section devoted to Visiting Fellows/grant recipients, one section to full time employees (FTEs) & Professional Services Contractors, and one section to Special Volunteers/Guest Researchers). A draft copy of the Handbook shall be provided to the Project Officer for review prior to final production. The Handbook consists of approximately 36 pages. Finished product will be reproduced by NIH printing facilities and delivered to DIS, with Contractor being responsible for picking up material for each Seminar. Contractor will also make an electronic version of the Handbook available to the Project Officer for placement on the DIS web page. 2. Assemble the "2005 Guide to Income Tax Preparation for Visiting Foreign Scientists at the National Institutes of Health." The Preparation Guide is for assisting the NIH foreign scientist population in the preparation of their annual tax returns and shall consist of all necessary/relevant Federal and Maryland state tax forms; explanation of required statements; as well as samples of completed forms of frequently used Federal and Maryland State tax forms. In addition to the samples included previously, a sample should be included which illustrates how short-term visitors who are reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses should file a tax return. A draft copy of the Preparation Guide shall be provided to the Project Officer for review prior to final production. Finished product will be reproduced by NIH printing facilities and delivered to DIS, with Contractor being responsible for picking up material for each Workshop. Contractor will also make an electronic version of the Preparation Guide available to the Project Officer for placement on the DIS web page. 3. Develop curricula and present one (1) three-hour seminar per month for newly arrived foreign scientists. These seminars are to be conduced at NIH facilities in Bethesda, MD and invitees would be newly arrived scientists from NIH facilities here in Bethesda as well as NIH facilities in Frederick, MD and Baltimore, MD. The seminars should provide general information about U.S. tax obligations applicable to foreign nationals employed (FTEs) or otherwise conducting research (Visiting Fellows, Professional Services Contractors, Special Volunteers, Guest Researchers, Exchange Scientists) at the NIH in Bethesda or NIH facilities in Frederick and Baltimore. A question and answer session must be included at the end of each seminar. The Project Officer will provide the contractor with a list of registered attendees (scientists) and the contractor shall take attendance and provide the Project Officer with names of the attendees. In order to evaluate performance, an evaluation will be distributed to and collected from the foreign scientists attendees and returned to the Project Officer. A small number of NIH foreign scientists are located at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana (approximately 25); the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, Phoenix, Arizona (approximately 15); and the National Institute of Environmental Health Scientists, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (approximately 150). For those foreign scientists located at the above mentioned remote locations, where no tax seminars for new arrivals will be conducted, the contractor shall answer questions via FAX or e-mail. Depending on availability of the facilities, some seminars and/or workshops may include attendance of the out-of-town scientists by video teleconferencing. 4. Develop curricula and present eight (8) six-hour Tax Preparation Workshops during the period February 15 and April 7 with specific emphasis on the preparation of Federal and state income tax forms in advance of the annual April 15 filing deadline. The Workshops shall consist of two (2) three-hour sessions, allowing time for a lunch break. Each session shall include time for questions-and-answers from the participants. Six of these Workshops will be conducted at NIH facilities in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition, one Workshop will be held in Baltimore, Maryland and one will be held in Frederick, Maryland, for the NIH foreign scientist population stationed at these off-campus locations. For the approximately 150 foreign scientists located in North Carolina, the contractor shall provide one (1) on-site tax Preparation Workshop. For the foreign scientists located in the other defined ?remote locations? (Montana and Arizona), the contractor shall answer questions by fax or e-mail. If the contractor finds it necessary to change the dates or times of any of the above mentioned seminars or workshops after they have been scheduled and advertised, the ORS/DIS should be given at least two weeks to reschedule meeting facilities and notify the foreign scientist community of the change. Every effort should be made by the contractor to have a qualified alternate conduct the seminars. When there are unforeseen situations such as extreme weather conditions or illness, the contractor shall contact the ORS/DIS as early as possible. 5. Provide flyers announcing time and location of seminars and workshops. The flyers should specify the appropriate workshop to be attended by scientists (such as ?morning session to be attended by ?treaty-eligible foreign scientists? and ?afternoon session to be attended by those individuals not eligible for a foreign tax treaty?. Flyers will be provided to contact persons in the Institutes/Centers (ICs) for distribution to foreign scientists. Announcement of the time and location of the workshops will be announced on DIS? web page. When available from the Internal Revenue Service, provide ORS/DIS with forms and instructions for preparing estimated tax payments for Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. If requested, obtain forms and instructions for Montana, Arizona, and North Carolina. The contractor shall also provide Federal and state (for above listed states) withholding forms to ORS/DIS as soon as they are available. 6. Provide the ORS/DIS Tax Project Officer & DIS Staff with written guidance on the latest changes in the U.S. Tax Code, tax treaties (including copies) and any other tax-related issues affecting foreign scientists conducting research at NIH. Where tax treaty issues are involved, the guidance should take into account that NIH must be protected from under withholding. Also, the contractor shall recognize that any written or verbal information supplied to ORS/DIS must address implementation issues along with any tax opinions. 7. Provide up to 36 hours per year consultation to ORS/DIS on tax issues raised by DIS staff. This consultation shall include two sessions as requested by the Project Officer. One session will be presented in the month of October and the second session will be presented at the beginning of the calendar year to discuss tax law changes affecting foreign individuals and their employment at NIH. Consultation time will also include tax queries that the Project Officer receives from DIS staff and forwards on to the contractor. The contract type is a Time and Materials Contract that is Performance Based. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code of 541990, with a size standard of $6.0M is applicable to this requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Interested parties are requested to review the requirements and submit a statement of interest to Ms. Kesha Williams, Contract Specialist, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch, Procurement Section, Rockledge Drive (RKL2/6150B) Room 6150B, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7902. The RFP will be available on June 8, 2005, approximately fifteen (15) calendar days from the publication date of this synopsis. The RFP will be released to all offerors who have requested copies. All responsible sources may submit a proposal, which if received in a timely manner, shall be considered by the agency. Responses to the RFP will be evaluated based on the following mandatory evaluation criteria: The contractor must be experienced with tax issues as they concern foreign individuals in visa classifications including (but not limited to) J-1 Exchange Visitor, F-1 Student, H-1B Temporary Worker, O-1 Alien of Extraordinary Ability, TN (Trade NAFTA) status holders, as well as B-1 and WB Visitors for Business. Prior experience working with federal government agencies with a sizable foreign scientist population (NIH had a foreign scientist population of 3,600+ participants in FY03) is also advantageous. Upon meeting the mandatory evaluation criteria, responses will be further evaluated according to the following technical evaluation criteria: Contractor must demonstrate understanding of the MD forms 502 and 502D, the DC form D-40ES, and the VA form 760ES. Worth 25 Points Contractor should demonstrate understanding of tax treaties and be able to correctly determine the eligibility/ineligibility of foreign individuals at NIH for those treaties. Worth 25 Points Contractors must demonstrate experience in working with foreign salaried employees, foreign contractors and grant recipients. Worth 20 Points Contractor must demonstrate detailed understanding of IRS Substantial Presence Test. Worth 10 Points Contractor must demonstrate experience with IRS forms including the W-2, 1040NR, 1042-S, 1099, 2106, 3903, 8843, and W-8 BEN. Worth 10 Points Contractor must demonstrate how they will evaluate the adequacy and quality of their performance. Worth 10 Points Point of Contact: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch, Procurement Section, Rockledge Drive (RKL2/6150B) Room 6150B, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7902 Attention: Ms. Kesha Williams, Contract Specialist. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch, Procurement Section, Rockledge Drive (RKL2/6142) Room 6142, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7902 Attention: Ms. Kathleen Marsden, Contracting Officer.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Bethesda, Maryland 20892
- Country: United States
- Country: United States
- Record
- SN00814301-W 20050526/050524211750 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |