HRSA Makes Multi-Vendor Modernization Awards to Support the Nation’s Organ Transplant System

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:

1. 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.  
2. 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. 
3. 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.
4. Strengthening Patient-Centered Communications: Deloitte Consulting will focus on improvements in communications from the OPTN, within the OPTN and, importantly, with patients and families. 
5. 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.