7-001-26 ESP Transportation RFP.pdf

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ELDERLY SERVICES PROGRAM

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

RFP: 001-26

Medical Transportation Butler, Clinton, and Warren Counties

Non-Medical Transportation Butler and Clinton Counties

Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio 4601 Malsbary Road Blue Ash, OH 45242

RFP Publish Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Proposal Due Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026, by 11:59 am EST

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Table of Contents

Section One: General Information

Section Two: Transportation Services

Section Three: Proposal Evaluation……………………………………….……………………………..…………….…...8

Section Four: Certificate of Secretary of State, Insurance, & Workers’ Compensation

Section Five: General Terms & Conditions

APPENDIX A: Appeals Process

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Section One: General Information

Bid Overview

Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (COA) is accepting proposals from qualified bidders interested in contracting to become an Elderly Service Program (ESP) Transportation provider for delivery of Medical

Transportation services to older adults of Butler, Clinton and Warren counties and Non-Medical Transportation to Butler and Clinton County clients. Clients will be transported to/from locations in Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren Counties.

Established organizations interested in providing Medical Transportation and Non-Medical Transportation for

ESP submit a proposal to COA through an RFP process. If the organization meets the RFP requirements, the organization is then required to evidence compliance with the Advanced Conditions of Participation and Service

Specifications. An organization meeting all requirements to COA’s satisfaction may be awarded an

Agreement/Contract to provide the service. There is no commitment from COA on volumes due to the unknown nature of RFP responses.

The goal of this RFP is to attract the highest quality providers for the lowest cost while meeting the requirements and demand for services for growing needs of older adults.

The contract period is October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2029, with two (2) additional one (1) year renewable options.

All bidders must meet the Master Service Agreement (Sample Agreement), Advanced Conditions of Participation

(Attachment 1), Service Specifications (Attachments 2 and 3), and all terms and conditions within this document, including all Appendices and Attachments, if selected to receive an Agreement. Advanced Conditions of

Participation and Service Specifications are pending county advisory approval. Please read this document in its entirety.

Agency and Program Background

COA is Southwestern Ohio’s Area Agency on Aging, providing service to older adults for more than 50 years. Our mission: Enhance the lives of adults by assisting them to remain independent at home through a range of quality services. These include advocacy, caregiver support, counseling, health promotion, home and community-based care, legal assistance, nutrition, outreach, senior centers, and transportation.

Elderly Services Program (ESP) services help older adults remain safe and independent in their own homes.

These services expand care that may be provided by family and friends. ESP can delay or prevent nursing home placement.

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The Elderly Services Program is funded through the individual county Elderly Services levies. COA is the administrator of the Elderly Service Program in Butler, Clinton, Hamilton, and Warren Counties. COA embraces our responsibility to be strong stewards of these funds. We are seeking providers who will share this responsibility by providing a professional and responsive service.

FastTrack Home (FTH) is a program that provides a Care Transition Intervention and traditional ESP services to eligible older adults who are being discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility/ rehab. Care transition case management support and services are provided for 60 to 90 days at no cost to the client. Care managers will help clients establish long-term support through ESP and other COA programs if needed.

FTH provides a Care Transitions Intervention based on the Coleman Model. This evidence-based model has a proven record of success. By adding support services that begin within three business days of discharge, we ensure our clients are well prepared to transition home and maintain stability.

Electronic Proposal Delivery

COA uses Euna Procurement, previously known as Bonfire, a competitive bidding platform, for electronic proposal information submission. All communication (responses to questions, addendums, and award notices) regarding the RFP will be generated through Euna Procurement. You can access the Council on Aging 001–26

RFP on the Euna Procurement platform at:

https://help4seniors.bonfirehub.com/

Important Dates:

Request For Proposal Number Proposal Name

RFP 001-26 Publish Date:

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

ESP Transportation: Butler, Clinton and Warren

Important Dates

Bidders Conference Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 2:30-3:30 EST

Last Day to Submit Questions in Euna Procurement (Bonfire)

Friday, April 24, 2026, by 2:59 p.m. EST

Last Day for COA to Answer Questions Submitted Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Proposal Due Date Wednesday, May 27, 2026, by 11:59 a.m. EST

Estimated Award Date Week of July 6, 2026

Client Transition Period September 2026

Tentative Contract Start Date Thursday, October 1, 2026

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Bidders Conference

A bidders conference regarding this RFP will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2026, from 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. EST.

Bidders conference will be held at 4601 Malsbary Rd. in Blue Ash, Ohio 45242.

COA will conduct a bidder’s conference to review the RFP and answer questions from prospective bidders.

Anyone interested in learning more about this RFP should send an email of interest to provider_services@help4seniors.org. An email for the bidders conference will then be sent to the inquiring bidders. Emails of interest to attend the bidders conference must be received no later than 12:00 p.m. EST, Friday, April 17, 2026.

We ask that any questions the bidders wish to have addressed in this meeting be submitted through Euna Procurement “Messages” tab no later than 12:00 p.m. EST, Friday, April 17th, 2026.

Proposal Due Date - Wednesday, May 27, 2026, by 11:59 a.m. EST

No late bids will be accepted. COA is not responsible for, and will not accept or consider, proposals arriving after the deadline. All technical difficulties in Euna Procurement will need to be addressed with the Euna Procurement team at https://customer.Euna Procurementsolutions.com/public/s/knowledge-base/bonfire-hub or by calling their vendor support line at 1-(800)-354-8010.

Electronic Q&A

Only questions submitted in Euna Procurement (https://help4seniors.bonfirehub.com/) will be included in the Addendum responses posted with the RFP. All questions must be submitted no later than April 24, 2026, at 2:59 p.m. EST. COA’s responses to the questions submitted will be posted in Euna Procurement no later than April 29, 2026.

Integrity of the Procurement Process

During the procurement process, bidders interested in responding to the proposal may submit questions via the Euna Procurement platform regarding procedural matters related to the RFP, or requests for clarification or modification of this solicitation, no later than April 24, 2026, at 2:59 p.m. EST. Questions or requests submitted after the due date and time will not be answered.

Prospective service providers shall not contact any Council on Aging personnel (with the exception of the Provider Services team), board or advisory council members, or program funders, including elected officials, for meetings, conferences, or discussions that are specifically related to this RFP at any time prior to any Notice of Intent to Award a contract. Unauthorized contact with any Council on Aging personnel, board or advisory council members, or its funders, including elected officials, may be cause for rejection of the vendor’s proposal.

mailto:provider_services@help4seniors.org https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcustomer.eunasolutions.com%2Fpublic%2Fs%2Fknowledge-base%2Fbonfire-hub&data=05%7C02%7Clwebster%40help4seniors.org%7C9973567014984ab29dcb08ddf1438141%7C2f50290db39f465a8e04e7306a236428%7C0%7C0%7C638931994579256874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=50Vs8aYy%2Bs2nG%2FXsPU9mDQU%2FQvZc%2FEAFN4quCOOIi7w%3D&reserved=0

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Section Two: Transportation Service

As a part of COA's services, COA provides Medical Transportation and Non-Medical Transportation through the

Elderly Services Program (ESP) and Fast Track Home (FTH). Medical Transportation is a service designed to enable a client to gain access to medical appointments specified by the client’s plan of care. Non-Medical Transportation

(Butler and Clinton County client only) transports clients to local community resources or services which are integral to living independently in the community. Destinations for medical and non-medical transportation may include, but are not limited to, doctors’ offices, hospitals, dialysis centers, pharmacies, shopping centers and recreation facilities. Occasional Saturday transportation may be requested. Transportation services are not allowable for trips to adult entertainment, casinos, and establishments to purchase alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana.

Transportation Service Details:

a. Service Requirements - COA is seeking to partner with agencies that employ drivers that will assist in the transfer of the client, as necessary, safely from the client’s door to the vehicle and from the vehicle to the street level entrance of the destination point as well as perform the same transfer assist when transporting the client back home. Client satisfaction is enhanced when drivers arrive timely with clean vehicles, are courteous, and exercise safe driving practices.

b. Program Requirements - Bidders receiving awards through this RFP process must agree to provide services and employ drivers in accordance with the Master Service Agreement, Advanced Conditions of Participation and Service Specifications.

c. Client Referrals - Contracted providers are eligible to bid on referrals and receive awards to furnish transportation services to eligible ESP clients as referred by the client’s Care Manager.

The referral will specify if a client is ambulatory or requires wheelchair transport. Clients receive a yearly allotment of units, and the provider must communicate with the Care Manager when permanent adjustments need to be made.

d. Future Expansion - COA, through its wholly-owned, nonprofit subsidiary, home52, LLC., may consider utilizing home52’s transportation coordination service model in Butler, Clinton and Warren counties to enhance ESP transportation services sometime during the contract period.

Transportation Definitions:

a. Unit of Service - One unit of transportation service is equal to a one-way trip.

b. Medical Transportation - Medical Transportation is a service designed to enable a client to gain access to medical appointments, specified by the client’s plan of care, when medical transportation is not otherwise available or funded by state plan Medicaid or any other source.

c. Non-Medical Transportation - Non-Medical Transportation transports clients to local community resources or services which are integral to living independently in the community.

Service may be provided into contiguous counties.

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2025 Transportation Service Volume Estimates Medical Transportation service volume estimates from ESP are provided below for January 1, 2025, to December

31, 2025, in Table 1.

Non-Medical Transportation service volume estimates from ESP are provided below for January 1, 2025, to

December 31, 2025, in Table 2.

Volume data is presented by county, which is the same manner the RFP will award contracts.

Table 1: Medical Transportation Client Count and # of Units by County/Program for January 1- December 31, 2025

Program # of Clients # of Units

Butler County ESP 297 7,483

Butler County ESP FTH 10 53

Clinton County ESP 22 211

Clinton County ESP FTH 2 4

Warren County ESP 315 6,943

Warren County ESP FTH 9 50

Table 2: Non-Medical Transportation Client Count and # of Units by County/Program for January 1- December 31, 2025

Program # of Clients # of Units

Butler County ESP 116 1,520

Requirements for New Providers

Any bidder whose proposal successfully completes the evaluation process, but who does not have a current ESP contract with COA, is subject to a pre-certification review prior to receiving a provisional agreement. All new bidders must meet the requirements for the Medical and Non-Medical Transportation program.

Awarded providers, new to the ESP program, will not be eligible to accept clients until after the precertification review and CareDirector training is complete.

Software and Billing All Service Providers are required to use COA’s care management and provider management platform -

CareDirector and any other system platform provided by and mandated by COA. The provider must utilize

CareDirector for client service authorizations, monthly billing, and other related provider communication. Training will be provided on the use of CareDirector.

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Section Three: Proposal Evaluation

COA shall award a Master Service Agreement to the bidder(s) who submit the best bid proposal(s) based on evaluation of all bids as determined by COA, in its sole discretion unless COA rejects all bids.

COA reserves the right to reject any or all bids, any part, or parts of any bid, and the right to waive any informality in any bid. Any bid which is conditional, obscure, or which contains additions not requested, or irregularities of any kind may be rejected.

COA reserves the right to make changes in program requirements, procedures, and terms after the bids have been submitted, opened, and reviewed to maximize delivery of services consistent with the objectives of the program.

COA reserves the right to apply any of the following, if warranted, in COA’s sole opinion:

• Award to multiple providers

• Eliminate any term or condition that is not advantageous to COA, its clients, or funders

Selection

COA will form a review committee made up of representatives from various functional areas within the organization. This review committee will base its recommendation on the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP. The committee will conduct an initial evaluation based on information in the submitted proposals.

• Having a previous, or existing, contract with COA does not guarantee an award of a contract in response to this RFP

Scoring of Submission

The committee will base the evaluations on the following criteria:

High Score Reasons Medium Score Reasons Low Score Reasons Complete and Concise Response Mostly Complete Response Incomplete Response

Strongly Fits Desired Attributes Partially fits Desired Attributes Missing/Mismatched Attributes

High Level of Detail in Response Medium Level of Detail in Response Poor Level of Detail in Response

Well-Supported Claim(s) Partially Supported Claim(s) Unsupported Claim(s)

The table below provides criteria, submission descriptions, and scoring guidelines.

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Go or No Go Financial Health and Stability: Any submission with one or more adverse outcomes will be discussed with the review committee to determine if further evaluation will be afforded or granted.

Financial Submission Requirements:

1. Independent Audit Report (preferred) OR prior year’s tax return (All Schedules + income statement and balance sheets). If unable to provide, financial review cannot be completed (no-go).

2. A/P Aging (classified in 30, 60, 90 days past due)

3. A/R Aging (classified in 30, 60, 90 days past due)

4. Dated statement from a contracted CPA or an internal officer confirming that all federal, state, and local income and employment tax payments are current and paid through the most recent tax year

Financial ratio analysis will be conducted to assess the bidder’s financial capacity and inform the go/no-go determination.

Service Delivery Submission Requirements:

1. Bidders must have evidence to support two years of providing transportation services.

Evidence will be supported by submissions of the Ohio Secretary of State Certificate showing the organization is “Active” and “In Good Standing”. Two years of service must be met as of the RFP publish date (April 15, 2026).

2. Certificate of Insurance or a valid quote, which meets the ESP requirements noted in Section Four of this RFP.

3. Completion of questionnaire: Are there any citations or pending legal issues against your agency?

4. Completion of attestation: I have read the service specifications for the program that I am responding to and attest to being in compliance with the requirements at start of contract.

Go or No Go

Scoring Criteria

Questions/Required Responses Type of Submission Max Points

Experience and Commitment to Aging

1. Describe your agency’s mission, the scope and how many years it has been serving older adults.

a. Submit a summary of client satisfaction responses from delivery of home care services received between April 2025-April 2026.

Narrative (no more than one page)

County Presence

2. Do you have a physical location in any of the four-county region (Butler, Clinton, Hamilton, or Warren County)? – If so, include address/addresses.

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If you do not have a physical location, have you hired employees or do you currently employ staff who reside in Butler, Clinton, Hamilton, or Warren County?

Organization Size and Structure - Personnel

3. Please provide the following information by county:

a. What is the average number of unduplicated clients served per month over the last 6 months?

b. What is the average number of one-way trips performed each month over the last 6 months?

c. How many drivers do you employ?

d. What is the maximum number of drivers that you can employ to support future growth?

e. How many schedulers/dispatchers do you employ?

f. What is the average tenure of drivers?

g. What is the average tenure of your

Schedulers/dispatchers?

h. What has been the staff turnover rate for the last 6 months?

Questionnaire

Operations and Fleet

4. Please provide the following information by county:

a. How many vehicles do you have in your fleet?

b. How many wheelchair accessible vehicles do you have?

c. Do you have video recording capability in your vehicles?

Questionnaire 15

Recruitment and Training

5. Please describe your recruitment and training program:

a. Describe your agency’s recruitment strategies to bring on new hires including, but not limited to, incentives, staff development, and career advancement.

b. Describe your driver training program including hours per year. Detail any specialized training offered to staff (i.e. clients with dementia, wheelchair transport, or safe transfers) and your process for return demonstrations/competency testing.

c. What re-education do you provide for staff when complaints are reported citing dissatisfaction with delivery of service?

than two pages)

Quality Management, Monitoring and Process Improvement

6. Describe your agency’s quality improvement process that includes, but not limited to, activities to reduce risk, timely responses to issues or concerns, and solicitation of feedback from clients.

7. Describe your agency’s process for monitoring service delivery.

Include details such as how often monitoring occurs, the methods used to collect data, and how the data is used to identify areas for improvement.

Narrative (no more

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No-Shows

8. Describe your agency’s backup plan in the event a staff member is unavailable to deliver services.

9. Describe your vehicle back up plan.

10. Detail the communication to the client/COA that will take place in the event of a staff call off.

11. Describe any apps/software used to manage communication with COA and clients?

Electronic Trip Verification

12. Describe your agency’s electronic trip verification system. If you are currently not utilizing a system, describe your current method to verify service delivery.

13. Describe back up plan if the electronic system is unavailable.

Questionnaire

MAX TOTAL 100

Submissions for Every Bidder

Bidders Form & Attestations (Attachment 4) Upload

Current Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Certificate Upload

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Section Four: Certificate of Secretary of State, Insurance, & Workers’

Compensation

Certificate of Secretary of State

• The bidder will provide a copy of bidder’s certificate of the Secretary of State showing that it is “active” and “in good standing”, as evidenced by the purchase and submission of a Certificate of Good Standing.

To purchase a certificate, complete a Business Search through the Ohio Secretary of State website (https://businesssearch.ohiosos.gov/) then scroll to Agent/Registrant Information.

Insurance and Workers’ Compensation

The bidder, at the bidder’s sole cost and expense, if awarded a contract, agrees to carry and maintain in full force, the following types and amounts of insurance, with no interruption of coverage during the entire term of this Agreement. All insurance must cover the acts or omissions of both paid employees and volunteers working for Provider and Provider shall require the same amount of insurance from all subcontractors utilized under this

Agreement. All insurance must be through a carrier with a financial rating of A or better by A.M.’s Best’s rating

Services or equivalent. Provider agrees to ensure insurance requirements are in place at the start of the term of this Agreement and shall be sent to COA’s Procurement and Provider Services Department by emailing it to

Provider_Services@help4seniors.org.

1. Comprehensive general liability insurance at a minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate. Provider further agrees that in the event its comprehensive general or professional liability policy is maintained on a “claims made” basis, and in the event that this Agreement is terminated, Provider shall continue such policy in effect for the period of any statute or statutes of limitation applicable to claims thereby insured, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.

2. Third Party Fidelity or similar insurance covering Client loss due to theft of Client’s property or money by any employee or volunteer of Provider.

3. Commercial automobile liability insurance, covering all vehicles that are used or operated by Provider to deliver Service(s) with coverage against claims for property damage, bodily injury, mental anguish and/or death in the amount of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence if providing Transportation

Services.

4. Provider shall provide evidence of Workers Compensation insurance, including Statutory Coverages for the state(s) in which you are providing Services, and Employers Liability of $1,000,000. The Provider shall provide all necessary unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance for the Provider’s employees and shall provide the State with a Certificate of Insurance evidencing such coverage prior to starting work under the contract.

5. Provider of health care services, social work/counseling, and nutritional consultation, shall carry and maintain professional liability insurance insuring Provider and such professionals against any and all claims, actions, causes, costs, and expenses relating to or arising out of the performance of Services under this Agreement, on an occurrence basis, or claims made with appropriate tail coverage. The minimum amount of coverage shall be $2,000,000 for each incident and $2,000,000 annual aggregate.

https://businesssearch.ohiosos.gov/ mailto:Provider_Services@help4seniors.org

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6. Sexual Abuse & Molestation Liability Insurance should be included in the amount of not less than

$1,000,000 for the following services: home delivered meals, home care assistance, transportation, independent living assistance, supportive services, and adult day services.

7. Umbrella/Excess Liability Insurance coverage should be included in the amount of not less than

$1,000,000 for all services.

8. A fidelity bond covering all individuals authorized by the Provider to collect and/or disburse funds shall furnish COA with a Certificate of Insurance evidencing Provider’s liability insurance meets the proper requirements.

9. All insurance certificates shall name “Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio” as an additional insured on a primary and noncontributory basis, including Products/Completed Operations, and shall include a provision that requires written notice to COA at least thirty (30) calendar days in advance of any change, cancellation, or non-renewal of coverage. Cancellation or non-renewal of required insurance or not furnishing COA with evidence of required insurance coverage, shall be grounds to terminate this

Agreement.

10. Provider waives all rights of subrogation against COA for the recovery of damages to the extent such damages are or would be covered by the insurance specified herein.

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Section Five: General Terms & Conditions

1. COA reserves the right to accept any proposal, in whole or in part, to waive any informality in any proposal, to negotiate further with one or more bidders regarding any terms of their proposals in order to achieve the best proposal for the benefit of the communities and residents COA serves as determined by COA in its sole discretion, and to reject any or all proposals, or any part or parts of any proposal, for any reason whatsoever.

2. Products and services to be purchased under this RFP are contingent upon COA funding and are in no way a guarantee to the Provider that everything described will be purchased. Any award of this contract does not give Provider the exclusive rights to products and services offered in this RFP including future offerings.

3. Bidders are responsible for compliance with all terms and conditions of this RFP and contract. As such, they are expected to read all documents issued completely.

4. COA is not liable for any errors or omissions in proposals and is not required to make corrections or amendments to errors identified in proposals. If bidders discover any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in this RFP, they shall immediately notify COA via provider_services@help4seniors.org of such error in writing and request clarification or modification of the document.

5. COA reserves the right to remove any term or condition in any proposal that is not in the best interest of the communities or residents it serves as determined by COA in its sole discretion.

6. Any resulting contract will include the RFP, any addenda issued, presentation material, if requested, and the bidder’s proposal as Exhibits. The documents shall be interpreted in the following order:

a. Agreement

b. RFP and all attachments and addenda including presentation material if presentations are requested, and clarification sought by COA

c. Bidder’s proposal

7. COA requires that all Providers be able to accept Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs).

8. The laws of the State Of Ohio shall govern this contract and any subsequent purchases. Should there be any disagreement that requires Court action such action must take place in Hamilton County, Ohio in Cincinnati, Ohio.

9. Providers are required to be current on all employment, federal, state, and local income tax payments related to provision of the services rendered or products delivered.

10. No bid may be withdrawn after it has been submitted to COA.

11. No oral statements of any person shall, in any manner or degree, modify or otherwise affect or alter the terms of this RFP, the Contract, or any other document comprising a part or attachment to this RFP.

12. COA reserves the right to adjust rates and establish ceilings for the initial contract and each annual renewal.

13. All proposals become the property of COA and will not be returned to the bidder. COA has the right to use all ideas contained in any proposal received at no cost to COA. Selection or rejection of a proposal will not affect this right.

14. Only information which is the nature of legitimate trade secrets or non-published financial data may be deemed proprietary. Any material within a proposal identified as such must be clearly marked “proprietary” and will be handled accordingly. Any proposal marked “proprietary” or “confidential” in its entirety may be rejected without further consideration. Any challenge to COA withholding this information as “proprietary” or

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“confidential” requiring legal defense, the cost of such defense shall be borne by the bidder.

15. COA is not responsible for any costs incurred by prospective bidders. Costs associated with developing the proposal and any other expenses incurred in responding to this RFP are entirely the responsibility of the prospective bidder and shall not be reimbursed by COA.

16. Bidders who are successful and awarded Contracts must agree to provide all documentation and assurances as outlined in the attached sample contract.

17. COA reserves the right to make changes in program requirements, procedures, and terms after the bids have been submitted, opened, and reviewed, to maximize delivery of services consistent with the objectives of the program.

18. Provider must carry adequate insurance coverage to meet the specifications of this RFP provided as part of the Insurance and Workers’ Compensation section.

19. Provider must abide by the specifications set out in the Provider Requirements in an Emergency provided in

Master Service Agreement.

20. If awarded services, the selected bidder will enter into a Service Agreement, sample can be found in Euna.

21. In the event the bidder is not awarded a contract and desires to appeal COA’s decision, the bidder must follow the instructions provided in Appendix A: Appeals Process.

22. No identifying information protected by HIPAA shall be submitted in your proposal. Submitting HIPAA protected information, or other such protected information will be grounds for rejection of the proposal. This includes information known by, or previously reported to, COA. Bidders are reminded that bid documents are open to public scrutiny under Ohio Public Records laws.

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APPENDIX A: Appeals Process

The bidder shall have the right of appeal regarding actions taken by COA pertaining to this RFP per the COA Appeals

Process Policy.

COA Appeals Process Policy

COA funds a variety of services for older adults in Southwestern Ohio. Certain funding sources have unique requirements relative to appeals procedures, including the types of actions eligible for appeal. For those funding sources that do not otherwise have established appeals procedures, COA has established appeal protocol. The appeals procedures, by funding source, are set forth in this policy.

Older Americans Act, Senior Community Services Block Grant & Alzheimer Funding

Bidders may appeal “adverse actions” taken by COA as defined below:

▪ Denial of an application to provide services included in an Area Plan

▪ Prematurely terminating an existing provider agreement

▪ Not renewing a multi-year provider agreement

No other issues, actions or decisions are subject to appeal.

A. Administrative Appeal

Bidders may request a COA Local Hearing only after all efforts to administratively resolve the adverse decision have been exhausted. Any administrative efforts to resolve the adverse decision should be forward to the Manager of Procurement and Contract Services or their assigned designee.

Once all efforts to administratively resolve the decision have been exhausted a Bidder not satisfied with the outcome of the as detailed above, may then request a COA Local Hearing.

B. COA Local Hearing

The appellant must submit a written appeal request from its executive-in-charge to COA’s Chief Executive

Officer to request a COA Local Hearing. The appeal request letter must be delivered via nationally recognized overnight carrier (e.g., FedEx or UPS) or by hand delivery with receipt acknowledged in writing, to COA, Attn: Chief Executive Officer, 4601 Malsbary Road Blue Ash, OH 45242 and must be received by COA no later than close of business (4:00 p.m. EST) ten (10) business days after the date the appellant received notification of the adverse action which is being appealed.

1. The written appeal request must be signed by the appellant’s executive-in-charge and must include the following:

a. E-mail and business addresses for the executive-in-charge or his/her designee.

b. Phone number for executive-in-charge or his/her designee.

c. Identification of the “adverse action” under appeal.

d. A detailed explanation of the basis for appellant’s appeal.

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e. All documentation and other materials supporting the appellant’s position. Documentation and materials that were not included as part of the original application submission will not be considered by COA in the appeals process.

2. A panel of COA staff who were not directly involved in the making the adverse decision which is being appealed will convene to review appellant’s appeal request, within ten (10) business days after the close of appeal submission period. The appellant does not have a right to be present when the COA staff panel convenes.

3. Upon determination of a decision by the panel, COA will e-mail the appellant a letter identifying the decision. This letter shall constitute COA’s final decision on the matter.

4. COA will forward a copy of the written appeal request and the staff panel’s decision letter to the Ohio

Department of Aging (“ODA/AGE”) within five (5) days after the date that COA renders its final decision.

C. Ohio Department of Aging Hearing

1. An appellant not satisfied with the outcome of the COA hearing as detailed above, may request an appeal hearing before ODA/AGE in compliance with Ohio law (see OAC 173-3-09).

2. No request for an appeal hearing shall be honored by ODA/AGE unless the appellant has first appealed the adverse action with COA and fully complied with COA’s policies governing appeal hearings, as set forth above.

Elderly Services Programs – Local Senior Services Levy Funding

Bidders dissatisfied with the outcome of the ESP evaluation process may appeal the outcome in accordance with this policy. The right of appeal is limited to a decision by COA not to award an agreement to such Bidder for all or some of the services for which the applicant applied. No other issues, actions or decisions are subject to appeal.

A. Administrative Appeal

Bidders may submit an administrative appeal to try to resolve the adverse decision. Any administrative efforts to resolve the adverse decision should be forward to the Manager of Procurement and Contract

Services, or their assigned designee, in writing to Provider_Services@help4seniors.org within ten (10) business days after the date the appellant received notification of the adverse decision.

Once all efforts to administratively resolve the decision have been exhausted, should a Bidder not be satisfied with the outcome of the process as detailed above, the Bidder may then request a COA Local

Hearing.

mailto:Provider_Services@help4seniors.org

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B. COA Local Hearing

The appellant must submit a written appeal request from its executive-in-charge to COA’s Chief Executive

Officer to request a COA Local Hearing. The appeal request letter must be delivered via nationally recognized overnight carrier (e.g., FedEx or UPS) or by hand delivery with receipt acknowledged in writing, to COA, Attn: Chief Executive Officer, 4601 Malsbary Road Blue Ash, OH 45242, and must be received by

COA no later than close of business (4:00 p.m. EST) ten (10) business days after the date the appellant received notification of the adverse action which is being appealed.

1. The written appeal request must be signed by the appellant’s executive-in-charge and must include the following:

a. E-mail and business addresses for the executive-in-charge or his/her designee.

b. Phone number for executive-in-charge or his/her designee.

c. Identification of the “adverse action” under appeal.

d. A detailed explanation of the basis for appellant’s appeal.

e. All documentation and other materials supporting the appellant’s position. Documentation and materials that were not included as part of the original application submission will not be considered by COA in the appeals process.

2. A panel of COA staff who were not directly involved in making the decision which is being appealed will convene to review appellant’s appeal request (a “COA Staff Hearing”), within ten (10) business days after the close of appeal submission period. The appellant does not have a right to be present at the

COA Staff Hearing.

3. Upon determination of a decision by the panel, COA will e-mail the appellant a letter identifying the decision.

C. COA Board Hearing

1. No request for an appeal hearing shall be honored by the COA Board of Trustees (the “Board”) unless the appellant has first fully complied with the COA Staff Hearing process.

2. An appellant not satisfied with the outcome of the COA Staff Hearing as detailed above, may then request an appeal hearing before the Board.

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3. The appeal request letter must be delivered via nationally recognized overnight carrier (e.g., FedEx or

UPS) or by hand delivery with receipt acknowledged in writing, to COA, Attn: Chief Executive Officer, 4601 Malsbary Road Blue Ash, OH 45242, and must be received by COA no later than close of business

(4:00 p.m. EST) five (5) business days after the date that appellant received notification of the outcome of the COA Staff Hearing.

a. The appeal request must be in writing and signed by the appellant’s executive-in-charge and must include:

i. E-mail and business addresses for the executive-in-charge or his/her designee

ii. Phone number for executive-in-charge or his/her designee

iii. Identification of the “adverse action” under appeal

4. The Finance Committee of the Board shall serve as the Appeals Committee of the Board unless otherwise approved by the Board.

5. The Appeals Committee will review the decision in dispute and will meet with the appellant if deemed necessary by the Appeals Committee, before submitting a recommendation to the Board for final action.

6. The Board, at its next regularly scheduled meeting, will review the recommendation of the Appeals

Committee and adopt a final course of action. The Board may choose (but is not required) to schedule a special meeting of the Board to consider the Appeals Committee recommendation if time is of the essence. Within ten (10) business days after the meeting, the appellant will be notified of the Board’s decision.

7. The decision of the Board will be final and binding. If the Board reverses the decision of the COA Staff

Hearing, the Board’s decision will be implemented as soon thereafter as reasonably possible. In no event will the appellant be compensated for any funds lost during the appeals process or entitled to damages of any sort.