Requirements:

The services required are to be provided by a contractor with experience analyzing specific criteria and determining how the information may be audited.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, or Recovery Act) was enacted in February 2009. Included in the Recovery Act is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or the HITECH Act. The main goal of the HITECH Act is to improve the nation's health care through the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and promotion of the meaningful use of EHR via incentive payments. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expects that "meaningful EHR users" would demonstrate each of the following: meaningful use of a certified EHR, the electronic exchange of health information to improve the quality of health care, and reporting on clinical quality and other measures using certified EHR technology.

In the early stages of meaningful use, Eligible Professionals (EPs) and Eligible Hospitals (EHs) will attest that they are meaningful users of EHRs. Upon attestation, they will be eligible to receive an incentive payment.

CMS is currently developing an audit process for HITECH. A contractor is needed to analyze the HITECH meaningful use criteria, and assist CMS to develop an effective audit process. The audit review process will include the clinical measures, as well as the determination that the EP or EH has a certified system, and is properly using it.

More information regarding HITECH on the CMS website at www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms, and the final rule, which contains the meaningful use criteria, is at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17207.pdf.

There are no exceptions to the requirements listed below; offerors who do not clearly demonstrate such capabilities, assets and experience will not be given further consideration.

Give enough detail so your response clearly indicates that you can provide the following:

• Capability to analyze the HITECH meaningful use criteria and determine how the criteria may be reviewed/audited.

• Capability to determine if there are existing data sources that can be leveraged in order to assist in the review process. This will include a review of CMS and vendor systems.
• Capability to develop a process to determine if the EP or EH has a certified EHR system, and is using it properly.

• Capability to develop a risk assessment of the proposed audit strategy, in order to determine which EPs and EHs may be reviewed, and which criteria may be focused on.

• The contractor shall have audit experience, including the process of determining how specific criteria may be audited. This includes review of clinical measures, as well as medical record review. Contractors will provide a list of contracts, minimum of three (3), with contract POC and telephone number, which demonstrate the required audit experience.

• The contractor shall have experience with CMS systems, and the CMS system lifecycle. Various communications and interfaces will be needed with HITECH and other systems. Contractors will provide a list of contracts, minimum of three (3), with contract POC and telephone number, which demonstrate the required CMS experience.

• Capability in assisting CMS in the development of the audit protocol that will be used by the audit contractors(s). Note - the audit contractor will be a separate (subsequent) contract action.

• The Government anticipates a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee or Fixed Price Contract with a 1-year base contract with 4 option years.

• Contractor will provide documentation showing that their accounting system has been determined adequate by the Government. If so, please documentation from the agency that approved the system. (This documentation does not count against the page limitation.) NOTE: The use of a particular accounting system does not mean that the accounting system is adequate.

Interested parties having the capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements may submit capability statements via email to [email protected] . CAPABILITY STATEMENTS MUST DEMONSTRATE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED ABOVE. Please address each in order listed above.

Capability Statements shall be limited to 10 pages and shall include any/all teaming arrangements.

Capability statements shall also include the following information:

a. DUNS #
b. Company Name
c. Company Address
d. Type of Company (Must be certified as an 8(a) company.) All offerors must register on the CCR located at http://www.ccr.gov/index.asp.
e. Company Point of Contact, Phone and Email address
f. Point of Contact, Phone and Email address of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses.

Responses must be submitted no later than 12:00 PM EST, November 24, 2010. They should clearly reflect the respondent's ability to meet the requirements included in this notice. Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the review of their submissions. Information received will be considered solely to make informed decisions regarding a potential small business set-aside.