maternal mortality over time with up to date data and gauge the impact of interventions, such as Perinatal Collaboratives and the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, on maternal health outcomes. Data from 2026 and subsequent calendar years gathered and distributed within a 12-month period of the data becoming available is needed to enable OWH and HHS to update programs and policies that will make the most significant impact on maternal health outcomes. OWH leads policy development, implementation and programmatic efforts based on evidence-based data and seeks access to up-to-date, nationally representative maternal health and infant health data including morbidity and mortality data with geographical trends over time as well as infant health data and analysis to inform our policy and programs. OWH is seeking access to standardized inpatient data and analysis of this data. The period of performance is for a base period of 12 months with four 12-month option periods.

Performance of this requirement requires more than the delivery of a static commercial data file. The contractor must provide access to a sufficiently large historical and current healthcare dataset, maintain the source data and associated data infrastructure, apply data quality and validation processes, maintain continuity in variables and source systems across the required period of analysis, and provide technical and analytic expertise concerning the structure and appropriate use of the underlying data.

For this requirement, HHS requires a data source capable of supporting analyses involving, at a minimum:

• inpatient, hospital-based outpatient, and emergency department encounters;

• longitudinal historical data sufficient to evaluate trends over multiple years;

• patient and encounter characteristics necessary to support appropriate stratification and analysis;

• healthcare utilization and treatment information;

• hospital and facility characteristics relevant to the analyses;

• sufficient volume and geographic breadth to support national-level and subgroup analyses;

• consistent data definitions, normalization, quality-control, and validation processes across the period under study; and

• the ability to obtain technical assistance and analytic support from personnel familiar with the provenance, structure, limitations, and appropriate interpretation of the data.

4. Statutory Authority Cited and Rationale:

a. FAR 6.103-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1).

Based on market research conducted for this acquisition, HHS has determined that Premier Healthcare Solutions, Inc. is the only identified responsible source capable of satisfying the Government's independently defined minimum data and analytical requirements. The Premier Healthcare Database is presently the only data source identified through market research that provides the required combination of historical continuity, encounter types, geographic and facility breadth, clinical and utilization variables, data-quality controls, recurring updates, and associated technical and analytic support.

The Premier Healthcare Database contains healthcare information furnished to Premier through its hospital and healthcare-system relationships and maintained within Premier’s proprietary data environment. According to information reviewed during market research, the PHD is the only research database that contains more than one billion patient encounters across inpatient and hospital-based outpatient settings and represents data supplied by more than 1,000 U.S. hospitals.

The Government’s need is not satisfied merely by obtaining access to any large commercial healthcare database. HHS requires the specific combination of historical continuity, encounter types, data structure, linked datasets, facility participation, clinical and utilization variables, and analytic capability necessary to perform the fertility-related analyses contemplated by this acquisition.

Premier is uniquely situated to satisfy this requirement for the following reasons:

First, proprietary control of the required source data. Premier owns, controls, or otherwise possesses the rights necessary to provide the Government with access to the PHD and its associated data environment. HHS’s market research did not identify another contractor authorized to provide the Government with the same research database, at the required level of completeness, directly or through an authorized reseller or other arrangement.

Second, historical continuity. The initiative requires analysis of trends over an extended period.

The PHD maintains historical data from 2008 – present, using Premier’s data collection, standardization, mapping, normalization, and quality-control methodologies. Substitution of an unrelated commercial dataset would result in a different hospital population, data lineage, variable definitions, coding practices, historical coverage, and methodology and therefore would not provide the same longitudinal dataset required for the contemplated analyses.

Third, integration of current and historical data. HHS requires continued access to historical information together with updated data to assess changes over time. Premier maintains the processes by which new source data are ingested, standardized, validated, and incorporated into the PHD. Another vendor could not independently update or recreate Premier’s proprietary historical database without access to Premier’s source feeds, data architecture, mappings, and underlying contractual/data-use rights.

Fourth, knowledge of the data’s provenance and limitations. Appropriate interpretation of real-world healthcare data requires detailed knowledge of source-system variation, data mapping, changes in participating facilities, coding practices, missingness, normalization, and other methodological limitations. Premier maintains the technical knowledge and documentation associated with its proprietary database and is therefore able to support appropriate use and interpretation of the PHD for this requirement.

Fifth, no equivalent source was identified through market research. HHS conducted market research, held discussions with industry, referenced similar requirements for historical acquisition methods, and publicized its intent to award on a sole-source basis to determine whether other responsible sources could satisfy the requirement. The Government specifically provided industry with an opportunity to submit information demonstrating an ability to meet the requirement. No healthcare data vendor or analytics contractor submitted a capability statement demonstrating access to the PHD or an alternate dataset satisfying all the Government’s stated minimum requirements.

The sole-source determination is therefore not based solely on Premier’s status as the incumbent contractor, convenience, familiarity with the requirement, or a preference for Premier’s products or services. Rather, the determination is based on Premier’s control of the required proprietary data source and the Government’s determination, following market research, that no other identified source can provide the combination of data access and related capabilities necessary to satisfy the Government’s minimum requirements.

Accordingly, HHS has determined that Premier Healthcare Solutions, Inc. is the only responsible source presently identified that can satisfy the Government’s requirements.

b. FAR 6.103 2, Unusual and compelling urgency. Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(2).

Not applicable

c. FAR 6.103 3, Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3).

Not applicable

d. FAR 6.103-4, International Agreement. Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(4).

Not applicable

e. FAR 6.103 5, Authorized or Required by Statute. Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(5).

Not applicable

f. FAR 6.103 6, National Security. Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(6).

Not applicable

g. FAR 6.103-7, Public Interest. Authority: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(7).

Not applicable

5. Special Considerations for Certain Contract Extensions or Bridge Contracts:

Not applicable. This action is for a new contract and is not being justified as a bridge contract or extension of the predecessor contract.

6. Actions to Increase Competition:

a. A Notice Was Published:

In accordance with applicable FAR Part 5 publicizing requirements, HHS published a Notice of Intent to Sole Source on SAM.gov from July 27, 2026, through August 3, 2026.

The notice advised industry of the Government’s contemplated sole-source acquisition and provided interested parties an opportunity to submit information or capability statements demonstrating their ability to satisfy the Government’s requirement.

b. Responses Were Received:

No responses were received expressing interest in the contract.

c. Sources Expressing Interest:

No responses were received expressing interest in the contract.

d. Actions to Foster Competition for Future, Similar Requirements:

HHS recognizes that reliance on a proprietary commercial healthcare database may limit competition when future requirements specify data or capabilities available only from the owner or authorized provider of that database. Before any subsequent acquisition for the same or similar requirement, the program office and contracting activity will reassess the Government’s minimum requirements and conduct market research to determine whether competition can be increased.

Subject to future programmatic requirements and available market capabilities, HHS anticipates considering the following actions:

1. Conduct market research early in the acquisition-planning process to identify new or expanded commercial healthcare databases, data aggregators, data-sharing arrangements, or analytic platforms that may satisfy HHS’s requirements.

2. The inclusion of option periods does not constitute a determination that continued sole-source performance will remain necessary throughout the entire potential period of performance. Before exercising each option, the Contracting Officer, in coordination with the program office, will assess whether the underlying circumstances supporting this justification continue to exist, review updated market information as appropriate, and determine whether exercise of the option remains in the Government's best interest. If market research identifies an alternative source capable of satisfying the Government's minimum requirements and competition can reasonably be conducted without unacceptable interruption to the requirement, HHS will evaluate whether a competitive acquisition should be initiated rather than continuing sole-source performance.

3. Issue a Sources Sought Notice or Request for Information sufficiently in advance of the next acquisition to obtain industry feedback regarding available datasets, data elements, historical coverage, facility representation, analytic capabilities, interoperability, and licensing arrangements.

4. Evaluate requirements on a capability-based rather than vendor-specific basis wherever practicable by defining the minimum required data elements, historical period, encounter types, update frequency, population coverage, analytic functionality, and data-quality characteristics without specifying a particular proprietary product unless the particular data source remains essential to the Government’s need.

5. Assess whether portions of the requirement can be separated so that functions not inherently dependent upon proprietary PHD access—such as certain analytic, visualization, program-management, methodological, or reporting functions—may be competed separately if doing so is technically feasible, economical, and in the Government’s best interest.

6. Evaluate alternative data sources to determine whether emerging commercial or Government datasets can provide sufficiently comparable information to satisfy future HHS objectives without requiring use of the PHD.

7. Consider data portability and Government-use requirements in future acquisition planning, where legally and commercially feasible, to reduce unnecessary dependence on a single contractor or proprietary analytic environment.

8. Document the results of future market research and reassess whether Premier remains the only responsible source before pursuing any subsequent noncompetitive acquisition.

These actions are intended to identify and, when practicable, reduce barriers to future competition. They do not presume that an alternative source will necessarily become available;

rather, HHS will reassess the marketplace and its minimum requirements before any subsequent acquisition.

7. Market Research:

Market research was conducted to determine whether commercial sources other than Premier could satisfy the Government’s minimum requirements for the HHS Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Data and Analysis Initiative.

The program office considered the government’s need and the research data required to meet that need. The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) conducted extensive market research from

May 29, 2026 to August 10, 2026, evaluating multiple commercial healthcare data sources to determine their ability to meet the Government’s minimum requirements for access to up-to-date, nationally representative, standardized health data on women and infants, births, inpatient, and outpatient services. This initiative is designed to identify longitudinal trends and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the impact of implementing highly reliable, evidence-based interventions on health outcomes. Market research did not identify any small-business concern, large-business concern, reseller, data aggregator, or other source with authorized access to the PHD or an alternative dataset demonstrated to satisfy all of the Government's minimum requirements. The NOI did not return any responses from industry. For purposes of the maternal morbidity and mortality initiative, HHS requires a data source possessing the following minimum characteristics:

• 10 years of historical data;

• inpatient, outpatient, and emergency-department encounter information;

• diagnosis and procedure information necessary to identify morbidity and mortality-related maternal health conditions;

• sufficient historical consistency to support longitudinal trend analyses;

• facility and patient characteristics required for the planned analyses;

• recurring/current data updates during contract performance;

• sufficient breadth and volume to support the intended national and subgroup analyses;

• established data-quality and validation procedures;

• documentation necessary to understand changes in source data and variables over time; and

• technical and analytic support from personnel knowledgeable regarding the underlying dataset.

Market research did not identify another source capable of providing access to the same PHD data or another source demonstrated to satisfy all the Government’s minimum requirements.

The Government further tested the marketplace by publishing its proposed sole-source action on SAM.gov from July 27, 2026, through August 3, 2026. No commercial healthcare data provider submitted a capability statement asserting that it could meet the requirement. No responses were submitted.

The Government therefore determined, based upon the information presently available, that Premier is the only identified source capable of providing the required PHD access and associated services

8. Procurement History:

Contractor:

Premier Healthcare Solutions, INC Contract or Order Number: 75P00122C00038 Award Date and Period of Performance: 09/30/2022 – 09/29/2027 Value (including all options): $38,962,393.00 Competitive Status: Other Than Full and Open Competition Authority formerly relied upon if not Competed: FAR 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, 41 U.S.C.

3304(a)(1)

The final year of the current contract (75P00122C00038) is focused solely on decommissioning hospitals from the Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Collaborative and also focused on transferring data over to the government. Based on programmatic results and the continuing need for current maternal morbidity and mortality data and analysis, OWH identified a follow-on requirement to continue and expand longitudinal analysis and evaluate the impact of maternal-health interventions. Final option period will not be exercised.

The predecessor contract is relevant to the Government’s acquisition history but is not, by itself, the basis for the current sole-source determination. The current determination is based on the requirements of the contemplated acquisition and market research conducted for the 2026 acquisition.

9. Additional Information or Other Facts:

Premier Healthcare Solutions, Inc. was awarded Contract No. 75P00122C00038 effective September 28, 2022, for services involving healthcare data and analytic capabilities related to the current requirement. Prior to that award, HHS published a Notice of Intent on SAM.gov from July 12, 2022, through July 20, 2022. The acquisition was awarded on a sole-source basis pursuant to the applicable “only one responsible source” authority.

For the contemplated 2026 acquisition, HHS did not rely solely on the prior sole-source determination. The program office reevaluated the requirement and the availability of alternative sources. Current market research, including the July 2026 SAM.gov notice, did not identify another source capable of providing access to the type of data sets needed to fulfil the requirement nor with access to PHD data and its associated capabilities.

The Government’s determination is specifically tied to the requirements described in this justification. Premier’s incumbency, prior performance, familiarity with HHS, or the potential administrative burden of transitioning to another contractor are not independently relied upon as justification for the contemplated sole-source award.