Accessible Medical Equipment and Furniture: Providing Access to Healthcare for People with Mobility Disabilities

The NationalCouncil on Disability (NCD) will seek proposals for research and data support for a limited study on the use of accessible medical equipment and furniture in healthcare systems. The findings in this report will primarily serve to assist policymakers and federal agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice with information needed to make policy decisions designed to improve health outcomes for people with mobilitydisabilities. The report will also inform healthcare providers on responsibilities under federal laws, and inform people with mobility disabilities of federal laws, policies and healthcareinitiatives that impact their access to healthcare.

Thereport will identify and examine healthcare settings or systems (i.e., hospitals,preferred provider organizations or networks owned by hospitals, and physician groups) that widely utilize accessible medical equipment and seek information onboth its qualitative and quantitative impacts on the healthcare settings andthe patients. It will also examine two healthcare systems/hospitals that have recently created initiatives aimed at increasing accessible medical equipment in their provider'soffices. The report will also seek information on any savings that have been achieved by states that have enacted safe patient handling laws.

The estimated contract period is 7 months. NCD will distribute its Accessible Medical Equipment Report Notice of Funding Opportunity on April 23, 2019. NCD expects interested parties to submit their responses by May 21, 2019. Copies of the Notice of Funding Opportunity will be available on grants.gov and ncd.gov and may be requested by mail on or after April 23, 2019.

This pre-solicitation notice is issued solely for informational and planning purposes only. It doesnot constitute a Notice of Funding Opportunity. This pre-solicitation noticedoes not commit the Government to contract for any work or services whatsoever. Further, the National Council on Disability is not at this time seeking proposals, and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advisedthat the United States (U.S) Government will not pay for any information oradministrative cost incurred in response to this pre-solicitation notice. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.SGovernment to form a binding contract. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor grants.gov and ncd.gov sites for additional information.

NCD contact: Ana Torres-Davis, Attorney-Advisor, atorresdavis@ncd.gov,1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, D.C. 20004, 202-272-2004.