RFI - HICBA Encoder.pdf

Request for Information (RFI) 36C10B25Q0365

THIS IS A RFI ONLY. This request is for planning purposes only, and does not constitute a Request for Quote, a Solicitation, or an indication that the Government will award a contract for the items contained in this RFI.

This notice is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. The Government does not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submission of the information being requested or, reimburse expenses incurred for responses to this RFI. Companies are encouraged to respond if they have the capability and/or capacity to provide the items identified below. Respondents should identify their company name, address, email, telephone number and a name and telephone number of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with government representatives. Respondents are requested to identify the applicable contract vehicle, contracts and any additional information applicable to this RFI. Submissions are due NO LATER THAN June 30, 2025 at 10:00 am Eastern and may be made by submitting your response through email response to the Contract Specialist Samantha McIntyre via email at Samantha.McIntyre2@va.gov and the Contracting Officer Peter T. Lewandowski via e-mail at Peter.Lewandowski@va.gov. This RFI notice is part of the Government’s market research, a continuous process for obtaining the latest information from industry, with respect to their current and near-term abilities. If there are not multiple responses to this RFI from preferred socioeconomic categories, any future RFQs for this requirement will be open to ALL vendors under the applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. The Government requests information regarding whether vendors can provide any/all of the products identified, please see the attached Draft Performance Work Statement (PWS).

The NAICS for this requirement is 541512. The Small Business Size Standard $34.0 million.

Small Business companies with the capability to perform this requirement, in total or in part, are encouraged to participate. If you are interested only in subcontracting opportunities, please indicate this fact clearly in your submission. If you believe a different NAICS code better applies to the requirements required under this RFI, please include your suggestions in your response to the RFI. Please indicate your company size and socio-economic status for applicable NAICS codes.

Be advised that set-aside decisions may be made based on the information provided in response to this RFI. Responses should be as complete and informative as possible.

mailto:Samantha.McIntyre2@va.gov

REQUIREMENT

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Information and Technology, Health Information Management Office, is seeking to identify potential sources capable of providing a comprehensive Health Information Coding, Billing and Auditing (HICBA) Encoder Software Solution and Support Services for Health Information Management functions, including coding, billing, and auditing support. VA requires an encoder solution to support medical coding, billing, and auditing for inpatient, outpatient, and professional services across its national healthcare system. The solution must align with industry standards and government compliance regulations and should integrate with VA’s existing electronic health record (EHR) systems and legacy system such as Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture. The Encoder software must support up-to-date coding sets such as International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9 and 10, ICD 9 and Clinical Modifications, ICD 10 Procedure Coding System, Current Procedural Terminology, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, Medicare Severity- Diagnosis Related Groups, and All Patient Refined-Diagnosis Related Groups, incorporate auditing functionality, and enable integration with VA systems through secure and compliant data exchange mechanisms. VA seeks information on commercially available software solution that can:

• Improve the accuracy and efficiency of medical coding

• Support auditing and billing compliance

• Integrate with EHRs and legacy systems, and downstream billing systems

• Provide robust technical support and training

• Scale across VA medical centers nationwide

The Contractor shall provide the specific deliverables described within the performance period stated in Section 5.0 through 5.6.2 of the PWS. VA is contemplating a firm-fixed-price contract for 1 12-month base period of HICBA Encoder Software Solution and Support Services from the date of award, with 4 12-month option periods and 5 optional tasks of the attached PWS. This contract is not expected to exceed five years.

RFI RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

Note: Offer a capability package that is clear, concise, and comprehensive. VA is not obligated to provide feedback to the company or to contact the company for clarification on any information submitted in response to this RFI.

There is a page limitation for this RFI of 15 pages or less. The Government will not review any other information or attachments included, that are in excess of the 15-page limit (Page count excludes the cover page, title pages, and table of contents). Vendors may also submit additional information not specifically requested above, which would provide value and insight to the Government. NO MARKETING MATERIALS ARE ALLOWED AS PART OF THIS RFI.

Generic capability statements will not be accepted or reviewed. Your response must address capabilities specific to the services required in the attached draft PWS and must include the following:

a. Interested Vendors shall at a minimum, provide the following information in the initial paragraph of the submission:

Name of Company Unique Entity Identifier System for Award Management (ueiSAM) under which the company is registered in SAM/VetBiz.Gov CAGE Code Address Point of Contact Name Phone Number Fax Number Email address Company Business Size and Socioeconomic Status If your business is an 8a, please provide your cognizant small business office and small business representative's information Existing Contractual Vehicles the contractor holds for providing these services (GWAC, FSS, other agency GWACs or MAC, etc.)

For Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), proof of certification in the U.S. Small Business Administration website.

For SDVOSB / VOSB concerns, indicate whether at least 50 percent of the cost of performance incurred is planned to be expended for employees of your concern or employees of other eligible SDVOSB/VOSB concerns:

NAICS code(s) Socioeconomic data

UEI

Existing Contractual Vehicles the contractor holds for providing these services (GWAC, FSS, other agency GWACs or MAC, etc.)

Do you anticipate proposing as a prime contractor?

Will you be using subcontractors with this effort?

All responses should be submitted electronically using PDF with subject line “RFI Response – HICBA Encoder Software Solution – Company Name” and submitted NO LATER THAN June 30 2025, at 10:00 am Eastern. Submissions may be made by submitting your response through email response to Samantha.McIntyre2@va.gov and Peter.Lewandowski@va.gov. Total e‐mail file limit size is restricted to 5MB. Files exceeding this threshold must be submitted over multiple email messages, and be identified as "Email #x of #y."

mailto:Samantha.McIntyre2@va.gov

RESPONSES:

If you can provide the necessary supplies or services, please respond to this RFI certifying capability.

NOTE: Offer a capability package that is clear, concise, and comprehensive. VA is no obligated to provide feedback to the company or to contact the company for clarification on any information submitted in response to this RFI.

The following information details the Government’s intent and requests information for this acquisition:

Included with your response, VA requires a reply to each of the questions posted below;

responses should be as complete and informative as possible:

Please do not submit general marketing information for capability statements.

a. Describe how your proposed Encoder Software Solution meets the requirements of PWS Sections 5.2 through 5.6.2.

b. Is the proposed Encoder Software Solution presently in use at VA?

c. Although not specified in the draft PWS, is the suggested Encoder Software Solution VA

Enterprise Cloud or FedRAMP authorized or approved?

d. What are the primary technical advantages of the suggested Encoder Software Solution, such as customization and scalability?

e. Please identify any proprietary restrictions associated with your proposed Encoder

Software Solution that VA should be aware of. This includes, but is not limited to, limitations related to specific hardware, firmware, operating systems, or other technical dependencies that may affect deployment, integration, or operation within the VA enterprise environment.

f. Does the proposed Encoder Software Solution include modern technology capabilities like Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Process Automation, etc.?

g. Are there any constraints or risks you see in implementing your solution for large, decentralized federal health system like the VA?

h. Provide your previous experience supporting Encoder Software Solutions for federal healthcare agencies or large hospital systems. Please provide examples of successful Encoder Software Solution implementations.

i. Do you have any issues, concerns, or need clarification on the PWS?

j. Does the draft PWS adequately state the technical and functional requirements for software development and production operations support services in this effort?

______ YES _______ NO (if no, answer the next question).

k. If “NO”, please give technical comments/recommendations on the draft PWS sections to improve proposal accuracy and efficiency.

l. Based on the draft PWS, please provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate for your proposed Encoder Software Solution. The ROM should reflect anticipated pricing over a multi-year period (e.g., base year plus four option years), and include all relevant cost elements such as software licensing, implementation, training, technical support, and any optional features or modules.

Please indicate any pricing assumptions, license models (e.g., user-based, enterprise, concurrent), and volume-based pricing tier if applicable.

Please note that this request is for market research purposes only and is not a request for formal pricing.

DISCLAIMER

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is market as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued.

Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All government and contractor personnel reviewing submitted responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described 41 USC 423. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified.