R -- bc/bs Part A & Part B Palmetto GBA SC

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) intends to award on a sole source basis, under Simple Acquisition Procedures, a purchase order to Carmichael, Bradsher, Tuvell & Savage, 1647 Mt. Vernon Road, Atlanta, GA 30388. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Contracting Officer is reviewing the Novation request from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina (Palmetto GBA). The Contracting Officer asked the Division of Finance Oversight (DFO) if all Administrative Cost issues have been resolved with Palmetto GBA. A Risk Assessment Review had been started by the Atlantic Regional Office (RO) for the period FY 1993-1997, but was not completed and the Risk Assessment Report was not written. The Atlanta Regional Office (RO) does not have sufficient documentation from the Risk Assessment Report to close Administrative costs from the period for the Part A and Part B contracts. The DFO and the Atlantic RO decided that an audit firm familiar with Palmetto GBA?s accounting system would be able to perform an Administrative Cost audit with an accelerated period of performance. Carmichael, Brasher, Tuvell & Company has just completed field work and issued the FY 1998-2001 final audit of the Administrative costs of Palmetto GBA for Part A and to the DFO for approval. The DFO requests that the contract for the FY 1993-1997 audit of the Administrative cost of Palmetto GBA for Part A and Part B be awarded to Carmichael, Brasher, Tuvell & Company. Their experience in the recent FY 1998-2001 Administrative cost audit of Palmetto GBA for Part A & B will enable them to complete the audit an accelerated period of performance.