Agency Human Services Dept

Contractor Vital Research LLC

SWIFT Contract Number 32628

Project Name Nursing Home recipient consumer surveys

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: DHS contracted with this vendor to conduct consumer satisfaction and quality of life survey interviews with a sampling of residents in each MN nursing home, conduct a satisfaction survey of family members of consumers of MN nursing homes and conduct participant experience survey interviews of individuals receiving Moving Home Minnesota services. In addition, this contractor conducted National Core Indicator surveys for individuals receiving home and community based services, Older American Act services, disability waiver and home care services. Minnesota Statutes 256B.439 requires DHS to conduct consumer and family surveys on long-term care nursing facilities and home and community-based services.

It is necessary to enter into a contract for this work as development and design of these data collection projects are temporary, intense work that will require a great variety of skills and access to temporary workers. The projects are suitable for national consulting firms with experience in large scale state government projects and staff experienced in data collection from special populations including the elderly, residents with impaired cognition and other consumers with disabilities who would have difficulty responding to traditional survey methods such as mail consumer satisfaction surveys. In addition, the legislature appropriated funding for this annual work with the intention is was to be done by a contractor. The legislature did not authorize any FTEs be hired for the work.

Project Duration

Start Date Wed, 04/28/2010 - 00:00

Original end date Thu, 06/30/2011 - 00:00

Actual end date Tue, 04/28/2015 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $1090779

Amendments $4666606

Contract total $5757385

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? general fund

Is this a sole source contract? No

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) {Empty}

Evaluator Name Valerie Cooke

Evaluator Email Address valerie.cooke@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness All deliverables were completed according to schedule.

Evaluate the contractor's quality Vital Research does excellent work. An on-line survey of provider’s satisfaction with the survey process was conducted each year of the contract. Provider’s overall satisfaction ratings of the survey process has held consistently in the 97 – 98% range each year.

Evaluate the contractor's cost A large share of this contract related to collecting satisfaction data via face-to-face interviews. When the RFP was originally issued in 2010, another competitive bid came in offering to use mailed satisfaction surveys only. The cost for the mailed surveys still exceeded this vendor’s bid for face to face contact which we required in the RFP. This indicates the vendor does this work within a very competitive budget.

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance This vendor is highly skilled and very professional to work with. They work hard to utilize the latest technology available in an attempt to hold down costs.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? Yes

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): None

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 5 - very satisfied