Federal RFI — Not a Grant or Contract Award
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Office of Acquisition and Grants Management, has issued Medicaid Enterprise Systems (MES) IT Standards — Request for Information (RFI), Notice 269888. CMS is gathering stakeholder input to shape a new MES IT Standards Program focused on interoperability, modularity, standards-based commercial off-the-shelf solutions, cloud technologies, data exchange, system integration, and technical architecture.
Deadline and Submission
The SAM.gov notice metadata lists responses due September 25, 2026 at 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time (7:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time). The RFI states that responses should be clear and concise and should identify the applicable question label. Current submission instructions direct responses by email to MACBIS-Enterprise-Services@cms.hhs.gov and aaron.blackshire@cms.hhs.gov.
Who CMS Wants to Hear From
CMS expressly invites input from State Medicaid Agencies, MES technology vendors, systems integrators, Standards Development Organizations, healthcare providers, and other industry experts. The notice is not identified as a small-business set-aside. The RFI does not state a UEI, SAM registration, cost-share, or matching-funds requirement for an RFI response.
Technology and Standards Scope
CMS is exploring technical standards and operating approaches involving HL7 FHIR, X12, NIST frameworks, cloud security and FedRAMP, data portability, modular COTS products, automated compliance testing, AI and machine learning, data governance, identity and access management, consent and privacy, public-health and HIE interoperability, analytics, and Streamlined Modular Certification. The RFI also asks about procurement lifecycles, vendor lock-in, implementation risk, and the standards needed to improve Medicaid beneficiary outcomes and access to care.
N9+ and Dr. Miltie Fit
N9+ Fit Score: 68/100. This is not a device procurement and CMS is not offering funding for N9+. The legitimate fit is strategic and standards-focused: N9+ is a remote physical examination platform whose vitals, guided examination data, and telehealth-enabled encounter workflows may provide a practical perspective on device/application interoperability, FHIR-enabled data exchange, clinical-data portability, privacy, and integration between care-delivery technology and Medicaid systems. Any response must stay within capabilities Dr. Miltie can substantiate.
Direct Dr. Miltie response status: Permitted in principle as an industry stakeholder, not as a bid. The RFI does not require respondents to hold a federal contract vehicle and does not promise an RFP or award. CMS states that the government will not pay response costs and will not accept unsolicited proposals through this RFI.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 80/100. The value is strategic rather than financial. A well-grounded response could help CMS understand interoperability requirements that affect Medicaid digital-health and remote-care technology, but there is no current contract value, award ceiling, or guaranteed follow-on procurement. This opportunity should not be represented as grant funding or as a procurement win.
Amendment and Contacts
SAM.gov records show the notice was updated on August 13, 2026, replacing the earlier attachment with the current RFI document. Primary contact: Aaron Blackshire, 410-786-8204. The notice also identifies John Dirocco as an alternate contact.
Official controlling source: SAM.gov Opportunity 269888.