HHS awards $5.4M contract for patient care data innovations to MOST INVESTMENTS, LLC

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $5,454,321 ($5.5M)

Contractor: Most Investments, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2024-09-30

End Date: 2028-09-29

Contract Duration: 1,460 days

Daily Burn Rate: $3.7K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 6

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: PANORAMIC VIEW OF PATIENT CARE THROUGH DATA INNOVATIONS AND LINKAGES

Place of Performance

Location: ROCKVILLE, MONTGOMERY County, MARYLAND, 20847

State: Maryland Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $5.5 million to MOST INVESTMENTS, LLC for work described as: PANORAMIC VIEW OF PATIENT CARE THROUGH DATA INNOVATIONS AND LINKAGES Key points: 1. Contract aims to enhance patient care through data innovations and linkages. 2. Focus on custom computer programming services suggests a need for specialized software development. 3. The contract duration of 1460 days indicates a long-term project. 4. Firm Fixed Price contract type may offer cost certainty but could limit flexibility. 5. The award is a Delivery Order, implying it's part of a larger indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. 6. The geographic focus is Maryland, potentially impacting local healthcare providers and patients.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $5.4 million over approximately four years appears reasonable for custom computer programming services in the healthcare sector. Benchmarking against similar contracts for data innovation and linkage projects would provide a more precise value-for-money assessment. The firm fixed price structure suggests the government has a clear scope of work and expects predictable costs.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit offers. This approach generally fosters a competitive environment, potentially leading to better pricing and innovative solutions. The presence of 6 bidders suggests a healthy level of interest and competition for this type of service.

Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is beneficial for taxpayers as it maximizes the pool of potential offerors, driving down costs and encouraging the best value to be selected.

Public Impact

Patients will benefit from improved care through data-driven insights and better-connected health information. Healthcare providers may gain access to enhanced tools and systems for managing patient data. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will receive custom programming services to support its mission. The project's impact is primarily within Maryland, potentially influencing regional healthcare data infrastructure. The workforce implications are likely to involve skilled IT professionals, programmers, and data analysts.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if the project's data innovation goals are not clearly defined upfront.
Dependence on the contractor's expertise in specialized programming could pose a risk if key personnel depart.
Integration challenges with existing healthcare IT systems may arise, requiring significant technical effort.

Positive Signals

The firm fixed price contract provides cost predictability for the government.
Full and open competition suggests a robust selection process and potential for competitive pricing.
The long contract duration allows for in-depth development and implementation of complex data solutions.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the IT services sector, specifically custom computer programming. The healthcare IT market is substantial and growing, driven by the need for interoperability, data analytics, and improved patient outcomes. This contract aligns with the broader trend of leveraging technology to enhance healthcare delivery and research, as supported by agencies like AHRQ.

Small Business Impact

There is no indication of a small business set-aside for this contract, nor are there explicit subcontracting requirements mentioned. The award to MOST INVESTMENTS, LLC, a single entity, suggests it may be a larger firm or that subcontracting opportunities were not a primary consideration in the award. Further analysis would be needed to determine if small businesses are involved in the supply chain.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract will likely be managed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which awarded the contract. The firm fixed price nature of the contract and the delivery order structure imply regular performance monitoring and acceptance of deliverables. Transparency is generally maintained through contract award databases, though specific oversight mechanisms and Inspector General involvement would depend on the nature of any issues that arise.

Related Government Programs

Healthcare Data Analytics Services
Custom Software Development for Government
Health Information Technology Modernization
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality IT Support

Risk Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in if proprietary solutions are developed.
Risk of data breaches or privacy violations if security measures are inadequate.
Contract performance may be sensitive to changes in healthcare regulations or technology standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $5.5 million to MOST INVESTMENTS, LLC. PANORAMIC VIEW OF PATIENT CARE THROUGH DATA INNOVATIONS AND LINKAGES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is MOST INVESTMENTS, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $5.5 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-09-30. End: 2028-09-29.

What is the track record of MOST INVESTMENTS, LLC in delivering similar custom computer programming services, particularly within the federal government?

A review of federal procurement data indicates that MOST INVESTMENTS, LLC has been awarded contracts for IT services. To fully assess their track record for this specific type of project, a deeper dive into their past performance on contracts involving data innovation, linkages, and healthcare-specific programming would be necessary. This would include examining past performance evaluations, any reported issues or successes, and the scale and complexity of previous projects. Understanding their experience with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or similar health research agencies would also be crucial for gauging their suitability for this $5.4 million award.

How does the $5.4 million contract value compare to similar data innovation and linkage projects within HHS or other federal health agencies?

The $5.4 million contract value for custom computer programming services over approximately four years appears to be within a reasonable range for projects focused on data innovation and linkages in the healthcare sector. However, a precise benchmark requires comparing it to contracts with similar scopes of work, technical requirements, and durations awarded by agencies like AHRQ, NIH, or CMS. Factors such as the complexity of data integration, the level of analytical sophistication required, and the specific functionalities to be developed will influence the cost. Without direct comparable data, it's difficult to definitively state if this represents excellent or fair value, but it does not appear to be an outlier based on the initial information.

What are the primary risks associated with this contract, and what mitigation strategies are in place?

Key risks for this contract include potential technical challenges in integrating disparate data sources, ensuring data security and privacy compliance (HIPAA), and the possibility of scope creep if project requirements evolve significantly. Another risk is the contractor's ability to deliver innovative solutions as envisioned. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust project management by AHRQ, clear definition and management of requirements, phased development with regular reviews, and strong cybersecurity protocols. The firm fixed price contract also incentivizes the contractor to manage costs effectively, though it could disincentivize additional innovation beyond the defined scope if not managed carefully.

How effective is the firm fixed price (FFP) contract type likely to be for achieving the goals of patient care data innovations?

The Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract type is generally effective for achieving clearly defined objectives where the scope of work is well-understood and unlikely to change significantly. For this contract, it provides cost certainty for the government, ensuring that the total cost will not exceed $5.4 million. However, FFP can sometimes stifle innovation if contractors are hesitant to propose or implement novel approaches that fall outside the initially defined scope, fearing they won't be compensated. The success of FFP here will depend on how well AHRQ has defined the 'data innovations and linkages' and whether the contractor is motivated to go beyond the minimum requirements to truly enhance patient care.

What are the historical spending patterns for custom computer programming services at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)?

Analyzing historical spending patterns for custom computer programming services at AHRQ would provide context for this $5.4 million award. This would involve examining previous contract awards for similar services, their values, durations, and the contractors involved. Understanding whether AHRQ has consistently invested in such services, the typical scale of these investments, and the competitive landscape for these contracts would help determine if this award is in line with past trends or represents a significant shift in spending. It could also reveal if AHRQ has a preferred set of vendors for these types of services or if competition has been consistently robust.

What is the potential impact of this contract on the broader healthcare data interoperability landscape?

This contract has the potential to significantly impact the healthcare data interoperability landscape by fostering innovations and linkages in patient care data. If successful, the developed solutions could serve as models or foundational elements for improving how different healthcare systems share and utilize patient information. This could lead to more seamless data exchange, better-informed clinical decision-making, enhanced research capabilities, and ultimately, improved patient outcomes. The project's success could encourage further investment and adoption of similar data-centric approaches across the federal government and the private healthcare sector, pushing the needle towards greater interoperability.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Custom Computer Programming Services

Product/Service Code: IT AND TELECOM - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS › IT AND TELECOM - APLLICATIONS

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Offers Received: 6

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 2500 WILSON BLVD, ARLINGTON, VA, 22201

Business Categories: Category Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $5,454,321

Exercised Options: $5,454,321

Current Obligation: $5,454,321

Actual Outlays: $2,057,125

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 47QTCA23D006F

IDV Type: FSS

Timeline