The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) / National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/Division of Vital Statistics (DVS) in Hyattsville, MD, intends to award a sole source firm fixed price modification to purchase order 75D30118P01184 issued to Shakir Consulting of La Verne, CA. The modification will enable the contractor to establish a procedure to map the recently balloted HL7 Birth and Fetal Death and Birth Defects reporting specifications to release 4 of the VR DAM, identify and reconcile mapping discrepancies, and update and publish the next release, release 5. This will include balloting the artifacts through the HL7 balloting process, work with each developer who are conducting the Birth and Fetal Death and Birth Defects specifications and will help to reconcile any comments received during the balloting process.

As of October 2020, Shakir Consulting, Inc developed the Vital Records Domain Analysis Model Release 4, titled the HL7 Cross-Paradigm Domain Analysis Model: Vital Records Release 4 (VR DAM R4). Shakir staff previously developed the VRD DAM Release 1, 2 and 3.  The Division of Vital Statistics is currently undertaking the task of developing a Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) Implementation Guide for Vital Records Mortality Reporting, along with updating the HL7 V2.6 Vital Records Death Reporting IG to include the data flows from the medical examiners/certifiers and funeral home directors. This has expanded the vital records exchange specifications beyond what is currently in the VR DAM R3.  Shakir Consulting, Inc has the knowledge, expertise and experience to update the mapping to accommodate the updated FHIR specification and the V2.6 specification.  They have the in-depth knowledge of the data, information, and relationships among the specifications. They also have the subject matter expertise in the public health/vital statistics to ensure that the FHIR profiles developed support multiple projects. If award is made to a contractor other than Shakir Consulting, that contractor will require added time and effort to research and analyze the data and information needed to update the mapping already started by Shakir Consulting in the previous and current releases of the VR DAM. 

This Procurement is for Commercial Items as defined by FAR Parts 2 & 12. This contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of  FAR 6.302-1  and 41 USC 3304 (a)(1).   The NAICS code for this action is 541990 and the small business size standard is $16.5 M.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all quotations/responses received within 15 days of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government.  A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract modification based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

 Any response must be emailed to Florence Black at [email protected] by 9:00 AM Eastern Time February 24, 2021.