2027-001-RFP In-Home Aide Services-Addendum 1-Posted(PDF).pdf

Date: 7/6/2026 Owner: Rowan County Purchasing Department

130 West Innes Street • Salisbury, NC 28144 Phone: 704-216-8178 Email: jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov

Project: Addendum 1 RFP #2027-001 In-Home Aide Services (Levels I, II, III) Department of Social Services

Bid Date: Monday, July 20, 2026 @ 10:00 AM ET.

This Addendum is hereby made a part of the contract documents and specifications of the above referenced project. All other requirements of the original specification shall remain in effect in their respective order. Acknowledge receipt of this Addendum by signing and dating in the space provided at the end of this Addendum and including this with your bid package.

NOTES:

1. THIS ADDENDUM DOES NOT CHANGE THE BID DATE

• Introduction of Team Members & Roles:

Owner’s Representatives:

Jody Farrow-Bennett Director of Purchasing & Contract Administration Joshua Stutts Deputy Director of Social Services Timothy Roach Social Work Program Manager Alisha Cowan Social Work Supervisor II

• General Overview of Scope:

For the purposes of this contract, In-Home Aide services are to be provided by the County department to those individuals who are determined eligible and who have been formally referred to for services. In general, In-Home Aide service may be defined as the provision of care for people by performing home management and/or personal care tasks that are essential to the activities of daily living. Such tasks are performed to enable individuals to remain in their own homes when they are unable to carry out these activities for themselves and when no responsible person is available for these task.

Currently Rowan County DSS has 33 under the In-Home Aide services and 80 plus in the Special Assistance In-Home. Our In-Home Aide program is managed by two social workers, Carrie Camron and Pam Leonard, who are supervised by a Social Work Supervisor, Alisha Cowan. The goal of our In-Home Aide program is to assist individuals with remaining in the community with safety being the first priority.

mailto:jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov

• Bids Sealed Proposals are due on Monday, July 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET; opening will be held in the J. Newton Cohen, Sr. Administration Building at 130 West Innes Street, Conference Room 101, Salisbury, North Carolina. Failure to submit a Proposal, meaning delivered to the authorized County employees, by this deadline will disqualify the Bidder from consideration in this project. No proposal will be accepted after 10:00:00 AM as indicated by the Purchasing Director. The Contract may be awarded to a single agreement or multiple agreements for the services required. All proposals shall be sealed and plainly marked “RFP 2027-001 In-Home Aide Services - DSS.”. All proposals to be hand delivered by 10:00:00 AM. Proposals will be deemed late and unresponsive after time is officially called by County administrator.

No proposal bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for the receipt of proposals for a period of ninety (90) Days.

This will be a public opening. Once the contract is awarded, all respondents will be notified of the award decision. At the time of the opening, only the names of the responding companies and confirmation that all required submittal items are included or appropriately marked will be announced. Due to the complexity of the project and the evaluation process, no additional information will be released at that time.

• Additional Questions or Concerns Any contact related to the RFP with County Staff and/or Board of Commissioners will be prohibited and cause for rejection.

All questions are due in writing by email to Jody Farrow-Bennet at jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

Question & Answers discussed during the pre-proposal meeting:

Q: What are the different levels, and what does each level mean?

A: The levels of service are defined as follows:

• Level 1: Basic housekeeping services. This level does not include safety-related or personal care assistance.

• Level 2: Assistance with daily living tasks, including meal preparation, laundry, and light housekeeping/cleaning services.

• Level 3: Personal care services that require a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), including assistance with bathing and medication reminders or assistance, as permitted by applicable regulations.

Q: How many people are currently enrolled in the In-Home program?

A: Currently, 33 individuals receive In-Home Services, and more than 80 individuals receive Special Assistance services, depending on the available funding sources and program eligibility requirements.

Of the individuals currently receiving In-Home Services:

• Level 1: 0 individuals

• Level 2: The majority of participants are enrolled at this level.

• Level 3: Approximately 10–11 individuals receive Level 3 services.

These figures are provided for informational purposes only and may fluctuate throughout the contract term based on program enrollment and participant needs.

Q: Do you have a waiting list of participants?

A: Yes. Currently, there are approximately 75 individuals on the waiting list for services.

Q: What is the County's Fiscal Year?

A: The County's fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30 of each year. Budget appropriations, contract funding, and program expenditures are administered in accordance with the County's annual fiscal year and adopted budget. Availability of funding for services is subject to annual budget approval by the County.

Funding availability can impact the number of participants served during a given fiscal year. As a result, the County maintains a waiting list for eligible individuals when available funding is fully committed. Because the new fiscal year has begun and additional funding may be available, the County anticipates being able to move additional eligible participants from the waiting list into the In-Home Services Program as funding permits. However, enrollment remains subject to funding availability, eligibility requirements, and program capacity.

Q: What is the Contract Date?

A: As stated in Section 4.1 – Project Timeline, work is anticipated to commence on September 1, 2026. The Contractor shall perform the work in accordance with the requirements and schedule outlined in the Proposal. Failure to begin or complete the work within the required contract period may constitute grounds for termination of the Contract.

To facilitate a smooth transition and allow sufficient time for the evaluation and award process, the County has extended its current contracts through August 31, 2026. This extension will provide adequate time to evaluate proposals received through this RFP process and execute any resulting contracts prior to the anticipated start date.

Q: How many contracts is the County going to award for the In-Home Program?

A: The County intends to contract with multiple service providers for the In-Home Program;

however, a specific number of contract awards has not been determined. It is anticipated that the County may contract with approximately three (3) to six (6) providers, depending on the proposals received and the County’s needs.

Currently, the County has three contracted providers, although two providers are utilized on a regular basis. The County reserves the right to award contracts to multiple qualified respondents as deemed to be in its best interest.

Q: If a CNA is required, does that include a CNA II?

A: No. Individuals who require the services of a CNA II would generally not qualify for this program, as their care needs exceed the level of assistance provided through the In-Home Services Program. Participants requiring CNA II-level care would likely need a higher level of medical or personal care support than the program is designed to provide and would need to be referred to a more appropriate care setting or service provider.

Q: Please explain the number of units requested in Section 5.3.

A: The number of units required varies based on each participant’s individual needs. For proposal purposes, respondents should provide the average number of units anticipated per week for the services offered. Unit utilization is determined through participant assessments, internal safety considerations, and ongoing evaluations of each individual's care needs. The number of authorized units is also subject to available program funding and may vary throughout the contract term.

Q: How does the current program work or what is the workflow?

A: The program begins when the Department of Social Services (DSS) receives a referral request from a client or other authorized source. A DSS Social Worker then conducts an assessment to evaluate the individual's needs, verify eligibility, and determine appropriate safety measures.

Based on this assessment, the Social Worker identifies the level of service required and authorizes the number of service units needed.

The authorized service plan is then provided to the contracted service provider, who is responsible for delivering the approved services. DSS conducts ongoing monitoring of service delivery, including quarterly and annual assessments, to ensure the participant's needs are met and that the authorized number of units remain appropriate in accordance with State regulations. Service levels and authorized units may be adjusted as a result of reassessments, changes in participant needs, or program funding availability.

Q: Is there a max on the available hours?

A: No. There is no established maximum number of service hours available under the program.

The number of authorized service hours is determined based on each participant’s individual assessment, identified needs, and eligibility criteria. Service levels and authorized hours are established by DSS in accordance with program requirements and may be adjusted as a result of reassessments, changes in participant needs, or funding availability.

Q: Are there multiple programs that can run simultaneously?

A: In general, participants may be enrolled in multiple programs simultaneously, provided such participation is permitted under applicable program requirements and does not result in duplication of services.

However, In-Home Services and CAP/PCS (Community Alternatives Program/Personal Care Services) cannot be provided at the same time. Individuals receiving CAP or PCS services are not eligible to receive In-Home Services concurrently, as these programs provide overlapping services and are subject to separate eligibility and funding requirements.

Participants may receive Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Care or other VA-supported services concurrently with the In-Home Services Program, provided those services do not conflict with program requirements or result in duplication of services.

Eligibility and service coordination are determined by DSS based on program guidelines, individual assessments, and applicable State regulations.

Q: Are there any medical qualifications required for the In-Home Program?

A: No. There are no specific medical qualifications required for participation in the program.

Eligibility is determined through a DSS assessment process, which evaluates the individual's needs, safety concerns, functional limitations, and program eligibility criteria. Services are authorized based on the participant's assessed need and in accordance with applicable program requirements and State regulations.

Q: Is there a reason why DSS is bidding out these services this year?

A: Yes. The County's current contracts for these services are due for review and renewal in accordance with the County's Procurement Policy. The County conducts a competitive solicitation process to ensure compliance with applicable procurement requirements, promote transparency, and provide qualified service providers with an opportunity to compete for County contracts.

The procurement process is designed to support fair competition, encourage participation from multiple qualified providers, and ensure that the County can continue to deliver high-quality services to the community. Maintaining relationships with multiple providers also helps ensure adequate service capacity, participant choice, and continuity of care.

By periodically soliciting proposals, the County seeks to maximize the effective use of available funding while securing the best value and service outcomes for program participants.

Q: Will the selected contractor be subject to audits or compliance reviews?

A: Yes. The County reserves the right to review, monitor, and audit records related to services provided under any resulting contract. Contractors shall maintain complete and accurate financial, programmatic, and client service records and make such records available to the County, State, federal agencies, or their authorized representatives upon request.

Contractors must comply with all applicable record retention, reporting, and audit requirements specified in the contract, funding source requirements, and applicable State and federal regulations. Any audit findings or deficiencies must be addressed in a timely manner and in accordance with the requirements of the contracting agency.

In addition to formal audit requirements, DSS closely monitors service delivery and client well-being. Currently, quarterly and annual assessments are conducted by the assigned DSS Social

Worker and the contracted provider. Additionally, a DSS Supervisor reviews and verifies that all required protocols, assessments, and program requirements are being completed and documented appropriately.

Providers are also required to conduct client assessments at the intervals specified by applicable program guidelines and regulations, including 60-day reassessments where required. These requirements will be incorporated into any resulting contract. Failure to comply with assessment, documentation, reporting, monitoring, or other program requirements may be considered a breach of contract and may result in corrective action, up to and including contract termination. The County takes the safety, health, and well-being of its clients very seriously and expects all contracted providers to maintain full compliance with applicable requirements.

Additionally, respondents should disclose any significant audit findings, compliance violations, or corrective actions from the past three (3) years, if applicable.

To ensure that the North Carolina State Standards and policies are adhered to, Contractor may go to:

https://www.ncdhhs.gov/documents/files/homeaide-manual/open https://www.ncdhhs.gov/documents/files/homeaide-manual/open

Pre Bid Sign In - 2027-001 RFP IN HOME AIDE