Under the firm's Consumer Research and Communications (CRC) umbrella contract, CMS awarded L&M a task order to assist the agency in advancing existing communication efforts and developing new initiatives. The 18-month contract includes seven qualitative and two survey research studies. The research focus, methods, and audiences for the projects are yet to be determined, however, they are likely to center around communication issues, such as:

• Assessing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors around health and health insurance
• Examining communication needs, preferences, and outlets for outreach
• Examining communication needs regarding the use of health information technology such as e-prescribing, electronic health records, and personal health records
• Informing the development, improvement, targeting, and dissemination of messages for CMS audiences
• Assessing reach and impact of CMS communication activities