HRSA Makes Multi-Vendor Modernization Awards to Support the Nation’s Organ Transplant System
September 2024 Update
For the first time in 40 years, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded multiple contractors to apply their expertise and proven experience to improve the national organ transplant system. This transition from a single vendor to multiple vendors to support OPTN operations is a critical step in advancing innovation in the transplant system to better serve patients and their families, and implements the bipartisan Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act signed by the President in September 2023.
As part of the first release of awards under the new Operations Transition contract, HRSA awarded multiple OPTN modernization awards to support critical actions, including:
- Improving Patient Safety–Arbor Research Collaborative for Health will address patient safety and the policy compliance systems and processes overseen by the OPTN Board of Directors and the Membership and Professional Standards Committee to improve oversight of the multiple entities in the OPTN.
- Supporting OPTN IT Modernization–General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. will focus on the opportunities to improve the OPTN organ matching IT system and inform HRSA’s Next Generation IT procurement and development work.
- Increasing Transparency and Public Engagement in OPTN Policy Development–Maximus Federal Services will advance opportunities to improve public visibility and engagement in the OPTN policy-making process including improving transparency around OPTN policy-making committees’ deliberations and actions.
- Strengthening Patient-Centered Communications–Deloitte Consulting will focus on improvements in communications from the OPTN, within the OPTN and, importantly, with patients and families.
- Improving OPTN Financial Management–Guidehouse Digital will address improvements for OPTN’s budget development and management systems and processes.
Together with HRSA’s actions earlier this summer to create a separate OPTN Board of Directors and award a new OPTN Board Support vendor, HRSA is taking critical and historic steps to modernize and improve the National organ transplant system– while ensuring access to lifesaving transplants continues without disruption.
2024 updates
- August 2024
- July 2024: A Historic Step to Modernize and Separate the OPTN Board of Directors
- June 2024: HRSA's Progress on Transforming the Organ Transplant System to Better Serve Patients and Families
- May 2024: HRSA's Latest Steps to Transform the Organ Transplant System to Better Serve Patients and Families
- February 2024: HRSA Takes Historic New Steps to Transform the Organ Transplant System to Better Serve Patients and Families
- December 2023: HRSA's approach to securing best-in-class expertise and an independent Board of Directors
- October 2023: OPTN Transition Contract Updates, Enhanced HRSA and CMS Collaboration, and HRSA Stakeholder Engagement
- September 2023: Enhanced HRSA and CMS Collaboration, HRSA Stakeholder Engagement, and Industry Day
- July 2023: Statement from HRSA Administrator on Passage of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act
- May 2023: The Path Forward
- March 2023: HRSA Announces Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Modernization Initiative
Frequently asked questions
The modernization initiative will encompass all functions of the OPTN, inclusive of IT and non-IT related activities. As part of the initial phase of the OPTN Modernization Initiative, HRSA is announcing the following actions:
- Build Capacity for Modernization – HRSA is building its capacity to support a modernized OPTN and will be engaging a Program Management Support contractor to assist in the modernization in addition to more than doubling resources available to support the initiative in its FY 2024 President’s Budget request.
- Make Data Available for Critical Decision Making – To assist patients, clinicians, and researchers, HRSA is publishing organ donation and transplantation data to improve data transparency and decision-making. View the OPTN Data Dashboard.
- Engage Stakeholders – HRSA will engage a diverse group of stakeholders early and often to identify and prioritize pressing areas of need for patients and clinicians.
- Improve OPTN functionality – In the next Request for Proposal (RFP), move towards separating OPTN support functions, which may include Board governance, OPTN operations, and IT systems. This approach will diversify the field of potential contractors, encouraging improved functionality through greater competition and innovation.
HRSA endeavors to keep stakeholders and the public apprised of updates in a transparent fashion. HRSA will publish the latest updates on OPTN Modernization Initiative progress on this page.
In addition, to assist patients, clinicians, and researchers, HRSA is publishing organ donation and transplantation data to improve data transparency and decision-making. View the OPTN Data Dashboard.
For all media inquiries, please contact press@hrsa.gov.
Resources
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- Visite el Panel de datos de la OPTN (en inglés)
- Explore los datos en el Archivo de Uso Público (PUF) (en inglés)
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