Health Care Financing Administration, Acquisition and Grants Group, C2-21-15, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD., 21244-1850

99 -- LOW LITERACY/PLAIN LANGUAGE DUE 022500 POC Lucille Fussell-Lee, Contract Specialist (410) 786-5447 E-MAIL: LOW LITERACY/PLAIN LANGUAGE, lfusselllee@hcfa.gov. The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) intends to award on a sole source basis, under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures an award to the AHEC Health Literacy Center, University of New England, Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005. HCFA's Center for Beneficiary Services (CBS) with the services of a low literacy/plain language expert to evaluate various Medicare beneficiary educational materials (e.g., handbooks, brochures, pamphlets, booklets, fact sheets, Internet webpages, etc.) for the purpose of improving them prior to print production. HCFA is a Federal Government agency responsible for administering the Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs. Each year, HCFA develops and disseminates many different written products regarding its programs. As HCFA's programs become more complex, it has become increasingly harder for beneficiaries to understand the materials that are presented to them. As such, it is necessary for HCFA to provide program information in "plain language" and "easy-to-read" formats in order to increase beneficiary understanding of our programs. On June 1, 1998, the President of the United States issued a directive calling for the use of plain language in government writing. HCFA is committed to carrying out this directive by making sure that our documents are clear, understandable, and responsive to our customers' needs. AHEC Health Literacy Center has worked with HCFA in the past, training various staff members on writing and producing easy-to-read documents. AHEC is currently working with HCFA on revising Medicare beneficiary educational materials so that they are written as clearly as possible. AHEC's knowledge of Medicare issues from experiences working with HCFA and other health agencies and health professionals. AHEC does not need any introduction to our needs and expectations. For these reasons and more, AHEC would be the best choice to help us continue to improve our educational materials so that they are clear, understandable, and responsive to our customers' needs. The Contractor shall furnish, as required, written reports detailing the results of the low literacy analysis for HCFA beneficiary publications and other documents that are sent to beneficiaries. The report shall include information on the publications' organization, writing style, readability, use of color, scholar columns, headers, charts and other graphics, and overall layout, format and appeal. The report shall also contain suggestions for improvement with some concrete examples (without rewriting the publication). The Contractor shall (1) conduct a detailed low literacy/plain language analysis of HCFA beneficiary focused materials that range in size from a one page flyer to a large 60 page publication. These types of materials include handbooks, brochures, pamphlets, etc., (2) conduct at least two low literacy reviews for handbooks (approximately 6 pages). One review will be done early in the writing phase and the other right before market research. All other documents with less than 30 pages (i.e., pamphlets, brochures, flyers, etc.) shall have one low literacy review. That review should take place sometime before market research (according to the schedule of deliverables); (3) the contractor shall have the capability to review time-sensitive materials, via e-mail, fax, or next day mail delivery, for a five day turnaround time. These materials will usually consist of one to six page documents. The contractor shall be required to analyze these materials for low literacy/plain language content; (4) The contractor shall provide a multicultural perspective as part of the low literacy review process for assigned publications (such as use of color, language usuage, material concepts, use of graphics, etc.); (5) The contractor shall meet with any necessary workgroups (in person and via telephone) facilitate the revision process of a publication; (6) The contractor shall conduct low literacy information sessions (such as providing writing style guidelines for easy to read materials) for HCFA's Center for Beneficiary Services' and the Education and Health Promotion Group; (7) By the end of the contract term, contractor shall provide a written report containing low literacy writing guidelines for HCFA publications, based on the types of publications that received a low literacy analysis throughout the contract period. For example, "Important items to consider when writing a 6-12 page booklet for Medicare beneficiaries..." The Government will make award to the responsible offeror(s) whose offer conforms to the Request for Quote (RFQ) and is most advantageous to the Government, technical factors and price considered. As the proposals become more equal in technical merit, the evaluated price will become more important. The Government reserves the right, however, to make award to the offeror who provides reasonable expectation of superior technical performance, regardless of the offeror's price relative to other offeror's price. Your evaluation of the technical factors will be based on information in your proposal that offers the greatest value to the Government. This must include but not be limited to: (A) Understanding the requirements of the Statement of Work, (B) Corporate capacity, and (C) Staff and Training. Your response to each technical factor must document specific competencies. Failure to respond to the specific technical factors will preclude determining your technical capability. Failure to submit all of the above requirements will result in a rejection of your RFQ. Please keep additional material in your proposal to a minimum. Telephone requests will not be accepted. Facsimile requests will be accepted on (410) 786-9088. For technical questions contact Valerie Perkins (410) 786-2750. Posted 02/10/00 (W-SN424294). (0041)

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