Questions_and_Answers.docx

Questions/Answers for Medical Data

1. The expectation for this cost estimate is with the understanding that only 20% of the work-week (40 hr week) utilizing 2 hours a day for this project, correct?

As long as the deadlines specified are met and the datasets are accurate, BLS has no requirement for the number of hours worked per week.

2. So there are 100 procedure codes per hospital and 10 procedure codes per physician. Is there an estimate of how many samples are within an item number?

It is unclear what is meant by “item number”. Once the procedure codes are selected there is no minimum or maximum requirement for the number of transactions/claims used to create the average allowed amount, though all observations of the selected procedure code should be included.

3. There are references to “ICD Chapter” for diagnosis codes and then ICD codes in the RFP. Is BLS looking to receive the aggregated category for the ICD diagnosis or are you looking to receive the individual ICD-10 diagnosis codes?

BLS is looking to receive the ICD aggregated category, or ICD chapter. Referencing ICD code in the RFP was a typo.

4. There are two different dates listed for the first deliverable. On the schedule of supplies/services the first delivery is listed as being due 9/30/2018. On page 5, the first delivery is listed as being due 10/31/2018. Which would be the correct date?

The period of performance will begin on September 30, 2018. This means that the contractor can begin work for this project on the 30th. The first actual data set deliverable is not due until October 31, 2018.

5. Is there a contractor providing the requested market data today? If so, can the government provide the contract details for the current contract? Did the government have any issues with the data provided under related contracts?

There is no contractor currently providing the requested medical market data.

6. Can the government provide the link to the current datasets produced or the public file created for reference?

It is unclear which datasets or public files you are referring to, but all BLS data can be found on the BLS website, www.bls.gov. This data request will be used primarily for research in the Consumer Price Index program. CPI data can be found on the CPI homepage. The most recent CPI press release can be found here.

7. What data sources are used to provide the current datasets?

It is unclear which datasets you are referencing. All BLS data can be found on the BLS website, www.bls.gov. This data request will be used primarily for research in the Consumer Price Index program. CPI methodology is described in detail here. Generally speaking, the CPI is constructed using data from the Telephone Point-of-Purchase Survey (TPOPS), the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE), as well as pricing data collected by the BLS itself.

8. Does the government wish to segment data on Medicare and Medicaid providers or just commercial providers?

Only commercial claims are required for this data request.

9. Does the government require development of a database to house captured data on their network or is the government just seeking to obtain the data via in dataset form (SAS, ASCII, CSV, etc.)? BLS is simply requesting the data in dataset form.

10. If a database is required, what platform and application is required to be used by the selected contractor?

BLS is simply requesting the data in dataset form. No database is required.

11. Section II, Table 1, Page, 3: Can the government confirm the total place of service code is 8250 vs 150,000?

Yes, Table 1 in Section II should list a total of 150,000 place of service codes. 8250 is a typo.

12. Can the government confirm the time-period covered in the data file provided on October 31, 2018?

The file due on October 31, 2018 will contain two years of data, from October 2015 to September 2017.

13. Section L.1.1, Page 37: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Office of Administration contemplates awarding a single award to one (1) Vendor a firm fixed price purchase order for one year plus four option years. Can the government confirm that the Simplified Acquisition Threshold for this work is $250,000?

The simplified acquisition threshold is currently $150,000 but this acquisition is in accordance with the procedures at 13.5, which allows for the use of simplified acquisition procedures on commercial items up to $7 million.

14. Is this a remote request or onsite? For location, it just says "United States."

The work will be conducted remotely at the vendor’s location. No work will be performed at BLS.