Immigration Writing, Editing, & Form Preparation Services

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to award a Firm-Fixed Price purchase order to Ruth L. Young on a sole source basis. In accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1, the Contractor is the only known responsible source who can provide the services for the requirement listed below.

The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the NIH intends to issue purchase order to Ruth L. Young for technical immigration writing and case preparation services for complex non-immigrant and immigrant visa petitions to be filed by DIS with US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). Services offered include drafting, writing, and editing a variety of letters, exhibit covers, custom documents and preparing exhibits and supporting evidence, and drafting of corresponding USCIS forms is required.

This acquisition is in support of the Division of International Services (DIS)/Scientific Resources (SR)/Office of Research Services (ORS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The mission of DIS and NIH is to provide the highest level of professional guidance and immigration-related services to the NIH intramural community, and to visiting foreign scientists.

DIS also ensures that 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. DIS regularly requires specialized letters and document writing services in support of high-level immigration petitions.

Services require the ability to read and apply immigration law as well as interpret immigration rules and regulations (CFR 8, 20, 22) and creative and technical writing abilities based on research, evidence, and documents provided by foreign nationals in order to prepare petitions like O-1:

Alien of Extraordinary Ability, EB-1A/ EB-2NIW: Permanent Resident Petitions and H1B Physician of National or International Renown for adjudication by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. These high-level petition preparations are highly unique and require lengthy training in the field to acquire the knowledge and more importantly apply it correctly.

Specialized letters and custom documents, ranging from 12-14 pages each, are necessary components of high-level petitions that can be from 300 to 500 pages in length. Drafting and writing such documents is a complex process requiring specialization in technical immigration-based writing, an advanced and niche area of expertise.

DIS assists the NIH in recruitment and retention of top scientists from all over the world through preparation and submission of immigrant and non-immigrant petitions to other government agencies, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These filings include complex cases that require extensive immigration knowledge and petition preparation experience.

Petitions include O-1 Alien of Extraordinary Ability, H-1B Physician of National or International Renown, and Permanent Resident Petitions in the categories of EB-1 Extraordinary Ability and EB-2 National Interest Waiver. Beneficiaries of these petition types occupy vital research positions across all ICs at the NIH. The preparer of documents and forms within these petition types must be thoroughly familiar with relevant USCIS laws and regulations and USCIS’ operations Policy Manual.

The preparer also requires training and knowledge and the ability to read and apply immigration law as well as interpret immigration rules and regulations (CFR 8, 20, 22). The preparer also requires creative and technical writing abilities based on research/ evidence/documents provided by foreign nationals to prepare petitions/cases for adjudication by USCIS. This is a highly unique and specialized service area requiring knowledge of both NIH and federal Immigration policy and regulations.

The acquisition requires high-level knowledge of and experience with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) laws and regulations, the USCIS operations Policy Manual, and a documented ability to read and apply immigration law as well as interpret immigration rules and regulations (CFR 8, 20, 22). There is no other known source to satisfy the Government’s requirements. This notice is not a request for competitive quotes.

However, any party that believes it has the expertise and experience to fulfill the requirement as stated herein may submit a written capability statement that clearly supports and demonstrates the ability to satisfy the requirement. A determination by the Government to compete this proposed award based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

It is anticipated that an award will be issued approximately five (5) days after the date of this notice unless the Government determines that another company has the capability to satisfy this requirement. Responses to this notice must have the notice ID #SS-NIH-6909591 in the subject line of the email. Please email responses to zetherine.gore@nih.gov no later than 12 p.m. EST on Friday, April 5, 2024.