PRIMARY HEALTH CARE COST DRIVERS IN ALASKA
RFP 260000020
RFP Issued Wednesday, November 19, 2025
The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), Division of Administrative Services on behalf of the Division of Insurance (INSU) is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors for a report identifying the cost drivers of primary care delivery and recommendations to improve access to primary care within Alaska. The report will be based upon a comprehensive evaluation of overall operating costs for the delivery of primary care services by health care providers located in Alaska. In this context, primary care also includes behavioral health, pediatric, prenatal/obstetrical, and dental care. Health care providers include all levels of practitioners, including mid-level practitioners and support professionals such as Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Community Health Aides/Practitioners (CHA/Ps), and Medical Assistant (MA).
The evaluation must include how health care providers and health care payers are impacted by state and federal laws and regulations, as well as how primary care operations are impacted by the payer mix and various payment models. In this context, health care payers include commercial market insurers, Alaska Medicaid, Medicare, Alaska Tribal Health Organizations/Indian Health Service, Veterans Affairs and TRICARE, employer self-funded health plans, and uncompensated care. The evaluation must address how pressures on payers, individually and as a group, impact other payers. The evaluation must also include the cost drivers specific to Alaska and a comparison of operating costs for primary care providers in the lower-48. The successful offeror must evaluate Alaska-specific primary care provider operating costs, identify the cost drivers, and make recommendations on how to increase access to primary care for all Alaskans.
DCCED-INSU estimates a budget of between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000 dollars for completion of this project. Proposals priced at more than $1,500,000 will be considered non-responsive.
Payment for the contract is subject to funds already appropriated and identified.
There may be a pre-proposal conference held via Microsoft Teams. Those wishing to attend the Teams meeting must contact the Procurement Officer in advance to receive information on how to attend. The pre-proposal teleconference will not be held if there are no parties registered by the deadline in 1.11 RFP SCHEDULE.
The purpose of the conference is to discuss the RFP and the work to be performed with the prospective offerors and allow them to ask questions concerning the RFP. Questions and answers will be transcribed and sent to prospective offerors as soon as possible after the meeting.
Offerors with a disability needing accommodation should contact the procurement officer prior to the date set for the pre-proposal conference so that reasonable accommodation can be made.
Important notice: if you received this solicitation from the state of Alaska's Online Public Notice website, you must register with the procurement officer listed in this document to receive notification of subsequent amendments. Failure to contact the procurement officer may result in the rejection of your offer.
Primary Contact:
Rob Roys
Procurement Officer
robert.roys@alaska.gov
Background
The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), Division of Administrative Services, on behalf of the Division of Insurance (INSU), is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors for a report identifying the cost drivers of primary care delivery and recommendations to improve access to primary care within Alaska.
The report will evaluate overall operating costs for primary care services by healthcare providers in Alaska, including behavioral health, pediatric, prenatal/obstetrical, and dental care. The evaluation will also consider how state and federal laws impact healthcare providers and payers.
Work Details
The contractor will conduct a comprehensive evaluation that includes:
- An analysis of overall business operations for Alaska primary care providers.
- A comparative assessment of operational costs between Alaska and the national average, including specific states like Washington, Montana, and North Dakota.
- An analysis of how payer mix and payment methodologies affect operational viability and patient access.
- Identification of barriers to primary care in Alaska.
- Recommendations to mitigate cost drivers and improve access to primary care services.
Deliverables include a workplan, initial research activities, draft reports for public comment, and a final report detailing findings and recommendations.
Period of Performance
The contract is expected to commence on January 20, 2026, with an estimated duration of 18 months, concluding around May 31, 2027.
Place of Performance
The work will be performed in Alaska; however, the contractor must provide their own workspace as no state workspace will be provided.
Bidder Requirements
Offerors must have at least five years of experience in health policy research and analysis, healthcare reimbursement methodologies, economic data analysis related to cost-of-living standards, and familiarity with Indian Health Services/Tribal Health Organization systems.
Additionally, offerors must hold a valid Alaska business license prior to the proposal deadline.
