The California Health Benefit Exchange on Friday revealed its intent to award a $9.3 million contract to First Data Government Solutions for project management and support services on the California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System (CalHEERS) project, according to documents found on the Exchange website.
The Health Benefit Exchange, which will create a marketplace for residents and small businesses to purchase insurance, released a Request for Proposal in February. The Exchange evaluated nine proposals for the contract, which seeks a company to provide support staff during the design, development and implementation phase of the project.
First Data Government Solutions proposed the most expensive solution and received the highest marks following evaluation, according to information released by the Exchange. The Project Management and Technical Support Consulting Services contract will last 27 months with possible extensions of two years.
The larger contract to develop and operate the CalHEERS project is yet to be awarded. Peter Lee, executive director of the Exchange in April stated during a meeting they were in negotiations with the prospective vendor to develop a system, about which a resolution would be announced during the May 15 board meeting. However, according to a blog post by Health Access, a California healthcare advocacy group, the Board spent the meeting discussing a possible federal partnership only to decide against it. The Board is now expected to announce the result of contract negotiations during the May 22 meeting.
Josefina Ramirez, of Ogilvy Public Relations hired by the state to answer media inquiries for the Exchange, would not confirm a plan to announce the CalHEERS bid project winner at the May 22 meeting.
On April 24, the Exchange announced it is seeking bids for Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) services during the Design, Development and Implementation phases of the CalHEERS project.
