Right on schedule, CMS and the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) opened the bid window on July 16 for providers participating in Round 2021 of the competitive bidding program.
Registration to bid began on June 10, but providers just starting the process must have a user account in CMS’s Enterprise Portal and access to the DMEPOS Bidding System, DBidS, as well as Connexion, the program’s secure portal.
For providers that have neither registered for a user account nor requested access to DBidS and Connexion, CMS has urged them to do so right away, as registration to request access to DBidS closes on Aug. 16. (Registration to access Connexion always remains open.)
Providers ready to start bidding can access DBidS in two ways:
First option
- Go to the Round 2021 page on the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website.
- Select “Bidding.”
- Click “DBidS: DMEPOS Bidding System.”
- Click the “Bid Now in DBidS” button.
Second option
- Go to the CBIC website.
- Click on “DBidS” from the “Portals” menu at the top of the page.
- Click the “Bid Now in DBidS” button.
Providers have until 9 p.m. Eastern time to submit their bids in DBidS and upload their required documents into Connexion.
The CBIC website offers instructions for these systems, including its DBidS User Guide and Uploading Documents in Connexion Quick Reference.
Also, CMS urged bidders to take advantage of the covered document review process. Under covered document review, bidders who upload their required financial documents in Connexion by the covered document review date (CDRD) of Aug. 19 are notified if any individual financial documents are missing, and will have an opportunity to upload the missing financial documents.
Educational Push
Since Round 2021 was announced, CBIC and various entities have pushed providers to take advantage of various educational resources so that they can better understand the unique characteristics of Round 2021, such as Lead Item Pricing, and prepare their bids accordingly.
With the launch of Round 2021, that push has continued. Open announcing the open bid window, CBIC urged bidders to take advantage of its recorded and live webcast series:
- May 14 — Bid Surety Bond and Lead Item Pricing
- May 21 — Preparing and Submitting Financial Documents
- June 11 — Registering and Submitting a Bid – Part 1
- July 23, 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time — Registering and Submitting a Bid – Part 2
Additionally, AAHomecare and various state organizations reminded providers that the educational coalition behind the dmecbpeducation.com website will host another bidding education event on Aug. 27. (The previous Bid Smart 2019 Summit was held June 5.)
The August Summit will educate providers on the changes to competitive with Round 2021. The event will also show attendees how to use the lead item pricing calculator and other tools available at dmecbpeducation.com.
Other resources on the site included a primer on understanding demand and capacity, and video tutorials on topics such as lead-item pricing, clearing prices, bid ceilings, and surety bond requirements.