The request for proposals to privatize Guam’s Medically Indigent Program failed to attract any interested parties. Department of Public Health and Social Services personnel are reviewing the first request in hopes of releasing a second request and attracting companies to submit proposals.

For years the MIP program did not have its own staff. Arthur U. San Agustin acting director of the Department of Public Health told the Journal "It’s been like that for years because the functions of MIP had been carried through under the Medicaid program." He said "We are reconsidering revisiting the published RFP in which we had no offerors submitting a proposal. In reviewing the RFP that closed we’ll be looking at areas that we could update refine or modify in hopes of inviting offerors to submit a proposal. After doing that we’ll find out if there are any potential offerors who may be interested capable and suitable to run MIP. This (RFP) is another attempt to look at the feasibility of outsourcing MIP in hopes that the program would be able to run more efficiently effectivel and to some extent contain costs."

San Agustin said he didn’t know why potential offerors picked up packets but did not submit any proposals. San Agustin said "I did not receive any correspondence from any of those who picked up packets to ask for clarification on the specifications of the published RFP that would serve as a document an indicator that we have in fact have a concern that we need to look further into."

"We’re not sure we’d have more offerors in the next round " he said.

The first RFP advertisement went out on May 11 and the due date for the submission of proposals was May 22.

He said that he would typically have to sign off on a document clarifying any RFP specifications if any of the offerors had a request for clarification. That clarification would then be extended to all who picked up. "If three vendors or three offerors picked up packets and one of the three requested clarification on any specification that was in the published RFP we would respond to that question and provide the response to all of those who picked up an RFP. It basically ensures a leveled playing field. There has not been one specific concern that has been brought to my attention."

He said "We are looking into it because perhaps there was something of concern that we need to look at on the department’s level that was not brought forth by any of those that did pick up an RFP for the first RFP published."

"If we don’t get any [proposals] even after making some changes we will need to record and document the fact that two attempts were made during the calendar year and perhaps even within this current fiscal year to attempt to privatize the RFP and again there were no offerors."

San Agustin said he did not have a specific date for when the second RFP would be released. "I need to follow through with the programming contact their division head and find out where they’re at with that." The review process of the first RFP is only expected to take three to five days.

For the second RFP San Agustin asks that the companies review the packets and if there are any areas of concern or they need further clarification to write to the department and ask for clarification. He also asked that companies keep in mind that "The proposal upon being selected is something that we negotiate. If services need to be increased or decreased from that which was published it is something that can be dealt with during negotiations." MBJ