Single Source Procurement: Medical Marijuana Program
NYSDOH is charged with creating a technical solution that allows for tracking and reporting of practitioner registrations, patient certifications, patient and caregiver registrations and program oversight by NYSDOH for the Medical Marijuana Program (MMP) under the Compassionate Care Act of 2014.
The goal is to develop an information system that will support the Medical Marijuana Program, leveraging Oracle Siebel and Oracle Policy Automation (OPA) software, a platform endorsed by the Office of Information Technology (ITS). Successful implementation will provide NYSDOH with an information system that will allow patients suffering from a serious condition, as defined in the law, to obtain a certification for medical marijuana and register with NYSDOH for a registry identification card. This core system will provide NYSDOH the ability to monitor the medical marijuana program, with the goal of ensuring public safety and preventing diversion.
The major software solution that will provide detailed activity tracking and which support integration of disparate multi-vendor and multi-agency applications are based on the Oracle product suite. The implementation of this solution and its integration with other state systems are within the scope of services as available via the ITS CM00884 contract. Use of this contract as a Single Source for software licensing, installation, configuration and implementation related services and maintenance is the best option given the highly sophisticated and integrated nature of the technology solution. With the full implementation of the MMP required by January 5, 2016, it is imperative that NYSDOH use centralized State contracts that are immediately available to procure the technology solution along with the services needed to install, configure, and implement the solution.
Major tasks associated with the Medical Marijuana Program (MMP) project include installing, configuring and integrating the Oracle Siebel and OPA software to support complex program and regulatory compliance requirements. In addition these components will be integrated with a seed to sale system (TBD) for production through dispensing tracking and with other existing state health analysis and planning and regulatory and oversight systems.
Oracle's Unique Expertise
Oracle has the uniquely qualified staff to perform the required services with background and experience in areas related to developing and implementing government health related systems using Oracle Siebel CRM software, especially implementation of medical marijuana systems in other states. Oracle has the largest pool of certified and experienced consultants who have configured Siebel and OPA in similar Health and Human Services projects globally. Oracle is the industry leader in delivering Oracle projects. This expertise extends to interfacing the Siebel and OPA products to the infrastructure in such a way that can be shared by other initiatives within DOH or other agencies as necessary. The integrated Oracle project environment supports knowledge transfer to the State's resources who will gain self-sufficiency, and maintain and operate the solution post production.
Experience of Oracle in Projects of Similar Scope and Complexity
Oracle has implemented Siebel and OPA into numerous HHS projects at the Federal and State & Local agencies over the past decade. Further, Oracle plans to apply best practices and re-usable deliverables to accelerate the MMP project cycle. Experience with health care agencies in Vermont, Massachusetts, and particularly New York is invaluable to ensure the MMP project is implemented successfully in the most risk mitigated and cost effective manner.
Oracle has implemented similar projects in agencies, such as MassHealth, New York State of Health (NYSOH) & Medicaid Enrollment call center, Kansas Department of Children & Family, Vermont HHS, etc. Oracle was able to implement Siebel for NY State of Health which was a key factor in the State's ability to enroll New Yorkers for health care timely and successfully. In doing so, the Oracle project team leveraged similar methodology and reusable deliverables as planned for MMP. Oracle plans to apply best practices and re-usable deliverables from past projects to accelerate the MMP project cycle.
Summary
Due to the aggressive project schedule, the unique expertise of the vendor to install, configure and implement production systems based on the Oracle owned, proprietary software licensed for the project and the vendor's extensive track record with projects of similar size and complexity it is highly unlikely that a more cost effective and efficient proposal that could meet the project deadlines would result from a new procurement. In addition, at this point a procurement effort would certainly cause a minimum of several months delay, putting at risk the project specific expertise and knowledge developed to date, and the project would not be completed according to the schedule requirements. This would ill serve the citizens of New York that are suffering from the acute and chronic health conditions the law was crafted to address. Use of Oracle for software licensing, installation, configuration and implementation related services and maintenance is the most practical and economical alternative and is in the best interests of the State
| Procurement / Program Name | Medical Marijuana Program |
|---|---|
| Contractor Name(s) | Oracle |
| Contract Period | 5/01/2015 – 1/31/2016 |
| Contract Number(s) | CM00884-74 |
