Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sponsored Federally Funded Research and Development Center

This is the third and final of three notices required by FAR 5.205(b).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), within the Department of Health and Human services (DHHS) intends to sponsor a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) to facilitate the modernization of business processes and supporting systems and their operations. This will consist of expert advice/guidance in the areas of program and project management focused on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of strategic information management and technical activities. This FFRDC will be sponsored by CMS but may also be utilized by the entire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The FFRDC will be established under the authority of 48 CFR Subpart 35.017.

The Contractor will be available to provide a wide range of support to DHHS, including, but not limited to:

• Providing independent analysis about the DHHS vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of systems deployed to make DHHS more effective in providing healthcare services and implementation of new healthcare initiatives;
• Providing intra-departmental and inter-agency cross-cutting, risk-informed analysis of alternative resource approaches;
• Developing and deploying analytical tools and techniques to evaluate system alternatives (e.g., policy-operations-technology tradeoffs, etc.), and life-cycle costs that have broad application across the Agency;
• Developing measurable performance metrics, models, and simulations for determining progress in securing DHHS data;
• Providing independent and objective operational test and evaluation analysis support;
• Developing recommendations for guidance on the best practices for standards, particularly to improve the inter-operability of DHHS components;
• Assessing technologies and evaluating technology test-beds for accurate simulation of operational conditions;
• Supporting critical thinking about the DHHS enterprise and analytic tools that can be applied consistently across Agency programs;
• Supporting systems integration that contribute to a larger DHHS intra-agency and inter-agency enterprise as well as collaboration with state, local tribal governments, the business sector (for-profit and not-for-profits), academia and the public;
• Providing recommendations for standards for top-level DHHS systems requirements and performance metrics best practices for an integrated DHHS approach to systems solutions; and
• Understanding key DHHS organizations and their specific role and major acquisition requirements and support them in the requirements development phase of the acquisition lifecycle.

CMS will use the FFRDC to establish the capabilities to deliver:

• Payment flexibilities - CMS must transition to new payment methodologies integrating encounter, clinical, payment and outcome data while maintaining its massive Fee-For-Service (FFS) operation;
• Transparency into cost and quality drivers - CMS must offer modern analytical capabilities for cost and quality, supported by rich enterprise level databases;
• Provider Satisfaction - CMS program, billing and eligibility information must be streamlined, making our systems and processes more informative and less burdensome for Providers;
• Empowered Beneficiaries - Improving health outcomes involves promoting a patient-centered focus on prevention and wellness, chronic care management and individual health responsibility. All three depend on the patient having access to information about coverage, access, and quality of care, allowing them to more fully engage in their health care; and
• Timely, comprehensive program oversight - CMS' oversight encompasses a wide range of management activity that strives to control healthcare costs and improve quality for the Medicaid, Medicare, and Children's Health programs. Improved data will lead to improved oversight.

This is the third of three announcements issued under the authority of 48 CFR 5.205 (b). The required Federal Register posting can be found at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-05-13/html/2011-11708.htm

The agency must receive comments within 15 days after the third publication of this announcement to be considered. The Request for Proposal will be posted on FedBizOpps in the Summer of 2011.

This is the second of three notices required by FAR 5.205(b).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), within the Department of Health and Human services (DHHS) intends to sponsor a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) to facilitate the modernization of business processes and supporting systems and their operations. This will consist of expert advice/guidance in the areas of program and project management focused on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of strategic information management and technical activities. This FFRDC will be sponsored by CMS but may also be utilized by the entire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The FFRDC will be established under the authority of 48 CFR Subpart 35.017.

The Contractor will be available to provide a wide range of support to DHHS, including, but not limited to:

• Providing independent analysis about the DHHS vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of systems deployed to make DHHS more effective in providing healthcare services and implementation of new healthcare initiatives;
• Providing intra-departmental and inter-agency cross-cutting, risk-informed analysis of alternative resource approaches;
• Developing and deploying analytical tools and techniques to evaluate system alternatives (e.g., policy-operations-technology tradeoffs, etc.), and life-cycle costs that have broad application across the Agency;
• Developing measurable performance metrics, models, and simulations for determining progress in securing DHHS data;
• Providing independent and objective operational test and evaluation analysis support;
• Developing recommendations for guidance on the best practices for standards, particularly to improve the inter-operability of DHHS components;
• Assessing technologies and evaluating technology test-beds for accurate simulation of operational conditions;
• Supporting critical thinking about the DHHS enterprise and analytic tools that can be applied consistently across Agency programs;
• Supporting systems integration that contribute to a larger DHHS intra-agency and inter-agency enterprise as well as collaboration with state, local tribal governments, the business sector (for-profit and not-for-profits), academia and the public;
• Providing recommendations for standards for top-level DHHS systems requirements and performance metrics best practices for an integrated DHHS approach to systems solutions; and
• Understanding key DHHS organizations and their specific role and major acquisition requirements and support them in the requirements development phase of the acquisition lifecycle.

CMS will use the FFRDC to establish the capabilities to deliver:

• Payment flexibilities - CMS must transition to new payment methodologies integrating encounter, clinical, payment and outcome data while maintaining its massive Fee-For-Service (FFS) operation;
• Transparency into cost and quality drivers - CMS must offer modern analytical capabilities for cost and quality, supported by rich enterprise level databases;
• Provider Satisfaction - CMS program, billing and eligibility information must be streamlined, making our systems and processes more informative and less burdensome for Providers;
• Empowered Beneficiaries - Improving health outcomes involves promoting a patient-centered focus on prevention and wellness, chronic care management and individual health responsibility. All three depend on the patient having access to information about coverage, access, and quality of care, allowing them to more fully engage in their health care; and
• Timely, comprehensive program oversight - CMS' oversight encompasses a wide range of management activity that strives to control healthcare costs and improve quality for the Medicaid, Medicare, and Children's Health programs. Improved data will lead to improved oversight.

This is the second of three announcements issued under the authority of 48 CFR 5.205 (b). The required Federal Register posting can be found at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-05-13/html/2011-11708.htm

The agency must receive comments within 15 days after the third publication of this announcement to be considered. The Request for Proposal will be posted on FedBizOpps in the Summer of 2011.

This is the first of three notices required by FAR 5.205(b).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), within the Department of Health and Human services (DHHS) intends to sponsor a studies and analysis, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) to facilitate the modernization of business processes and supporting systems and their operations. This will consist of expert advice/guidance in the areas of program and project management focused on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of strategic information management and technical activities. This FFRDC may also be utilized by the entire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The FFRDC will be established under the authority of 48 CFR Subpart 35.017.

The Contractor will be available to provide a wide range of support to DHHS, including, but not limited to:

• Providing independent analysis about the DHHS vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of systems deployed to make DHHS more effective in providing healthcare services and implementation of new healthcare initiatives;
• Providing intra-departmental and inter-agency cross-cutting, risk-informed analysis of alternative resource approaches;
• Developing and deploying analytical tools and techniques to evaluate system alternatives (e.g., policy-operations-technology tradeoffs, etc.), and life-cycle costs that have broad application across the Agency;
• Developing measurable performance metrics, models, and simulations for determining progress in securing DHHS data;
• Providing independent and objective operational test and evaluation analysis support;
• Developing recommendations for guidance on the best practices for standards, particularly to improve the inter-operability of DHHS components;
• Assessing technologies and evaluating technology test-beds for accurate simulation of operational conditions;
• Supporting critical thinking about the DHHS enterprise and analytic tools that can be applied consistently across Agency programs;
• Supporting systems integration that contribute to a larger DHHS intra-agency and inter-agency enterprise as well as collaboration with state, local tribal governments, the business sector (for-profit and not-for-profits), academia and the public;
• Providing recommendations for standards for top-level DHHS systems requirements and performance metrics best practices for an integrated DHHS approach to systems solutions; and
• Understanding key DHHS organizations and their specific role and major acquisition requirements and support them in the requirements development phase of the acquisition lifecycle.
CMS will use the FFRDC to establish the capabilities to deliver:

• Payment flexibilities - CMS must transition to new payment methodologies integrating encounter, clinical, payment and outcome data while maintaining its massive Fee-For-Service (FFS) operation;

• Transparency into cost and quality drivers - CMS must offer modern analytical capabilities for cost and quality, supported by rich enterprise level databases;

• Provider Satisfaction - CMS program, billing and eligibility information must be streamlined, making our systems and processes more informative and less burdensome for Providers;

• Empowered Beneficiaries - Improving health outcomes involves promoting a patient-centered focus on prevention and wellness, chronic care management and individual health responsibility. All three depend on the patient having access to information about coverage, access, and quality of care, allowing them to more fully engage in their health care; and

• Timely, comprehensive program oversight - CMS' oversight encompasses a wide range of management activity that strives to control healthcare costs and improve quality for the Medicaid, Medicare, and Children's Health programs. Improved data will lead to improved oversight.

This is the first of three announcements issued under the authority of 48 CFR 5.205 (b).

The agency must receive comments within 15 days after the third (3rd) publication of this announcement to be considered.