DMEPOS Competitive Bidding: Register by Tuesday in Order to Bid
Registration closes February 17
Suppliers interested in participating in the Round 2 Recompete and/or the national mail-order recompete of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program must register before Tuesday, February 17, 2015, at 9pm prevailing ET. You must register even if you registered during a previous round of competition (Round 1 Recompete, Round 2, or the national mail-order competition). Only suppliers who have a user ID and password will be able to access the online DMEPOS Bidding System (DBidS); suppliers that do not register cannot bid and are not eligible for contracts. Don’t wait – register today.
To register, go to the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website, www.dmecompetitivebid.com, click on Round 2 & National Mail-Order Recompete, and then click on "REGISTRATION IS OPEN” above the Registration clock. We strongly recommend that you:
- Review the IACS Reference Guide,
- Watch the short and very helpful instructional video, “How to Register to Submit a Bid,” on your computer, tablet or phone, and
- Use the IACS: Getting Started Registration Checklist.
Only suppliers that have registered and received a user ID and password will be able to access the online bidding system and submit bids. Authorized Officials (AOs) and Backup Authorized Officials (BAOs) as well as End Users (EUs), should register now. Suppliers may wish to register multiple EUs to help enter bid data in Form B of DBidS, the online bidding system. You will need to complete a Form B for each product category/Competitive Bidding Area (CBA) for which you are bidding. Multiple users (AO, BAOs, EUs) may be in the Form B section of DBidS at the same time as long as each user is entering information for a different product category/CBA. If the AO for your company has not already registered, we cannot guarantee that he or she will be able to complete the registration process before registration closes. This is especially a concern if your files with the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) are not current and accurate. If your AO does not register, you cannot bid and will not be eligible for a contract. In addition, suppliers whose AOs have not registered are at risk of experiencing delays in accessing the online bidding system to get a bidder number and thereby missing the opportunity to submit financial documents by the Covered Document Review Date (CDRD).
If you have registered an AO but not a BAO, we strongly recommend that a BAO register now. The establishment of a BAO is encouraged to avoid any disruption in the bidding process. The individual in the BAO role can assume the AO role if for some reason the AO can no longer fulfill his or her bidding responsibilities. If there is no BAO for a company and the AO leaves the company, all end users associated with the company will lose access to the bidding system.
Remember, the AO and BAO must be listed on the CMS-855S enrollment application as an AO. After an AO successfully registers, the AO may designate other authorized officials on the CMS-855S to serve as BAOs; the AO and BAOs can then designate other supplier employees as EUs. BAOs and EUs must also register for a user ID and password to be able to use the online bidding system. The name and Social Security number of the AO and BAOs must match exactly with what is on file with the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) to register successfully.
CMS would also like to remind you to:
- Review and update your enrollment records. Suppliers must maintain accurate information on their CMS-855S enrollment application with the 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(s) may be disqualified.
- Get Licensed. Supplier locations must be licensed as applicable by the state in which it furnishes, or will furnish, products and services under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program.
- Get Accredited. Supplier locations must be accredited by a CMS-approved accrediting organization for the products and services it furnishes, or will furnish, under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program.
The CBIC is the official information source for bidders. All suppliers interested in bidding are urged to sign up for E-mail Updates on the home page of the CBIC website. For information about the Round 2 Recompete and the national mail-order recompete, please refer to the bidder education materials located on the Bidding Suppliers tab on the CBIC Round 2 & National Mail-Order Recompete web page. 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 under the Educational Information section of the Round 2 & National Mail-Order Recompete web page.
In addition to viewing the information on the CBIC website, suppliers are encouraged to call the CBIC customer service center toll-free, at 877-577-5331, with their questions. During registration and bidding periods, the customer service center will be open from 9am to 9pm prevailing ET.