Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF AUGUST 28, 2002 FBO #0269
SOURCES SOUGHT

B -- Notice of Intent to Sole Source for Dataprocessing Operations and Validation services for the Executive Information/Decision Support (EI/DS) Program Office of the TRICARE Management Activity

Notice Date

8/26/2002
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

Contracting Office

Defense Contracting Command-Washington(DCC-W), ATTN: Policy and Compliance, 5200 Army Pentagon, Room 1D245, Washington, DC 20310-5200
 

ZIP Code

20310-5200
 

Solicitation Number

DASW01-02-R-0010
 

Response Due

9/5/2002
 

Point of Contact

Cindy Durling, 703-681-2825
 

E-Mail Address

Email your questions to Defense Contracting Command-Washington(DCC-W)
(cindy.durling@hqda.army.mil)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

NA The Defense Contracting Command - Washington (DCC-W), intends to negotiate on a SOLE SOURCE basis with Altarum for the continuation of data processing operations and validation for the Executive Information/Decision Support (EI/DS) Program Office. The ven dor will perform operational processing of enterprise Military Health System (MHS) data and validation of the processing. The Enterprise Data architecture developed, operated and maintained by the EI/DS Program Office is widely regarded as the largest and most complex healthcare data warehouse environment in the world. Specific and unique skill levels and a thorough working knowledge of MHS data and TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) business rules are required to maintain the EI/DS enterprise data architecture. The distinctive knowledge and experience acquired via this contract involves the processing and validation over one billion military health records each year. These records are transmitted via dozens of data feeds from over 20 disparate systems and non-system sources for the purpose of centralizing MHS health record data storage. The MHS health care record formats and the associated record codes are frequently modified and are unique to each military Service. Every record must be manually processed against complex business rules to normalize the data. This is unique to the MHS; c ommercial health records have been standardized with the use of the HCFA1500 and UB92 forms. This contract is the sole vehicle by which the maintenance and operation of the processors needed to ingest, handle, and produce data sets for use by reporting sys tems and end users is performed. Failure to accurately perform the data processing procedures or precisely execute the quality control function at all times would result in at least one of the following: 1. Rejection of data. The ability to populate the EI/DS enterprise data architecture (the MHS Data Repository) is dependent upon records being consistent with the Extraction, Transformation and Loading (ETL) process. The MDR feeds all downstream systems a nd sources. Failure to populate the MDR will result with the inability to populate EI/DS datamarts, and to transmit data to each of the military Services, the Veterans Administration, and other Government organizations. 2. Disintegration of EI/DS data integrity and data quality. Improperly applying business rules or failing to discover quality issues following the processing will create inaccurate data records. Data integrity and data quality are the cornerstones of the EI/DS Program. The Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) use EI/DS data to manage the delivery of health care. The Department of Defense uses EI/DS data to monitor, assess, and manage the business of the MHS (i.e., base closures, resource leveling, etc.). The GAO uses EI/DS data to assess and report on the MHS in response to congressional guidance. Inaccurate data can have catastrophic effects when decisions are made based upon erroneous assessments. The Government?s requirement is to have one knowledgeable and independent company responsible for the quality assurance and process improvement activities for EI/DS Enterprise Data, as the program is used to feed information into other programs being manag ed by EI/DS Program Office. Altarum has been selected by the Government to provide the services outlined in the tasks due to the complex nature of the data, Altarum?s extensive experience and knowledge of MHS data, business rules, and comprehensive unders tanding of the end user requirements. In many instances, these business rules are not documented and manual intervention and data processing decisions are made based on the knowledge of the end user application of the data. Altarum has acquired this know ledge over many years of interaction with MHS data. EI/DS has undertaken considerable efforts to automate the data ingest processes required to support the EI/DS architecture. Automation of these pr ocesses is a tedious and lengthy progression. At this time, very few data feed processes have been automated. EI/DS requires a parallel manual processing be executed as each data feed is automated, to ensure the integrity and quality of the data has not b een impacted. EI/DS estimates that the data ingest processes will be fully implemented by FY05. Automation of the ingest function will result in the cessation of this contract requirement. The risks associated with the award of this effort to another ven dor are extremely high. Inaccurate processing of the MHS data would have impacts measured in millions of dollars. Altarum's QA work has set the standard for the review of processed data and for the future handling of data as MHS processing and repository systems evolve. QA and improvement activities are integrated as a part of and not overlaid upon tasks performed by Altarum. Strictly enforced and monitored, these processes have resulted in the error-free production of data sets, reports, analysis and other services and products on a repeatable and consistent basis. The continuance of Altarum in this role is fundame ntal to the successful, cost effective, and timely execution of the EI/DS Program Office operational and quality assurance missions. The amount of time to train a new vendor would impact the Military Health System (MHS) data collection schedule and proces sing quality. As the sole provider of functional verification and validation services to EI/DS, Altarum's products have served to confirm, clarify, or point out inconsistencies with processes, procedures, and policies that impact the operation of data processing and use of the MHS data. Verification and validation activities are an integral part of each task undertaken and have specifically resulted in cost and time savings in the area of data processing cycles. The continuance of Altarum in this role is vital to the s uccessful, cost effective, and timely execution of the EI/DS Program operational, analysis, and quality assurance missions. Each time EI/DS has experienced a shift in vendors and organizations responsible for the maintenance of data type processors, the Government has suffered unacceptable loss of data, lag time in data set production, errors in processing, lack of quality cont rol, and significant user dissatisfaction and resultant distrust of the content of the reporting system(s) that use the processed data sets. Therefore, Altarum is the only responsible source without substantial duplication of cost to the Government under authority 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1)/FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Contract award will consist of one 6-month base period and three 6-month option periods. The Government anticipates this requirement to conclude at the end of the contract option periods. The NAICS code for this procurement is 541511. A Justification fo r Other than Full and Open Competition is on file. Fifteen (15) days from the date of the issuance of this notice, the Contracting Officer will proceed in accordance with FAR regulations to award a contract to Altarum for EI/DS Operational Data Processing & Validation. This announcement is for informational purpose only. No solicitation is available. POC/CONTRACT SPECIALIST: Barbara Lein, Tel (703) 681-2804, Email: barbara.lein@hqda.army.mil
 

Place of Performance

Address: Defense Contracting Command-Washington(DCC-W) Health Affairs Division ATTN: Policy and Compliance, 5200 Army Pentagon, Room 1D245 Washington DC

Zip Code: 20310-5200

Country: US
 

Record

SN00150146-W 20020828/020826213528 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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