Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Contracts Management Staff, Executive Office Center, Suite 601, 2101 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20852

D -- DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS OF THE HEALTHCARE COST AND UTILIZATION PROJECT (HCUP) DUE 072399 POC Darryl Grant, Contracting Officer, (301) 594-7189 The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) is seeking potential sources from qualified small business firms under Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code 7379 ($18 million) which have the capability to 1) develop and maintain a national data system for health services research and health policy analysis containing information about patients' hospital and outpatient services; and 2) conduct statistical analyses of quality, access, cost, and utilization of health services using the data system in order to fulfill the scientific mission of AHCPR. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is designed to create a national information resource of hospital inpatient and outpatient data. The primary purpose of this effort is to build databases suitable for a broad range of health services research studies that include research on access to care and the quality, cost, and utilization of health care programs. The HCUP project currently includes two databases for health services research for release outside AHCPR, which currently provides 9 years of data for 1988-96. Data for 1997 will be released in fall of 1999. These database collections are sponsored by AHCPR through a Federal-State-industry partnership to build a multi-State health care data system built from State-level databases. The HCUP database is managed in the Center for Organization and Delivery Studies at AHCPR. Both databases contain discharge abstract data in a uniform format while protecting privacy. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) includes inpatient data from a national sample of about 900 hospitals each year. The State Inpatient Databases (SID) covers inpatient care in community hospitals in 21 States that represent more than half of all U.S. hospital discharges. Data for other health services such as emergency department and ambulatory surgery are also being collected from 9 States. HCUP's objectives are to: (1) obtain data from statewide information sources, (2) design and develop a multi-State health care database for health services research and health policy analysis, and (3) make these data available to a broad set of public and private users. The uniform data in HCUP make possible comparative studies including the effects of market forces on hospitals and the care they provide, variations in medical practice, the effectiveness of medical technology and treatments, and use of services by special populations. The primary objective of the HCUP contract is to provide high quality efficient database design, development, and management. The contract may also call for analytical and statistical programming for large-scale, complex database manipulation and analysis for research conducted in various Centers of the AHCPR. HCUP databases are based on large-scale, multi-user databases, across multiple state settings, and years. Databases can contain upwards of 2 million records and over 100 data elements. The data development requires not only technical expertise in efficient database design, storage, and retrieval procedures but also knowledge of the best database features for broad analytical research purposes and multi-user access. The data development skills must include: the development of uniform databases from multiple and disparate administrative encounter-level data sources to efficiently support a team of researchers studying widely differing topics; the precise documentation of each step of the process so that revisions of database files can be made with minimal cost and specifications can be reapplied to multiple years of data; and the production of public use files that protect the confidential nature of the data; and handling of requests for special data runs. The data management of this project is not of a routine nature but rather requires sophistication in design, detail in documentation, protection from computer viruses and unauthorized use, and integrity of file storage and retrieval to protect the large investments in data that have been made by the AHCPR over the last 20 years. (See the following websites for the latest Federal security standards: OMB Circular A-130, Appendix III, "Security of Federal Automated Information Systems" http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/OMB/html/circulars/a130/a130.html; "Generally Accepted Principles and Practices for Securing Information Technology Systems http://csrc.nist.gov/nistpubs/800-14.pdf; and "Guide for Developing Security Plans for Information Technology Systems" http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/planguide.pdf) For this reason, programmers need to be able to handle large complex data files, develop uniform databases out of non-uniform data, and recognize the value of unique data elements that will be maintained in supplemental files. Statisticians must be capable of developing national samples and sampling weights based on existing data from a subset of states. Advanced technical skills are required to determine the most efficient software and hardware configurations for processing large quantities of data; advances in computer technology must be monitored for their potential for efficient manipulations of large encounter-level data based on administrative records. Technical skills are also required for the design of security systems to protect the confidentiality of data. In addition to these activities, the contractor must develop a transition plan and implement a process for assuming all of the existing data processing support activities of the Center with full operation within 60 days of the start of this contract. The Offeror must have permanent staff with demonstrated experience in the areas set out above. That is, qualified Offerors will have a Project Director with at least 5 years of experience in each of the following: 1) directing the maintenance and analysis of a large administrative encounter-level data in direct support of health services research; 2) data processing management, including responsibility for the recruitment and supervision of programming staff, fiscal controls, and technical oversight; 3) production of public use data files and documentation, from large administrative encounter-level data, for independent use by persons not affiliated with the originating organization; 4) use of personal computers in health services research, including use of tools such as SAS, SUDAAN, sampling and development of sample; 5) collaboration with health services researchers on statistical analyses and behavioral research appearing in government reports, in scholarly books or journals, or similar publications. The Project Director must also have experience exhibiting 1) excellent overall project management skills that include substantive/technical areas, teamwork, budget management, cost control, flexibility, and the ability to produce deliverables on-time, within budget, and of exceptionally high technical quality; 2) excellent verbal communication skills with the Project officer and in meetings and presentations, and 3)excellent written communication skills. The contractor should be able to devote a staff of approximately 10 FTEs annually to this contract, at least one-half having each of the following: 5 years or more of experience regularly programming in such applications as SAS, GAUSS, STATA; 2 years or more of formal education in a health-related field or social science; 3 years or more of experience: collaborating in the development of documentation and preparation of data files from large administrative encounter-level data for independent use by persons not affiliated with the originating organization; in linking large administrative encounter-level data to other large multi-user databases including but not limited to data from the Medicare Cost Report, American Hospital Association Annual Survey, Area Resource File, Current Population Survey files, Zip Code level files; experience in using other large databases including but not limited to data from the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project, Current Population Survey, American Hospital Association files, and Survey on Income and Program Participation; and 3 years experience in ICD coding and clinical software (DRGs, disease staging, etc.); and at least one programmer with 2 or more years experience in HTML programming and other web site support activities. At least 2 of the FTEs should be highly organized and detail oriented with excellent communication skills with 3 or more years of experience in recruiting data Partners, coordinating with outside agencies, preparing memorandums of understanding, overseeing the process of data purchase and collection, and providing technical assistance to data organizations. The contractor should also have a senior statistician with at least 5 years experience. The qualified Offeror must be able to provide: database management and file construction, especially procedures for cataloguing and documentation, for maintaining the integrity and security of the data files, and for assuring high quality programming and data, including state-of-the-art software configuration management (version control management, software defects tracking, automated software build processes, and software concurrent development management), software requirements analysis, software testing, and software life-cycle documentation; programming support for statistical analysis; and dissemination services, including production and documentation of data files for outside users. To qualify, the Offeror must possess the capability, experience, and technical skill to manage and analyze a large database of administrative encounter-level data in support of health services research. The qualified Offeror will be evaluated for relevance and quality of at least 5 years of corporate experience as it relates to the requirements of this acquisition, including the following: management and analysis of a large administrative encounter-level data in direct support of health services research; development of formal systems for monitoring and maintaining efficiency in the use of computer and programmer resources; analysis of health care quality, utilization and/or expenditures; complex statistical programming, production of documentation and data files from large administrative encounter-level data for independent use by other organizations; and demonstrated ability to maintain and manage multiple complex activities concurrently at the highest level of professional and scientific quality. The qualified Offeror should demonstrate an appropriate organizational structure and management systems, including the management of subcontractors, the personnel assigned to each task and the labor hours proposed, the plan for ensuring the availability of adequate staff, the plan for reporting the required technical and cost information to the Government, the system for maintaining efficient use of computer and programmer resources, the plan for responding to special requests on short notice, and planned methods for assuring the successful completion of all tasks within the time and budget allocated. The Offeror must also show sufficient staff with the skills and experience to be fully operational within 60 days of the start of a contract. Offerors will also be evaluated on their ability to organize the transition from the preceding contractor to this contractor-transferring complete responsibility for all files, documentation and software within 60 days and assuring that all of the ongoing activities listed above are fully staffed and operational within 60 days. Offerors will be evaluated as well on the degree to which they demonstrate an understanding of the requirements and objectives of this acquisition, and the problems that are likely to be encountered. There will be daily interaction between agency research staff and the Offeror's staff so suitable logistical plans to facilitate communications and meetings must be addressed. Offerors must demonstrate that they have suitable, high quality and cost-efficient computers and other facilities and equipment available for the performance of all requirements of this acquisition. This is not a formal solicitation. Concerns that respond to this notice must furnish concise responses directed specifically to the requirements mentioned above. Sources possessing experience and demonstrated capability to accomplish the above are to supply pertinent information in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to perform the required services. In particular, information about the number of staff currently employed by the firm who are available and are qualified to meet AHCPR's requirements should be provided according to the following labor categories (1) Project Director/Principal Investigator; (2) Project Manager; (3) Senior Programmer/Analyst; (4) Junior Programmer/Analyst; (5) Senior Statistician; (6) Nosologist; and (7) Documentation Specialist. Information furnished must include background information, resumes, and proof of employment of qualified staff; a description of general and specific facilities; a description of corporate experience with similar projects (including title, sponsoring agency, contract number, and project officer name and telephone number); a list of publications and reports from those projects; a description of the Contractors' existing and proposed IT Hardware, Network and Software infrastructure, IT Security processes and procedures, IT Software Configuration Management processes and procedures, IT File and Data Base Management processes and procedures, IT Year 2000 Compliance processes and procedures, and IT Software Requirements Analysis, Software Development, Software Testing, Software Quality Assurance, and Software Life Cycle Documentation processes and procedures, and other available information needed for AHCPR staff to perform a proper evaluation. Interested small businesses may submit these tailored capability statements to the attention of the Contracting Officer at the address above no later than (date). For more details on the HCUP project, please visit our website: www.ahcpr.gov/data/hcup. Posted 06/23/99 (W-SN346324). (0174)

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