9th SOW Quality Improvement Contracts

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for competitions resulting in awards of separate contracts for Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs), formerly known as Peer Review Organizations (PROs) for the States of Alaska, California, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma and South Carolina. In order to be eligible to receive a QIO contract, an Offeror must be deemed a responsible entity in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 9.1 and must meet the definition of a utilization and quality control peer review organization as set forth in Section 1152 of the Social Security Act (the Act). To be eligible for a QIO contract, an organization must satisfactorily demonstrate physician-sponsorship or physician-access as defined in Sections 1152 and 1153 of the Act at the time its proposal is submitted. In addition, an organization must not be a health care facility, health care facility association, health care facility affiliate or payor organization; and must have a consumer representative on its governing board. QIOs are responsible for review of certain health care services furnished under Title XVIII of the Act in addition to working to improve the quality of care provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Each QIO is responsible for meeting all requirements as defined in the RFP and resultant contract. The period of performance will be for three (3) years. The RFP is anticipated to be released on the Federal Business Opportunities website on January 18, 2008. Telephone or facsimile requests for the RFP will not be honored. CMS will host a Pre-Proposal Conference on January 28, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (local prevailing time-Baltimore, MD) in the Multi-Purpose Room at 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244. Interested offerors must register for the conference by forwarding (by facsimile (410) 786-9922, Attention: Naomi A. Haney-Ceresa) a complete list of attendees. The list shall include the company name, address, point of contact with telephone number and facsimile number, and the full name of each attendee with their respective title. The list of attendees shall be submitted no later than 3 p.m. (local prevailing time--Baltimore, MD) on January 24, 2008. Please note that CMS is a secure facility and access is limited. On the day of the conference, offerors should allow sufficient time to obtain a visitor's parking pass and registration at the Security Guard's Desk(s).