NQIIC FAQ
Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors (NQIIC) FAQs
- How does each task order fit within the CMS Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors (NQIIC)?
- What organizations have been awarded NQIIC Task Orders?
- What is the Data Validation & Administrative support contractor (DVA) role as strategic partner to CMS?
- How does the DVA work with NQIIC?
- Who are my contacts on the DVA?
How does each task order fit within the CMS Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors (NQIIC)?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) NQIIC Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) supports health care quality improvement efforts across care settings to maximize impact and value for American taxpayers. Many CMS health care quality improvement programs are now housed within the NQIIC structure.
All the NQIIC task orders are designed to improve health care for Medicare beneficiaries with expert, localized quality improvement services delivered by CMS-designated contractors.
The QIN-QIO Task Order (TO1) has a five-year contract cycle that began on November 8, 2019.
Two NQIIC task orders have four-year contract cycles: The Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (TO3) Task Order began on September 18, 2020. The American Indian/Alaska Native Healthcare Quality Initiative Task Order (TO4) began on September 29, 2020.
What organizations have been awarded NQIIC Task Orders?
Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs)
- Alliant Quality
- Comagine Health
- Great Plains Quality Innovation Network
- Health Quality Innovators
- Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG)
- IPRO
- Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
- QSource
- Quality Insights
- Superior Health Quality Alliance
- Telligen
- TMF Health Quality Institute
Hospital Quality Improvement Contractors (HQICs)
- Alliant Quality
- Convergence Health Consulting
- Health Quality Innovators
- Health Services Advisory Group
- The Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS)
- Iowa Healthcare Collaborative
- IPRO
- Telligen
- TMF Health Quality Institute
American Indian Alaska Native Healthcare Quality Initiative (AIHQI)
- Comagine Health
What is the Data Validation & Administrative support contractor (DVA) role as strategic partner to CMS?
The Data Validation and Administrative (DVA) strategic partner leads analytic services, event planning and communications for the Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors (NQIIC). The DVA is led by The Bizzell Group and supported by Telligen.
How does the DVA work with NQIIC?
The DVA assists NQIIC with the following:
- Sharing resources, skills, knowledge and data to engage health care providers and community partners to deliver accessible, person-centered, high-quality health care for Medicare beneficiaries.
- Connecting NQIIC contractors with other national programs working toward similar goals by providing a variety of channels and opportunities for sharing and learning.
- Visualizing data that illustrate program progress.
- Creating communication channels and products to enhance NQIIC programs and activities, build awareness among stakeholders and support NQIIC outcomes.
Who are my contacts on the DVA?
Management and Oversight
While management and oversight work (Task 1) focuses primarily on internal DVA operations across its six Task Areas, it also collaborates across Support Contractors on reporting and strategic planning.
The project director is Mark Stewart, supported by project manager Brigitte Vincent Peterson.
Data Collection and Analysis
The DVA leads data collection, validation, and analytics (Task 2), as well as ad hoc analytic support for CMS (Task 3). Its key products in these areas are actionable analytic reports, such as the Progress Report on NQIIC Goals (PRoNG) and data validation and auditing on contractor self-reported data. These teams are led by Kim Irby and Tom Ventura.
Collaboration and Coordination
The DVA has a Task Area devoted to coordination and collaboration amongst 12th Statement of Work (SOW) Support Contractors (Task 4). It manages interactions with other NQIIC Support Contractors - including meetings, communication structures and teaming agreements – and fosters partnerships with NQIIC contractors to support best practices. This team is led by Tom Ventura.
Learning and Action Networks
In addition to the annual Quality Conference, the DVA supports Learning and Action Network activities (Task 5) in the 12th SOW through training development and meeting planning and logistics. The team provides direct meeting support services to CMS in coordinated partnership with other national NQIIC Support Contractors to engage communities in sharing patient-centered successes, challenges, best practices, and innovations. Post-event assessments support continuous quality improvement. This team is led by Christina Sledge.
Communications
The DVA also provides communication strategies and resources (Task 6) to support NQIIC contractors and CMS in coordinated dissemination of 12th SOW efforts. Examples include CMS messaging support and distribution; outreach and promotion through newsletters, the QIO Program website, and social media; branding strategy, implementation and review; support for special projects, such as Task Order-specific trainings; and contractor communications support. This team is led by Alexa Newlin.
