Addendum No. 1 RFP 26 011 Q and A FINAL.pdf

Request For Proposals for

Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services

Community-Based Recovery Service Centers

ADDENDUM NO. 1 to RFP DBH 26-011 ePro Bid ID # DBHE26-ADMN-6399

I. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Question: The RFP permits for-profit organizations to apply but states that organizations receiving SUBG Block Grant funding must be nonprofit corporations. For a for-profit proposer offering Recovery Center-only services, what funding source(s) would DBH use, and can a for-profit organization receive a direct Recovery Center contract as the prime contractor?

Answer: The agency would need to be a non-profit in order to receive SUBG funding. SUBG funding provides more than 50% of the funding for the procurement. The remaining funding would be DMC and applies only to recovery services billed to DMC within the Recovery Center.

2. Question: Does DBH have priority geographic areas where additional Recovery Center capacity is particularly needed? Specifically, does DBH consider Victorville/Victor Valley within the Desert/Mountain Region an area of unmet need for an adult Community-Based Recovery Service Center?

Answer: DBH is seeking proposals for all geographic locations within the County.

3. Question: For a new Recovery Center, must the proposed facility be fully leased and operational at the time the proposal is submitted, or may a proposer submit a specific proposed location supported by a Letter of Intent or lease contingent upon contract award, provided the facility meets DBH, ADA/Title 24, transit-access and other requirements before services begin?

Answer: Yes, with a plan that outlines the facility opening within 3-6 months for Recovery Center activities. DMC services would be contingent upon the provider obtaining appropriate DMC-ODS and AOD certification.

4. Question: The RFP references approximately $12,028,534 in projected funding and also describes an annual aggregate amount not to exceed $12,028,534. Can DBH clarify whether $12,028,534 represents the total funding available for the entire five-year contract period or the approximate funding available annually across all awarded providers? Additionally, does DBH anticipate a target or maximum annual contract amount for an individual Recovery Center site?

Answer: The funding listed is for the 5-year contract, not annually. That is a typo.

5. Question: For Recovery Center-only services, can DBH clarify how contractors will be reimbursed-for example, actual allowable costs, a negotiated annual contract amount, cost reimbursement, or an established service-hour rate? Please also define what constitutes a 'service hour' and whether DBH can provide the historical or target cost-per-service-hour range used to evaluate Recovery Center proposals?

Answer: Recovery Center activities are reimbursed on a cost reimbursement basis for all costs associated to Recovery Center activities. Recovery Services (DMC billable) will be paid at the DBH-FFS rates.

6. Question: For a new adult Recovery Center serving the Victor Valley/Desert-Mountain Region, does DBH have an expected annual number of unduplicated participants, participant visits, service hours, utilization level, or other minimum performance requirement? If historical utilization data are available for existing Recovery Centers, can DBH provide those benchmarks so proposers can develop realistic staffing and budgets?

Answer: We do not have any data/expected utilization.

7. Question: I see conflicting information in the RFP regarding the funding: The $12M is stated as both the annual and the five-year amount. Can you confirm if the $12M is annual or for the entire 5 year term?

Answer: The funding listed is for the 5-year contract, not annually. That is a typo.

8. Question: Is there a copy of the team's proposal meeting? I missed the meeting.

Answer: The PowerPoint presentation of the conference has been uploaded into ePro as an attachment.

9. Question: If a proposer is awarded both Recovery Center and Standalone Services, but does not yet hold Drug Medi-Cal certification for the proposed San Bernardino County site, may the proposer begin Recovery Center operations upon contract start and initiate Standalone Services after DMC certification is obtained?

Answer: Yes.

10. Question: For proposals that include both Recovery Center and Standalone Services, should contract funding be requested for both components, or are Standalone Services expected to be funded solely through Drug Medi-Cal reimbursement?

Answer: Proposal should include all services/budget amounts that they are requesting to cover all services they are wishing to be contracted for.

11. Question: Must proposers have a fully executed lease and operational facility at the time of proposal submission, or may proposers identify a proposed site with occupancy contingent upon award?

Answer: Yes, with a plan that outlines the facility opening within 3-6 months for Recovery Center activities. DMC services would be contingent upon the provider obtaining appropriate DMC-ODS and AOD certification.

12. Question: Does the County anticipate awarding one Recovery Center provider per region, or may multiple providers be awarded within the same region?

Answer: DBH will award based on community and regional needs.

13. Question: Has the County established target funding allocations, participant projections, or expected service volumes by region?

Answer: We do not have specific funding allocations or projections for participants or service volume.

14. Question: I see conflicting information in the RFP regarding the funding: The $12M is stated as both the annual and five-year amount. Can you confirm if the $12M is annual or for the entire 5 year term?

Answer: The funding listed is for the 5-year contract, not annually. That is a typo.

15. Question: Will you be providing a template for the proposals that will be including the eliments you are asking to identify; Recovery Center only, Recovery Center and RSS for Adults/adolescents or both..

Answer: All the required attachments and addendums needed for submission have been uploaded into ePro.

16. Question: Good morning! Will the PowerPoint slide deck be shared following this meeting?

Answer: The PowerPoint presentation of the conference has been uploaded into ePro as an attachment.

17. Question: Recovery center only questions:

1.Is this open to any community member or just dmc clients?

2.Do we keep charts on individuals that come to the recovery center?

3.are they billed in avatar or it it a flat rate?

4.What is reimbursement rates?

Answer: Provider will need to record participation in Recovery Center activities, just total counts of participation in the individual activities as outlined in the RFP.

There are no client charts for Recovery Center activities.

Recovery Center activities/services (NOT Recovery Services that are DMC billable) are paid on a cost reimbursement basis.

Recovery services are paid on a FFS basis with the DBH rates, these services are required to follow all DHCS guidelines for documentation, charting and consents.

18. Question: Must the applicant already have a San Bernardino County location at proposal submission, or can the site be established after the award?

Answer: The applicant must have a plan that outlines the facility opening within 3-6 months for Recovery Center activities. DMC services would be contingent upon the provider obtaining appropriate DMC-ODS and AOD certification.

19. Question: For Recovery Only services: Can the program be fully remote?

Answer: No. The client must have the opportunity for in-person and telehealth services under DHCS regulations.

20. Question: When will the template and budgets be posted?

Answer: All the required attachments and addendums needed for submission have been uploaded into ePro.

21. Question: SAC Health questions: 1. Does SAC have to propose a traditional separate “Recovery Center,” or can recovery services embed within the existing health center? 2. Geographically, where does the “center” have to be? 3. How much of the clinical services can be telehealth? 4. Would SAC have to provide all four stand-alone services? 5. How does the funding work? 6. What volume does DBH actually expect? 7. What do they mean by “Recovery center?”

Answer: Recovery Centers must be easily accessible to the community with a layout that promotes recovery and a welcoming environment.

There is no specific geographic location other than within San Bernardino County

There is no designated % of recovery services that can/should be telehealth. Per DHCS, clients must be able to receive services in person or telehealth.

Standalone services are optional. DBH does not have an identified volume.

Providers shall share an aggregate amount of $12,028,534 for the five-year term.

Please see the RFP that was uploaded into ePro for a full description of Recovery Centers.

22. Question: If you are applying for multiple regions, do we do one budget? For the pojected timelline

Answer: Please provide individual budgets for each site during the procurement process.

23. Question: Can an applicant bid for one service area, or is countywide coverage required?

Answer: Proposals should be for a designated physical site. Proposals can be for one or multiple sites.

24. Question: For references can you clarify please?

Three references from other entities, preferably public agencies, of same or similar size as the County, with whom you have established a contract on a project of the same nature as this RFP.

25. Question: hoe do I request an Schedule A/B Budget work book

Answer: Schedule A has been uploaded into ePro. There is no Schedule B for this program.

26. Question: Will Recovery Center and RSS be on the dame budget?.

Answer: Yes. Schedule A has been uploaded into ePro.

27. Question: Sorry I want to request a A/B Schedule work book

Answer: Schedule A has been uploaded into ePro. There is no Schedule B for this program.

28. Question: What are the minimum staffing, qualifications, operating hours, and participant-volume requirements?

Answer: That is to be determined by the proposer based on the requirements for a Recovery Center and recovery services outlined in the RFP.

There is no minimum client volume.

Cost reimbursement are based on the Recovery Center(s) activities/costs.

Recovery service FFS reimbursement are based on services rendered.

29. Question: Is subcontracting or partnering with another organization permitted?

Answer: Yes, as long as the proposal is compliant with DBH Compliance and contracting requirements for subcontracting.

30. Question: If awarded contract will DBHS submit referrals directly to the award recipient:

Answer: There is no referral process for Recovery Center activities or recovery services.

31. Question: Is program limit to riverside county limits Or sanbernardino county

Answer: Facility must be located within San Bernardino County.

32. Question: are there any specific community licenses required to be obtained after org awarded?

Answer: If provider plans to provide and seek reimbursement for recovery services, they would need to be DMC-ODS and AOD certified by DHCS.

33. Question: Per my conversation with XXX she mentioned that in the RFP meeting they stated each location needed its own budget. However, on the attached budget template it indicates line items for Facility 1, Facility 2 and Facility 3 address which would indicate to me that only one budget is needed for all three locations? Please advise as I have on my calendar to do this budget on Friday 9/11. Thank you!

Answer: When awarded, there will be one template per provider. For the proposals, we are requesting one budget per site to identify the individual Recovery Center costs for each site.

34. Question: Do any documents from Attachments O, P, Q or S need to be submitted with our proposal?

Answer: Yes. Please note that Attachment P is reserved.

35. Question: The budget template that has been uploaded only contains schedule A. When will the rest of the template be made available?

Answer: Schedule A is the only budget schedule necessary for this program.

36. Question: Pursuant to Attachment J of RFP DBH 26-011 / ePro Bid # DBHE26-ADMN-6399, please provide the required electronic Schedule A and Schedule B budget workbook(s), or please advise where they may be obtained.

Answer: Schedule A is the only budget schedule necessary for this program.

37. Question: The RFP discusses payment including reimbursement and Fee-For-Service reimbursement.

Can you please confirm if we will be submitting invoices for time and materials in alignment with our proposed budget for all non-billable recovery services. Or if we will be submitting claims directly to the county for those services. The RFP was not clear regarding the process. If the latter are we to provide you with a “all inclusive rate” to cover all costs associated with the delivery of each service?

For the Fee for Service reimbursement, the RFP states that rates established by DBH for San Bernardino County. Can you please share these established rates or tell me where I can find these rates?

Answer: The budget is a combination of fee for service, and reimbursement of costs not claimed for fee for service items. Provider is required to submit claims monthly to

DBH.

38. Question: If we are proposing to only provide a Recovery Center do we not need to provide an estimated number of clients and an estimated cost per participant? Only an estimated cost per service hour?

Answer: If only proposing a Recovery Center, the proposal must contain information related to the costs of operating a Recovery Center and, based on those costs, how many activities are planned and how many clients they plan/propose to support.

39. Question: Attachment H – If the proposer does not transport consumers can the “automobile liability” be left blank?

Answer: If the proposer/employees will be driving any company owned vehicles to conduct business on behalf of the facility/contractor, Risk Management recommends Auto be included. If not, then the proposer can put “N/A”.

40. Question: Stand Alone Services – To be clear they Include PHP,IOT/IOP,ODF,RS,WM 2.0 and 1.0,MAT.

Answer: Standalone services are MAT, Care Coordination, Recovery Services and Peer Services as defined by DHCS. Standalone services are not a level of care.

41. Question: ADA consumers – Our current facility located upstairs at 303 East main st. Barstow is non ADA compliant and requires consumers to be ambulatory. We have as of now leased a location on the first floor of the same building and it will meet all ADA requirements. Will this prohibit us from being awarded a contract?

Answer: Recovery Center must be compliant with all state and federal ADA requirements for state and federal funding.

42. Question: Uploading the completed RFP into ePro – Where exactly? In the documents file?

Answer: Please contact the San Bernardino County Purchasing Department, as noted in the RFP, for any assistance with ePro.

43. Question: If the prime contractor is a nonprofit receiving SUBG funding, may it subcontract defined non-DMC Recovery Center services to a qualified for-profit behavioral health organization?

Answer: SUBG funds cannot be paid to a for-profit agency.

44. Question: What non-DMC Recovery Center services may be performed by an approved subcontractor, and are any services required to be performed directly by the prime contractor?

Answer: More information is needed to answer this question.

45. Question: Will DBH consider the subcontractor's experience, staffing, qualifications, licenses, and SUD program experience when evaluating the prime proposer's capacity and qualifications?

Answer: No.

46. Question: May qualified subcontractor staff be included in meeting the program's required staffing levels and qualifications?

Answer: There is no program required staffing levels.

47. Question: May an approved subcontractor provide its assigned services at the prime contractor's approved Recovery Center site without maintaining a separate Recovery Center location?

Answer: More information would be needed in order to answer this question.

48. Question: May services and participant outcomes provided by an approved subcontractor count toward the prime contractor's required service volume and performance outcomes?

Answer: More information would be needed in order to answer this question.

49. Question: May the subcontractor document and report its services through the prime contractor, or is separate/direct reporting to DBH required?

Answer: Separate/direct reporting to DBH is not required. The prime contractor remains responsible for ensuring reporting occurs.

50. Question: Which RFP and contract requirements apply directly to a subcontractor providing only a defined portion of the non-DMC Recovery Center services?

Answer: More information would be needed in order to answer this question.

51. Question: Is a subcontractor required to independently meet all insurance, financial reporting, audit, and monitoring requirements applicable to the prime, or are these requirements based on the subcontractor's specific scope of services?

Answer: The proposal instructions require the Proposer to submit audited financial statements and evidence of its ability to insure. Section X makes the prime contractor fully responsible for subcontractor performance and requires the prime contractor to indemnify the County for subcontractor actions or omissions.

Applicable insurance or financial requirements could depend on the subcontracted scope and what DBH requires during approval.

52. Question: How should subcontractor costs be reflected in the prime contractor's proposed budget, and are there any restrictions on reimbursement of subcontracted services?

Answer: Proposer is responsible for accounting for all costs and is responsible for paying any and all subcontractors they work with.

53. Question: If the subcontractor is identified in the proposal and submits a completed Attachment F, is separate County approval required after award? If so, what additional documentation is required before services may begin?

Answer: No.

54. Question: After award, may the prime contractor modify or expand an approved subcontractor's scope with County approval without a new procurement?

Answer: More information is needed to answer this question.

55. Question: May the same approved subcontractor provide services under more than one prime contractor awarded through this RFP?

Answer: Yes.

56. Question: May a prime contractor use an approved behavioral health subcontractor to provide non-DMC mental health and co-occurring disorder services and to facilitate psychiatric evaluation when clinically indicated, rather than referring those services to an unrelated outside provider?

Answer: All services provided must be appropriate for a Recovery Center as outlined within the RFP. If seeking to provide standalone services provider must obtain a DMC- ODS and AOD certification and is only able to provide the MAT, Care Coordination, Recovery Services and Peer Services as defined by DHCS.

Non-DMC services that are provided to clients must fall within the scope of services outline within the RFP for a Recovery Center for substance use disorder. Provider reimbursement is for costs associated with providing substance use disorder recovery center activities.

Mental Health specific services and psychiatric evaluations are not standalone SUD services.