In September 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded Optimal the Measure and Instrument Development Support (MIDS) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity task order contract with one base year and four option years (Contract #: HHSM-500-2008-00017I). Optimal was awarded the MIDS contract to support quality measure development and maintenance for CMS. Optimal received one of the first awarded task orders to maintain inpatient hospital quality measures.

Development, revision and/or maintenance of assessment instrument data items and quality measures are the fundamental activities of the MIDS contracts. The data items produced under MIDS contracts may be deployed in multiple assessment instruments as “module” updates. These assessment instruments include, but are not limited to: the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS), the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and could also include the Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation (CARE). Quality Measures will be used (in general) to promote public reporting and/or allowing providers to access certain measures that may help them in their quality improvement initiatives.