To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #23-571-11 with Tegria Services Group - US, Inc.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of the County Contract #23-571-11 with Tegria Services Group - US, Inc., a corporation, in an amount not to exceed $4,000,000, for specialized information technology consulting services, support, training, and temporary candidacy services for Contra Costa Health Information Systems Unit for the period from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This contract will result in contractual service expenditures of up to $4,000,000 over a 3-year period and will be funded 100% by Hospital Enterprise Fund I revenues (Rate increase).
BACKGROUND:
This contract meets the needs of Contra Costa Health (CCH) by providing services and support for Epic, CCH's Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. As part of the Epic Systems of applications utilized by the Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP), Epic Tapestry consolidates multiple modules into one system, allowing for a single source of comprehensive information about a covered member. Tegria Services Group - US, Inc., provides focused Tapestry expertise across all Epic modules and other third-party health plan software utilized by CCHP concerning the quality management of its member(s) eligibility, enrollment, relationship, referral, authorization, benefits, claims, utilization review, and in compliance with the County Board of Supervisors’ approval of CCH's initiative to move to a Single Health Plan Model and California's Department of Health Care Services initiative, California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), the statewide, long-term commitment to transform and strengthen Medi-Cal; Tegria Services Group - US, Inc., also provides training, and consulting services on Epic Systems to Contra Costa Regional Medical Center’s (CCRMC) clinical staff, patients, and health care providers, and Health Services IT support, including temporary candidacy services and professional technical support - Tegria has been providing ongoing support and services since 2015.
Considering CCH’s transition to a Single Health Plan Model and the consequent expected increase in CCHP memberships, securing talent of this aptitude is even more essential. However, CCH has found that capable talent has been hard to find in local and nationwide pools, so CCH solicited Tapestry management providers. As a result of the lack of talent resources in this (area of specialty), the bid process and solicitation to multiple vendors have not returned any qualified responses. Due to the lack of response, CCH requested, and the County Purchasing Agent awarded a one-time sole-source status to Tegria Services Group - US, Inc., the current Tapestry management service provider, for the services provided under this contract, for a term ending December 31, 2026.
On January 5, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #23-571-6 with BlueTree Network, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000, for the provision of consulting, technical support, and training to the Health Services Information Director on Information Systems, including assistance with Epic, the EHR and billing system for CCRMC, for the period from January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2023.
On November 1, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract Amendment Agreement #23-571-7 with BlueTree Network, Inc., effective June 15, 2022, to reflect the corporations name change from BlueTree Network, Inc., to Tegria Services Group - US, Inc., with no change in the payment limit or original term.
On June 27, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract Amendment Agreement #23-571-8 with Tegria Services Group - US, Inc, effective April 15, 2023, to increase the payment limit by $1,000,000 to a new payment limit of $3,500,000 for continued consulting, technical support, and training to the Health Services Information Systems Unit with no changes in the term.
Tegria offers consultation and temporary candidacy services regarding CCH's use, management, and optimization of Tapestry, part of its EHR system of applications. The measurable outcome of the services provided is improved efficiency and effectiveness of the EHR system based on the consultation provided. The Contra Costa Health Information Systems Unit worked with Contra Costa Health Personnel to obtain approval from the Labor Relations Division of the County Administrator’s Office for this contract. This contract is late due to the waiting period to obtain approval from CCH Personnel after the Meet and Confer process with the Labor Union(s).
Approval of Contract #23-571-11 will allow the contractor to continue to provide services through December 31, 2026.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this contract is not approved, the department will experience an interruption in services needed to meet the contractual obligations of its CCHP, Public Health, and CCRMC divisions, leaving the department unable to pay related invoices. Monies owed will remain outstanding, causing the cancellation of services resulting in a negative effect on patient care.