[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