Patient Experience Survey

The Department of Vermont Health Access issued a Request for Proposal (RFP #03410-170-26) on November 25, 2025, seeking qualified contractors to conduct a Patient Experience Survey covering three specific CAHPS® surveys targeting advanced primary care, Medicaid adult and child populations, and home/community-based services recipients. The contract will span a three-year base period starting April 1, 2026, with two optional one-year renewals. Bidders must be certified CAHPS® vendors through NCQA and are responsible for comprehensive survey tasks including sampling, data collection, analysis, timely reporting, and compliance with federal and state privacy and data protection standards. Deliverables include practice-level and aggregate reports, weekly progress updates, and completed datasets submitted according to timelines specified by the State. The contract emphasizes adherence to applicable CAHPS® protocols, HIPAA privacy rules, state health data laws, and accessibility requirements under the ADA. Proposals are due by January 9, 2026, and must be submitted electronically as a single searchable PDF no larger than 40 MB. Evaluation will be based on a best-value trade-off approach considering the bidder’s experience, project approach, capacity, and pricing, with technical merit weighted more heavily than cost. The solicitation includes standard state contract provisions, federal terms supplements, business associate agreements, and requires compliance with Vermont labor laws, environmental regulations, and affirmative action policies. No federal FAR clauses are incorporated as this is a state-level contract. Payment terms are net 30 days upon invoice submission, with invoices to be submitted electronically. While pricing details are placeholders in the solicitation, option years permit up to a 2.5% price increase annually. The State reserves the right to reject proposals, requires certification regarding worker classification and lobbying activities, and mandates subcontractor reporting and compliance with organizational and personal conflict of interest policies. The contract administration will be handled by the Agency of Human Services, which holds responsibility for inspection, acceptance, and oversight of deliverables.