STATEWIDE_HEALTH_INFORMATION_EXCHANGE_HEALTH_DATA_UTILITY_HIE_HDU-2026-10-01-21-19-04.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP Number: 3120003410

Statewide Health Information Exchange/Health Data Utility (HIE/HDU) Issue Date: October 2, 2026

CLOSING TIME AND DATE

Proposals must be received before:

3:00 pm CST, November 3, 2026

PROPOSAL COORDINATOR

Dorthy Young

Telephone: (601) 576-7954 E-mail: procurement@msdh.ms.gov

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Section 1 - Background, Authority and Purpose

The Mississippi State Department of Health (hereinafter “Agency," "MSDH," or "the State") has issued this solicitation (RFx number 3120003410) for the purpose of attaining sealed competitive proposals from qualified vendors to provide Statewide Health Information Exchange/Health Data Utility (HIE/HDU).

MSDH is initiating this competitive bid on behalf of the State to obtain a qualified Contractor to lead the establishment, development, operation, and maintenance of a connected, statewide HIE. The Contractor will deploy and manage HIE infrastructure that will serve traditional HIE functions during the initial phase of the contract, as well as serve as a foundation for the development of a state-directed HDU. The State’s vision for the HDU is grounded in the Consortium for State and Regional Interoperability (CSRI) HDU Capability Model.

CSRI defines an HDU as a "not-for- profit organization or state government entity with information exchange at its core and multi-stakeholder governance which, through its mission and function, seeks to meet the comprehensive health data delivery and analytics needs of a state's public and private sectors."

The Contractor is expected to operate an HIE that aggregates, enhances, and distributes health data as a public good. The HIE will serve eligible participants including providers, payers, public health agencies, community service providers, patients, and others authorized to access electronic health information. The facilitated exchange of health data through the HIE is expected to be patient-centric, technically interoperable, governed by clear participation rules, and built on recognized health-IT federally aligned standards outlined in this SOW and in Mandatory Requirements.

The Contractor will enable a strategically planned phased statewide, bidirectional clinical data exchange;

connect rural providers, hospitals, private providers, long-term care, behavioral health, emergency systems of care, and other care settings; and support public health and payer data needs during the period of the contract timeline. Core services must focus on improving care coordination across Mississippi’s systems of care including trauma response, shared access to clinical information, and a centralized imaging service.

The State aims to leverage the HIE/HDU to integrate incoming data sources bidirectionally with public health registries, surveillance programs, and emergency systems of care. The goal is to exchange data to close data gaps, capture data as close to real-time as required by the public health policy, and to share data from public health systems in a more sustainable manner over time that maximizes federal investment. Once the HIE is established, the State will coordinate with data experts in the community to progress data capture/sharing efficiencies, de-duplication, etc.

The HIE/HDU is ultimately expected to support future integration with broader data assets, such as an All-Payer

Claims Database, while preserving statutory boundaries around public health reporting and existing State-managed datasets.

The Agency desires to contract with an experienced vendor that possesses the necessary abilities and resources to provide the services specified within this Request for Proposal (RFP). The Agency seeks to enter into a multi-term, firm fixed price, requirements contract for the aforementioned services. This RFP, any amendment thereto, as well as the awarded vendor’s proposal, and any requested best and final offer shall constitute the Contract.

The initial period of performance of any contract resulting from this RFP will be from the date of execution through December 31, 2032. This is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about January 4, 2027 and to end on

December 31, 2032. The Agency reserves the right to renew the Contract at the sole discretion of the Agency.

Total compensation, including all change orders, shall not exceed the lifecycle amount authorized by ITS CP-1.

Services to be performed after September 30, 2031 are contingent on the availability of lawful funding, and

MSDH may terminate or reduce those services without penalty if funding is not available.

Authority

MSDH is a pass-through entity of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding with the State of

Mississippi. Information about the States RHTP technology initiatives, including HIE, can be found on the States website: Mississippi Rural Health Transformation Program - Mississippi RHT Program.

This RFP is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $205,990,180.16, with 99.96% funded by CMS/HHS ($205,907,220.16) and 0.04% funded by non-government sources ($82,960). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Procurement Goals and Objectives

The MSDH has established the following goals and objectives based on the current environment of healthcare in the State and the rapidly advancing technology and interoperability standards put forth by HHS, CMS, the

CDC, the ONC, and other key partners. The Vendor will propose to achieve MSDH goals and objectives, as listed in Table A-4 below.

https://mississippirhtp.com/

The RHTP is structured across five CMS-defined budget periods spanning Federal Fiscal Years 2026 through

2030. Consistent with current CMS guidance, this RFP assumes that obligated funds during each budget period will remain available for expenditure through the end of the subsequent federal fiscal year. Because CMS has not published a consolidated expenditure-period schedule for all five budget periods, the expenditure timeframes in Table A-2 are planning assumptions derived from current CMS guidance and should be validated against future award notifications, post-award guidance, and applicable federal requirements. Invoices shall cover only services performed within the invoiced period. MSDH will not prepay subscription, license, hosting, or operations fees.

Section 2 - Timeline

Request for Proposal Issue Date: October 2, 2026

Questions and Requests for Clarification to

Agency Deadline:

October 12, 2026, 3:00pm

Question Response Deadline: October 16, 2026, 3:00pm

Proposal Package Submission Deadline: November 3, 2026, 3:00pm

Open Proposals: November 3, 2026, 3:00pm

Evaluation of Proposals Begins: November 4, 2026

Anticipated Contract(s) Effective Date: December 30, 2026

Anticipated Services Begin: January 4, 2027

Section 3 - Contact and Questions/Requests for Clarification

3.1 Vendors must carefully review this solicitation, the Contract, risk management provisions, and all attachments for defects, questionable, or objectionable material.

3.2 The Agency will not be bound by any verbal or written information that is not contained within this RFP unless formally noticed and issued by the contact person as an RFP amendment. Vendors are cautioned that any statements made by agency personnel that materially change any portion of the proposal document shall not be relied upon unless subsequently ratified by a formal written addendum to the proposal document.

3.3 All vendor communications regarding this RFP must be directed through the Agency portal or to the designated Proposal Coordinator. Unauthorized contact regarding the RFP with other employees of the Agency may result in the vendor being disqualified, and the vendor may also be suspended, disbarred, or removed from consideration for award of contracts with the State of Mississippi for a period of two (2) years.

3.4 Pre-Proposal Conference, Tour, or Site Visit: No pre-proposal conference, tour, or site visit will be held for this RFP.

3.5 Acknowledgement of Amendments: Should an amendment to the RFP be issued, it will be posted on the

Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal website and the agency's website in a manner that all vendors will be able to view. Vendors must acknowledge receipt of any amendment to the solicitation by signing and returning the amendment with the proposal package, by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on the RFP amendment, or by letter. The acknowledgment should be received by the agency by the time, date, and at the place specified for receipt of proposals. It is the vendor’s sole responsibility to monitor the websites for any updates or amendments to the RFP. Questions and Answer document(s) and/or Summary of Pre-Proposal Conference, Tour, or Site Visit, if any are issued/posted on the

Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal website and the agency's website, must be treated the same as an RFP Amendment.

3.6 Vendors must provide a signed Acknowledgements of RFP Amendment(s), Questions and Answer document(s), and/or Summary of Pre-Proposal Conference, Tour, or Site Visit, if any were issued/posted on the

Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal website and the agency's website. From the issue date of this RFP until a Vendor is selected and the selection is announced, responding Vendors or their representatives may not communicate, either orally or in writing regarding this RFP with any statewide elected official, state officer or employee, member of the legislature or legislative employee except as noted herein. To ensure equal treatment for each responding Vendor, all questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to the State’s contact person for the selection process, and not later than the last date for accepting responding Vendor questions provided in this RFP. All such questions will be answered officially by the State in writing. All such questions and answers will become addenda to this RFP, and they will be posted to this portal.

Vendors failing to comply with this requirement will be subject to disqualification.

3.7 The RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, any amendments issued prior to the submission deadline, and any other documents released before contract award.

Section 4 - Solicitation Clauses

Acknowledgment of Amendments

Any interpretation of an State RFP will be made by written amendment only. The State will not be responsible for any other explanation of this RFP. A copy of any amendment will be posted on the Agency website, together with the associated RFP specification. Vendors are required to check the website periodically for RFP amendments before the proposal opening date at: Procurements/RFPs - Mississippi State Department of

Health.

Any and all amendments will be posted no later than noon, seven (7) calendar days prior to the proposal opening date listed on the cover page of this RFP. If you are unable to access the website, you may contact the procurement contact listed on the cover page of this RFP and request a copy.

Offeror shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to the RFP in writing. The acknowledgement shall be submitted acknowledging receipt of any amendment to the solicitation by signing and returning the amendment with the proposal package, by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on the proposal, or by letter. The acknowledgment should be received by the agency by the time, date, and at the place specified for receipt of proposals. It is the Offeror’s sole responsibility to monitor the websites for any updates or amendments to the RFP. Each Proposer, offeror or applicant shall submit a written acknowledgement of every amendment to the Agency on or before the submission deadline.

Applicable Law

The contract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Mississippi, excluding its conflicts of laws provisions, and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the courts of Mississippi.

Interchangeable Designations

The terms “Vendor” and “Contractor” are referenced throughout this RFP. Generally, references to the

“Vendor” are used in conjunction with the proposing organization and procurement process leading up to the final RFP selection and award. The term “Contractor” denotes the role assumed, post-award, by the winning

Vendor. Additionally, the terms “State of Mississippi,” “State” or “Agency” may be used interchangeably throughout this RFP to denote the political entity issuing the RFP and requesting responses from Vendors throughout these specifications.

Availability of Funds

It is expressly understood and agreed that the obligation of MSDH to proceed under this agreement is conditioned upon the appropriation of funds by the Mississippi State Legislature and the receipt the appropriated funds. If the funds anticipated for the continuing time fulfillment of the agreement are, at any time, not forthcoming or insufficient, regardless of the source of funding, MSDH shall have the right upon 10 business days written notice to Contractor, to terminate this agreement without damage, penalty, cost or expense to the MSDH of any kind whatsoever. The effective date of termination shall be as specified in the notice of termination.

https://msdh.ms.gov/page/19,0,205.html https://msdh.ms.gov/page/19,0,205.html

Certification of Independent Price Determination

By submitting a proposal the offeror certifies that the prices submitted in response to the solicitation have been arrived at independently and without any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other offeror or competitor for the purpose of restricting competition.

Compliance with Equal Opportunity In Employment Policy

Contractor understands that the MSDH is an equal opportunity employer and therefore, maintains a policy which prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, physical handicap, disability, genetic information, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. All such discrimination is unlawful, and Contractor agrees during the term of the agreement that Contractor will strictly adhere to this policy in its employment practices and provision of services.

Compliance with Laws

Contractor shall comply with, and all activities under this agreement shall be subject to, all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, as now existing and as may be amended or modified.

Contract Rights

Contract rights do not vest in any party until a contract is legally executed. The MSDH is under no obligation to award a contract following issuance of this solicitation.

E-Payment

Offeror agrees to accept all payments in United States currency via the State of Mississippi’s electronic payment and remittance vehicle. The Agency agrees to make payment in accordance with Mississippi “Timely Payments for Purchases by Public Bodies” laws, which generally provide for payment of undisputed amounts by the Agency within 45 calendar days of receipt of invoice. Mississippi Code Annotated § 31-7-301, et seq.

The State of Mississippi will deliver payments to the Vendor within forty-five (45) days after receipt of invoice and receipt, inspection, and approval of Vendor’s products/services. No late charges will exceed 1.5% per month on any unpaid balance from the expiration of said period until payment is delivered. See § 31-7-305 of the

Mississippi Code Annotated. Seller understands and agrees that Purchaser is exempt from the payment of taxes.

E-Verification and Mississippi Employment Verification Act

Effective July 1, 2008, Vendor acknowledges that if awarded, it will ensure its compliance with the Mississippi

Employment Protection Act, Section 71-11-1, et seq. of the Mississippi Code Annotated (Supp2008) and will register and participate in the status verification system for all newly hired employees. The term “employee” as used herein means any person that is hired to perform work within the State of Mississippi. As used herein, “status verification system” means the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 that is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, also known as the E-Verify Program, or any other successor electronic verification system replacing the E-Verify Program. Vendor will agree to maintain records of such compliance and, upon request of the State and approval of the Social Security

Administration or Department of Homeland Security, where required, to provide a copy of each such verification to the State.

Vendor acknowledges and certifies that any person assigned to perform services hereunder meets the employment eligibility requirements of all immigration laws of the State of Mississippi.

Vendor acknowledges that violating the E-Verify Program (or successor thereto) requirements subjects Vendor to the following: (a) cancellation of any state or public contract and ineligibility for any state or public contract for up to three (3) years, with notice of such cancellation being made public, or (b) the loss of any license, permit, certification or other document granted to Vendor by an agency, department or governmental entity for the right to do business in Mississippi for up to one (1) year, or (c) both. Vendor would also be liable for any additional costs incurred by the State due to contract cancellation or loss of license or permit.

Vendor’s Responsibility to Examine RFP

Vendors must examine all documents, forms, specifications, standard provisions, and instructions.

Minor Informalities and Irregularities

The MSDH has the right to waive minor defects or variations of a proposal from the exact requirements of the specifications that do not affect the price, quality, quantity, delivery, or performance of the services being procured and if doing so does not create an unfair advantage for any offeror. If insufficient information is submitted by a proposer, offeror or applicant for the MSDH to properly evaluate the offer, the MSDH has the right to require such additional information as it may deem necessary after the submission deadline, provided that the information requested does not change the price, quality, quantity, delivery, or performance time of the services being procured and such a request does not create an unfair advantage for any proposer, offeror or applicant. (Information requested may include, for example, a copy of business or professional licenses, or a work schedule.)

Proposal as Property of State

All written proposal material becomes the property of the State of Mississippi.

Paymode

Payments by MSDH using the state’s accounting system shall be made and remittance information provided electronically as directed by the state and deposited into the bank account of Contractor’s choice. The MSDH may, at its sole discretion, require Contractor to electronically submit invoices and supporting documentation at any time during the term of this Agreement. Contractor understands and agrees that the Agency is exempt from the payment of Mississippi taxes. All payments shall be in United States currency.

Payments to the awarded Vendor for all goods and services acquired under this RFP by state agencies that make payments through the Mississippi State Government’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution (“MAGIC”) will be made electronically, via deposit to the bank account of the Vendor’s choice. The awarded Vendor must enroll and be activated in PayMode™, the State’s current vehicle for sending and receiving electronic payments, prior to receiving any payments from state agencies. There is no charge for a Vendor to enroll or receive payments via PayMode. For additional information on PayMode, including registration instructions, Vendors should visit the following website: http://www.paymode.com/mississippi/. Vendors may also request assistance from the Mississippi Management and Reporting System (MMRS) Call Center regarding PayMode registration by contacting mash@dfa.ms.gov.

http://www.paymode.com/mississippi/

Vendor’s Responsibility for Delivery

Vendors must ensure, through reasonable and sufficient follow-up, proper compliance with, and fulfillment of all schedules and deliverables specified within the body of this RFP. The State will not be responsible for the failure of any delivery medium for submission of information to or from the Vendor, including but not limited to, public and private carriers, U.S. mail, Internet Service Providers, facsimile, or email.

Property Rights

Property rights do not inure to any Offeror until such time as services have been provided under a legally executed contract. No party responding to this RFP has a legitimate claim of entitlement to be awarded a contract or to the provision of work thereunder. The MSDH is under no obligation to award a contract and may terminate a legally executed contract at any time.

Representation Regarding Gratuities

Offeror represents that it has not, is not, and will not offer, give, or agree to give any employee or former employee of MSDH a gratuity or offer of employment in connection with any approval, disapproval, recommendation, development, or any other action or decision related to the solicitation and resulting contract.

Offeror further represents that no employee or former employee of MSDH has or is soliciting, demanding, accepting, or agreeing to accept a gratuity or offer of employment for the reasons previously stated; any such action by an employee or former employee in the future, if any, will be rejected by offeror or contractor. Offeror further represents that it is in compliance with the Mississippi Ethics in Government laws, codified at Mississippi

Code Annotated §§ 25-4-101 through 25-4-121, and has not solicited any employee or former employee to act in violation of said law.

Required Public Records and Transparency

Upon execution of a contract, the provisions of the contract which contain the personal or professional services provided, the unit prices, the overall price to be paid, and the term of the contract shall not be deemed to be a trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated § 25-

61-9(7). The contract shall be posted publicly on www.transparency.ms.gov and shall be available for at the

Agency for examination, inspection, or reproduction by the public. The proposer, offeror, applicant or contractor acknowledges and agrees that the MSDH and this contract are subject to the Mississippi Public Records Act of

1983 codified at Mississippi Code Annotated §§ 25-61-1, et seq. and its exceptions, Mississippi Code Annotated

§ 79-23-1, and the Mississippi Accountability and Transparency Act of 2008, codified at Mississippi Code

Annotated §§ 27-104-151, et seq.

Stop Work Order

The MSDH may, by written order to Contractor at any time, require Contractor to stop all or any part of the work called for by this contract. This order shall be for a period of time specified by the MSDH. Upon receipt of such an order, Contractor shall forthwith comply with its terms and take all reasonable steps to minimize any further cost to the MSDH. Upon expiration of the stop work order, Contractor shall resume providing the services which were subject to the stop work order, unless the MSDH has terminated that part of the agreement or terminated the agreement in its entirety. The MSDH is not liable for payment for services which were not rendered due to the stop work order.

Termination

Termination for Convenience. The MSDH may, when the interests of the Agency so require, terminate this contract in whole or in part, for the convenience of the Agency. The MSDH shall give written notice of the termination to Contractor specifying the part of the contract terminated and when termination becomes effective. Contractor shall incur no further obligations in connection with the terminated work and on the date set in the notice of termination Contractor will stop work to the extent specified. Contractor shall complete the work not terminated by the notice of termination and may incur obligations as are necessary to do so.

Termination for Default. If the MSDH gives the Contractor a notice that the personal or professional services are being provided in a manner that is deficient, the Contractor shall have thirty (30) days to cure the deficiency. If the Contractor fails to cure the deficiency, the MSDH may terminate the contract for default and the Contractor will be liable for the additional cost to the MSDH to procure the personal and professional services from another source.

Evaluation Criteria

The State's intent in issuing this RFP is to award a contract to the lowest and best responsive Vendor who meets specifications, considering price and other factors. The Vendor’s past performance, cooperation, and ability to provide service and training are general factors that will be weighed in the selection process. More specific information concerning evaluation criteria is presented in the RFP.

Multiple Awards

The State reserves the right to make multiple awards.

Right to Award in Whole or Part

The State reserves the right to approve an award by individual items or in total, whichever is deemed to be in the best interest of the State of Mississippi.

Right to Use Proposals in Future Projects

The State reserves the right to evaluate the awarded proposal from this RFP, including all products and services proposed therein, along with the resulting contractual terms, for possible use in future projects if (a) it is deemed to be in the best interest of the State to do so; and (b) the Vendor is willing to extend a cost less than or equal to that specified in the awarded proposal and resulting contract. A decision concerning the utilization of a

Vendor’s proposal for future projects is solely at the discretion of the State and requires the agreement of the proposing Vendor. The State’s decision to reuse an awarded proposal will be based upon such criteria as: (1) the customer’s business requirements; (2) elapsed time since the award of the original project; and/or (3) research on changes in the Vendor, market, and technical environments since the initial award.

Right to Use Proposals in Future Projects by Entities Outside Mississippi

The State reserves the right to offer the awarded proposal from this RFP, including all products and services proposed therein, along with the resulting contractual terms, for possible use in future projects by governmental entities outside Mississippi (i.e., “piggyback option”), if (a) it is deemed to be in the best interest of the governmental entity desiring to do so; and (b) the Vendor is willing to extend a cost less than or equal to that specified in the awarded proposal and resulting contract. A decision concerning the utilization of a Vendor’s proposal for future projects outside Mississippi is solely at the discretion of the State, and requires the desire of the governmental entity outside Mississippi and the agreement of the proposing Vendor. The State’s decision to consent to the reuse of an awarded proposal outside Mississippi will be based upon such criteria as: (1) the governmental entity’s business requirements; (2) elapsed time since the award of the original project; and/or

(3) research on changes in the Vendor, market, and technical environments since the initial award.

Price Changes During Award or Renewal Period

A price increase will not be accepted during the award period or the renewal period, unless stipulated in the contract. However, the State will always take advantage of price decreases.

Right to Request Information

The State reserves the right to request information relative to a Vendor’s references and financial status and to visit a Vendor’s facilities during normal working hours. The State also reserves the right to request a current financial statement, prepared and certified by an independent auditing firm, and reserves the right to require that Vendors document their financial ability to provide the products and services proposed up to the total dollar amount of the Vendor’s cost proposal. The State reserves the right to request information about the

Vendor from any previous customer of the Vendor of whom the State is aware, even if that customer is not included in the Vendor’s list of references.

Vendor Personnel

For RFPs including professional services specifications, the Vendor will be required to provide and/or certify the following for each individual included in the Vendor’s proposal:

A. A direct telephone number at which the individual may be contacted for a telephone interview. The

State will pay toll charges in the continental United States. The Vendor must arrange a toll-free number for all other calls.

B. That, if on-site interviews are required, the individual can be at the specified location in Mississippi within the timeframe specified. All costs associated with on-site interviews will be the responsibility of the

Vendor.

C. That the individual is proficient in spoken and written English;

D. That the individual is a U.S. citizen or that the individual meets and will maintain employment eligibility requirements in compliance with all United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations. The Vendor must provide evidence of identification and employment eligibility prior to the award of a contract that includes any personnel who are not U. S. citizens.

E. That the personnel assigned to a project will remain a part of the project throughout the duration of the contract as long as the personnel are employed by the Vendor, unless replaced by the Vendor at the request of the State. This requirement includes the responsibility for ensuring all non-citizens maintain current USCIS eligibility throughout the duration of the contract.

Vendor Imposed Constraints

The Vendor must specifically document what limitations, if any, exist in working with any other Contractor acting in the capacity of the State’s business partner, subcontractor or agent who may be managing any present or future projects; performing quality assurance; integrating the Vendor’s software; and/or providing web-hosting, hardware, networking or other processing services on the State’s behalf. The project relationship may be based on roles as either equal peers; supervisory – subordinate; or subordinate – supervisory, as determined by the

State. The State recognizes that the Vendor may have trade secrets, intellectual property and/or business relationships that may be subject to its corporate policies or agreements. The State must understand these issues in order to decide to what degree they may impact the State’s ability to conduct business for this project.

These considerations will be incorporated accordingly into the proposal evaluation and selection process. The understanding reached between the Vendor and the State with regard to this business relationship precludes the Vendor from imposing any subsequent limitations of this type in future project undertakings by the State.

Restriction on Advertising

The Vendor must receive written approval from the State before advertising or referencing the award of the contract or the services being provided. The Vendor must agree not to refer to awards in commercial advertising in such a manner as to state or imply that the firm or its services are endorsed or preferred by the State of

Mississippi.

Rights Reserved to Use Existing Product Contracts

The State reserves the right on turnkey projects to secure certain products from other existing contracts if it is in its best interest to do so. If this option is exercised, then the awarded Vendor must be willing to integrate the acquisition and implementation of such products within the schedule and system under contract.

Valid Contract Required to Begin Work

The successful Vendor should not commence any billable work until a valid contract has been executed. Any work done by the successful Vendor prior to the execution of the contract is done at the Vendor’s sole risk. The

State is under no obligation to pay for work done prior to the execution of a contract.

Section 5 - Scope of Work

Introduction

This section provides the required operational and technical services and specifications required of the selected

Vendor as referred to throughout the RFP.

The selected Vendor will be responsible for the creation and support of all services and deliverables described in this SLAs and compliance with all performance standards described in Attachment C SLAs. As part of the proposal, Vendors are required to respond to the totality of all Attachments.

The Vendor must perform, at a minimum, all necessary services and meet all expectations detailed in this RFP.

In addition to this baseline expectation, the State also encourages vendors to include in their proposal additional details and context that could improve the proposal and offer the State the best option for achieving its desired goals with the Health Data Utility (HDU). The State acknowledges that the specifications within this RFP are not exhaustive. Rather, they reflect the known requirements that must be met by the proposed system. Vendors must specify, here, what additional components may be needed and are proposed in order to complete each service, response/requirement, in the RFP.

Executive Summary

The SOW response must include an Executive Summary that summarize the contents of the entire proposal. The purpose of the Executive Summary is to provide the RFP Evaluation Team with a broad but clear understanding of the entire proposal, emphasizing any unique aspects or strengths of the Vendor and the proposal. The

Executive Summary must confirm that the Vendor will comply with all provisions and requirements in this RFP.

The Vendor should articulate key assumptions made in response to the RFP.

Staffing Approach and Plan

The Vendor must provide a staffing plan which specifically indicates which of the staff represent key staff roles and which roles proposed will reside in Mississippi.

As part of the Vendor’s proposal response, the vendor will respond to this section with an Initial Staffing Plan.

The vendor’s narrative description of its proposed Initial Staffing Plan should include:

• All applicable key staff required by the State, and all core operational and technical staff roles, additional staff/teams supporting key staff operations and technology services included in this SOW. Use Table A-

5 to develop the staffing plan response.

• A phased approach to staffing implementation and management to establish the HIE and then mature into a HDU over time.

• A description of the Vendor’s proposed team that exhibits the Vendor’s ability to provide knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced personnel to accomplish the SOW as described in this RFP.

• Organizational charts for the operational and technical teams, showing both the Vendor staff and their relationship to the State, and all subcontractor partners that will be engaged to perform the delivery of all services.

The vendor must maintain a sufficient staffing model to provide the services outlined in the contract while meeting or exceeding the applicable service level agreements.

The Vendor must include evidence of existing and/or new staff roles and qualifications to meet the required scope of work. Evidence should include staffing comparisons to similar HIE implementations supported by the vendor, or to selected comparable HIEs in operation. The response should include a complete staffing analysis and proposed staffing levels.

The Vendor shall provide an organizational chart that clearly depicts the Vendor’s proposed team with key personnel clearly designated using the words “Key Personnel”. Names, if available and known, shall also be provided for staff who are not deemed as key staff, but who are being proposed as part of the team.

The Vendor is required to provide dedicated key personnel for the implementation and ongoing operations. Key personnel are defined as staff who are contractually essential and have lead responsibilities for performing the scope of work.

The Vendor must name the individual proposed for each key personnel role in its proposal. Key personnel submitted in the Vendor’s proposal are assumed to be committed to the project should the Vendor be awarded the Contract, pending MSDH approval of the staff member(s). MSDH reserves the right to approve/deny key staff included in the proposal.

Staff Resumes

The Vendor shall provide resumes for all key staff. Resumes must demonstrate experience of key staff that is germane to the role proposed. Resumes shall include the staff members’ work on projects cited under the

Vendor’s experience provided in Attachment F. Vendor Information as well as the individual’s specific functions performed on such projects. Each resume must include the following details in the order specified:

• Proposed role

• Summary of relevant experience and knowledge specific to the responsibilities of their role and the services being requested in this RFP

• Professional employment history with dates

• Professional certifications

• Education (degrees received and major studies)

Key staff consists of the Vendor’s core leadership team for this engagement. Resumes for key staff named in the vendor’s proposal should indicate the staff’s role and demonstrate how each staff member’s experience and qualifications will contribute to this Vendor’s success. Each key staff resume should be fewer than three (3) pages.

The Vendor should complete Table A-6 below and include resumes of all individuals being initially proposed.

Staff and Subcontractor Management

The Vendor shall describe its approach to personnel management, including:

A. Hiring—including the Vendor’s plan for recruiting for and filling roles unfilled at the time of submission of the Vendor’s proposal—and termination

B. Initial and ongoing staff training—including transfer of project status, business and system knowledge, and project management methodologies and processes to new staff

C. Staff performance monitoring

D. Succession planning, staff replacement, and staff backup

E. Sourcing of staff

F. Retaining staff and ensuring continuity of staff for the duration of the project

G. Managing Subcontractors

Operational Service Requirements

The Contractor is responsible for the overall operational business services including all technology infrastructure and related services for the HIE/HDU. It is acceptable for the Vendor to subcontract with one or more technical or operational service providers while acting as the single entity responsible to the State for delivering high-quality value-add services.

Table A-7 describes each operational business service area and corresponding requirements. Note, the vendor must provide key performance indicators (KPIs) to be included in the services contract that represent performance of operational requirements. Table A-7 must be completed as part of the response.

Technology Service Requirement

The State seeks to contract with a Vendor who can implement established, experienced, best-in-class technology services that facilitate effective HIE services across the State of Mississippi. The technology service requirements complement the mandatory requirements.

Table A-8 includes the HIE Vendor Technical Service Requirements, each technology service area, and the description for which the HIE vendor must respond to, matching at a minimum, the level of the requirement description. The Vendors will describe in detail how they will deliver these services to the State.

Note, the vendor must provide key performance indicators (KPIs) to be included in the services contract that represent performance of technical service requirements. KPIs, at a minimum, should align with industry standards. Table A-8 must be completed as part of the response

Section 6 - Proposal Evaluation and Basis for Award

A. The State will use the evaluation process as defined in ITS Procurement Manual, ITS Procurement

Handbook, Rule 209.1: 018-010 Proposal Evaluation Process. The handbook is available at: ITS

Procurement Handbook | Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.

B. Additionally, an Evaluation Team composed of MSDH staff will review and evaluate all proposals. All information provided by the Vendors, as well as any other information available to Evaluation Team, will be used to evaluate the proposals.

1. The names of the evaluators will be blinded (i.e., will not be shared with the public).

2. The Evaluation Team will only have access to the unbranded version of proposals, therefore will have no knowledge of which vendors they are evaluating.

3. The roles that evaluators will represent, at a minimum, include financial subject matter expert (SME), IT SME, public health registry SME, licensure and certification SME, privacy/security SME.

C. Scoring Rubric

1. Proposals will be evaluated through consensus scoring.

https://www.its.ms.gov/procurement/IT-Procurement-Handbook https://www.its.ms.gov/procurement/IT-Procurement-Handbook

2. Each category included in the scoring mechanism is assigned a weight between one and 100.

3. The sum of all categories equals 100 possible points.

4. For the evaluation of this RFP, the Evaluation Team will use the following categories and possible points provided in the Scoring Rubric Table:

Mandatory Provisions or Non-Mandatory Provisions in Technical Service Requirements for this RFP

1. Mandatory Requirements of this RFP are MANDATORY. Vendors are specifically disallowed from taking exception to these mandatory requirements, and proposals that do not meet all mandatory requirements are subject to immediate disqualification.

2. Meeting a mandatory requirement means the Vendor has provided a detailed response that demonstrates that the Vendor meets the qualifications and experience required and/or the requested functionality exists at time of proposal submission.

D. The evaluation will be conducted in four stages as follows:

• Stage 1 – Selection of Responsive/Valid Proposals – Each proposal will be reviewed to determine if it is sufficiently responsive to the RFP requirements to permit a complete evaluation. A responsive proposal must comply with the instructions stated in this RFP with regard to content, organization/format, Vendor experience, number of copies, bond requirement, timely delivery, and meets all minimum qualifications

(Attachment I). No evaluation points will be awarded in this stage. Failure to submit a complete proposal may result in rejection of the proposal.

• Stage 2 – Non-cost Evaluation (excluding cost)

a. Proposals meeting fewer than 80% of the requirements in the non-cost categories may be eliminated from further consideration at the State’s sole discretion.

a. The Evaluation Team scores the non-cost categories on a 10-point scale, with 9 points for meeting the requirement. The ‘Meets Specs’ score for each category is 90% of the total points allocated for that category. For example, the Mandatory Requirements category was allocated 25 points;

a proposal that fully met all requirements in that section would have scored 22.5 points. The additional 10% is used for a proposal that exceeds the requirement for an item in a way that provides additional benefits to the State.

• Stage 3 – Cost Evaluation

a. Points will be assigned using the following formula:

(1-((B-A)/A))*n

Where:

A = Total lifecycle cost of lowest valid proposal

B = Total lifecycle cost of proposal being scored n = Maximum number of points allocated to cost for acquisition

Cost categories and maximum point values are as follows:

• Stage 4 – Selection of the successful Vendor

Demonstrations and Interviews

• At the discretion of the State, evaluators may request interviews, presentations, demonstrations, or discussions with any or all Vendors for the purpose of system overview and/or clarification or amplification of information presented in any part of the proposal.

• Vendors must be prepared to provide live video demonstrations of system functionality and/or proposal clarifications to the evaluation team and its affiliates, upon request.

• Although demonstrations may be requested, the demonstration will not be allowed in lieu of a written proposal.

Final Quantitative Evaluation - Following any requested clarifications, BAFOs, presentations, and/or demonstrations, the Evaluation Team will re-evaluate non-cost scores as necessary. The non-cost and cost scores will then be combined to determine the Vendor’s final score.

Change Order Rates

The State may wish to add functionality outside the scope of this RFP after the initial deployment of the awarded solution. The Vendor must propose all possible personnel/SMEs for staff and roles that are included in the proposal including those that may be needed for future enhancements in Table 3 – Labor Rates in the Cost

Proposal with their fully loaded hourly rates. These hourly rates shall be available for MSDH to use for unanticipated tasks, as necessary, and for changes to the scope of existing services. No additional charges for overhead, travel, or other expenses shall be allowed after Contract award. These rates shall be used in pricing of any subsequent change orders. Fully loaded rates include hourly rate plus travel, per diem, and lodging, and all other costs associated.

Along with the fully loaded hourly rates, the Vendor must propose a fully loaded blended rate for executive, operations, and technical roles, separately. Table 3 is not all inclusive and the Vendor is expected to add additional roles, if needed. If the Vendor does not foresee a particular role being proposed, the Vendor must mark the hourly rate as N/A. Vendor must completely fill in Table 3 – Labor Rates in the Cost Proposal.

BAFO

The State reserves the right to solicit Best and Final Offers (BAFOs) from Vendors, principally in situations in which proposal costs eclipse available funding or the State believes none of the competing proposals presents a Best Value (lowest and best proposal) opportunity. Because of the time and expense incurred by both the

Vendor community and the State, BAFOs are not routinely conducted. Vendors should offer their best pricing with the initial solicitation. Situations warranting solicitation of a BAFO will be considered an exceptional practice for any procurement. Vendors that remain in a competitive range within an evaluation may be requested to tender BAFOs, at the sole discretion of the State. All such Vendors will be provided an equal opportunity to respond with a Best and Final Offer under a procedure to be defined by the State that encompasses the specific, refined needs of a project, as part of the BAFO solicitation. The State may re-evaluate and amend the original project specifications should it be deemed necessary in order to improve the opportunity for attaining Best Value scenarios from among the remaining competing Vendors. All BAFO proceedings will be uniformly conducted, in writing and subject to solicitation by the State and receipt from the Vendors under a precise schedule.

Section 7 - Minimum Vendor Qualifications

The following minimum Vendor requirements are mandatory. Failure to meet any of these requirements will result in disqualification of the proposal submitted by your company. Please respond by restating each minimum requirement listed below with documentation that proves specifically how your company meets that minimum criteria. Please include in your responses the total number of years and types of experience of your company.

If, in the opinion of the procurement team, you fail to prove that your company meets any of these minimum requirements, the proposal will be disqualified from further evaluation. If this happens, you will be notified of the decision and will have an opportunity to provide additional information to prove your company does meet the minimum requirements. It is incumbent upon the disqualified Vendor to respond timely and completely to any such notice as unreasonable delays and/or non-responsive submissions may result in the disqualification being upheld without further review.

The Vendor must have:

Proposed Personnel Availability

The vendor must have essential key personnel (as determined by the vendor staffing plan) available upon

Project Kick-Off. A statement affirming availability should be included in the Initial Staffing Plan and Key

Personnel response submission.

Prior Experience

Vendor must have been in business and provided statewide HIE/HDU services similar in requirements and scale to those described in this RFP for a minimum of five (5) years. The determination of the length of time an entity has provided these services will be based upon the initial date the Vendor established a contractual relationship to provide such services. For each client, please specify:

• Client information, including the name, title, address, email address, and phone number of a person whom we may contact to confirm as needed,

• The type of work your company provided to the client,

• Contract effective dates for the time period(s) your company provided services to the client.

Vendor must have a minimum three (3) years' experience with rural healthcare environments in Mississippi or the equivalent states. The determination of the length of time an entity has provided these services will be based upon the initial date the Vendor established a contractual relationship to provide such services. For each client, please specify:

• Client information, including the name, title, address, email address, and phone number of a person whom we may contact to confirm as needed,

• The type of work your company provided to the client,

• Contract effective dates for the time period(s) your company provided services to the client.

Local Mississippi Presence

The vendor, upon award, has plans to establish a local Mississippi business presence to support…