HIMSS_Membership_JA-FINAL.pdf

Tracking #JA15-0013

Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open

Competition Sole Source Acquisition

FAR Subpart 6.3 Other Than Full and Open Competition

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity: Defense Health Agency (DHA) Contract

Operations Division-Falls Church (COD-FC)

2. Nature and/or Description of Action being approved: The proposed action is for a new sole source acquisition for organization membership subscription. The proposed source is Healthcare Information and

Management Systems Society (HIMSS), 230 E Ohio St, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611-3270.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society

Membership (Organizational Affiliate Program)

Health Information Technology (HIT) Portfolio Management & Customer Relations (PfM&CR) utilizes HIMSS Organizational Affiliate Program as a baseline to assist with the following:

Execute mission and business activities

Provide additional information needed for operations

Research new technologies needed to support operations

Provide assistance with implementing new processes and technologies to support changing business activities.

This membership includes benefits crucial to making effective investments, supporting business objective alignments and the application of enterprise-wide Information Technology standards and processes as part of CIO’s integrated model -- the most critical of these being the access to content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to patient care.

As a result, the Government intends to issue a Firm Fixed Price contract for a one (1) year Base

Period membership subscription with two (2) Option Periods for memberships to the Healthcare

Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). The anticipated period of performance is:

Base Period: 12/1/14 – 11/30/15

Option Period 1: 12/1/15 – 11/30/16

Option Period 2: 12/1/16 – 11/30/17

The total estimated cost of this acquisition is approximately $450,000, using FY15 Operations and

Maintenance (O&M) funds, ($150,000 for the Base Period and each Option Period). This amount provides:

Exclusive access to HIMSS e-Learning Academy for 200 seats, which provides online learning opportunities for health IT professionals with over 1,000 archived session recordings, health IT-focused courses, as well as IT courses for non-IT professionals-without the cost of travel;

Access to more than 200 implementation guides, toolkits, checklists, white papers, and presentations;

150 full registrations to HIMSS U.S.-based continuing education events (used on a first come, first served basis) along with other benefits identified in Volume II-Technical;

o 35 registrations to HIMSS national events (e.g., mHealth Summit in Washington

DC);

o 55 registrations to HIMSS local chapter events (e.g., Texas HIMSS Regional

Conference in San Antonio TX, Midwest Technology Conference, etc.); and o 60 registrations to the HIMSS15 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago, IL, April 12 -16, 2015 (can be used by DHA members approved to attend and those that decide to attend and fund out-of-pocket).

4. Statutory Authority Cited: The statutory authority identified for this requirement is 10 U.S.C

2304(c) (1) as implemented in FAR Subpart 6.302-1 “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.”

5. Reason for Authority Cited: HIMSS is a cause-based; not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. HIMSS represents more than 38,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: This sole source requirement will be posted as a Notice of Intent to

Make an Award on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website in accordance with FAR Part

6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(B). A RFI/Sources Sought waiver is part of this acquisition and approved by Head of

Contracting Activity on October 27, 2014.

Based on the below market research that was conducted, only one source, HMISS is the only capable source available to provide membership services as required.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: Based on the market research, it is the Contracting Officer’s determination that the anticipated cost to the Government for this requirement will be fair and reasonable.

Through market research it was determined that membership services to HMISS can only be obtained through HIMSS on a Firm Fixed Price contract at a fair and reasonable cost. Membership services were provided by HIMSS in FY14 in the amount of $300,000. There will be a reduction in the amount of memberships for FY15 due to DoD Travel restrictions resulting in a $150,000 decrease in cost.

8. Market Research: The Government’s market research identified Healthcare Information and

Management Systems Society (HIMSS) as the sole provider/supplier for membership services. No other sources of these products/services exist and the Government has used these services in past years. Market research is included below.

Market research was conducted by technical experts in September 2014. This research consisted of reviews of previous procurements for these types of organizational memberships used for network, educational and Health Information Technology partnership expansion. Research showed that HIMSS is an exclusive organization without any competition and operates as a non-for-profit organization. HIMSS is an industry leader in healthcare practices as its board members are top executives in both vendor companies and healthcare provider systems—who serve a three-year term to help grow and lead the industry. Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs have jointly concluded that HIMSS’ analytics provides comprehensive healthcare data and research that supports improved decision making for

Government and outside Agencies. The Government’s technical experts determined that HIMSS is the only source that can meet the Government’s minimum requirements. If the Government did not procure this membership and opted to let individuals register for the annual conference on their own, the

Government would pay $695 per registration. This subscription would offer the Government 150 complementary memberships which would cost $417,000 which is $117,000 more than the $300,000 cost of the subscription and also provides unlimited individual memberships to the Government.

9. Other Facts: HIMSS is a cause-based; not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. HIMSS represents more than 38,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care.

10. Interested Sources: N/A

11. Methods to overcome barriers: DHA COD will continue to conduct ongoing market research to identify additional sources. It is not possible for the Government to develop competitive specification as this membership services are copyrighted and the membership services are propriety to HIMSS.