Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Parklawn Building, Room 13A-19, Rockville, MD 20857

B -- EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORP SOL HRSA 240-OA-11(5) MS POC Contact Point, Mike Suess, (301)443-5672 The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is requesting proposals for a study design and implementation in order to assess the effectiveness of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) within the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC). This two-phase study to be carried out over a three year period and will include the following program components: NHSC Scholarship Program; NHSC Loan Repayment Program; State Loan Repayment Program; and Community Scholarship Program. The study design will consist of at least the following: the major questions or issues to be answered in the course of the study, a review and analysis of secondary data sources, proposed instruments for primary data collection, an OMB clearance package, and case study and site visit protocols. This comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of the NHSC shall examine the various mechanisms for training and recruiting providers, placing them in underserved areas, and retaining them in primary care and related professions. The contractor will be expected to explore the goals of the program and a number of variables that can potentialy be used to assess program impacts, and recommend which measures may serve as the best indicators for determining program outcomes, and also those factors that might contribute to the outcomes. It is important in all phases of this study that the organization awarded the contract be experienced with respect to research and evaluation methodologies as they might apply to primary and preventive health care delivery in underserved areas. The contractor must be knowledgeable about evaluation research methods in health care settings. The contractor must have knowledge and experience specific to service to the underserved, that will ensure appropriate sensitivity in the collection and analysis of the information. Protocols for data acquisition, data quality control, accessing secondary data from a variety of sources will need to be in place within three months of contract award. Solicitation will be released on or about June 5, 1995. Requests for the solicitation should be faxed to (301) 443-6038. (0135)

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