Asparity Decision Solutions, Inc. (Asparity) is a privately held corporation headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. The company owns patented technology in conjoint analysis that it customizes for and licenses to private and public sector companies. The company private labels its software applications to outsourcing organizations.

Initial funding for the company was provided in 1996/97, when the Agency for Health Care Policy & Research/Small Business Innovation Research granted the company, formerly known as PlanSmartChoice, almost $2 million to develop software that would help federal employees and retirees choose a health plan. In 1999, the company incorporated and changed its name to Asparity Decision Solutions. Asparity's conjoint technology was patented in 2004 by the United States Patent and Trade Mark Office.

Company Timeline

Asparity has achieved its success through aggressive growth and excellent delivery.

2008: Asparity made one major announcement during the year. The company spun-off the enterprise risk division into a separate company, Texert. In addition, Asparity now delivers services to more than 70 Fortune 500 companies, as well as the FEHBP.

2007: Asparity has entered into four important strategic partnerships. British Telecommunications plc (BT) has signed a reseller agreement for the company's J-Port solution. Asparity partnered with RedBrick Health to offer a marketplace where employees can select a health plan and better navigate the health care system. Convergys will be using a private-labeled version of the employee benefit application for its HRO clients. Lastly, Asparity and Unisys worked together to implement J-Port for CLSA, a brokerage, investment banking and private equity group in the Asia-Pacific Markets. In addition, Asparity announced new employee benefit reporting features and began a major upgrade of its J-Port application.

2006: Asparity made two major announcements during the year. First, it released SimHR, an online suite of market research tools that enables companies to design and price health plan offerings that fulfill employee personal and financial needs, while controlling corporate health care costs. Second, it completed the acquisition of the J-Port suite of enterprise risk tools from Portiva Corporation. The acquisition expands Asparity's decision support and data solutions to help companies take a self-service approach to managing enterprise risk. In addition to the above, the company entered into strategic relationships with AON and SHPS for its employee benefit management product.

2005: Asparity exceeded the one millionth user mark. The company served more than 40 Fortune 1000 companies, including GM's salaried population. The company completed a major upgrade to its core technology, rolled out a new Tax Savings Calculator and Life & Disability Calculator to the marketplace, and formed a partnership with Workscape. Finally, Asparity acquired the patented technology from Decisions Innovations, a closely-held firm.

2004: About 30 Fortune 500 companies used Asparity's tools, as well as the FEHBP. The company introduced a new Flexible Spending Account module to help individuals estimate their FSA contributions and evaluate their tax savings. Asparity also delivered online survey, build-your-own plan, and plan design testing capabilities to its clients. Asparity's underlying technology was granted patent protection.

2003: Asparity secured a relationship with Fidelity Employer Services Company to provide decision support to IBM and other select clients. The company enhanced its performance and calculator tools, moved its hosting arrangements to Hosted Solutions, and delivered services to more than 20 Fortune 500 companies. Asparity partnered with Klein Decisions to provide decision support to the 401(k) marketplace.

2002: Asparity formed a partnership with Mellon HR Services, expanded its relationship with CitiStreet, and added new direct clients. The company introduced a Cost Calculator to help individuals estimate their health costs and understand the value of their benefits.

2001: Asparity entered into its first agreement with a major HR outsourcing company, CitiStreet, to private label the software application and embed it into CitiStreet's benefits administration platform. The company raised additional funding through private investors.

2000: IBM selected Asparity to provide decision support to its employees and retirees. The development team worked closely with IBM's software professionals to enhance the application ("Version 3") to meet IBM's software performance requirements.

1999: Through a five-state pilot, the Federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) introduced Asparity's application ("Version 2") to its six million federal employees and retirees and entered into a five-year sole source contract, which led to the establishment of Asparity Decision Solutions, formerly known as PlanSmartChoice.

Back to Top