Single Source Procurement: Regional Perinatal Centers Rural Telehealth

Pursuant to New York State Finance Law § 163.10(b), The New York State Department of Health is presenting the following summary of relevant circumstances, and material and substantial reasons why a competitive procurement was not feasible. The New York State Department of Health Regional Perinatal Centers Rural Telehealth Program has made a determination to issue a Single Source Procurement to five eligible grantees to support ongoing currently funded projects.

The New York State Department of Health (Department) is adding federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant funding to contracts for the five Regional Perinatal Centers serving rural areas of New York State to allow these RPCs to promote and support the development of perinatal (maternal and neonatal) telehealth services to rural affiliate hospitals based on the Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines, Education, and Learning System (ANGELS) program overseen by the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences.

Despite a rich system of health care within NYS, many areas of the state lack access to needed services due to a maldistribution of resources. As of January 2018, there were 178 primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in NYS, 137 dental HPSAs; and 150 mental health HPSAs. Of the total HPSAs, about 38% of HPSAs are located in metropolitan areas; 62% are in rural or mostly rural (non-metropolitan) areas. More than 4 million New Yorkers live in a primary Care HPSA. This shortage impacts the ability of individuals to receive specialty services required while pregnant and postpartum. Specialties such as maternal fetal medicine specialists as well as others required to better ensure health birth outcomes are not available statewide. Women are also often unable to travel for specialty care consultation due to lack of transportation or inability to take significant time off from work.

Procurement / Program Name	Regional Perinatal Centers Rural Telehealth
Contractor Name(s)	Multiple Contractors - See attached List
Contract Period	1/1/2020 – 12/31/2020
Contract Numbers	Various Contract Numbers - See attached List