RFA #20818/Internal Program #26-0003

SFS ID: AICGP2027

SFS Event Name: RFA #20818 AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Prog

New York State Department of Health

AIDS Institute Office of the Medical Director

And Health Research, Inc.

Request for Applications (RFA)

AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program

In order to apply for this Request for Applications, eligible applicants must be prequalified in the Statewide Financial System.

Applicants may submit no more than one (1) application in response to this RFA.

KEY DATES

RFA Release Date: September 3, 2026

Questions Due: September 22, 2026, by 4:00 PM ET

Questions, Answers and Updates Posted: (on or about): October 6, 2026

Applications Due: October 22, 2026, by 4:00 PM ET

IMPORTANT – PLEASE NOTE: Applications must be submitted by completing the online questions in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) AND by submitting an application with all required information to AIGPU@health.ny.gov by the date and time posted above.

Please see Section V. Completing the Application, A. Application Format/Content for complete submission instructions.

BOTH the SFS submission and PDF submission to AIGPU@health.ny.gov are required to be completed, or an application will not be reviewed.

Department of Health Contact Name & Address:

Laura Russell, Program Director AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program Office of the Medical Director New York State Department of Health/AIDS Institute Email: AIGPU@health.ny.gov mailto:AIGPU@health.ny.gov

AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program RFA #20818

Table of Contents I. Introduction

A. Background/Intent B. Available Funding

II. Who May Apply A. Minimum Eligibility Requirements

III. Project Narrative/Work Plan Outcomes A. Program Model Description B. Requirements for the Program

IV. Administrative Requirements A. Issuing Agency B. Question and Answer Phase C. Letter of Interest D. Applicant Conference E. How to File an Application F. Department of Health’s and HRI’s Reserved Rights G. Term of Contract H. Payment & Reporting Requirements of Grant Awardees I. Procurement Requirements J. Assurances of No Conflicts of Interest and/or Other Detrimental Effects K. Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprises L. Vendor Identification Number M. Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire N. Vendor Prequalification for Not-for-Profits O. General Specifications

V. Completing the Application A. Application Format and Content B. Freedom of Information Law C. Review & Award Process

VI. Attachments

I. Introduction

The New York State Department of Health (herein referred to as the Department), AIDS Institute, Office of the Medical Director (OMD) and Health Research, Inc. (HRI) announce the availability of New York State and federal funds to provide a wide range of professional processes and activities associated with the development, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of clinical practice guidelines. The intent of the Request for Applications (RFA) is to fund $795,000 annually for five (5) years ($3,975,000 total).

A. Background/Intent

The intent of this RFA is to identify an organization:

• with the capacity, experience, and expertise to manage the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program to ensure that the mission of promoting equitable, patient-centered, quality medical care is met; and

• to foster the program’s unwavering commitment to reducing health disparities and health inequities by providing evidence-based guidance that supports compassionate and inclusive clinical care and upholds the fundamental dignity of all people.

The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program began in the 1980s in response to the clinical management challenges of HIV/AIDS. In recent years, the guidelines program has broadened its scope to meet the needs of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute’s expanded mission to “end preventable syndemics, achieve equity, fight stigma, promote health”. The guidelines program serves as a core component of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute by providing clinical recommendations and expert opinion upon which other AIDS Institute programs are designed, implemented, and evaluated.

The mission of the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program is to develop and disseminate practical, evidence-based clinical guidelines that promote equitable, quality medical care for people in New York State (NYS) who are living with or are at risk of acquiring HIV, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), or developing substance use disorders. The program aims to inform primary care providers who do not specialize in these topic areas but who are providing care to people affected by them within NYS. This is accomplished through a guideline development methodology which incorporates current research and evidence as well as the breadth of experience of committee members who specialize in HIV, HCV, STI, and substance use and who know the realities of providing clinical care throughout NYS and in a broad array of clinical settings. The program is committed to publishing guidelines that are used in the real world by busy care providers, who find them to be useful and readily accessible tools with immediate application in daily practice.

The AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program strives to adhere to the Institute of Medicine’s standards for developing trustworthy clinical practice guidelines. This includes establishing and maintaining transparency by explicitly detailing the process by which a guideline was developed, who was involved, their clinical experience, and disclosure of potential financial and intellectual conflicts of interest. This allows guidelines users to have confidence that the guidelines are largely free from bias and therefore trustworthy.

In June 2014, NYS announced a three-point plan to end the AIDS epidemic in NYS. 1 This plan provided a roadmap to significantly reduce HIV infections to a historic low by the end of 2020, 1 https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/ending_the_epidemic/index.htm https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/ending_the_epidemic/index.htm with the goal of achieving the first ever decrease in HIV prevalence. The plan also aimed to improve the health of all HIV positive New Yorkers and was the first jurisdictional effort of its kind in the U.S. The three (3) points highlighted in the plan are:

1) Identify persons with HIV who remain undiagnosed and get them linked to care;

2) Link and retain persons diagnosed with HIV in health care to maximize viral suppression; and

3) Increase access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for persons who are HIV negative.

NYS has been laying the groundwork for ending the AIDS epidemic since the disease emerged in the early 1980s. NYS’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has involved the development of comprehensive service delivery systems that evolved over time in sync with the evolution of AIDS from a terminal illness to a manageable chronic disease. This strategy enabled the state to implement new technologies as they were introduced, including new treatments, new diagnostic tests and, more recently, PrEP. By building upon each individual success and relying on a strong administrative infrastructure, the state was able to roll out innovative programs quickly to achieve the greatest impact. Ending the epidemic in NYS is within reach, thanks to aggressive and systematic public health initiatives that have made it possible to drive down rates of new infections. The State’s Ending the Epidemic (ETE) initiative was launched with visionary leadership and extensive stakeholder leadership and participation.

The RFA specifically addresses these ETE Blueprint (BP) recommendations:

Identify persons with HIV who remain undiagnosed and link them to health care;

Link and retain persons diagnosed with HIV in care to maximize virus suppression so they remain healthy and prevent further transmission;

Provide access to PrEP for high-risk persons to keep them HIV-negative; and Recommendations in support of decreasing new infections and disease progression.

The ETE BP continues to guide all ETE efforts. The ETE Addendum Report is a written report that provides an overview of the past five years of New York State's ETE initiatives, as well as a summary of the community feedback sessions that were conducted in 2020 to assist in identifying areas of focus for ETE beyond 2020.

The ETE BP and the ETE Addendum report are available on the New York State Department of Health website at: www.health.ny.gov/endingtheepidemic

In November 2021, NYS released its plan to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health problem in NYS by 2030. To achieve the goal of hepatitis C elimination, concerted efforts are needed to ensure access to timely diagnosis, care and treatment for all people with the hepatitis C. NYS plans to eliminate hepatitis C by:

• Enhancing hepatitis C prevention, testing and linkage to care services for people who inject drugs, people who are incarcerated, men who have sex with men, and other populations disproportionately impacted by HCV infection;

• Expanding hepatitis C screening and testing to identify people living with hepatitis C who are unaware of their status and link them to care;

• Providing access to clinically appropriate medical care and affordable hepatitis C treatment without restrictions and ensure the availability of necessary supportive services for all New Yorkers living with hepatitis C;

http://www.health.ny.gov/endingtheepidemic https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/hepatitis/hepatitis_c/docs/hepatitis_c_elimination_plan.pdf

• Enhancing NYS hepatitis C surveillance, set and track hepatitis C elimination targets, and make this information available to the public; and

• Addressing social determinants of health.

The Prevention Agenda is New York's State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). It is a six-year initiative aimed at improving the health status of individuals in New York and reducing health disparities through a strong emphasis on prevention. The Prevention Agenda outlines key health priorities and how these priorities will be addressed to improve the health and wellbeing of all individuals in New York. The Prevention Agenda is a framework for local public health agencies, hospitals, government agencies, community-based organizations, health care providers, advocates, educators, policymakers, and other critical partners to promote action, maximize resources, and prioritize strategies that advance health.

The NYS Prevention Agenda 2025-2030 can be found on the following website:

https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/prevention_agenda/2025-2030/

B. Available Funding

Up to $795,000 annually in New York State and HRI funding is available to support one (1) statewide award through this RFA. The contract resulting from this RFA will be funded by a combination of funding from New York State (NYS) and from Health Research, Inc. (HRI). Due to the different sources of funding, the funded applicant will receive one (1) NYS contract and one (1) HRI Contract.

Applicants may submit no more than one (1) application in response to this RFA. If more than one (1) application is submitted in response to this Request for Applications, the first application that is submitted will be reviewed and considered for funding. All other applications will be rejected.

One (1) award will be made to the highest scoring applicant.

If there is not an acceptable application (scoring 70 or above) received, HRI/the New York

State Department of Health AIDS Institute reserves the right to fund an application scoring in the range of (60-69).

If there is not a fundable application HRI/the New York State Department of Health AIDS

Institute reserves the right to re-solicit.

• HRI/the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute reserves the right to revise the award amount as necessary due to changes in availability of funding.

Applicants should complete and submit Attachment 1: Application Cover Page and Attachment 2: Statement of Assurances signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Designee to certify the organization meets all criteria listed on Attachment 2. Both documents should be included as part of the full application submission.

II. Who May Apply

A. Minimum Eligibility Requirements

All applicants must meet the following Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/prevention_agenda/2025-2030/

Applicant must be prequalified in the New York Statewide Financial System (SFS), if not exempt, on the date and time Applications in response to this Request for Applications (RFA) are due as specified in the “Key Dates” set forth on the Cover Page of this Request for Applications.

Applicant must be a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

Applicant must demonstrate three (3) years of proven experience and the necessary methodological expertise to develop clinical guidelines by submitting Attachment 3:

Three-year Inventory of Evidence-based Published Clinical Guidelines as instructed in Section V. Completing the Application, A. Application Format/Content, Program Specific Questions (PSQ)/Bid Factors, PSQ 1f.

Applicant must demonstrate three (3) years of experience in website content design and management by submitting Attachment 4: Website Design for Clinical Content as instructed in Section V. Completing the Application, A. Application Format/Content, Program Specific Questions (PSQ)/Bid Factors, PSQ 1g.

III. Project Narrative/Work Plan Outcomes

A. Program Model Description

The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program encompasses a wide range of professional processes and administrative activities associated with the development and maintenance, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of clinical practice guidelines for the medical management and treatment needs of individuals with or at risk of HIV infection, HCV, and STIs. The program also promotes drug user and LGBTQ+ health.

The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute Office of the Medical Director oversees the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program and ensures the activities within the following components are completed. Applicants should demonstrate their ability in:

1. Guideline Development and Maintenance The clinical guidelines are developed on a consensus basis using committees of distinguished clinicians from throughout NYS with extensive experience in the topic areas of the program.

These committees are composed of representative experts in HIV, HCV, STI, substance use, and LGBTQ+ care; each has a chair and vice-chair, and function according to committee by-laws. Guidelines committees meet to develop new guidelines as identified by the AIDS Institute Office of the Medical Director, review and update existing guidelines as necessary to keep information current, address emerging clinical and research developments, and advise the AIDS Institute on topics for inclusion in guideline content. All guidelines undergo both peer and consumer review.

The management of the peer and consumer reviews and the guidelines committees is the responsibility of the funded applicant. Guidelines committee membership, the workflow of each committee, support of the authors, contact with committee chairs and members as well as guidelines conference calls and meetings, are arranged by the funded applicant with approval by the AIDS Institute. The committees rely on evidence in formulating guidelines recommendations; therefore, for each guideline that is developed, the funded applicant coordinates and ensures the provision of:

• a systematic literature search;

• a systematic evidence review;

• compilation of evidence related to decision points;

• facilitation of ratings to recommendations; and https://www.hivguidelines.org/home/about/#tab_1

• an open and transparent methodology which includes peer, liaison, consumer, and public health reviews.

As guidelines are developed and/or updated every three (3) years and as needed, the funded applicant will work with the AIDS Institute, authors, and committees to consider each important factor that determines a decision and to provide a concise summary of the best available research evidence to inform judgements. Those involved in developing guidelines use their expertise to evaluate the quality of evidence leading to recommendations, balancing between benefits, harms, and burdens, with the views, values and preferences of patients, as well as resource use, feasibility, and acceptability. The funded applicant will work with the committees to address such issues to achieve a thorough model of evidence-based decision making. The funded applicant will ensure that the content of each guideline is rigorously developed using a transparent process that combines scientific evidence, clinical expert knowledge, patient values, health equity principles, and excludes biases from political and commercial entities.

The funded applicant will provide professional editing of all guidelines and manages all editorial and version control processes by which guideline documents are written, reviewed, rated, and translated into electronic media. Applicants should have the demonstrated experience and the necessary methodological expertise to develop clinical guidelines, as well as the capability to manage and direct guidelines committees and subcommittees in activities related to identifying and developing pertinent guidelines topics. Applicants should have experience in project management with groups of medical professionals, capacity to oversee multiple projects simultaneously, and the ability to use subcontractors and specialized consultants as needed to augment internal capacity.

The funded applicant will ensure:

• all medical editorial staff keep abreast of developments in the field of HIV, HCV, STIs, substance use, LGBTQ+ health, and health equity and these developments are reflected in guidelines documents;

• optimized information design and formatting to ensure logical flow and ease of use;

• fidelity across existing related guidelines as new guidelines are developed; and

• archival of all draft versions.

In addition, the funded applicant will work with the AIDS Institute to advance and refine processes through which evidence is identified, reviewed, and applied to guidelines development.

2. Guidelines Dissemination Once a guideline is approved by the AIDS Institute, it is published on the program’s website www.hivguidelines.org along with any companion materials. It is the funded applicant’s responsibility to manage and enhance this website. The guidelines produced by the program are designed to be useful and readily accessible tools with immediate application in daily practice; therefore, the website design and function must support this level of ease of use. It is the funded applicant’s responsibility, with oversight and approval from the AIDS Institute, to ensure that the content on www.hivguidelines.org is published in a user-friendly, mobile-friendly format which is visually engaging and up-to-date.

The funded applicant will be responsible for proposing and coordinating activities relating to additional dissemination channels, including growing the program’s social media presence and newsletter audience, submitting guidelines to the National Library of Medicine Literature Archive, the creation of podcasts, complimentary materials, and other mechanisms to increase the visibility, accessibility, and credibility of the clinical guidelines.

http://www.hivguidelines.org/

3. Guideline Implementation The funded applicant will be a key participant in a collaborative effort among AIDS Institute programs to foster the implementation of the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines. Partnering programs include the AIDS Institute Clinical Education Initiative (CEI) which develops and provides clinical trainings based on the clinical guidelines; and the Quality of Care program which develops clinical performance measures derived from the guidelines. The funded applicant will participate in collaborative meetings with these programmatic partners to identify methods to improve clinical care and outcomes.

The funded applicant will be responsible for conducting research and feasibility studies exploring additional mechanisms to aid implementation of the guidelines, such as artificial intelligence-guided user tools and showcasing implementation strategies within the guidelines as appropriate.

4. Guideline and Program Evaluation The funded applicant will be responsible for developing, obtaining AIDS Institute approval of, and coordinating the implementation of plans to gather feedback from clinicians and/or professional clinical societies in NYS on their use and views of the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines.

In addition, the funded applicant must propose, and the AIDS Institute approve, an evaluation plan to ensure that all goals of the program are being met. Key components of this plan will include analysis and reporting of website utilization and citation tracking data to evaluate success.

5. Administrative and Operational Activities The funded applicant will be responsible for a wide range of administrative and operational duties to ensure the success of the program, including:

• Schedule, host, facilitate, and document the results of all related (standing or ad-hoc) conference calls and virtual or in-person meetings for each of the activities within the components described above;

• Collect, track, and archive disclosures of relevant financial relationships and confidentiality agreements of program staff, members, authors, liaisons, reviewers, and all other participants in the program;

• Ensure the stipulations outlined in the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program

Bylaws: Attachment 5 are followed. This includes developing systems and generating reports to track committee leaders’ and members’ terms of service, participation, and payment of honoraria;

• Orient guideline committee members, authors, and reviewers to the program and guide them through all development and review processes and procedures;

• Manage development processes and procedures, including developing committee work plans and editorial timetables for guideline completion;

• Schedule, manage logistics and payment for, and facilitate routine Strategic Planning, Steering Committee, and Collaborative Partner meetings;

• Ensure the ongoing management of www.hivguidelines.org website, including content management system upgrades as needed. Applicants should have substantial experience in website design and management, which includes technological expertise and familiarity with using electronic media effectively, as well as the ability to generate and analyze utilization data; and

• Coordinate and ensure the completion of special projects, including procurement and payment for clinical award plaques; and planning, hosting, and documenting results of program meetings relating to scientific conferences.

Applicants should include qualified staff in their proposed staffing structures, including those to serve as:

• Principal Investigator

• Project Director

• Medical Editors

• Fiscal Support

• Administrative Support

• Graphic Designer (able to subcontract)

• Web Developer (able to subcontract)

An overarching goal of the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program is to develop and disseminate evidence-based, state-of-the-art clinical practice guidelines that establish a uniform standard of clinical care for all people living with HIV, HCV, STI, and substance use, regardless of the practice or geographic setting in which they receive care. The AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program also supports the NYS ETE Initiative with strong recommendations for increased testing and linkage to care, immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy, increased awareness of acute HIV infection, and dedicated efforts to maintain HIV viral load suppression.

The funded applicant is expected to achieve the following outcomes:

• An electronically published suite of current, evidence-based, user-friendly clinical guidelines which reflect the priority areas of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute.

• Increased reach, visibility, accessibility, and credibility of the guidelines.

• Optimized www.hivguidelines.org site design and navigation, combining ease of use with functionality.

Addressing Health Equity and the Social Determinants of Health

The Department of Health AIDS Institute is committed to ensuring funded programs and partners are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and expertise to adequately address health equity and the social determinants of health. Health equity means everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be healthy, where no one is limited in achieving optimal health because of who they are or where they live. In a world where health equity is the norm, everyone has fair and just access to these conditions, and therefore, has a fair and just opportunity to achieve optimal health. The social determinants of health include socioeconomic status, education, employment, housing, transportation, food/nutrition, health literacy, social supports, and stigma/discrimination.

The Department of Health AIDS Institute is committed to the implementation of new and tailored approaches to address the challenges faced by communities with a disproportionate burden of disease, including people who use drugs and the LGBTQ+ community, Black/Brown, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and all people impacted by HIV, Hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections. Programs are expected to deliver services in accordance with the following health equity principles:

• Be explicit when identifying targeted communities and populations facing inequities.

• Identify evidence-based, tailored solutions and approaches.

• Create an internal organization-wide culture of equity.

• Respect and involve impacted communities.

• Measure and evaluate progress in reducing health disparities.

Please see Attachment 6 for Health Equity Definitions and Examples of social and structural determinants of health.

Applicants may subcontract components of the scope of work up to 50% of the total contract.

For those applicants that propose subcontracting, it is preferable to identify subcontracting agencies during the application process. Applicants that plan to subcontract are expected to state in the application the specific components of the scope of work to be performed through subcontracts. Applicants should note that the lead organization (funded applicant) will have overall responsibility for all contract activities, including those performed by subcontractors, and will be the primary contact for the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute. All subcontractors should be approved by the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute.

B. Requirements for the Program

The Applicant selected for funding will be expected to:

1. Adhere to Health Literacy Universal Precautions (https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html);

2. Adhere to all Objectives, Tasks and Performance Measures as listed in Work Plan:

Attachment 7; and

3. Participate in a collaborative process with the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute to assess program outcomes and provide monthly narrative reports describing the progress of the program with respect to: 1) implementation, 2) success in meeting the AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program Work Plan, 3) significant accomplishments achieved, and 5) barriers encountered and plans to address noted problems.

IV. Administrative Requirements

A. Issuing Agency

This RFA is issued by the Department, AIDS Institute, Office of the Medical Director and Health Research, Inc. The Department is responsible for the requirements specified herein and for the evaluation of all Applications (refer to Section V.C. Review and Award Process).

B. Question and Answer Phase

All substantive questions by Applicants with respect to any aspect of the RFA must be submitted in writing to Laura Russell, New York State Department of Health, AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program, at the following email address: AIGPU@health.ny.gov This includes Minority and Woman Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Requirements questions and related forms. Refer to Section IV.K. Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html

Requirements. Questions of a technical nature related to formatting or other minor details related to preparation of an Application may also be addressed in writing to the email address noted above. Questions are of a technical nature if they are limited to how to prepare your Application (e.g., formatting) rather than relating to the substance of the Application.

To the degree possible, each question submitted by a potential Applicant pursuant to the terms of this RFA should cite the RFA section and paragraph to which it refers. Written questions will be accepted until the date posted on the Cover Page of this RFA.

Some helpful links for questions of a technical nature are below. Questions regarding specific opportunities or Applications should be directed to the Department contact listed on the cover of this RFA.

• On-Demand Statewide Financial System Training Videos: On-demand training focused on using the new grants management features in SFS is available by logging in to the SFS Vendor Portal and clicking the SFS Coach icon available on the homepage. Additional questions? Contact the SFS Help Desk listed below:

• Statewide Financial System Technical Support Help Desk

Phone: 1-877-737-4185 toll-free / 518-457-7737 Hours: Monday thru Friday 8am to 8pm Email: helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov

Prospective Applicants must submit all requests for clarifications of, or exceptions or changes to, the terms, conditions or provisions of this RFA or the State of New York Contract for Grants during the Question and Answer Phase, which will end on the “Questions Due” date specified on the Cover Page of this RFA. An Applicant must clearly indicate the clarification, exception or change in the RFA or the State of New York Contract for Grants the Applicant is requesting. All questions, answers, and requests for clarification, exception or change will be published by the Department at SFS Public Portal Homepage to ensure equal access and knowledge by all prospective Applicants, on or about the date specified on the Cover Page of this RFA.

This RFA has been posted on the NYS Statewide Financial System website at: SFS Public Portal Homepage and additionally, via a link provided on the Department's public website at:

https://www.health.ny.gov/funding/.

The RFA is also posted on HRI’s public website at: http://www.healthresearch.org/funding-opportunities.

Questions and answers, as well as any updates, addendums to, and/or other modifications of this RFA, will be posted on these websites. All such questions and answers, updates addendums to, and other modifications to this RFA will be posted by the date identified on the Cover Page of this RFA under “Key Dates”.

All Questions must be received by the date and time specified on the Cover Page of this RFA, under “Key Dates”, opposite the heading “Questions Due”.

All questions submitted by email should state the RFA Title and Number set forth on the Cover Page, RFA #20818: AIDS Institute Clinical Guidelines Program in the subject line of the email.

C. Letter of Interest mailto:helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psp/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NY_SUPPUB_FL.AUC_RESP_INQ_AUC.GBL?

https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psp/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NY_SUPPUB_FL.AUC_RESP_INQ_AUC.GBL?

https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psp/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NY_SUPPUB_FL.AUC_RESP_INQ_AUC.GBL?

https://www.health.ny.gov/funding/ http://www.healthresearch.org/funding-opportunities http://www.healthresearch.org/funding-opportunities

A Letter of Interest is not requested for this project.

D. Applicant Conference

An Applicant Conference will not be held for this project.

E. How to File an Application

Applications must be submitted online via the Statewide Financial System AND by emailing a PDF of the application and all required attachments to AIGPU@health.ny.gov by the date and time posted on the Cover Page of this RFA under “Key Dates”.

Reference materials and videos are available for Applicants to funding opportunities on the NYS Statewide Financial System. Please visit the Statewide Financial System website at the following web address: SFS Public Portal Homepage and click the “Search for Grant Opportunities” tile. There is also a more detailed “Statewide Financial System: Vendor User Guide” available in the documents section under Training & Guidance; For Grant Applicants located in SFS Coach. Training webinars are also provided by the Grants Management Team.

Dates and times for webinar instruction can be located at the following web address: Live Webinars | Grants Management (ny.gov)

To submit an Application an Applicant must:

1. Log into the Statewide Financial System Vendor Portal .

2. Click the Grant Management Tile. Next, Click the Bid Event Search tile.

3. Enter the applicable search criteria in the Search Criteria Fields. Locate an opportunity;

search by Funding Agency (DOH01) or enter the Grant Opportunity name into the Search by Grant Opportunity field: SFS #AICGP2027. You can also filter search by Status such as “available” which filters to include only the bid events that are published and open for potential bid response.

4. Click on “Search” button to initiate the search.

5. Click on Event ID link to initiate a bid response.

6. Please review the Grantee User Manual found in SFS Coach for additional steps on how to respond to various types of Bid Events.

Once the Application is complete, a prospective Applicant is strongly encouraged to submit their Application at least 48 hours prior to the Application’s due date and time specified on the Cover Page of this RFA. This will allow sufficient opportunity for the Applicant to obtain assistance and take corrective action should there be a technical issue with the submission process. Failure to leave adequate time to address issues identified during this process may jeopardize an Applicant’s ability to submit their Application. SFS staff are available to answer an Applicant’s technical questions and provide technical assistance prior to the Application due date and time. Contact information for the Grants Management Staff and SFS is available under Section IV.B. Question and Answer Phase of this RFA.

PLEASE NOTE: Although the Department and SFS Help desk staff will do their best to address concerns that are identified less than 48 hours prior to the due date and time for the submission of an Application, there is no guarantee that they will be resolved in time for the Application to be submitted on time and, therefore, considered for funding.

During the Application process, please pay particular attention to the following:

https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psc/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_LANDINGPAGE.GBL?& https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/live-webinars https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/live-webinars https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psp/fscm/SUPPLIER/?cmd=login&languageCd=ENG&

• Not-for-profit Applicants must be prequalified, if not exempt, on the date and time Applications in response to this Request for Applications are due as specified in the “Key Dates” set forth on the Cover Page of this RFA. Be sure to maintain prequalification status between funding opportunities. NOTE: Three of a not-for-profit’s essential financial documents - the IRS990, its Financial Statement, and its Charities Bureau filing

- expire on an annual basis. If these documents are allowed to expire, the not-for-profit’s prequalification status expires as well, and it will not be eligible for State grant funding until its documentation is updated and approved, and prequalified status is reinstated.

• Only individuals with the role of “Bid Response Submitter” can submit an Application on behalf of an Applicant.

• Prior to submission, the Statewide Financial System will automatically initiate a global error checking process to protect against an incomplete Application. An Applicant may need to attend to certain parts of the Application prior to being able to submit the Application successfully. An Applicant must be sure to allow time after pressing the submit button to clean up any global errors that may arise. (Vendor User Guide).

• Applicants should use numbers, letters, and underscores when naming their uploaded files. There cannot be any special characters in the uploaded file name. Also, be aware of the restriction on file size (20 MB) when uploading documents. Applicants should ensure that any attachments uploaded with their application are not “protected” or “pass-worded” documents.

The Applicant’s Delegated Administrator is able to assign, modify, and remove roles for the Applicant in SFS. Please see SFS Vendor Portal Access Reference Guide, SFS_Vendor_Portal_Access_Reference_Guide.pdf (ny.gov), for additional information on roles.

Bid Response Initiator and Bid Response Submitter are the necessary roles for applying to a Bid Event in SFS. If you are a not-for-profit you will also need Prequalification Processor for Prequalification purposes.

PLEASE NOTE: Waiting until the last several days to complete your Application online can be risky, as you may have technical questions or issues that will take time to resolve.

Beginning the process of applying as soon as possible will produce the best results.

Applications will not be accepted via fax, paper copy, or hand delivery.

LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

F. Department of Health’s and HRI’s Reserved Rights

The Department of Health and HRI reserve the right to:

1. Reject any or all Applications received in response to this RFA.

2. Withdraw the RFA at any time, at the Department’s or HRI’s sole discretion.

3. Make an award under the RFA in whole or in part.

4. Disqualify any Applicant whose conduct and/or Application fails to conform to the requirements of the RFA.

5. Seek clarifications and revisions of Applications, in the Department’s or HRI’s sole discretion.

https://upk.sfs.ny.gov/UPK/VEN101/FILES/SFS_Vendor_Portal_Access_Reference_Guide.pdf

6. Use Application information obtained through site visits, management interviews, and the state’s investigation of an Applicant’s qualifications, experience, ability, or financial standing, and any material or information submitted by the Applicant in response to the Department’s or HRI’s request for clarifying information in the course of evaluation and/or selection under the RFA.

7. Prior to Application opening, amend the RFA specifications to correct errors or oversights, or to supply additional information, as it becomes available.

8. Prior to Application opening, direct Applicants to submit proposal modifications addressing subsequent RFA amendments.

9. Change any of the scheduled dates.

10. Waive any requirements that are not material.

11. Award more than one contract resulting from this RFA.

12. Negotiate with successful Applicants within the scope of the RFA in the best interests of the State and HRI.

13. Conduct contract negotiations with the next responsible Applicant, should the Department or HRI be unsuccessful in negotiating with the selected Applicant.

14. Utilize any and all ideas submitted with the Applications received, at the Department’s or

HRI’s sole discretion.

15. Unless otherwise specified in the RFA, every offer in an Applicant’s Application is firm and not revocable for a period of 60 days from the Application opening.

16. Waive or modify minor irregularities in Applications received after prior notification to the

Applicant.

17. Require clarification at any time during the procurement process and/or require correction of arithmetic or other apparent errors for the purpose of assuring a full and complete understanding of an Applicant’s Application and/or to determine an Applicant’s compliance with the requirements of the RFA.

18. Eliminate any term of this RFA that can be complied with by none of the Applicants.

19. Award grants based on geographic or regional considerations to serve the best interests of the State and HRI.

G. Term of Contract

Any Contract resulting from this RFA will be effective only upon approval by the New York State Office of the Comptroller. Any HRI contract resulting from this RFA will be effective only upon approval by HRI. Refer to Attachment 8: General Terms and Conditions – Health Research Incorporated Contracts.

It is expected that State contracts resulting from this RFA will have the following multi-year time period: 7/1/2027 – 6/30/2032.

Continued funding throughout this five-year period is contingent upon availability of funding and state budget appropriations and the Grantee’s continued satisfactory performance of its obligations under the Contract. The Department also reserves the right to revise the award amount as necessary due to changes in the availability of funding.

A sample State of New York Contract for Grants can be found at:

https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2025/01/mcg_tandc_january_2025.p df

To view the following Department of Health specific State of New York Contract for Grants documents, follow the instructions in Section VI. Attachments.

• Attachment A-1: Agency-specific Terms and Conditions (RFA Attachment 9)

• Attachment A-2: Program-specific Terms and Conditions (HIV/AIDS Clause) (RFA

Attachment 10)

• Attachment E-1: AIDS Institute Policy on Personal Health Related Information (RFA

Attachment 11)

• Attachment M: Participation by Minority Group Members and Women with Respect to

State Contracts: requirements and Procedures (RFA Attachment 12)

HRI-funded contracts resulting from this RFA will be for twelve (12)-month terms. The anticipated start date of HRI contracts is 7/1/2027. However, depending on the funding source, the initial contract term could be for a shorter time period. HRI awards may be renewed for up to four (4) additional annual contract periods based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds. HRI reserves the right to revise the award amount as necessary due to changes in the availability of funding.

H. Payment & Reporting Requirements of Grant Awardees

1. The Department may, at its discretion, make an advance payment to a successful not-for-profit grant Applicant under this RFA (a “Grantee”) in an amount not to exceed 25 percent of the annual grant provided for under the Grantee’s Contract. Due to requirements of the federal funder, no advance payments will be allowed for HRI contracts resulting from this procurement.

2. The Grantee will be required to submit invoices and required reports of expenditures based upon the terms for payment set forth in Attachment A-1 to its Grant Contract to the State's designated payment office (below) or, if requested by the Department, through the Statewide Financial System:

AIDS Institute

New York State Department of Health Empire State Plaza

Corning Tower Room 259 Albany, NY 12237

AIDS.Institute.Admin@health.ny.gov

A Grantee must provide complete and accurate billing invoices in order to receive payment of the grant funding provided for under the terms of its Grant Contract. Invoices submitted to the Department must contain all information and supporting documentation required by the Contract, the Department, and the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). Payment for invoices submitted by the Grantee shall only be rendered electronically unless payment by https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2025/01/mcg_tandc_january_2025.pdf https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2025/01/mcg_tandc_january_2025.pdf mailto:AIDS.Institute.Admin@health.ny.gov paper check is expressly authorized by the Commissioner of Health, in the Commissioner's sole discretion, due to extenuating circumstances. Such electronic payment shall be made in accordance with OSC’s procedures and practices to authorize electronic payments.

Authorization forms are available at OSC’s website at:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/epay/index.htm, by email at: epayments@osc.state.ny.us or by telephone at 855-233-8363. Each Grantee acknowledges that it will not receive payment on any claims for reimbursement submitted under its Grant Contract if it does not comply with OSC’s electronic payment procedures, except where the Commissioner has expressly authorized payment by paper check as set forth above.

Payment of claims for reimbursement by the State (Department) shall be made in accordance with Article XI-A of the New York State Finance Law. Payment terms will be:

Grantee will be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred as allowed in the Contract Budget and Workplan.

3. The Grantee will be required to submit the following reports to the Department of Health at the address above or, if requested by the Department, through the Statewide Financial System:

• A monthly narrative addressing program implementation, barriers and accomplishments.

• For HRI contracts, contractors will be expected to submit voucher claims and reports of expenditures in the manner that HRI requires. Required forms will be provided with the contract package.

All payment and reporting requirements will be detailed in “Attachment D: Payment and Reporting Schedule”, of the final State of New York Contract For Grants. For HRI Contracts, payments and reporting requirements will be detailed in Exhibit “C” of the final contract.

I. Procurement Requirements

1. General Requirements

The Grantee may procure various goods and services in connection with the grant-funded project ranging from routinely purchased goods or services to those that involve substantive programmatic work. The procurement of such goods or services, however, must be conducted in an equitable and competitive manner to promote equal treatment, efficiency, and economy in grant-funded activities.

Any Grantee that is a State entity (i.e., a State agency or political subdivision of the State) must follow the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements from its general funds. All other Grantees (private companies, not-for-profit-organizations, etc.) must have a sufficient and documented procurement process that maintains records to detail the history of procurements associated with any awarded grant project. These records shall include, but are not limited to, rationale for the method of procurement (e.g., micro-purchase, small purchases, sealed bids, request for proposals, noncompetitive/sole source), the selection of a contract type, contractor selection and/or rejection, and the basis of a contract price.

The Grantee’s documented procurement process must conform with any applicable federal, State and local laws and regulations. As part of the required procurement procedures, a Grantee must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflict of interest and governing the actions of its employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts.

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/epay/index.htm mailto:epayments@osc.state.ny.us

The standards of conduct must provide for disciplinary actions to be applied for violations by officers, employees or agents of the Grantee. Such standards shall provide, at a minimum, that no employee, officer, or agent of the Grantee will participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by grant funds if a conflict of interest, real or actual, is involved. Such conflicts may arise when:

• The employee, officer, or agent, or

• Any member of such individual’s immediate family, or

• Such individual’s partner, or

• Any organization which employs, or is about to employ the selected contractor, has a financial or other interest in or receives or stands to receive a tangible personal benefit from a firm being considered for a contract.

The standards of conduct shall also cover organizational conflicts of interest. Organizational conflicts of interest arise where an entity is or appears to be unable to conduct an impartial procurement action due to relationships with a parent company, affiliate, or subsidiary organization.

2. Bid Protest Procedures

Any contractor, subcontractor, or aggrieved party has the right to protest actions before or after the award of a contract utilizing grant funds. The Grantee alone will be responsible, in accordance with good administrative practice and sound business judgement, for the settlement of all contractual and administrative issues arising out of procurement contract solicitations and awards.

Grantees shall have written protest procedures, which may be analogous to those set forth in Part 24 of Title 2 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, in order for effective due process to be achieved. A Grantee’s specific protest procedures shall be outlined in all bid requests, request for proposals, request for applications, etc. issued by or on behalf of the Grantee concerning any grant-funded projects. In summary, Grantees are responsible for handling all contract activity protests. Except in matters of direct State or possibly Federal concern (in cases involving federally funded grants), the Department will not substitute its judgement for that of the Grantee.

3. Procurement Contract Language

Any contract concerning a grant-funded project must be a written agreement between the Grantee and the third party providing specific goods and/or services. Whether with a contractor, subcontractor, consultant or vendor, the contract must as appropriate state the activities to be performed; the time schedule; the policies and requirements that apply to the contractor, subcontractor consultant or vendor, including the above procurement requirements; and any other terms and conditions of the grant and the New York State Contract for Grants.

J. Assurances of No Conflicts…