Review Process

All submissions will be reviewed by at least two subject matter experts from within or outside the Federal Government who will score the proposals based on the assessment criteria and provide a brief comment about the submission.

The scores/comments on Phase 1 and Phase 2 submissions will be compiled, and a ranked summary provided to AHRQ staff. AHRQ will select winners based on quantitative and qualitative assessments.

Evaluation Criteria for Selecting Winning Applications

Assessment Criteria for Phase 1:

1. Approach (40 points)

   Does the proposal sufficiently describe:

   • The context and rationale for why the EPC report has been chosen, and how the analyses of unpublished data will complement the findings from the systematic review?
   • The data source and the analytic approach? Does the described analytic approach provide the right balance of feasibility, rigor, and innovation for the project?

2. Impact: (40 points)

   Does the proposal clearly and concisely describe:

   • Potential routes for uptake of evidence within the healthcare system?
   • Method to measure whether the uptake will have an impact on healthcare delivery, quality of care or patient outcomes?
   • Anticipated risks, barriers, and strategies to successfully complete the project?

3. Team (20 points)

   Does the team have the right combination of expertise to support the proposed technical approach?

Compliance (pass/fail)—Does the Phase 1 proposal adequately address required accessibility standards (Section 508)?

Assessment Criteria for Phase 2:

1. Analysis (40 points)
   • Are the description and discussion of the findings from the analysis comprehensive?
   • To what degree is the alignment/nonalignment between healthcare system data, the AHRQ systematic review, and the healthcare system’s decision-making explained?
2. Description of the Process (40 points)
   • Are the risks, barriers, challenges encountered, solutions, and required infrastructure well described?
3. Future Plan (20 points)
   • Is the preliminary plan for implementation and evaluation appropriate and feasible?

Compliance (pass/fail)—Does the Phase 1 proposal adequately address required accessibility standards (Section 508)?