The required services to be provided are for a qualified vendor with expertise in evidencebased benefit coverage and design, and Medicaid federal requirement knowledge and national policy focus. A qualified vendor will support the relevant HHS agency staff achieve HHS’s core mission of Medicaid administration through coverage design and implementation of Medicaid benefits which promote effective healthcare outcomes. HHS seeks a vendor-driven collaborative approach that delivers an array of services to include the following: I. Engagement and collaboration with clinical policy staff via topic-specific workgroups and meetings led and facilitated by vendor. II. Collaboration and vendor-led facilitation in prioritized state-specific policy projects. III. Standard and mutually agreed upon processes for policy topic nominations and selection processes to enable collaborative research within vendor’s governance framework and HHS requirements. IV. Provide foundational and systematic range of policy modernization approaches, frameworks, and methodologies that inform the agency’s policy development processes and existing tools and compliment emergent trends. V. Provide comprehensive and quality evidence-based topic research reports, materials, tools, and related deliverables which supplement and support agency research objectives and outcomes to HHS staff. VI. Provide regular and timely agency-approved training (virtual and in person) to program staff in evidence-based policy research and benefit coverage and design methods through conferences, webinars, and other educational activities. VII. Organize and assume lead role in mutual communications involving HHS and other healthcare policy practitioners including standards for research, communication processes and additional information as applicable and approved by HHS. VIII. Provide access to vendor-produced proprietary reports and research products and deliverables in a secure vendor clearinghouse or repository. IX. Provision to HHS of other mutually agreed upon services that add value consistent with HHS’s program goals and objectives.
