AT bidders conf. Q and A final.docx

Assistive Technology RFR questions

Q. Regarding individually authorized services, who at MRC is selecting the vendor out of the established pool of authorized vendors? The VRCs or regional offices?

A. The vendor will be selected by the consumer; if the consumer has no preference the MRC staff authorizing the service (VR Counselor, Case Manager, Case Coordinator etc.) will select the vendor in consultation with the consumer.

Q. Will this also be mediated by adapted services, meaning they will send in a referral? Is there a standardized form to indicate what funding source is to be used b/c often SHIP clients are seen under ATIL? This could get confusing without a standard process. -?The individually-authorized mechanism may also be used to serve individuals enrolled in the Statewide Head Injury Program (SHIP), the Supported Living Program or other MRC programs to enable the individual to function more independently and improve their ability to live independently in the community and to ensure the health, welfare and safety of the individual.

A. MRC will develop a standard referral form to be used by staff authorizing individually-authorized services. The form will indicate the program and funding source, including who to direct invoices to. Staff from each MRC program will send the referral directly to the provider, and will be responsible for authorization of services and payment of invoices.

Q. Since you will be using an SOW for the ATIL program, does that mean the vendor has to approximate how many units will be billed per procedure for the whole year akin to the outcome based SOW in CIES?

A. MRC will notify the Community-based service provider of the amount available for the fiscal year for each region, and will negotiate the number of units to be provided with each provider. This will be stated in the Statement of Work.

Q. Regarding regional community based services- ? The provider must develop a service plan with each individual? Will this be a standardized document since this sounds different than in years past?

A. Successful applicants may develop their own service plan template, which must incorporate the required elements for tracking and reporting. MRC will be glad to consult with vendors on their proposed service plans.

Q. Why is this applicable under the regional community based services model where MRC is not sending referrals?? The Provider will contact client and VR Counselor or other MRC program staff within 3 business days of the referral? (pg. 8. This is listed as a requirement for both services) A. This requirement is listed here in error, and should have appeared under the requirements for individually-authorized services on page 10.

Q. For individually authorized services, are we no longer using PVs? “Providers will be paid utilizing the Commonwealth’s, Enterprise Invoice/Service Management (EIM/ESM) billing system within the Virtual Gateway. A Service Delivery Report (Invoice) must be submitted in EIM/ESM no later than the 14th of each month for the services rendered in the previous calendar month. (pg. 9. This is listed as a requirement for both services) A. This requirement is listed here in error, and should have appeared under the requirements for regional community-based services on page 11.

Q. On page 10 it is written: Provider will schedule evaluations Within 14 days of authorization by MRC. Do you mean the evaluation must take place with 14 days or it must be scheduled only within that period? Those are two different things.

A. Providers must confirm a date for an evaluation within 14 days of authorization; the evaluation may take place after that.

Q. Are the monthly and quarterly reports described on page 12 a new document to be distributed to vendors?

A. MRC will work with Providers to establish reporting formats and systems.

Q. Regarding annual performance evaluation of vendors providing for individually authorized services, how will the data points be tracked? Is MRC doing this or is the vendor since there is no monthly or quarterly reporting mechanism for this service identified.

A. MRC records and tracks each step in the service delivery process, and will assess provider performance based on internal records and observations.

Q. Since the language regarding procedures for both contracts is blended at times, can you please make more apparent exactly what is a billable procedure and the term/language you want used to identify that procedure? You are asking for rates for each service component in the individually authorized services model, but it is not clear exactly what those qualifying services components are in relation to what is currently allowed. Current ATVR billing codes are: evaluation, training, technical support, travel, management consult, case communication, documentation, & equipment set up.

A. Billable services under the individually-authorized service model are:

· Assistive technology evaluations;

· Designing, setting up, adapting, repairing devices

· Orientation and training

· Technical support

· Consultation

· Travel

Billable services for regional community-based services are:

· Consumer intake

· Development of service plan

· Assistive technology evaluations

· Purchase and procurement of devices (under the administrative fee)

· Designing, setting up, adapting, repairing devices

· Orientation and training

· Technical support

· Consumer intake

· Development of service plan

Q. Does a filled out CORI form need to be submitted for each staff person who could work on the contract?

A. Providers must comply with CORI requirements included in contract documents, and must submit a CORI assurance letter with their RFR response.

Q. Can a new SLP or OT under the supervision of a more experienced staff or clinical supervisor work on this contract using cosigning?

A. Staff providing services under this RFR must meet the minimum qualifications listed on page 14, including both experiential requirements.

Q. Can they record the Bidder’s Conference? Could future Bidder’s Conferences be recorded by the attendees?

A. No; attendees may not record Bidders Conferences.

Q. It says outreach and marketing is in the unit rate, can it not be billed or is it just already included in the rate? Page 11. Assuming it’s part of the unit rate?

A. Providers may only bill for direct services to individuals as described above. The cost of activities such as outreach and marketing is factored into the rates established for this service.

Q. How are we to justify or explain cultural competence?

A. Providers should describe their organization’s ability, and actions taken, to be able to understand, communicate with and effectively serve people across a variety of cultures.

Q. Will they still be required to log and report the number of home visits? Will a Zoom visit or remote encounters count as a home visit?

A. Reporting requirements for Regional Community-Based services are listed on Page 12 of the RFR, and do not include the number of home visits. MRC reserves the right to change reporting requirements during the RFR period. Direct services includes those provided in-person, by phone, online video, or any other means where the provider and the individual are able to communicate with each other in real time.

Q. Will MRC issue a standard client satisfaction survey for vendors to use?

A. No, however MRC may require vendors to include specific questions in their client satisfaction surveys.

Q. What does PBO stand for (on page 12)?

A. Performance Based Objective.

Q. In regards to the waiting list it used to be priority based - it looks like it is now based on the date referred? Is that correct?

A. Yes, providers will serve new individuals in the order in which the referrals were received.

Q. On page 13, what is ‘response rate’ defined as?

A. The percent of people that respond to a survey you have sent them.

Q. If somebody is eligible for services under another agency, and that agency has no funding for Assistive Technology, should they still be required to go through that agency? MCDHH didn’t have funding in the past- do they now?

A. Individuals who are clients of state agencies or programs which offer a wide range of services, or which offer Assistive Technology services for eligible clients, should seek those services from those agencies or programs. Regional community-based AT providers under this RFR will be expected to be familiar with other funding resources for AT services in the community, and to refer individuals to those resources as funding under MRC’s program is limited.

Q. There appears to be a discrepancy in the directions on page 16-17. The instructions are: “All RFR proposals should follow the template order and headings provided below”. But the chart on page 16 lists Experience, Implementation Plan. and Staffing as the first three items. Just below that in the narrative description of each section, the order is Experience, Staffing, and Implementation. Which order should we follow in our response?

A. MRC would prefer the order to be Experience, Implementation plan, Staffing, but either order will be accepted.

Q. Can the RFR Narrative be submitted as a pdf or do you want it to be a Word document?

A. Applicants may submit the narrative in either Word or pdf format.

Q. The RFR only request one sample evaluation but an AT eval is very different from an AAC evaluation. Can I upload one of each?

A. At least one sample AT evaluation must be submitted. Applicants may submit additional materials of their choice.

Q. In the cultural competency section, the focus is on many cultures but nothing about being competent with perhaps the most important-disability culture. Should that be part of the description of competence since that is the culture that is potentially specific to all clients?

A. Applicants may describe their cultural competence in regards to a wide range of cultures, this includes any experience and skill working with diverse populations as defined by a variety of characteristics including individuals with disabilities and any sub-groups thereof.