ESRD_NCC_Questions.pdf

Section No./ Page # Section Title Question CMS Response III Proposal Delivery/page 3 of 19 Proposal Delivery The instructions state, "Offeror shall mail or hand-deliver proposals with original signatures to…." Would CMS please clarify which documents require original signatures and which documents can be copies? Does an original signature on one transmittal letter meet the "original signature" requirement?

Offeror's are only to provide 1 Original Hard Copy of all volumes.

Therefore, all signed documents in these volumes shall have an original signature.

III Proposal Delivery/pages 5 of 19 & 6 of 19

Proposal Delivery/Proposal Organization

4. Indexing (page 5) states: "TAB indexing shall be used to identify all sections listed in Section L.14." B. Technical Proposal Contents (page 6) also lists the Technical Proposal Organization but the tabs are different than in Section L.14. Please clarify the tab organization for the Technical Proposal.

Please disregard "Section L.14" All Tabs should match Section IV.B of (page 6) Technical Proposal Organization.

IV Technical Proposal Instructions/page 6 of 19

Technical Proposal Content May offerors include in the Appendix letters of support, work products, etc.? If so, would these items be excluded from the page count?

Yes, and these will not be included in the page count.

IV Technical Proposal Instructions/ pages 6-7 of 19

#2 Past Performance/Experience

Re: past performance, does CMS require any specific contract information for past contracts, e.g., contract number, contract value?

Offeror should provide as much information as necessary to identify the contract.

IV Technical Proposal Instructions/page 8 of 19 & VI Conflict of Interest Instructions/page 14 of 19

5. Appendix/Attestations;

TAB C: Compliance Program Attestation

On page 8, in the first paragraph under "5. Appendix/Attestations" under Technical Proposal Contents, the RFP states "...Offeror shall complete and submit the attestation template provided in Attachment J-19 and J-20." On page 14, in the first paragraph under "C. TAB C: Compliance Program Attestation," under COI Instructions, the RFP states "Include Attachment J.19 with COI submission." Is the J.19 to be submitted in both the Technical and the COI Proposals?

If the offeror does not intend to submit an OCI volume due to the fact that "information below applies to anything not already identified in the proposal response under Request for Proposal (RFP) number CMS-2016-ESRD-NETWORKS." Then please include the J.19 in the Technical Proposal Appendix. If the offeror will be submitting an Conflict of Interest volume, please include the J.19 in this volume.

V. Business Proposal Instructions/page 9

B. Business Proposal Spreadsheets

Will CMS be issuing a new electronic version of Attachment J.22 with a revised Annual Management Plan that matches the tasks in the NCC SOW?

No, please make changes if you feel it is warranted. Please explain those changes in the Business Narrative that will accompany the J.22

1.A.3/page 12 Spread the Work of the NPFE- LAN and Affinity Groups

The SOW states the contractor must "support the development and launch of at least one national QIA campaign…the project may extend beyond a calendar year as long as goals for interim measures are specified and achieved." If interim goals are exceeded, will CMS allow a new focus for the patient-driven QIA to be identified?

Yes if approved by the COR

1.B.2/page 14 Administration of the Grievant Satisfaction Survey

Has CMS already selected the independent third party administrator to conduct the satisfaction survey, or is the Offeror required to identify and propose a subcontractor for this work?

Offeror should propose a subcontractor for this work

1.B.4/ page 17 Analysis of National Grievance Data

Will the NCC have access to the full grievance data from all Networks? As the PCU administrator, the NCC will have grievance data sufficient to complete this task requirements

7.B./page 43 Serve as Lead ESRD Program Planner/Organizer for the CMS Annual QualityNet Conference

The SOW states that the NCC contractor is responsible for arranging and coordinating QualityNet travel for LAN SMEs as appropriate. Is the NCC contractor responsible for providing travel reimbursements for SMEs as well?

Yes if approved by the COR

9.A. page/47 Project Initiation, Designation of NCC Lead Author, Collecting Data for Summary Annual Report

"The contractor shall designate a Lead Author who will work in concert with designated NCC staff and the COR to prepare the Summary Annual Report." Is the Lead Author intended to be a CMS representative or can it be someone within the contractor's organization?

The Lead Author should be someone within the contractor's organization

II. D./page 60 II. D. Key Personnel Requirements

SOW II. D. states, "The key personnel specified in this contract are considered to be essential to work performance. The key personnel shall include:

• ESRD NCC Project Director

• ESRD NCC Director of Data Warehouse

• ESRD NCC Director, Quality Management

• ESRD NCC Operations Manager

• Clinical AIMs Senior Business Analyst."

Dose CMS require each key personnel position to be a full (1.0) FTE?

Offeror should propose labor hours for these personnel.

1.A.3./page 3 Spread the Work of the NPFE- LAN and Affinity Groups

Item 11 reads: "Implement pilot zone testing as requested by CMS." Who will have the primary responsibility for managing testing in each Network pilot zone area? What role will the Networks take with respect to pilot zone testing?

This is a collaborative effort that should leverage existing work occurring in the Network. The NCC will manage the testing.

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