U.S. Office Of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street, NW., Room 1342, Washington, DC 20415

R -- FEHB APPLICATIONS SOL Unassigned POC Ron Ostrich 606-0152 WEB: OPM Procurement Home Page, http://www.opm.gov/procure. E-MAIL: Contracting Officer's Email, rdhesson@opm.gov. R -- Sources Sought Proposal The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program is the largest employer-sponsored health insurance program in the country, covering over 4 million employees and annuitants; and their dependents (nearly 9 million covered lives total). The FEHB Program is administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and offers a choice of coverage by both fee-for-service carriers and HMO carriers. Because of a decline in the past two years in the number of HMO carriers participating in the FEHB Program, OPM desires to let it be known that HMO carriers have an opportunity each year to apply for participation in the FEHB Program. Applications must be submitted to OPM by January 31 each year. Once approved, participation begins the ensuing January. To qualify for approval for the FEHB Program, an HMO carrier must:  Be licensed by the state in which the HMO is domiciled, if applicable;  Offer a complete line of health care services, such as doctor's office visits, hospitalization, emergency care, prescription drugs, and treatment for mental conditions and substance abuse (at a minimum level equal to the benefits required of Federally qualified plans). Federal qualification by the Department of Health and Human Services is not a requirement for participation in the FEHB Program;  Have sufficient medical providers to deliver covered benefits to all potential plan members;  Have participating medical providers sufficiently dispersed throughout the carrier's service area as to assure adequate access to medical providers; and  Have sufficient financial strength to reasonably assure the ability to continue in business and adequately provide covered benefits. We invite eligible health plans to apply, particularly in those areas that are not currently well-served, including the following: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming. Interested HMO carriers should contact William T. Stuart at (202) 606-0737, or by visiting OPM's web site at www.opm.gov/insure. Posted 12/10/99 (W-SN407738). (0344)

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