Federal Supply Schedule Limited Sources Justification for Performance Metrics Databases & Analytics (PMDA) Extension

The requested extension period of two (2) additional months is needed to complete the PMDA scope of work.

The requested additional extension periods will be incorporated to cover the eventuality of CMS requiring additional time to complete a competition among small businesses for a new vendor/contractor for the PMDA work, and to provide additional time for development services for changes that are currently under development between CVP and CMS. -- The CVP contract has been funded to support maintenance and operations of the only IT system that supports Medicaid Section 1115 demonstration operations.

The system is called Program Metrics Database and Analytics (PMDA) system. These items include the development of a tool, including the capture of new data elements, to allow for SDG to address a growing backlog of demonstration applications. Addressing this backlog is a commitment made by the Group director of SDG to the CMS Administrator, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Domestic Policy Council.

Additionally, SDG is updating their budget neutrality policy and subsequently adjust the budget neutrality workbook and process within PMDA. States must begin the migration to an updated workbook by the 3rd quarter of calendar year 2024. Given this timeframe, SDG needs the incumbent contractor with their expertise on the budget neutrality process to train and support the states as they undertake this transition. The contract provides among other things two releases per year to update PMDA functionality. The next and last planned IT release under this contract is June 24, 2024. Two tasks that need to be completed before the end of this contract include:

1) Work planning tool & related data – This task requires adaptation of PMDA to collect data and populate a flexible work planning tool that adequately supports CMCS ability to manage priorities and workflow across the entire Medicaid section 1115 demonstration application portfolio.

This is a new requirement as of late March, 2024. It involves collecting business requirements from CMS team, defining and developing new data elements, building these elements into PMDA, building the workplan management tool and the capacity to auto-populate it from PMDA data, and supporting user adoption through training and other technical assistance.

This capability is critical to a commitment made by the newly hired CMCS, State Demonstrations Group (SDG) Director to the CMS Administrator, OMB and the Domestic Policy Council to help address the growing backlog of demonstration applications which include state innovation efforts to address several of the Administration’s immediate Medicaid policy priorities.

SDG needs a plan to address the backlog of demonstration applications to satisfy CMS leadership, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Domestic Policy Council by 1st quarter of calendar year 2025.. It is important that the current PMDA vendor provides the work planning tool and additional data elements because of their knowledge of the demonstration process and SDG work procedures. A new vendor would not have time to learn the processes and then develop and implement a solution that will allow SDG to meet this deadline.

2) Budget neutrality monitoring workbook template and state technical assistance—This task, which is not a new task but has been delayed due to conditions not under the control of the contractor or the CMS SDG, requires completing the necessary operational steps for obtaining OMB approval of the revised Medicaid section 1115 budget neutrality monitoring workbook template.

This template is needed for state reporting of financial parameters and performance against those parameters to demonstrate on a regular basis that the state’s demonstration is remaining budget neutral. The updated parameters concern demonstration types such as addressing services needed for incarcerated individuals who otherwise do not have Medicaid coverage, and addressing health related social needs (HRSN) which are otherwise not coverable under Medicaid.

This task also includes providing expert technical assistance to individual states on the financial reporting requirements associated with state adoption of this revised workbook.

Every state with a section 1115 demonstration (there are 49 states), most migrate from quarterly to annual reporting, and most states must begin this migration to this updated workbook by Quarter 3 in calendar year 2024. The current PMDA vendor implemented the original budget neutrality workbook and provided training on its use to all states with a demonstration. The current vendor also has several years of help desk support to states as they access and upload the budget neutrality workbook.

The institutional knowledge that the current vendor possesses as it relates to rolling out the budget neutrality workbook and will provide increased efficiency for CMS, as well as making the process as smooth as possible for our partners with the State Medicaid Agencies. Full three month IT transition in optional task is required/needed -- The last planned IT release under this contract is three months before the last option year under this contract ends.

CMS is conducting a competitive small business procurement to meet future IT business needs of the Medicaid Section 1115 demonstration program. The current contract includes an optional task that CMS intends to exercise for a full three-month IT transition from CVP (not a small business) to the small business awardee. This full three months of transition is needed to successfully support significant knowledge transfer.

Total contract extension required/needed is two months -- In total, rather than this contract ending on September 29, 2024, the work described above would require extending the end date of this contract by approximately two months to November 29, 2024.