AMENDMENT RFR Adaptive Driving ~1.docx

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

600 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: Adaptive Driving Evaluation and Training Services

COMMBUYS Bid#: BD-17-1071-AO-CON01-15897

Agency Document Number: MRCADET 3-17 AMENDMENT language in RED Please Note: This is a single document associated with a complete Bid (also referred to as Solicitation) that can be found on COMMBUYS (www.COMMBUYS.com). All Bidders are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms and requirements for the entire Bid, which are all incorporated into the Bid. Bidders may also contact the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or the COMMBUYS Helpline at 1-888-MA-STATE. The Helpline is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal, state and Suffolk county holidays.

RFR: MRC Adaptive Driving Evaluation and Training Services

Boston, MA 02111-1704

Questions and Responses:

Questions must be submitted via Q & A on COMMBUYS.com by: Tuesday, March 14th at 5 PM Responses to questions will be posted on COMMBUYS by: Tuesday, March 21st at 5 PM Phone calls and e-mails received during the RFR posting period will not be responded to. See attached Job Aid; using-q-and-a-tab-within-a-COMMBUYS-bid

See attached Job Aid; Help Desk No 1-888-627-8283

Options to Renew: 1 option to renew for an additional one 5 year duration Total Potential Contract Duration: Upon execution through 6/30/27

DESCRIPTION OR PURPOSE OF PROCUREMENT:

The purpose of this Request for Response is to solicit providers of driver evaluations, consultations and driver training for individuals with disabilities who will require vehicle modifications or adaptive driver education services.

Applicants may apply to provide adaptive driver evaluations, adaptive driver training or both. All providers will be expected to provide consultation upon request. Qualified adaptive driver evaluation provider(s) will provide functional assessments and adaptive driver evaluations to determine the individual’s need for vehicle modifications, the nature and extent of modifications, the type of vehicle necessary, the individual’s ability to operate the vehicle safely and the extent of adaptive driver education/training services the individual is likely to need to be able to independently operate the vehicle.

Qualified adaptive driver training provider(s) will provide adaptive driver education/training to eligible MRC clients in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and specifications of this contract. If used by different programs at MRC, or other agencies, details such as the eligibility of clients served or the scope of work covered will be communicated to providers directly by those programs.

ACQUISITION METHOD

This will be a unit rate contract with no maximum obligation.

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE CONTRACTS

Multiple contracts will be awarded.

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATION

Only Procuring Department May Contract Under RFR

ANTICIPATED DURATION OF CONTRACT AND ANY RENEWAL OPTIONS

ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES, FUNDING OR COMPENSATION FOR EXPECTED DURATION

Contract(s) will have a Maximum Obligation Amount

Subject to Quotes by Pre-Qualified List of Contractors

Will Federal funds be used to fund this contract?

No

Not anticipated at this point in time but possible during the total RFR duration as additional Agency needs are identified

CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS AND CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS:

Under the Rehabilitation Act, adaptive driving evaluation and training services are provided for individuals with severe disabilities for whom vehicle modification services are being considered as rehabilitation technology services, or as potentially eliminating transportation barriers to vocational rehabilitation and/or enhancing vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities. Vehicle modification services may be appropriate to address limitations that result from disabilities including, but not limited to, mobility, neurological, and neuromuscular disabilities.

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission provides structural (major) and non-structural (minor) vehicle modifications for individuals eligible for vocational rehabilitation services that require such modifications to be able to achieve an employment outcome and to the extent necessary to remove impairment-related barriers to transportation of the individual.

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission may also provide adaptive driver evaluation services through this RFR to clients of other programs, such as the Money Follows the Person Waivers, or other similar programs.

Motor vehicle modification services are modifications to privately owned motor vehicles of individuals with disabilities and include related equipment installation. Motor vehicle modification services are limited to alterations necessary to assist an eligible individual to drive independently or to be safely transported as a passenger. Providers for vehicle modifications are procured through a separate RFR.

Provider(s) qualified under this RFR will provide adaptive driver evaluations and/or adaptive driver training services as described below. Providers may choose to provide these services to consumers who require either structural or nonstructural vehicle modifications, or both.

Driver evaluation services are the services provided to determine an individual’s ability to drive a privately-owned vehicle with or without modifications, the nature and extent of modifications needed, the type of vehicle necessary, the individual’s ability to operate the vehicle safely and the extent of adaptive driver education/training services the individual is likely to need to be able to independently operate the vehicle.

Driver training services are the services provided to enable an individual to safely operate a privately-owned motor vehicle modified with structural or non-structural modifications.

Structural (major) motor vehicle modification services add adaptive equipment to a vehicle or modify it so as to alter the structure or integrity of the vehicle. Structural motor vehicle modifications may include, but are not limited to, widening doors, reversing door hinges, lowering a floor, raising a roof or side entry, modifying the steering or braking system to permit “zero effort” steering, reduced-effort breaking, converting a steering system to a horizontal structure, systems to secure wheelchairs, restraint systems, and wheelchair lifts.

Nonstructural (minor) motor vehicle modifications are the additions of adaptive equipment to a vehicle or modifications that do not alter the structure or integrity of the vehicle. Nonstructural motor vehicle modifications may include, but are not limited to, hand controls, wheelchair carriers or trunk loaders, pedal blocks, left foot brake and accelerator pedals, extensions to turn signal or shift lever, electric parking brakes, and wide-angle mirrors.

Only organizations qualified in accordance with this RFR will receive a contract to provide services identified in this RFR.

Unit Rate contracts will be negotiated with selected qualified bidders. The unit of service will be hourly. The hourly rate will be paid for each hour of service with minimum increments of ¼ hour. The rate will be estimated in the response submission separately for each type of service requested as part of the budget submission. The final contract rate will be negotiated between the organization and the Commission. All bidders receiving contracts must be qualified in accordance with the response requirements and evaluation of responses set forth in this RFR.

All negotiated unit rates are subject to renegotiation at the request of the Agency or the provider during the course of the procurement.

PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS

Adaptive Driver Evaluation Services Providers may choose to qualify to provide adaptive driver evaluation services related to either structural or nonstructural modifications, or both, as described in Section 7 above.

A. Functional assessments that describe the functional capacities of the individual and describe if and how the provision of vehicle modifications (alterations to a vehicle) is likely to affect the capacity of the individual with a disability to access the vehicle and drive independently.

The functional assessment findings shall be provided to the Commission in the form of a written report and may include, but should not be limited to, general functional profile and assessment of transportation barriers and functional capacities related to mobility; learning; vision; memory; cognition; muscle strength and weaknesses and how these influence the individual’s capacity to drive independently and safely. Only certified, licensed or qualified personnel shall perform functional assessments.

B. Vehicle modification driver evaluations, which recommend the nature of the vehicle modifications, describe disability-related barriers to vehicle operation to be eliminated, and describe the functional driving capacities to be attained.

Evaluators must conduct a telephone intake using an MRC approved written intake form. This will be paid as consultation time.

Driver evaluations shall be provided on a one-to-one basis and must include an on-the-road in-vehicle component. Driver evaluations shall be provided by a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) or by a person with similar qualifications, credentials, certification or license. The on-the-road assessment shall be conducted by person(s) who are duly licensed/certified under the laws of the state where such evaluation is conducted.

All MRC Adaptive Driving contractors are allowed to use the MRC evaluation vehicle to evaluate and train MRC consumers. Unless approved otherwise by MRC, the MRC evaluation van must be used for all adaptive driving evaluations for individuals who will need structural modifications to their own vehicle. The Commission reserves the right to request specific technology aids and/or equipment to be utilized in an evaluation.

A qualified evaluation program must be located at or have access to a medical facility that can provide a full range of assessments that may be necessary to determine an individual’s functional capacity related to driving a modified vehicle. A qualified program will have on staff or will have access to staff who have the proper certifications, licenses or qualifications to conduct the functional assessment and the driver evaluation and who are competent in recommending modifications for the vehicle.

Driver evaluations findings shall be provided to the Commission in the form of a written report and shall include, but should not be limited to, the number of driving lessons recommended, recommendations for modifications, equipment and/or product specifications; recommendations on cost efficient and effective options; and recommendations on informational sources. A copy of the report shall be also provided to the consumer and his/her Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) or other authorizing party. The equipment or modifications prescription must be written based on a single evaluation. Exceptions allowing an extended evaluation may be granted by MRC under extraordinary circumstances.

The recommendations must be in accordance with the applicable Regulations, Policies, and Bid Specifications of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. The list of applicable documents will be available from the Independent Living & Assistive Technology Department of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission upon contract award.

C. Consultation to be provided to Commission staff to determine if and how the provision of motor vehicle modifications (alteration to a vehicle) is likely to affect the capacity of the individual with a disability to drive independently, the nature of the vehicle modification services, disability-related barriers to vehicle operation, and functional driving capacities. Consultation services may include consultation on service and/or product specifications; consultation on cost efficient and effective options; consultation on informational sources, experience, and customer service surveys on product quality, durability, and reliability; consultation on qualified and reliable vendors; consultation on any alternative funding for purchase of equipment.

Consultation services may include written reports, verbal reports, and/or other forms of consultation as deemed necessary by the Commission’s Rehabilitation Technology Programs.

Adaptive Driver Training Services Providers may choose to qualify to provide adaptive driver training services related to either structural or nonstructural modifications, or both, as described in Section 7 above.

A. Adaptive Driver education and training services will be provided in accordance with the requirements of the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or of the State where such training is taking place. Individuals and facilities providing such services in Massachusetts shall be properly credentialed according to the requirements of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Adaptive Driver Training services will include an in-class education component (if required) as well as driving lessons. The services will include road test participation, travel to and from a client’s home or other training location, consultations to clients and MRC staff, and all progress or final reports.

The MRC will initially authorize no more than 12 lessons. A progress report is due after the 12th lesson, after which up to 12 additional lessons may be authorized. After 24 lessons, if in the driving instructor’s opinion, the individual is not ready to safely drive (if currently licensed) or for the road test (if currently unlicensed) then MRC will request a second driver evaluation from another approved provider to determine if the individual can drive.

Once lessons are initiated they should occur no less than 2 lessons per week unless the client’s schedule prohibits it. It is the MRC intent that lessons for an individual occur in the shortest period possible, i.e. at least 2 lessons per week for no more than 6 weeks. Any cancellations or changes in schedule that compromise this requirement may be approved by the appropriate MRC service coordinator on case-by-case basis.

By requiring lessons for an individual to be scheduled weekly and completed in the shortest time possible, there may be delays due to the capacity of the provider or the availability of facilities. Any anticipated delays should be reported to MRC.

Driver training and lessons must be provided in the client’s own vehicle only after the vehicle has been modified. Exceptions may be granted in some cases.

If providers provide such services using their own equipment/modified vehicle, such equipment/vehicle shall be the same or significantly similar to that recommended in the evaluation report.

Providers of driver education and training services shall limit the scope of their services to those that are within their qualification, education, certification and licensing limitations.

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIFICATIONS

The provider must maintain a secure database of referrals, which must include consumer information, date referred, date of evaluation, dates of reports, dates of lessons and date and result of the road test. The database shall meet all the standards for the protection of personal information required under the terms and conditions of state contracting.

The Provider must maintain an e-mail account capable of handling emails and attachments of appropriate size and of accessible formatting type. Providers will be expected to conduct most of their communications with the MRC (and the consumers, if appropriate) via electronic means.

Providers agree that the rates will include all necessary follow-up services, including but not limited to communications, approval of necessary changes in the recommendations.

Adaptive Driving contractors must identify and bill for services to transitional clients separately from adult clients. Transitional clients are students aged 16 to 22 and will be identified as such on the referral.

Billing must be submitted within 30 days of when the service was provided. All billing for services provided during a fiscal year must be received by MRC at least 15 days prior to the close of the fiscal year accounting period.

Driver Evaluation and Training vendors agree not to disclose any information regarding MRC consumers referred for evaluations to anyone except employees of the vendor who are directly involved in said evaluations.

MRC Service Coordination Driver evaluation and training services for consumers receiving structural or non-structural vehicle modification services will be coordinated by the Independent Living & Assistive Technology Department at the MRC Administrative Offices. This includes the procurement of such services.

Driver evaluation and training services for consumers not receiving any vehicle modification services (including those who do not need modifications, and those whose vehicles were previously modified, or obtained through a private procurement) will be coordinated (including procurement) by vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs) at MRC Area Offices or other authorizing staff.

Reporting Requirements The provider must submit the Driver Evaluation Report to MRC within 15 days of the evaluation. The report must include the following components:

The Functional Assessment section will include functional profile and assessment of transportation barriers and functional capacities related to mobility; learning; vision; memory; cognition; muscle strengths and weaknesses as such influence the individual’s capacity to drive independently and safely.

The On-the-Road Assessment section will include the evaluator’s professional opinion as to the consumer’s potential as a driver and a reasonable estimate of the number of driving lessons (hours of driver training) necessary for the consumer to be able to drive safely and independently.

The Modification Recommendations section will recommend the appropriate vehicle(s) and the modifications, equipment, and/or product specifications (if unique) needed for that individual, including recommendations on cost efficient and effective options and alternative solutions.

The Equipment/Modifications List will include a separate concise checklist of modification recommendations suitable for MRC to use for vehicle and consumer-specific procurement or bid specifications.

The Driver Training/Education Report will include the following:

1. An initial note stating the trainer’s professional opinion as to the consumer’s ability to drive.

2. The proposed number of lessons;

3. Progress report or notes, if necessary.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

The following performance measures will be used in assessing providers’ performance of Adaptive Driver Evaluation Services (both Structural and Non-Structural):

1. Providers must respond to the referral within 10 days.

2. Evaluations must be scheduled within 30 days.

3. Driver evaluation reports must be provided within 15 days of the date of the completed evaluation in a format approved by the Commission.

4. Other written reports, verbal reports, and/or presentations as deemed necessary by the Commission are comprehensive and provided promptly or according to an agreed-upon schedule.

5. Consumers and driving trainers report no less than 90% of clients served are successfully driving a modified vehicle with equipment recommended. Frequent or significant changes in the evaluator’s recommended equipment or modifications, when those changes are not due to unforeseen circumstances, will negatively affect vendor standing in this program.

The following performance measures will be used in assessing providers’ performance of Adaptive Driver Training Services (Structural and Non-Structural):

1. Successful licensing of previously unlicensed drivers at the rate of at least 90%;

2. Successful completion of a driving training course by the consumer at the rate of at least 90%;

3. Successful passing of a road test (when required) at the rate of at least 90%;

4. Rate of cancelled or re-scheduled lessons is less than 10%;

5. Training program is provided for no fewer than two lessons each consecutive week in at least 90% of cases;

6. Training program is completed in six weeks or (with MRC approval) in twelve weeks in at least 90% of cases;

7. Annual counselor satisfaction rate is at least 85%;

8. Annual consumer satisfaction rate is at least 85%.

RESPONSE SPECIFICATIONS

The provider must submit a cover letter indicating the service(s) which they seek to provide, along with the geographic area they are willing to serve.

Applicants will submit a narrative response, which must not exceed 8 pages single-spaced, with 1 inch margins and a 12 pt. font. Supplemental materials such as staff resumes, budget forms and budget justification narratives, organizational charts and required forms are excluded from the page limit.

The RFR response narrative should follow the order, headings and content below, which correspond to the evaluation criteria described in the Response Evaluation (section 13).

1. Experience

2. Staff structure, qualifications and training

3. Provider capacity, geographic area and languages served

4. Proposed rate and rate justification

5. SDO Certification

1. Experience: Describe the experience, capabilities and qualifications of the bidder organization in providing Adaptive Driving Evaluations and/or Training services to individuals with disabilities. Please include whether the experience includes providing evaluations or training for individuals requiring structural modifications, non-structural or both.

2. Staff structure, qualifications and training: Describe the bidder’s staff structure, including contractors, and their experience qualifications, licenses or other credentials. Please describe how the bidder will maintain access to a medical facility that can provide a full range of assessments, as described in Section 8 B. Please include copies of job descriptions and resumes of key staff and copies of all relevant licenses, certifications etc. These documents will not be counted towards the page limit.

3. Provider capacity and geographic area: Bidders should describe their service capacity and the geographic areas they are willing to serve.

4. Proposed rate and rate justification: Submit a proposed hourly service rate, backed up by a budget form showing the expenses included in calculating the rate. Include a 1 to 2 page budget narrative for all proposed costs in the budgets.

5. SDO Certification: Indicate whether the contractor has received certification as a minority and women owned business enterprises from the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). Submit, if applicable, a copy of the SDO certificate. There will be 3 additional points awarded with valid SDO certification.

SUBMISSION COMPONENTS AND ATTACHMENTS

COMMBUYS is the official source of information for this Bid and is publicly accessible at no charge at www.commbuys.com . Information contained in this document and in COMMBUYS, including file attachments, and information contained in the related Bid Questions and Answers (Q&A), are all components of the Bid, as referenced in COMMBUYS, and are incorporated into the Bid and any resulting contract.

Bidders are solely responsible for obtaining all information distributed for this Bid via COMMBUYS. Additionally, bidders are responsible for posting their response (called “quote”) on the system. Bidders should review the “COMMBUYS Market Center” and “COMMBUYS Registration” sections in Appendix 2 of the Appendix document for an overview of electronic submission. Additional detail is provided in the “Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids Electronically through COMMBUYS” section, found in Appendix 5.

Filing of Response All bidders must complete a quote on the COMMBUYS system.

Electronic Responses must be submitted to COMMBUYS (https://www.commbuys.com/bso/) by Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. For contracts with a 7/1/17 start date. This is a rolling enrollment procurement. Responses may be submitted at any time.

The electronic response must include the following forms:

· RFR Cover Page/Response Sheet (Attachment 1)

· Cover letter

· Original written proposal (maximum 8 pages excluding attachments, single spaced, 12-pt type, 1 inch margins all around)

· Resumes of key staff and job descriptions for program positions

· Copies of relevant professional licenses and/or certifications

· Sample driver evaluation report (if applying to provide driver evaluation services)

· Sample driver training report (if applying to provide training services)

· Organization Chart

· Budget Form (Attachment 2)

· Unit rate justification Budget Form (Attachment 3)

· Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Form for Purchase of Service

· Prompt Payment Discount Form

· Business Reference Form

· CORI Assurance Letter

· DOR Certificate of Good Standing

· Copy of company liability insurance

· Financial Pre-Qualification requirements, as listed below in “Additional Requirements for Financial Pre-Qualification” section

· Copy of Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certification (if applicable)

Contact Help Desk with submission difficulties COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or 888-627-8283.

Additional Requirements for Financial Pre-Qualification Provider Organizations delivering services regulated by 808 CMR 1.00 must follow the pre-qualification procedures described in this regulation. Additional information is accessible through the links below:

As a prerequisite for an organization entering into a contract with MRC, a bidder must demonstrate that it meets minimum administrative and fiscal standards, or is “pre-qualified.” Pre-qualification is the process the Commonwealth uses to be assured it has minimized possible risks to consumers being served through purchased programs. Bidders who are already pre-qualified by the Commission or any other Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) agency do not need to submit pre-qualification materials as part of the RFR process as long as they are fulfilling submission requirements for the current re-qualification process. That information will automatically be requested of the provider during the annual re-qualification process for current providers.

Bidders who are not pre-qualified must submit a completed package as part of the RFR response.

Pre-qualification requires the additional following documents:

Corporations/Organizations:

· Articles of Organization

· Resumes of Principals (i.e., Chief Executive, Financial and Clinical Program Offices)

· Board of Directors Information

· Current Financial Statements including notes prepared by an independent auditor

· Certificate of Good Standing https://mtc.dor.state.ma.us/mtc/_/

· Copy of Current Public Charities Annual Filing for non-profit organizations http://www.charities.ago.state.ma.us/

· Contractor Qualification Form

All required forms and related instructions can be found in the “File Attachments” section of the bid on COMMBUYS.

Ink Signatures Original ink signatures are required only after contracts have been awarded. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires Contractors to submit original ink-signature versions of the following forms:

· Standard Contract Form

· Commonwealth Terms and Conditions for Human and Social Services

· Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing

· Request for Taxpayer Identification and Verification (Mass. Substitute W9 Form)

· Electronic Funds Transfer Sign Up Form

Successful Bidders who agreed to the terms and conditions of these forms electronically via COMMBUYS online Quote submission tool must still submit the above forms with ink signatures within seven (7) calendar days of award notification or their contract may not be executed by the Commonwealth.

RESPONSE EVALUATION

RFR responses will be evaluated by an MRC evaluation team based on the criteria below, based on which the successful Contractor will be selected.

Using the provided rating scale, the maximum possible evaluation score is 23.

RFR Number: MRCADET 3-17 Evaluation Rating Sheet RFR File Name/Title: MRC Adaptive Driving Evaluation and Training Services Evaluation Rating Scale 1 = Does not meet any portion of the criteria item 2 = Does not meet a substantial portion of the criteria item 3 = Meets most but not all of the item criteria 4 = Meets item criteria 5 = Exceeds item criteria

4. Proposed rate and rate justification

The contractor’s proposed hourly service rate is backed up by a budget form showing the expenses included in calculating the rate, and the hourly rate and related expenses appear to be appropriate and justified. Bidder has included a 1 to 2 page budget narrative for all proposed costs in the budgets.

Maximum Score: 23 Minimum Required Score: 12

CULTURAL COMPETENCE

MRC is committed to awarding contracts to providers that demonstrate cultural competency. Programs shall ensure equal access to services. The following strategies are recommended:

Agency Commitment: Agency Board of Directors and administrators make a commitment to creating an environment that clearly supports services for cultural and linguistic minority populations through the mission and goals of the agency.

Consumer Services: Program policies include language that contributes to enhancing equal access to services for all individuals residing in the Commonwealth. Program design, content, and materials are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Planning, implementation, and evaluation efforts include members of the target population. Where possible, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies are participatory in nature in order to provide opportunities for skill building and to facilitate self-empowerment. All consumers receive information on accessing health and human services including education on potential barriers and assistance in overcoming them. The program location and outreach activities are in settings that are most effective in reaching the target population.

Staff: All staff and volunteers, especially those who have direct contact with consumers, reflect the diversity of the culture and language of the community/target population. Services to non-English speaking clients are provided by bilingual/bicultural staff. Policies on recruitment, screening, and interviewing encourage hiring of individuals whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds are appropriate. If the program does not have bilingual/bicultural staff, there is extensive training to ensure sensitive and appropriate prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.

AUDIT

During the term of this Agreement and for a period of six years thereafter, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, its auditors, the Operational Services Division, the Office of the Inspector General or other authorized representatives shall be afforded access at reasonable times to Contractor's accounting records, including sales information on any system, reports or files, in order to audit all records relating to goods sold or services performed pursuant to this Agreement. If such an audit indicates that Contractor has materially overcharged the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, then the Contractor shall remit the overcharged amount and be responsible for payment of any costs associated with the audit.

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM (SDP)

The Supplier Diversity Program (formerly known as Affirmative Market Program) was established in September, 2010 via Executive Order 524 to promote equality in the state contracting market by ensuring full participation of minority and women owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) in all areas of state contracting including construction, design, goods and services. The Executive Order consolidates the State Office of Minority and Women Assistance (SOMWBA) and Affirmative Market Program (AMP) into a new Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) that is part of the Operational Services Division. Similarly, Executive Order 546 established the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOBE) Program to encourage the participation of businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans in all areas of state procurement and contracting, thereby including them in the SDP.

The essence of both Executive Orders is to provide policies to promote the award of state contracts in a manner that develops and strengthens certified M/WBEs and SDVOBEs, because a diverse business community strengthens the economy and is beneficial to all of the citizens of the state.

In support of both Executive Orders, the state tracks SDP spending through POS contracts. As a result, providers that are issued a contract from this procurement will be required to submit a “Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Form for Purchase of Service (POS)” on a yearly basis with their Uniform Financial Report (UFR) through the Operational Services Division (OSD) eFiling site. Providers that file a UFR exemption request are required to submit the SDP Plan Form for POS with their exemption request. The plan will be evaluated yearly by the Commonwealth Department with the most Purchase of Service funding to a provider during the previous fiscal year. This Department is commonly referred to as the Principal Purchasing Agency (PPA).

Bidders are to submit a copy of their most recently submitted “SDP Plan Form for POS” with their proposal to signify to the Procurement Management Team that a form has been submitted. Bidders that do not currently hold POS contracts with Commonwealth Departments are required to complete the Form and include it with their proposal. The “SDP Plan for POS” can be found in the File Attachments Section of the respective Bid Solicitation on www.COMMBUYS.com.

The evaluation criteria for this POS solicitation do not dedicate a specific percentage of the total evaluation points to the SDP Plan. However the Strategic Sourcing/Procurement Management Team (SST/PMT) has developed strong evaluation benchmarks in order to identify robust plans. While the Plan is not assigned any points in the evaluation process, the Department is unable to issue a contract to an organization that has not submitted a Plan that demonstrates a strong commitment to working with M/WBEs and SDVOBEs.

Resources available to assist providers in identifying SDP Certified Partners include:

· Potential Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Women Business Enterprises (WBE) partners can be found on the Supplier Diversity Program webpage (www.mass.gov/sdp ). For a complete list of certified vendors, refer to: https://www.sdo.osd.state.ma.us/BusinessDirectory/BusinessDirectory.aspx

· Resources available to assist providers in finding potential Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOBE) partners can be found on the Supplier Diversity Office Webpage (www.mass.gov/sdo ).

· The Operational Services Division offers SDP trainings for providers. The dates of upcoming SDP trainings can be found on the OSD Training & Outreach Webpage. In addition, the SDP Webinar can be located on the Supplier Diversity Program webpage (www.mass.gov/sdp )

DEBRIEFINGS AND APPEALS

Debriefing Any Bidder that has filed an Eligible Response, but that is not selected may request a debriefing to understand the basis for the decision, and review all materials relevant to the review and the qualification and selection process. The request must be in writing and received within 14 calendar days of notification of such being sent to the Bidder. A Bidder aggrieved by the decision must participate in a debriefing as a prerequisite to filing a request for an administrative appeal. All requests for a debriefing must be sent by certified mail and addressed to:

If a debriefing is properly requested, one will be scheduled within 14 calendar days of the date the request was received. If necessary, a brief extension shall be allowed by mutual agreement of the Bidder and MRC. At the debriefing, a Bidder shall be allowed to review public records directly related to the selection decision.

Administrative Appeals A Bidder that is not selected and who attends a debriefing may appeal the decision to the Commissioner of MRC. Requests for appeal must be sent by certified mail and addressed to:

Commissioner Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission 600 Washington St., 2nd Floor Boston, MA 02111 The appeal must be filed within 14 calendar days of the debriefing meeting. The appeal must be in writing specifying the basis for the appeal and it must be based on one or more of the following grounds:

The burden of proof rests with the Bidder to provide sufficient and specific evidence in support of its claim.

Requests for an appeal must specify in sufficient detail the basis for the appeal. Sufficient detail requires the identification of an applicable regulation or guideline that was not complied with or the specific facts that demonstrate that the procurement was unfair. MRC reserves the right to reject appeal requests based on grounds other than those stated above, or those submitted without sufficient detail on the basis for the appeal.

Administrative appeals are not subject to the formal procedures specified in M.G.L. c. 30A, §§ 10 & 11.

A pending appeal will not prohibit MRC from proceeding with the selected Bidder, awarding a contract or making referrals to the selected Bidder.

Acceptance/Denial of the Appeal Within 21 calendar days of the receipt of request for an appeal, MRC will schedule a hearing date or notify the Bidder that the appeal has been deemed without merit and that it will not be heard. The Bidder and the MRC may mutually agree to extend the date for the hearing. The Commissioner’s decision on the appeal will be put in writing and sent to the Bidder within 60 calendar days of the date of the hearing on the Bidder’s appeal.

Appeals to the Operational Services Division Non-successful Bidders who participate in the appeal process described in this Section and remain aggrieved by the decision of the Agency may appeal the decision to the Operational Services Division (OSD). The basis for an appeal to OSD is limited to the following grounds:

Requests for an appeal must be sent to OSD to the attention of the State Purchasing Agent at Room 1017, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108 and be received within 14 calendar days of the postmark of the notice of the Agency’s decision on the appeal. Appeal requests must specify in sufficient detail the basis for the appeal. Sufficient detail requires a description of the published policy or procedure which was applied and forms the basis for the appeal and presentation of all information that supports the claim under paragraphs a or b above. OSD reserves the right to reject appeal requests based on grounds other than those stated above or those submitted without sufficient detail on the basis for the appeal.

The decision of the State Purchasing Agent shall be rendered, in writing, setting forth the grounds for the decision within 60 calendar days of receipt of the appeal request. Pending appeals to the State Purchasing Agent shall not prohibit MRC from proceeding with executing contracts.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

a) The Bidder(s) is responsible for any and all costs associated with the preparation of the RFR response.

b) All response submissions, regardless of whether a contract is ultimately awarded to a particular Bidder, become the property of MRC.

c) The Agency may, during response review or at any time prior to selection, cancel a Request for Response or reject any or all responses if the Agency determines that such action is in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

d) The MRC and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts make no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any contract resulting from this RFR.

e) MRC reserves the right to renegotiate and adjust rates, performance terms and/or performance measures at any time during the life of the contract.

f) All materials developed by the selected Contractor(s) under this contract will remain the property of MRC.

g) All bidders must comply with CORI (Criminal Offender Records Information) requirements identified with any contract awarded as a result of this procurement.

h) Any contract resulting from this solicitation may be terminated at any time if the Contractor is unable to meet performance standards after given a reasonable opportunity to improve performance.

i) This Request for Response is developed in good faith based on needs known at the time of document preparation. Should additional information become available during the term of this contract suggesting the advisability of a different strategy and/or additional contract goals or performance benchmarks, MRC reserves the right to modify the contract accordingly, including adjusting the contract term, dates of performance, and/or contract rate structure or contract maximum obligation.

j) A Bidder unable to offer the exact commodity or service described in this RFR but believing a comparable one can be provided, is encouraged to respond and should fully explain why the substitute commodity or service meets the specifications set forth in this RFR.

k) The qualified provider must maintain an e-mail account capable of handling e-mails and attachments of appropriate size and of accessible formatting type.

l) Bidders are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of MRC regarding this RFR, except as specified in this RFR; and no other individual Commonwealth employee or representative is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this RFR. Bidders may contact the Contact Person(s) for this RFR if this RFR is incomplete or the Bidder is having trouble obtaining any required attachments electronically through COMMBUYS.

18. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND CRISIS

Please see http://www.mass.gov/courts/docs/lawlib/101-103cmr/101cmr19.pdf and http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/commissions-and-initiatives/hsw-safety-regs/ for more information on 101 CMR 19.00: Workplace Violence Prevention and Crisis Response Plan

19. ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS

This RFR includes additional specifications, as described in the Appendix document. The document includes the sections below:

ATTACHMENT 1

MRC ADAPTIVE DRIVING EVALUATION AND TRAINING SERVICES

RFR COVER PAGE / RESPONSE SHEET

RFR: MRCADET 3-17

Company Name:

Address:

City/State/Zip:

Telephone:

Federal Tax ID #:

DUNS #:

Primary Contact Person:

Primary Contact Job Title:

Primary Contact Phone:

Primary Contact E-mail:

Company CEO/President Name:

Company CEO/President E-mail:

Company CEO/President Phone:

Company CFO/Business Manager Name:

Company CFO/Business Manager E-mail:

Company CFO/Business Manager Phone:

Please indicate the service(s) you are applying to provide:

image2.jpeg image1.png image2.png