Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Services Contract

This purpose of this task order is to obtain information about support and services to individuals with ASD, and their families. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have requested proposals addressing the completion of required tasks and optional tasks that include: an environmental scan, assessment of state services, design of model programs, development of an ASD web portal, meetings, and production of various reports. The task order will help CMS: gain valuable information regarding the evidence-based nature of support and services to individuals with ASD, assess state systems delivery and gaps in services to people with ASD, develop model programs for children and adults with ASD, and create an ASD information portal. It is expected that the first task, the environmental scan, will be completed in year one. Optional tasks may be awarded in future fiscal years as funding becomes available. Each task is expected to be completed in a one year period; thus, the task order could range from 1 to 4 years, dependant on the number of optional tasks chosen by CMS. The final report and final meeting will pertain to all tasks completed by the contractor. The contractor selected for the ASD project is IMPAQ, International. The contractor has submitted a final workplan that spans the full task order which describes how the tasks build on one another. The Environmental Scan involves an examination of empirical literature to determine which ASD-related services have been shown to be safe and effective for three key groups: children, youth, and adults. It will also assess how evidence based practices map to Medicaid services with regard to provider types/qualifications, service settings, and the amount/duration of support and services. Interventions will be ranked according to an ordinal scale and categorized into two groups: descriptive and analysis reports. Regarding optional task A, the contractor will analyze ASD-related services and supports in nine states, creating a template for future efforts on a national scale to assess the "state" of ASD support and services. Program, budget, and other structures will be included in this snapshot of how ASD support and services are delivered in various states. It is expected that both individual data on the selected states, and the future potential to track data in certain areas for all states, will provide helpful information for policymakers regarding current ASD services, and how ASD support and services trends may change over time.