DHHS/OS/ASMB/OGAM/Division of Contract Operations, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 443H, Humphrey Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20201

R -- STUDY OF PRIVATE LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE CLAIMS POC Cheryl L. Howe (202) 690-5552 The Department of Health and Human Services intends to negotiate with LifePlans, Inc., Two University Office Park, 51 Sawyer Road, Waltham, MA 02154, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 to award a contract to provide the assistance required by the DHHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation to study a range of questions relating to the utilization of home care benefits offered under self-funded private long-term insurance policies. Three different types of skills are required for this research project: 1) research skills, 2) actuarial analysis skills and 3) ability/experience to perform client assessments in a private insurance context. In addition to these critical skills, the government has determined that the cooperation of 8 to 10 insurance companies is essential to carry out this study and be assured that a sufficiently representative claimant sample was obtained. The insurance companies must be willing to allow the contractor to interview a sample of their policyholders in claim and also must be willing to share corporate data that is highly confidential and proprietary. LifePlans is the only known source that all these insurance companies are willing to cooperate with and that possesses all three essential skills previously listed. LifePlans is uniquely qualified in that it has carried out a previous study of purchasers and nonpurchasers of private long-term tudy of purchasers andcare insurance policies that depended on contacting insurance company clients; therefore, LifePlans has had the opportunity to prove itself to several of these companies as completely trustworthy when handling proprietary information. Several of the insurance companies also have assessment and/or case management contracts with the Family Caring Network, a division of LifePlans. If LifePlans is allowed to perform this project, the nurse assessors from the Family Caring Network will do the functional assessments and interviews with clients which will further reassure the private insurance companies with respect to safeguarding confidential, proprietary information and maximize their willingness to participate in the study. It is believed that this previously established familiarity with the internal operations of these companies, and rapport with the company officials, will enable LifePlans to carry out this research at a lower cost to the government than a firm without such experience. It is believed that LifePlans is the only organization qualified to successfully undertake and complete this project. The purpose of this synopsis is to determine whether there may be other sources with the requisite qualifications to perform the work described above. Any organization capable of performing similar services should submit a cost estimate and a statement of capabilities with documentation supporting its ability to meet the Government's requirements as described above. No solicitation document is available. Capability statements should be submitted within 45 days of the publication of this synopsis to the contact point and address given above. See Note 22. (0123)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0084 19960503\R-0002.SOL)