RFI Document.pdf

Request for Information (RFI): Statewide Newborn Screening Surveillance System TO: All Interested Vendors RE: Request for Information Date: Dec 6th, 2024

The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) is seeking information regarding a comprehensive statewide newborn screening surveillance system. The system is expected to facilitate the collection, integration, management, and monitoring of data from multiple sources, including vital records, hospitals, audiologists, midwives, and the Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory. Currently, the DOH processes approximately 12,000 newborns annually, each requiring both bloodspot and hearing screenings.

The objective of this Request for Information (RFI) is to gather knowledge about available surveillance systems, their technical capabilities, features, scalability, interoperability, and associated costs. This RFI is strictly exploratory, intended to understand the current market landscape and potential solutions. The information collected will help inform the design and scope of a future Request for Proposals (RFP), should the department decide to pursue procurement.

Participation in this RFI does not constitute a commitment by the DOH to procure any services, supplies, or solutions.

1. Key Considerations for Respondents This RFI is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a commitment, intent, or promise by the

State of South Dakota to procure any services, supplies, or solutions.

Responses to this RFI are intended solely to support the evaluation of potential systems and their suitability for statewide implementation and do not result in any contractual obligation.

All information submitted will be treated as confidential and will become the property of the State of South

Dakota.

2. Submission Guidelines:

Responses should focus on system features, compatibility with existing newborn screening workflows, data integration capabilities, and estimated costs for implementation and long-term maintenance.

Vendors are advised that no compensation will be provided for costs incurred during the preparation and submission of responses to this RFI.

2.1 Important Deadlines

Responses must be received no later than 5:00 PM Central Standard Time, Friday, January 10th, 2025, at the following address:

Newborn Screening Surveillance System – RFI Response South Dakota Department of Health Att.: Fabricia Latterell 402 S Main St., Aberdeen, SD 57401

Electronic mail responses may be sent to Fabricia Latterell at fabricia.latterell@state.sd.us with the subject line "Newborn Screening Surveillance System – RFI Response" by 5 pm CT, Friday, January 10th, 2025.

Procedural, administrative, technical, requirement, or contractual questions and answers may be directed to the Point of contact listed above.

We appreciate your response to this request.

mailto:fabricia.latterell@state.sd.us

3. Purpose The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to explore potential solutions for a comprehensive newborn screening surveillance system. This RFI is strictly exploratory, intended to understand the current market landscape and potential solutions to inform the design and scope of a future Request for Proposals (RFP). Participation in this RFI does not constitute a commitment by the DOH to procure any services, supplies, or solutions.

4. Capabilities The South Dakota Department of Health seeks the following capabilities in the newborn screening surveillance system to ensure efficient, accurate, and secure data management, reporting, and integration:

4.1 Integrated Management and Scalability

Support integrated management of both hearing and bloodspot screening conditions within one unified system.

Foster streamlined data collection, analysis, and reporting across all screening types for operational efficiency.

Support continuous updates and scalability, including the capability to add new conditions (such as critical congenital heart defects [CCHD] and vision screening) or extended follow-up, to address evolving public health needs, legislative mandates, and additional data requirements.

4.2 Role-Based User Accounts

Provide functionality to create and manage user accounts with distinct security settings and role-based access controls.

Include varying levels of access (e.g., administrator, data analyst, program manager, primary care providers, audiologists, specialists, follow-up nurses, etc.), ensuring sensitive data is protected while enabling authorized users to perform their respective functions.

Enable specialists to access screening results previously entered by newborn nurseries for context and continuity of care (e.g., audiologists, geneticists, etc.).

Require audit trails and activity logs for user actions to maintain accountability and enhance security.

4.3 Data Management and Integration

Include a robust foundational registry to effectively store and manage data related to newborn screening.

Ensure compliance with the Newborn Screening Coding and Terminology Guide to standardize data classification, coding, and reporting practices.

Enable seamless integration and interoperability with other systems, such as Electronic Vital Records, MyInsight, OpenELIS, and HealthLink, to facilitate secure and efficient data sharing.

4.4 Direct Data Integration from Hospital Screening Equipment Enable hospitals to send hearing screening data directly from screening devices using secure data transfer protocols, such as HL7 messaging or FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources).

Include error-checking and validation mechanisms to ensure the accuracy and completeness of transmitted data.

4.5 Manual Data Entry for Screening-Related Information

Provide the capability for facilities without electronic data submission capacity to manually enter newborn screening-related information directly into the system, including, but not limited to, screening and diagnostic results.

Provide the capability of enrolling new infants manually, after the perinatal period, for those who moved from other states to South Dakota and need follow-up.

Ensure the manual entry process is user-friendly and includes validation checks to minimize data entry errors.

Include configurable forms that align with standardized screening data fields for consistency and accuracy.

4.6 Document Upload and Processing

Include functionality to receive, store, and process scanned documents, such as PDFs, to support program requirements like receiving refusal forms or supplemental documents.

Incorporate Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to extract and validate information from scanned documents when applicable, reducing manual input and improving efficiency.

Ensure secure document handling and storage, with metadata tagging for easy retrieval and integration into the newborn screening database.

4.7 Data Matching with Vital Records

Implement a robust data-matching feature to link blood spot and hearing screening results with birth and death data.

Ensure high accuracy in matching through multi-field validation (e.g., date of birth, mother’s name, hospital name) and flagging potential mismatches for manual review.

4.8 Integration with a Data Lake Architecture

Enable connection to a data lake, leveraging scalable storage solutions to support the ingestion, integration, and analysis of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data.

Include support for secure API integration and adhere to data governance protocols to ensure compatibility and secure data sharing within the broader health data ecosystem.

Provide advanced querying capabilities and compatibility with modern data analytics tools to enhance insights derived from newborn screening data.

4.9 Legacy Data Storage and Management

Incorporate functionality to securely store and manage legacy data from previous systems.

Enable easy access to historical records for trend analysis, audits, and compliance reporting.

Include data archiving capabilities to preserve older records in compliance with data retention policies.

4.10 Advanced Reporting Tools

Provide a module capable of generating customizable reports tailored to the needs of various stakeholders (e.g., program administrators, healthcare providers, policymakers).

Include reporting capabilities for key performance indicators (KPIs), screening outcomes, follow-up rates, and overall program effectiveness.

5. RFI Response Instructions The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) invites all interested providers to submit a detailed, point-by-point response to the following questions. Responses should not exceed 10 pages and should provide clear and comprehensive information addressing the DOH’s needs.

The DOH encourages vendors to respond even if they are unable to provide all the capabilities described above. Partial solutions or specialized expertise in specific areas are valuable and may be considered as part of a broader implementation strategy. Your input will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of available options and potential collaborations.

5.1 Proposal Overview

Summarize your proposed approach for developing a newborn screening information system tailored to the needs of the DOH.

Highlight the key features and benefits of your solution.

5.2 Experience and Expertise

Provide a summary of your experience in delivering similar statewide newborn screening services.

Include examples of past projects, particularly those with similar scope and complexity.

5.3 Project Timeline

Outline your estimated time frames for completing the project, including key milestones for system development, testing, and full implementation.

5.4 Scope of Work

Describe the scope of work you would propose for the project, including key deliverables, system functionalities, and stakeholder engagement activities.

5.5 Additional Considerations

Share any recommendations or considerations you believe are critical for the successful creation and implementation of the newborn screening information system.

5.6 Training and Support

Describe your capacity and prior experience in delivering user training and developing training materials for statewide users.

Include examples of training methodologies, materials, and ongoing support you have provided in previous projects.

6. Cost Information The DOH invites all interested providers to submit cost information for the items described below. Vendors are not expected to provide exact quotes at this stage; instead, indicative and realistic ranges or estimates are encouraged to help the DOH gain a clearer understanding of the general cost landscape. Vendors are encouraged to provide assumptions underpinning their cost estimates, such as system complexity, expected user volume, or staff training requirements. This will help the DOH evaluate realistic cost scenarios and potential variables. Cost estimates should reflect anticipated startup, maintenance, and scalability expenses, while also highlighting potential variations for optional features or service enhancements:

6.1 System Startup and Implementation

Include costs for the initial development and deployment of the newborn screening system, encompassing both bloodspot and hearing screening functionalities.

6.2 Ongoing Maintenance Costs

Provide estimates for routine system maintenance, support services, and updates to ensure operational reliability.

6.3 Costs for Modifications

Include costs associated with system modifications required to accommodate the inclusion of new conditions or changes to the requirements of existing conditions within the South Dakota Newborn Screening Panel due to legislative mandates or program expansions.

6.4 Additional Features or Services

Detail pricing for any features or services beyond the standard capabilities described, including optional enhancements or advanced functionalities.