addendum-2-rfp-3015-25-0.pdf
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- Attached to
- CONTRACT: ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICAL BENEFITS
- Solicitation number
- RFP 3015-25
- Issued by
- Merrimack County, New Hampshire
About this file
This is Addendum #2 to Bid Invitation 3015-25 issued by the State of New Hampshire Division of Procurement and Support Services for the Administration of Medical Benefits contract. The addendum, dated April 4, 2025, addresses fourteen clarifying questions submitted by bidders regarding the Request for Proposal. The bid closing date remains April 17, 2025, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Key clarifications include definitions of "adequate geographic locations" pertaining to preferred provider service networks for ambulatory surgical care and laboratory services in relation to patient home zip codes across all New Hampshire counties, with alternative service options to be recommended if services are not accessible. Bidders are encouraged but not required to provide optional pricing for two one-year extension periods; however, extension year rates will not be included in financial scoring. Pricing proposals will be scored based on total projected costs for the four-year period from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2029. Regarding clinical performance guarantees, bidders must respond "Confirmed" to receive the highest score, indicating agreement without deviation, or "Not Confirmed" to propose alternatives, with deviations that diminish guarantee value resulting in lower scores and subject to State rejection.
The addendum provides substantive modifications to specific contract provisions and performance guarantees. The State modified the C4 Clinical Mental Health performance guarantee to define the measure as the percent of members receiving outpatient follow-up care within thirty days of an emergency room visit for mental health services, with targets increasing from 44 percent in 2026 to 47 percent in 2029. The State agreed to amend Appendix J data security provisions to permit subcontracting of purely ancillary services such as copying or mailing without prior State consent, to allow offshore technology support resources to access protected health information stored in the Continental United States subject to State review and approval, and to revise Section 2.c. to reference requirements under applicable law. The State declined to replace the Confidential Information definition with a Protected Health Information reference or to delete the Breach Notification section but indicated willingness to discuss minor technical changes to breach notification procedures with the selected bidder. All changes in this addendum supersede previously submitted documents and must be submitted with the bid proposal.
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STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
DIVISION OF PROCUREMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES
BUREAU OF PURCHASE AND PROPERTY
STATE HOUSE ANNEX
25 CAPITOL STREET
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03301-6398
DATE OF CHANGE: April 4, 2025
ADDENDUM # 2 TO BID INVITATION 3015-25
DATE OF BID CLOSING: 4/17/2025 TIME OF BID CLOSING: 2:00 PM (EST)
FOR: ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICAL BENEFITS
Q1. QUESTION: Please confirm that the existing site of service network meets the definition of adequate geographic locations, and if not, please define "adequate geographic locations."
STATE’S RESPONSE: The definition of “adequate geographic locations” pertains to the vicinity of a preferred provider service, currently specific to ambulatory surgical care and laboratory services, in relation to the patient home zip code in all NH counties. If those services are not accessible, an alternative service option shall be recommended by the selected bidder.
Q2. QUESTION: Are rates optional for the two one-year extensions?
STATE’S RESPONSE: While not a requirement, Bidders are encouraged to provide pricing for the extension years.
Q3. QUESTION: Are rates for the two one-year extensions part of the part of the financial scoring?
STATE’S RESPONSE: No, as indicated in the RFP, proposals will be scored based on the total projected costs (i.e., claims and administrative costs) as determined by the State for the four-year period from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2029.
Q4. QUESTION: Released in Addendum 1, the updated version of Section 7 is locked. Can you provide an unlocked version to complete?
STATE’S RESPONSE: Proposal Tech includes the Excel version of the pricing attachment.
Q5. QUESTION: Is it acceptable to agree to the clinical performance guarantees with an opportunity to collaborate on modifications?
STATE’S RESPONSE: A “Confirmed” response to a clinical guarantee will receive the highest score and will indicate agreement with the terms without deviation. A “Not Confirmed” response allows the Bidder to propose deviations. Deviations that diminish the value of the performance guarantees will lower the Bidder’s score. The State reserves the right to decline proposed alternatives.
Q6. QUESTION: C1 Prostate Cancer Screening – Considering the value of prostate cancer screening varies by individual and is a decision best made through discussions between patient and doctor, could we use colorectal cancer screenings instead? The best available evidence from randomized trials found that prostate cancer screening has at most a small benefit in reducing prostate cancer mortality and the risk of developing metastatic disease. The potential benefits of screening should be balanced against the potential harms to quality of life, including the risks of false-positive tests, prostate biopsy, anxiety, overdiagnosis, and treatment complications.
STATE’S RESPONSE: Please refer to our response to question number five.
Q7. QUESTION: C2 Preventive Care Screening - Would alternative language be acceptable for the preventative care PG?
STATE’S RESPONSE: Please refer to our response to question number five.
Q8. QUESTION: C3 Chronic Pain - If reporting is not available for the specific PG requested is the State willing to accept an alternative if focused on Chronic Pain?
STATE’S RESPONSE: Please refer to our response to question number five.
Q9. QUESTION: C4 - Mental Health Performance Guarantee. The PG language references HEDIS but doesn’t specifically cite which BH measure. Can you confirm what HEDIS measure they would like to see? There are two that come to mind:
• Follow-Up After Hospitalization for Mental Illness (FUH)
• Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Mental Illness (FUM)
STATE’S RESPONSE: Due to the potential instability of accessing federal HEDIS Measures, we have drafted an alternative proposed Performance Guarantee to target Behavioral Health measurement.
C4 Clinical Mental Health
Defined as percent of members receiving outpatient follow up care within 30 days of an ER visit for mental health services.
2024: 43.1%
Target 2026: 44%
Target 2027: 45%
Target 2028: 46%
Target 2029: 47%
Compound, Pull-down list.
1: Confirmed, 2: Not confirmed, explain:
[500 words]
Q10. QUESTION: Would the language of Sections 12.1 and 12.3 be negotiable to, for example, clearly except notice and consent for ancillary non-administrative services, as long as notice and consent by the State is required prior to subcontracting/assignment/delegation of administrative services?
STATE’S RESPONSE: The State is willing to entertain changes to Section 12.3 to indicate that purely ancillary services, such as copying or mailing, can be subcontracted or provided by a subsidiary or affiliate without prior notice to and consent of the State.
Q11. QUESTION: Appendix J - Required Protections of Confidential Information and Data Security - Is the State willing to delete the definition of Confidential Information and replace it with a reference to Protected Health Information as defined in the Business Associate Agreement?
STATE’S RESPONSE: No.
Q12. QUESTION: Appendix J - Required Protections of Confidential Information and Data Security - Is the State willing to amend Section 2.c. to include a reference to requirements under applicable law?
STATE’S RESPONSE: Yes, the State is willing to amend Section 2.c. to read: Contractor shall not use the State’s Confidential Information developed or obtained during the performance of, or acquired or developed by reason set forth within the Agreement, except as necessary for Contractor’s performance under the Agreement, or unless otherwise permitted or required under the Agreement or as required by applicable law.
Q13. QUESTION: Appendix J - Required Protections of Confidential Information and Data Security - Is the State willing to amend Section 3 to allow offshore technology support and/or delivery resources to access, but not transfer or copy, PHI stored within the United States?
STATE’S RESPONSE: The State is willing to consider alternative language with the selected bidder. The State recognizes that it is a standard business practice today for US companies to utilize offshore technology support services. However, under no circumstances may any of the State’s data be stored, saved, copied or reside on any systems or devices outside of the Continental United States. Any offshore services accessing the State’s data requires the State’s review and approval prior to access being granted.
Q14. QUESTION: Appendix J – Required Protection of Confidential Information and Data Security - Is the State willing to delete the Breach Notification section?
STATE’S RESPONSE: No. The State is willing to discuss minor, technical, changes to the Breach Notification section with the selected bidder in order to facilitate efficient and effective breach notification.
PURCHASING AGENT: Abbie Poole Email: NH.Purchasing@das.nh.gov
NOTE: ALL CHANGES TO BID SOLICITATION NOTED IN ADDENDUMS WILL SUPERSEDE
PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS AND MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE BID. ALL OTHER
SPECIFICATIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED AND VALID.
BIDDER ____________________________ ADDRESS ____________________________
BY ________________________________ ____________________________
(this document must be signed)
________________________________ TEL. NO.____________________________
(please type or print name)
Please visit: https://das.nh.gov/purchasing/vendorresources.aspx (click on “Bid and Proposals”) for complete bid and addendums.
mailto:NH.Purchasing@das.nh.gov https://das.nh.gov/purchasing/vendorresources.aspx
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