Attachment G_Scope of Services.docx

ATTACHMENT G:

SCOPE OF SERVICES/WORK/SPECIFICATIONS

(Consisting of 7 Pages)

FOR REFERENCE ONLY

1. Introduction/Purpose

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”) in order to solicit Applications from qualified individuals (i.e., sole proprietors serving as independent consultants) and/or Small Consulting Firms to provide temporary consulting and support services to ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School.

Through this RFA, UMass Chan will select and pre-qualify a pool of Qualified Consultants which shall 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 will be placed on a Qualified Consultant List (“QCL”) and be eligible to provide temporary consulting and support services. As needs arise, UMass Chan may select Qualified Consultants from the QCL that are eligible to contract.

A listing of available positions and the general categories of services illustrative of the currently anticipated needs of UMass Chan can be found below in Attachment I (B), Section 4: Positions and Expertise Expected. Bidders with a broad variety of expertise that offer services related to those outlined in Attachment I (B), Section 4 are encouraged to apply. However, the list of general categories of services in this RFA is not intended to limit UMass Chan’s ability to select Bidders who can offer services in other areas that may arise in the future. As UMass Chan’s and its clients’ needs change, UMass Chan may seek services that are in areas not explicitly stated in this RFA. In order to submit an Application to this RFA, a Bidder must meet the required qualifications set forth below.

Some of these initiatives include but are not limited to: a) Strategic and Operational Plan execution; b) Information Technology (“IT”) Strategy and Investment Roadmap deployment, c) Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of health care systems programming, and d) support for additional ForHealth Consulting strategic priority projects as determined by ForHealth Consulting leadership.

UMass Chan in Worcester is one of five campuses in the University of Massachusetts system. Established in 1962, the medical school's mission is to achieve national distinction in health sciences education, research, and public service. The Worcester campus, located in central Massachusetts, is one of the fastest growing academic medical centers in the country and is home to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ only public medical school.

ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School (“UMass Chan”) partners with state and federal agencies and other purposeful health care organizations to improve the healthcare experience, making it more equitable, effective, and accessible. As part of UMass Chan, we leverage our world-class expertise and our decades of experience to develop innovative solutions that transform every aspect of the health and human service system – from payment and financing to clinical practice and information management. Most of all, we believe in the power of a shared purpose; together, we can make healthcare better.

The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor in ForHealth Consulting is responsible for issuing this RFA. Any UMass Chan department, or that of its affiliates and related organizations, may also choose to utilize the MSA(s) that results from this RFA. Although any of the individual business units that comprise UMass Chan may enter into a Statement of Work with the Qualified Consultants selected pursuant to this RFA, we anticipate ForHealth Consulting will be the primary division to utilize this RFA. UMass Chan does not guarantee that it will purchase services from all the successful Bidders who are deemed qualified through this process and placed on the QCL.

Additional information about ForHealth Consulting and UMass Chan may be found on the following websites:

· https://forhealthconsulting.umassmed.edu/

· https://www.umassmed.edu/

2. Qualifications Required of Consultant

A. REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

1) UMass Chan is accepting Applications from individuals (i.e., sole proprietors serving as independent consultants) and/or Small Consulting Firms as defined in this Attachment G, Section 3 (A) below.

2) UMass Chan is seeking consultants with experience and expertise in the areas as described in this Attachment G, Section 3 (B-C) below and in Attachment H: Positions Available Under the RFA.

3) In order to submit an Application, Bidders must meet the required skills and qualifications listed in Attachment H: Positions Available Under the RFA for at least one (1) of the positions available.

B. PREFERRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

1) Please refer to the preferred skills and qualifications listed in Attachment H: Positions Available Under the RFA.

3. Services/Specifications To Be Provided By Contractor

A. DEFINITIONS

The following terms that appear capitalized throughout the RFA shall have the meaning stated in this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

Application – Any information submitted by the Bidder in response to the requirements outlined in this RFA, including any clarifying information requested by UMass Chan.

Bidder – The individual or Small Consulting Firm that submits an Application to this RFA.

Contractor – The individual or organization that enters into a Master Services Agreement with UMass Chan.

ForHealth Consulting – ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School (“UMass Chan”) partners with state and federal agencies and other purposeful health care organizations to improve the healthcare experience, making it more equitable, effective, and accessible. As part of UMass Chan, we leverage our world-class expertise and our decades of experience to develop innovative solutions that transform every aspect of the health and human service system – from payment and financing to clinical practice and information management. Most of all, we believe in the power of a shared purpose; together, we can make healthcare better.

Master Services Agreement (“MSA”) – The agreement resulting from this RFA executed between a Qualified Consultant and UMass Chan to accomplish the purposes specified in this RFA. The MSA shall include: the Master Services Agreement Terms and Conditions, the Business Associate Agreement, the Nondisclosure Agreement (see Attachment A, Exhibits 1-3), and all amendments and attachments to the MSA, including the scope of services. If subsequent to the issuance of this RFA, UMass Chan amends any of the documents referenced herein, the MSA may substitute the most recent version of the referenced document.

Qualified Consultant — A Bidder that is determined eligible by UMass Chan to be on the Qualified Consultant List and has entered into a Master Services Agreement with UMass Chan.

Qualified Consultant List (“QCL”) – A list of Bidders that have each submitted an Application to this RFA, have been approved by UMass Chan, have entered into a Master Services Agreement with UMass Chan, and are eligible to provide services to UMass Chan pursuant to this RFA.

Request for Services (“Request”) – An invitation to selected Qualified Consultants to provide services to UMass Chan for a particular project. The Request will include the specific job description(s) and any details that may be relevant to the specific project, such as deadlines and deliverables.

Response – Any information submitted by a Qualified Consultant in response to a Request for Services, including the resumes of proposed candidates and their respective rates, if applicable, which may result in a Statement of Work.

Small Consulting Firm – For the purposes of this RFA, an entity or firm with ten (10) or fewer employees is considered a “Small Consulting Firm”, including but not limited to limited liability companies (LLCs) and incorporated businesses, and is eligible to submit an Application. When applying, a Small Consulting Firm may only propose up to five (5) individual consultants at the firm to be prequalified through this RFA.

Statement of Work (“SOW”) – A document that sets forth the specific services to be provided by a Qualified Consultant for specific project(s) associated with this RFA. Each Statement of Work may include: 1) a detailed description of the services to be provided and/or a schedule of deliverables, if applicable; 2) the period of performance during which the services will be provided; and 3) the applicable compensation, maximum obligation and any other obligations of the Parties applicable to the specific services. Each Statement of Work shall constitute a separate agreement, incorporating all of the terms and conditions set forth in the Master Services Agreement.

University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (“UMass Chan”) – UMass Chan in Worcester is one of five campuses in the University of Massachusetts system. Established in 1962, the medical school's mission is to achieve national distinction in health sciences education, research, and public service. The Worcester campus, located in central Massachusetts, is one of the fastest growing academic medical centers in the country and is home to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ only public medical school.

B. SCOPE – GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RESOURCE NEEDS:

The intent of this RFA is to develop a Qualified Consultant List from which UMass Chan may select consultants, as needed, to provide strategic and operational consulting services. These consultants will support the resource needs outlined in Section 3: Services/Specifications To Be Provided By Contractor.

A listing of job descriptions and general categories of services illustrative of the currently anticipated needs of UMass Chan can be found in Attachment G, Section 3 (B-C) and Attachment H. As business and resource needs change, UMass Chan may seek services that are in areas not explicitly stated in this RFA.

Under the direction of the Executive Vice Chancellor, ForHealth Consulting seeks to procure a pool of executive advisors, project managers, project coordinators, and general consultants for ad-hoc, temporary assignments. Qualified Consultants will be assigned based on project needs, experience/expertise, availability, and competitive hourly rates. These independent consultants will act as "bench" players, vetted through this RFA process (including completion of MSAs and background checks, if required) and available for hourly engagements as project needs arise.

UMass Chan is seeking consultants with expertise in the following areas, as well as additional subject matter areas that may emerge:

· Information Technology (IT): Strategy, operations, solution design, deployment

· Business/Product Development: Life cycle management, business strategy, market and competitor analysis

· Policy: Analysis, formation, and implementation

· Data Analytics & Visualization

· Strategic Operations & Process Improvement

· Population Health Program Design & Administration

· Evaluation & Study Design: Statistical, econometric, epidemiological methods

· Survey Design, Sampling, Data Analysis

· Data Science: Transcription & Translation Services

· Cost & Budget Analysis

· Continuous Improvement: Lean Six Sigma Black Belt methodology

· Project Management & Program Development

· Federal Contracting & Acquisitions

· Justice Reform and Systems Alignment

· Social Security Regulations

C. TYPES OF SERVICES AND POSITIONS EXPECTED:

1) Executive Advisors:

ForHealth Consulting seeks to make strategic investments in its business to fulfill its mission of empowering partners and transforming lives through innovative solutions supported by a world-class public medical school. ForHealth Consulting Executive Leadership (EL) is focused on improving core capabilities, extending services, growing client relationships, and driving internal efficiency.

To support these efforts, ForHealth Consulting seeks experienced executive advisors who will support EL initiatives and provide strategic guidance to promote growth, improve efficiency, and enhance client satisfaction.

2) Project Managers and Project Coordinators:

Under the general direction of ForHealth Consulting Executive Leadership (EL) and/or designee, a project manager is responsible for providing project oversight and active management for projects both internal to ForHealth Consulting and on behalf of ForHealth Consulting clients. The Project Manager will lead and document project activities; including, but not limited to developing the project charter, project timeframe including key milestones and deliverables, project status reports, contributing to project dashboard reporting and project close-out activities. The Project Manager will also lead project teams across multiple ForHealth Consulting business units and stakeholders which may include, facilitation, coaching and technical support in the creation, management, and sustainment of a methodical approach to increasing quality and performance within the overall project management framework established by ForHealth Consulting.

Under the general direction of ForHealth Consulting Executive Leadership (EL) and/or designee, the project coordinator will be responsible for supporting or leading ForHealth Consulting projects. The Project Coordinator will be responsible for planning and coordinating project related activities of small and medium size projects that will vary in scope including the management of resources in a matrix environment. The Project Coordinator will develop and implement projects while adhering to ForHealth Consulting’s Project Management guidelines. Tasks vary according to the priorities of the department, project and client.

3) General Consultants:

To support its growth, ForHealth Consulting seeks a pool of general consultants with skills in:

· Process improvement

· Business and policy analysis

· Legal and financial analysis

· Risk management

· Program design, implementation, and evaluation

· Data analysis and visualization

· Survey design and data analysis

· Operations support and quality assurance

· Information technology

These general consultants will facilitate data-driven decision-making for leadership, offering options and engaging in policy discussions to address key business, clinical, and operational challenges.

D. UMASS CHAN’S RESPONSIBILITIES:

UMass Chan shall:

· Select a Qualified Consultant to complete each Statement of Work;

· Provide an invoice template to be submitted regularly by the Qualified Consultant;

· Participate in regularly scheduled meetings with selected Qualified Consultants, as needed, to discuss the progress of the Statement of Work;

· Designate other UMass Chan staff to provide additional direction and program-specific information required for the Master Services Agreement.

E. NEW INITIATIVES AND PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS

UMass Chan reserves the right, at its sole discretion and at any time prior to or during the term of a Statement of Work or MSA, to change any scope of work or portion thereof, whenever, in UMass Chan’s judgment, UMass Chan’s goals have been modified in any way that necessitates such changes. In the event that the scope of work for any task(s) or portions thereof must be changed, UMass Chan shall notify the Qualified Consultant in writing and negotiate appropriate changes to the Statement of Work or MSA if any.

Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, UMass Chan reserves the right to amend any Statement of Work or MSA resulting from this RFA to implement new initiatives or to make program modifications related to:

1) new programs of any of UMass Chan’s clients;

2) expansion, reduction, or restructuring of existing programs of UMass Chan or any of UMass Chan’s clients;

3) other programs related to UMass Chan business; and/or

4) programs resulting from state or federal legislation or other regulatory initiatives that may affect in whole or in part any of the components of the program.

Bidders should also refer to Section 1 of the standardized “Description” for this RFA (found on the UMass BuyWays Portal, under the “Summary” tab, in the section entitled “Description”), and Section 29 of the MSA found in Attachment A, Exhibit 1 of the RFA.

F. APPLICATION PROCESS:

A list of Application requirements, including the Application Form, may be found in Attachment I.

UMass Chan will begin to accept Applications upon release of this RFA. Bidders may submit Applications at any time on a rolling basis until the Final Application Due Date listed in Attachment J. Applications submitted by the Initial Application Due Date will be considered first for opportunities under this RFA. Thereafter, UMass Chan intends to evaluate Applications on an annual basis or more often if warranted.

If a Bidder meets the Required Skills and Qualifications set forth in Attachment G, Section 2(A) and submits an Application in accordance with the requirements in the RFA, the Application will be reviewed by UMass Chan. Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Section 7(c) of the standardized “Description” for this RFA (found on the UMass BuyWays Portal, under the “Summary” tab, in the section entitled “Description”), and the following criteria:

· Bidder’s experience and expertise;

· The quality of the Bidder’s references;

· Ability of the Bidder to meet the needs of UMass Chan.

Bidders must demonstrate experience in the areas outlined above and be adaptable to changing project needs. Bidders that have been determined to satisfy the criteria outlined above will be eligible to be placed on the QCL pursuant to this RFA. Upon completion of the evaluation process, UMass Chan will send written notices to all Bidders regarding their eligibility to be placed on the QCL. See Attachment G, Section 3(G): Selection of Qualified Consultant(s) to Perform Services and Attachment G, Section 3(H): Terms and Conditions for additional information about the QCL and MSAs resulting from this RFA.

NOTE: This RFA is not an offer to enter into an agreement with any party. It is a request to receive Applications from Bidders interested in providing the services specified herein. Nothing in this RFA, or in UMass Chan’s acceptance of any application in whole or in part, shall obligate UMass Chan to execute an MSA with the Bidder. If a selected Bidder fails to sign the MSA offered for the Bidder’s acceptance within a reasonable period, UMass Chan may determine that the Bidder has abandoned the MSA and may rescind its offer to enter an MSA with the Bidder.

G. SELECTION OF QUALIFIED CONSULTANT(S) TO PERFORM SERVICES:

Through this RFA, UMass Chan will develop a QCL after pre-qualifying and executing MSAs with a pool of Qualified Consultants. Bidders selected for the QCL will be eligible to receive Requests for Services (“Requests”) and to provide services to UMass Chan under an MSA, pursuant to this RFA. The MSA will set forth the general terms and conditions that will apply to any services provided by the Qualified Consultant. A copy of the MSA is included in Attachment A, Exhibits 1-3 for reference purposes only.

When UMass Chan has a need for services that are covered through this RFA, UMass Chan may draw from the QCL. At such times, and based on the timeline of the resource need, type of initiative, and area of expertise required, UMass Chan will provide one or more of the selected Qualified Consultant(s) with a Request for Services (“Request”).

UMass Chan will select a Qualified Consultant to execute a Statement of Work for each initiative, based on its determination that the Qualified Consultant selected will provide the best value (based on relevant experience, demonstrated expertise, availability, and competitive hourly rates) to UMass Chan in meeting the performance requirements and objectives of UMass Chan. UMass Chan reserves the right to consider Qualified Consultants’ previous performance under the MSA when determining to which Qualified Consultant(s) each Request will be sent. UMass Chan reserves the right to request that the Qualified Consultant update or verify information related to any qualifying requirements prior to performing any services under the MSA.

After a Qualified Consultant is selected, UMass Chan will provide the Qualified Consultant with a Statement of Work outlining the required specifications of the initiative, which may include one or more of the following:

· Summary of Initiative and Major Objectives

· Key Initiative Tasks, Major Milestones and Complete Timeline

· Project budget specific to this resource

· Any and all Reports or Deliverables required by UMass Chan to effectuate completion of work and/or payment of invoices

· A schedule for meetings with UMass Chan staff

· Other information pertinent to 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.

The Qualified Consultant shall participate in project meetings, as required. UMass Chan anticipates that, under any MSA resulting from this RFA, the services, consultations, and meetings with the Qualified Consultant will be completed mostly remotely, by phone and/or video conference, unless otherwise agreed by the parties. Occasionally in-person meetings may be required at UMass Chan or at client sites. Any travel would mostly be limited to within Massachusetts; however, occasional out-of-state travel may be required.

H. CONTRACT TERM

The maximum term of any MSA or Statement of Work (SOW) resulting from this RFA may be for a period of up to five (5) years, at the discretion of UMass Chan. Qualified Consultants may have more than one SOW pursuant to this RFA. No MSA shall be entered into under this RFA after the Last MSA Start Date listed in Attachment J: RFA Deadlines & Timetable.

I. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

As mentioned previously, Bidders selected for the QCL must execute an 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 this Attachment G, Section 3(A): Definitions. The current versions of these documents are included in this RFA for reference purposes only – see Attachment A, Exhibits 1-3. Note that the insurance requirements in the MSA will vary depending on the needs and/or requests of UMass Chan and will be determined at the time that any MSA or SOW is offered. For reference, the potential insurance requirements are included in the MSA – see Attachment A, Exhibit 1, Section 6.

The selected Bidder may have access to “personally identifiable information,” which includes but is not limited to, “personal information” (as defined in Mass. Gen. Laws c. 93H, § 1 or other applicable breach notification laws), “protected health information” (as defined in 45 CFR 160.103), “personal data” (as defined in Mass. Gen. Laws c. 66A, § 1), federal tax information, or “education records” (as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), 20 U.S.C. 1232g (a)(4)). Accordingly, the selected Bidder is expected to sign a Business Associate Agreement and UMass Chan reserves the right to require additional contractual terms and conditions if determined necessary by UMass Chan for compliance with applicable privacy laws.

Compensation for services provided by Qualified Consultants under this RFA will be in accordance with the details described in this Attachment G, Section 4: Compensation.

If subsequent to the issuance of this RFA, UMass Chan amends any of the documents referenced in this section, UMass Chan may substitute the most recent version of the referenced document. The above mentioned attachments should only be used as reference, and should not be signed or returned to UMass Chan with the Bidder’s Application.

At any time during the MSA period, UMass Chan reserves the right to negotiate changes to the original MSA, performance specifications, and performance outputs/measures, consistent with the terms of this RFA, upon reasonable notice to the Contractor. All such changes may be made through an MSA amendment, counter-signed by the parties.

NOTE: UMass Chan makes no promise or guarantee that an MSA, or any obligation to purchase any services from a Qualified Consultant, will result from this RFA, nor does UMass Chan make any representation regarding the volume of services or work that may be assigned to any selected Qualified Consultant. UMass Chan makes no guarantee that services will be purchased from a Bidder that is selected for the QCL.

4. Compensation

Compensation will be negotiated for individual Statements of Work, up to a maximum obligation specific to the Statement of Work, based on hourly rates submitted by the Qualified Consultant in its Application and/or Response. UMass Chan reserves the right to negotiate a different rate than that proposed by the Bidder, including but not limited to a deliverable-based rate specific to the Statement of Work if the project permits. UMass Chan may, at its discretion, also reimburse for certain travel and related expenses. Bidders should also refer to Attachment I, Section 6 for more information about hourly rates.