CDC mystery.

[MGKrebs]

Can anybody help me make sense of this. It's probably really nothing, but I can't figure it out.

I subscribe to this service that requests bids for government contracts. Sometimes they post procurement info which is 'sole source', which means it's not a competitive bid, usually because of some proprietary design or similar. So far, so good, right?

Recently received this one, which I can't figure out.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to issue a sole source firm fixed priced purchase order to Rainin Instruments, Inc. Rainin Rd. Box 4026 Woburn, MA 18884. The purpose of this procurement is to identify a periodical to facilitate the nation-wide dissemination of information pertaining to preconception care to healthcare providers working in the area of maternal and child health. The intent is to provide up-to-date evidence-based knowledge to providers charged with caring for women and children with a repository of information on preconception care. As such the periodical and its membership must be consistent with the subject matter being published.
For instance it would be inappropriate to disseminate the latest evidence on flying airplanes in a periodical whose focus was on automobiles and whose membership consisted of automobile mechanics. Because this subject matter falls within the arena of maternal and child health the Maternal and Child Health Journal (MCH) has been selected."

http://www.eps.gov/spg/HHS/CDCP/PGOA/2005%2DQ%2D21840/Combine%20Synopsis%5FSolicitation.html

First, what is the CDC doing? Are they buying this journal?
http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/0,11855,5-40467-70-35753565-0,00.html

Secondly, what does Rainin have to do with it? They make Pipettes.
http://www.rainin.com/


I don't think I have a problem with the journal, it appears to be a legitimate scientific journal. I don't know anything about Rainin other than what I see on their website.

:shrug:

[htuttle]

1. What is 'preconception care'?

I've never heard that term before:

The purpose of this procurement is to identify a periodical to facilitate the nation-wide dissemination of information pertaining to preconception care to healthcare providers working in the area of maternal and child health. The intent is to provide up-to-date evidence-based knowledge to providers charged with caring for women and children with a repository of information on preconception care.

Wouldn't 'preconception care' simply be 'healthcare'? Is somebody trying to suggest that life begins at 'intent to conceive'? Very confusing to me.

[Horse with no Name]

4. Pre-conception care could simply mean

that they are trying to pre-screen women who would or wouldn't be good candidates for in vitro fertilization or other fertility treatments.
Actually the best time to worry about problems with conception and fetal health is pre conception when there is a chance you can correct a problem that could endanger the life of the baby.

[LaurenG]

5. It refers to anyone who may become pregnant (Before Conception)

And how to prepare your body. Like taking folic acid, making sure your vaccinations are up to date, any dental or surgical care needed is done prior to becoming pregnant. It appears they are trying to educate people. pre conception. Before conception

[Horse with no Name]

2. Just skimming through

They use pipettes in in vitro fertilization.
They are researching pre-conception care.
Makes sense to me in an incongruous way.

[Last Lemming]

3. Weird indeed

It sounds like they are force feeding a journal that is otherwise peer-reviewed (ie independent board) special info--info having to do with early conception--which would include stem cells, I do believe. What's needed for stem cell research--well, pipettes

If you can send me the complete description and the soucre--I know someone at the New England Journal that I could pass it by

Just PM me

[Igel]

6. It sounds like the CDC wants to make sure that women that

are trying to get pregnant get the appropriate kinds of care, and want to advertise the appropriate information to their target audience.

Things like spina bifida, caused by a B vitamin deficiency, can easily occur *before* the woman knows she's pregnant. To avoid it, if you don't like your green veggies, there's preconception care.

You don't want to spend the money on a mechanics magazine, because it's unlikely that a significant percentage of women trying to get pregnant. Perhaps a magazine oriented towards new mothers would work, but it's a guess. So hire a firm to conduct the research to find the best media outlook for placing your adverts.

[MGKrebs]

7. OK, they pay Rainin to identify the media.

Perhaps Rainin is a good source for this because they advertise to a very similar audience. But who identified Rainin? If it was already known that they had similar audiences, I am disappointed that Rainin even charged the CDC for the info.Seems like a phone call would take care of it.

And then, since the journal has already been identified, this is just an after the fact notice.

Also, do peer reviewed journals accept advertising, or is CDC going to be submitting scientific articles?

I'm just curious.

[Igel]

8. I have absolutely no clue.

I was just drawing an inference, and it seemed like a sound one.

(The only independent facts I derive from my wife's lecturing me on the need for proper nutrition when we were trying to conceive our son. I do the cooking.)

[MGKrebs]

9. Update- solicitation canceled.

"This solicitation is hereby cancelled in its entirety."

http://www.eps.gov/spg/HHS/CDCP/PGOA/2005%2DQ%2D21840/Amendment%20to%20Combined%20Synopsis%5FSolicitation%2001.html

:shrug: