125628_BICC_QA_Final_3_18_26_.pdf

Brain Injury Community Center Request for Response #BD-26-1071-AO-02021-125628

Q1: Are Current Chapter 257 Rates Applicable?

A1: The applicable rates are contained in 101 CMR 422. Any changes to the rates will be governed by the applicable regulation.

Q2: Community Outreach - Is the program just for SHIP eligible people, what about Community Referrals?

A2: The Brain Injury Community Center (BICC) programs are open to individuals who are Statewide Head Injury Program (SHIP) eligible as well as community members who have an acquired brain injury, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, anoxic and hypoxic injuries, etc. SHIP eligible individuals may be referred directly from SHIP coordinators to BICCs, and at times through self-referral or referred through community providers. Community members with brain injury, who specifically sustained a TBI, may begin with a BICC before they apply for SHIP (i.e., individuals do not need to wait for the SHIP application process to occur or the SHIP referral to begin).

Q3: Are you looking for a broader community than SHIP traditionally serves?

A3: The brain injury community centers are designed to support individuals who are funded through SHIP, and to also be a positive presence in the community as a program and a resource for individuals with acquired brain injury.

Q4: What are the pre-requisites for Clubhouse eligibility? Are there any exclusions?

A4: Clubhouse members must meet the following criteria:

• have sustained an acquired or traumatic brain injury;

• are interested in and participate in the BICC program components, including the work ordered day;

• understand and commit to the specific clubhouse/center guidelines agreed to by the center community:

• can meet personal care needs and medication administration without the consistent support of BICC staff; personal care assistant (PCA), family members, remote assist (i.e., medication reminders) and other supports to meet this need are welcome;

• are not a safety risk to themselves or others.

Additional details regarding a community member’s ability to participate in

BICC programming may be found in the RFR.

Q5: Do you have any data on potential memberships/clients by region? How many people might be needed to achieve 25 attendees/day?

A5: The BICC pilot program experience is that a membership of approximately 50 people correlates to 25 people (+/-) attending per day, across 5 day/ week.

Membership may be guided by the geographic location and population, density, access to transportation, and housing.

Q6: Can MassAbility (MBY) possibly cover transportation costs when necessary?

A6: MassAbility may be able to support transportation services through various avenues. The availability of transportation costs will depend on the individual program and event circumstances and subject to applicable procurement regulations and guidance.

Q7: What staffing ratios do organizations tend to have?

A7: An entity’s staffing ratios will be dependent on various factors attributed to the location, population served, access to resources, etc. However, the pilot program demonstrated that a staff of seven (7) full time employees, inclusive of the BICC director, was sufficient to support the program. There may be additional information available through the EHS, Ch.257 rate setting formulas, and the underlying assumptions.

Q8: Is there specific documentation that is required to confirm program eligibility diagnosis?

A8: A brief application/ referral information form with medical provider documentation of a brain injury is required to confirm eligibility diagnosis. The documentation can be in the form of medical records and/or a current (treating) medical provider’s ABI attestation form. This documentation is needed for the community based BICC referrals and participants, and not the SHIP/ MBY referrals to the centers.

Q9: Do we need to have site control at time of application or award?

A9: A bidder does not need to have a site secured at the time of application or award. If the bidder has a potential site(s) for use, the bidder should include details of the site(s) in its response.

Q10: Is the physical site subject to EOHHS site guidelines, meaning it will require

EOHHS review and approval in the given region?

A10: No, the site is not subject to EOHHS site guidelines. However, the site will need a certificate of occupancy, fire department inspection regarding safety, as well as a review by SHIP/ MassAbility for BICC service use approval.

Q11: Are there physical site specifications you can provide?

A11: Included in our review criteria generally, the BICC site need to be adequate for: wheelchair accessibility; fire safety ( fire dept. confirmed); private space(s) for

1:1 service delivery, meeting, conversation; space to accommodate participant rest; bathroom access- mobility plus number of restrooms on site per census; first floor location; minimum of 2 exit options ( plus accessibility criteria if there are more than 2 exit options); additional disability accessibility features ( i.e. door opening, ramps, bathrooms) ; public transportation access; located among community resources to enhance community integration, such as proximity to retail, restaurants, offices.

Q12: Can you share anything about the existing contractor's programming and why the RFR is being reprocured?

A12: The RFR is being reprocured because it is at the 5-year point for review and document improvements & clarifications.

Q13: Are there more detailed rate calculations that can be shared with us?

A13: Please see information regarding 101 CMR 422, part of the CH257 rate setting process.

Q14: Would the referrals from SHIP be sizeable enough to ensure break-even and/or financial viability?

A14: It is not likely that referrals from SHIP alone would provide enough volume to sustain a BICC financially. The model is based on a combination of

MassAbility/ SHIP referrals and BICC community promotion and relationship development driven referrals to meet the spirit of the clubhouse model and to improve access, in diversity and in quantity, to individuals with ABI regionally.

Q15: Can you provide details about how transportation would be financed, such as rates or reimbursable sums?

A15: There are different avenues to support transportation to assist clubhouse members access services. In general, transportation is funded based on actual cost (i.e., HST quote/cost; The MBTA Ride; cab and/or ride service).

Q16: Will MBY provide capital support for start-up costs associated with new sites and or financially offset periods of low enrollment?

A16: There are no plans to provide capital supports or financial offsets to BICC’s.

Q17: What are the support staffing ratios for a BICC program?

A17: There are no required specific minimum staffing ratios. The EHS rate setting process may be based on a model that includes staff to participant ratios.

Generally speaking, there needs to be enough program staffing (quantity, plus training) to operate an effective Brain Injury Community Center for its members.

Together MassAbility / SHIP and providers will establish contract/ program performance objectives that will include capability of staffing design to meet program needs.

Q18: What is the total enrollment for the successful pilot site referenced at the bidder's conference? Total enrollment at the BICC Pilot program site is 50 members.

A18: What is the total number of potential enrollees for each region? Given the large area that each center has, the opportunity to engage membership from, both the SHIP and community referrals, the total number of potential enrollees is ultimately unknown.

It will be determined in significant part by each provider’s and the BICC’s outreach commitment, plan and promotion.

Q19: What cities and towns does MBY feel have-have the most unmet need for

(BICC) programs?

A19: The feedback we have received from the brain injury community (including advocates, people with lived brain injury (BI) experience and their families, and professionals in the field) indicates that there continues to be unmet need in at least the following areas: the Metro South area (i.e. Braintree, Quincy); the

Berkshires; Lawrence & Lowell in the North region; and the MetroWest area (i.e.

Framingham).

Q20: The link doesn’t work to access the Contracting Qualification Form.

A20: The link to the Contracting Qualification Form can be found within the bidder’s checklist under the column labeled: Location.

The PDF version of form is in the F Final RFR Zip file.

The link can be found below as well:

https://www.mass.gov/doc/contracting-qualification-form-and-supplement-

0/download

Q21: Where is the cover page located?

A21: While there is no cover page document posted, responding bidders may use the 1st page of the BICC Bidder Response Sheet document to submit information that would otherwise be available on a cover page. Please use the

BICC Bidder Response Sheet to fulfill the Cover Page requirement.

Q22: Where is the bidder’s checklist located?

A22: The bidder’s checklist is a standalone document labeled: 125628 - Bidders

Checklist_BICC_02_19_2026.docx on the COMMBUYS bid posting.

Q23: Where would people find the Phase 1 vs Phase 2 forms, and which forms fit into which category?

A23: These documents are noted on the bidder’s checklist (see Other Forms section) and on page 39 of the RFR document.

https://www.mass.gov/doc/contracting-qualification-form-and-supplement-0/download https://www.mass.gov/doc/contracting-qualification-form-and-supplement-0/download

Q24: Do we need SDP partners?

A24: Yes. At a minimum there should be at least one (1) Supplier Diversity Office

(SDO) Certified Enterprise listed, as well as a dollar amount commitment, and percentage share with the SDO partner.

Q25: What is the email address that people can expect to receive information from, re; missing/incomplete forms?

A25: These emails are directed to the available points of contact for companies and will be issued by MassAbility Procurement Grants Management Specialist III

(GMSIII).

Q26: Please clarify the submission deadlines for proposals submission. If a vendor chooses to be qualified at a later date is the next round, April and October of 2026 or 2027? These months are referenced on page 4 of the RFR.

A26: The next Open Enrollment is in October of 2026.