How to Win the CCN Next Gen Contract: A Guide for Government Contractors

Introduction

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking to award a contract for the Community Care Network Next Generation (CCN Next Gen), a program that will provide high-quality health care services to eligible Veterans in the community when VA cannot provide them at its own facilities. The CCN Next Gen contract is expected to be worth up to $88 billion over eight years, making it one of the largest and most lucrative opportunities in the federal market. In this article, we will provide an overview of the CCN Next Gen program, its historical background, the RFP description, who should participate, and the challenges that potential bidders may face. We will also share some tips and best practices from GDI Consulting, a leading provider of capture and proposal services for government contractors.

Historical Background

The CCN Next Gen contract is the successor of the current Community Care Network (CCN) contract, which was awarded in 2018 to six regional contractors: Optum Public Sector Solutions, Inc. (Regions 1, 2, and 3), TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corporation (Regions 4 and 5), and WellPoint Military Care Corporation (Region 6). The CCN contract replaced the previous Patient-Centered Community Care (PC3) contract, which was awarded in 2013 to Health Net Federal Services, LLC and TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corporation. The PC3 contract was intended to improve access, quality, and coordination of care for Veterans by establishing a network of community providers who could deliver medical services to Veterans when VA could not. However, the PC3 contract faced several challenges, such as delays in referrals, payments, and claims processing, as well as inconsistent quality standards and performance measures. The CCN contract aimed to address these issues by streamlining the referral process, enhancing the provider network, implementing standardized quality metrics and oversight mechanisms, and integrating with VA’s electronic health record system.

RFP Description

The CCN Next Gen contract will continue the objectives of the CCN contract, but with some key changes and improvements. According to the draft RFP, the CCN Next Gen contract will have the following features:

• The contract will be a single-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a one-year base period and seven one-year option periods.
• The contractor will be responsible for establishing, developing, and administering a nationwide network of high-performing, licensed health care providers who will work together with VA practitioners to provide medical, dental, pharmacy, and ancillary services to eligible Veterans.
• The contractor will also provide care coordination, customer service, claims processing, quality management, data analytics, reporting, and other administrative functions.
• The contractor will be required to comply with VA’s policies, procedures, standards, and regulations, as well as federal laws and regulations governing health care delivery and privacy.
• The contractor will be evaluated based on various performance measures related to access, quality, cost-effectiveness, customer satisfaction, and innovation.

Who Should Participate

The CCN Next Gen contract is open to any qualified offeror who can meet the requirements of the RFP. However, given the size, scope, complexity, and competitiveness of the opportunity, only offerors who have extensive experience and capabilities in providing health care services to large populations of beneficiaries across multiple geographic regions should consider bidding. Additionally, offerors who have prior experience working with VA or other federal agencies in similar programs may have an advantage over new entrants. Some of the potential bidders for the CCN Next Gen contract include:

• The incumbent CCN contractors: Optum Public Sector Solutions, Inc., TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corporation, and WellPoint Military Care Corporation.
• Other large health care companies that have experience in managing provider networks and delivering health care services to federal beneficiaries, such as Humana Inc., Centene Corporation, Anthem Inc., Cigna Corporation, Aetna Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc., etc.
• Other government contractors that have experience in providing health care-related services to VA or other federal agencies, such as Leidos Holdings Inc., General Dynamics Corporation, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation, CACI International Inc., etc.

Challenges

The CCN Next Gen contract poses several challenges for potential bidders, such as:

• Developing a comprehensive and competitive technical proposal that demonstrates a clear understanding of VA’s needs and expectations, as well as a compelling value proposition that differentiates the offeror from other competitors.
• Establishing a robust and diverse provider network that can meet VA’s standards for quality, access, and cost-effectiveness, as well as the preferences and needs of Veterans and their families.
• Integrating with VA’s systems and processes, such as the electronic health record system, the referral management system, the claims processing system, and the quality management system.
• Managing the transition from the current CCN contract to the CCN Next Gen contract, ensuring continuity of care for Veterans and minimizing disruptions for providers and VA staff.
• Adapting to the changing health care environment and VA’s evolving requirements, such as new policies, regulations, technologies, and innovations.

Conclusion

The CCN Next Gen contract is a strategic and lucrative opportunity for government contractors who have the expertise and resources to provide high-quality health care services to Veterans in the community. However, winning the contract requires a thorough and rigorous capture and proposal process that addresses VA’s needs and expectations, as well as the challenges and risks involved. GDI Consulting can help potential bidders succeed in this process by providing a full range of capture and proposal services, such as market research, opportunity assessment, competitor analysis, proposal development, proposal writing, color team reviews, pricing strategy, and more. GDI Consulting has a proven track record of winning federal contracts worth billions of dollars for its clients across various industries and domains. Contact us today to learn how we can help you win the CCN Next Gen contract.