CPSC awards $4.66M contract for EHR data pilot to Kansas Health Information Network

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $4,657,504 ($4.7M)

Contractor: Kansas Health Information Network, Inc

Awarding Agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission

Start Date: 2025-09-30

End Date: 2026-09-29

Contract Duration: 364 days

Daily Burn Rate: $12.8K/day

Competition Type: COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 10

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Healthcare

Official Description: ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DATA COLLECTION PILOT

Place of Performance

Location: TOPEKA, SHAWNEE County, KANSAS, 66612

State: Kansas Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Consumer Product Safety Commission obligated $4.7 million to KANSAS HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK, INC for work described as: ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DATA COLLECTION PILOT Key points: 1. Contract aims to improve electronic health record data collection processes. 2. Focus on pilot program suggests a test-and-learn approach to data management. 3. Awardee has a regional focus, potentially limiting broader applicability. 4. Fixed-price contract type offers cost certainty for the government. 5. Contract duration of one year indicates a short-term, defined objective. 6. Competition details are limited, requiring further analysis for value assessment.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $4.66 million for a one-year pilot program appears moderate for an IT services contract. Benchmarking against similar EHR data collection or health IT infrastructure projects would be necessary for a definitive value assessment. The fixed-price nature of the contract provides cost predictability, but the absence of detailed performance metrics or comparison data makes it difficult to fully assess value for money at this stage. The award to a regional entity may also influence the cost-effectiveness compared to a national provider.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: unknown

The contract was competed under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), which typically involves a less extensive competition process than full and open competition. While the specific number of bidders is not provided, SAP is generally used for procurements under the simplified acquisition threshold, suggesting a potentially smaller pool of interested parties. This method aims for efficiency but may not always yield the lowest possible price compared to broader solicitations.

Taxpayer Impact: Competition under SAP may result in less aggressive pricing than a full and open competition, potentially leading to higher costs for taxpayers if a more competitive process could have secured better value.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are likely healthcare providers in Kansas who will participate in the pilot. The services delivered will focus on testing and refining methods for collecting electronic health record data. The geographic impact is currently limited to Kansas, as indicated by the awardee's name and location. Workforce implications are expected to be localized, potentially involving IT specialists and healthcare data managers within the awardee's organization and participating provider sites.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Limited geographic scope may restrict the scalability and generalizability of pilot findings.
Lack of detailed performance metrics in the award announcement makes it difficult to gauge expected outcomes.
Reliance on a regional entity could pose challenges if broader national data integration is a long-term goal.

Positive Signals

Fixed-price contract provides budget certainty for the pilot phase.
Award to a specialized health information network suggests relevant expertise.
Pilot approach allows for iterative improvement before wider implementation.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Health Information Technology sector, a rapidly evolving area focused on digitizing and managing patient data. The market for EHR systems and related data services is substantial, driven by government initiatives like Meaningful Use and the push for interoperability. Spending in this area is often characterized by a mix of large system integrators and specialized regional health information exchanges. This pilot likely aims to address specific data collection challenges within this broader ecosystem.

Small Business Impact

Information regarding small business set-asides or subcontracting plans was not provided for this contract. Given the nature of the awardee (Kansas Health Information Network, Inc.), it is likely a specialized entity rather than a large corporation. Further investigation would be needed to determine if any small business participation is mandated or expected.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract will likely be managed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) contracting officers and program managers. As a definitive contract, it is subject to standard federal procurement regulations and oversight. Transparency regarding the pilot's progress and outcomes will depend on CPSC's reporting practices and any public-facing results from the pilot program.

Related Government Programs

Electronic Health Records (EHR) Modernization
Health Information Exchange (HIE) Initiatives
Healthcare Data Analytics Programs
Federal Health IT Standards Development

Risk Flags

Limited competition potential due to SAP
Scalability and generalizability concerns for pilot findings
Data security and privacy risks inherent in health data handling

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Consumer Product Safety Commission awarded $4.7 million to KANSAS HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK, INC. ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD DATA COLLECTION PILOT

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is KANSAS HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK, INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $4.7 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2025-09-30. End: 2026-09-29.

What is the specific objective of the Electronic Health Record Data Collection Pilot?

The primary objective of the Electronic Health Record Data Collection Pilot, awarded to the Kansas Health Information Network, Inc., is to test and refine methods for collecting data from electronic health records. While the specific data points or clinical areas are not detailed in the provided information, the pilot likely aims to identify best practices, assess the feasibility of different data extraction techniques, and evaluate the quality and usability of the collected data. This could inform future, larger-scale data collection efforts by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or other agencies seeking to leverage health data for research, regulatory purposes, or public health initiatives. The pilot's success will likely be measured by its ability to demonstrate efficient, accurate, and secure data acquisition processes.

How does the $4.66 million contract value compare to similar health IT data collection projects?

Direct comparison of the $4.66 million contract value for this one-year pilot is challenging without more specific details on the scope and deliverables. However, health IT projects, especially those involving data infrastructure, integration, and analysis, can range significantly in cost. Pilot programs are typically smaller in scale than full implementations. If this pilot involves developing new data extraction tools, establishing secure data pipelines, and analyzing initial datasets for a specific purpose, the cost appears moderate. Larger-scale EHR data warehousing or national health data initiatives can run into tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. The value proposition here hinges on the pilot's ability to yield actionable insights that justify the investment and inform future, potentially larger, endeavors.

What are the potential risks associated with this contract for the CPSC?

Potential risks for the CPSC include the pilot not achieving its intended data collection objectives due to technical challenges, data quality issues, or insufficient participation from healthcare providers. There's also a risk that the findings may not be generalizable beyond the Kansas region, limiting the broader applicability of the pilot's outcomes. If the contract is not well-defined with clear performance metrics, there's a risk of cost overruns or failure to deliver the expected value. Furthermore, data security and privacy risks are inherent in any health data project, requiring robust safeguards and compliance with regulations like HIPAA, which must be meticulously managed by the contractor.

What is the track record of Kansas Health Information Network, Inc. in managing federal contracts?

Information regarding the specific track record of Kansas Health Information Network, Inc. (KHIN) in managing federal contracts is not readily available in the provided data. KHIN is described as a regional health information exchange. While such organizations typically have experience managing health data and IT infrastructure, their history with large federal procurements, particularly with agencies outside of the health sector like the CPSC, would need further investigation. Assessing their past performance on similar government contracts, including their ability to meet deadlines, manage budgets, and adhere to compliance requirements, is crucial for evaluating their capability to execute this pilot successfully.

What does the contract type (Firm Fixed Price) imply for the government and the contractor?

The Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract type implies that the contractor, Kansas Health Information Network, Inc., bears the primary responsibility for cost overruns. This provides the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) with significant cost certainty, as the total price is fixed regardless of the contractor's actual costs incurred. For the contractor, an FFP contract requires careful cost estimation and management to ensure profitability. If KHIN can deliver the required services efficiently and below their estimated costs, they will realize a higher profit margin. Conversely, unexpected cost increases could reduce or eliminate their profit. This contract type is generally preferred by the government for well-defined requirements where risks of cost escalation are manageable.

How might this pilot program contribute to the CPSC's overall mission?

This pilot program could contribute to the CPSC's mission by potentially providing a more efficient and effective way to collect and analyze health-related data that may be relevant to consumer product safety. For instance, if certain consumer products are linked to injuries or adverse health events, access to aggregated, anonymized EHR data could help the CPSC identify trends, assess risks, and inform regulatory actions or public awareness campaigns. By piloting new data collection methods, the CPSC can explore how health data, beyond traditional injury reporting systems, can be leveraged to enhance its understanding of product-related health impacts and improve consumer safety.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Information › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services › Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Solicitation ID: CPS-21131-25-0590

Offers Received: 10

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 623 SW 10TH AVE, TOPEKA, KS, 66612

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Tax Exempt, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $15,914,040

Exercised Options: $4,657,504

Current Obligation: $4,657,504

Actual Outlays: $121,588

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Timeline