eCQM_Q's_ _A's.xlsx

XLSX spreadsheet 42 KB Posted Apr 27, 2015

Attached to: Electronic Clinical Quality Measures Standards and Support
Solicitation number: RFP-CMS-2015-151078
Issued by: Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

About this file

From the source

Amendment 1 Questions and Answers

View the file

Other files

File	Type	Posted
AMENDMENT_000001.docx	DOCX document	Apr 27, 2015
SF30_Amendment_000001.pdf	PDF	Apr 27, 2015
DRAFT_SOW_SOD.docx	DOCX document	Mar 17, 2015

On GovTribe

Work with this file

Download the original file
Contacts named in this file
Similar government files
Ask GovTribe AI about this file

Try for free Login

Text version

The file's text, extracted by GovTribe without its formatting.

e-CQM Q&A Request for Proposal RFP-CMS-2015-151078 Electronic Clinical Quality Measures Standards and Support Contract Amendment 0001 Responses to RFP Questions

	Question Number	Page Number	Section	Question	CMS Response
	1	14, 23	II. A. Task 2: QDM Maintenance and Management	When will the incumbent transitions plan be available?	When the contract is awarded.
	2	14	II.A.Task 2 - QDM Maintenance and Management	Task 2 provides for a transition period "which may last one to two months." Does this same transition period apply for knowledge transfer across the other tasks (1, 3, 4, 5)?	Yes, there will be a transition period/plan across all tasks where there is a current contractor supporting them.
	3	15	II.A. Task 2C – QDM Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration	Can we confirm that the QDM website is contained within the eCQI Resource Center?	The eCQI Resource Center has had a 'soft' go-live and the full functionality and content is not due to be finalized with the full go-live until later Spring 2015.
	4	15, 16	Task 2C: QDM Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration
(Deliverable 2Ciii)	“The Contractor will identify and work collaboratively with existing websites to host the QDM…The Contractor will submit a plan on how the QDM website will be maintained to ensure information is always current and relevant.”

Please confirm if the QDM will require that a new website be established, or if the Contractor will be working with an existing website on the maintenance and management of the content needed to represent the QDM.	Confirmed: “The Contractor will identify and work collaboratively with existing websites to host the QDM…"
	5	17	II.A - Task 3: Update, Evaluate and Harmonize Standards for eCQMs and CDS	The sentence “Specifically, for AHRQ, lead and support work for CDS which includes but is not limited to:” Which of the following bullets does that refer to?	The CDS work could apply to all subtasks.
	6	17, 18	Task 3B: vMR & CDS Specific Standards	Can additional details be provided regarding the environmental scan of Patient Centered Outcomes Research as well as a Pilot use of the associated CDS artifacts are included in Task 3B:vMR & CDS Specific Standards? As this is in the Base Year, are the standards to be piloted what are currently being used prior to the execution of harmonized standards?	The contractor will work with CMS, AHRQ, and other subject matter experts to define and complete the environmental scan. Continuing this collaboration, the contractor will evaluate and understand the current state of standards and which standards should be recommended for the harmonization efforts.
	7	18	II.A. Task 3D – Stakeholder Communication, Collaboration & Response to Standards Issues	Can the stakeholder communications plan be budgeted under Task 3B?	The Task 3D communication activities are broader than the Task 3B communication activities.
	8	18	II.A. Task 3E – Standards Testing Support	How many testing reports should be budgeted?	The SOD states test cases monthly or as agreed upon by the COR, so monthly should be the minimum budgeted.
	9	18	II.A. Task 3E – Standards Testing Support	How many testing documents and test cases should be budgeted?	The SOD states test cases monthly or as agreed upon by the COR, so monthly should be the minimum budgeted. Test case numbers would depend upon what would be agreed upon by the COR and contractor as adequate for the various test scenarios.
	10	18	Task 3E: Standards Testing Support	Please confirm the contractor will be responsible for the creation of test cases, test scripts, schematrons, etc, but will not be responsible for executing the tests.	In order for these deliverables to be considered acceptable and accurate for use, the contractor should plan to perform some type of testing activities to determine their usefulness and accuracy.
	11	18	Task 3E: Standards Testing Support	How many different transmission specifications will the contractor need to create testing artifacts for?	The contractor should plan to create testing artifacts for all of the transmission specifications they update or create.
	12	19	Task 4: Provide Communications, Coordination and Collaboration with Stakeholders	Should the business proposal include pricing for the following:

· Organization / Individual membership to HL7

· Organization / Individual memberships to HIMSS

· Travel to all HL7 Working Group meetings within the United States

· Travel to the annual HIMSS Conference

· Travel to Lean Events hosted by CMS/ONC	yes.
	13	19	Task 4: Provide Communications, Coordination and Collaboration with Stakeholders	How many Lean Events are anticipated each year?	two.
	14	20	II.A - Task 4C	Can CMS provide guidance on the volume of inquiries to anticipate?	The volume varies based on the time of year, new vs. annual updated measures, etc. Recommend checking the site for past inquiries.
	15	21	II.A. Task 5A – Resource Center Update & Maintenance	Support for role-based access for internal and external users: how many classes of users are anticipated and what exists to support role differentiation?	This will be defined in the transition plan for the site.
	16	21	II.C4. HCQIS IT Hardware/Software Procurement	HL7 Work Group meetings and scheduled ballots occur 3 times a year. The deliverables related to HL7 are framed as 4x year. Would it be acceptable to anticipate coordination with the existing HL7 calendar and allowing for additional ad hoc or out of cycle sessions as needed?	yes.
	17	21, 22	Task 5A: Resource Center Update and Maintenance	Please confirm that the management of the current URL and domain name for the eCQI Resource Center will be transferred to the contractor upon award	yes.
	18	21, 22	Task 5A: Resource Center Update and Maintenance	Where is the eCQI Resource Center website currently being hosted?	CMS hosts the current site.
	19	21-22	II.A. Task 5A – Resource Center Update & Maintenance	Will the current contractor provide the necessary files and materials to allow the new contractor to maintain/revise, rather than recreate, the eCQI Resource Center website and functionalities.	Yes, the current contractor will provide a full transition plan with detailed information, with an opportunity to have meetings to discuss questions and issues with the current contractor.
	20	21-22	II.A. Task 5A – Resource Center Update & Maintenance	Could you please provide the technical stack (list of a technologies/ frameworks/ libraries/ tools) used in the building and deployment of As-Is and To-Be Resource Center?	This information will be provided in the transition plan upon award of the contract.
	21	21-22	II.A. Task 5A – Resource Center Update & Maintenance	Task 5A calls out for correcting any existing errors or required functional enhancements. Can you please provide a list of currently open issues in the backlog?	This information will be provided in the transition plan upon award of the contract.
	22	21-22	II.A. Task 5A – Resource Center Update & Maintenance	Please list all the integration points for the website listed in Task 5 with particular focus on any dynamic content that is presented on the website using those integration points.	This information will be provided in the transition plan upon award of the contract.
	23	21-22	II.A. Task 5A – Resource Center Update & Maintenance	Are their separate QA/Development and Production release environments available for Task 5. If so, please provide any functional differences that exist between them outside of access.	If CMS develops any open source tools that are hosted within the Resource Center, the contractor should provide the information or access for the tool on the Resource Center.
	24	21-22	II.A. Task 5A – Resource Center Update & Maintenance	What is meant by "Should provide access and information related to any open source projects CMS projects"? Is there an estimated number of open source projects the contractor should plan to support each quarter/year?	If CMS develops any open source tools that are hosted within the Resource Center, the contractor should provide the information or access for the tool on the Resource Center.
	25	22	C.4. HCQIS IT Hardware/Software Procurement	a. Is the offeror expected to take over all the current operations of the Resource Center in its entirety from the incumbent or just certain sections of the resource center?

b. Does the current contractor's transition plan currently exist and can it be provided to bidders?

c. Will the new contractor be required to rehost the Resource Center in a different environment (new or existing) or can it remain in its current environment?

d. Will the Resource Center logically remain a part of the HealthIT.gov? a. The new contractor will assume all responsibilities for the Resource Center as defined in the transition plan and directed by the COR. b. This information will be provided in the transition plan upon award of the contract.

c & d. Currently, CMS plans to maintain the Resource Center in the current CMS environment.

26	22	II.A. Task 5B – Training and Communication	How does Deliverable 5Bii (Create Resource Center documents for content maintenance and updating) differ from Deliverable 5Aiv (Create transition plan for upgrades/maintenance of Resource Center)	The 5bii assures that this ongoing record will be maintained throughout the year and will be ready to go into the Transition Plan.
27	52	G.9	Per section G.9 (Subcontract/Consultant Consent) of the RFP “consultants are considered subcontractors”. Does this mean that we need to complete Attachment J.1 Consent to Subcontract for every consultant?	Yes.
28	120	L.12 General Proposal Instructions	Please confirm that the 40-page limitation referenced for the technical proposal is limited soley Tab 1: Technical Approach.	No. The 40 page limit pertains to the entire technical proposal volume which includes technical approach, relevant personnel qualifications, management plan and project timeline, and recent organization and past performance with the exception of the areas that state it does not count against the page limit such as past performance, appendices and resumes.

Note: The page limit has been changed to 50.

29	120	L.12; General Proposal Instructions	The RFP limits 12 point TNR font. Will the Government allow smaller fonts and use of different fonts (eg, arial) to improve readability for tables (eg, past performance summary table) and illustrations (eg, organizational charts)?	Yes. For tables/graphs and illustrations only.
30	124	L.13. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS, Tab 2 (Relevant Personnel Qualifications)	RFP identifies 7 FTE’s associated with Key and other essential personnel. Does the Government anticipate this effort will require additional FTE over an above these 7 FTEs? If so, what is the government estimate for the total FTE’s requirement for this effort?	We anticipate additional staff being required besides the key personnel, but will wait to hear what the contractors propose.
31	126	L.13. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS, Tab 4, B (Past Performance)	RFQ reads "The Offeror and all its significant subcontractor(s) identified in the proposal are required to provide a summary to disclose all of the following for the past performance information with a period of performance end date within the last 3 years of the date of this solicitation”. Are offeror’s permitted to include past performance references for contracts that fall within this 3 year period, but where the contract end date is later than the date of this solicitation. In other words, are the offeror’s permitted to include contracts that are not yet complete as of the date of proposal submission?	Yes.
32	126	L.13. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS, Tab 4, B (Past Performance)	The bottom of page 126 reads: Offerors and proposed significant subcontractors without relevant Federal government past performance experience may ask customers to submit no more than three (3) Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) for the same or similar work directly to the Contracting Officer (See Attachment J.4). Does this mean that where the offeror’s past performance experience is sufficiently documented in the CPARS, no Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQ) are required?	These are not required. It is up to the offeror if they choose to have past performance questionnaires submitted. The RFP states "Offerors and proposed significant subcontractors without relevant Federal government past performance experience may ask customers to submit no more than three (3) Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) for the same or similar work"
33	126	L.13; B; Past Performance	Are offerors required to submit past performance information for all relevant contracts with a period of performance end date within the last three years of the date of this solicitation?	Yes, for all relevant and recent (within the last three years) contracts.
34	126	L.13; B; Past Performance	The RFP states: “Offerors and proposed significant subcontractors without relevant Federal government past performance experience may ask customers to submit no more than three (3) Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) for the same or similar work directly to the Contracting Officer.”

Are PPQs required for all relevant contracts/Task Orders?

What is the maximum number of PPQs which may be submitted by the offeror and its significant subcontractors?

Is it the Government’s intent for offerors to provide a summary table of all relevant past performance for the offeror and significant subcontractors and detailed relevancy information and associated PPQs for up to three (3) selected contracts? Please clarify past performance requirements. No. PPQ's are not required.

No more than three (3) Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) for the same or similar work may be submitted.

Please refer to Tab 4 on page 125 for past performance instructions. Also see the table on page 126.

35 128 L.14. BUSINESS PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS (I. Administrative and Management Data)(D. Approved Accounting and Estimating Systems ) RFP states "Offeror shall certify that they have approved accounting and estimating systems that are in compliance with applicable contract cost principles and procedures of FAR Part 31 as well as FAR Appendix A, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) in order to be considered for award of cost type contracts.”

Please clarify if a “determination of adequacy” is acceptable in lieu of “approval”. If not, please advise if offerors whose accounting and estimating system have yet to be reviewed for approval purposes by the cognizant audit agency are eligible for award, and/or if it is acceptable for an Independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or other qualified independent third party to verify that the offeror's accounting system complies with the FAR Appendix A, Cost Accounting Standards.

See Amendment for revised language.
36	128	L.14.I.D	The RFP requires that the contractor have an approved Estimating system. Our Accounting system has been approved and our practices used in estimating costs are consistent with our cost accounting practices used to accumulate, segregate, and report costs. Can you please let us know if an approved Accounting system that follows the above estimating practice will be sufficient in meeting this requirement?	See Amendment for revised language.
37	125-127	L.13 Technical Proposal Instructions, B. Past Performance	The instructions provided in the RFP appear to require the Offeror and its significant Subcontractor(s) to submit a table detailing “all CMS contracts/task orders greater than the simplified acquisition threshold” whose performance ended on/after May 7, 2015.

Would CMS consider targeting its request to only CMS contracts/task orders that are relevant to the RFP’s Statement of Work (‘SOW’)? This question is submitted in order for CMS to realize an efficiency given that Offerors and their significant Subcontractor(s) past performance submissions could easily encompass 100+ contracts/task orders of varying topicality to the Government’s acquisition.	The RFP asks only for relevant and recent (within the last three years) contracts.
	38	125-127	L.13 Technical Proposal Instructions, B. Past Performance	Would CMS provide additional insight concerning its Past Performance instructions in light of CMS’s access to the Contractor Performance Assessment Report (‘CPAR’) System, which contains a comprehensive analysis of an Offeror’s/significant Subcontractor’s performance on current and past contracts/task orders that were performed for CMS?	A summary of contracts still needs to be provided as instrcuted in the RFP so that CMS is able to find relevant contracts for your company in CPARS.
	39	125-127	L.13 Technical Proposal Instructions, B. Past Performance	Would CMS clarify whether the term “contracts/task orders,” as used in the past performance instructions, includes CMS-issued ordering vehicles (IDIQs, BPAs) as well as second-tier (or third-tier) subcontracts that have been issued to an Offeror/significant Subcontractor under a CMS-funded contract/task order.	Yes.
	40	125-127	L.13 Technical Proposal Instructions, B. Past Performance	Would CMS clarify whether it would Offerors to include contracts/task orders that have a period of performance which continues beyond May 7, 2015? Or must the list of contracts/task orders be limited to only work which has already ceased?	You can include current contracts/task orders that continue beyond May 7, 2015.
	41		General	Is development and maintenance of Bonnie and Cypress scope of this work?	No.
	42		General	Considering the comprehensive nature of the solicitation and the offeror’s responsibility to address all of the requirements, we respectfully request that the page limit on the technical proposal be increased from 40 to 50 pages.	Yes. See Amendment for revised language.
	43		General	Does CMS prefer that we budget at the task (e.g., Task 1, 2, 3, etc.) or subtask (e.g., Subtask 1Ai, 1Aii, etc.) level?	Task level.
	44		General	Who is/are the current incumbent(s) for this work?	Lantana Consulting Group & Mitre Corporation.
	45		General	Is/are the incumbents eligible to propose?	This contract is open to SBA qualified bidders.

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Nov 14, 2017.