Shawn Baer

Shawn Baer serves as a key procurement professional within the Office of Acquisition and Grants Management at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, supporting the strategic acquisition of professional and technical services critical to modernizing Medicare and Medicaid operations. Responsible for managing complex contracting actions, Baer specializes in securing consulting, data analytics, and digital transformation services that enhance program integrity, beneficiary experience, and cybersecurity infrastructure. His acquisitions are primarily performance-based, focusing on outcome-driven contracts for health IT modernization, claims processing optimization, and system interoperability solutions aligned with CMS’s mission to deliver efficient, secure, and equitable healthcare administration. Baer maintains a consistent working relationship with Rocket Media Group, LLC, a primary contractor delivering specialized communications, outreach, and digital engagement services tailored to CMS’s public-facing initiatives. His contracting patterns reflect a preference for established vendors with proven expertise in federal health program support, emphasizing contractual compliance, performance metrics, and scalable service delivery. While he engages with a limited pool of repeat contractors, his approach ensures accountability through rigorous performance evaluations and contract closeout protocols. Baer’s procurement portfolio reflects no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This indicates a strategic focus on selecting the most qualified vendors based on technical merit and past performance rather than socioeconomic designations, aligning with CMS’s priority for operational scale and mission-critical capability over socioeconomic targeting. His primary procurement activity centers on NAICS 524114—Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers—reflecting deep expertise in acquiring services related to health plan administration, claims adjudication systems, provider network management, and regulatory compliance support. This specialization underscores his technical command of the Medicare and Medicaid ecosystem, where procurement decisions directly influence program efficiency and beneficiary access to care.