HCD_Limited_Source_JA_2019__8.20.19_(signed).pdf

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

Acquisition Title: Human Centered Design (Office of the Administrator) Agency: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acquisition Year: 2019 Author: Michael Shirk Contract#: HHSM-500-2017-00004B – 75FCMC19F0002

1. Description of Action:

Nature

• New Requirement

• Follow-On Order

• X Modification of Existing Purchase Order / Contract Number

Contract Type

• X Firm-Fixed Price (Majority)

• _X Time and Materials (Possibly for Travel)

• Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF)

• Term

• Completion

• Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF)

• Other:

Projected Cost / Price: $3,489,249.43 Funding Source (s):_Program Operations (Project # 001816)

Name of Proposed Contractor(s): Agile Six Applications Street Address: 861 Harold Place Suite 207 City, State, Zip: Chula Vista, CA 91914

2. Description of Supplies or Services:

The estimated value of the proposed action, including all options, is $ 9,994,209.82

The Office of the Administrator (OA) is seeking HCD support for a broader look into the CMS experience for its customers. The Administrator’s objective is to reduce burden by working directly with Clinicians, Providers, Beneficiaries, other external stakeholders, federal partners, and CMS employees through HCD to collaboratively understand the context of their work and their engagement with CMS, as well as the solutions CMS is creating to support them. Additionally, more HCD services are necessary to support the Burden Reduction Team (BRT) within the Office of the Administrator. This team is responsible for advising senior leadership on the implementation of new policy, analysis and assessment(s) of health care problems, as well as identification of options for addressing specific policy and regulatory requirements.

CCSQ ISG awarded a contract to Agile Six Applications, Inc. for Human Centered Design (HCD) to support the Quality Payment Program (QPP). This contract is intended to reduce provider burden by making data submission systems more intuitive and user-friendly. The HCD services provided to QPP follow the Agency’s four phases of iterative work: Discover, Conceptualize, Evaluate, and Implement.

This follow-on effort continues CMS’ dedication to reducing provider burden by working directly with Clinicians, Providers, Beneficiaries, other external stakeholders, federal partners, and CMS employees through HCD to collaboratively understand the context of their work and their engagement with CMS, as well as the solutions CMS is creating to support them.

This new work will expand upon the current HCD effort on QPP and provide CMS with meaningful feedback from its customers on the burdens created by processes, regulation, solutions, etc.

Base 000X FFP/Iteration (September XX, 2019 – May 14, 2020):

$3,469,249.43 Base 000X FFP or T&M (TBD) Travel: $20,000 OP1 000X FFP/Iteration (May 15, 2020 – May 14, 2021):

$3,196,503.74 OP1 000X FFP or T&M (TBD) Travel: $25,000 OP2 000X FFP/Iteration (May 15, 2021 – May 14, 2022):

$3,258,456.65 OP2 000X FFP or T&M (TBD) Travel: $25,000

3. Authority:

X :ORDER AGAINST FSS: Authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program, Title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 251, et seq.); Title 40 U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies; and Section 803 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2002 (PL 107-

107) and implemented by FAR 8.405-6. Mark the applicable exception and for each discuss how the cited authority applies in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(c) (2) (iv).

X : In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited sources procedures (FAR 8.405- 6(a)(1)(i)(C)); or

The inclusion of these additional requirements into the existing CCSQ ISG HCD contract is in the best interest of the economy because the additional need closely aligns with the ongoing burden reduction effort on the existing QPP HCD contract. QPP and its system affect roughly 1 million participants/users. These participants /users are the focus of the current CCSQ HCD effort. This new HCD requirement is anticipated to overlap with the current QPP effort.

The overlap is a result of the Administrator’s Patients over Paperwork initiative where part of OA’s requirement is to conduct user research on the CMS experience for participants of QPP. As part of the existing contract, the HCD team will be meeting with the provider community who serve as one of the key sources of data. By combining these HCD efforts, https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/Subpart%208_4.html https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/Subpart%208_4.html the OA initiative can benefit from the following:

• Research already completed

• An established group of “Clinician Champions”, who are unique to CCSQ/QPP, and serve as valuable participants anticipated to provide excellent information in support of the OA initiative

• The ability to take advantage of planned listening sessions, card sorting exercises, and other events by expanding the scope of inquiry to include the OA requirement

• The ability to leverage the unique combination of HCD expertise, familiarity with CCSQ ISG QPP data, and the provider community

• Using this contract will result in a reduction to the learning curve because the existing contractor resources possess the institutional knowledge which will aide in meeting the OA requirement.

In conclusion, the work to be obtained by this modification will expand upon the current QPP HCD effort and provide CMS with meaningful feedback from with Clinicians, Providers, Beneficiaries, other external stakeholders, federal partners, and CMS employees on the burdens created by Agency- initiated processes, regulation, solutions, etc. CMS will be able to leverage the existing QPP HCD data and collaborative project management tools/resources to form a foundation for further research under the Patient over Paperwork (PoP) initiative. Through utilization of the existing QPP HCD task order, CMS will ensure that the risk of duplicating research efforts on the QPP participants/users is eliminated as internal data sharing will occur under this contract. CMS will also gain economies of scale by leveraging the user research already conducted on the QPP participant pool.

4. Market Research:

The OA conducted market research to identify a potential source for HCD support. Through their search, the OA identified a CCSQ ISG HCD contract as a possible source for HCD services. In conversation with the CCSQ ISG program office, OA confirmed that the HCD services provided to QPP follow the Agency’s four phases of iterative work: Discover, Conceptualize, Evaluate, and Implement. This approach is consistent with the goals and needs of the OA HCD efforts. As a result, the contract was deemed a suitable venue to obtain necessary services. Consistent with FAR 7.102 a pre-existing CMS contract was selected as the most efficient and economical way of obtaining these additional HCD services.

5. Actions to Increase Competition:

Following the conclusion of this contract, CMS plans to hold a competitive procurement for any additional HCD services under the Patience over Paperwork (PoP) initiative.

6. Any other facts supporting the justification:

These requirements include high priority, time sensitive and complex Agency initiatives, analysis and assessments of health care problems as well as identification of options to address specific policy issues and regulatory reform based on stakeholder feedback. This modification will provide CMS with a way to initiate strategic research and critical thinking that requires a rapid launch of work to address highly visible, critical, Administrator priorities.

If this modification is not issued expeditiously, Administrator priorities will be delayed which could negatively impact beneficiary and consumer services.

Approvals:

1. Program Office Certification: This is to certify that portions of this justification have been developed by the undersigned program office personnel, including supporting information and/or data verifying the Government’s minimum needs, schedule requirements and other rationale, which form the basis for this Limited Source Justification.

Michael Shirk (CCSQ) Contracting Officer Representative (COR) / Date

Joy Day (OA) Program/Project Manager (P/PM) / Date

Best Value Determination. By my signature below, after review of the relevant documents, I have determined that the order subject to this Limited-Sources Justification represents the best value for the Government as set forth in FAR 8.404(d), and constitutes a fair and reasonable price. The basis for my determination is as follows:

This effort was recently competed and awarded (05/2019). As a result, there is sufficient data available to evaluate the proposal submitted for the additional work to ensure the final price is fair and reasonable.

2. Contracting Officer Certification: This is to certify that the justification for the proposed acquisition has been reviewed and that to the best of my knowledge and belief, the information and/or data provided to support the rationale and recommendation for approval, is accurate and complete.

Nathaniel Dean (OAGM) Contracting Officer / Date

OAGM Approvals

I hereby confirm the circumstances described above apply and approve the Limited Source Justification.

Digitally signed by Michael J. Shirk -S Date: 2019.08.14 16:23:24 -04'00'

Leslie Joy Day -S

Digitally signed by Leslie Joy Day -S Date: 2019.08.14 16:28:01 -04'00'

Nathaniel M.

Dean -S

Digitally signed by Nathaniel M. Dean -S Date: 2019.08.15 08:43:17 -04'00'

Jaime Galvez OAGM Division Director / Date

Theresa Shultz OAGM Group Director / Date

3. Head of Contracting Authority (HCA) Approval I hereby confirm the circumstances described above apply and approve the Limited Source Justification.

Melissa Starinsky HCA Name / Date

4. CMS Competition Advocate (CA) Approval I hereby confirm the circumstances described above apply and approve the Limited Source Justification.

Karen Jackson (Deputy Chief Operating Officer) Name / Date

Jaime Galvez -S

Digitally signed by Jaime Galvez -S Date: 2019.08.15 10:32:38 -04'00'

Theresa A.

Schultz -S

Digitally signed by Theresa A. Schultz -S Date: 2019.08.16 08:38:49 -04'00'