Role of the RCE and ONC. ONC was directed by Congress in the 21st Century Cures Act to, “in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and other relevant agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, for the purpose of ensuring full network-to-network exchange of health information, convene public-private and public-public partnerships to build consensus and develop or support a trusted exchange framework, including a common agreement among health information networks nationally.” ONC entered into the Contract with the RCE to implement, maintain, and update the Common Agreement. Under the Contract, the RCE is responsible for matters related to the development and operation of the exchange of TI and related activities. ONC provides oversight of the RCE’s work under the Contract. Under the Contract, ONC has the right to review the RCE’s conduct, including Designation, corrective action, and termination decisions regarding QHINs, the proper execution of nondiscrimination and conflict of interest policies that demonstrate a commitment to transparent, fair, and nondiscriminatory treatment by the RCE of QHINs, and whether the RCE has adhered to the requirements imposed upon it by this Common Agreement. ONC may also address complaints made by a QHIN against the RCE as set forth in Section 15.6. QHINs have the right to appeal RCE decisions as set forth in Section 16 of this Common Agreement.
