R -- STUDY OF PRIVATE LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE CLAIMANTS

Notice Date

July 12, 2001

Contracting Office

DHHS, Office of the Secretary, Office of Acquisition Management; Room 443H, Humphrey Building; 200 Independence Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20201

ZIP Code

20201

Point of Contact

Point of Contact: Cheryl Howe, Contract Specialist, 202-690-5552

Description

The Department of Health and Human Services intends to negotiate with LifePlans, Inc., Two University Office Park, Suite 304, 51 Sawyer Road, Waltham, MA 02154, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR 6.302.1. The purpose of this contract would be to obtain expertise to assist the DHHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) in conducting a study of an admissions cohort of private long-term care insurance claimants. The primary purpose of the study is to understand how the availability of private long-term care insurance benefits affects the decisions made by claimants and their family caregivers to access various types of long-term care services both initially; i.e., when the policyholder enters into claim status, and over a subsequent 18 month period. The study is of considerable policy relevance because of growing interest in Congress in amending tax law to provide for an above-the-line tax deduction to stimulate the purchase of private long-term care insurance policies and the President's endorsement of this proposal. The Contractor must: create an industry-wide, longitudinal database on an admission cohort of private long-term care insurance claimants which includes claims data, person-level data, and insurance policy design data (e.g. reimbursement, indemnity, and disability). The contractor will then be responsible to answer a series of questions such as: Given the availability of insurance coverage for a range of services in various types of settings: what variables affect the decision to use in-home or day care services as contrasted with residential care services provided in either assisted living facilities or nursing homes? A major requirement of this acquisition is that the contractor possesses considerable background in research on private long-term care insurance so that the study can be completed in time to provide information relevant to government policymaking. Lifeplans alone has both the research experience and preestablished relationships with the insurance companies and the Family Caring Network which is affiliated with LifePlans, and track record of doing research with a significant majority of long-term care insurance companies that allows for specific and timely analyses to be performed. Any other contractor would have to develop the necessary relationships, file systems capabilities, and acquire the specialized knowledge of the survey instruments, sample design and nurse assessment capability relating to private long-term care insurance in order to perform the analyses required in the scope of work. Therefore, the government believes that to award this contract to any contractor but LifePlans would result in a significant increase in cost and even then would not assure adequate representation among participating insurance companies. 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 the work should submit a cost estimate and statement of capabilities with documentation supporting its ability to meet the Government's requirement 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.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010716/RSOL005.HTM (D-193 SN50R6M8)