The Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) recently published a series of webcasts to assist suppliers in submitting their bids for Round 2 of Competitive Bidding and the national mail-order diabetic supplies program. The bid window opened on January 30, 2012 (click here for info on other critical dates).

Webcast topics include:

• An overview of the Round 2 and national mail order competitions (published 12/20/11)
• A webcast specific to the national mail order program for diabetic supplies (published 01/09/12)
• Important program rules outlined in the Request for Bids (RFB) Instructions (published 01/13/12)
• How a bid is evaluated (published 01/20/12)
• Details on financial documentation requirements (published 01/25/12)
• How to submit a bid (published 01/27/12)

The webcasts are free and available for viewing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, a DBidS reference guide is also available to assist suppliers in using the online system to place their bids.

Today, January 30, 2012, marks the official opening of the bid window for Round 2 of Competitive Bidding. Suppliers who wish to compete in Round 2 and/or the national mail-order competition for diabetic supplies may now log into DBidS (CMS electronic online bidding system) and place their bids. A reference guide to assist you in placing your bid is available here.

Now that the bid window has opened, suppliers who wish to submit a bid must be mindful of the following critical deadlines:

1. If you have not already done so, you only have 10 days left to register your authorized official (AO), backup authorized official (BAO), and any end users (EUs) who will be submitting bid information on your behalf. Users must register through CMS’ IACS system for a DBidS user ID and password. The registration window will close at 9pm EST on February 9, 2012. If your AO has not completed the registration process by this date, you will not be able to bid.
2. In order to be considered, your final bid must be in the DBidS system before 9pm EST on March 30, 2012, at which time the bid window will close.
3. All required financial documentation for your bid must be receivedby the CBIC in hardcopy form no later than March 30, 2012.
4. February 29, 2012 is the covered document review date (CDRD). While you technically have until March 30^th for the CBIC to receive required financial documents, if you would like to have your documentation reviewed for missing information, your packet must be received by the CBIC by February 29, 2012.  Suppliers whose hardcopy documentation is received by 11:59pm EST on Feb. 29th will be notified of any missing financial documents within 90 days of the CDRD and given 10 additional days to submit the missing information.

Look for more details on what types of financial documents the CBIC will be looking for and how your documentation must be submitted in the upcoming February 2012 issue of Vista Notes.