SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Integrating Cost-Effectiveness Considerations in Health Policy Decisions
- Notice Date
- 12/20/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Contracts Management, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD, 20850
- ZIP Code
- 20850
- Solicitation Number
- AHRQ-05-0006
- Response Due
- 1/5/2005
- Archive Date
- 1/20/2005
- Point of Contact
- Sharon Williams, Contracting Officer, Phone 301 427-1781, Fax 301 427-1740, - Mary Haines, Contracting Officer, Phone 301 427-1786, Fax 301 427-1740,
- E-Mail Address
-
swilliam@ahrq.gov, mhaines@ahrq.gov
- Description
- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with the Program for the Economic Evaluation of Medical Technologies (PEEMT) within the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis to develop a strategic plan outlining steps for developing a framework and systems for integrating cost-effectiveness considerations within the current structure of the U.S. health care system, focusing on payment and coverage decisions for new technologies and pharmaceuticals. The project represents the first phase of a two-phase research effort. The successful and timely implementation of the second phase is entirely dependent on the timely and successful completion of the first Phase. The tasks required for Phase I require researchers to have skills and experience in economic methods, policy analysis, and organization of group interactions and understanding of group dynamics, consensus building and precise writing. The project also requires the knowledge of and interaction with all key stakeholders in this area of policy analysis and research. The team at Harvard is uniquely qualified for this work. They have the depth of expertise in cost-effectiveness methodology combined with knowledge and expertise in policy related to economic evaluation that is unmatched. PEEMT is directed by a pioneer in the field of cost-effectiveness and health and medicine. The deputy director, in addition to being a cost-effectiveness researcher, is arguably the leading writer on cost-effectiveness policy in the U.S. with a multitude of publications on this topic. Harvard School of Public Health thus houses a prolific and highly respected research group in cost-effectiveness, which commands the respect and recognition that will encourage leaders in the field to participate in this project and has the requisite organizational, methodological, and substantive depth to assure the production of a high-quality report in a timely manner. The strategic plan will address the following: 1) processes and methods for assuring quality and consistency of studies to increase their acceptability, including identification of areas of needed methodological improvements; 2) processes and methods for engaging stakeholders and for eliciting public input to address decision-making in the context of resource limits; and 3) specific options for decision making processes and methods using CEA and incorporating societal values in two specific areas: medical technology decisions and identifying research priorities. As part of the strategic plan, the contractor will also propose 2-4 research projects which would assist in operationalizing the approaches presented in the strategic plan. These projects may involve piloting proposed mechanisms, providing data to support the development of proposed processes, or otherwise directly contribute to progress or refinement of the plan, with priority given to processes and methods for engaging stakeholders. To provide baseline information for this effort, the contractor will produce a background paper detailing the social, political, ethical and methodological barriers to acceptance and increased use of cost effectiveness analyses (CEAs). The contractor will hold a 1-2 day conference to present the draft strategic plan and obtain feedback prior to finalization of the plan. Conference attendees will be identified as part of the development of the strategic plan, representing organizations and decision makers critical to the evolution of health care decision making in the public and private sectors, with the goal of furthering the integration of cost-effectiveness considerations in policy decision making contexts. To develop the strategic plan, the contractor will convene an expert Panel, consisting of approximately 8-12 individuals familiar with cost-effectiveness analysis, resource allocation concerns, and public inputs to policy and including representatives of the private and public sectors involved with health care decision making. The Panel will meet two times in the development of the strategic plan, and once following the conference to review the strategic plan. The Contractor shall invite guest presenters as needed. Panel meetings shall be 1-2 days. The Contractor shall be responsible for facilitating the work of the Panel and for the management of meeting logistics, including such activities as selecting the meeting location, developing the meeting agenda, distributing meeting materials, making travel arrangements for Panel members, providing audio visual equipment, summarizing meeting results, and reimbursing Panel member travel costs from contract funds. The statutory authority is 10 USC 2304(C)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii) – only one responsible source and no other suppliers or services will satisfy agency requirements. The tasks required for Phase I require researchers to have skills and experience in economic methods, policy analysis, and organization of group interactions and understanding of group dynamics, consensus building and precise writing. The project also requires the knowledge of and interaction with all key stakeholders in this area of policy analysis and research. The team at Harvard is uniquely qualified for this work. They have the depth of expertise in cost-effectiveness methodology combined with knowledge and expertise in policy related to economic evaluation that is unmatched. PEEMT is directed by a pioneer in the field of cost-effectiveness and health and medicine. The deputy director, in addition to being a cost-effectiveness researcher, is arguably the leading writer on cost-effectiveness policy in the U.S. with a multitude of publications on this topic. Harvard School of Public Health thus houses a prolific and highly respected research group in cost-effectiveness, which commands the respect and recognition that will encourage leaders in the field to participate in this project and has the requisite organizational, methodological, and substantive depth to assure the production of a high-quality report in a timely manner. The Harvard team has the unique combination of skills, credibility and experience that qualify it to meet the objectives of this project and within the required timeframes. No other organization is able to provide this expertise as specifically requested. As a result, AHRQ has determined that award to any other source would likely require a significant reduction in the quality of the strategic plan, would result in higher start up costs and at least several months reduction in the time for development of the strategic plan. The estimated issue date for the Request for Proposal is January 10, 2005. This synopsis of intent to award a sole source contract is not a request for competitive proposals; however, interested parties may submit capability statements. In order to be determined to be capable, the contractor must have strong skills and experience in economic methods, policy analysis, and organization of group interactions and understanding of group dynamics, consensus building and precise writing. The contractor should understand the history of the use of cost-effectiveness in various decision-making contexts, both in the U.S. and internationally, and in both the public and private sectors. Thorough understanding of debates regarding CEA methodology are required, as is familiarity with the ethical and other social issues surrounding the use of CEA in policy and in resource allocation decisions generally. The project will also require knowledge of and interactions with all key stakeholders in this area of policy analysis and research. Responses to this notice shall be mailed to: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Division of Contracts Management, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, Attention: Sharon Williams or by fax at 301-427-1740. Telephone and/or e-mail responses will not be accepted. Capability statements must be received in writing, by no later than January 5, 2005. Capability statements must include detailed information demonstrating the ability to meet the above requirements. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. NOTE: THIS NOTICE WAS NOT POSTED TO WWW.FEDBIZOPPS.GOV ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (20-DEC-2004); HOWEVER, IT DID APPEAR IN THE FEDBIZOPPS FTP FEED ON THIS DATE. PLEASE CONTACT fbo.support@gsa.gov REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
- Web Link
-
Link to FedBizOpps document.
(http://www.eps.gov/spg/HHS/AHRQ/DCM/AHRQ-05-0006/listing.html)
- Record
- SN00723876-F 20041222/041220211723 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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