EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:

MARATHON OF HOPE CANCER CENTRES NETWORK RETURN OF RESULTS PLATFORM/TOOL

Purpose

To identify a vendor, the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN) is collecting expressions of interest (EOI) from providers with a patient-facing technological platform/tool to enable sharing of genetic results. 

Background 

The vision of MOHCCN is to bring together leading cancer centres across Canada to collaborate on precision medicine to benefit cancer patients and drive innovation. The goal of the MOHCCN is to apply advanced technologies such as genomics, high-powered imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) to solve complex cancer cases. Researchers involved with MOHCCN will generate and share molecular, clinical, and health outcomes data on their cancer patients. 

Scope 

Applicants responding to this EOI should have a ready-to-use, easy-to-navigate, patient-facing tool that is customizable for alignment to MOHCCN Cohorts, and different provincial and clinical requirements. The tool should include, at a minimum, the following components: 

• Delivery of educational and pre- and post-counselling content, 
• Pre-test decision support, 
• Capture and storage of consent and/or choices relating to the return or results, 
• Mechanism for reporting genetic results of health significance back to patients and/or their care providers, and 
• Information or services to facilitate follow-up with relevant healthcare resources (e.g., genetic counselling, cascade testing for at-risk family members). 
  

The tool must offer robust privacy and security safeguards, the ability to comply with the particular data governance needs of Canadian healthcare and research organizations (e.g., Canadian or on-premise data storage), be evidence-based and have involved patients in its development. The company must have experience supporting the return of genetic results in cancer settings, and experience working with and hold relationships with genetic counsellors, geneticists, clinicians, and other research and health care professionals.  

Work to develop and customize an instance for MOHCCN is expected to begin in April 2024. A more detailed scope of work and timelines are to be developed alongside the MOHCCN and its Working Groups, prior to a contract/agreement. 

Subscription to the platform may continue up to March 31, 2026, subject to extension or other changes. 

Timeline 

• Deadline for Submissions: February 12, 2024 (12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET)  
• EOI Review by Return of Results Subgroup: February 2024 
• Notice of Decision and Invitation to Submit Application with Scope of Work, Timeline and Complete Budget: February-March 2024 
• Submission of Full Application: April 2024 
• Review of Full Application by MOHCCN Committees: April-May 2024 
• Notice of Decision: May 2024 

Review Criteria 

Reviewers will assess the following criteria: 

• Available features and alignment with MOHCCN needs 
• Feasibility: readiness, accessibility, customizability to, and compatibility with MOHCCN Cohorts 
• Cost 
• Clinical validation of tool 
• Privacy impact/security threat risk assessment review in place 
• Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in place, such as bilingualism and ability to add additional languages 
• Existing network of relationships 

Use of TFRI Logo  

The funded applicant is expected to comply with TFRI and MOHCCN Visual Identity Guidelines as appropriate, to be found at: www.tfri.ca and www.mohccn.ca 

Employment Equity 

TFRI is committed to compliance with the Canadian Employment Equity Act and to ensuring that our funded research programs provide equal employment opportunities to women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities. All Funded Applications are required to employ non-discriminatory hiring practices in their workplaces. 

EOI Submission

Please complete the below form and submit it to Kaitlin Hong Tai, Network Program Manager, at khongtai@tfri.ca by February 12, 2024 at 12pm PT / 3pm ET.

• EOI ROR Form

For inquiries, please contact: 

Kaitlin Hong Tai, Network Program Manager, khongtai@tfri.ca  

Date: January 2024