HOSPITAL CONSUMER ASSESSMENT OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND SYSTEMS (HCAHPS) SURVEY

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. Pursuant to 48 CFR Part 326, Subpart 326.603-3 and IHM 5.5-6, Indian Health Service must use the negotiation authority of the Buy Indian Act, 25 U.S.C. 47, to give preference to Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE) whenever the use of that authority is authorized and practicable.

The Government is seeking to identify Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEEs), Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE), and any other category of vendor capable of performing the below Indian Health Services (IHS) requirement. Any vendor responding to this notice should submit their capability statement as well as the Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form (attached).

Consistent with the revised Buy Indian Act, HHS/IHS adopted the definition of an Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) set forth in 48 CFR 1480.201.  This definition includes the following requirement, amongst others: “The Indians or Indian Tribes must, together, receive at least a majority of the earnings from the contract.”. 

Instructions for submission are outlined further below.

DEFINITIONS

INDIAN ECONOMIC ENTERPRISE (IEE):

Any business activity owned by one or more Indians, Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, or Alaska Native Corporations provided that:

• The combined Indian, Federally Recognized Indian Tribe or Alaska Native Corporation ownership of the enterprise constitutes not less than 51%;
• The Indian, Federal Recognized Indian Tribes, or Alaska Native Corporations must, together, receive at least 51% of the earnings from the contract; and
• The management and daily business operations must be controlled by one or more individuals who are Indians.

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT

NAICS:

621498 – All Other Outpatient Care Centers

Size Standard:  $25.5 million

Duration:

One (1) Year with Four (4) Option Years

Project Title:

Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey.

Background/Purpose:

Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey collects patient experience feedback on care received during a hospital inpatient stay. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) require hospitals who bill Medicare through the Inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) to submit clinical inpatient discharges data to Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and quality assurance guidelines.

Scope:

Submit clinical inpatient discharges data that HCAHPS hospital survey and quality assurance guidelines. All work must be done in compliance with HIPAA to protect protected health information. The vendor will perform data analysis for inpatient stay to meet the requirement or our Medicare reimbursement will be cut 2% annually.

The objective of this assignment would be to execute the HCAHPS program for inpatients at the Blackfeet Service Unit in compliance with requirements and guidelines set forth by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for this activity.  This includes all phases of process from conducting the interviews through reporting to the national website (Quality Net).

• Blackfeet Service Unit (BFSU) will generate a monthly list of hospital inpatient discharges for Survey.

• Prior to the population and sampling submission deadline, Blackfeet Service Unit will verify population and sampling numbers in order to identify and correct discrepancies.

• Perform and complete data abstraction on 100% of hospital monthly inpatient discharges for required clinical process

• Monitor emails, program updates, reports and other communications to remain current in compliance with participation requirements.

Tasks:

Three broad goals of HCAHPS

1. The survey is designed to produce data about patients' perspectives of care that allow objective and meaningful comparisons of hospitals on topics that are important to consumers.
2. Public reporting of the survey results creates new incentives for hospitals to improve quality of care.
3. Public reporting serves to enhance accountability in health care by increasing transparency of the quality of hospital care provided in return for the public investment.

Place of Performance:

Inpatient discharges surveys are sent to the vendor monthly. 

Period of Performance:

The period of performance is for one year from the date of award plus four one-year options if exercised.

Base Year         :                   11/01/2025 – 10/31/2026

Option Year 1:                        11/01/2026 – 10/31/2027

Option Year 2:                        11/01/2027 – 10/31/2028

Option Year 3:                        11/01/2028 – 10/31/2029

Option Year 4:                        11/01/2029 – 10/31/2030

INSTRUCTIONS TO INDUSTRY

ISBEEs are highly encouraged to respond to this notice. However, firms must also understand that generic capability statements are not sufficient for effective evaluation of their capacity and capability to perform the work required. To be considered a capable source, responses must directly demonstrate the company’s capability, experience, and ability to provide services as shown below.

Your response must include but is not limited to the following:

• Number of years of experience in providing routine food service delivery and customizable menus to healthcare facilities
• List of past jobs/contracts of providing routine food service delivery and customizable menus to healthcare facilities
• Demonstrate how your company meets the definition for Indian Economic Enterprise (IEE) in consideration to this requirement.
• Demonstrate how your company will receive at least 51% of the earnings from the awarded contract.
• If identifying a partnership with a subcontractor that is a similarly situated entity, demonstrate how together with the subcontractor you will receive a combined 51% of the earnings from the contract.
• If identifying a partnership with a subcontractor that is NOT a similarly situated entity, demonstrate how you will receive 51% of the earnings from the contract.
• Demonstrate how the prime IEE, or together with the subcontractor, will conduct management and daily operations to be controlled by one or more individuals who are Indians.

Failure to address these items in your capability statement could exclude your firm from being determined a capable IEE/ISBEE source.

SUBMISSION

Interested parties capable of performing the required services may submit a response via email to: Shannon.Connelly@ihs.gov no later than 7 days from the date of the sources sought announcement.

Interested parties shall submit their capability response as instructed above and include a copy of the Buy Indian Act Indian Economic Enterprise Representation Form. It is recommended to include the sources sought ID in the subject line.

Sources Sought ID: SS-BFSU-26-007. Responses received to this notice will assist in determining the acquisition strategy of the requirement.