SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions about Effectiveness: The DEcIDE Network
- Notice Date
- 6/6/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting 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-05-0010
- Response Due
- 7/22/2005
- Archive Date
- 8/6/2005
- Description
- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is soliciting proposals for approximately 6-12 task order contracts to provide the services for the project entitled ?Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions about Effectiveness: The DEcIDE Network?. The purpose is to create a collaborative research and practice-based network program that will assist AHRQ and other Federal Agencies with implementation of Section 1013 of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). The DEcIDE network will provide a variety of services and products to support the development of new scientific knowledge through research on the outcomes of health care items and services. Activities performed by the DEcIDE network will reflect the general principle that clinicians and patients should have the best available evidence available upon which to make choices in health care items and services. Hence, the network will rapidly develop scientific evidence and new analytic tools to assist healthcare providers, patients, and policy makers with making informed decisions about the comparative effectiveness, appropriateness, and outcomes of healthcare items and services, particularly prescription medications. DEcIDE research centers will be expected to work closely with other AHRQ programs involved with implementing Section 1013, including the Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC?s), the Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decision Science, the Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs), the Integrated Delivery System Research Network (IDSRN), the Primary Care Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs), the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), and the Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project (HCUP). Sharing of expertise and other resources between DEcIDE centers and across other relevant AHRQ programs is strongly encouraged. Periods of performance will vary, ranging from 30 days up to the length of the contract, depending on the complexity of the topic or depth of the activity requirements. Research centers will also be expected to have the methodological competence and management flexibility (capacity) to satisfy a range of tasks that need to be performed concurrently. DEcIDE research centers will be expected to demonstrate methodological expertise in the assessment of a broad range of scientific data, such as data from randomized controlled trials, computerized pharmacy records, diagnostic studies, technology assessments, epidemiologic and social sciences research (including but not limited to economics, sociology, and behavioral research). A DEcIDE research center may: 1) perform secondary database analyses to compare health outcomes (e.g., hospitalizations, deaths, patient costs, morbidity) according to medication use within a class of drugs or according to a particular therapeutic approach; 2) study the comparative effectiveness and outcomes of different therapeutic approaches including use of medical device(s); 3) conduct methodological studies to develop new ways of identifying over- and under-utilization of therapies; 4) develop computer algorithms to identify inappropriate prescribing patterns; 5) evaluate the effects of insurance benefit and drug formulary structure on health outcomes; 6) conduct clinical economics studies; 7) evaluate patient and prescriber decision-making tools; 8) conduct methodological and statistical research to advance the scientific use and establishment of disease registries, clinical repositories and health databases; 9) perform accelerated studies comparing the clinical effectiveness of common treatment options in the elderly; 10) conduct simulations and modeling studies of clinical pathways and health outcomes; 11) carry out evaluations of innovative healthcare services that reduce inappropriate healthcare utilization; 12) design and implement prospective studies to examine health outcomes of diagnostic tests and treatments; 13) conduct retrospective genetic studies to ascertain potential benefits of genetic tests in reducing adverse events or improving efficacy; 14) provide technical assistance as needed; and 15) other assignments as requested. The DEcIDE research centers are to be comprised of core staff of experienced professionals in fields such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, epidemiology, statistics, computer science, information science, health services research, behavioral research, public health, social sciences, and science writing and editing. Sources must also possess, or be able obtain (in-house or through subcontracting arrangements), the staff and resources needed to expeditiously carry out the different types of activities listed above. It is AHRQ?s expectation that at least one topic-specific content expert will be included as key personnel for each Task Order. It is anticipated that 6-12 task order contracts will be awarded for a period of 5 years. Award is expected by September 30, 2005. In addition to the solicitation being available on this site, it will also be available for downloading from the internet on AHRQs website at www.ahrq.gov. It is the offerors responsibility to monitor this site for release of the solicitation, download their own copy of the solicitation, and monitor the site for any subsequent amendments. Since it is not known who is downloading the solicitation, a bidders list will not be available. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which will be evaluated by AHRQ. It is estimated that the solicitation will be issued on or about June 21, 2005, with proposals due 30 days thereafter.
- Record
- SN00823245-W 20050608/050606211739 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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