DOS Sources Sought Education and Cultural Affairs DESCRIPTION The U.S. Department of State (DoS) is performing market research to determine industry interest and capabilities. This is a Request for Information (RFI) announcement only. This is not a solicitation or request for proposal and in no way commits DoS to award a contract. DoS does not intend either to award a contract(s) based solely on any submission(s) in response to this RFI, or to pay for any costs incurred in response to this announcement. Respondents will not be notified of the result of DoS review. MARKET RESEARCH – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (Capability Statement) The U.S. Department of State is seeking information and sources capable of providing: a. Healthcare insurance expertise to search and identify available coverage options that are cost-effective and consistent with the insurance provisions in the Exchange Visitor Program (J-visa) regulations as set forth in 22 CFR 62.14. b. Knowledge and understanding of the Affordable Care Act and its applicability to foreign nationals participating in U.S. Government exchange programs in the United States and to U.S. citizens participating in exchange programs outside of the United States. c. Knowledge and expertise of: i. Commercial carriers that provide health insurance for United States citizens and foreign nationals participating in United States Government exchange programs. ii. Commercial carriers that provide accident, sickness, medical evacuation and repatriation of remains coverage for U.S. citizens and foreign nationals participating in U.S. Government exchange programs for short-term programs (three months or less) and long-term programs (longer than three months). iii. Advising and recommending healthcare options to the Department of State for exchange participants and/or their dependents. d. Expertise and skills to devise and implement a workable and cost-effective healthcare plan with options for the U.S. and foreign nationals participating in U.S. government exchange programs. Respondents should be able to demonstrate, in any capability statement submitted, experience with short-term and long-term commercial healthcare insurance programs. Such statement should demonstrate the party’s ability to assess and customize healthcare packages for U.S. citizens and foreign nationals that are compliant with the Affordable Care Act, the DoS’s Exchange Visitor Program regulations, and any applicable individual university policies. DoS may award one or more contracts to one or more vendors to have access to the full range of expertise required. Experience may include both government and commercial work that the respondent has performed. Demonstrated evidence may include, but not be limited to, customer names and addresses, description of work performed/delivered, description of types/complexity of systems worked on, description of strategies to accomplish the work, description of communication strategies with the customer, and significant healthcare insurance issues resolved. Respondents should be able to demonstrate their ability to perform these evaluations with only U.S. citizen personnel. Finally, respondents should include an analytical comparison of their capability in terms of the services requested in this RFI. All respondents with an appropriate product addressing the requirements set forth in this RFI are invited to submit a Capability Statement and contact information. The Capability Statement should discuss the respondent’s capabilities relative to potential requirements, and any other pertinent information related to the respondent’s experience and knowledge of short-term and long-term commercial healthcare insurance programs, options used to provide healthcare services to U.S. citizens traveling outside the United States and foreign nationals participating in USG exchange programs within the United States. Include a brief description of the respondent’s past experience providing similar services/supplies including healthcare options provided. Additionally, respondents must have been in business supplying government customers for no less than five (5) years. Respondents must have a GSA schedule and should provide the contract number of that schedule with their submission. Any proprietary information contained in the Capability Statement should be marked accordingly, but potential release by DoS will be governed by the Freedom of Information Act. Respondents may submit brief Capability Statements signed by a corporate official with authority to bind the company and verify that the company can provide a solution to the specifications identified herein. Instructions: 1. The Request for Information (Capability Statement) response should be concise, focused and not exceed five (5) pages, double-spaced, including cover pages, table of contents etc. Submissions will not be returned to the submitters. 2. Sale brochures, videos, and other marketing information materials are not being requested and will not be reviewed. 3. Do not submit cost or price information with the response. 4. Interested companies shall submit an electronic copy of their capability statements via email to the Contracting Specialist, Kelley Kershner;
[email protected]. The due date and time for submission of responses is 12:00PM EST five (5) business days after posting to FedBiz Ops. 5. No phone calls related to this RFI will be accepted. All correspondence shall be via email. CONTENT: Company and Contact Information: 1. Company name and address; 2. Contact name, title, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address; 3. Organizational History and Capability Statement; 4. Geographic location(s) of office(s) and number of employees at each domestic and international location; 5. Current Facility Clearance Level; 6. General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule Contract Number(s); and 7. GSA Government-Wide Acquisition Contract Family and Number(s).