B -- EVALUATION OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS TREATMENT DEMONSTRATION

Notice Date

September 18, 2000

Contracting Office

Social Security Administration, Deputy Commissioner for Finance, Assessment and Management, Office of Acquisition and Grants, 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21207-5279

ZIP Code

21207-5279

Solicitation Number

SSA-RFP-01-0003

Response Due

November 30, 2000

Point of Contact

Pamela Kontz, Contract Specialist, Phone 410-965-9519, Fax 410-966-9310, Email pamela.kontz@ssa.gov -- Bob Austin, Contract Specialist, Phone 4109659522, Fax 4109669310, Email bob.austin@ssa.gov

E-Mail Address

Pamela Kontz (pamela.kontz@ssa.gov)

Description

SSA plans to implement a demonstration project that will test the effectiveness of providing better access to quality treatments for affective disorders to Disability Insurance (DI) beneficiaries (including DI-only and DI/SSI concurrent beneficiaries) who have an affective disorder as their primary impairment (see Commerce Business Daily Notice for Solicitation Number SSA-RFP-01-0001). The objective of the Evaluation (SSA-RFP-01-0003) is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the implementation and outcomes of SSA_s Affective Disorders Treatment Demonstration, and to assess the generalizability of the results. The rationale for the Demonstration is the expectation that providing better access to treatment will result in improved health status of DI beneficiaries with affective disorders, which might, in turn, lead to increased labor force participation and self-sufficiency. The primary research objective of the Evaluation is to test this hypothesis by measuring the net effect of the demonstration on health status, labor market and benefit receipt outcomes. This 5-year Evaluation will include an implementation analysis, an analysis of factors affecting participation in the demonstration, a net impact analysis focusing on health, employment and program outcomes, and a cost analysis focusing on the impact of the intervention on DI, SSI, Medicare and Medicaid cost. The Contractor responsible for the Evaluation will complete a baseline survey of 2,000 persons randomly assigned to _treatment enrollee_ (TE) status and a group of _control enrollees_ (CE), as well as follow-up interviews 8, 16, 24 and 32 months after study enrollment. In addition the Contractor responsible for the Evaluation will analyze administrative record data, utilize other relevant information from the demonstration sites, and will be responsible for operating the random assignment mechanism. The demonstration will be implemented by one or more Implementation Contractor(s), and will be independently evaluated by the Contractor responsible for the Evaluation in order to assure the objectivity and unbiasedness of the evaluation. Because of the need for an objective and unbiased evaluation, and in accordance with FAR 9.501, offerors are hereby advised that they may be awarded a contract for only one requirement -- either the Implementation contract(s) or the Evaluation contract. This restriction applies to subcontractors and consultants as well. Under a separate task order with the Social Security Administration, a contractor has produced a draft protocol to be used in this demonstration project. Therefore, this contractor has been precluded from submitting a proposal for the Implementation and Evaluation contracts. The period of performance of this contract is expected to be 60 months, with an anticipated award date of April 2001. The government anticipates awarding a cost-plus-fixed fee contract. Respondents should refer to solicitation number SSA-RFP-01-0003. This solicitation will be available in electronic format only, and may be accessed through the Electronic Polity System (EPS) website at http://www.eps.gov. NO PHONE REQUESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. The solicitation should be available at the aforementioned website on or around October 20, 2000. Only written inquiries regarding this synopsis and forthcoming solicitation will be accepted.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www2.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=P&ProjID=SSA-RFP-01-0003&LocID=2422)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20000920/BSOL001.HTM (D-262 SN497968)