Recovery - Development of a Medicaid/CHIP Environmental Scanning and Program Characteristics (ESPC) Database

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this competitive task order awards a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee contract to Expedited Research and Demonstration (XRAD) for the creation of a Medicaid/CHIP Environmental Scanning and Program Characteristics (ESPC) database. The project aims to define and collect a wide array of state-specific program characteristics across all 50 states and the District of Columbia to support comparative effectiveness research. This database will serve as a single source of contextual variables to enrich multivariate analyses and help researchers interpret trends in enrollment, utilization, and spending. Key deliverables include a design report and work plan, an ESPC pilot, full production through April 2013, and a final feasibility study and report by September 2013. A Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee structure was selected over a fixed-price arrangement due to the highly specialized and unprecedented nature of the work, which involves significant technical uncertainties, reliance on external state government data, and the need for flexibility to adapt to changing federal and state laws. CMS will maintain cost control through its technical expertise and the use of the XRAD small business contractor pool.