[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 143 (Monday, July 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 40124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19901]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Contract Review Meeting
In accordance with Section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), announcement is made of the following
technical review committee to meet during the month of August 1998.
Name: Technical Review Committee on the Agency for Health Care
Policy and Research SBIR Topic 3000--Computer Decision Support Tools
for Evidence-based Medicine.
Date and Time: August 5, 1998, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Place: Hyatt Regency-Bethesda, Tiffany/Cartier Room, One
Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.
This meeting will be closed to the public.
Purpose: The Technical Review Committee's charge is to provide,
on behalf of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR)
Contracts Review Committee, recommendations to the Administrator,
AHCPR, regarding the technical merit of contract proposals submitted
in response to a specific Request for Proposals regarding the AHCPR
Research Topic 3000, SBIR-Computer Decision Support Tools for
Evidence-based Medicine, announced in the Commerce Business Daily on
May 1, 1998.
These contracts constitute the Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research's participation in the Small Business Innovative Research
Program (SBIR). The programs of the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), and of certain other Federal agencies are required
by statutes to reserve 2.5 percent of their current fiscal year
extramural budgets for research or research and development (R&D)
for SBIR programs. The purpose of the legislation is to emphasize
increased private sector commercialization of technology developed
through Federal SBIR R&D; increase small business participation in
Federal R&D; and foster and encourage participation of socially and
economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned
small business concerns in the SBIR program and to expand and
improve the SBIR programs.
In Phase I of the SBIR program, each contractor will determine
and report the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and
feasibility of proposed research or R&D efforts and the ability of
that small business concern to carry out this research or R&D with
further Federal support in Phase II.
AHCPR issued a Request for Proposal (AHCPR-98-0014) under the
SBIR program for Phase I contracts for the specific topic of
Computer Decision Support Tools for Evidence-based Medicine.
Evidence-based medicine is increasingly providing systematic reviews
of the medical literature to improve the care provided to patients.
What is lacking are real-time resources to give providers on-site
and immediate access to the latest requested evidence. The SBIR
contract projects are to produce software that will provide decision
support tools and information on demand for clinicians to foster the
practice of evidence-based medicine.
Agenda: The Committee meeting will be devoted entirely to the
technical review and evaluation of contract proposals submitted in
response to the above-referenced Request for Proposals. The
Administrator, AHCPR, has made a formal determination that this
meeting will not be open to the public. This action is necessary to
safeguard confidential proprietary information and personal
information concerning individuals associated with the proposals
that may be revealed during this meeting, and to protect the free
exchange of views, and avoid undue interference with Committee and
Department operations.
This is in accordance with section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, 5 U.S.C., Appendix 2, implementing regulations, 41
CFR 101-6.1023 and procurement regulations, 48 CFR 315.604(d).
Anyone wishing to obtain information regarding this meeting
should contact Kate Rickard, Center for Practice and Technology
Assessment, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 6010
Executive Boulevard, Suite 304, Rockville, Maryland 20852, telephone
(301) 594-2431.
Dated: July 16, 1998.
John M. Eisenberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-19901 Filed 7-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M
