Q -- EXTENSION OF CONTRACT FOR NATIONAL

The TRICARE Management Activity, Contract Management Division, intends to execute a 12-month extension (November 1, 2002 to October 31, 2003) to contract MDA906-97-D-0004, with Keystone Peer Review Organization, for National Quality Monitoring Services (NQMS). Services provided consist of (1), evaluation of patient care managed by Managed Care Support contractors; (2), various facility certification activities; and (3), peer review services. This extension will be awarded noncompetitively to KePRO, under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(iii), which provides for procurement "only from the original source in the case of follow-on contracts for the provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in (A) substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, or (B) unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements." See Note 22.