FACA Verbatim Transcription Services

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding a solicitation for services related to meetings, including transcriptions, recommendations tracking, and reporting.

• Incumbent/Contract Number: This is not new work. The previous contract number was 75FCMC23F0044.
• Set-Aside: The solicitation is a small business set-aside, and the SF1449 has been updated to reflect this.
• Section 508 Compliance: All deliverables must be 508 compliant. Transcripts will not be uploaded to a website by the contractor.
• Real-time Recommendation Tracking: The contractor must maintain a real-time list of recommendations and provide a method for the panel to receive them during meetings. CMS estimates engaging the contractor 8-10 times per meeting for clarification.
• Deliverable Format: Sample documents, including transcripts and recommendation trackers, can be found via a URL provided in the SOW (footnote #3 on page 2), referencing the August 2025 Meeting.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Details on subject matter discussed and required expertise can be found in the SOW footnotes.
• Pricing: The total for 5 years is not expected to exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) of $350,000. Pricing should be based on Attachment 2 FACA Pricing table, rolling up all costs into estimated audio minutes. "Audio minutes" refer to the meeting recording length and do not include breaks or pauses.
• Resumes/Certificates: Resumes, certificates, and LOIs are not requested or being reviewed.
• Submission Deadline: The submission deadline is 11:00 AM EST on April 30, 2026, as updated on the SF1449.
• SAM.gov Registration: SAM.gov must be active prior to award. Pending registrations active before award will satisfy the requirement.

Several aspects of the solicitation have been clarified or updated, including the set-aside status, submission deadline, and details regarding deliverables and pricing. Vendors should review these clarifications to ensure accurate proposal preparation.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a solicitation (Request for Quote - RFQ) for meeting support services, including verbatim transcripts, lists of recommendations, and meeting reports. These services are required for two congressionally mandated advisory panels: the Medicare Advisory Panel on Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (CDLT) and the Medicare Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP).

• Verbatim transcripts

• Lists of recommendations

• Meeting reports

• Support for CDLT and HOP Meetings (Audio Minutes)

• Panel Related Support Documents (Hours)

• The solicitation number is 75FCMC26Q00640001.

• The solicitation issue date is April 17, 2026.

• The offer due date is April 30, 2026, at 11:00 AM EST.

• The contract is set aside for Small Business.

• The North American Industry Classification Standard (NAICS) code is 541611.

• The period of performance spans multiple years, with a base period from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, and includes four option periods extending through May 31, 2031.

• Contract type is Firm Fixed Price.

• Offerors must submit a two-volume proposal: Volume I - Written Technical Quote and Volume II - Business Quote.

• The technical quote must not exceed 5 single-spaced pages and adhere to specific formatting requirements (Times New Roman, 12-point font).

• The award will be issued as a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis.

• Key attachments include: Attachment 1 FACA Panel Support SOW, Attachment 2 FACA Panel Pricing Table, and Attachment 3 Technical Evaluation Criteria.

• This acquisition is set aside for Small Business.

• The document includes extensive FAR and HHSAR clauses related to contract administration, security, payments, and other requirements.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for meeting support services, specifically providing verbatim transcripts, lists of recommendations, and meeting reports for two congressionally mandated advisory panels: the Medicare Advisory Panel on Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (CDLT) and the Medicare Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP).

• Verbatim transcripts

• Lists of recommendations

• Meeting reports

• CDLT and HOP Meetings (Audio Minutes)

• Additional Meeting Minutes (Audio Minutes Optional)

• Panel Related Support Documents

• The contract includes a base period and four option periods.

• Base Period: June 1, 2026 - May 31, 2027

• Option Period 1: June 1, 2027 - May 31, 2028

• Option Period 2: June 1, 2028 - May 31, 2029

• Option Period 3: June 1, 2029 - May 31, 2030

• Option Period 4: June 1, 2030 - May 31, 2031

• Contract type is Firm Fixed Price.

• Solicitation Issue Date: April 17, 2026

• Offer Due Date: April 30, 2026, 12:00 PM EST

• Proposals will be evaluated using a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis.

• The proposal submission shall consist of two volumes: Volume I - Written Technical Quote and Volume II - Business Quote.

• The technical quote is limited to 5 single-spaced pages.

• The acquisition is unrestricted.

• NAICS Code: 541611

• Several attachments are referenced, including:

  • Attachment 1: FACA Panel Support SOW
  • Attachment 2: FACA Panel Pricing Table
  • Attachment 3: Technical Evaluation Criteria

• The solicitation incorporates FAR clauses by reference, including those related to commercial items, contract terms and conditions, and various statutory requirements.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides a detailed breakdown of CLINs (Contract Line Item Numbers) and SLINs (Sub-Line Item Numbers) for services related to FACA (Federal Advisory Committee Act) panel meetings. It outlines the pricing structure, quantities, and periods of performance for various meeting support services, including audio minutes and panel-related support documents.

• CLINs and SLINs: Details specific services such as 'CDLT and HOP Meetings Audio Minutes,' 'Additional Meeting Minutes (Optional),' and 'Panel Related Support Documents.'
• Quantities: Specifies the number of audio minutes or hours required for each SLIN.
• Period of Performance: Covers a base period (June 1, 2026 - May 31, 2027) and multiple option periods extending to May 31, 2031.
• Pricing: Unit prices and total prices are marked as 'TBD' (To Be Determined), indicating these will be negotiated.
• Billing Instructions: Provides guidance on how contractors should bill for services rendered, including requirements for invoice submission, verification of completed work (e.g., Final Verbatim Transcript acceptance), and specific details for each SLIN type.
• Level of Effort Units: For 'Panel Related Support Documents,' 'Level of Effort Units' are used to account for variances in task scale and content, requiring contractor estimates for approval before work commences.

This attachment is crucial for bidders to understand the specific services required, the estimated quantities, and the contract structure over multiple years. Bidders must use this information to develop their pricing proposals. The 'TBD' unit prices highlight that pricing strategy will be a key component of the bid. The detailed billing instructions also inform bidders on invoicing procedures and required documentation for payment.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Request for Quote (RFQ) seeks proposals for "FACA Panel Support Services: Verbatim FACA Panel Transcripts, Meeting Reports, and Recommendations Summary Preparation Services." The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires support for two congressionally mandated advisory panels: the Medicare Advisory Panel on Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory (CDLT) and the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP).

• Preparation of verbatim FACA panel transcripts.

• Creation of meeting reports.

• Summarization of recommendations.

• This will be a single award, fixed-price delivery order.

• The estimated period of performance includes a Base Period (06.01.2026 - 05.31.2027) and four Option Periods, extending through 05.31.2031.

• The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541611.

• This is a Small Business Set Aside.

• Award will be made to the Lowest Priced Technically Acceptable (LPTA) offeror.

• Quotes must be submitted via email by 11:00 AM EST on April 30, 2026, to Contract Specialist Tennille Coombs and Contracting Officer Heather Parr-Stewart Lang.

• Proposal requirements include Company Name and Address, Contact Person details, Business Size Classification, Unique Entity ID (UEI), and Tax ID.

• This solicitation is a Small Business Set Aside.

• Vendors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• This announcement is the only solicitation; no separate written solicitation will be issued.

• Attachments include the Statement of Work, Pricing Table, and Technical Evaluation Criteria.

Statement of Work (SOW)

To procure services for accurate and timely technical document preparation, including verbatim transcripts, lists of recommendations, and meeting reports for two congressionally mandated advisory panels: the Medicare Advisory Panel on Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (CDLT) and the Medicare Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP).

This contract encompasses four core tasks for both the HOP and CDLT Panels:

• Task 1: Verbatim Transcript for the Meeting/Conference: Provide a verbatim transcript of each Panel meeting, adhering to statutory requirements. Draft transcripts are due within 7 business days, and final transcripts within 10 business days after the meeting adjourns.

• Task 2: Report for the Meeting: Prepare a meeting report including time, date, place, a summary of discussions and conclusions, and lists of attendees. The report is due by 10 a.m. on the fourth business day following the final day of the meeting.

• Task 3: Daily Recommendations for the Meeting: Maintain and present real-time recommendations made by the Panel during the day. Daily recommendations are due at the end of each day.

• Task 3.1: Cumulative Recommendations for the Meeting: For multi-day meetings, submit a consolidated list of all recommendations at the end of the final day.

• Task 4: Meeting Related Support Documents: Provide written technical information to support the panel's work as requested by the COR. Effort is estimated at 4 hours per meeting, not to exceed 16 hours per year.

• Transcripts must be accurate and timely.

• Meeting reports must accurately summarize discussions and conclusions.

• Deliverables must be 508 compliant.

• Deliverables are to be submitted electronically in Word format.

• The period of performance includes a Base Period (06/01/2026-05/31/2027) and four Option Periods extending through 05/31/2031.

• Meetings are expected to occur virtually, but may also take place at CMS Central Office in Baltimore, Maryland, or in the surrounding Washington area.

• An estimated two to six meetings per year are anticipated, with specific durations and frequencies detailed for both the CDLT and HOP panels.

• Personnel must have at least two years of experience accurately transcribing and reporting on public meetings involving Medicare/Medical terminology and acronyms.

• Personnel must possess an expert understanding of medical terminology and familiarity with related CMS program topics.

• All deliverables must comply with Section 508 accessibility standards for Electronic and Information Technology (EIT).

Forms / Attachments / Pricing Sheets

This document outlines the technical evaluation criteria for the "FACA Panel Support Services: Verbatim FACA Panel Transcripts, Meeting Reports, and Recommendations Summary Preparation Services" task order. It details how offerors' technical approaches will be assessed.

• Technical Approach: Offerors must demonstrate a thorough understanding of and capability to perform all aspects of the Statement of Work (SOW). Quotes merely restating requirements without substantive descriptions of planned work will be considered technically unacceptable.
• Specific Demonstrations Required:
  • End-to-end workflow for capturing and producing verbatim transcripts, including contingency plans for audio quality issues.
  • Integration of human transcriptionists with automated/AI tools, specifying roles.
  • Incorporation of pre- and post-meeting materials (agenda, panel roster, HCPCS/CPT codes, etc.) for accuracy.
  • Process for handling "regurgitation requests" (restated recommendations) with rapid retrieval times.
  • Handling of edge cases, ambiguous queries, and post-delivery error correction.
  • Production workflow for 508 compliant meeting reports, including summarization, attendee lists, and appendix assembly.
  • Quality checking process for all deliverables, including alpha-numeric terminology and a committed minimum accuracy rate for transcripts.
  • Management of personnel preparation, including briefing staff on meeting-specific materials.
• Experience of Personnel: Description of educational background, professional experience, and special qualifications of all personnel. Details on organizational integration and responsibilities.
• Prior Experience: General background experience and qualifications of the offeror's organization, ideally involving verbatim transcripts. Summaries of recent contracts with CMS, HHS, other government, or commercial firms for similar services within the last 6 months to 3 years are required.

This document is critical for bidders to understand how their technical proposals will be evaluated. It specifies the detailed requirements for demonstrating technical capability, workflow processes, personnel qualifications, and relevant past performance. Bidders must address each point explicitly to be considered technically acceptable.