Justification - VoiceTranscription Final_Redacted.pdf

05/12/2022

Subject: Medical Transcription Software licensing

As outlined under FAR 13.106-1(b), for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold the contracting officer may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization). The supporting facts supporting this determination are provided in this memorandum as required by FAR 13.106-3(b)(3)(i)

Clinicians at many Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities use Dragon Medical Practice Edition (DMPE) medical speech recognition software to complete the documentation required for patient care. Clinicians who use DMPE rely on it to facilitate efficient navigation of and documentation in their electronic health record system. Some of these clinicians may have physical barriers to typing notes, while for others it is a matter of efficiency in extremely busy patient care settings. DMPE is a key element in the workflows of these clinicians.

IHS hospitals and clinics currently have approximately 500 active licenses for DMPE, but these licenses are at substantial risk because of the circumstances described below. Many licenses have expired, and many more will continue to expire unless the agency can implement this short-term solution. In addition to the risk to existing licenses, IHS has been unable to provision new users, or re-provision existing users with expired licenses; a reasonable near-term estimate for new DMPE licenses across the IHS is 200.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service Division of Acquisition Policy

5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857

Indian Health Services (IHS) SUBJECT: Medical Transcription Software Licensing part of Nuance created an urgent need for a stopgap approach that will not leave IHS users without a medical speech recognition solution.

Contracting Officer