Electronic Capture of Cancer Claims Data for SEER Program

Contracting Office Address: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Office of Acquisitions, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Room 1E214, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Description: National Cancer Institute (NCI) Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS), Surveillance Research Program (SRP), plans to procure on a sole source basis support services for weekly submission of medical claims data from oncologist providers and oncology practices from the same, ongoing patients services from Unlimited Technology Systems, LLC.; 5905 E. Galbraith Rd. Ste 8000; Cincinnati, OH, 45249. This acquisition will be processed in accordance with simplified acquisition procedures as stated in FAR Part 13.106-1(b)(1) and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System code is 518210 and the business size standard is $32.5M. Only one (1) award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This will be awarded as a firm fixed price type contract. The Period of Performance is estimated to be twelve (12) months from the effective date stated in the award. It has been determined there are no opportunities to acquire green products or services for this procurement. The DCCPS both generates new knowledge and seeks to ensure that the products of cancer control research are effectively applied in all segments of the population. Through innovative research initiatives, leadership, and the synthesis of knowledge and its dissemination, we are building this program to be the nation's model for cancer control science. The SRP provides national leadership in the science of cancer surveillance as well as analytical tools and methodological expertise in collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating reliable population-based cancer statistics. This surveillance infrastructure benefits the public, policymakers, and scientists in understanding changes in cancer incidence and outcomes in all segments of the US population over time. Healthcare providers in all 50 states are required by law to report new cases of cancer to their state's cancer registries. The National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, collects data on each and every cancer patient in SEER covered areas. This data includes demographics, a description of their cancer, limited initial treatment information, and patient follow-up including cause of death for deceased patients. In the past the main source of registry data came from Hospitals. With the increasing complexity of cancer care and delivery systems, patients are being increasingly treated exclusively at physicians' offices. Thus, for SEER to continue capturing all cancer cases and their treatment information SEER is interested in obtaining other sources of data such as claims data from oncology practices. Oncology practice claims has proven to be a rich source of information on detailed systemic therapy, including agents, doses administration dates etc. Beginning in 2015, the NCI SEER Program began supporting the procurement of oncology practice claims data for six (6) SEER central cancer registries (see related contracts listed below), from Unlimited Technology Systems, LLC. Unlimited Technology Systems, LLC provides healthcare information systems to a national community of oncology practices. In addition to obtaining cancer treatment information for cases recently diagnosed, SEER is interested in evaluating the long history of claims to assess longitudinal treatment as well as progression and/or cancer recurrence. To do this, it is crucial to have a very long series of longitudinal claims on the same cancer patient. The SEER Program has already obtained claims for a substantial number of SEER cancer patients for the years 2013-2017 for Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico and Utah from oncology practices and oncologists, referenced here as providers. The current Unlimited Technology Systems, LLC providers have already provided consent to Unlimited Technology Systems, LLC to send claims to the respective central cancer registries to fulfil their obligation in reporting cancer cases. These claims are currently being used by SEER registries to ascertain new cancer cases more rapidly as the claims are received weekly, to capture systemic therapy and to ascertain follow-up information in terms of vital status of cancer patients. The SEER Program is interested in continuing to support the transmission of claims data for current providers, as well as to support the expansion of this capability, for additional providers within the SEER regions, or new states/areas covered by cancer registration that the Program identifies as important to obtain claims data information. This project is critical in order for SEER to continue being relevant and advance cancer surveillance and research. The primary objective of this project is to maintain the weekly submission of medical claims data from oncologist providers and oncology practices that have already provided consent, and which are in compliance with cancer reporting guidelines according to their respective states (see below). These claims are crucial to obtain detailed treatment information for new cancer cases, to assess longitudinal treatment as well as progression, recurrence and to more rapidly ascertain cancer cases. To obtain longitudinal treatment information, as well as recurrence and progression, it is crucial to obtain a very long series of claims for each individual cancer patient and maintain consistency on the cancer patients being covered. SEER / Area Number of Oncology Practices Georgia / 85 Kentucky / 2 Utah / 25 Louisiana / 3 New Mexico / 25 A second objective is to onboard new practices with the capability to transmit claims data within the existing SEER areas, as well as in additional states/areas covered by cancer registration. Contractor shall perform the following: TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: The healthcare technology Contractor shall be able to provide claims data as described below for oncology practices of interest to the SEER Program. Weekly Claims Data Submissions (12-Months: 1 - 300 Providers) The Contractor shall submit current claims data for providers which have previously been configured with the FARreach data relay platform. Data shall be submitted through an NCI provided secured portal on a weekly basis, and be in the ANSI Health Care Claim Transition Set (837) standard format Onboard Practices (12-Months: six (6) Practices) The Contractor shall onboard new practices within specified catchment areas identified by the NCI COR. This includes, but is not limited to: obtaining billing provider consent to transmit claims data abiding by respective state reporting mandates, and configuring a data relay platform to transmit claims data through the NCI secured portal in the ANSI Health Care Claim Transition Set (837) standard format. Transmit a minimum of 36 months of retrospective claims data in the first data transmission, plus weekly submissions of current claims data, through the NCI secured portal in the ANSI Health Care Claim Transition Set (837) standard format. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES: Provide the necessary information to the Contractor in order for them to complete Sections 3.0 and 5.0 of this Statement of Work. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES: The Contractor shall deliver the following items within the Period of Performance stated in the order and as coordinated with the NCI Contracting Officer's Representative (COR): DELIVERABLE, DELIVERABLE DESCRIPTION / FORMAT REQUIREMENTS, DUE DATE 1, Weekly Transmission of claims from consenting providers submitted through the NCI secured portal. Data shall be in the ANSI Health Care Claim Transition Set (837) standard format. DUE DATE: Weekly from effective date of contract (Coordinate day of week with the NCI COR.) 2, Configured installation of claims transmission conduits for new onboarding practice. Per direction of NCI COR, Final Report Report summarizing activities conducted during the period. Deliverable shall be submitted to the COR electronically in Microsoft compatible format, DUE DATE: by the expiration of the contract's Period of Performance. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA: The NCI COR will perform inspection and acceptance of services to be provided. Acceptance may be presumed unless otherwise indicated in writing by the NCI COR within 30 days of receipt. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Shall be twelve (12) months as stated in the order. AWARD TYPE: The award will be firm-fixed price, and made in the aggregate. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Contractor's work site. PAYMENT: NET 30 days (15 days for Small Business Concerns) from date of invoice. Payment shall be made in monthly increments after satisfactory completion and acceptance of the deliverables stated in Section 5.0. The Contractor shall be paid after satisfactory completion and acceptance of work provided. Payment authorization requires submission and approval of invoice to the NCI COR and NIH OFM Commercial Accounts per the attached Invoice and Payment Provisions. A copy of each invoice should be e-mailed to the NCI COR's contact information on the first page of the order. These support services are provided by the Unlimited Technology Systems, LLC. The SEER program is interested in evaluating the long history of claims data to assess longitudinal treatment as well as progression and/or cancer recurrence. To do this, it is crucial to have a very long series of longitudinal claims data for the same cancer patient. The SEER program has previously obtained this claims data for a substantial number of cancer patients for the years 2013-2017 as follows: SEER Area / Number of Oncology Practices (Providers) Georgia / 85 Kentucky / 2 Utah / 25 Louisiana / 3 New Mexico / 25 The above providers process their oncology claims using Unlimited Technology Systems. Unlimited Technology Systems is the only provider with the specific oncology provider network that has access to the current subset of claims data for the same cancer patients. Obtaining this claims data for the same cancer patients is necessary to maintain the consistency of the longitudinal claims data that are reported to the SEER registries. Award of this contract to any other provider would result in access to a different network of oncology providers. This would compromise the consistency of longitudinal claims data by providing this data for a different group of cancer patients. Thus, it is reasonable for the NCI to conclude that its needs for this unique subset of provider claims data for the same cancer patients can only be satisfied by Unlimited Technology Systems. Further, Unlimited Technology Systems has expended effort under related NCI contracts working with their network of providers to obtain consent to send this claims data to the respective SEER registries. In addition to obtaining consent, Unlimited Technology Systems expended effort under related NCI contracts working to establish the technical infrastructure required to transmit the data between the providers and SEER registries. Subsequently, it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition and result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the NCI's requirements. This notice is not a request for competitive quotation. However, if any interested party, especially small businesses, believes it can meet the above requirement, it may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. The statement of capabilities and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow the NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement. Responses must be received in the contracting office by 3:30PM ET, on July 31, 2018. All responses and questions must be in writing and faxed +1 (555) 000-0000 or emailed to Catherine Muir, Contracting Officer via electronic mail at contact@example.gov. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. No collect calls will be accepted. In order to receive an award, Contractors must be registered and have valid, current Entity Record, including current Representations and Certifications, in the System for Award Management (SAM) through SAM.gov. Reference N02PC82597-76 on all correspondence.