Responses_to_MEPS-HC_questions_final.pdf

AHRQ-16-10002

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Household Component (HC) Support

Responses to Questions

1. The MEPS-HC is a complex survey that requires a significant amount of time and effort to submit a thoughtful and comprehensive response. We request that the government extend the due date to February 1 2016.

Answer: The Government will extend the proposal due date from 11:00am EST on 08 December 2015 to 11:00am EST on 21 December 2015. The Proposal intent due date has been extended from 01 December 2015 to 14 December 2015. Please refer to the Cover Page of the RFP Solicitation Amendment 1.

2. Given the complexity of MEPS-HC project itself and the fact that the

Description/Specification/Work Statement provided in Section C of the solicitation is itself

32 single-spaced pages, restricting the technical proposal to 100 double-spaced pages does not allow non-incumbent offerors a sufficient number of pages to (a) adequately respond to the SOW requirements and (b) fully demonstrate their expertise and improvements that they could bring to MEPS-HC. We request the government increase the technical proposal page limits to 250 double spaced pages.

Answer: The Government will increase the number of pages for the technical proposal to 150 double-spaced pages. Please refer to Section L.7 of the RFP

Solicitation Amendment 1.

3. The solicitation notes at task 1.2 that “The transition period between the current MEPS contract and this contract is critical to the MEPS-HC. It is critical that continuity of the data collection instruments, sample design, interviewing techniques, data processing, editing and data file formatting be maintained and that any changes between the old and new contracts be transparent to respondents and data users.” Could AHRQ clarify the transition timeline, which materials would be shared between contracts, and whether bidders should describe the process for sharing information between contractors to ensure a smooth transition?

Answer: Please refer to Section 1.2.6 and 1.5 of the SOW; and Sections F, J, L, and M of the RFP Solicitation Amendment 1.

4. The Solicitation indicates that the contract that results from this procurement will require the contractor to begin data collection activities with the 2017 Panel, Round 1. Does

AHRQ intend to continue the current MEPS contract for the continuing Panels and

Rounds (i.e., 2015 Panel, Round 5 and the 2016 Panel Rounds 3-5)? In other words, will there be two concurrent contracts with each one covering different Panels and Rounds of data collection?

Answer: Yes.