Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Department of Health and Human Services (Department) is seeking an information technology system capable of providing three (3) separate and distinct functions critical to responding to a public health emergency. This document provides instructions for submitting proposals, the procedure and criteria by which the awarded Bidder will be selected, and the contractual terms which will govern the relationship between the State of Maine (State) and the awarded Bidder. The Department is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resiliency, and opportunity to all Maine Residents. The Department’s Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) provides leadership, expertise, information, and tools to assure all Maine residents have the access and opportunity to live healthy lives. Over the decades, disaster events of catastrophic proportions have exposed significant weaknesses within the nation’s public health and health care systems ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disaster that exceed the day-to-day capacity and capability of existing public health and health care emergency response systems. Because of these disaster events, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the Maine CDC were federally mandated to lead the country in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the adverse public health effects of emergencies and disasters in accordance the Public Health Service Act (42 USC § 247d-3a and 3b) sections 319C-1 and C-2. The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires every state health department to implement a number of technology systems designed to: Provide 24/7/365 alerting and notification services; Implement a state registry system for medical Volunteers; and Track hospital beds and other critical resources in real-time. These systems must be designed to ensure effective communications and connectivity among public health departments, healthcare organizations, law enforcement organizations, public officials, and others. Maine’s current emergency response information technology system is a COTS product which is hosted externally.
