Attachment_2_-_QIEC.docx

QUOTE INSTRUCTIONS

GENERAL INSTURCTIONS

The Offeror shall respond to all aspects of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Public Comment Support Statement of Work (SOW) as presented in the Request for Quote (RFQ). The following documents should be submitted, separated by Volume, as outlined below:

Volume I: Technical Quote

Section A: Technical Understanding and Approach (30 pages) Section B: Corporate Experience and Personnel Qualifications (15 pages) Section C: Management Plan, Quality Assurance, and Staffing Plan (5 pages) Section D: Past Performance (Attachment – not counted toward page limit)

Volume II: Business Quote

Volume III: Business Ethics, Conflict of Interest, and Compliance Program (Attachment – not counted towards page limit)

Electronic Submission: The Offeror shall electronically submit its quote via e-mail to Cheryl Caldwell at Cheryl.Caldwell@cms.hhs.gov and Rico Batte at Rico.Batte@cms.hhs.gov .

The Offeror shall include the Request for Quote number (RFQ 191552) on all pages of its quote including the cover letter, front cover and table of contents. A Microsoft Excel version of any financial charts provided with the business quote should be included with your submission. All files submitted should be in PDF or a Microsoft Office-compatible file format. If file size necessitates, use a utility such as WinZip to compress all files into a single archive (ZIP) file.

Formatting: Page size shall be 8 ½ by 11 inches. The pages shall each be consecutively numbered for each page using the “page X of X” format (e.g., page 1 of 20). Body text shall be set in 12-point with a single space between lines and double spacing between paragraphs. Margins shall be one inch. Graphs and tables shall be no less than 10-point type and single-spaced. The Contracting Officer, at his/her discretion, has the authority to waive minor deviations from the above specifications.

Separate and Complete Volumes: Each volume shall be separate and complete, so that the evaluation of one may be accomplished independently of the evaluation of the other.

VOLUME I: TECHNICAL QUOTE INSTRUCTIONS

Written Quote The offeror shall respond to all aspects of the SOW as presented in the Request for Quote (RFQ).

To facilitate quote review and evaluation, the offeror shall follow the format shown below.

Section A: Technical Understanding and Approach Section B: Corporate Experience and Personnel Qualifications (Resumes are not counted toward the page limit) Section C: Management Plan, Quality Assurance, and Staffing Plan Section D: Past Performance (Attachment – not counted toward page limit)

The total page limit for the written quote is 30 pages (excluding resumes and past performance). Technical content counts toward the page limit but any appendices do not. Individual and company resumes must be no longer than two single-sided page each and shall be included as an appendix; they do not count toward the page limit. In addition, past performance information shall be provided as an appendix and does not count toward the page limit. No material in excess of the page limits will be read or evaluated.

A. Technical Understanding and Approach

The written quote shall provide a clear and concise statement of the offeror’s understanding and approach of the substantive issues and requirements of the scope of work. The offeror shall demonstrate an understanding of the purpose for triaging public comments received in response to the Calendar Year (CY) 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and future proposed rules and providing technical assistance where necessary. The offeror shall provide sufficient detail in the quote to indicate the capability of performing the requirements of the SOW including:

· The offeror’s ability identify, review, and provide a summary of every individual comment received using a comment tracker log, including all topic(s) addressed, specific down to the issue and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) CPT/HCPCS code number.

· How technical assistance would be provided in reviewing preamble text and regulations text for spelling, grammar, formatting, and correct references and citations, along with accurate nomenclature (CPT code, HCPCS code, etc.), and appropriateness of response (including tone/sentiment) to public commenters.

· The offeror’s ability to review existing CMS publications and sub-regulatory guidance (such as: Internet-Only Manuals (IOMs), frequently asked questions documents, Medicare Learning Network publications, and CMS websites) and identify any documents that may need to be updated due to recent policy changes.

· The offerors’ ability manage a CMS resource mailbox for processing, tracking, and responding to incoming inquiries.

B. Corporate Experience and Personnel Qualifications

Corporate Experience:

The contractor shall demonstrate their organizational/corporate experience as it relates to the requirements of comparable scale and complexity of this acquisition. Contractors should describe prior experience with projects of similar scope and complexity and describe the outcomes. If subcontractors are to be used for any portion of the work, the contractor should describe any corporate history of working with the proposed subcontractor and the subcontractor’s specific experience with projects of similar scope and complexity.

Personnel Qualifications:

This portion of the limited written quote shall describe the educational background, professional experience, and special qualifications which directly relate to the task order of personnel to be involved in this task order. When consultants or subcontractors are to be used, their special qualifications, educational background, and experience shall be included. The quote shall specify how the personnel employed under this contract will be integrated organizationally and what their responsibilities and percentage of time under the contract will be.

Key Personnel:

Offerors shall provide resumes for all key personnel. For key personnel, the following information is requested:

· Describe functions and duties with respect to the task order.

· Describe relevant training and experience.

· Specify percent of time in person-years to be allocated to this project.

· Provide (in an appendix) a current resume indicating relevant specific experience and education. Resumes shall be a maximum of one single-sided page each and will not count against the page limit.

· Provide a letter of commitment for any key personnel not presently employed by the offeror or its subcontractor(s). The letter of commitment shall include the date of availability and how long the individual’s commitment is binding, and must be signed by the individual and a corporate authorized official. Letters of commitment will not count against the page limit.

Offerors shall designate the positions listed below as Key Personnel. Offerors may propose additional Key Personnel, if necessary, with the rationale that addresses the basis for this determination.

Project Manager shall have significant experience managing large scale programs, primarily in a federal setting. The PM shall have experience managing large-scale programs in a federal healthcare environment, such as Medicare/Medicaid. Other desired skills include conceptualizing and developing solutions, formulating problem statements conducive to application of analytical methods, and developing analysis methods and approaches. A bachelor’s degree in a related field is required; a master’s degree is highly preferred.

C. Management Plan, Quality Assurance and Staffing Plan

The quote shall describe how the project will be organized and managed, how tasks will be sequenced and in what time frames, and what management control and coordination mechanisms will be utilized to assure the timely and successful conduct of this project, demonstrating clear lines of authority for each task and subproject. The management plan shall address the procedures to be employed in handling a number of different tasks that are proceeding simultaneously. The proposed management plan shall specify resource allocation and milestone measures by tasks and subtasks. This shall include a matrix of days committed to the project by person by task and a list of available time of key project personnel that incorporates information on other bids on which key personnel are involved. The management plan shall indicate if any of the tasks of the contract will be subcontracted and, if so, whether or not subcontractors are providing expertise not available in the offeror’s firm. The Management and Staffing Plan shall describe how any subcontractor work will be monitored and corrected, if necessary.

The quote shall describe the offeror’s quality control plan, defining its approach, processes, and procedures for ensuring the quality and reliability of its products and services. The quote shall describe the offeror’s plan for maintaining quality control processes and procedures necessary to ensure its products and services meet the requirements of this task order.

D. Past Performance (attachment, not counted towards page limit)

Offerors shall submit the following information as part of their quote for both the offeror and proposed subcontractors. If subcontractors are to be used, offerors should describe any corporate history of working with the proposed subcontractor(s).

The offeror shall include summaries of recent contracts, subcontracts and task or purchase orders with the CMS, other Department of Health and Human Services agencies, other U.S. Government organizations and/or commercial firms for the same or similar services required by this solicitation. The list of directly related projects shall cover at least the last six months but not more than the most recent three years and include for each listing:

· Name of Company/Agency

· Project title and contract number (for subcontracts, provide the prime contract number and the subcontract number)

· Amount and period of performance

· Project description stressing the relationship to the work required by this solicitation

· Key project staff

· Contract Type

· Program Manager’s Name, Telephone Number and Email Address

CMS may contact individuals associated with these projects concerning:

· The nature and duration of the work and the conditions of performance.

· The quality of supplies delivered or services rendered, in terms of compliance with adequate specifications and statements of work.

· The timeliness of performance, taking into account all excusable delays.

· The cost or price of performance, in terms of initial reasonableness and control of exigencies.

· The offeror’s reasonable compliance with other contract terms and conditions.

· The effectiveness of the offeror’s management of the administrative aspects of performance, such as communicating and performing routine clerical tasks.

· The offeror’s willingness to cooperate with, and assist, the customer in routine or complex matters when confronted by unexpected difficulties.

· The offeror’s business integrity.

Attachment 2 - Quote Instructions and Evaluation Criteria

RFQ 191552

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Public Comment Support

Each offeror will be evaluated on its performance under existing and prior contracts for similar products or services, considering factors such as quality of product or service, timeliness of performance, cost control, business relations, and customer satisfaction. Performance information will be used for both responsibility determinations and as an evaluation factor against which offeror’s relative ratings will be compared to assure best value to the Government. The Government will focus on information that demonstrates quality of performance relative to the size and complexity of the acquisition under consideration. The Government is not required to contact all references provided by the offeror. Also, references other than those identified by the offeror may be contacted by the Government to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation of the offeror’s past performance.

VOLUME II: PREPARATION OF THE BUSINESS QUOTE

Your business quote shall set forth your proposed price for this task order on a Time and Materials (T&M) basis for the Base Period and Option Periods 1 and 2. The number of pages for the business quote is not limited; however, the business quote should be clear and concise. The business quote shall segregate costs for each task (specifying those that are optional were necessary), as well as provide a table that reflects a comprehensive view of total costs associated with all tasks. Please provide an overall summary of the total proposed costs, as well as a separate breakout of costs for the base period and each option period. The anticipated period of performance is shown below:

Base Period: May 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020 Option Period 1: May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021 Option Period 2: May 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022

At a minimum, the business quote shall contain the following information:

Labor: Labor categories, hours, rates, and total costs are required. To the extent that subcontractors are being incorporated into the offeror’s labor rates, subcontractor direct labor shall be shown in the same manner, under a subcontract line item. The hours and rates shall be appropriate for the labor category/position title of each individual proposed. Labor rates are expected to be discounted for this task order. If your rates change for each contract year, please clearly describe what those rates are for each contract year.

Subcontractors: Detailed costs for any proposed subcontractors shall also be provided, if applicable.

The subcontractor analysis shall contain:

(A) Appropriate cost or price analyses to establish the reasonableness of proposed subcontract prices;

(B) Include the results of these analyses in the form of a subcontract negotiation memorandum reflecting:

· The principal elements of the subcontract price negotiations:

· The most significant considerations controlling establishment of initial or revised prices;

· The reason cost or pricing data were or were not required;

· The extent, if any, to which the Contractor relied on the subcontractor’s cost or pricing data in determining the price objective and in negotiating the final price;

· The extent to which it was recognized in the negotiations that the subcontractor’s cost and pricing data were not accurate, complete or current; the action taken by the Contractor and the subcontractor; and the effect of any such defective data on the total price negotiated; and,

· The reasons for any significant difference between the Contractor’s price objective and the price negotiated.

0. A description of the extent to which price competition was obtained, or justification for its absence.

0. Statement as to whether the proposed subcontractor is on the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Non-procurement Programs.

Travel: Proposed travel (if applicable) shall be broken out into number of trips, number of travelers and duration of trip (including transit time) for each destination. Cost detail shall be shown for all items, including commercial transportation, daily per diem rates, personal mileage, daily car rentals, etc.

Other Direct Costs (ODCs): The offeror shall provide an explanation and basis for each item of ODCs proposed.

VOLUME III: BUSINESS ETHICS, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND COMPLIANCE QUOTE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (OCT 2015)

To the extent that the Offeror (including proposed subcontractors) identify any pre-award organizational or personal business, investment or other interest that could give rise to an Organizational/Personal Conflict of Interest (hereinafter collectively or individually referred to as COI) on the contract resulting from this solicitation, the Offeror (including proposed subcontractors) shall explain the actions it intends to use to address such COIs, e.g., by submitting a mitigation plan and/or accepting a limitation on future contracting. Discretion rests with the Contracting Officer to determine whether a COI exists and whether it has been adequately addressed.

If the Offeror believes that a COI must be disclosed, it shall refer to Attachments 4 and 5, for guidance, as identified in Section 9 - BUSINESS ETHICS, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND COMPLIANCE (OCT 2015) June 9, 2004

EVALUATION CRITERIA

BASIS FOR AWARD DETERMINATION

The Government will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of each quote utilizing the “tradeoff” process to determine which quote offers the best combination of technical capabilities and estimated cost/price to the Government. The Government reserves the right to award based upon initial quote or to conduct exchanges with fewer than all offerors solicited, if it is in the Government’s best interest. Therefore, the initial quote should contain the offeror’s best terms.

The technical quotes will be evaluated on the factors described below, which are listed in descending order of importance. The offeror shall provide its approach to performing the requirements set forth in the SOW for each of the evaluation factors. All evaluation factors, other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price. However, as the degree of technical equality increases between quotes, cost/price will become more important. The combined price for the base period and option periods will be utilized in determining the best value.

Quotes that do not comply with the minimum requirements outlined in the LRFQ will not be considered further. Quotes that merely restate the requirements, promising to carry out requested activities without providing substantive descriptions of anticipated approaches to the work, will be downgraded. Similarly, quotes that merely present extensive discussion elaborating on general principles (i.e., textbook examples) will also be downgraded.

CMS will utilize an adjectival rating methodology, developing an overall adjectival rating for each offeror based on the ratings for each criterion listed below.

TECHNICAL QUOTE EVALUATION CRITERIA

Section A: Technical Understanding and Approach Section B: Corporate Experience and Personnel Qualifications Section C: Management Plan, Quality Assurance and Staffing Plan Section D: Past Performance (Attachment – not counted towards the total page limit) – evaluated, but not scored.

A. Technical Understanding and Approach

The Government will evaluate the degree to which the offeror clearly and thoroughly demonstrates that it understands the substantive issues and requirements of the scope of work. The Government will evaluate the degree to which the offeror demonstrates the understanding of the purpose to support the retrieval, review, triage, and summarization of public comments and to provide technical assistance in the development of physician fee schedule proposed and final rules. The offeror’s proposed approach for ensuring achievement of timely and acceptable performance must be well-documented and reasonable in consideration of the SOW. The Government’s evaluation of soundness of approach will consider the offeror’s complete understanding of and approach to completing the tasks within the statement of work.

B. Corporate Experience and Personnel Qualifications

The Government will evaluate the demonstrated corporate experience and the relevant background and experience of the proposed Key and other personnel. The Government will also evaluate relevant background and experience of additional key personnel proposed by the Offeror. The evaluation will focus on the following elements:

Corporate Experience - Corporate experiences and success with engagements of similar scope and scale that demonstrate their organizational/corporate experience.

Personnel Qualifications - Relevant educational background, professional experience, healthcare insurance experience and special qualifications of key personnel.

C. Management Plan

Project organization is to be reviewed in terms of the specificity and nature of the responsibility and authorities of key personnel. The management plan is to be comprehensive, specific, and feasible and shall clearly demonstrate that the offeror is able to complete the tasks within the time lines specified. If subcontractors are utilized, the management plan should also demonstrate how such subcontracts will be monitored and how costs will be controlled. CMS also expects the offeror to indicate how CMS’s standards for high quality work can be met on time, while the offeror handles competing obligations. An overview of the Quality Assurance process that will be developed shall also be described.

D. Past Performance

The quote will be reviewed with respect to the offeror’s capacity, experience and actual performance on work similar to that required under this task order. Past performance information for the offeror and any proposed subcontractors shall be provided. There must be sufficient information to permit CMS to make the necessary reference checks. The Government will evaluate the offeror’s past performance based on the subfactors listed below, which are listed in descending order of importance:

1. Quality of Product or Service – compliance with contract requirements, accuracy of reports, technical excellence, appropriateness of personnel, stability of workforce (i.e., key personnel turnover)

2. Schedule – met interim milestones, reliable, responsive to technical direction, met all delivery schedules on time

3. Cost Control – within budget, current, accurate and complete billings, relationship of negotiated costs to actuals, cost efficiencies

4. Customer Satisfaction – interface with end user of product or service

5. Business Relations – prompt notification of problem, reasonable, cooperative, flexible, proactive, responsive to contract requirements, recommended solutions

CMS will evaluate the Offeror’s and proposed significant subcontractor(s) past performance information (See submission for definitions of relevant and significant subcontractor), which is expected to demonstrate the likelihood that the prospective contract will be performed successfully.

The CO reserves the right to limit its review of past performance information to what he/she has been determined to be relevant. The Offeror is advised that the Contracting Officer, using sound business judgment, may consider Federal contract past performance to be more relevant than State Agencies, Local Government or Commercial Customer performance assessments.

In the case of an Offeror without a record of relevant past performance, or for which information on past performance is not available, the Offeror’s Past Performance may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably.

BUSINESS QUOTE EVALUATION CRITERIA

A. Price Analysis

A price analysis will be performed to determine which quote offers the best value to the government.

BUSINESS ETHICS, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND COMPLIANCE QUOTE EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

1. In the event that Business Ethics, Organizational and Personal Conflicts of Interest (hereinafter collectively or individually referred to as COI) and/or Compliance information is required and/or submitted, it will be reviewed for the apparent successful Offeror, but not receive a score/rating. Business Ethics, Conflict of Interest and Compliance Submission by Offeror/Contractor, Attachment 4 (and Attachment 5 as applicable), and the information contained therein, will be reviewed by the Contracting Officer, in accordance with contract section 9 of this solicitation, in order to make a determination whether the Offeror meets the COI requirements. Additionally, the Contracting Officer may use other information, besides that disclosed by the Offeror, in the Contracting Officer’s evaluation of conflicts of interest.

2. In accordance with FAR 9.504(e), “The contracting officer shall award the contract to the apparent successful Offeror unless a conflict of interest is determined to exist that cannot be avoided, neutralized or mitigated. Before determining to withhold award based on conflict of interest considerations, the contracting officer shall notify the contractor, provide the reasons therefor, and allow the contractor a reasonable opportunity to respond.”

3. CMS will not enter into a contract with an entity that CMS determines has, or has the potential for, an unresolved COI unless CMS determines that it is in the Government’s best interest to do so. If the Contracting Officer finds that it is in the best interest of the United States to award the contract, notwithstanding an unresolved conflict of interest, a request for waiver shall be submitted by the Contracting Officer in accordance with FAR 9.503.

4. In cases where conflicts of interest cannot be avoided, neutralized, or mitigated satisfactorily, or waived when it is in the Government’s best interest to do so, the Contracting Officer shall preclude the Offeror from consideration for contract award.