National Commission Quality Assurance (NCQA) to provide access to the Quality Compass Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) benchmarks.

This synopsis is in accordance with FAR Part 5, Notice of Intent to award a sole source requirement. This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive proposals. This is not a solicitation or request for offers. No solicitation package is available, and email requests will not be honored. Only one (1) responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) intends to award a sole source contract to National Commission Quality Assurance (NCQA) to provide access to the NCQA Quality Compass Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) benchmarks. The NCQA is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in the 1990's dedicated to improving healthcare quality. NCQA is the only organization that can provide the national HEDIS benchmark data because they are the proprietary property of NCQA. No other organization produces this data in the United States.

2. Background

The HEDIS benchmarks were developed to assist consumers to compare health plan performance with other plans and to national benchmarks. It is also frequently used for trending to track year-to-year performance. It is one of health care's most widely used performance tools with over 90 percent of health plans using the benchmarks and over 191 million people enrolled in health plans reporting HEDIS results. The Military Health System utilizes the NCQA HEDIS methodology to develop health plan measures for clinical quality performance evaluation in both the direct and private care systems. This entails significant programming and data analysis to ensure the methodologies are technically correct.

3. Description:

DHA uses the NCQA methodologies for the health plan performance measures, the HEDIS benchmarks are needed to analyze the data. DHA relies on these civilian sector benchmark data to compare the performance of the Military Treatment Facilities and purchased care providers both internally and externally to the MHS. No other nationally recognized organization offers a variety of measures with sufficient data to support the health plan performance analysis of DHA. Additionally, the cost to reprogram the methodology of the current measures would result in significant cost to the Government.

4. NAICS Code:

The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 813920 with a size standard of $23.5 million. The Federal Supply Code (FSC)/Product Service Code (PSC) for this procurement is R405.

5. Submission Instructions

Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement within 15 calendar days of the publication of this notice. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. No reimbursement for any cost connected with providing capability information will be provided.