EQUIPMENT

SOFTWARE

TYPE OF SERVICE

Total:

A.    Billing 

Improve Health Status.  To reduce mortality and morbidity rates and enhance the quality of life for the eligible American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population.
 

Provide Health Services.  To ensure access to high quality comprehensive public health services (i.e., clinical, preventive, community-based, educational, etc.) provided by qualified and culturally sensitive health professionals with adequate support infrastructure (i.e., facilities, support staff, equipment, supplies, training, etc.)
 

Ensure Partnership and Consultation with IHS/Tribes/Urban (I/T/U) Health Programs.  To ensure that I/T/Us and IHS Area Offices and Headquarters achieve a mutually acceptable partnership in addressing health problems:
 

Providing adequate opportunities for I/T/Us and AI/AN organizations to participate in critical functions such as policy development and budget formulation.
 

Ensuring that I/T/Us have adequate information to make informed decisions regarding options for receiving health services.
 

Perform Core Functions and Advocacy.  Consistent with the IHS mission, goal, and foundations to effectively and efficiently advocate for the health care needs of AI/AN people and execute the core public health and inherent Federal functions.

Interoperability.  To facilitate the interoperability of the IHS IT Architecture (ITA) with commercial systems and institute an open-standard-based health information system for the ITUs.  Describe how the proposed IT project will support and/or further interoperability at the IHS.  In particular, mention if this project will:
 

include the use of Health Level 7 (HL&) interfaces or the development of HL7 interfaces to existing Resource and Patient Management System (RPMS) application);
 

utilize recognized and/or emerging standards related to data interchange security, message handling, and data transmission; and
 

use current health open standards and/or other future relevant standards on the horizons that could be interfaced with the RPMS.
 

Technical Support.  To provide effective technical support for the current IHS Health Information Systems.  Describe how the proposed IT project will support and/or further technical support at IHS.  In particular, mention of this project will:
 

include a web site available to the I/T/Us for the distribution of any related applications and patches;
 

include a formal (Web-based) technical support feedback system between system development and field support staff, with status reports viewable by both;
 

include a formal technical support training schedule;
 

coordinate with specific provider groups a training and support schedule and publish it on  a recurring basis for concerned disciplines; and
 

include a mechanism for continued maintenance of the project's hardware, peripherals, and operating system software.
 

Connectivity.  To make accessible high-speed connectivity for all I/T/U customers to ensure a secure common network that facilitates the transmission of voice, video, and data services in a responsive and reliable manner.  Explain if the proposed project includes plans for high speed connectivity for its I/T/U customers as described above.  In particular, indicate if the proposed project could be part of a Virtual Private Network Gateway to the IHS that meets the Health Insurance and Portability Accountability Act standards for data transfer.
 

Graphical User Interface.  To institute a graphical user interface (GUI) throughout the IHS IT system.  Respond as to whether or not the proposed project will be GUI-based.
 

Information Technology Training.  To provide effective IT and data management training at all levels.  Explain the IT training that will be included as a part of the proposed IT project, and include the following:
 

The scope of the training program, i.e., target groups at field and Area levels.
 

A description of new training course work that will be needed as well as of any didactic or distance learning methodologies that will be used.
 

Any exception of using the Web site technology that serves on-demand, prerecorded training sessions using streaming video technologies.
 

Data Warehousing.  To provide accessible decision-support information that positively impacts the management and delivery of health care.  Explain how the proposed IT project will support or further data warehousing at IHS as it is defined above.  If relevant, call attention to the inclusion of the following:
 

Data warehouses which use open-standards-compliant, relational database management systems with state-of-the-art tools available for online analysis.
 

Data warehouses scalable from a facility level up to a regional level and containing information aggregated from the I/T/Us administrative systems, health care systems, and other external data sources such as Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance entities.
 

Integrated data-warehouses, specifically designed to help meet the cost accounting and health care management needs of the I/T/Us.
 

Standards.  To comply with IHS ITA standards.  Explain how the proposed IT project supports the IHS ITA plan.
 

Total Acquisition Cost.  The sum of costs for all non-recurring acquisition costs over the economic life of the asset as reflected in table A.  Do not include operational or recurring costs.  The budget information captured in this table should include all costs and resources for the total acquisition of the asset and its deployment.
 

Total Recurring Costs.  Equals the sum of total costs for maintenance and operations for project equipment, software, and services over 5 years of the life of the assets in table B. 
 

Total Life-cycle Costs.  As defined in the Office of Management and Budget's "Capital Programming Guide," total life-cycle costs are all direct and indirect initial costs, including planning or procurement; all periodic or continuing costs of operation and maintenance; and costs of decommissioning and disposal.  For the purposes of this form, total life-cycle costs will be the sum of A, "Total Acquisition Costs," and B "Total Recurring Costs."  If other costs should be included, that have not already, they can be incorporated in table C.  Based on the total life-cycle costs of the proposed IT project, explain how this project helps optimize the use of IHS financial resources.
 

Net Life-Cycle Savings.  Calculate the project's net life-cycle savings (NLCS).  The NLCS is the value of life-cycle savings [PV(Savings)] minus the present value of life-cycle costs [PV(Costs)] over the life investment.  Based on the calculated NLCS, explain how the proposed IT project helps optimize the use of IHS financial resources.
 

Return on Investment.  Calculate the project's return on investment (ROI).  The ROI is defined as NLCS divided by the present value of life-cycle costs, expressed as a percent: ROI-NLCS/PV(Cost).  The greater the ROI, the better the investment.
 

Based on this project's ROI, as calculated above, explain how the proposed IT project helps optimize IHS resources.
 

Modularity.  Does the implementation of the IT project maximize modularity?  "Modularity" refers to breaking up larger projects into smaller, lower risk, and more manageable pieces.  Multiple phases, narrow scope, and brief duration are characteristics of modular projects.  Each "piece" should address a specific part of an overall problem so that the piece delivers a measurable benefit.  That is, even if the remainder of a project is cancelled after the initial module, the Agency will still reap some benefit from the module that was completed.
 

Complexity.  Does the implementation of the IT project minimize complexity?  In this context, the "complexity" of the project is influenced by the maturity of the technology being applied as a part of the project; by the amount of customization needed for commercial-off-the-shelf components; and if the project is conceptually complex.
 

Off-the-shelf software.  Does the IT project rely on commercial off-the-shelf or Government-off-the-shelf products for the most part?  To what extent will each of the components have to be customized?  In answering these questions, think about the components or building blocks of the proposed project.
 

Risk Minimizing Contract Vehicle.  Explain the acquisition strategy expected to be used for this proposed project and why it was selected.  The acquisition strategy is important because some acquisition strategies impose less risk to the Federal Government than others.  A cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, for example, allows the contractor to avoid risks associated with varying costs by placing this responsibility on Government management practices.  Fixed-price acquisitions eliminate much of the costs risk to the Government by requiring specified work products for a firm, fixed price.
 

Assessment of Alternative Systems.  Explain how the selection of this IT project over the other, competing systems helps to minimize the risks of implementing and inferior system.
 

Billing.  Explain, if relevance, how the proposed IT project supports or further provides a quality billing and cost-accounting/general-ledger system that is integrated to the IHS Health Information System.
 

Data Quality.  Explain, if relevant, how the proposed IT project supports or furthers the national comparability of public health data for all I/T/Us.