National Practitioner Databank (NPDB)

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) intends to negotiate, via modification, an extension on a sole source basis to the existing contract HHSN316201200050W/HHSH250201700049W, with SRA International, Inc. 15036 Conference Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151-3848. The contract is for National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) services. The intent of this notice is not to solicit competitive offers. This notice is provided pursuant to 10 U.S.C 2304(c)(1) and FAR part 6.302-1: the supplies or services required by the agency for this contract extension, are available from only one responsible source and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements and FAR part 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) : order must be awarded on a sole source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency. A competitive procurement conducted in 2011 resulted in SRA International, Inc. as the successful offeror. Negotiations with SRA, Intl. for this extension will allow the additional required time to allow for an independent assessment of the NPDB program and to develop the HHS mandated five (5) year acquisition strategy which caused a delay. During this period the Government is conducting an independent technical assessment of the NPDB system and its technical procedures. The intent of this independent assessment is to inform the future state of system objectives that underpin the NPDB's information architecture and to inform the planned future NPDB procurement to begin fall of 2019 and for award early in the calendar year 2020. The independent assessment is scheduled to be completed May 31, 2019. The added time will allow the Government to complete these policy and compliance initiatives, which would otherwise be halted if not for this critical extension. HRSA Senior leadership concurs with this procurement approach. The result of which will be an IT system in full compliance ready for a turnkey transition to any next successful offeror. A six (6) month transition is included for the planned procurement winter/spring 2020 if needed. The contractor, SRA International Inc. has significant knowledge and experience with the NPDB project. SRA's history and performance on the NPDB contract makes it efficient to the Government, in continuing to provide these critical services required for this short term extension. Due to the NPDB's extensive learning curve and the critical services required for this short twelve (12) month extension period, a different contractor would have to perform beyond a reasonable level in order to attain the necessary results. Using any other contractor is not acceptable because a delay of service and duplication of effort would create many unreasonable inefficiencies. Using any other contractor at this time, would result in additional Government time, additional funding, and increase in the project and program costs, lengthen the schedule, and raise performance risks during a time when the system's cybersecurity posture takes precedence. The additional cost and delay in the program may be recovered through competition. The proposed contract extension is for supplies and services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the above cited authority. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested persons may identify their interest and may submit their capabilities or responses before the closing date and time of this notice to the Government for consideration. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract extension based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Any written inquiries must reference the contract number, HHSN316201200050W/ HHSH250201700049W and be addressed to Mario Checchia at contact@example.gov by 2:00pm January 4, 2019. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this synopsis or any follow up information requests.