RFP QA JJ Drfat RFP 75FCMC23R0007 07112023.xlsx

XLSX spreadsheet 23 KB Posted Jul 11, 2023

Attached to: 75FCMC23R0007 A/B MAC Jurisdiction J (JJ) Synopsis/Draft RFP-Presolicitation
Solicitation number: 75FCMC23R0007
Issued by: Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

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File	Type	Posted
JJ DRAFT RFP 75FCMC23R0007 Section J Attachments - (Updated 6.8.2023).zip	ZIP file	Jun 8, 2023
JJ DRAFT RFP 75FCMC23R0007 Section J Attachments.zip	ZIP file	Jun 6, 2023
JJ DRAFT RFP 75FCMCR0007.pdf	PDF	Jun 6, 2023

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Sheet1

	DOC	SECTION	PAGE	QUESTION	ANSWER
	RFP	F.3 Deliverables c)	19	Should the statement referencing submitting deliverables in CMS ART be updated to read "deliverables shall be submitted to the CMS Enterprise Portal - MAC Deliverables Tracking (MDT) Module"?	CMS confirms section F.3 is updated to state that deliverables shall be submitted to the MAC/CMS Data Exchange (MDX) MAC Deliverables Tracking (MDT) module and will be reflected in the Final RFP.
	RFP	L.11 SUBMISSION, DELIVERY, ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
a. Delivery Instructions	99-100	RFP states, "The Offeror shall submit one copy of its entire proposal, including signed annual reports, corporate policies and organizational charts, in Adobe Acrobat PDF format." RFP also states, "The Offeror shall confirm both copies of its proposal are identical in content, organization and pagination prior to submission. Failure to submit identical copies may result in removal from competition."

Please confirm that these requirements mean that all content and pagination in the Word volumes must match the complete PDF proposal, and Excel content referenced by file name in the Word volumes does NOT have to be incorporated into the PDF and can remain in the supporting Excel files. If not, please clarify how we should maintain pagination between different file formats and sizes when translating them to the PDF.	CMS confirms the instructins in section L.11 that Offeror shall submit one copy of its entire proposal, including signed annual reports, corporate policies and organizational charts in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. The requirement that both the PDF and Word/Excel files are identical in content is specific to content and organization. With Excel versions, it is acceptable if pagination for Excel files and the PDF versions of those same files is not an exact match.
	RFP	L.11	100	For sections that can be completed in Excel (for example, Staffing Plan, J.21 Proposal Self Check Tool, J.22 BOE, J.22B Hours and Gross Cost Worksheet) do they need to be converted into PDF form for inclusion in the complete PDF proposal?	CMS confirms the instructins in section L.11 that Offeror shall submit one copy of its entire proposal, including signed annual reports, corporate policies and organizational charts in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, this includes every Excel document.
	RFP	L.11 SUBMISSION, DELIVERY, ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
a. Delivery Instructions	100	RFP states, "The Offeror shall submit one copy of its entire proposal, including signed annual reports, corporate policies and organizational charts, in Adobe Acrobat PDF format." Can CMS please clarify that the entire proposal PDF can be broken out by individual volumes?	CMS confirms Offerors may submit multiple PDF files that correspond to the proposal volumes. Offerors shall not develop new volume breakdowns.
	RFP	L.11 SUBMISSION, DELIVERY, ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
a. Delivery Instructions	100	"The Offeror shall submit one copy of its entire proposal, including signed annual reports, corporate policies and organizational charts, in Adobe Acrobat PDF format."
If CMS allows the entire proposal to be broken into PDFs by volume, we are concerned that a single PDF volume may be larger than CMS' 25 MB email file size limit, even when zipped. Will CMS consider allowing submitters to split the 'one copy of entire proposal' single PDF file into multiple PDF files that are under 25MB?	CMS confirms Offerors may submit multiple PDF files that correspond to the proposal volumes. Offerors shall not develop new/different volume breakdowns.
	RFP	L.11 SUBMISSION, DELIVERY, ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
a. Delivery Instructions	Page 100, bullet 3	"The Offeror shall submit the remainder of Volume IV not specified above in Microsoft Word." We have several large excel files that need to be submitted as supporting documents, such as Indirect Rate and Other Direct Costs charts. Do these have to be converted to Word or can they remain in Excel?	CMS confirms Offerors may submit supporting Volume IV documents in Excel.
	RFP	L.12.4	104	Would CMS consider providing offerors Section K in a Word format so that it is more compatible with the required submission format?	No, vendors may convert Section K into a Word format if necessary.
	RFP	L.14.2	113	Would CMS consider changing the orientation of the past performance table to have the headers as rows instead of columns? Row headers would make the document easier to read and review.	CMS confirms Offerors shall use the table orientation provided and may not change the orientation of the past performance table.
	RFP	L.14.3.3 VOLUME III, Tab E, Operations, Proposal Instructions	122	Section 6 says - Offerors must align their staffing plans under Volume III, Tab C – Staffing Plan to their proposed workloads for CSR-handled provider telephone inquiries. Should this also include CSR-handled provider written inquiries?	CMS confirms that proposal accuracy and consistency across your technical proposal, business proposal, BOE and all other RFP attachments is very important to CMS and that point is repeated throughout the RFP including in Item #6 of Tab E. CSR-handled provider telephone inquiries is named in Item #6 because the item is specific to alignment between CSR-Handled Telephone Inquiries Table, Attachment J.23.B, and CSR-Handled Telephone Inquiries workload in the BOE, Attachment J.22.
	RFP	L.14	111-112	As compared to recent RFPs, we note that five additional pages have been allocated due to additional MEFS, PE and Audit. Would CMS please consider allocating five additional pages to the staffing tab of Volume III.	CMS confirms the section L.14.3.1 Tab C Staffing Plan 30 page limit. This limit excludes the Offeror’s responses to these requirements: 1. Organization Chart, 2. Key Personnel and 3. Total Staffing Plan.

RFP	L.14.3.3.3	121-122	Would CMS please provide workload volumes for the jurisdiction requirement Review Choice Demonstration for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (RCD IRF)? We acknowledge workload volumes may have been provided in J.22 Basis of Estimate, however the document is password protected and we have been unable to open to review.	CMS confirms that the unprotected version of the Basis of Estimate, Attachment J.22 was made available on 6/8/2023, 48 hours after initial draft RFP posting.
RFP	L.14.3.3.3	121-122	Would CMS please provide workload volumes for the jurisdiction requirement Limited Purpose Insurance Company. We acknowledge workload volumes may have been provided in J.22 Basis of Estimate, however the document is password protected and we have been unable to open to review.	CMS confirms that the unprotected version of the Basis of Estimate, Attachment J.22 was made available on 6/8/2023, 48 hours after initial draft RFP posting. CMS is not providing workloads.
RFP	L.14.3.3.3	121-122	Would CMS please provide workload volumes for the jurisdiction requirement Independent Organ Procurement Organization. We acknowledge workload volumes may have been provided in J.22 Basis of Estimate, however the document is password protected and we have been unable to open to review.	CMS confirms that the unprotected version of the Basis of Estimate, Attachment J.22 was made available on 6/8/2023, 48 hours after initial draft RFP posting. CMS is not providing workloads.
RFP	L.14.3.3.3	121-122	Would CMS please provide workload volumes for the jurisdiction requirement Religious Non-Medical Health Care Institutions. We acknowledge workload volumes may have been provided in J.22 Basis of Estimate, however the document is password protected and we have been unable to open to review.	CMS confirms that the unprotected version of the Basis of Estimate, Attachment J.22 was made available on 6/8/2023, 48 hours after initial draft RFP posting. CMS is not providing workloads.
RFP	L.14.3.3.3	121-122	Would CMS please provide workload volumes for the jurisdiction requirement Histocompatibility Labs. We acknowledge workload volumes may have been provided in J.22 Basis of Estimate, however the document is password protected and we have been unable to open to review	CMS confirms that the unprotected version of the Basis of Estimate, Attachment J.22 was made available on 6/8/2023, 48 hours after initial draft RFP posting. CMS is not providing workloads.
RFP	L.14.3.3.3	121-122	Would CMS please provide workload volumes for the jurisdiction requirement Medicare Ground Ambulance Initial Data Collection . We acknowledge workload volumes may have been provided in J.22 Basis of Estimate, however the document is password protected and we have been unable to open to review.	CMS confirm that the Medicare Ground Ambulance Initial Data Collection workload is provided in the the Government Provided Proposal Assumptions document, Attachment J.23.
J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.7.44	175	Is the Medicare Ground Ambulance Initial Data Collection activity an on-going activity or does it have a scheduled end date?	CMS is not providing a scheduled end date at this time.
J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.1.3	121-122	Does the Risk Management Plan requirement within the "C.5.1.1 Jurisdiction Implementation Project Plan" only apply to the Implementation Period, or does the "periodic assessment" substantiate ongoing risk management maintenance for the duration of the contract?	CMS confirms SOW section C.5.1.1 Jurisdiction Implementation Project Plan and reference to peridic assessment(s) is specific to the Implementation Period.
J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.14.5	150	Medicare Secondary Payer Hospital Audits are performed by the Provider Audit team. The SOW requires MSP audits be conducted annually for 10% of the hospitals, up to a maximum of 20 per state in its jurisdiction. Would CMS please confirm the maximum of 20 per state applies to each state in JJ?	CMS confirms the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Audit workloads in the Basis of Estimate (BOE), Attachments J.22. The workloads conform to IOM direction that each year MACs shall conduct "a review of 10 percent of the hospitals (or a maximum of 20, whichever is the lesser of the two) in each state for which it has Medicare claims processing responsibility".
J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.1 Key Personnel	50	Current wording in the description for the Audit and Reimbursement Manager / Director says "The Audit and Reimbursement Manager/Director shall be fully dedicated to the A/B MAC". Should the word 'contract' have been added to the end of this sentence? Is it CMS' expectation that this position is fully dedicated to the Jurisdiction J contract (vs. the Medicare line of business)?

Will CMS please confirm if this requirement is:

1. fully dedicated to MAC line of business (In which case this position could work on multiple MAC contracts); Or

2. if this requirement is fully dedicated to the MAC contract (in which case this position would work only on JJ)	CMS confirms that requirement is the Audit and Reimbursement Manager/Director must be dedicated to the MAC contract/jurisdiction, specifically JJ.
	J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.3.F.	57	States "The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) and its employees must comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12…" Would "smart hands" in a datacenter with racking and cabling responsibilities and no administrative access to servers, applications, or data, or access to CMS systems be required to have a PIV card? There would be no time that it could be used.	CMS confirms that if an individual has a ID on the system they are required to comply with HSPD-12 requirements.
	J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.3.F.	57	States "The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) and its employees must comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12…" Would "server admins" with base server administration responsibilities and no administrative access to applications, or data, or assess to CMS systems be required to have a PIV card? Would CMS host the identity management for our server admins?	CMS confirms that if an individual has a ID on the system they are required to comply with HSPD-12 requirements. Further, CMS will not host the identity management for the server admins.
	J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.3.F.	57	States "The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) and its employees must comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12…" Would "application/DB admins" with application/DB administration responsibilities and no access to CMS systems be required to have a PIV card? Would CMS host the identity management for our application/DB admins?	CMS confirms that if an individual has a ID on the system they are required to comply with HSPD-12 requirements. Further, CMS will not host the identity management for the application/DB admins.
	J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.3.F.	57	States "The Contractor (and/or any subcontractor) and its employees must comply with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12…" Would "support employees" with administrative support responsibilities and no access to CMS systems be required to have a PIV card? Would CMS host the identity management for our support employees?	CMS confirms that if an individual has a ID on the system they are required to comply with HSPD-12 requirements. Further, CMS will not host the identity management for support employees.
	J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.3.L.b.v.	63	States "Configuration Management - Use available SCAP-compliant automated tools as per NIST IR 7511 and HHS Minimum Security Configurations Standards Guidance to scan all IT assets, including but not limited to: computers, servers, routers, databases, operating systems, application, etc., that store and process government information. Provide scan reports to HHS/CMS upon request. The contractor must maintain a capability to provide security configuration compliance information for 100% of its IT assets using SCAP-compliant automated tools." There are other reports that can be requested at will also. How current is the data expected to be (i.e. no older than 72 hours)? What is the delivery time that we have to compile the report (i.e. three business days)?	CMS confirms data as current as 72 hours is an acceptable. Further, 3 business days is an acceptable delivery timeframe of the report.
	J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.1 Key Personnel	50	Current wording in the description for the Audit and Reimbursement Manager / Director states "The Audit and Reimbursement Manager/Director shall be fully dedicated to the A/B MAC".

Will CMS please confirm if this requirement is:

1. fully dedicated to MAC line of business (In which case this position could work on multiple MAC contracts); Or

2. if this requirement is fully dedicated to the MAC contract (in which case this position would work only on JJ) CMS confirms that requirement is the Audit and Reimbursement Manager/Director must be dedicated to the MAC contract/jurisdiction, specifically JJ.

J.01 Statement of Work (SOW)_Jurisdiction J	C.5.4.3.A.e.iii.	53	States "Protected in accordance with NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations applicable baseline if handled by a Contractor system operated on behalf of the agency, or NIST SP 800-171, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations if handled by internal Contractor system…" Is the system for this RFP "operated on behalf of the agency" or an "internal Contractor system"?	CMS confirms this RFP is for a system that is Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO) but is operated on behalf of CMS.
J.02 Deliverables Schedule	"Deliver To" column	Entire document	All deliverables are entered into MDT, should the "Deliver To" column be updated to reflect this? Example statement - Contracting Officer's Representative and/or Designees and in MDX/MDT.

CMS confirms that unless otherwise noted, all Deliverables are to be submitted into MDX/MDT. The "Deliver To" column on the Deliverables Schedule is accurate.
J.01.H CMS Security and Privacy Language for Information and Information Technology Procurements	Multiple	Multiple	The footnotes in "CMS Security and Privacy Language for Information and Information Technology for Medicare Administrative Contractor Procurements" are not accessible without access to the CMS intranet, which we do not have. Can those be included in the document rather than external links?	CMS confirms that the CMS Security and Privacy Language for Information and Information Technology for Medicare Administrative Contractor Procurements can be supplied upon request post award.
J.22 Basis of Estimate	SOW Code C.5.12.1.6 - Defending MR Decisions at ALJ Hearings - Workload Category Medical Review Home Health	Row 306, Item # 298	This section appears to be specific to Home Health but includes a workload volume. Should this workload be removed, since there is no HH in this jurisdiction?	CMS confirms the Basis of Estimate (BOE), Attachment J.22, is updated and will be reflected in the Final RFP.
J.22 Basis of Estimate	SOW Code C.5.25.3 - Support of RAC Program Operations Part B - Sub-Workload RAC QIC Case File Requests	Row 470, Item # 462	Does the workload stated here include non-RAC Part B QIC Case Files requests as well? If this volume does include non-RAC QIC Case File Requests, can CMS please separate the non-RAC Part B QIC Case File Request workload and include the specific SOW code where the non-RAC work and costs should be reported under?	CMS confirms that RAC QIC Case File Requests (Row 470, Item #462) does not include non-RAC Part B QIC Case File requests.
J.22 Basis of Estimate	J.22 Basis of Estimate	All Pages	We are unable to access the J.22 Basis of Estimate document in the version that was released with the draft. Would CMS consider extending the question deadline one to two weeks allowing bidders to ask additional questions pertaining to the Basis of Estimate	CMS confirms that the unprotected version of the Basis of Estimate, Attachment J.22 was made available on 6/8/2023, 48 hours after initial draft RFP posting.
J.23A Audit & Reimbursement Table	Estimated Annual Workloads Tab, Table 18		There are no workload units for PRRB Live Hearings. Is this accurate or will CMS be providing workload units?	CMS confirms the Audit and Reimbursement Tables, Attachment J.23.A, is updated to include a workload number for PRRB Live Hearings and will be reflected in the Final RFP.
J.23.A Audit & Reimbursement Tables	Estimated Annual Workloads Tab	Tables 9-24	Tables 9-24 list the estimated annual workloads. Is there open inventory that is on hold (e.g., cost report settlements on hold due to the Allina court case, CR or TDL direction, etc.)? Is open inventory on settlement hold included in Tables 9-24 and if not, is that data available?	CMS confirms that there is an open inventory appropriately on settlement hold in JJ (and all A/B MACs) awaiting direction for resolution, e.g. the Allina Case. That inventory is not included in the workload tables. CMS is not providing specific data/numbers in the solicitation for that open inventory workload and Offerors are not directed to include it in their proposals.
J.23.A Audit & Reimbursement Tables	Estimated Annual Workloads Tab	Tables 9-24	Tables 9-24 list the estimated annual workloads. Is open inventory on settlement hold included in Tables 9-24 and if not, is that data available?	CMS confirms that the open inventory on settlement hold in JJ is not included in the workload tables.
J.32 Systems of Records	Systems of Records	1	The System for Tracking Audit and Reimbursement (STAR) and the Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS) are not included on the list. Those are two systems the Provider Audit and Reimbursement teams use daily to process workload. Will those systems be made available to the Contractor and will the historical data be included (e.g., data prior to the contract date)?

CMS confirms that the System for Tracking Audit and Reimbursement (STAR) and the Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS) will be made available and historical data will be provided as directed in MAC Transition Handbook.
J.32 Systems of Records	Systems of Records	1	Is System for Tracking Audit and Reimbursement (STAR) and Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS) considered part of Individuals Authorized Access to CMS Computer Services (IACS)?	CMS confirms that IDM (Identity Management) system has replaced Individuals Authorized Access to CMS Computer Services (IACS). Further, STAR is part of IDM. HCRIS is not part of IDM.

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Jul 11, 2023.