FINAL MPSMS II RFP.docx.doc

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

Request for Proposal

SECTION A - SOLICITATION FORM No. AHRQ-11-10014 Date Issued: August 24, 2011 Date Questions Due: September 1, 2011 12:00 PM EST Date Notice of Intent Due: September 14, 2011 Date Proposals Due: September 23, 2011 12:00 PM EST You are invited to submit a proposal to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) for Request for Proposal (RFP) No. AHRQ-11-10014, entitled “The Continuation of the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System (MPSMS).” Your proposal must be developed and submitted in accordance with the requirements and instructions of this RFP.

Please note: Mandatory Qualification Criterion must be demonstrated by the offeror before the proposal will receive a full evaluation. Only a Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) is eligible for award of this contract because these are the only organizations that may be provided access to the data being analyzed under this requirement. For more information, please refer to Sections L and M of this RFP.

A cost plus fixed fee contract is contemplated for a period of one year, with two one-year options.

The Government anticipates awarding 1 contract from this solicitation.

Offerors shall submit the following:

A.

Technical Proposal (See Section L.9) (Original and 11 copies) plus two electronic copies on CDs B.

Past Performance Information (See Section L.10) (Original and 5 copies) C.

Business Proposal (See Section L.12) (Original and 6 copies) plus two electronic copies on CDs D.

Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Plan (See Section L.11) (Original and 2 Copies

Your technical proposal must be concisely written and should be limited to 50 typewritten pages (double-spaced), exclusive of personnel qualifications (i.e., resume, etc., see Section L.9 for additional details). This limitation is for administrative purposes only and exceeding the limitation shall not, of itself, be considered a basis for rejection of your proposal.

YOUR ATTENTION IS CALLED TO THE LATE PROPOSAL PROVISIONS PROVIDED IN SECTION L.3 OF THIS RFP. YOUR ATTENTION IS ALSO DIRECTED TO THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN SECTION L.9 OF THE SOLICITATION.

If you intend to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, please inform the Contracting Officer of your intent by completing the Proposal Intent Response Form (Attachment 1 to this solicitation) and send it to the Contracting Officer no later than September 14, 2011. You may send it to the address below, fax it to 301-427-1740, Attention: Kathryn Carr, Contract Specialist or email it to Kathryn.Carr@ahrq.hhs.gov.

Questions regarding this solicitation shall be received in this office no later than September 1, 2011 (See Section L.6). All questions shall be submitted electronically by e-mail to Kathryn Carr, Contract Specialist, at the following email address: Kathryn.Carr@ahrq.hhs.gov. Subject line shall read: Proposal Questions RFP No. AHRQ-11-10014.

Answers to questions will be provided in the form of an Amendment to this solicitation and will be posted on AHRQ’s web page: www.ahrq.gov under “Funding Opportunities,” “Contract Solicitations” and Federal Business Opportunities web page: www.fedbizopps.gov. It is your responsibility to monitor the web sites where the RFP will be posted to learn about any amendments to the solicitation.

Discussions with any other individual outside the Division of Contracts Management may result in rejection of the potential offeror’s proposal.

The proposal shall be signed by an authorized official to bind your organization and must be received in our Contracts Office no later than 12:00 PM EST, on September 23, 2011. Your proposal must be mailed to the following address:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Division of Contracts Management

540 Gaither Road

Rockville, Maryland 20850

Attn: Kathryn Carr, (301) 427-1151 Hand carried proposals may be dropped off at the above location. However, please allow ample time as proposals cannot be accepted until they have gone through security. We will not be held responsible for any delays that may be incurred getting your proposal through security.

NOTE:

The U.S. Postal Service’s “Express Mail” does not deliver to our Rockville, Maryland address. Packages delivered via this service will be held at a local post office for pick-up. The Government will not be responsible for picking up any mail at a local post office. If a proposal is not received at the place, date, and time specified herein, it will be considered a “late proposal.”

The RFP does not commit the Government to pay any cost for the preparation and submission of a proposal. It is also brought to your attention that the Contracting Officer is the only individual who can legally commit the Government to the expenditure of public funds in connection with the proposed acquisition.

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2001-16, all contractors must be registered in the central contractor registration (CCR) database in order to conduct business with the government [See Section I - FAR clause 52.204-7 Central Contractor Registration Apr 2008]. As stated in paragraph (h) of this clause, additional information can be obtained at http://www.ccr.gov or by calling 1-888-227-2423, or 269-961-5757.

Requests for any information concerning this RFP should be referred to Kathryn Carr,

(301) 427-1151 or e-mail: Kathryn.Carr@ahrq.hhs.gov. Please note e-mail requests should state subject as RFP AHRQ-11-10014.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Pages Section A Solicitation 1-3

Table of Contents

Section B Supplies or Services & Prices/Costs 5-7

Section C Description/Specification/Work Statement 8-14 Section D Packaging and Marking 15

Section E Inspection and Acceptance 15

Section F Deliveries or Performance 16-17 Section G Contract Administration Data 18-21

Section H Special Contract Requirements 22-38

PART II

Section I Contract Clauses 39-42

PART III

Section J List of Attachments 43

PART IV

Section K Representations and Certifications 44-57

Section L Instructions, Conditions & Notices to Offerors 58-77

Section M Evaluation Factors for Award 78-80

Attachments

1. Proposal Intent Response Form

2. Past Performance Questionnaire and Contract Performance Form

3. Small Business Subcontracting Plan

4. SF LLL-A, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

5. Sample Format for Cost Proposal

SECTION B-SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES

“The Continuation of the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System (MPSMS)”. See Section C for a complete description.

B.2

ESTIMATED COST AND FIXED FEES:

a. The Estimated Costs (exclusive of fees) for performance of the work under the base period of this contract, including direct and indirect costs is $ To Be Negotiated (TBN).

b. The Fixed Fee for the base period of this contract is $TBN. The fixed fee shall be paid in installments based on the percentage of completion of work, as determined by the Contracting Officer. Payment shall be subject to the withholding provisions of the Clause ALLOWABLE COST AND PAYMENT and FIXED FEE incorporated herein.

c. The total contract value, represented by the sum of the estimated cost plus the fixed fee for the base period is $TBN.

B.3 OPTION PERIODS

If the Government exercises its option(s) pursuant to the option article in Section H of this contract, the Government’s total contract amount represented by the sum of the estimated cost plus fixed fee will be revised as follows:

Option Year 1

Option Year 2

The base period and each option are separate and distinct from one another for accumulation of costs and billing purposes.

B. 4 PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO DIRECT COSTS

a.

Items Unallowable Unless Otherwise Provided Notwithstanding the clauses, ALLOWABLE COST AND PAYMENT, and FIXED FEE, incorporated into this contract, unless authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer, the costs of the following items or activities shall be unallowable as direct costs:

(1) Acquisition, by purchase or lease, of any interest in real property;

(2) Rearrangement or alteration of facilities;

(3) Purchase or lease of any item of general purpose-office furniture or office equipment regardless of dollar value. (General purpose equipment is defined as any items of personal property which are usable for purposes other than research, such as office equipment and furnishings, pocket calculators, etc.);

(4) Accountable Government property (defined as both real and personal property with an acquisition cost of $1,000 or more, with a life expectancy of more than two years) and "sensitive items" (defined and listed in the Contractor's Guide for Control of Government Property, 1990, regardless of acquisition value;

(5) Travel to attend general scientific meetings;

(6) Foreign Travel;

(7) Any costs incurred prior to the contract's effective date;

(8) Rental of meeting rooms not otherwise expressly paid for by the contract;

(9) Any formal subcontract arrangements not otherwise expressly provided for in the contract;

(10) Consultant fees in excess of $150/hour;

(11) Information Technology hardware or software; and

(12) Food and Beverages.

b.

This contract is subject to the provisions of Public Law (P.L.) 99-234 which amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to provide that contractor costs for travel, including lodging, other subsistence, and incidental expenses, shall be allowable only to the extent that they do not exceed the amount allowed for Federal employees. The Contractor, therefore, shall invoice and be reimbursed for all travel costs in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 31.205-46.

B.5 CONTRACTING OFFICER AUTHORIZATION

Other provisions of this contract notwithstanding, approval of the following items within the limits set forth is hereby granted without further authorization from the Contracting Officer.

a. Subcontracts

The contractor is authorized to incur Subcontractor costs, not to exceed the following amounts for the periods indicated:

Period

Not to Exceed Amounts

Base Year

Option Period 1

Option Period 2

Total

b. Consultants The contractor is authorized to incur Consultant costs, not to exceed the following amounts for the periods indicated:

Period

Not to Exceed Amounts

Base Year

Option Period 1

Option Period 2

Total

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATION/WORK STATEMENT

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall be required to furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government, as needed to perform the Statement of Work as follows:

Statement of Work

Unless otherwise noted under a specific task, this Statement of Work applies to the base period and all options (if exercised).

Task 1 Determination of Injury/Harm Rates for Specified Conditions

1.1 The contractor shall receive identified abstracted medical record data from the CMS Clinical Data Abstraction Center (CDAC) for further data analysis to detect adverse events as identified from medical records. The contractor shall use previously-developed protocols to determine the injury rate for each of the 21 specified events or conditions. The specific events or conditions include the following:

· Clostridium difficile Infections after Inpatient Antibiotics

· Digoxin Adverse Drug Events

· Insulin Adverse Drug Events

· Intravenous Heparin Adverse Drug Events

· Low Molecular Weight Heparin Adverse Drug Events

· Warfarin Adverse Drug Events

· Falls

· Pressure Ulcers

· Adverse Events after Femoral Artery Puncture for Angiography

· Adverse Events after Hip Replacement

· Adverse Events after Knee Replacement

· Contrast Nephropathy Associated with Contrast Dye

· Mechanical Adverse Events Associated with Central Venous Catheter Placement

· Post-Operative Cardiac Events (in cardiac and non-cardiac surgery patients)

· Post-Operative Venous Thromboembolism Events

· Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections

· CVC-Associated Bloodstream Infections

· Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections in a Sterile Site

· Post-Operative Pneumonias

· Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus Infections in a Sterile Site

· Ventilator-Associated Pneumonias

1.2 National Health Care Quality and Disparities Reports (NHQR & NHDR)

The data on specified measures for injury rates are used as a major input for the National Health Care Quality and Disparities Reports (NHQR & NHDR). The contractor shall provide the data required for these reports as specified by AHRQ based on the 21 measures listed above. Data shall be adjusted as necessary to ensure that the measures are as comparable as possible with prior data sets; for example, for 2009-2010 data (based on a sample of non-Medicare patients) and for 2002-2007 data (based on a sample of Medicare patients). The contractor shall submit data tables and measure specifications to the NHQR/NHDR team. The timing of the data submission by the contractor will be tied to publication timelines. In prior years, data has been required annually in the month of April.

1.3 Activities in Support of Modification or Update of MPSMS Measures.

The Contractor shall perform analyses and studies in support of potential modification of MPSMS measures. Examples of potential modifications that might be considered include adding special information on staging to the measure on Pressure Ulcers, and adding additional types of injuries, other than fractures or subdural hematomas, to the measure on Falls. If, after review of the Contractor’s analyses and studies, changes are still to be made to one or measures, then the Contractor shall work with the CDAC and other Government and non-Governmental organizations to implement the changes so that data on the modified or updated measures can be acquired in a timely manner. For the purposes of estimation, the contractor should assume that three measures per year will be reviewed for potential modification or update.

1.4 Reporting of selected “Sub-Events”

The contractor shall develop standardized population reports, similar to those developed for AHRQ’s Common Formats (posted in the Common Formats section of the PSO Privacy Protection Center web site: www.psoppc.org), which shall be available to identify incidence and rates of all specific “sub-events” measured by MPSMS. For some MPSMS measures these may be displayed discretely as well as summed up to generate the overall rate of the MPSMS measures. For example, the report shall include the number of cases and rate of CAUTI and major bleeding/hematoma among the adverse events that occur after hip replacement and after knee replacement surgeries, and the cases and rates of fractures, subdural hematomas and other selected injuries occurring in inpatients that fall. Included, in addition to the standard reports, shall be the following rates, as delineated in the sections 1.5-1.8 below.

1.5 National Injury/Harm Rate

The contractor shall develop a composite formula for calculating a national patient safety injury or harm rate. Using this formula the contractor shall calculate a national patient safety injury/harm rate for the current year as well as previous years as requested by AHRQ. The rate must be able to specify both the rate of patients that experience one or more injuries or harms, e.g., 15 percent of patients admitted experience one or more events; and the harm or injury rate per admission, e.g., 160 events per 1,000 admissions.

1.6 CMS Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) Rate

In 2007, CMS announced that Medicare shall stop paying for "complicating conditions". Known as the Medicare's Hospital-Acquired Conditions, the identification and measurement of these events represents a significant challenge to hospitals across the country. Using historical data collected in previous years and new data collected, the contractor shall prepare a separate report on HACs using MPSMS data both for the current year as well has past years from historic MPSMS data. The eight conditions are:

· Stage III and IV pressure ulcers

· Falls or trauma resulting in fractures, burns or other serious injuries

· Foreign object accidentally left behind after surgery

· Air embolism

· Blood incompatibility

· Vascular catheter-associated infections

· Catheter-associated urinary tract infections

· Mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass graft and other selected surgical site infections.

The contractor, in cooperation with AHRQ and CMS, shall perform a cross walk with these conditions and the current MPSMS data set to provide a specific report on CMS’s list of Hospital-Acquired Conditions. The contractor shall work with other contractors conducting HAC evaluations as needed and required.

1.7 Healthcare Acquired Infection (HAI) Rates

The contractor shall prepare a report on HAIs based on current year and prior year data. For the purposes of this study, MPSMS HAI measures include: Catheter-Associated UTI, CVC-Associated BSI, MRSA Infection in a Sterile Site, Post-Op Pneumonia, VRE Infection in a Sterile Site, Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, and C. difficile Infection after Inpatient Antibiotics. A consolidated rate that includes all HAIs shall be included in the report. The contractor shall produce a consolidated rate that includes C. difficile Infection after Inpatient Antibiotics and an additional rate that excludes this particular measure. The contractor shall provide data and assistance to the separate evaluation contractor for the HHS HAI Program Evaluation as needed and required.

1.8 Adverse Drug Event (ADE) Rates

The contractor shall prepare a report on ADEs based on current year and prior year data. For the purposes of this study, MPSMS ADE measures include: Clostridium difficile Infections after Inpatient Antibiotics, Digoxin Adverse Drug Events, Insulin Adverse Drug Events, Intravenous Heparin Adverse Drug Events, Low Molecular Weight Heparin Adverse Drug Events, and Warfarin Adverse Drug Events. A consolidated rate that includes all ADEs shall be included in the report. The contractor shall produce a consolidated rate that includes C. difficile Infection after Inpatient Antibiotics and an additional rate that excludes this particular measure.

1.9 Rates of Other Special Subsets of MPSMS Measures

The contractor shall prepare, at the request of the COTR, one or more reports on special subsets of MPSMS measures based on current year and prior year data. For example, a special study that develops a rate for all surgery-related measures or all measures other than HAIs, ADEs, Falls, and Pressure Ulcers.

1.10 The contractor shall maintain literature related to the current production measures and any newly-identified MPSMS adverse event categories/measures. The contractor may be assigned specific tasks related to improving existing measures or considering topics for newly-identified MPSMS adverse event categories/measures, such as those listed below:

· Conduct literature searches that include a comprehensive list of all search terms used.

· Develop the final measure technical specifications, and any necessary modifications to the Medquest data collection tool and instructions, including related data collection process and training with the Clinical Data Abstraction Center (CDAC). Submit for review, comment and approval, the final adverse event measure technical specifications, algorithms, data dictionary, and data collection tool and instructions and update existing Medquest Production Data Collection tool.

· Interact with other organizations as necessary to support the review of potential new or modified measures by outside organizations, such as the National Quality Forum (NQF) and specific groups convened by NQF for AHRQ, such as the Common Formats Expert Panel. The contractor shall provide necessary technical support to facilitate NQF or other outside reviews of MPSMS measures and related processes and analyses.

· Review and cross-reference MPSMS measures with similar measures in the current and future versions of other measurement systems, such as the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), and the AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs).

· Review and cross-reference MPSMS measures with relevant adverse events contained in the current and future versions of the AHRQ Common Formats.

Task 2 Administrative Support for the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System (MPSMS)

The contractor shall provide administrative and technical support for the on-going operation and maintenance of the MPSMS. The contractor shall coordinate monthly progress teleconferences with a government working group comprised of the AHRQ MPSMS management team and AHRQ-identified representatives of other Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies. The contractor shall, plan and conduct a stakeholders meeting to make recommendations as to the future directions for the operation of the MPSMS and priority activities of the system. For planning purposes, the contractor should assume that the meeting will be held in AHRQ-provided meeting space in Rockville, MD, and that the meeting will include 3-5 members of contractor staff as participants or to provide technical support. Government participants in the meeting are likely to include 15-20 individuals from AHRQ and other agencies. This meeting shall be held within 90 days of the award of the contract. Invited participants shall include contractor personnel, as noted above, and members of the existing AHRQ Patient Safety Work Group (PSWG), which includes members from other HHS Agencies and representatives of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. In consultation with the COTR, consultant subject matter experts working with the contractor may also be invited participants. The contractor shall also support the preparation of publications based on findings from MPSMS.

1.1 The Contractor shall perform a range of tasks including:

1.1.1 Schedule monthly teleconferences with the AHRQ COTR and AHRQ/HHS management team, or at other time intervals as specified by the COTR.

· Develop agendas for the MPSMS monthly management team teleconferences. The contractor shall produce minutes within 5 working days of the teleconferences.

1.1.2 Coordinate an annual in-person meeting with the PSWG.

· Provide support in developing agendas and information for the annual in-person meeting. The contractor shall produce minutes within 5 working days of the in-person meetings.

· Provide administrative support and if requested by AHRQ, to PSWG members during in-person meetings.

1.1.3 Set up eight MPSMS-focused teleconferences with the PSWG

· Provide support in developing agendas and information for MPSMS-specific PSWG calls.

· The contractor shall produce minutes within 5 working days of the teleconferences.

1.1.4 Provide a monthly progress report to the COTR on activities underway and supported with contract funds. In months when new data are available the monthly report shall include updated data on the MPSMS measures listed in Task 1.1.

1.1.5 Facilitate Publication/Author Groups to write articles for publication on findings from MPSMS data and information.

· Provide to the COTR, PSWG, and MPSMS Publication/Author Groups, ongoing analytic, administrative, and technical support for publication and presentation of MPSMS methods and findings. While the number of publications to be written may vary, the contractor should plan for two publications to be in development or a later stage of work, and requiring support, as an ongoing average.

· Set up conference calls for Publication/Author Groups AHRQ-approved Publication/Author Group Leader.

· Participate in, or lead, Publication/Author Groups.

· Provide administrative and technical support for the review, editorial and publication processes.

· Maintain a database and track major relevant publications to be used as resources by Author Groups.

1.1.6 For the purpose of publication support and review, provide analysis of previous years of MPSMS data.

· Develop SAS, Access, and Excel data analytic programs as necessary for production data.

1.1.7 Interact with relevant outside organizations, such as any specific groups convened by NQF for AHRQ, including the Common Formats Expert Panel.

1.1.8 Track MPSMS data requests, publications and presentations.

1.1.9 Finalize project work plan for Year 1 for review and approval by the COTR.

Within 1 month of the contract award, the contractor shall provide the COTR with an electronic project plan including all deliverables, resources, tasks, and schedules using Microsoft Office Project (version 2003). The project plan, WBS and Gantt chart should be organized in 1 project file and in a deliverables or phased-based hierarchical format. The project file will consist of project start and end dates, deliverables, activities, resources, milestones, durations, activity dependencies and schedule.

The WBS and Gantt chart should clearly define the work that needs to be done in order to produce all deliverable(s) on time within budget. The activities should be decomposed to the lowest and most manageable level of sufficient detail. The plan should include all information necessary to establish the “Baseline Plan” for this project.

The contractor shall obtain approval from the COT for the required WBS level of detail to be included in the “baseline” project plan, and to be tracked against in the project plan for reporting to AHRQ of actual person labor hours expended by task by month.

The contractor shall be expected to update the WBS and Gantt chart and project file and actual resource usage by task monthly at a minimum. The contractor staff member responsible for updating the WBS and Gantt chart and project file and actual resource usage by task should be experienced in MS Project and be knowledgeable of Project Management concepts and practices.

The Microsoft Project WBS and Gantt chart and file and actual resource usage by task may, at the discretion of AHRQ, be housed on the AHRQ MS Project Server. If the project file is housed on the AHRQ Project Server, there are minimum expectations regarding the processes to be followed and the quality of the file that must be met before the project file can be published. These requirements will be provided as required.

AHRQ will provide the contractor with access to the AHRQ network and project server through the use of 1 Active Directory (AD) account and 1 remote access (VPN) account to a designated contract staff member. The contractor will use the AD and VPN accounts to load and update their MS Project file (WBS and Gantt chart) on the AHRQ Project Server 2003 environment, and will use the Microsoft Office Project Professional 2003 and Project Web Access features to maintain and progress the file.

The contractor will be provided the proper documentation, including signature requirement pages, before the AD or VPN accounts are created. Additionally, documented AHRQ project management process and technical How To documents will be provided to support the contractor in this effort.

1.2 Provide to the COTR, PSWG, and MPSMS Author Groups, ongoing technical support for publication and presentation of MPSMS methods and findings. In addition to the more general activities described above, the additional tasks are specific to producing a special MPSMS-focused issue of a publication.

· Recommend a medical journal that would publish a special or supplemental issue containing MPSMS-related articles.

· Manuscript processing and editorial services in support of such a supplemental issue.

· Purchase 1000 copies of the completed supplement.

2.3 Prepare and provide an Annual Report that contains annual data on MPSMS measures, a complete set of reports delivered, copies of draft and completed papers for publication, and a complete collection of other final documents associated with all contract tasks.

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING

The contractor shall mark each delivery/deliverable with the Contractor’s Name; Contract number; Item number; and quantity indicating partial, full or final shipment. Note as appropriate on the face page of each deliverable, or on the binding, (1) one volume only, or (2) volume 1 of 2.

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The Contracting Officer or the duly authorized representative will perform inspection and acceptance of materials and services to be provided.

b.

For the purpose of this SECTION the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative is the authorized technical representative of the Contracting Officer.

c.

Inspection and acceptance will be performed at:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

540 Gaither Road

Rockville, Maryland 20850

E.2

CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates the following clause by reference, with the same force and effect as if it were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make its full text available.

FAR Clause No.

Title and Date

52.246-5

Inspection of Services-Cost Reimbursement (April 1984)

SECTION F - PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE

F.1

CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates the following clause by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) (48 CFR CHAPTER 1) CLAUSE:

52.242-15, Stop Work Order (AUG 1989) with Alternate I (APRIL 1984).

F.2

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

a. The period of performance of this contract shall be from April 11, 2012 through April 10, 2013.

b. If the Government exercises any Options pursuant to the OPTION PROVISION Article in Section H of this contract, the period of performance will be revised as follows:

F.3

DELIVERABLE SCHEDULE

The items specified for delivery below are subject to the review and approval of the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) before final acceptance. The contractor shall be required to make revisions deemed necessary by the COTR. The deliverable schedule may not be changed without the agreement of the COTR and an authorized modification completed by the AHRQ Contracting Officer (CO). Delivery dates reflect calendar time unless otherwise specified. The Contracting Officer shall receive one copy of each progress report and final report/ final deliverable.

Unless otherwise noted under a specific task, this Deliverables Schedule applies to the base period and all options (if exercised).

The contractor shall submit the following items electronically to the COTR:

Number (SOW Task)

(1.7 & 1.8)

The Contracting Officer shall receive one copy of each progress report, annual report and final report/ final deliverable. The Contracting Officer shall also receive one copy of the manuscript.

ATTN: Contracting Officer Contracts Management / OPART 540 Gaither Road Rockville, Maryland 20850

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1

KEY PERSONNEL, HHSAR 352.242-70

Pursuant to the Key Personnel clause incorporated in Section I of this contract, the following individual(s) is/are considered to be essential to the work being performed hereunder:

NAME

TITLE

(TO BE COMPLETED AT TIME OF CONTRACT AWARD)

The clause cited above contains a requirement for review and approval by the Contracting Officer of written requests for a change of Key Personnel reasonably in advance of diverting any of these individuals from this contract. Receipt of written requests at least 30 days prior to a proposed change is considered reasonable.

G.2

CONTRACTING OFFICER’S TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE

The following Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative will represent the Government for the purpose of this contract:

(TO BE COMPLETED AT TIME OF CONTRACT AWARD)

The Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative is responsible for: (1) monitoring the contractor's technical progress, including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the contracting officer changes in requirements; (2) interpreting the statement of work and any other technical performance requirements; (3) performing technical evaluation as required; (4) performing technical inspections and acceptances required by this contract; and (5) assisting in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance.

The Government may unilaterally change its Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative designation.

G.3

CONTRACTING OFFICER

The Contracting Officer is the only person with authority to act as an agent of the Government under this contract. Only the Contracting Officer has authority to: (1) direct or negotiate any changes in the statement of work; (2) modify or extend the period of performance; (3) change the delivery schedule; (4) authorize reimbursement to the contractor of any costs incurred during the performance of this contract; or (5) otherwise change any terms and conditions of this contract.

G.4

INVOICE SUBMISSION

a.

INVOICE SUBMISSION

The following directions for the submission of invoices must be followed to meet the requirements of a "proper" payment request pursuant to FAR 32.9, and must be in accordance with the General Provisions clause 52.232-25 Prompt Payment (OCT 2008).

Invoices/financing requests shall be submitted in an original and three copies to:

Contracting Officer

Division of Contracts Management

540 Gaither Road

Rockville, Maryland 20850

b. INFORMATION ON INVOICES

The Contractor is REQUIRED to include the following minimum information on invoices:

(a) Contractor’s name and invoice date;

(b) Contract Number;

(c) Description and price of services actually rendered;

(d) Other substantiating documentation or information as required by the contract;

(e) Name (where practicable), title, phone number, and complete mailing address or responsible official to whom payment is to be sent; and

(f) The Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Identification Number.

(2) The Contractor shall furnish the following minimum information in support of costs submitted:

(a) Direct Labor – include all persons, listing the person’s name, title, number of hours or days worked, hourly rate (unburdened), the total cost per person and a total amount of this category.

(b) Fringe Costs - show rate, base and total amount as well as verification/allowability or rate changes (when applicable);

(c) Overhead or Indirect Costs - show rate, base and total amount as well as verification/allowability or rate changes (when applicable);

(d) Consultants - include the name, number of days or hours worked, a total amount per consultant and a total amount for this category;

(e) Travel - include for each airplane or train trip taken the name of the traveler, date of travel, destination, the transportation costs including ground transportation, shown separately, and per diem costs. Other travel costs shall also be listed. A total amount for this category shall be provided;

(f) Subcontractors - include for each subcontractor, the same data that is being provided for the prime contractor. A total number for this category shall be provided.

(g) Data Processing - include all non-labor costs, i.e., computer time, equipment purchase, lease or rental, data tapes, etc. A total amount for this category shall be provided.

(h) Other - include a listing of all other direct charges to the contract, i.e., office supplies, telephone, equipment rental, duplication, etc.

(i) Equipment Cost - itemize and identify separately from material costs including reference to approval in all cases;

(j) G&A - show rate, base and total as well as verification/allowability of rate changes (when applicable);

(k) Fee - show rate, base and total and;

(l) Current amount billed by individual cost element and total dollar amount and cumulative amount billed by individual cost element and total dollar amount.

(3) Payment shall be made by:

PSC Finance

Parklawn Building, Room 16-23

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, Maryland 20857

Telephone Number (301) 443-6766

G.5 INDIRECT COST RATES and FEE In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (48 CFR Chapter 1) Clause 52.216-7(d)(2), Allowable Cost and Payment, incorporated by reference in this contract, in Part II, Section I, the primary contact point responsible for negotiating provisional and/or final indirect cost rates is the cognizant contracting official as set forth in FAR Subpart 42.7 - Indirect Cost Rates.

Reimbursement will be limited to the rates and time periods covered by the negotiated agreements. The rates, if negotiated, are hereby incorporated without further action of the Contracting Officer.

G.6

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER

Pursuant to FAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contractor Registration (OCT 2003), the Contractor shall designate a financial institution for receipt of electronic funds transfer payments. This designation shall be submitted, in writing, to the finance office designated in the contract.

G.7 POST AWARD EVALUATION OF CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE

Interim and final evaluations of Contractor performance will be prepared on this contract in accordance with FAR Subpart 42.15. The final performance evaluation will be prepared at the time of completion of work. In addition to the final evaluation, interim evaluation(s) will be prepared annually.

Interim and final evaluations will be provided to the Contractor as soon as practicable after completion of the evaluation. The Contractor will be permitted thirty days to review the document and to submit additional information or a rebutting statement. If agreement cannot be reached between the parties, the matter will be referred to an individual one level above the Contracting Officer, whose decision will be final.

Copies of the evaluations, Contractor responses, and review comments, if any, will be retained as part of the contract file, and may be used to support future award decisions.

Contractors may access evaluations through a secure Web site for review and comment at the following address:

https://www.cpars.csd.disa.mil G.8

GOVERNMENT PROPERTY

If this RFP will result in the acquisition or use of Government Property provided by the contracting agency or if the Contracting Officer authorized in the preaward negotiation process, the acquisition of property (other than real property), this ARTICLE will include applicable provision and incorporate the HHS Publication, entitled, “Contractor’s Guide for Control of Government Property.”

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1 RELEASE AND USE AND COPYRIGHT OF DATA FIRST PRODUCED FROM WORK PERFORMED UNDER THIS CONTRACT

(a) Release and Use – Data first produced in the performance of the Contract. As permitted in FAR 52.227-17, the provisions of this Section H.1 shall apply to any release or use of data first produced in the performance of the Contract and any analysis, tools, methodologies, or recorded product based on such data.

(b) Release and Use – Requirements related to confidentiality and quality. To ensure public trust in the confidentiality protections afforded participants in Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-supported research, AHRQ requires and monitors compliance by its contractors with section 934(c) of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) (42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c)), which states in part that

No information, if the establishment or person supplying the information or described in it is identifiable, obtained in the course of activities undertaken or supported under this title, may be used for any purpose other than the purpose for which it was supplied unless such establishment or person has consented...to its use for such other purpose. Such information may not be published or released in other form if the person who supplied the information or who is described in it is identifiable unless such person has consented...to its publication or release in other form.

In addition to this requirement, section 933(b)(1) of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 299c-2(b)(1)) requires AHRQ to assure that statistics and analyses developed with Agency support are of high quality, comprehensive, timely, and adequately analyzed. Accordingly --

(1) Prior to the release or use of data based upon work performed under this Contract, the Contractor agrees to consult with the Project and Contract Officers regarding the proposed release or use. AHRQ will, within 6 months of the receipt of any proposed publication, presentation, or any other disclosure of materials derived from information collected or produced for this contract, use best effort to review the proposed report, presentation, or other text to assure:

(A) Identifiable information is being used exclusively for the purpose(s) for which it was supplied or appropriate consents have been obtained;

(B) The confidentiality promised to individuals and establishments supplying identifiable information or described in it is not violated; and

(C) The quality of statistical and analytical work meets the statutory standards cited above.

The Contractor will in good faith consider, discuss, and respond to any comments or suggested modifications that are provided by AHRQ within two months of receiving the proposed release or use.

(2) The Contractor must satisfy conditions (1) (A) and (1) (B). At the conclusion of any consultation required by paragraph (b) (1) above, if AHRQ and the Contractor cannot agree that a proposed use or release satisfies condition (1) (C) above:

(A) The research professional at the Contractor responsible for the quality of the Contract work will, in advance of any release or use of such data, certify in a letter to the Contracting Officer what differences of opinion cannot be resolved regarding the statutory standards referenced in condition (1) (C) and the basis for Contractor assertions that these standards have been met; and (B) The Contractor must print prominently on the release or other product, or on any portion that is released, or state prior to any oral presentation or release of such material, the following disclaimer:

THIS presentation/ publication/or other product is derived from work supported under a contract with THE AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY (AHRQ) (# ). However, this presentation/ publication/or other product HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED by the agency.

(3) If the AHRQ COTR does not provide written conditions or approvals by the end of the six month period following submission of a request to publish a report or to make a presentation or other disclosure of material derived from work performed for AHRQ-funded research, the Contractor may publish, present, or otherwise disclose this material subject to the restrictions of Section 903(c). However, the Contractor must print prominently on the report or any portion of it which is released, or state prior to any oral or other disclosure of the material derived from work performed under this contract, the following disclaimer:

THIS presentation/ publication/or other product is derived from work supported under a contract with THE AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY (AHRQ) (# ). However, this presentation/ publication/or other product HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED by the agency.

(c) Required Statement Regarding Protected Information. On all written material or other recorded products, or preceding any presentation or other oral disclosure, release or use of material based on identifiable information obtained in the course of work performed under this contract, the Contractor shall make the following statement:

IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON WHICH THIS REPORT, PRESENTATION, OR OTHER FORM OF DISCLOSURE IS BASED IS PROTECTED BY FEDERAL LAW, SECTION 934(c) OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, 42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c). NO IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES SUPPLYING THE INFORMATION OR DESCRIBED IN IT MAY BE KNOWINGLY USED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR PRIOR CONSENT. ANY CONFIDENTIAL IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION IN THIS REPORT OR PRESENTATION THAT IS KNOWINGLY DISCLOSED IS DISCLOSED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS PROVIDED.

(d) Copyright – Data first produced in the performance of the Contract. Subject to the terms of this Section regarding release and use of data, AHRQ, through its Contracting Officer, will grant permission under FAR 52.227-17(c) (1) (i) to the Contractor to establish claim to copyright subsisting in scientific and technical articles based on or containing data first produced in the performance of this contract that are submitted for publication in academic, technical or professional journals, symposia proceedings or similar works. When claim to copyright is made, the Contractor shall affix the applicable copyright notice of 17 U.S.C. 401 or 402 and acknowledgment of Government sponsorship (including contract number) to the data when such data are delivered to the Government, as well as when the data are published or deposited for registration as a published work in the U.S. Copyright Office. In such circumstances, the Contractor hereby agrees to grant to AHRQ, and others acting on its behalf, a paid-up, nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license for all such data to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, by or on behalf of AHRQ. A description of this license will be incorporated into the copyright notices required above.

(e) Subcontracts. Whenever data, analyses, or other recorded products are to be developed by a subcontractor under this Contract, the Contractor must include the terms of H.1 in the subcontract, without substantive alteration, with a provision that the subcontractor may not further assign to another party any of its obligations to the Contractor. No clause may be included to diminish the Government’s stated requirements or rights regarding release or use of products or materials based on data derived from work performed under this contract.

H.2

LACK OF COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS FOR RELEASE OR USE

Failure to submit materials for statutorily mandated confidentiality and statistical and analytic quality reviews as required by Section H.1 of this contract will be viewed as a material violation and breach of the terms of this contract, as the requirements of this provision are necessary for AHRQ to carry out its statutory obligations and responsibilities. Records of the Contractor's performance, including the Contractor's performance pertaining to this Contract, will be maintained in AHRQ's Contracts Management Office and will be considered as an element of past performance which is part of all subsequent competitive contract proposal reviews.

H.3

SUBCONTRACTS

The contractor must include in any subcontracts executed or used to provide the support specified in this contract the terms of requirements H.1, H.2, H.4, H.5, H.6, H.7, H.9, H.11, H.12, H.13, and H.14. These requirements are to be included without substantive alteration, and no clause may be included to diminish these requirements.

Award of any subcontract is subject to the written approval of the Contracting Officer upon review of the supporting documentation as required by FAR Clause 52.215-12, Subcontractor Cost or Pricing Data, of the General Clauses incorporated into this contract. A copy of the signed subcontract shall be provided to the Contracting Officer.

H.4

LATE PAYMENTS TO THE GOVERNMENT

Late payment of debts owed the Government by the Contractor, arising from whatever cause, under this contract/order shall bear interest at a rate or rates to be established in accordance with the Treasury Fiscal Requirements Manual. For purposes of this provision, late payments are defined as payments received by the Government more than 30 days after the Contractor has been notified in writing by the Contracting Officer of:

The basis of indebtedness.

b.

The amount due.

c.

The fact that interest will be applied if payment is not received within 30 days from the date of mailing of the notice.

d.

The approximate interest rate that will be charged.

H.5

SALARY RATE LIMITATION

(a) Pursuant to the current and applicable prior HHS appropriations acts, the Contractor shall not use contract funds to pay the direct salary of an individual at a rate in excess of the federal Executive Schedule Level I in effect on the date an expense is incurred.

(b) For purposes of the salary rate limitation, the terms ‘‘direct salary,’’ ‘‘salary,’’ and ‘‘institutional base salary’’ have the same meaning and are collectively referred to as ‘‘direct salary’’ in this clause. An individual’s direct salary is the annual compensation that the Contractor pays for an individual’s direct effort (costs) under the contract. Direct salary excludes any income that an individual may be permitted to earn outside of duties to the Contractor. Direct salary also excludes fringe benefits, overhead, and general and administrative expenses (also referred to as indirect costs or facilities and administrative [F&A] costs).