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

A -- ACCELERATING THE CYCLE OF RESEARCH THROUGH A NETWORK OF INTEGRATED DELIVERY SYSTEMS SOL AHRQ-00-0003 DUE 022300 POC Darryl Grant, Contracting Officer, 301-594-7189 WEB: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, www.ahrg.gov. E-MAIL: Darryl Grant, Contracting Officer, dgrant@ahrq.gov. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is soliciting proposals for a multiple-award task order contract to accelerate the cycle of research which consists of: needs assessment, knowledge creation, translation and dissemination, and evaluation (see AHRQ's strategic plan at http://www.ahrq.gov/about/stratpln.htm). The rapid growth and evolution of managed care has challenged AHRQ to develop more innovative and timely ways of conducting research and to improve the dissemination and implementation of research results. Through this initiative, AHRQ seeks to develop a network of integrated delivery systems (referred to herein after as the Integrated Delivery System Research Network, or IDSRN) capable of conducting rigorous and timely research independently or in collaboration with other research organizations. Specifically, AHRQ seeks to develop a mechanism through which IDS's and their collaborators can assess information gaps and research needs, conduct timely research in key substantive and methodological areas, develop new approaches and tools for translating research into practice and improving patient safety, and evaluate what interventions, strategies, and structures are effective and cost-effective. We define an Integrated Delivery Systems as any organization meeting the following four conditions: 1) Manages the care of the population it serves using the financial and organizational strategies often associated with "managed care." Such strategies may include, for example, benefit package designs that cover preventive services and minimize out of pocket expenses, selective contracting with physicians and hospitals, primary care gatekeeper systems, utilization review, formularies, chronic care and disease management programs, financial and organizational strategies for improving the coordination of care, common medical records and/or management information systems, and total quality management and continuous quality improvement programs. 2) Capable of working collaboratively with providers (e.g,. physician groups, hospitals) to conduct a range of research, including needs assessments, demonstrations, and evaluations. 3) Maintains administrative, claims, or encounter data on demographically (age, sex, race/ethnicity) and clinically (types of diseases and illnesses treated) diverse populations. Organizations exclusively maintaining administrative, claims, or encounter data on a narrow set of clinical conditions (e.g., cancer, behavioral health) are not included in this definition. 4) In addition to administrative, claims, or encounter data, maintains one or more of the following five types of data: a) enrollment; b) clinical or medical record (including laboratory and diagnostic tests and pharmacy); c) survey (e.g., health status, patient or member satisfaction); d) provider (e.g., demographics, certification); and, e) facility (e.g., size, technological capability, accreditation) data. AHRQ is particularly interested in working with: 1) Managed care plans of any model type. 2) Hospital-based integrated delivery systems (vertically integrated). 3) Large, multi-speciality physician groups. 4) IDS's that manage and provide care for priority populations (low-income groups; minority groups; women; children; elderly; and, individuals with special health care needs). For example, safety-net providers. 5) Universities, academic health centers, research consulting firms, or other research organizations working with the organizational types noted above (one through four). Given the range of research to be performed under this contract, AHRQ encourages IDS's and Universities, academic health centers, research consulting firms, or other research organizations to explore partnerships. Consortia of IDS's are also be encouraged to apply. A consortium of IDS's can be comprised of: a) state or regional offices of national health plans or medical groups; b) IDS's under different ownership but agreeing to collaborate on task orders issued under this contract. It is anticipated that the types of research to be conducted include: a) descriptive studies of the prevalence and nature of new clinical, technological, and organizational innovations and interventions; b) cost and feasibility studies of linking and using existing IDS data for particular purposes; c) analytic studies in targeted substantive and methodological areas, including health outcomes, quality measurement and improvement, practice and technology assessment, and organization and delivery; d) demonstrations of new approaches and tools for translating research into practice and improving patient safety; and e) evaluations of measures (outcomes and quality), interventions (clinical), or strategies, structures, and processes (organizational, financial and technological, including computer based patient records). Expertise in a range of study designs and methods (qualitative and quantitative) is necessary. Anticipated products from this contract consist primarily of research reports. However, products may also include meetings, or educational materials and tools. Sources must have the research capacity to conduct the full range of research desired expeditiously. This includes professional research staff with the expertise to conduct a wide range of rigorous research, high quality encounter-level data that can be combined with existing or newly collected data for purposes of research, and a governance structure for working with clinical and managerial leaders of the IDS's in order to capitalize on research opportunities (e.g., "natural experiments"). The contract period of performance is expected to be three (3) years with a 2 year option period. The estimated issuance date of the RFP will be approximately February 25, 2000, with proposals due 60 days thereafter. Requests for copies of the solicitation should be forwarded to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Attn: Darryl Grant, Division of Contracts Management, 2101 East Jefferson Street, Suite 601, Rockville, MD 20852. Telephone requests will not be honored; all requests must be submitted in writing. Faxed requests may be sent to (301) 443-7523 to the attention of Darryl Grant. This requirement was previously synopsized in the CBD on June 25, 1999 under solicitation # AHCPR-99-0011 which was canceled on August 26, 1999. Those organizations who had previously requested copies of the solicitation in writing will be included on the mailing list. Posted 02/08/00 (W-SN423155). (0039)

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