Health Insurance for local employees in Africa

The Regional Procurement Support Office (RPSO) at the American Consulate General, Frankfurt, on behalf of the Bureau of Human Resources (HR) and the Embassies/Consulates in Africa, intends to issue a solicitation for a regional health insurance contract in FY2011. We are in the market research phase and need industry to provide their interest and information that will allow a successful contract arrangement. We invite qualified and interested companies to provide us their profiles, possible suggestions, and record of experience. To be considered qualified; companies are required to have experience in providing health insurance in foreign countries, some of which are in hostile environments, lack good health care infrastructure and have clients to whom health insurance is a new concept. If your firm or principle managers have never provided overseas health insurance in a multi country environment please do not waste your, or my, time responding to this advertisement. The Government is neither allowed, nor wants, to create a solicitation geared towards the practices and procedures of any one company. However, this is your opportunity to assist us in issuing a package that does not contradict the industry's norms. We desire to produce the best possible contract that is acceptable to both parties within the framework of the U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The information received will also be used to make basic decisions on coverage areas, type of contract, line item structure, number of contracts required to ensure continental coverage and what tasks the Department of State will have to keep in house. All information received will be considered and a draft solicitation issued on FEDBIZOPPs for industry comment in January 2011. Some firms may be contacted for additional pre-solicitation market research. The insurance coverage is intended for the locally employed staff at the Department of State Embassies and Consulates in Africa to include the Mediterranean coast countries of northern Africa and Islands off the coast. However, the resulting solicitation may also require coverage for other personnel working in Africa with any Department of the U.S. Government under various employment arrangements. It is not intended to cover Government direct hires (civil service and Foreign Service) transferred from the United States. It has been decided that each country must have its own benefit package to be determined by DoS Human Relations based on normal health benefits in the particular country. This is a firm requirement. The insurance shall cover pre-existing conditions (including HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, etc), routine medical / dental care and emergency services for covered employees and their immediate families. The performance period will be 12 months with four (4) separate one-year options. Please submit your company profiles, industry comments, and experience to email address FrankfurtRPSO@state.gov, with a cc to HeckC@state.gov, by December 10, 2010. Please include your company's full address, telephone number, e-mail address and a point of contact.