State Health Insurance Assistance Program

The North Dakota Insurance Department is seeking to make a noncompetitive purchase for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) in Benson County and across the state. The procurement aims to contract with 6-8 entities to provide Medicare beneficiary assistance during the October 15 through December 7 open enrollment period. Contracted organizations will be required to provide individual counseling services, including running drug plan comparisons on Medicare.gov, answering beneficiary questions, and entering data into the ACL STARS system within 14 days of the enrollment period's conclusion. Key deliverables include offering phone and virtual appointments, supporting up to six community events, and ensuring all personnel are SHIC-trained. Contractors must provide physical space and equipment for events, comply with accessibility requirements, and advertise services broadly. The response deadline is August 7, 2025, with electronic submission required through the State Procurement Office Online system.

The opportunity appears to have no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. Intended sources include various senior centers and regional health organizations such as South Central Valley Senior Center in Valley City, Williston Senior Center, Valley Senior Services of Fargo, Heart Program in Enderlin, and Richland County Health in Wahpeton. The total contract value is approximately $78,000 over three renewal periods, with individual entity contracts ranging from $4,000 to $5,000 annually. Contractors must maintain $2,000,000 in commercial general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage, with insurance certificates required by October 1st annually. The program is funded through federal SHIP and MIPPA grants, with the state experiencing a significant decline in volunteers from approximately 90 to 28, necessitating these subcontracts with entities that have trained volunteers familiar with Medicare processes.