CDC hammers out new source selection rules

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has started a relatively new source selection procedure, the Advisory Multi-Step Request, for its upcoming information technology management contract worth more than $500 million.

The advisory procedure is permitted under the Federal Acquisition Regulation to allow government agencies to evaluate the qualifications of prospective vendors and advise the vendors whether they have a realistic chance of winning a contract. It proceeds separately from the request for proposals process.

The agency published an announcement on July 31 inviting vendors to participate in the pre-solicitation advisory process.

The CDC Information Management Services contract (CIMS), is valued at $511 million, according to Input, a market research firm in Reston, Va. The RFP is expected to be published in September 2009. The current contractors are Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp.

Work to be performed under the contract consists of programming and support services, including information and data analysis, requirements analysis, design and development of new systems, ensuring system security, modifying existing systems, administering databases, training users, and supporting hotlines.

As part of the advisory evaluation process, vendors are invited to submit responses to scenarios in which they address some of the CDC’s most pressing challenges.

For example, with economic stimulus law funding encouraging adoption of Electronic Health Records, how should the CDC leverage those systems for public health, the notice asks.

The CDC notice also asks vendors to offer ideas on improving the user-friendliness of IT systems, optimizing IT investments; ensuring protection of data with cloud computing and adopting IT to telework.