D -- VMS Maintenance Extension

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) intends to extend the current contract 500-01-0007 with VIPS for VMS Maintenance for 10 months. The first month is for post production support of the October quarterly Release and the remaining nine months is for a transition period in the event that ViPS is not selected (CMS will compete the continuation of the services) to continue providing VMS maintenance. This is not a solicitation. This is a notice of our intent to contract with ViPS. CMS is using the exception to full and open competition described in FAR 6.302-1 (a)(2)(ii)(b) to procure ViPS's services. This exception to full and open competition allows the Government to contract with the original contractor for follow-on services. The VMS system is proprietary system developed and maintained by ViPS. This systems has never been transition and, therefore ViPS is the only source for providing post production and transition services at this time. A Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition citing the authority provided by FAR 6.302-1 (a)(2)(ii)(b) has been prepared. Interested parties must submit complete cost and technical information by the response date established above. Email or fax responses are not acceptable. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be reviewed solely for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement, which is extremely unlikely considering that this non-competitive action is being executed to permit time to complete a competitive procurement for the continuation of the required maintenance services. See Note 22. Direct questions to Lyandra Emmanuel at Lyandra.Emmanuel@cms.hhs.gov