U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Administrative and Financial Management, Procurement and Property Branch, 14th & Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 1310 South Building, Washington, D.C. 20250

B -- ASSESSMENT OF WIC COST-CONTAINMENT PRACTICES SOL 12-3K06-99 DUE 070899 POC Cheryl Coxen, Contract Specialist, (202) 720-7479 The USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) is seeking a contractor to study and assess the impacts of Women, Infant and Children (WIC) cost-containment practices implemented by the States. The objectives of the study are to evaluate the cost-containment practices for the selection of vendors and approved food items (other than infant formula) on seven specific outcome measures: 1) program participation, 2) access and availability of prescribed foods, 3) voucher redemption rates and actual food selections by participants, 4) participants on special diets or specific food allergies, 5) participant use and satisfaction of prescribed foods, 6) achievement of positive health outcomes, and 7) program costs. The study will include the preparation for and the collection of data (basic requirement). In addition, the study includes the potential analysis of the data (option I). Interested parties should download the solicitation from the following website: http://www.ars.usda.gov/afm2/divisions/ppd/solicit.htm. The solicitation should be available by 5/26/99. Posted 05/24/99 (W-SN334791). (0144)

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