Sources Sought Notice – SHIP Performance Measurement and Reporting System

Notice Type: Sources Sought Notice

Posted Date: 14-MAR-12

Office Address: Department of Health and Human Services; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Office of Acquisition and Grants Management; 7500 Security Blvd.C2-21-15 Baltimore MD 21244-1850

Subject: SHIP Performance Measurement and Reporting System

Classification Code: D - Information technology services, including telecommunications services

Solicitation Number: 120502

Contact: Elliott Sloan, Contract Specialist, Phone 410-786-0302, Email [email protected]

Description: Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Office of Acquisition and Grants Management

SHIP Performance Measurement and Reporting System Sources Sought The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking to identify sources to provide performance measures reporting, maintenance and support to the current SHIP National Performance Measurement and Reporting system (SHIP NPR) that supports the 54 State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), and the CMS Division of SHIP Relations (SHIP grant administrator). The SHIP NPR is a web based system which provides direct data entry from most states; however, some states provide batch uploads from their states' proprietary system. There are currently 3 database servers associated with this system application, totaling 100 GB, with expected data growth of 8 GB annually.

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program is a state-based program that offers local one-on-one counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their caregivers. Through CMS funded grants directed to states, SHIPs provide free counseling and assistance via telephone and face-to-face interactive sessions, public education presentations and programs, outreach events, and media activities. CMS funds 54 SHIPs in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. In FY2011, Congress appropriated $50 million in funding for the SHIP program. This includes direct grants to states and support contracts including the SHIP National Resource Center contract and the SHIP National Performance Measurement and Reporting contract.

The SHIP network is comprised of paid staff, approximately 1,300 local sponsoring organizations, and 15,000 counselors (approximately 55% are volunteers). CMS expects SHIPs to provide access to SHIP services to beneficiaries statewide; provide access at the local level; provide access to hard-to-reach populations; have a well-trained workforce (paid and volunteer); provide accurate and timely information to beneficiaries; participate in CMS education and communication activities; and report its activities to CMS through an established CMS data system. In the grant year ending March 31, 2011, SHIPs provided one-on-one counseling to approximately 2 million people and over 58,000 public and media events.

The SHIP Performance Measurement and Reporting system contractor will be required to provide services to the SHIP program in the areas of system maintenance support, system security, information management and communication, data analysis, peer-to-peer program assessment, training, interpretation of data and information for program improvement, administrative support, and conference planning. The SHIP Performance Measurement and Reporting system contractor should demonstrate knowledge and experience with the SHIP program or other federally regulated, or non-profit volunteer or community-based consumer education program similar to the SHIP network in scope and size. The SHIP Performance Measurement and Reporting system contractor should demonstrate the ability to draw upon resources to respond to a rapidly changing programmatic environment and have knowledge of the issues associated with the aging network and, the health insurance industry, including Medicare and Medicaid.

It is critical that the contractor have a complete, thorough and functional understanding of service delivery through a volunteer-based network as well as the strategic outreach, educational and assistance efforts promoted by CMS in association with Medicare and Medicaid. The contractor should also have knowledge regarding similar industry efforts and must have demonstrated experience in identifying benchmarks and developing program benchmarks, and implementing systems to monitor programs. The contractor should be able to assess impacts of quality improvement initiatives.

The complexity of state level environments and the variety of methods that can be used across states to administer those grants within the grant goals provide a level of complexity that requires the contractor to have general knowledge of the SHIP National Performance Measurement and Reporting system or like system and the organization of data delivery systems from state to state.

The contractor must have demonstrated experience in and the ability to effectively perform the following functions:

1. Provide maintenance support 24/7 maintenance for the SHIP National Performance Measurement and Reporting system and the SHIPtalk.org website. a) Demonstrated experience in website application development. b) Demonstrated experience with Object Oriented Programming, .NET, C#, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2005/2008/2010, Model view controller pattern, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, Microsoft SQL, Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Service), and Microsoft Access. c) Demonstrated experience with the Software Development Life Cycle. d) Ability to administer security and access rights to the data system. e) Ability to work well with another contractor who provides the SHIPtalk.org website support.

2. Provide a secure environment which meets HHS/CMS information security requirements for the database which contains personally identifiable information (PII) including the following: a) Demonstrated knowledge of and experience assessing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800 Series, with emphasis on NIST 800-53 publication. b) Demonstrated knowledge and experience with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). c) Demonstrated experience with all aspects of CMS Information Security requirements including the CMS's Risk Management Framework. d) Demonstrated experience with the CMS Security Assessment and Authorization process including creating program documentations, e.g., System Security Plan, Contingency Plan, Information System Risk Assessment and other related documents. e) Information Security personnel must possess a current Information Security industry recognized security certification (e.g., A+, CISSP)

3. Provide training and technical assistance to the 15,000+ system users for web-based input and reporting at over 1,300 locations, including the following: a) Provide technical assistance to SHIPtalk NPR users through a HELP Desk b) Provide training through webinars, phone or on-site visits, SHIP Directors' Annual National Conference, the New Directors' Training and other conferences. c) Demonstrated experience in user manual development. d) Provide local SHIP training support on the SHIP National Performance Reporting (NPR) system and the use of this system for program improvement.

4. Provide in-depth data analysis to assist CMS in monitoring and supporting state based programs; a) Demonstrated experience in preparing analytic and research reports. b) Demonstrated experience in analyzing the effectiveness of locally-based, grant funded, social service programs. c) Ability to review and interpret reported data and translate into program development/improvement plans. d) Ability to analyze information using accepted research methodologies. e) Demonstrated experience in developing local measures for benchmarking. f) Demonstrated experience in developing process measures, quality measures, efficiency measures, and effectiveness and outcome measures for the SHIP program or other federally regulated, or non-profit volunteer or community-based consumer education program similar to the SHIP network in scope and size. g) Ability to work with CMS in the development of enhancements to the current data elements, performance measures, reports, and benchmarks-goals-targets for the NPR measures. h) Ability to communicate, verbally and in writing the presentation of analysis of large data sets, technical analysis, findings, and preparation of final reports and special studies.

5. Produce reporting in existing format to the states and territories and special purpose reporting for CMS to assess program performance; a) Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Access, Excel and Word. b) Ability to compile national and state-specific performance measurement reports based on NPR data.

6. Support the development of enhancements to the data system application to provide better data validation and improved, more flexible reporting capabilities for users for program management purposes including, but not limited to: a) Implementing, monitoring, and evaluating strategies to reduce under-reporting. b) Improving data validation and quality for the states that submit through proprietary systems. c) Developing enhancements to improve data submission and quality of data submitted by batch upload entities. Provide recommendations to improve data completeness.

7. Support timely transfers of data from state proprietary systems and to provide technical support for that purpose; a) Provide data upload file specifications to the batch upload entities and their database vendors. b) Provide on-going assistance with batch upload entities to ensure accurate, complete, and timely data submission. c) Improve the ease of use and functioning of the batch upload protocols. d) Ability to troubleshoot and work with various State Information Technology (IT) vendors to ensure proper data submissions. e) Demonstrated ability to develop system specifications. 8. Research, assess, and analyze methods to demonstrate programmatic impact, outcome, and quality using current data submitted and recommendations for enhancements to the data: a) Demonstrated experience in using workgroups consisting of users and industry experts to assess and/or validate current methods of assessment. b) Ability to develop new quantifiable performance benchmarks and indicators that will demonstrate programmatic impact and the quality improvement outcomes.

9. Communicate with CMS for policy guidance and approval as required.

10. Develop and manage budgets based on federal guidelines.

The SHIP Performance Measurement and Reporting System contractor must have the ability to successfully complete the functions mentioned above, as well as the capacity to perform other tasks requiring similar skill sets mentioned above.

Interested parties should submit a written capability statement within fourteen (14) days of this publication. Firms must specify a name and telephone number for a point of contact and indicate your size standard under the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (formerly known as SIC code): 541611 - Administrative Management and General Consulting Services (Size Standard - $7.0 Million). Additional information on NAICS codes can be found at www.sba.gov. The purpose of this Sources Sought synopsis is to identify potential responsible small business contractors only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The information you provide will be evaluated to identify capable potential sources if funding is allocated for this effort. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or otherwise pay for any information solicited. Questions may be referred to Elliott Sloan.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Attn: Elliott Sloan 410-786-0320 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244-1850

Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/HCFA/AGG/120502/listing.html