Q--Psychological Consultant Use at the SSA Hearing Level

BACKGROUND The Social Security Administration (SSA) utilizes licensed contract physicians, psychologists, and speech and language pathologists to provide Medical Consultant (MC) or Psychological Consultant (PC) services. These services involve policy, quality and medical assessment (also referred to as “independent reviewâ€� of disability claims). Under their Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA), MCs/PCs assess and document impairment severity in SSA disability claims based on the Social Security Act’s definition of disability, the regulations which interpret the law, Social Security Rulings and sub-regulatory guidance on how to evaluate evidence in disability claims. The contractors perform an independent review of all cases provided by SSA. The purpose of these reviews is to either determine the accuracy of the State Disability Determination Services (DDS) medical assessment; or provide a medical assessment in initial, reconsideration and continuing disability review claims SSA also utilizes licensed contract physicians and psychologists to provide services as Medical Expert (ME) witnesses in hearings pending before the SSA Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Such cases involve issues under the following titles of the Social Security Act, as amended: Title II, Disability and Title XVI, Supplemental Security Income. MEs review paper case files, electronic case files accessed on our secure website, and/or electronic case files copied onto compact discs (CDs) and testify at hearings either in person or by video or teleconference. NATURE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTION The SSA Office Disability Policy seeks to: (1) provide additional capacity for medical expertise to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) and (2) conduct a small scale pilot to determine whether existing Medical Consultants' (MC) in various specialties and Psychiatric Consultants’ (PC) use at the hearing level will enhance the accuracy and consistency between disability determinations at the initial level and decisions at the hearing level. Towards this end, BPA number SS00-16-4C051 with H Richard Waranch, to provide MC/PC services in the specialty of psychology, will be modified to permit the contractor to review cases for ODAR in the capacity of a ME, provide a written response and opinions to questions and/or interrogatories, and to give oral testimony subject to cross examination. The acquisition will be a sole source as described at FAR 13.501(a) utilizing simplified acquisition procedures under the authority of 41 U.S.C 1901. H Richard Waranch, as a PC, is already familiar with SSA’s disability program and policies as well as the applications and tools utilized within SSA. Dr. Waranch will not need additional training except for orientation to ODAR’s process and call order procedures. As stated above, the intent of this pilot is to determine whether existing MC and PC use at the hearing level will enhance the accuracy and consistency between disability determinations at the initial level and decisions at the hearing level. The contractor is therefore uniquely qualified for this requirement as it is currently performing in the capacity of a MC/PC for SSA. Utilizing contractors that are not already SSA MCs or PCs will be of no benefit to this requirement. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government does not intend to pay for information received. Responses to this notice must be submitted to [email protected] by Friday, June 2, 2017, 5:00 p.m. ET. Oral communications are not acceptable. The Government does not intend to provide evaluation results to the sender. All questions and submissions in response to this notice must be submitted to the email address listed above.