Agency Human Services Dept

Contractor Shepherd Data Services

SWIFT Contract Number 204165

Project Name Insulin Doc Review

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: To provide document review services in State of Minnesota v. Sanofi-Aventis U.S., LLC, et al.

Project Duration

Start Date Tue, 11/16/2021 - 00:00

Original end date Thu, 08/31/2023 - 00:00

Actual end date Thu, 08/31/2023 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $240000

Amendments $409160

Contract total $649160

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? DHS Health Care Administration program budget

Is this a sole source contract? No

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) {Empty}

Evaluator Name Alexandra McDonough

Evaluator Email Address alexandra.mcdonough@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness We received multiple estimates from the vendor, which reflected the cost to review 161,000 documents within varying timelines. After internal discussions, DHS opted to do the quickest review at the highest cost. The vendor estimated that for over $649,000 they could complete the review within 84 days of project inception. The full review team started on October 24, 2022, but the review was not completed until March 31, 2023. The vendor cited technical and substantive complexities that were not anticipated when the estimate was prepared as the reason for the delay, but having paid for the fastest review we did not expect the project to take over 6 months to complete and were dissatisfied by the length of the delay.

Evaluate the contractor's quality We acknowledge that any document review project is going to have some errors. We also acknowledge that the document subject matter is complex. However, when reviewing coded documents for quality control DHS often found glaring errors that should not have occurred. The frequency of errors required DHS attorneys to spend hundreds of hours reviewing the documents ourselves and correcting errors and inconsistencies on even straightforward documents. Even after the review was completed DHS had to do a subsequent production to produce documents erroneously withheld.

Evaluate the contractor's cost The cost of the review for the time and quality control was extremely high. DHS paid extra to have the review done more quickly, but despite this the vendor did not complete the review within the estimated budget or by the estimated deadline. The vendor ultimately wrote off nearly $71,000 in expenses to keep within the contract budget, which means to review 161,000 documents in six months the vendor charged over $720,000. Even having paid only $649,000, we are unaware of any other vendor charging nearly as much for a review this size within the timeframe, regardless of the technological issues or complexity of the documents.

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance We acknowledge that this was a complex review and there were unanticipated technological issues with the documents. However, the vendor had worked on related projects in the past and should have been on notice of the complex nature of the subject matter. Given the vendor did not finish the review within the estimated budget or timeframe DHS was not satisfied with the performance. It is our understanding that the project manager DHS had for this project is no longer employed by the vendor.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? No

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): {Empty}

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 1 - very dissatisfied