MODIFICATION
D -- Accelerating Public Health Situational Awareness Through Health Information Exchanges
- Notice Date
- 4/16/2007
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Procurement and Grants Office (Atlanta), 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, GA, 30341-4146, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- ToBeDetermined
- Archive Date
- 5/31/2007
- Description
- The synopsis posted 03/29/2007 and Modification 01 posted 04/11/2007, titled Accelerating Public Health Situational Awareness Through Health Information Exchanges, and Solicitation number: ToBeDetermined, are hereby modified. The purpose of this modification is to announce that the Presolicitation Webinar (originally scheduled for Monday, April 16, 2007) has been rescheduled due to technical difficulties. The Presolicitation Conference Webinar for the CDC HIE requirement is rescheduled to Monday, April 23, 2007. See additional details below. All interested parties are invited to participate. Also, the anticipated date for release of a solicitation is hereby changed to be on or after May 1, 2007. Interested parties are encouraged to submit questions before the Webinar. The questions that were received prior to today?s attempted webinar are posted below along with answers. The majority of these Questions and Answers had not yet been discussed. We anticipate that these responses will be updated. Also, the information from the slides that were shown during today?s attempted webinar is posted below. This is all of the information that was available today, and we did not get to most of it. We at CDC apologize for the confusion created by the technical difficulties experienced during the attempted webinar on April 16, 2007. Additional questions will be reviewed by procurement and program personnel, and, as much as possible, answers to the questions will be posted at the beginning of the Webinar. Questions that are posed during the Webinar will be answered immediately if possible. It is anticipated that some questions will require additional thought or coordination and will be answered after the Webinar. All questions and answers associated with the Presolicitation Webinar will be posted to FedBizOpps as soon as possible. Please submit questions via email to the Contracting Officer, Vivian S. Hubbs, at VHubbs@cdc.gov. Please also copy the Team Leader, Lorenzo Falgiano, at ljf5@cdc.gov. Please sign on in advance for the webinar scheduled for Monday, April 23, 2007; it is CDC?s intent to begin the webinar promptly at 12:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time. Here is the attendee access information for the rescheduled Presolicitation Webinar: Topic: PGO RFP Date: Monday, April 23, 2007 Time: 12:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -04:00, New York) to 1:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -05:30, New York) Meeting number: 717 923 758 Meeting password: cdc2007 Please click the following link to see more information, or to join the meeting. NEW USER? Prepare your computer in advance of the meeting by clicking New User on the navigation bar. <https://be.webex.com/be/j.php?ED=97334347&UID=488613152> (NOTE: When you click on the link above, and the screen you then see does not ask you for the "meeting password," simply click on the "browse meeting" link beneath the "Attend a Meeting" header on the left side of the screen. Then, click the "PGO RFP" link at the 12:00 pm time slot. Then, enter the "meeting password" above) Teleconference: Teleconference: 1-866-310-0046 Participant code: *3314487* Here is the information from the slides presented on April 16, 2007: Webinar Presolicitation Conference Accelerating Public Health Situational Awareness Through Health Information Exchanges Correct Passcode: 5167756 Vivian Hubbs Contract Officer PGO, CDC, HHS Government Participants Vivian Hubbs, Lead Contracting Officer (CO) Lorenzo Falgiano, CDC/Procurement And Grants Office Team Leader Joe Little, Contracting Officer Henry Rolka, Project Officer Mary Lerchen, Senior Science Advisor John Loonsk, HHS/Director of Interoperability and Standards Elise Harris, CDC/OGC Advisor to the CO Definitions 1. Health Information Exchange (HIE) is defined as the mobilization of healthcare information electronically across organizations within a region or community. 2. Health Information Service Provider (HSP) - a role that can be played by different types of entities and organizations that meet criteria for the provision of core health information exchange services and abide by relevant polices and procedures 3. Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) is a network of networks that will facilitate the accurate, appropriate, timely, and secure exchange of health information that allows information to follow the consumer and supports clinical decision making. Scope of Work Draft 04/09/07 The purpose of this is to establish a near real-time electronic nationwide public health situational awareness capability through an interoperable network of systems, e.g., Nationwide Health Information Network, to share data and information to enhance rapid response to, and management of, potentially catastrophic infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies. The capability is dependent on simultaneous provision of data and information to all levels of public health. A successful HIE must standardize information storage and messaging formats, address privacy concerns, accurately identify patients, and resolve varying local, state, and federal regulations. The factors below address this activity: 1. Interoperability Standards Contractors will implement the relevant HHS recognized interoperability standards accepted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in December 2006. See the Executive Order: Promoting Quality and Efficient Health Care in Federal Government Administered or Sponsored Health Care Programs at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/08/20060822-2.html and standards at http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/standards.html 2. Minimum Data Set for Biosurveillance. Contractors will implement and iteratively evaluate the Minimum Data Set (MDS) accepted by the American Health Information Community. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Harmonized Use Case for Biosurveillance (Visit, Utilization and Lab Results Data). 2006 [cited 2006 Dec 1]); Available from: http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/usecases 3. NHIN Health Information Service Provider Contractors will ensure the core services and relevant use case capabilities are enabled by a NHIN HSP. Core services are services, capabilities, behaviors and functions in the following areas: i. Data Services ii. Consumer Capabilities iii. User and Subject Identity Management iv. Exchange Management Services 4. Bi-directional Communications Contractors will implement bi-directional communication for the dissemination and interactive exchange of information, both horizontally and vertically, between the general public, clinical care entities, public health entities, and incident command entities using a common set of communications standards to support alerting and exchange of contact information between public health and clinical care. Contractors will build on existing rules and policies for appropriate sharing of patient and institution information that balance information protection and access or propose innovative rules. 5. Data Quality Management and Accessibility Contractors will use an architecture approach to data storage that protects privacy and provides simultaneous access for local, state, and federal agencies. This architecture will support both national anonymized record level data for routine analysis and provide authorized re-identification during emergency investigations. Contractors will provide data quality control and data documentation consistent with public health surveillance analytic practices and procedures to establish and maintain a near real-time electronic nationwide public health situation awareness capability. 6. Data Evaluation and Assessment to Detect, Characterize and Track a Public Health Threat Contractors will develop visualization, analysis, and interpretation tools for decision support in the event of a public health threat. These tools will be shared with federal agencies. 7. Effectiveness, Costs, and Scalability Contractors will provide evidence of effectiveness, costs, and scalability of sub-network configurations for connecting healthcare and public health entities. Here is the information from the Q&As on April 16, 2007, most of which were not presented: Pre-solicitation Questions and Answers about Accelerating Public Health Situational Awareness through Health Information Exchanges 1. Do you envision these awards being made to consortium led by commercial entities (such as system integrators) or directly to regional/state health information exchanges, or both? CDC is open to making awards to both. In the case of a consortium, we would want to have insight into the kind of relationship the parties have constructed, including seeing copies of Teaming or Partnering Agreements. These are development contracts for HIEs. Regardless of whose name is on the contract document, the public health nature of this requirement is an important factor and guiding principle. 2. Is it allowable for multiple investigators to be awarded one contract as a team? It is allowable for multiple investigators or organizations to be awarded one contract as a Team. Again, CDC would want insight into the kind of relationship the parties have constructed, including seeing copies of Teaming or Partnering Agreements. The CDC would look favorably on Partnering or Teaming arrangements among HIEs in the same region or health authority. We would encourage this kind of Team approach especially in cases where organizations working together enhances efficiency, or provides for complementary skill sets, complementary accomplishments, or other advantages. 3a. Is the intended recipient of the RFP HIE's or vendors? In other words: is the intent of the RFP that this pre-solicitation notice refers to 1) to provide funds to up to 15 Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) OR 2) to provide funds "to more than one cost reimbursement development type contract" to a commercial vendor to facilitate the establishment of information exchange capabilities in these HIE's? See answer to 3.b., below. 3b. Are the intended recipients of this procurement HIEs (which we assume include RHIO and HSP) or commercial vendors who would be expected to work with and facilitate information exchange among health service providers? The RFP is intended to facilitate the Federal Government?s goals in establishing and supporting capabilities for a Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN), and doing so through HIEs. However, CDC recognizes that there may be reasons for an award to be made to a commercial vendor working with one or more HIEs. For example, a small or relatively new HIE may not have an approved cost accounting system that would allow them to be awarded a cost type Federal contract. Again, CDC would want insight into the kind of relationship the parties have constructed, including seeing copies of Teaming or Partnering Agreements. Again, regardless of whose name is on the contract document, the public health nature of this requirement is an important factor and guiding principle. Additional guidance: Definitions and Applicant areas of expertise: Definitions: Health Information Exchange (HIE) is defined as the mobilization of healthcare information electronically across organizations within a region or community. ?Health Information Service Provider? (HSP) - a role that can be played by different types of entities and organizations that meet criteria for the provision of core health information exchange services and abide by relevant polices and procedures Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) is a ?network of networks? to that will facilitate the accurate, appropriate, timely, and secure exchange of health information that allows information to follow the consumer and supports clinical decision making. Potential offerors must demonstrate proven expertise in the following areas: ? Participatory health information exchange governance ? an open and participatory governance process supporting state, regional or non-geographic health information exchange with involvement from a broad and representative range of health care-related organizations. Governance should include jurisdictional or non-jurisdictional constituencies representing the breadth of health care participants such as multiple, competing provider organizations, consumers, ancillary health care services, safety net providers, payers and public health. Offeror?s must provide full descriptions of the governance process and participation by the variety of different stakeholders and demonstrate the buy-in and trust of its participants. ? Business operations ? business services capabilities and resources available in direct or contracted form that can support the production-level complexities of seven days a week/ 24 hours per day healthcare service provision. Possible services should include data services, consumer capability, user and subject identification management, and exchange management services. ? Technical operations ? proven expertise in direct or contracted form that can support the technical rigor of reliable, redundant and secure data exchange to include, but not be limited by, the health information exchange services 4. Previous information on the referenced NHIN request for proposals has indicated that respondents should be regional HIE initiatives rather than technology or services vendors, as with the original NHIN contract. Is this solicitation to be directed to such initiatives as well? Or does the CDC expect that respondents will be more traditional services contractors? The CDC would like to emphasize the public health nature of this requirement, and the goals in establishing and supporting capabilities for a NHIN through HIEs. As previously stated, we are open to arrangements that include commercial vendors and recognize that there can be good reasons for having such arrangements. Again, CDC would want insight into the kind of relationship the parties have constructed, including seeing copies of Teaming or Partnering Agreements. 5. Does "...will be required to participation in the Nationwide Health Information Network process..." mean that successful respondents to this solicitation must also have received an award under the NHIN request for proposals? Or are these two solicitations linked only in that awardees of both must participate in the NHIN process through meetings, specification development, etc? Participation in the NHIN process is required; an award under the HHS NHIN RFP is not required. 6. Could a non-HIE organization in collaboration with an emerging HIE be considered an appropriate contract awardee? The emerging HIE may not have the infrastructure or expertise to manage a federal government contract. Also, the target organizations (HIEs) are often currently not fully funded or staffed to respond to the planned RFP. The CDC would like to emphasize the public health nature of this requirement, and the goals in establishing and supporting capabilities for the NHIN through HIEs. As previously stated, we are open to arrangements that include commercial vendors and recognize that there can be good reasons for having such arrangements. Again, CDC would want insight into the kind of relationship the parties have constructed, including seeing copies of Teaming or Partnering Agreements. 7. The Description section of the pre-solicitation notice equates Health Information Exchanges (HIE) and Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIO) and characterizes them as entities, which are jointly referred to as "HIE." In the pre-solicitation webinar announcement HIE seems to refer to a process and the term Health Information Service Provider (HSP) is introduced. Can you clarify the apparent different use of the term HIE? See response in 3.b. 8. It appears that CDC anticipates multiple awards - is this still the case? If the intent is to award multiple commercial vendors, how does CDC plan to address the development of multiple approaches and interfaces by vendors? How does this possibility relate to NHIN? Yes, CDC anticipates making multiple awards. No where has CDC stated that the intent is to award multiple commercial vendors. Participation in the NHIN process is required; an award under the HHS NHIN RFP is not required in order to be eligible for an award under this CDC RFP. 9. Will prospective contractors be expected to identify health service providers with whom they will work to facilitate information exchange capabilities or will CDC identify them? The HIEs are the focus of the anticipated development contracts. A commercial vendor must be working with an HIE or set of HIEs in order to propose. Again, CDC would want insight into the kind of relationship the parties have constructed, including seeing copies of Teaming or Partnering Agreements. 10. What is CDCs expectation regarding the possibility of multiple contractor approaches to AVR requirements under item 6? Is this requirement a duplication of what is presumably being done in other systems (e.g. Biosense)? Will CDC provide the type of reports they believe are necessary for "decision support in the event of a public health threat?" Since the area of AVR for biosurveillance is an evolving and developing area which hasn?t reached full maturity and no particular system is an acknowledged optimal standard, there will likely be overlapping research and development requirements and various component AVR mechanisms to integrate in this effort. Evidence of collaboration and coordination among activities to advance this area will be looked upon favorably. 11. Please characterize the nature of the intended awardees of this solicitation. 11a.Will they be independent contracting firms and/or teams of contractors who by virtue of award will be approved to provide services and supplies to HIEs who have received a separate award under the NHIN RFPs? No. 11b.Will the awardees be HIEs only? If so will each HIE propose a team of contractors? CDC is open to making awards directly to HIEs or to commercial vendors working closely with HIEs. In the case of a consortium or other arrangement where a contractor is working with one or more HIEs, or where several HIEs are working together, CDC wants to have insight into the kind of relationship the parties have constructed, including seeing copies of Teaming or Partnering Agreements. These are development contracts for HIEs. Regardless of whose name is on the contract document, the public health nature of this requirement is an important factor and guiding principle. 12. How would you anticipate that HIE?s will be selecting a supplier from among the awardees of this solicitation? Is this solicitation intended to provide a pre-approved list of suppliers from which HIE?s may select providers without having to host a competitive bid process? No. See responses to other questions. We expect HIEs to be the focus of the awards under this RFP even if they work with commercial vendors. This is a competitive bid process where the CDC is doing the selecting, and this has nothing to do with providing a list of pre-approved suppliers for HIEs. 13. Will HIE?s be the actual entities that provide proposals in response to this anticipated solicitation, selecting contractors to support them by whatever process is normally required of them, based on the type of organization? HIEs may provide proposals, or commercial vendors working closely with a given HIE or set of HIEs may provide proposals. Regardless of who takes the lead in drafting the proposal, the public health nature of this requirement must be addressed. Keep in mind that the goals are as stated: establishing and supporting capabilities for a NHIN through HIEs. 14a. Will this be a full and open competition? Yes, this is full and open competition 14b.Does the Government perceive any potential or actual organizational conflict of interest from bidders currently participating in the NHIN prototype efforts and/or other identified HHS/ONC efforts. IF so, 1) will the Government identify all known requirements that could pose a risk and 2) will offerors be eligible for award if they provide acceptable OCI mitigation plans if a actual or potential OCI exists. This is a complicated question and would have to be considered on a case by case basis. This requirement is related to the HHS NHIN effort but is not directly tied to it. If this is an issue for a vendor, please contact the Contracting Officer to work this out after a solicitation is issued for this CDC requirement. 14c. What is the anticipated award timeframe and subsequent contract period of performance? The RFP for NHIN prototype efforts is a ?companion? solicitation and should not be in conflict with this RFP. The anticipated award timeframe is August 2007 with a five year period of performance.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Public Health Informatics (NCPHI) 1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA
- Zip Code: 30329
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 30329
- Record
- SN01274105-W 20070418/070416220246 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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