ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDICARE TRANSACTION SYSTEM (MTS) ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD, ACCESS NUMBER (410) 786-0196 POC: John Amrhein, (410) 786-7447. The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) currently has a contract with GTE Government Systems Corporation (GTE) to design and develop a fully integrated and standardized claims processing system to facilitate the uniform and consistent processing of Medicare claims. This system is known as the Medicare Transaction System (MTS), HCFA wishes to provide information about the MTS project to interested parties. The agency believes that it would be beneficial to the public, industry, and HCFA itself, to make such information as the MTS design, operating capabilities, specifications, schedules, and resulting solicitation documents easily available. As part of its contract, GTE will be defining future requirements of the MTS. In order to ensure the appropriateness of these requirements, it is necessary for HCFA to share them with the end users, who are our Medicare Carriers and Intermediaries. As part of its desire to provide MTS information to the general public and to ensure fairness in any MIS related acquisitions, HCFA will also share these future requirements with interested parties. HCFA has established the MTS Bulletin Board, an electronic bulletin board system that will contain the future requirements and other documents and information related to the MTS initiative. In addition, a library will be established at HCFA's Central Office, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244, to house these future requirements and other documentation. Information on when the library will be available for public use will be forthcoming on the MTS Bulletin Board. When the MTS software is developed, HCFA will be contracting for MTS Operating Sites (MTSOS) to perform data processing services for the Medicare program. MTSOS contractors will be selected through a full and open competitive solicitation. HCFA anticipates placing information pertaining to the MTSOS solicitation, such as a procurement scheduled, draft Statement of Work, and draft Request for Proposals (RFP), on the MTS Bulletin Board. These documents will be updated as changes are made prior to the release of any final RFP, which will also be available on the bulletin board. Unless otherwise noted, all data and files on the MTS Bulletin Board will be for informational purposes only and will be subject to change. Certain information on the MTS Bulletin Board will allow users to forward comments or suggestions to HCFA via the bulletin board. While HCFA welcomes and encourages comments in those areas, it will be under no obligation to respond to any comment, question, or suggestion, either individually or collectively. However, when a final RFP is released, HCFA will formally respond to any question regarding the document in accordance with procedures described within the RFP. To access and send or receive data, a user will need a computer terminal equipped with the necessary hardware and software to interface with the MTS Bulletin Board. This hardware includes a computer, modem, telephone line, communication software, word processing software, and a printer. The MTS Bulletin Board will interface with Hayes compatible modems and commercial telecommunications software packages. Telecommunications software used must be able to support certain file transfer protocols. As referenced at the beginning of this notice, the MTS Bulletin Board can be accessed by dialing (410) 786-0196. Technical questions regarding online access, compatibility, or operation of the MTS Bulletin Board should be directed to the system operator, Don Benton at (410) 786-8973. General questions and information concerning the bulletin board should be directed to John Amrhein, Bureau of Program Operations, Office of Contract Administration at (410) 786-7447.

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