Amendment #2.docx

54SAP

SAP

State of South Carolina

Request for Proposal

AMENDMENT #2

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400022767 04/25/2022 Elizabeth Marsh, CPPB 803-737-0983 emarsh@mmo.sc.gov SFAA,Div.of Procurement Services, OSP 1201 Main Street, Suite 600 Columbia SC 29211

DESCRIPTION: Financial Management/Payroll Services

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN)

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 5/26/2022 11:00:00 AM ET (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 05/04/2022 11:00 AM ET (See "Questions From Offerors" provision) Only questions pertaining to Amendment # 2 will be answered. List the coordinating question number from Amendment #2 in the question submission.

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: One (1) Online Submission - One Original and One Redacted Copy Initial here if NO redacted copy is necessary__________ See Section II A “DISCLOSURE OF YOUR BID / PROPOSAL and SUBMITTING CONFIDENTIAL DATA (FEB 2021)” clause

CONFERENCE TYPE: Pre-Solicitation Meeting DATE & TIME: 03/23/2022 at 10:00 AM EST If you’d like to attend email the Procurement Officer for instructions no later than 03/22/2022 by 05:00 PM EST

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions) LOCATION: Online via Microsoft Teams

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of Ninety (90) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)

SAPAMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JANUARY 2006) (a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov . (b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two, (3) by letter, or (4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged.

THE SOLICITATION IS AMENDED AS PROVIDED HEREIN. INFORMATION OR CHANGES RESULTING FROM QUESTIONS WILL BE SHOWN IN A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. ALL QUESTIONS RECEIVED HAVE BEEN REPRINTED BELOW. THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” SHOULD BE READ WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE QUESTIONS. THE QUESTIONS ARE INCLUDED SOLELY TO PROVIDE A CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIAL OFFEROR THAT SUBMITTED THE QUESTION. QUESTIONS DO NOT FORM A PART OF THE CONTRACT; THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” DOES. ANY RESTATEMENT OF PART OR ALL OF AN EXISTING PROVISION OF THE SOLICITATION IN AN ANSWER DOES NOT MODIFY THE ORIGINAL PROVISION EXCEPT AS FOLLOWS: UNDERLINED TEXT IS ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL PROVISON. STRICKEN TEXT IS DELETED.

CHANGES TO THE SOLICITATION: EXTEND DATES, ANSWER VENDOR QUESTIONS.

THE FOLLOWING DATES HAVE BEEN EXTENDED:

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 05/13/2022 TO 05/26/2022 – The Opening Time remains 11:00 AM EST

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 05/04/2022 11:00 AM ET

Only questions pertaining to Amendment # 2 will be answered. List the coordinating question number from Amendment #2 in the question submission.

AWARD & AMENDMENTS Award will be posted on 05/20/2022 TO 06/30/2022

Amendment 2 Questions and Answers Received For RFP 5400022767 Financial Management/Payroll Services

1. Page 25c, Table1: What is the current fee paid to the current Provider?

Answer: This information is available through a FOIA request.

2. What is the fixed price per Beneficiary receiving FMS services per month?

Answer: There is not one set price per beneficiary.

3. Page 27: Is an office required to be maintained within the State of SC?

Answer: No but must operate in the Unites States.

4. Is this a single source contract, or will multiple awards be made?

Answer: It is not a single source contract but will be awarded to only one vendor.

5. Does the state anticipate the start date being delayed beyond the 7/1/22 start date?

Answer: Yes, unless all documentation regarding fiscal agent has been completed and returned.

6. Page 22e: “The Contractor shall act as the entity of first response to unemployment filed with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW), as needed. This includes provision of legal representation on behalf of employers other than DDSN, in matters brought before the SCDEW.”

· Why is the FMS vendor expected to provide representation of the employers as the employer would be solely responsible for hiring, firing etc.? Does this potentially create joint employer issues? Is this intended to suggest that legal counsel must be hired for the Self-Direction employer as the FMS would not be permitted to provide “legal representation” as the FMS vendor is not an attorney? Can this requirement be removed?

Answer: A joint employer relationship exists between the vendor and the employer whereby the vendor would be responsible for providing the initial documentation information to SCDEW at the initiation of an unemployment claim and legal representation for the employer as necessitated by the unemployment claims process. This provision will not be removed.

7. Page 6: RFP states “. . . This established certain third parties as joint employers of self-directed services under the Fair Labor Standards Act. As a result, DDSN became responsible for compliance with minimum wage and overtime in certain situations.”

· What is the reason for the reference to joint employers? Has there been a lawsuit alleging or a court finding that the state of South Carolina or a FMS provider under the Self-Direction waivers is a joint employer?

Answer: According to the FLSA, DDSN is a joint employer. Additional time is needed to obtain information regarding case law or ligation.

8. Page 25: “6.4 Supply a detailed, narrative statement listing a maximum of three (3) clients for whom you have performed work in the last two (2) years. For each contract, describe how the services provided are similar to those requested by this solicitation, and how they differ. Include the name of a contact person, their title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. References will be contacted. As such, prospective offerors should submit references they are certain will complete.”

· Is there a form or method for obtaining feedback from references?

Answer: A questionnaire form will be emailed to the point of contact listed for each reference provided. The offeror must provide a valid phone and email address for the point of contact.

· What is the process and expected timeline?

Answer: Reference checks will be completed once the offerors have been received and scored, but prior to award. The timeline cannot be determined at this time.

· We would like to give references advanced notice of response expectations.

Answer: Once a proposal is submitted, you can give references advanced notice of a potential reference check from the State of South Carolina.

9. Page 23: “Instructions for Technical Proposal….All proposals must include the following requested information. Each Offeror should restate each of the items listed below and provide its response to that item immediately thereafter. The Technical Proposal shall be arranged in the following order…”

· Is the state open to additional topic areas added to the required sections, or additional sections added after Section 6 to address processes and other information that may be essential to the offeror’s response?

Answer: Yes, Additional topic areas and other information must be submitted as an alternate solution as Section 7- Alternate Solution.

10. Page 23: What is the expected date of the first payroll under this procurement? When will the pay period begin?

Answer: This depends on when the chosen vendor receives back all IRS documentation to act as a fiscal agent.

11. Page 22k: What is the timeframe for reimbursement for the work performed by employees?

Answer: Weekly payroll.

· Are the funds provided in advance of the payment to employees?

Answer: No

12. Page 22i: Is Direct Deposit or debit card the only payment methods?

Answer: Currently they are all direct deposit.

· Are any paper checks required?

Answer: No.

· Do pay stubs need to be mailed to employees or can they be made available on the F/EA’s web portal?

Answer: They can be made available on the vendor’s web portal.

13. Page 22m: “The Contractor shall disburse payments to Employees within five (5) calendar days of the end of the weekly pay period. The types of payments made for consumer-directed care include regular service delivery. The program does not allow for payments to be made for overtime. Any errors on behalf of the FMS Contractor must be rectified within 3 business days. Any errors on behalf of the employee must be made payable on the next payroll run not to exceed one week.”

· How does the state currently ensure that the Self-Direction employer does not permit personal care worker to work overtime or otherwise arranges for payment to the person care worker outside of the waiver budget/approval?

Answer: The employer of record is responsible for ensuring the worker does not exceed authorized hours.

14. Page 22m: What days do the pay periods start and end (i.e. Sunday through Saturday or Saturday to Friday etc.)

Answer: Starts on Sunday and ends the following Saturday night.

15. Does the state provide funding for payroll to the F/EA prior to the payment to the Attendants (i.e. Fund payroll in advance) or is the F/EA expected to pay the attendants and then bill the state?

Answer: See answer to Question 11

16. What is the average dollar amount of the weekly payroll?

Answer: $475,000

17. How do Attendants select how they want to be paid (i.e. weekly, bi weekly, monthly)?

Answer: Weekly pay is the only option.

· Is the state open to transitioning to best practices such as industry standard bi-weekly pay schedule and alternate processes?

Answer: No.

18. Can you provide a breakdown of the number of employees on the weekly pay schedule, the monthly pay schedule and the biweekly pay schedule?

Answer: Approximately 1,200 to 1,300 per week.

19. Are workers allowed to work over 40 hours per week if they qualify for the Live in Exemption?

Answer: SC does not permit live-in exemptions.

20. Page 23o: In what format is the electronic file that is submitted to the finance department of DDSN.

Answer: A flat file.

21. What is the average monthly Budget/Authorization amount?

Answer: Varies between services.

· What is the minimum and maximum?

Answer: Varies between services.

22. How are authorizations communicated to the F/EA?

Answer: Will be submitted to the F/EA through THERAP system.

23. Are we able to use 270/271 for eligibility checks?

Answer: Not applicable.

24. Are Budgets/Authorizations dollar based or unit based?

Answer: Unit Based.

25. Page 5: Is the state open to alternate EVV solutions?

Answer: No.

26. Page 5: How is the EVV Data Received?

Answer: Through a web portal.

27. Page 5: What are the approximate number of edits that need to be addressed with the Employer or Employee weekly?

Answer: Currently unknown.

28. Page 21: How are EVV Edits communicated back to the EVV provider to submit claims to the MMIS system.

Answer: This will not be done by the vendor.

29. Page 22: What is the process to Enroll & Delete employees in the EVV system?

Answer: Entering data on two pages of the web-based application.

30. Page 22: What tools or software is used to Correct Employees time-keeping errors in the EVV system

Answer: Web Portal.

31. Page 22: What Training materials are provided by the EVV Vendor.

Answer: User Manual, worker training material.

32. Are there any exceptions to using the EVV?

Answer: No.

Are any paper timesheets received?

Answer: No.

33. How often will the EVV data be sent to the F/EA?

Answer: EVV data is captured daily, the F/EA can pull data as desired.

34. Page 21: When there are exceptions/edits to the attendants’ timesheets will the F/EA be expected to correct attendant’s timesheets on the employer’s behalf?

Answer: Yes.

If yes, does the Employer then have to approve corrections?

Answer: No.

Additionally, how would the state prefer these changes to the EVV data is documented. Is the state concerned that if the F/EA makes changes to the attendant’s timesheet is will cause a joint employer relationship between the State/F/EA and the actual employer (Participant).

Answer: There is no concern because the vendor and employer are joint employers.

Is the state open to alternate processes for correcting timesheets?

Answer: No.

35. What is the expected timeframe for the F/EA to contact the Attendants / Employers to correct timesheets?

Answer: Contact to employee within 24 hours, corrections within 5 business days.

36. How are edits/changes to attendant’s timesheets communicated back to the EVV vendor?

Answer: Through the Web Portal.

37. Page 23p: What types of items constitute a Complaint?

Answer: Incorrect pay or no pay, error on tax deductions, etc.

38. What is the average number of customer service calls received per day, per week and per month?

Answer: 20/30 per day, approx. 150/week or 600/month

39. Are any background checks required?

Answer: This is not within the vendors scope of work for this contract.

40. What languages are required for customer service, training materials and enrollment materials?

Answer: English and Spanish.

41. Is Workers’ Compensation required for employees?

Answer: No.

42. Are there any Union Employees?

Answer: No.

43. Does the program have any deductible or patient pay or patient share?

Answer: No.

44. MMIS- Does the F/EA bill through an SFTP or portal?

Answer: N/A

45. Is the preferred format for billing 837/835?

Answer: N/A

46. Will the F/EA bill the state/program or the EVV vendor?

Answer: F/EA will bill the State for their services.

· What is the reimbursement schedule/frequency?

Answer: Weekly.

47. What is the average budget size, as well as the minimum and maximum budget sizes?

Answer: Average budget for at-home ID/CS is approximately $17,000. Average budget for HASCI is approximately $38,000 per year.

48. What is the average dollar amount of monthly payroll and employer tax expenditures?

Answer: Gross Payroll runs an average of $475K per week.

49. What is the timeframe for reimbursing for pass-through claims including the claims related to the hourly services provided by employees of the participant (Medicaid recipient receiving the self-directed services)?

Answer: The fiscal agent will not be processing Medicaid claims. This is going to be done directly from the EVV system.

Does the DDSN require face-to-face enrollment visits or are e-enrollments allowed?

Answer: All of our self-directed services are face to face.

50. What are the background check requirements? Are the costs for background checks part of the participant’s budget or included in the PMPM (per member per month) FMS fee?

Answer: See Question 39

51. If there are background check requirements, what is the fee? Also, is fingerprinting required?

Answer: See answer to question #39.

52. Lastly, what is the average time it takes for results to be determined?

Answer: See Question 37

53. Is workers’ compensation insurance required?

Answer: No.

54. Are there any employee/caregiver trainings required?

Answer: Yes, but not the responsibility of the Vendor

55. What is the average number of employees/caregivers per participant?

Answer: One

56. Does the vendor have to wait a required amount of time after the service is completed to submit for reimbursement of claims?

Answer: No. Once the payroll is processed for payment and they have the appropriate backup, a request for payment can be requested.

57. What is the length of the authorization for services?

Answer: Varies

58. Does the state allow providers to draw down funds related to authorized services?

Answer: No, Payment for funds must be requested after payroll is processed, it will be processed to the state and reimbursement by EFT should be within 5 days.

59. What is the current employer payroll tax?

Answer: 7.65% of gross payroll

60. Page 19 of the RFP states, “The Contractor will also be required to interact with our EVV Vendor and their software with regards to adding new employees, deleting employees and in some cases corrections of errors with the electronic files.” If we have developed our own award-winning EVV specifically designed for self-direction programs, are we allowed to use it if we can integrate it with the AuthentiCare system?

Answer: No.

61. Are goods and services reimbursed through the FMS?

Answer: No.

62. Who determines the rate of pay for the employee based on each program?

Answer: DDSN

63. During the Pre-Solicitation Meeting bidders were told that the EVV was changing from a manual process to the Authenticare EVV solution. Further, the projected date for the GO was May 15th. Will the entire EVV system (employers and State) functionality be available on May 15th?

Answer: No, implementation has been delayed.

64. If the Authenticare EVV solution is not fully functional on May 15th are there additional phases to fully automate the EVV Solution?

Answer: Implementation has been delayed. As of this moment no additional phases have been added.

Please provide information about the future phases.

Answer: New implementation dates have not been established yet.

65. What is the average funding amount required per payroll including all employer related costs?

Answer: Approximately $475K

66. What is the average funding amount required per month including all employer rated costs?

Answer: Approximately $2,050,000 per month

67. Does the FMS receive payment for services approved but not yet rendered?

Answer: No.

68. Please provide location information about the 37,000 participants by urban and rural area.

Answer: There are not 37,000 self-directed participants. There are participants in every county of SC. That data is not readily available.

69. “Any errors on behalf of the employee must be made payable on the next payroll run not to exceed one week.” Please provide examples of “error on behalf of the employee”.

Answer: Example - Employee neglects to sign in or out.

70. When does the clock start for the correction of FMS contractor or employee errors?

Answer: When the error is identified.

How are these requirements measured?

Answer: Per incident.

71. If the employee does not respond to FMS contacts requesting correct information what recourse does the FMS have to be compliant with the “next payroll run not to exceed one week”?

Answer: Until employee responds there is no recourse

72. It appears multiple waiver programs are included, are all programs managed by the same State agency or are there multiple State agencies the FMS contractor will be working with?

Answer: Same Agency.

73. Is this a Joint Employer model (i.e., Joint Employment between participant and FMS), or a Sole Employer model?

Answer: This is a joint employment model.

74. III.A.1.2 How many individuals are currently self-directing in these programs?

Answer: Approximately 1,500.

75. "The FMS Contractor will be required to ensure compliance with standards for training by working with the SC Respite Coalition and the University of SC, both of which monitor training requirements and annual requirements.” Please elaborate on the process and provide the standards for training defined by the SC Respite Coalition and the University of SC.

Answer: This is not tracked by the vendor. Only when credentials have been expired will the fiscal agent be involved, and services will need to be suspended but they will be notified by the Case Manager.

76. III.A.1.5 Who is the current FMS provider?

Answer: Charles Lea Administrative Services is the provider

77. What is the current FMS fee schedule?

Answer: Twice a month.

78. III.B Who is the EVV contractor?

Answer: Authenticare.

What is the term of the current EVV contract?

Answer: There is no contract directly with Authenticare, the contract is with SCDHHS.

79. Can the FMS contractor use their own EVV system for time collection, compliance and payment?

Answer: No.

80. Can the FMS contractor integrate and transmit EVV data to the EVV system?

Answer: No.

"The Contractor will also be required to interact with our EVV Vendor and their software with regards to adding new employees, deleting employees and in some cases corrections of errors with the electronic files." Please provide the detail processes required for the FMS contractor activities within the EVV system. Specifically: 1. Enrolling employees in the EVV system;

2. Providing training on the use of the system;

3. Deleting terminated employees;

4. Correcting time-keeping errors; and

5. Reviewing and providing resolution on the payment exception report.

Answer: The EVV solution is web based and all of these functions must be completed in the portal. The user manual provides specifics and I believe that the manual is proprietary. It is also still being revised.

81. “The FMS is required to enroll employees in the EVV system.” What is the current FMS process to enroll employees in the EVV solution? Is it manual, electronic (web entry) or a file transfer/transmission? If a file transfer/transmission, please provide the specifications.

Answer: Electronic web entry.

82. "The EVV system will be used as the system to record work and submit claims to MMIS for the Contractor." “The FMS is required to disburse payments to employees within 5 calendar days of the end of the weekly pay period.” What data is sent by the EVV contractor?

Answer: The FMS will operate the EVV system and pull the data necessary to process their payroll.

· How is the data transmitted?

Answer: It’s not, it’s a file retrieval.

· How often is the data transmitted?

Answer: It’s available as often as a vendor wants to pull it.

83. III.A.1.4 How and how often does the FMS contractor receive participants’ budgets?

Answer: They don’t.

· How do the budgets get into the State system and the EVV system?

Answer: Through our EHR system – Therap

84. "The Contractor shall act as the entity of first response to unemployment filed with the SC Dept of Employment & Workforce as needed. This includes provision of legal representation on behalf of employers other than DDSN, in matters brought before SCDEW." Please elaborate on the role the FMS has in providing legal representation.

Answer: A joint employer relationship exists between the vendor and the employer whereby the vendor would be responsible for providing the initial documentation information to SCDEW at the initiation of an unemployment claim and legal representation for the employer as necessitated by the unemployment claims process.

85. III.B Is the FMS contractor required to make vendor payments, i.e., supplies and equipment?

Answer: No.

86. Is the FMS provider responsible for employee background checks?

Answer: See answer to question #39.

87. III.B.1.1.b.1 If employee background checks are required, how are they paid for? A) Reimbursed through the Participant’s Budget, B) Reimbursed by the Program, or C) Covered by the FMS via its Admin Fee?

Answer: See answer to question #39.

Is the FMS contractor responsible for obtaining/ maintaining a Workers’ Compensation policy for Employers?

Answer: Not in the scope of this solicitation

· III.B If Workers’ Compensation is being provided, what is the current Workers’ compensation rate?

Answer: Not in the scope of this solicitation

88. If Workers Compensation is being provided, is it through individual polices per employer or through an umbrella policy?

Answer: Not in the scope of this solicitation

89. III.A.1.5 Please describe your claims/billing process (i.e., EDI 837), and systems used for billing on the program side.

Answer: Not in the scope of this solicitation

90. Are program services billed as units or as dollars?

Answer: Units

91. Would the Program consider a change to the weekly disbursement payment schedule as a cost saving measure?

Answer: No

92. III.B.1.1.b What is the anticipated time commitment to manage the work involved in “serving as the Operating Provider within the EVV platform”? Specifically: 6. Enrolling employees in the EVV system; 7. Providing training on the use of the system; 8. Deleting terminated employees; 9. Correcting time-keeping errors; and 10. Reviewing and providing resolution on the payment exception report?

Answer: This is a new system that has not been implemented yet. Determining these time frames is unknown currently.

93. What kind of support does the EVV vendor provide to the FMS contractor? For example:

· EVV Training Materials?

Answer: Videos and manuals

· Customer Service and Help Desk?

Answer: 60 days beyond go live date and they can call the Fiserv Customer Support/Help desk any time after implementation.

· A designated representative for the implementation Phase?

Answer: For implementation of a new FMS vendor, there is a project initiated, and specific team members are assigned to support that project. It if is identified that the level of support requires a project manager, a project manager will be assigned and will the first line of contact for the FMS vendor implementation activities. Once the FMS vendor is in operational state, they can contact the FDGS help desk for things like file delivery, password resets, etc. If they need to escalate or need things beyond basic help desk support, they can contact the FDGS/Fiserv Account Manager for SC.

· A designated representative for the duration of the contract for questions and issue resolution?

Answer: Fiserv Customer Support/Help desk any time after implementation.

94. "The Contractor shall operate a help desk accessible to users via telephone and e-mail. Application and Software support for the EVV system" Since the EVV is a close solution, how can the FMS provide application and software support?

Answer: Support from the standpoint of not knowing their login or needing a password reset.

· What are the FMS’ responsibilities?

Answer: They will be adding new hires and inactivating terminated ones. They will be the trainer for logging into the system and inputting their hours.

95. Most procurements do not require bidders to sign and submit a completed HIPPA Business Associate Agreement in their proposal. Please confirm all bidders are required to complete and submit Attachment 2 – HIPPA Business Associate Agreement in their response.

Answer: All bidders are required to completed and submit Attachment 2- HIPPA Business Associate Agreement with their offer.

96. In order to provide a complete and thorough response, we respectfully request a 2-week extension to the proposal submission date to Monday, May 2, 2022.

Answer: Proposal submission date has been extended from 5/13/2022 – 5/26/2022.

97. Due to the timing for submission, our most recent quarterly financial statement will not be available until after the proposal submission due date. Please confirm that the 2 most recent full year, audited financial statements meet Requirement 6.3.

Answer: Yes.

98. Please confirm that vendors may use SC DHHS as a reference.

Answer: Yes.

99. Are vendors required to provide minority participation data with submission?

Answer: Yes.

100. Will the contract be required to advance payroll funds?

Answer: Yes.

· If so, how much, and for what time period?

Answer: $500K Approximately (Weekly)

101. How soon is the contractor reimbursed after billing takes place?

Answer: Within the week if processed via EFT.

102. What is the current payday schedule, including timesheets submission deadlines and payday?

Answer: Submission is by noon on Monday, paid on Friday

103. What is the average call volume per day, week, and month?

Answer: See answer to question #38

104. Of the 37,000 participants, that the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) assists, how many self-direct their services?

Answer: There are not 37,000 participants. There are about 5,000 participants of which approximately 1,500 would be active self-directed participants within this solicitation.

105. What is the current distribution of participants by programs; (ID/RD (Intellectually Disabled and Related Disabilities), CS (Community Supports) and HASCI (Head and Spinal Cord Injury), one State Plan children’s program (Early Intervention)?

Answer: Total enrollment in all waivers - ID/RD – 8537, CSW – 2992, HASCI – 1029. Self-directed authorizations total approximately 1500

106. What is the anticipated new enrollment distribution of participants by program?

Answer: There are approximately 250 waiver slots available.

107. What is the current Fee for Service charged by the current FMS vendor?

Answer: It is not paid via fee for service to the FMS vendor.

108. Is the FMS required to offer worker's compensation? If so, what are the requirements and are the costs paid from the participant's budget?

Answer: No.

109. How many workers' compensation policies are currently in place?

Answer: N/A

110. Are the workers’ compensation policies group policies, or does each employer have his or her own policy?

Answer: Not in the scope of this solicitation

111. What is the cost of the criminal background check?

Answer: See answer to question #39.

112. Who pays for the criminal background check for the employees of the self-directed participant?

Answer: See answer to question #39.

Can the Contractor deduct the cost of the criminal background check from the participant's budget?

Answer: See answer to question #39.

Does the State have a retesting policy in place?

Answer: N/A

For example, is the Contractor required to conduct criminal background checks annually for employees of self-directed participants or is a one-time criminal background check during the employee enrollment process sufficient?

Answer: See answer to question #39.

113. What is the average Participant budget?

Answer: See answer to question #49

114. How will FMS receive a copy of the budget?

Answer: You will not receive copies of budgets; the authorization will come over from Therap to EVV

115. If a participant does not spend all of their budget in a single month, can they "roll over" funds to a subsequent month?

Answer: No.

116. Does the Participant's budget include goods and services?

Answer: No.

117. Please explain the current process for working with the SC Coalition and the University of SC.

SC Respite Coalition provides the following:

· Registration, screening, vetting, and training of respite care providers aka "respite caregivers"

· Registration and training for individual/family member/guardian serving as "household employer"

· Record keeping on respite care providers and household employers

· Assistance with renewals of respite care providers and household employers

· Required packets of information for both respite caregivers and household employers

· Customer service and assistance related to program via phone, email, and text

· Coordination with program fiscal agent

· Coordination with and data reporting to DDSN

University of SC provides the following:

· UAP nurse completes a match visit with the waiver participant, representative, and the person identified to provide attendant care services. During this visit, the UAP nurse has the necessary forms completed (including federal tax forms).

· UAP nurse certifies worker is capable of providing service, and forwards completed forms to fiscal agent.

· Fiscal agent processes employment forms (applies for EIN, etc.) and notifies case manager and UAP when the EIN has been assigned and when the worker is ready for service authorization.

· Case Manager authorizes service to fiscal agent.

· Worker begins providing services.

· Fiscal agent processes worker payroll.

118. Who is the legal employer of record for the worker?

Answer: The family or whoever the designated representative is.

119. Will these partner stakeholders provide a framework to the FMS vendor?

Answer: It would be EVV

· If so, when?

Answer: Should be operational when contract goes in place

120. Does the State currently provide Direct Deposit?

Answer: See Answer to Question #12

121. Would DDSN consider requiring direct deposit for all programs?

Answer: See Answer to Question #12

END OF AMENDMENT 1

image1.png