273334 RFR SRHP Training Program.docx

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Community Health and Prevention

Address: 250 Washington Street, 5th Floor, Boston MA, 02108

Contact Name: Marcos Palmarin

Email: marcos.palmarin@mass.gov

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: Training Program for the Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Program

DPH RFR Document Number: 273334

COMMBUYS BID Number:

BD-27-1031-BCHAP-BCH01-133140

September 9, 2026

Key RFR Information All Potential Bidders must read

COMMBUYS REGISTRATION

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering. To register review the COMMBUYS Job Aide COMMBUYS Vendor Registration and/or go to www.COMMBUYS.com.

QUOTE SUBMISSION

This BID requires the submission of electronic quotes. All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission of their quotes by considering potential online impediments like Internet traffic, Internet connection speed, file size, and file volume. DPH is not responsible for delays encountered by Bidders or their agents, or for Bidder’s local hardware failures, such as computers or related networks, associated with bid compilation or submission. Bids submitted via COMMBUYS are time stamped by the COMMBUYS system clock which is considered the official time of record.

If you plan to submit a quote to this RFR “No Bid” should not be checked anywhere in your quote in COMMBUYS. This includes on the General Screen and the Items tab. Checking No Bid sends your quote to a different location in COMMBUYS than the rest of the quotes for that Bid and you run the risk of the Department not receiving your response. The department will not guarantee that a bid received with a “No Bid” checked will be reviewed.

Section A: Procurement Overview

A1: Procurement Description or purpose

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Division of Child/Adolescent and Reproductive Health seeks proposals from qualified vendors to provide a Training and Technical Assistance Program for the Sexual and Reproductive Health Program (SRHP) safety-net provider network, which delivers comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in Massachusetts. The purpose of the Training Program is to support and strengthen SRHP's work by providing technical assistance, curating relevant and timely content, and delivering training through multiple modalities to clinicians, administrators, support staff, and other healthcare professionals employed by SRHP-funded agencies. The Training Program should be designed to enhance their capacity to address increasingly complex health, medical, and social determinants of health affecting clients seeking SRH services in the Commonwealth. Currently, 22 SRHP-funded agencies employ approximately 200 staff members who require training. In addition to providing technical assistance, curating relevant and timely content, and delivering training through multiple modalities for SRHP-funded agencies, SRHP aspires to broadly support the SRH landscape by offering access to training center resources for other SRHP projects (Reproductive Health Access, Infrastructure, and Security; College and University Abortion Care Program; and the Abortion Task Force) and SRH practitioners throughout Massachusetts.

All training delivered under this RFR must adhere to the standards outlined in the “Sexual and Reproductive Health Program Standards” (Appendix A). Eligibility for funding is limited to organizations that can provide training and technical assistance programs that comply with the SRHP Standards in their entirety and that do not have internal policies, protocols, or requirements from other funding streams that directly conflict with the SRHP Standards.

Applicants must be able to maintain the Training Program's current digital presence and content developed by the previous vendor under RFR #221532. SRHP will be open to re-envisioning user experience design, elements of the training center's digital presence, and branding during the start-up period in a cost-effective manner, but SRHP is seeking a vendor who will focus on building upon the existing foundation and prior work from the last five years of operation.

DPH anticipates awarding one contract. Applicants’ FY27 funding requests must be based on detailed budgets that include clear justifications and budget offsets. Funding awards will also be based on evidence of a comprehensive SRH Training Program that is consistent with the strengths and mission of the applicant agency, ability to deliver statewide training in multiple modalities, demonstrated ability to work with safety net healthcare providers, a commitment to the SRHP Core Values and Standards, and the ability to begin providing services on February 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter.

A2: Program Background Information

Massachusetts’ Sexual and Reproductive Health Program (SRHP)

SRHP has existed at DPH for over 30 years and has contributed to significant improvements in SRH and other outcomes across the state. The overarching goal of the SRHP is that Massachusetts residents prevent unintended pregnancies and plan and raise families in safe, healthy communities through accessing clinical care and community resources that support bodily autonomy. DPH aims to reach that goal through achieving the following long-term outcomes (see Logic Model in Appendix B):

1. Decrease SRH inequities in Massachusetts;

2. Decrease incidence of sexually transmitted conditions in priority populations/communities in Massachusetts (STIs and related conditions, e.g., cervical cancer); and

3. Increase the sustainability of the SRH service delivery network in Massachusetts.

The circles in the following diagram depict three levels of SRH services anticipated to be provided by SRHP providers: Required SRH services (in blue), Optional SRH services (in red), and SRH services-associated services (in grey). Services will be updated as national, state, and local SRH services priorities emerge, and as evidence-based standards of practice evolve.

Applicants to this RFR will be expected to provide training and support to service delivery providers offering the services listed in the graphic above. The capacity of applicant organizations should include the ability to train clinical providers on Title X program requirements (captured in the Required section above), abortion, gender-affirming hormone therapy, and other Optional services listed above, as well as on other topics listed below in the Specifications section.

Section B: Procurement Information B1: Applicable Procurement Law

B2: Whether Single or Multiple Contractors Are Required For Contract(s)

Check One (“X”):

B3: Calendar Rule Type

B4: Acquisition Method: Fee for Service:

B5: Use of a Procurement by a Single or Multiple Departments

· Identify additional Eligible Entities by name or type.

The Purchasing Department reserves the right to add or remove additional authorized users during the contract term.

B6: Expected Duration of Contract

B7: Anticipated Expenditures, Funding Or Compensation For Expected Duration

Dollar Amount

Estimated annualized procurement amount $150,000 for the first 5 months, $300,000 annually thereafter

Check One (“X”):

Will Federal Funds be used to fund any part of Contract(s)?

*Additional information for contracts with Federal Dollars:

Sub-Recipient: Providers receiving federal grant funds will be considered sub-recipients for federal grant purposes and will be required to comply with applicable federal requirements, including but not limited to sub-recipient audit requirements under OMB Circular A-133.

Unique Entity Identifier: On April 4, 2022, the unique entity identifier used across the federal government changed from the DUNS Number to the Unique Entity ID also known as UEI or SAMS number. Any entity that wants to apply for federal contracts or wants to receive federal funds must register with SAM. Entities that use SAM include for profit businesses, nonprofits, government contractors or subcontractors, as well as state and local governments.

Registering with SAM.gov is free and is required for your organization to receive federal funds. Your organization can submit an application to this RFR without being registered on SAM, however if awarded your organization will need to have an active SAM account prior to contract execution.

Unspent Funds: Any funds from Capital, Trust and/or Federal Accounts designated in the budget that are unspent in any fiscal year will not be available for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year.

Section C: Performance and Contract Specifications

C1: Eligibility

This RFR is for services under Office of the Comptroller’s object code classification M04 or M78. To be considered eligible to apply for this RFR a bidder must be considered an organization. Individuals are not eligible to apply.

To be eligible for funding, all applicant programs must demonstrate their ability to provide training and technical assistance for clinical SRH services in accordance with the SRHP Standards. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their ability to begin providing those services on February 1, 2027, or as soon as possible following a brief startup period (no more than 3 months). This startup period should include reviewing the current digital content, transferring the domain and procuring the necessary software and technology to maintain the existing website, and developing a revised work plan for the remainder of the fiscal year. Eligibility for funding is limited to organizations that can provide training and technical assistance programs that comply with the SRHP Standards in their entirety and that do not have internal policies, protocols, or requirements from other funding streams that directly conflict with the Standards.

C2: Scope of Services

Goals and Objectives

The goals and objectives for the SRHP are listed below and shown graphically in the program logic model (Appendix B). Training and technical assistance services should be in support of these goals and objectives.

Goal 1: Decrease SRH inequities in Massachusetts, including unintended pregnancies, STI incidence, maternal morbidity, and infant mortality

Goal 2: Decrease incidence of sexually transmitted conditions in Priority Communities and Populations in Massachusetts (STIs and related conditions, e.g., cervical cancer)

Goal 3: Increase the sustainability of the SRH service delivery network in Massachusetts

Program Description

Program Requirements

The Training Program's mission is to provide training and resources to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff at Massachusetts SRH agencies, enabling them to deliver high-quality, client-centered care. The selected vendor must support this mission and continue strengthening SRHP by embedding the values of the SRHP in all aspects of training:

· Racial Equity

· Reproductive Justice

· Health Equity

· Confidential Youth-Friendly Care

· Trauma-Informed Care

· Sustainability

· Data-Driven/Evidence Based A core strength of SRHP is its ability to contract with a wide range of organizations, including community-based organizations, community health centers, hospital-based clinics, school-based health centers, abortion funds, stand-alone SRH or family planning organizations, and colleges and universities that opt to deliver abortion care services on campus. This reach enables clinical services that are delivered by agencies familiar with the needs of their region. The Training Program should be able to effectively provide services across multiple models of healthcare service delivery and through multiple modalities, such as in-person skills training and online training, content curation, training guides, train-the-trainer models, and clinical hands-on training and preceptorship.

The Training Program should leverage existing SRH training opportunities and expertise, both internal and external to the contracted agencies. Services should be free of cost to contracted SRHP agencies. Non-contracted SRHP abortion fund providers, SRH practitioners, colleges participating in expanding care services on campus, or other allied professionals may participate in grant-funded training offered by the Training Program. The Training Program can collect reasonable fees if CEUs and CMEs are offered training from both contracted and non-contracted organizations. The Training Program may also provide fee-for-service programming to non-contracted providers. Fee-for-service activities must remain separate from grant-funded training, and grant funds may not be used to develop, subsidize, or support fee-for-service programming for contracted providers that do not offer CMEs or CEUs.

The Training Program should include programming in the following areas, which will build on training content and resources found on the current training center’s website, https://masrh.org:

Required and Recommended Training Content “DPH Required and Recommended Training List” (Appendix C) outlines the training topics that SRHP-funded agencies are expected to incorporate into new-hire onboarding, complete on an annual basis, and use as recommended ongoing training. The training program should prioritize the topics identified on this list and provide ongoing opportunities for SRHP-funded staff to engage with these topics through resources such as a digital resource library, a newsletter, or other training formats, and, where appropriate, integrate them across a variety of training opportunities.

Additional Training Topics Each year, the selected vendor will develop a training calendar in collaboration with SRHP based on the needs of the target audience and evolving health issues and priorities. Programming should focus on training and materials that are not easily accessible elsewhere. While the Training Program is expected to deliver services (e.g., training, technical assistance, resources, links to existing resources, job aids, etc.) across a wide range of SRH topics, not all topics will be covered every year. Specific training offerings will likely rotate from year to year and could include topic areas such as:

· Topics related to delivery of comprehensive SRH services, including but not limited to:

· Client-centered contraceptive counseling, applied to all methods including non-hormonal methods and fertility awareness methods

· Same-day provision of client contraceptive choice, including addressing institutional/ organizational barriers to same-day long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) provision

· PrEP and PEP implementation for HIV prevention

· Pregnancy options counseling

· Pregnancy issues seen in the SRH setting, for example, postpartum depression and stress-related perinatal conditions, screening, and referral

· Trauma and resilience-informed care skills development, for staff working with both adults and adolescents

· Individual health counseling, including shared decision-making

· Competency in providing comprehensive clinical and outreach services for LGBTQ+ clients

· Developing skills related to assessing social determinants of health, pregnancy intention, sexual history, intimate partner violence/reproductive coercion as well as making referrals for additional services as needed

· Updates on new contraceptive methods and services

· Integration of quality improvement principles and practice in evaluation of SRHP effectiveness

· The provision of SRH services via telehealth, including abortion care services

· Contraception after abortion care

· Providing referrals to abortion care services

· IUD insertion and removal pain management

· Providing trauma-informed pelvic exams and pelvic floor health during the postpartum period

· Expanding access to screening through the use of HPV self-collection options

· Providing youth-friendly services, including ensuring that physical spaces are welcoming to adolescent clients

· Minors' rights and access to contraception and abortion care

· Addressing inequities in maternal mortality and morbidity outcomes; for example, through collaborative referrals with Centering Pregnancy providers and doulas or by addressing structural and institutional barriers to health equity through community partnerships and collaborations

· Mentoring and professional development for SRH providers (growing leaders) as an aspect of program sustainability

· Methods to reduce SRH stigma in clinical services, education, and outreach

Technical Assistance Depending on the provider's needs, request, and available budget, some needs may be better addressed through individual or group technical assistance or other tailored approaches, such as a learning collaborative. Technical assistance may be provided on any of the topics above and may also be considered to address a range of system-related quality improvement activities. The applicant is expected to have an intake process for fielding technical requests that includes consulting with SRHP before administering technical assistance.

Performance and Administrative Requirements

To ensure quality operations and program delivery, SRHP requires that the Training Program vendor be able to:

· Employ and retain staff or identify consultants key to operations of the training program. The following titles are suggested for reference and do not prescribe job classification requirements within the applicant's organization. Applicants may use alternative titles provided that all required functions and responsibilities are fully addressed.

· Training Program Director: The Training Program Director is responsible for managing program activities and supporting training program staff and consultants. This person should have substantial expertise in SRH and adult learning strategies, as well as the authority to implement, manage, and monitor the SRH Training Program at their organization. While this role may not require full-time effort throughout the project, it will serve as the project lead and must be filled by an internal agency staff member to ensure appropriate oversight, accountability, and continuity.

· Licensed Clinical Professional (MD, DO, NP, CNM, PA, or RN): The licensed clinical professional must have expertise in SRH and will be responsible for providing clinical oversight and consultation support to administrative staff of the training program for the selection of subject matter experts, review for medical accuracy of all clinical content, and support the processing of clinical technical assistance request from providers, as needed. This role does not require full-time commitment for the duration of the project and may be filled on a part-time or consulting basis.

· Web Developer: Demonstrated experience in developing, maintaining, and updating websites using WordPress web design or comparable content management systems, with experience on projects of a similar scope. This role will be expected to lead the transfer of the website domain (https://masrh.org) and associated accounts from the previous vendor. This role is not anticipated to require full-time allocation throughout the project. The role may therefore be staffed by a consultant or another part-time resource within the agency.

· Instructional Designer: The instructional designer should have demonstrated experience developing engaging, accessible, learner-centered training and eLearning content using authoring tools such as Articulate Rise or comparable authoring platforms. This role is expected to require only minimal effort over the course of the project and does not need to be identified at the time of contracting. The role may therefore be staffed by a consultant or another part-time resource within the agency. The initial scope of work for this role will be limited to exporting and updating three existing online eLearning modules developed in Articulate Rise, as needed. All Articulate Rise modules were last updated in June 2025.

· Work collaboratively with SRHP staff to:

· Establish a workplan that includes training priorities, considering recommendations from the previous vendor final report, changes in the service delivery landscape, and provision of SRH care services at the time of contracting.

· Maintain programming flexibility to accommodate changing priorities of the Department over the course of the grant.

· Administer a range of educational programming that:

· Is geographically and operationally accessible to staff throughout the state in multiple modalities. Programming includes developing webinars, participating in SRHP in-person programming, and facilitating technical assistance.

· Identifies learning frameworks and theories and uses them to guide overall program development, determine competencies, and create learning objectives

· Transfer and maintain the current digital presence from the previous vendor (MASRH.org) and assume responsibility for underlying software, systems, and technologies that support the current website, which include:

· LearnDash (Learning Management System): Learning management system (LMS), needed to monitor eLearning activity and provide certificates of completion

· MemberPress: For creating accounts; allows protection of website content and other functions beyond LMS

· MailChimp: The existing account will be transferred to maintain archived emails. The vendor can choose an alternative mass mailing service.

· Events Calendar Pro: Integrated calendar tool for publishing both MASRH-hosted and other events.

· Search & Filter Pro: Used for making the resource library searchable and essential to SRHP Hub to display relevant content

· Vimeo: Hosts recorded webinars and other videos and provides embed code so they can be played on the website

· Assume responsibility for all aspects of administering the training center, including such areas as:

· Communication and promotion:

· Curating a calendar of upcoming training events by the Training Center, including trainings offered by other providers relevant to the priorities of the Department and workplan.

· Curating a monthly digital newsletter and announcements that promote the availability of training, job aids, clinical protocol updates, Massachusetts awareness campaigns, clinical resources, and department updates.

· Logistics:

· Organizing virtual training spaces, physical training locations, and meals as appropriate

· Arranging for continuing education credits for nurses, physicians, social workers, and community health workers where appropriate to content and target audience, as needed.

· Identifying, engaging, and contracting with subject matter experts on a short-term basis for asynchronous and synchronous training webinars.

· Responding to and coordinating technical assistance requests by SRHP-funded providers.

· Ongoing stakeholder engagement

· Maintain familiarity with and an understanding of the diverse needs of the existing SRH service delivery network.

· Within the initial contracting period, establish a plan to develop an advisory board consisting of stakeholders from contracted agencies to provide input into needs for program development.

· Directly support or subcontract with an organization to host the SRH Consumer Advisory Board.

· Quality Improvement and Program Evaluation

· Conduct ongoing quality-improvement activities to ensure participant satisfaction and appropriate content.

· Periodic reporting to the Department, including qualitative and quantitative measures, will be required.

Funding

Approximately $300,000 is available annually for this procurement, and DPH anticipates awarding a single statewide training contract. DPH reserves the right to approve applicants for funding but not fund them due to budget limitations. Future funding levels depend on state appropriations and contractor performance.

Note that while the program described above will be supported with state funding, DPH reserves the right to add additional federal funding to the program in the future. Any federal funding added to the contract will be for specific projects in alignment with federal funding requirements and should be separated from state sponsored programming.

Applicant funding requests must be based on a complete budget narrative and a budget (see the M04 Capacity Building Budget template posted on COMMBUYS). Budget offsets showing the source and amount of other funding supporting the Training Program should be included in both the budget narrative and the budget.

If a funded agency wishes to make changes to its services during the life of the contract, DPH must be notified of the proposed change at least 60 days in advance. Any changes must continue to align with the scope of this RFR. DPH reserves the right to review proposed changes and approve or deny these changes; denial or modification of the proposal may result in a decrease or termination of the contract. If additional funds become available during the life of the contract, contracts may be increased, and additional activities may be supported with Department approval.

C2a: DPH Health Equity Commitment

DPH is committed to improving health outcomes for all Commonwealth residents while eliminating the marginalization and health inequities that disproportionately harm the communities with the greatest need. Applicants will be expected to design initiatives that support communities prioritized by the Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts (AHEM) initiative and other communities identified through topic specific data analysis. Information about AHEM is available at: Advancing Health Equity in MA | Mass.gov. AHEM mobilizes agencies and vendors across the Commonwealth to eliminate racial, economic and regional disparities in health outcomes.

Applicants should have community engagement practices that build relationships with and continuously engage communities served in planning, implementing and evaluating programs to support improved health outcomes. Organizations funded by DPH are encouraged to deliver programs that can provide multilingual implementation; can support collaborations between large intersectoral organizations and smaller community-based organizations; and/or build partnerships to strengthen organizational capacity that allow the sharing of resources and drive grassroots impact. DPH reviewers will be required to consider an applicant’s ability to reflect on health inequities and how it is incorporated into the agency operations and program design as they score proposals.

The National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards provide a framework for health and health care organizations to address the structural, clinical and organizational barriers that contribute to health inequities. CLAS can be used as a tool to help achieve health equity. The National CLAS Standards incorporate several principles, including but not limited to (1) collecting and analyzing data to better understand structural root causes of health inequities; (2) building community partnerships to engage those who are most impacted in planning, implementing and evaluating programs; and (3) ensuring language access services to increase quality of services to all communities.

The National CLAS Standards are available at CLAS National Standards | Mass.gov. Making CLAS Happen is a guide to providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services in a variety of public health settings. Further guidance is available at the Office of Health Equity and Community Engagement’s website: Office of Health Equity and Community Engagement | Mass.gov.

C2b: Supplier Diversity Program (SDP)

Pursuant to Executive Order 599, the Commonwealth’s Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) promotes business-to-business relationships between awarded Contractors and diverse businesses and non-profit organizations (“SDP Partners”) certified or recognized by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). All Bidders and Contractors are strongly encouraged to create a profile on the SDO’s Supplier Diversity Hub to access the Commonwealth’s supplier diversity resources and tools.

All Bidders responding to this solicitation are required to make a meaningful financial commitment (“SDP Commitment”) to partnering with one or more SDO-certified or recognized diverse business enterprise or non-profit organization. After contract award (if any), the Total SDP Commitment shall become a contractual requirement to be met annually on a Massachusetts fiscal year basis (July 1 – June 30) for the duration of the contract. The minimum total SDP Commitment acceptable in responses to this solicitation shall be 1%. Bidders shall be awarded additional evaluation points for higher SDP Commitments. No contract shall be awarded to a Bidder without an SDP Commitment that meets the requirements. This requirement extends to all Bidders regardless of their own supplier diversity certification.

Bidders and Contractors may engage SDP Partners in the following two ways:

· Subcontracting, defined as a partnership in which the SDP partner is involved in the provision of products and/or services to the Commonwealth.

· Ancillary Products and Services, defined as a business relationship in which the SDP partner provides products or services that are not directly related to the Contractor’s contract with the Commonwealth but may be related to the Contractor’s own operational needs.

Other types of business-to-business relationships are not acceptable under this contract. All provisions of this RFR applicable to subcontracting shall apply equally to the engagement of SDP Partners as subcontractors.

All Bidders must complete the SDP Plan Form found in the Attachment section of this procurement and upload it with their bid response. In addition to proposing an SDP Commitment, each Bidder must propose one or more SDP Partner(s) to utilize in order to meet its SDP Commitment. Certified diverse Bidders may not list their own companies, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, as SDP Partners and may not meet their SDP Commitment by spending funds internally or with their own subsidiaries or affiliates.

Contractors seeking assistance in the development of their SDP Plans or identification of potential SDP Partners may visit the SDP webpage, www.mass.gov/sdp, or contact the SDP Help Desk at sdp@mass.gov. Additional SDP RFR requirements and instructions can be found in the in the attachments for this RFR.

C3: Performance Requirements and Contract Monitoring

Performance Requirements

The Department of Public Health is endeavoring to deliver the Best Value to facilitate our needs. However, it is important to measure the Contractor’s performance to ensure the contract is in compliance with what has been requested and what the Contractor has offered in this RFR. The following performance areas will be subject to measurement:

1. Timely delivery (commodities, services, reports, billing, etc.)

2. Responsiveness to departmental inquiries

3. Quality of deliverables (commodities, services, reports, etc.)

4. Performance targets/benchmarks (quantities, outcomes, etc.)

5. Attendance at scheduled meetings Contract Performance Monitoring

To ensure performance monitoring, the selected vendor will be required to update the Department of Public Health on progress toward the contract's goals and outcomes at least monthly via virtual meetings. A quarterly report, which will include program activities, website analytics, registration and attendance information, and the number of participants who have completed post-evaluations, must be submitted by the 15th of the following quarter or the first business day after the 15th. An annual report is due August 15 or the first business day after August 15, detailing annual performance. Additional, less comprehensive reporting may be requested by DPH to complete internal reporting requirements. Monthly invoice assessments will include raw data on TA and training participation, for example, the number of participants who attended training during the monthly invoicing period.

C4: Contract Invoicing Cost Reimbursement Contracts:

· DPH billing procedures through the EIM/ESM system require that contracted providers submit an invoice, on a monthly basis, for all services provided in the previous month.

· DPH requires that this invoice be authorized in EIM-ESM no later than the 14th day of the month following service delivery. This includes a zero invoice if no services were provided.

· The only exceptions will be when the Bureau has been previously notified of extenuating circumstances and the request has been approved by the bureau contract manager. If corrections need to be made to previously submitted invoices, supplemental invoices must be submitted for the month in which the billing was originally submitted.

· All offsets must be reported for each UFR on the Invoice.

· Refer to the Provider Billing Booklet Reimbursement Policies and Billing in EIM at for detailed invoicing requirements.

Payment through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is required for any contract awarded through this solicitation. If awarded a contract bidders not already enrolled will be required to sign up for EFT as a contract requirement by completing the Authorization for Electronic Funds Transfer Form. Additional information will be sent at the time of contract.

Section D: RFR Evaluation

D1: Evaluation Criteria

All proposals will be scored on the following criteria:

· Demonstrated organizational capacity to produce the proposed training and technical assistance deliverables in a way that is consistent with the strengths and mission of the applicant and meaningfully accessible to diverse providers statewide

· Demonstrated experience collaborating with state/local government and providing continuing professional learning opportunities for clinical, counseling, outreach staff working in safety-net SRH settings

· Demonstration of ability to implement proposed educational offerings in a timely manner, including the ability to begin providing services on February 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter

· Demonstrated ability to assume ownership and maintain a digital presence originally designed by a previous vendor, including website development, registration and information management, archiving webinars, online training, and curation of content

· Appropriate staffing, including qualifications of the selected Director of Training Program, the Licensed Clinical Professional, and Web Developer allocation of duties to key staff

· A well-articulated and appropriate work plan that is based on the program logic model and training/TA requirements outlined in this RFR

· Demonstrated commitment to providing services that align with the SRHP Standards and Core Values, including the capacity to develop and deliver trainings with a racial and reproductive justice lens

· Demonstrated ability to assess and evaluate training activities' impact and implement continuous quality improvement

· Thorough and complete budget, with budget justification and budget offsets

· Supplier Diversity Program (SDP)

D2: Review Process

Proposals will undergo multiple levels of review described below based on the evaluation criteria:

· Technical Review: The quality of the response to each question in the narrative is evaluated by a team of objective reviewers who score each question according to criteria related to that question. Reviewers are instructed to evaluate each question for content, comprehensiveness, and clarity of each answer.

· SDP form: A key component of the technical level review will be the evaluation of the Supplier Diversity Program form. To encourage substantial Bidder supplier diversity initiatives and commitments as measures valuable to the Commonwealth, at least 25% of the total available evaluation points shall be allocated to the evaluation of the SDP Plan submissions.

· Second Level Review: During the second level of review, factors such as an applicant’s past performance, billing, license status, agency demographics, need, resources available, and other criteria are considered and scored. These criteria may vary depending upon the service being procured.

Based on all review scores, recommendations will be made to the Commissioner, who makes the final funding determination.

Section E: Estimated Procurement Calendar

Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as displayed on the COMMBUYS system clock. Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Q&A for Procurement Calendar updates.

RFR Release Date

September 9, 2026

Bidder’s Conference

Deadline for Submission of RFR Q&A.1

Deadline for Submission of Responses Also known as the BID Opening Date in COMMBUYS

Anticipated Contract Start Date

February 1, 2027

1All Questions must be received in writing. Questions can be sent by email no later than the date and time indicated in the Procurement Calendar. All questions should be sent to the email listed in the calendar and should include the RFR title and number in the subject of the email. All Questions with answers will be posted on the COMMBUYS Attachment section for this procurement.

Section F: Instructions for Submission of Responses

F1: Bidder Response Requirements

Potential bidders should refer to the Application Response Form found in the Attachments to this RFR on COMMBUYS for required questions to be completed as part of this RFR.

F2: Multiple Quotes

DPH will allow a bidder to upload more than one quote in response to this RFR

Multiple Quotes will be accepted:

F3: COMMBUYS Submission Instructions

All responses are to be submitted electronically using the online submission tools available to bidders registered in COMMBUYS. There is no charge to register in COMMBUYS To Register go to www.COMMBUYS.com and click on the “Register” link on the front page. The COMMBUYS Vendor Registration Job Aide is also available.

All Quotes must be received by the Department of Public Health before the specified date, month, year and time of the Bid Opening Date displayed on COMMBUYS. Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as applicable.

All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission by considering potential online submission impediments like Internet traffic, Internet connection speed, file size, and file volume. DPH is not responsible for delays encountered by Bidders or their agents, or for a Bidder’s local hardware failures, such as computers or related networks, associated with bid compilation or submission. Bids submitted via COMMBUYS are time stamped by the COMMBUYS system clock which is considered the official time of record.

Bidders are encouraged to upload attachments well in advance of the Bid Opening Date. This will help to reduce disqualified submissions that can occur if upload is not fully completed or if an attachment is missing at the deadline. Prior to the Bid Opening Date listed in the Procurement Calendar above, documents can easily be deleted and revised versions can be uploaded. If you wish to revise or delete a quote after submission, you may do so prior to the bid opening date. Review the Withdraw, Reopen, and Resubmit a Quote in COMMBUYS Job Aide for additional instructions.

No Bid in COMMBUYS Quote If you plan to submit a quote to this RFR “No Bid” should not be checked anywhere in your quote in COMMBUYS. This includes on the General Screen and the Items tab. Checking No Bid sends your quote to a different location in COMMBUYS than the rest of the quotes for that Bid and you run the risk of the Department not receiving your response. The department will not guarantee that a bid received with a “No Bid” checked will be reviewed.

COMMBUYS Electronic Signatures: Quotes submitted via COMMBUYS must be signed electronically by the Bidder or the Bidder’s Agent by accepting the terms and conditions of the bid on the “Terms & Conditions” tab in COMMBUYS. Bidders do this by selecting “Save & Continue” on the “Terms and Conditions” tab after accepting the terms and conditions of the bid. By agreeing to this the submitter attests that s/he is an agent of the Bidder with authority to sign on the Bidder’s behalf, and that s/he has read and assented to each document’s terms.

File Format and Naming Conventions Scanned documents will be accepted and must be scanned in such a way that they can be read on a computer monitor and printed on 81/2” x 11” paper, unless otherwise specified. Attachments must be uploaded individually and cannot be combined in a zipped file.

DPH is requiring that all response attachments that are uploaded in COMMBUYS include the company name of the Bidder and the RFR number. For additional instructions about naming conventions and the document titles see the Checklist of Attachments found in the Application Response Form. The description entered during the file upload process ensures each file is readily identified by Company Name, RFR and content.

File Size Limits COMMBUYS will not accept files that approach or exceed 10 MB. If a large file fails to upload, the Bidder must save the contents as multiple files.

F4: RFR Attachments

To assist bidders in identifying the purpose of the attachments for this procurement; the forms posted on the COMMBUYS attachment section have a prefix according to the following chart:

Must complete and upload document with application

F5: COMMBUYS Support

A link to a job aid on How to Submit a Quote on COMMBUYS COMMBUYS Resource Information at www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys Email: Send inquiries to the COMMBUYS OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov Telephone: Call the COMMBUYS Help Desk at 1-888-627-8283 or 617-720-3197. The Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal and state holidays.

Technical assistance is available during the procurement process. Every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

Bidders are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

Section G: Other Requirements Pertaining to this RFR

Additional RFR requirements can be found in the document “Additional Requirements M04-M78” found in the READ folder in the attachments section of COMMBUYS for this RFR.

Amendments to BID: MDPH reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after the initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. MDPH and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

Acceptable Forms of Signature: for all 1) CTR forms, including the Standard Contract Form, W-9s, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) forms, ISAs, and other CTR-issued documents and forms, or 2) documents related to state finance and within the statutory area of authority or control of CTR (i.e. contracts, payrolls, and related supporting documentation), CTR will accept signatures executed by an authorized signatory in any of the following ways: 1. Traditional “wet signature” (ink on paper); 2. Electronic signature that is either: a. Hand drawn using a mouse or finger if working from a touch screen device; or Page 2 b. An uploaded picture of the signatory’s hand drawn signature 3. Electronic signatures affixed using a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign. If using an electronic signature, the signature must be visible, include the signatory’s name and title, and must be accompanied by a signature date. Please be advised that typed text of a name not generated by a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign, even in computer-generated cursive script, or an electronic symbol, are not acceptable forms of electronic signature.

CORI Checks: In order to ensure that employees or other persons regularly providing client or support services in any program of an EOHHS Department or in vendor agency programs funded by an EOHHS Department are appropriate for serving in their positions, a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check shall be performed on candidates for positions in such programs or facilities, in accordance with 101 CMR 15.00 (EOHHS regulations governing Criminal Offender Record Checks). These regulations establish a core standardized policy regarding the review of criminal records for employment. It is the policy of EOHHS that an individual’s background including any CORI and other relevant information be carefully considered so that the vulnerable populations served by EOHHS are protected. It is also the policy of EOHHS that qualified rehabilitated offenders are given a fair opportunity to be employed and successfully reintegrated into the workforce. In addition, as provided in 101 CMR 15.09(5), the hiring authority must comply with the requirements of the Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (formerly the CHSB) governing CORI at 803 CMR 2.00 et seq.

Enterprise Invoice / Service Management (EIM/ESM): If EOHHS or DPH directs contractor during the term of this amended contract to access the EIM/ESM service through the Virtual Gateway for the purpose of conducting business with either EOHHS or DPH, contractor agrees to use such services as directed and execute all required Use or Service Agreements required by the Virtual Gateway and to comply with all applicable Virtual Gateway, DPH and EOHHS policies and procedures related to such services, including policies pertaining to data security and protection of confidential information. Contractor further agrees to submit all information as directed by EOHHS or DPH including, but not limited to, invoices, contract and/or other information to DPH through these web-based applications. Contractor further agrees to take all necessary steps to ensure that it, and its subcontractors or affiliates, complies with these requirements and has access to and utilize all required web-based services in the Virtual Gateway.

Fraud Risk Management and Reporting Requirements: Fraud is defined as any intentional illegal act characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust, committed by an individual or organization to obtain money, property, or services; to avoid payment or loss of property or services; or to secure personal or business advantage.

DPH requires that all providers have a zero-tolerance policy for fraud.