2014-11-26

Dynamic List Information
Dynamic List Data
Date
2014-11-26
Title
Round 2 Recompete: Get Ready for DMEPOS Competitive Bidding
Audience
Suppliers

The Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program Round 2 Recompete and the national mail-order recompete competitions are coming soon.

If you are a supplier interested in bidding, prepare now – don’t wait!

  • REVIEW AND UPDATE ENROLLMENT RECORDS: Suppliers must maintain accurate information on their CMS-855S enrollment application with the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) and in the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS).

It is important to note that if your record is not current at the time of registration, you may experience delays and/or be unable to register and bid. We will also validate your bid data against your enrollment record in PECOS during bid evaluation. If it is not current or accurate, your bid may be disqualified.

    • Contact information (name, Social Security number, and date of birth) for authorized official(s) and correspondence address
    • Products and services furnished by the enrolled location(s)
    • Each state in which the enrolled location(s) provides items and services
    • Complete listing of authorized officials. If you have only one authorized official listed on your enrollment record, consider adding one or more eligible authorized officials to help with registration and bidding

  • GET LICENSED: The Medicare DMEPOS Supplier Standards require every supplier location to be licensed as applicable by the state in which it furnishes products and services. DMEPOS competitive bidding contracts are only awarded to suppliers who meet all state licensure requirements by the close of the bid window. For Round 2 Recompete, competitive bidding areas (CBAs) that were located in multi-state metropolitan statistical areas have been defined so that no CBA is included in more than one state. As a result, there are 117 CBAs in the Round 2 Recompete. Each physical location on your bid must be licensed for the product category by the state in which it furnishes or intends to furnish the competitively bid DMEPOS items and services. Suppliers bidding in the national mail-order recompete must possess all applicable licenses for those states that require a license to provide mail-order diabetic testing supplies in order to be awarded a contract in this competition.

Steps to take NOW:

    • Have a copy of the required state license(s) on file with the NSC and in PECOS for the physical location(s) that will be on your bid to provide the items in the product category(s).
    • Make sure your CMS-855S enrollment application is up-to-date with the NSC and in PECOS and indicates the products you furnish in the states where you provide the items.

For reference purposes, please review the NSC DMEPOS State License Directory on its website at www.palmettogba.com/NSC. The directory provides general licensing requirements and contact information for each state’s licensing board or agency. The directory is only guide. Licensing requirements change periodically, and it remains the responsibility of the bidding supplier to identify and obtain all required licenses. For more information about licensing requirements, please consult the appropriate license issuing agency listed on the guides or call the NSC at 866-238-9652.

 

  • GET ACCREDITED: All Medicare DEMPOS suppliers must be in compliance with the program’s supplier Quality Standards, which includes being accredited by a CMS-approved accrediting organization. To submit a bid, each supplier location must be accredited for the items in a product category. It is important that your location(s) be appropriately accredited early so that your information will be in PECOS. CMS cannot contract with suppliers whose location(s) is not accredited by a CMS-approved accrediting organization.

Steps to Take NOW:

    • If you are planning to bid on a product category for which your location(s) is not currently accredited, then you must take action NOW by contacting one of the CMS-approved accrediting organizations to begin the process.
    • If you are planning to bid on a product category for which your location(s) is currently accredited, then you should verify the accreditation information listed for that location in PECOS

Further information on the DMEPOS accreditation requirements along with a list of the accrediting organizations and their contact information are on the website. You may also visit the NSC website or call the NSC at 866-238-9652 for additional information.

For a listing of the product categories, CBAs, timeline, and other bidding information, please visit the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website. We also encourage you to register on the website to receive email updates about the program.

As a reminder, the CBIC is the official information source for bidders and bidder education. CMS cautions bidding suppliers about potential inaccurate information concerning the Competitive Bidding Program posted on non-government websites. Suppliers that rely on this information in the preparation or submission of their bids could be at risk of submitting a non-compliant bid.

The CBIC participates in numerous educational events to assist stakeholders in understanding the rules that govern the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program. Visit the CBIC website for a listing and schedule of educational events under the Educational Information section of the Round 2 Recompete & National Mail-Order Recompete page.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the CBIC customer service center at
877-577-5331 between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.