Antoinette Hazelwood

Office of Acquisition & Grants Management, Woodlawn, MD Division of Policy & Oversight GS-13 (1102 series)

• Evaluate and mitigate program and financial risks associated with complex contract actions, enhancing acquisition decision-making and reducing operational disruptions.
• Routinely brief CMS senior leadership on critical contract matters, high priority policies, and regulatory compliance, facilitating informed decision-making and risk mitigation.
• Serve as acquisition policy expert, advising acquisition and program staff with regard to acquisition objectives, planning strategies, proposal instructions and evaluation criteria, and various contractual methods to successfully and efficiently award and administer contracts.
• Led cross functional teams providing guidance on all aspects of both pre/post award contract matters ensuring compliance with Federal regulations and contributing to improved operational efficiency, cost and time savings.
• Adept at analyzing data to identify trends and developing strategies to improve efficiency.
• Responsible for reviewing and providing recommendations on all senior level CO files and documentation prior to senior leadership review/signature (e.g. D&Fs, J&As, LSJs, award documentation, Acquisition Plans, Conflict of Interest Memo's, Market Research, SOWs, etc.)
• Led the development of the CMS Service Contract Inventory report and annual CMS contractor compliance, achieving 71 compliance within HHS and saving over 3,000 CMS staff hours annually through automation initiatives.
• Serve as a member of the Contract Review Board responsible for reviewing and approving all Pre-solicitation and Pre-award files to assess conformance with Federal regulations and agency level policies and procedures.
• Enhanced continuity of operations policies, collaborating with emergency preparedness teams to ensure contract readiness and response capabilities with careful consideration given to contractual implications to internal and external stakeholders.
• Analyze and provide written feedback/recommendations on proposed FAR rules, with a focus on impact to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Fostered strong partnerships with multiple CMS program offices to align contracting strategies with agency objectives and regulatory requirements. For example, I successfully led, developed and implemented the Supply Chain Risk Assessment policy in coordination with the CMS Office of Information Technology, HHS Office of National Security and the HHS Office of Acquisition Policy.
• Create, administer and coordinate training sessions on various topics promoting adherence to compliance standards and policies (IT governance, Security, ITAR, HSPD-12, SCRM, etc.)
• Contribute, support and implement continuous process improvement efforts to realize operational efficiencies and access to better quality contract data for use in agency decision making as well as other process improvements across CMS
• Mentored junior contracting staff on best practices, enhancing team capabilities and knowledge retention.
• Streamlined contract administration procedures, resulting in improved timeliness and accuracy of deliverables.

Office of Acquisition & Grants Management, Woodlawn, MD Medicare Support Contracts Group (MSCG) GS-13 (1102 series)

• Managed end-to-end contract administration for several multi-million dollar ($200-600 million) Medicare Administrative Contracts (MACs), ensuring alignment with federal regulations and achieving key project milestones.
• Prepared and issued RFP, RFQ, and RFI documents in accordance with Federal acquisition regulations.
• Accomplished complex negotiations involving Statement of Work (SoW) change orders, stop work orders, settling termination for convenience, exercising options, special provisions relating to proprietary rights and right in data, etc.
• Negotiated favorable contract terms through comprehensive technical and cost analysis, resulting in substantial cost savings and enhanced contract compliance across multiple project phases.
• Developed and implemented strategic procurement goals in coordination with various program offices to optimize contract vehicles, pricing arrangements, subcontracting policies, small business goals and set-asides, leading to successful acquisition planning, solicitation of vendors, negotiation, award and execution.
• Extensive experience with the use of various contract types (FFP, LH, T&M, CPAF, CPFF, etc) and contract vehicles (GSA, OASIS, GWACS, Full and Open, etc).
• Conducted full range of price and/or cost analysis, inclusive of cost realism analysis, using FAR 15 techniques and methods, ensuring compliance and achieving transparent vendor management.
• Evaluated proposal submitted by vendors according to predetermined criteria such as quality standards, technical specification, delivery schedules, price structures, etc.
• Conducted Technical Evaluation Panel training and reviews, ensuring compliance with solicitation instructions and evaluation criteria.
• Reviewed and approved vendor invoices against purchase orders and contracts to ensure accuracy of pricing and ensuring full compliance with contract terms and conditions.
• Conducted market research and analysis to identify new sources of supply to determine areas for opportunity and efficiency. Developed reports summarizing key findings from market research activities of potential vendors that meet quality standards at competitive prices and prepared synopses.
• Advised and briefed executive-level HHS/CMS personnel and stakeholders on complex contracting matters and policy or procedure improvements, facilitating improved stakeholder communication and enhanced risk management practices.

• Provide support directly to the Assistant VP of Revenue Cycle and CFO.
• Maintain billing cycle for 20 physician offices of various specialties.
• Provide status updates to physicians, office staff and executive committee of the hospital regarding financial status for each physician office.
• Maintain knowledge base of payer billing regulations (HMO, PPO, Medicare, Medicaid, etc).
• Develop policies and procedures for all aspects of the revenue cycle and ensure that operations are efficient and effective.
• Built strong working relationships with physicians, administrators, directors, and clinical on issues related to the revenue cycle and its operations. Prepared financial analyses and performance indicators as needed for physicians/administration.
• Led strategic initiatives to enhance patient care and operational efficiency across departments.
• Developed and implemented policies to ensure compliance with healthcare regulations and standards.
• Managed budget allocation and resource optimization to support organizational goals.
• Fostered collaborative relationships with clinical teams to improve service delivery and patient outcomes.
• Analyzed performance metrics to identify trends and drive continuous improvement efforts.

• Provided guidance regarding contract interpretation, dispute resolution, and performance assessment to senior management and program offices.
• Monitored contractor performance throughout the duration of the agreement providing feedback as needed.
• Advised senior management on complex contractual matters related to risk mitigation, compliance enforcement, and dispute resolution.
• Directed all aspects of project management including planning, budgeting, staffing, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting.
• Managed multiple projects simultaneously while staying within deadlines.
• Responsible for 5 hospital contracts with a total combined health care service contract value of $35 million.
• Provide recommendations and guidance to clinicians and manager to use resources effectively and to deliver improved health and health services within the resources available.
• Report and account for the use of public and charitable funds used for health care services.
• Built strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders supporting delivery of Primary Care Trust objectives (e.g. auditors, Strategic Health Authority, contractors, physicians, staff, etc).
• Conduct frequent audits of hospital activity and contractor claims to ensure proper and effective use of financial resources.
• Developed and implemented procurement strategies to optimize contract negotiations.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret complex contract documents, regulations, and legal requirements.
• Reviewed existing contracts regularly for accuracy and adherence to terms and conditions agreed upon at time of execution.
• Maintained up-to-date knowledge of industry trends, applicable regulations, and changes in the law relating to contracting activities.
• Managed accounts receivable.
• Managed budgeting process including development of departmental budgets, monitoring actuals against forecasted results and reporting variances.
• Implemented new processes to improve accuracy of financial statements while reducing manual effort associated with month-end close activities.
• Provided educational feedback to physicians/non-physician providers and various staff on documentation, billing (CPT/ICD codes, etc.), insurance and locality decisions.
• Responsible for coordinating the activities of the patient accounts department inclusive of monitoring Key Performance indicators for patient accounts.
• Create, maintain and administer training and professional development for staff.
• Prepare appeal letters to insurance companies for complex medical procedures.
• Negotiate complex surgical payments with various commercial/non-commercial insurance companies.
• Pre-certify all medications, radiological studies, and surgical procedures.
• Act as a liaison between physicians, insurance companies, hospital administration and patients.
• Supervise, train and manage all billing and registration staff.

• Successfully managed complex billing and reimbursement issues for a high-volume organization.
• Developed training materials for staff members on various topics related to reimbursement processes.
• Processed claims for payment to insurance companies, reviewing accounts receivable, completing edits and reviewing variance reports and conducting follow-up calls to insurance companies to receive proper reimbursement.
• Developed reports and procedures for identifying inconsistencies with insurance reimbursement payments and denials to increase revenue.
• Managed Senate Bill 479, MD Trauma Physician Service Fund for ER trauma surgeries.
• Act as a liaison between physicians, insurance companies and hospital administration.
• Directly interacted with patients/insurance companies to provide medical coverage and financial responsibility information.
• Analyzed reimbursement claims to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and hospital policies.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to resolve complex billing inquiries and discrepancies.
• Implemented process improvements that enhanced the accuracy of reimbursement submissions.
• Trained and mentored junior staff on reimbursement protocols and best practices.
• Developed comprehensive reports detailing reimbursement trends to inform strategic decision-making.
• Streamlined documentation processes, reducing claim processing time and increasing efficiency.
• Conducted regular audits of accounts receivable to identify areas for financial improvement and risk mitigation.
• Provided exceptional customer service to clients by addressing inquiries promptly, accurately, and professionally.