HHS - Inquiry Management System (IMS) - MRAS

The General Services Administration (GSA), on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is conducting market research to identify potential technical partners for maintaining and enhancing the current Salesforce-based Inquiry Management System (IMS) used by the CMS Medicare Plan Payment Group (MPPG). This initiative stems from the need to support the growing demands of the Medicare Advantage program, which has significantly expanded since its inception under the Balanced Budget Act in 1997. As a result, MPPG is tasked with managing inquiries from Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs), which currently serve over 30 million beneficiaries under more than 750 contracts.

The scope of work encompasses several key task areas, including program management, IT operations and maintenance, software development for system enhancements and maintenance, security measures including background investigations and disaster recovery planning, as well as transition processes both into and out of service. The overarching goal is to employ agile development methodologies to ensure continuous improvement and operational efficiency within the IMS. The project will leverage CMS's enterprise license with Salesforce to manage shared mailboxes related to Risk Adjustment and Encounter Data inquiries.

The performance requirements dictate that the contractor will conduct up to nine sprints over a period of 4-6 weeks each, ensuring that all delivered code is defect-free. The project includes a 12-month base period with additional option periods extending up to three years. Work will primarily be conducted at contractor facilities under a firm fixed price/award contract structure. The technical environment requires handling Personally Identifiable Information (PII) while adhering to Federal Information Processing Standards for data classification.

Key stakeholders involved in this effort include Product Owners who will manage product priorities and facilitate communication among stakeholders, as well as Contracting Officer's Representatives responsible for quality assurance and performance evaluation. This collaboration aims to enhance MPPG's capabilities in processing inquiries efficiently while maintaining compliance with federal standards for data integrity and confidentiality.