DOH21-036 Newborn Hearing Screening Addendum 2.pdf

Pursuant to 60A-1.042, an agency may request information by issuing a written Request for Information. Agencies may use Requests for Information in circumstances including, but not limited to, determining whether or not to competitively procure a commodity or contractual services, determining what solicitation process to use for a particular need, or researching general, special, and/or technical specifications for a solicitation.

State of Florida

Department of Health Request for Information

DOH21-036

Florida Newborn Hearing Screening

I. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

The State of Florida, Department of Health (DOH), Newborn Hearing Screening (NBHS) Program, also known as Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program, is requesting information regarding entities, in Florida, with experience providing newborn hearing screening and follow-up diagnostic testing for infants and children birth to three-years-old.

II. BACKGROUND

The NBHS Program provides follow-up for children birth to age three who fail hearing screens and provides specialized follow-up and referrals for children who are diagnosed with hearing loss. Hearing screening and pediatric audiology services are provided through hospitals, birthing centers, and private pediatric audiologists as outlined in section 383.145, Florida Statutes. In 2019, five percent of infants born in Florida, approximately 8,000, did not receive a newborn hearing screen. Of those infants who did not receive a screen, approximately 31 percent of children were born in a hospital and 69 percent were born in a birthing facility or at home. More than four percent of infants who failed the newborn hearing screen in 2019 did not receive a timely diagnosis by three months of age and more than 38 percent of children diagnosed with hearing loss that year were not enrolled in early intervention by six months of age.

Regional gaps in accessibility of screening and pediatric audiology services have been identified across Florida. The cause and severity of service gaps vary widely. The NBHS Program is interested in conducting a pilot project to increase access for children birth to age three in areas with limited access to pediatric audiology services, including diagnostic testing. The pilot is expected to include provision of hearing screening for children who were missed at the hospital or birth facility, rescreening of children who failed the initial newborn hearing screening, and diagnostic assessment for children who failed the hearing screening in the target area proposed by the provider. All hearing screening and diagnostic assessment results should be reported to the NBHS program. Start-up support would be provided by the NBHS Program to build capacity to meet the objectives outlined in Section

IV.

III. GOALS

The goal of the NBHS Program is to identify entities with experience performing newborn hearing screening and follow-up diagnostic testing for infants and children birth to age three in regions with limited pediatric audiology services. Target areas may include, but are not limited to, rural counties or underserved populations and regions in urban areas.

At this stage a decision has not been made regarding contracted services. A feasibility study will be done based on an analysis of the Request for Information responses.

IV. OBJECTIVES

Identify entities that have the ability and/or willingness to meet the following:

a. Doctoral degree in Audiology

b. Current State of Florida Audiologist license

c. Ability to submit claims for audiology services to private insurance, Medicaid

Managed Care Plans and Local Early Steps programs

i. Ability to enroll in participating private insurance plans

ii. Ability to enroll in participating Medicaid Managed Care Plans. For more information, visit AHCA: Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Program (myflorida.com)

iii. Ability to enroll as an Early Steps Provider. For more information, visit Children's Medical Services - Employment (cms-kids.com)

d. Interest in providing pediatric hearing services aligned with the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing’s Year 2019 Position Statement: Principles and Guidelines for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1104&context=jehdi for hearing screening by 1 month of age, diagnosis of hearing loss by 3 months of age, and enrollment in early intervention by 6 months of age.

e. Ability to provide otoscopy on infants and young children.

f. Ability to perform hearing screenings for infants and young children birth to age three using both automated otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and auditory brainstem response (AABR) equipment.

i. Conduct initial hearing screens for babies who were missed in the hospital.

ii. Conduct initial hearing screens for babies born at home or in a birthing center.

iii. Conduct follow up hearing screens for babies who failed the initial hearing screening in the well-baby nursery (OAE/AABR) and neonatal intensive care units (AABR).

g. Ability to perform electrophysiologic audiometry, including tone-bursts or pips, chirp or click and bone conduction Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing on infants’ birth to age 5 months (corrected chronological age), without sedation.

i. Conduct diagnostic ABR testing following a failed newborn hearing screening.

ii. Ability to travel to conduct diagnostic ABR testing in regions with limited pediatric audiologists available.

iii. Ability to provide diagnostic ABR testing when there is a longer than usual wait time for ABR testing (region dependent) from another provider, when the wait time for an appointment exceeds the time window for age appropriate ABR testing (birth to 5 months of age), and surge capacity to provide diagnostic ABR testing during a time when non-essential procedures are stopped.

h. Ability to provide an appropriate environment for electrophysiologic testing, including the following:

i. Quiet room or sound treated booth away from patient and staff areas https://ahca.myflorida.com/medicaid/statewide_mc/index.shtml https://ahca.myflorida.com/medicaid/statewide_mc/index.shtml http://cms-kids.com/providers/early_steps/employment/index.html https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1104&context=jehdi

ii. Testing space and power supply free of excessive electrical noise

iii. Crib or secure area for infants

iv. Recliner or padded rocking chair

v. Table/stand to support testing equipment

i. Ability to perform diagnostic otoacoustic emission (OAE) testing, acoustic immittance, including tympanometry and acoustic reflex testing by:

i. Use of 1000Hz probe tone for infants 0-9 months

ii. Use of 226Hz probe tone for children older than 9 months

j. Ability to perform Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) for infants approximately 6-24 months of age, including the following:

i. Conduct VRA testing in a sound-treated booth

ii. Transducers to include insert earphones, TDH headphones, bone conduction vibrator, or sound field speaker(s)

iii. Annual standard speaker calibration (ANSI S3.6, 1996), sound booth meeting

ANSI S3.1 (1999) ears not covered (500-8000 Hz) specifications, and appropriate earphone calibration (TDH-series and insert-type)

k. Ability to provide pediatric fittings of amplification devices, including behind-the-ear hearing aids, earmolds, FM systems (including remote microphone technology) and bone anchored hearing aids.

l. Ability to provide verification measures for pediatric hearing aid fittings and assisted listening devices (i.e., Real-Ear, aided testing, etc.).

m. Infection control policies and procedures (available upon request) for all areas available for patient use, including test room(s), furniture, testing equipment, supplies (*see specific requirements below).

*Decontamination, cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of multiple equipment before re-use must be carried out according to facility specific infection control policies and procedures and according to manufacturer’s instructions (CDC, 2007).

V. PROCESS

Responses to this RFI will be reviewed by the Department for informational purposes only and will not result in the award of a contract.

The Florida Program Office will review the responses received from this RFI to determine the feasibility of issuing a competitive solicitation for these services.

Any request for cost information is for budgetary purposes only.

Vendors submitting answers to an agency’s Request for Information are not prohibited from responding to any related subsequent solicitation.

VI. RESPONSE FORMAT

The Department’s intent is to identify potential vendors that can and/or are willing to fulfill the functional requirements listed in section IV. Potential vendors should address all of the objectives listed above, including the need to build capacity to meet the minimum requirements for providing services, in a statement of work with at least the following sections at a minimum:

a. Introduction

i. Current service provision

ii. Proposed pilot services

b. Provider background

c. Proposed service area description, including the barriers to accessing pediatric audiology services

d. Goals for target population

e. Proposed objectives to achieve goals

f. Deliverables including a description of needed start-up support

i. Projected number of screens

ii. Projected number of diagnostic evaluations

iii. Projected number of pediatric fittings of amplification devices

g. Technical details for service for delivery

h. Personnel assigned and contact information (company name, phone, email)

i. Proposed line-item budget, including a description of needed funds for start-up support

VII. RESPONSE DATE

Responses should address each RFI requirement point by point. Please provide the requested information no later than 5:00 p.m., July 29, 2022. Responses can be sent via e-mail to: Diana.Trahan@flhealth.gov Additional information that cannot be transmitted electronically must also be submitted by 5:00 p.m., July 29, 2022, to the following address:

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

CENTRAL PURCHASING OFFICE

ATTN: Diana Trahan 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin B07

Tallahassee, FL 32399

VIII. QUESTIONS

Questions related to this RFI must be submitted in writing, via electronic email to the email address provided below, prior to response date stated in section VII.

E-mail address: Diana.Trahan@flhealth.gov

IX. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

Vendors must indicate which portions, if any, of the information being provided are proprietary or confidential by marking each page upon which such information appears.

Failure to do so will result in all information submitted being subject to public disclosure in accordance with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, Public Records. The information requested may be used to develop specifications for a solicitation.

X. VENDOR COSTS

Vendors are responsible for all costs associated with the preparation, submission, and any potential meeting to discuss this Request for Information. The State of Florida, mailto:Diana.Trahan@flhealth.gov mailto:Diana.Trahan@flhealth.gov

Department of Health, or the Newborn Hearing Screening Program will not be responsible for any vendor related costs associated with responding to this request.