AMENDMENT #1 UMWOR-2025-0807-For03 (Q+A).pdf

DATE: January 21, 2025

FROM: University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School

(“UMass Chan”)

TO: All Potential Bidders

RFA NUMBER: UMWOR-2025-0807-For03

RFA TITLE: RFA - Qualified Consultants to Support ForHealth

Consulting Strategic Initiatives

INITIAL APPLICATION DUE DATE: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM

FINAL APPLICATION DUE DATE: Tuesday, December 18, 2029 at 2:00 PM

* Note that all times refer to times in the Eastern time zone of the United States.

AMENDMENT # 1

Number of Pages: Four (4)

The attention of all potential Bidders submitting Applications for the above RFA is called to the following

Questions & Answers. In some cases, UMass Chan may have grouped related questions and provided a single answer in an effort to assist Bidders to understand UMass Chan’s requirements. The items set forth herein, whether of omission, addition, substitution, or clarification, are all to be included in and form a part of the

Applications submitted.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

General

1) Question: What are the primary goals and objectives of this consulting project?

• Answer: The University of Massachusetts Worcester campus, also known as the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (“UMass Chan”), is issuing this Request for Applications

(the “RFA”) to identify qualified individuals (i.e., sole proprietors serving as independent consultants) and/or Small Consulting Firms capable of providing temporary consulting and support services to ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School.

Through this RFA, UMass Chan will establish a pre-qualified pool of consultants who will be placed on a Qualified Consultant List (“QCL”). The QCL will include executive advisors, project managers, project coordinators and other general consultants, who may provide various services to support the deployment of strategic and operational initiatives. Qualified Consultants from the QCL will be eligible to contract with UMass Chan to provide temporary services as needs arise.

Please see Attachment G for more details.

2) Question: What is the expected project timeline?

• Answer: The timeline for services required of the Qualified Consultant will vary based on the specific project. Exact timelines will be established when UMass Chan identifies a need for services.

UMass BuyWays Portal

3) Question: I am unable to open Attachment G: SCOPE OF SERVICES/WORK/SPECIFICATIONS on the UMass BuyWays Portal. How can I access this file?

• Answer: This technical issue may be resolved by following these steps:

1. Delete your cache files.

2. Restart your computer.

3. Try logging in again to access the file.

For reference, a PDF copy of Attachment G is now posted on the UMass BuyWays Portal under the Q & A Board. Bidders may also request a Word version of Attachment G by emailing the following UMass representative: Nora.Fish@umassmed.edu. Bidders must include the RFA number in the subject line of the email.

Previous RFA and Applicants

4) Question: I applied to UMass Chan’s previously issued RFA # UMWOR-2023-0487-For07 with the same title (formally # UMWOR-2022-0187-CWM05 and # CW20-NF-0006-0001) and was approved as a Qualified Consultant under that RFA. From reading this new RFA # UMWOR- 2025-0807-For03, it looks like I am already qualified and approved for the new iteration of this RFA, and no other action on my part is required. Is that correct?

• Answer: No, there is no reciprocity with the referenced RFA, which closed in August 2024 and is no longer accepting applications. You must submit a new application under RFA # UMWOR- 2025-0807-For03 to be considered for this iteration.

https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbids.sciquest.com%2Fapps%2FRouter%2FPublicEvent%3Ftab%3DPHX_NAV_SourcingAllOpps%26CustomerOrg%3DUMass&data=05%7C02%7CNora.Fish%40umassmed.edu%7Cb49f9f44ba534d964e1e08dd1fd0b8ec%7Cee9155fe2da34378a6c44405faf57b2e%7C0%7C0%7C638701703498961385%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=RRnR4ArzhQKOahOSiqh6EKsckVOeK5YJu3pDNht1kr8%3D&reserved=0 mailto:Nora.Fish@umassmed.edu

Eligibility Criteria

5) Question: With regard to Attachment G, Section 3 (A) and the definition of Small Consulting Firms as entities with 10 or fewer employees: do you mean 10 Full-Time Equivalents or a total employee count of 10?

• Answer: For Small Consulting Firms, the total employee count must be ten (10) or fewer employees.

6) Question: Is there any wiggle room for a business whose total employee count is only slightly above 10?

• Answer: No.

Potential Projects

7) Question: If approved to be on the Qualified Consultant List, what is the process for applying to participate in specific projects when UMass Chan needs additional capacity? Will you send out an RFP or directly request a specific staff member?

• Answer: Please refer to Attachment G, Section 3 for more information about the process, in particular, see Subsection G: SELECTION OF QUALIFIED CONSULTANT(S) TO PERFORM

SERVICES.

8) Question: It appears that if our proposed staff is approved for UMass Chan’s Qualified

Consultant list as an Executive Advisor, Project Manager, Project Coordinator, or General Consultant, these staff would then be eligible to respond to future solicitations for specific consulting projects pursuant to this RFA # UMWOR-2025-0807-For03. Are we correct in assuming that if selected, the staff person would work as part of a ForHealth Consulting team under the direction of ForHealth Consulting staff who were overseeing the particular project?

• Answer: Bidders selected for the Qualified Consultant List must execute a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with UMass Chan in order to become a Qualified Consultant and be eligible to perform services for UMass Chan under this RFA. The MSA shall include the documents listed in and defined under “Master Services Agreement” in Attachment G, Section 3(A):

Definitions.

When UMass Chan has a need for services that are covered through this RFA, UMass Chan may draw from the QCL and select a Qualified Consultant to execute a Statement of Work for each initiative. Once selected, the Qualified Consultant will engage in temporary, ad-hoc projects and work collaboratively with internal ForHealth Consulting teams. The Qualified Consultant will be expected to provide regular updates, attend key meetings, and integrate with leadership to ensure successful project outcomes. This process and the expectations of the Qualified Consultant are further described in Attachment G, Section 3, Subsection G.

9) Question: Would such positions be full-time for the duration of the project? If not, can you describe how the contract would be structured for their time?

• Answer: The number of hours required of the Qualified Consultant will vary depending on the project and be determined when UMass Chan has a need for services. The number of hours required will also be specified in any Request for Services issued and Statement of Work executed pursuant to this RFA. Further details are provided in Attachment G, Section 3, Subsection G.

10) Question: What specific deliverables are required from the consultant?

• Answer: Deliverables will vary and be determined at the time UMass Chan has a need for services. See Attachment G, Section 3, Subsection G for more information.

Compensation / Cost / Rates

11) Question: How does UMass Chan plan to pay the Qualified Consultant for the positions being procured should our staff be selected for a project?

- Will UMass Chan pay hourly fully loaded rates?

- If so, are there any guidelines or restrictions on the hourly rates that UMass Chan is willing to pay for the different positions being procured?

- If not, how does UMass Chan pay for consultant time and what ranges are acceptable?

• Answer: Please refer to Attachment G, Section 4: Compensation and Attachment I, Section 6 for more information about compensation and rates.

Amendment # 1