5600 Fishers Lane, Room 13A-19 Rockville, MD 20857

B -- 65279;EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF EXPANDED SCOPE OF PRACTICE LAWS ON IMPROVING ACCESS SOL HRSA-230-BHPr-14(0) POC Frantz Y. Richard, Contract Specialist, 301-443-0687/James Quinn, Contracting Officer, 301-443-5343 The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) intends to utilize limited competition after exclusion of sources to contract with one of the four co-operative Centers for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) to examine the before-and-after impact that expanded scope of practice laws have had in attracting health practitioners to underserved areas. This is a notice of intent, not a request for proposals. In order for this Bureau of Health Professions' (BHPr) research initiative to be successful, the Contractor will need to have a strong academic base and extensive experience in analyzing health workforce issues and in projecting health workforce supply and requirements. Further, because included in this study are State and sub-state-level issues (e.g. scope of practice laws and other State regulations such as those governing the staffing of health professionals in health care institutions), the Contractor must have an established network of contacts that have experience in analyzing health workforce issues and data. The decision to utilize limited competition after exclusion of sources and to contract with one of the four co-operative CHWS, is based on CHWS' unique qualifications to accomplish this work given their well-established and respected capacity and publications in health workforce analysis, their working relationship with the appropriate agencies and organizations within their states, and their familiarity with national and state health workforce policy concerns and issues. The 4 CHWS address all aspects of the health workforce in their state in the context of regional and national implications and significance, while building on the areas their special emphasis, expertise, and institutional support. The CHWS also have developed their capacity and involvement as a resource in health workforce analysis for the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), for specific BPHC programs such as shortage designation issues, and for the states, especially the Primary Care Offices and Associations (PCOs and PCAs), and are expected to continue work in both of these areas. Scope-of-practice issues are paramount for these programs. In addition, over the past few years, the CHWS investigators and staff have developed an in-depth understanding and working and collaborative relationships with the BHPr's philosophy, strategies, and measures of success. Therefore, the Government has determined that no other organization combines the CHWS' extensive experience with health workforce analysis consistent with BHPr's goals and expectations. This depth of expertise is imperative to the success of this contract work. The contact person for this acquisition is: Frantz Y. Richard, COB/DGPM/OMPS/HRSA, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 13A-19, Rockville, MD 20857-5600; phone number 301-443-0687; FAX 301-443-6038. The electronic mailing address is: frichard@hrsa.gov. See Note 22. Posted 05/18/00 (W-SN456389). (0139)

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