The Continuation of the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System (MPSMS)

This synopsis provides the Government's intent to award a sole source modification to extend the period of performance of contract HHSA290201200003C "The Continuation of the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System (MPSMS)". This cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) contract was originally competed and awarded to Qualidigm (aka Connecticut Peer Review), 1290 Silas Deane Hwy #4a, Wethersfield, CT 06109 on February 15, 2012. The current contract ends on February 14, 2015. The proposed modification will extend the contract for an additional 17 months through July 14, 2016.

The current contract with AHRQ (HHSA290201200003C) is to perform analyses of MPSMS data in support of general patient safety research, and includes work specifically in support of AHRQ for the timely annual measurement of the national HAC rate for the Partnership for Patients (PFP). Data and adverse events rates from MPSMS are needed for CY 2014 because the HHS Partnership for Patients (PFP) program has been extended through CY 2014, and data from MPSMS provides over 90% of information on the U.S. national rate of Hospital-acquired Conditions (HACs) that is used to determine if annual and overall PFP program goals are being met.

As a result of the one year extension to PFP, this will be a sole source modification to continue existing work for an additional 17 months (1 year for additional analysis of the 2014 data and 5 months for final analyses, report generation and contract wrap-up). The proposed modification action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1.

The extension of the PFP program by CMS was unforeseeable and not due to poor planning. AHRQ requires a seamless continuation of the data analysis. Qualidigm has been performing analyses on MPSMS data via several contracts with CMS and AHRQ since 2002, and has been the only contractor to perform this work. Qualidigm is the only contractor that can do this work to maintain the quality, validity, and consistency of the data analysis. The use of another contractor would significantly increase the possibility of disruption to the quality and validity of the data analysis. Another contractor could not immediately learn and apply the data analysis methods and develop the clinical knowledge on the details of the MPSMS measures to provide data in a timely way to meet the quarterly, annual, and final data and analysis needs of the PFP program. During the last five months of this contract, the contractor will be required to conduct final report generation and contract wrap up of all the data obtained and analyzed since 2002. A new contractor would not have the background knowledge in this requirement necessary for a consistent and successful completion of this contract.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government as to whether or not to compete this proposed modification action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Interested parties regarding this sole source action may contact the Contract Specialist, Michelle Beatty, at michelle.beatty@ahrq.hhs.gov, no later than 10:00 am ET, November 21, 2014. The final Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) / Justification and Approval (J&A) supporting this sole source action will publicly be made available as required after contract modification award.