Round One Re-Compete Bidding Starts Oct. 15

CMS provides further details on key steps providers should follow to ensure they successfully bid for 2017 contracts.

• By David Kopf
• Oct 08, 2015

CMS announced that bidding for the re-compete of Round One of competitive bidding for 2017 will start on Oct. 15.

Providing further details in this week’s MLN Connects, CMS advised that providers should follow three key steps:

• They should review and update their enrollment records, ensuring to validate contact information and that they are properly licensed and accredited
• They should register for the DMEPOS Bidding System (DBidS) in the CMS Enterprise Identity Management (EIDM) system.
• They should prepare hardcopies of their financial documents.

CMS encouraged providers to refer to the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor’s website dmecompetitivebid.com to access Request for Bids instructions; bid preparation worksheets; the DBidS checklist and user guide; and various fact sheets, as well as to register to receive email updates

Oroviders with questions about the re-compete should call CBIC customer service at (877) 577-5331 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. CBIC will extend those hours to 9 p.m. during the last two weeks of the registration and bidding windows, which close Nov. 20 and Dec. 16, respectively.

Important dates for Round One 2017:

Oct. 19 — CMS “strongly” encourages Backup Authorized Officials to register no later than this date.
Nov. 16 — Covered document review date for bidders to submit financial documents.
Nov. 20 — Registration closes.
Dec. 16 — Bid window closes.
Winter 2016 — Preliminary bid evaluation notification.
Summer 2016 — CMS announces single payment amounts, and begins contracting process.
Fall 2016  — CMS announces contract suppliers, begins contract supplier education and begins beneficiary, referral agent and supplier education.
Jan. 1, 2017 — CMS implements contracts and prices for the Round One 2017 Re-Compete.