The recent notice by CMS detailing a planned Spring RFP recompete of this high-profile contract to provide testing support for the Fee-for-Service (FFS) ecosystem is not the only reason why incumbents Sparksoft and Skyward IT Solutions are mainstays near the top of the list of the most viewed companies at CMS (and primary targets for many to get to know at today’s CMS industry day), but if the number of firms who have inquired about potential teaming partners is any indication, it does helps explain some of the recent surge in interest.
The latest word out of CMS is that an RFP for a new 5-year contract is expected out in March of 2024. A focus of this effort is to provide ongoing systems testing for the FFS ecosystem, which consists of the Fiscal Intermediary Shared System (FISS), Multi-Carrier System (MCS), Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Common Working File (CWF), as well as the Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (BCRC)/Medicare Secondary Payer Systems Contractor (MSPSC) Coordination of Benefits Agreement (COBA) systems process, and the Medicare Payment System Modernization (MPSM) initiative.
Sparksoft and Skyward came together and formed a CTA to win the latest iteration of this in 2020, a 4-year contract valued at $42M. (Contract Details and Spend to Date for 75FCMC20F0057 can be found here). That contract was competed full and open using GSA MAS.
An RFP for the next generation of this contract is expected out as early as March and it is once again expected to go out on GSA MAS. According to CMS, the decision on whether this goes out as a small business set-aside action is still TBD. What we do know is that firms have been connecting with the agency, and presumably with HHS/CMS Small Business specialist and advocate Anita Allen, to try to influence the acquisition strategy. More information will be shared as it is made public.
Key Points of Contact (Current and Past)
- Anita Allen, Small Business Specialist, HHS/CMS
- Meghan Critzman, Contracts, CMS – meghan.critzman@cms.hhs.gov
- Danielle Brown, Program Analyst, CMS – danielle.brown@cms.hhs.gov
- Candace Straker, Contracts, CMS candace.straker@cms.hhs.gov
- Dmitry Yun, Chief Executive Officer, Skyward IT Solutions
- Michael Finkel, Chief Executive Officer, Sparksoft
- Gary Rubalsky, Executive Vice President, Sparksoft Corporation
Related CMS News / Data
- CMS December Opportunity Forecast is out – 3 Dozen New Opps added from Data Services and Case Management to HCD
- Key CMS industry event takeaways – RAAM, PM3, CCW, RAA, APS, and much more – More than 18 active opportunities covered
- Contract Award: $40M CMS RREG – Making Care Primary (MCP) Evaluation
- CMS Division of Quality Measurement leader exits, launches consultancy
- Nava recruits former USDS and Digital Service at CMS Chief of Staff
- WOSB scores CMS MACBIS Data Strategy contract win
- Contract Award: $72M CMS HPMS Website Maintenance and Enhancement Services
- WOSB scores CMS MACBIS Data Strategy contract win
- CMS posts more than 3 Dozen New Opps in November Forecast Update
- ICF wins $33M CMS EQRS Portal II support task
- Key CMS industry event takeaways – CMS Data Analytics RFI, RMADA is now RAAM, CCSQ ISG seeking new blood
- CMS taps familiar face as new Deputy Chief Information Security Officer
- Current acting CIO at CMS, Rajiv Uppal, has been selected to take the top tech post at the IRS
- Contract Award: $38M CMS Home Health Quality Measurement, Value-Based Purchasing Model and Hospice Assessment Instruments support
- Contract Award: CMS Medicare Learning Network Product Development and QA program
- Rising CMS CMMI leader exits, takes role with 8(a) woman-owned small business
- SCG is Awarded Contact Center Eligibility Determination Support for the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Exchanges and Marketplace
- GDIT Awarded $450 Million Financial Systems Modernization Contract by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Industry sets sights on these two dozen CMS focused Women-owned Small Businesses
- Contract Award: $602M CMS Continuously Available Hosting Environment (CACHE) IaaS
- CMS recruits new Advanced Provider Screening Program Manager
- Index Analytics scores CMS Artificial Intelligence Through Machine Learned Modeling (AIMM) task win
- Another CMS Contract Win for C-HIT
- 8(a) STARS III Prime JV wins $33M CMS CCSQ QualityNet Service Center support contract
- CMS focused Veteran-owned Small Businesses drawing attention in 2023
Do you cover CMS closely? Track all of the latest news on the NEW OrangeSlices Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Intel Segment Page .
Partnering
Looking for an IT and consulting firm to partner with at CMS? Click Here You can filter the list by several key indicators, including socio-economic status, NAICS, Contract vehicle, etc.
Firms drawing the most attention:
Below is a list of more than three dozen large and small companies we have noted as drawing the most views by Government and industry leaders on the OrangeSlices AI consultant directory over the 2nd half of 2023 and that bring direct past performance and/or related relationships in support of CMS.
- Sparksoft **
- RELI Group **
- Skyward IT Solutions **
- Leidos
- Ventech Solutions **
- Softrams **
- Ad Hoc
- Index Analytics **
- C-HIT
- Next Phase
- eSimplicity **
- Nava **
- CVP **
- Nimbus Consulting
- ICF **
- Think Systems
- McKinsey & Company **
- Global Alliant **
- Radiant Infotech
- Unissant **
- Signature Consulting Group
- Truss
- Sprezzatura
- Coforma **
- SoftDev **
- Arch Systems
- Akira
- iAdeptive
- ICA
- Williams Consulting **
- IT Concepts **
- Sky Solutions **
- J29 **
- DAS Federal **
- VITG
- CTIS
- Navitas **
- INADEV **
- Sierra7 **
** An Elev8 GovCon Honoree, noted for a corporate culture that demonstrates excellence, making the company a beacon for talent, for partners, and for clients.
We cannot and will not speculate here as to the reasons for the increased interest, but whether it is a company evaluating them as a potential partner; a federal acquisition leader doing their due diligence; or a consultant weighing their next job move, this group of companies has been receiving increased interest.
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