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Michigan.gov/MiProcurement
BIDDER QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Request for Proposal No. 260000001065 Nutritional Services at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry (CFP) and Southeast Michigan Psychiatric Hospital (SMPH – Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Bidders who have questions for the above Solicitation must fill the sections below and attach the document in an email to the Solicitation Manager, as described in the Instruction to Bidders.
| Q # |
| Document and Section |
| Page # |
| Bidder Question |
| Answer (to be completed by the State) |
| 1 |
| SOW, Section 1.1.E |
| 41 |
| For CFP, do diets need to follow the new CMS guidelines? |
| Yes. Both CFP and SMPH are required to follow the CMS nutrition guidelines, which align with the most current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025–2030). While this requirement is not explicitly stated in the Contract, compliance with CMS‑aligned standards is expected for both facilities. |
| 2 |
| SOW, Section 5.3 |
| 99-101 |
| Will specific personal safety and deescalation training be provided for the vendor's staff by CFP? |
| Yes. CFP will provide personal safety and de‑escalation training for the Contractor’s staff. The training will be delivered using an appropriate modified version of the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) model. |
| 3 |
| SOW, Section 5.10 |
| 111-112 |
| For CFP, are there security personnel present in the cafeteria serving line space and the cafeteria dining space during meals? |
| Yes. CFP will have Forensic Security Assistants present during every meal service. Approximately two Forensic Security Assistants will be stationed in the serving area and eight will be positioned within the cafeteria and adjacent hallways, along with supervisory staff. |
| 4 |
| SOW, Section 5.10 |
| 111-112 |
| At CFP, how does the facility ensure kitchen staff safety when patients access the cafeteria? |
| The facility follows structured safety protocols to ensure that only patients who are stable and appropriate for community dining access the cafeteria. Patients who are newly admitted, experience clinical instability, or require closer observation continue to dine at their units, where meals are delivered directly to them. |
Our clinical team conducts ongoing assessments to determine each patient’s readiness for communal dining. Because our seclusion and restraint rates are consistently low, and our clinicians maintain effective behavioral and medication management, the patients approved to use the cafeteria are those who are stable, appropriate, and safe for that setting.
| 5 |
| SOW, Section 2.1 |
| 63-64 |
| For CFP, will there be a partition on the cafeteria serving line to provide a barrier for the vendor's staff and the patients? Would the SOM accept capital funds for this? |
| According to the current tray‑line drawings, a fixed guard (approximately 15 inches tall, constructed of safety glass or similar material) is installed along the serving line to provide a barrier between staff and patients, except at the condiment area. At this time, the State is not requesting or planning additional capital improvements related to this barrier. |
A diagram of the serving line layout is included below and labeled as Exhibit A.
| 6 |
| SOW, Section 2.1 |
| 63-64 |
| For the cold grab and go section of the cafeteria line, would CFP consider having these items being served by the vendor's staff? |
| Yes. All cold grab‑and‑go items in the CFP cafeteria line will be served by the Contractor’s staff. |
| 7 |
| SOW, Section 1.6.C |
| 60 |
| Is there a secured knife storage cabinet? |
| The State does not intend to provide a secured knife‑storage cabinet. Knives will be restricted to designated food‑prep areas, which are located behind locked doors. These kitchen areas are secured, and patients do not have access. |
| 8 |
| SOW, Section 3.1 |
| 69 |
| For SMPH, which grant or federal program for the National School lunch program will the vendor be required to participate in? |
| The vendor will be required to participate in the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) School Nutrition Programs – Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCI) as part of the National School Lunch Program requirements for SMPH. |
| 9 |
| SOW, Section 3.1.G |
| 71-72 |
| For SMPH, is an after school snack required? |
| Yes. An after‑school snack is required only for child and adolescent patients at SMPH. |
| 10 |
| SOW, Section 3.1 |
| 69 |
| For SMPH, is supper included in a program that has reimbursement or non-reimbursed? |
| No. Supper at SMPH is not included in the reimbursable program. |
| 11 |
| Schedule B – Pricing |
| 130 |
| Can the vendor bid on one location? |
| Yes. Per Schedule B, Section 1.A: While the State prefers to award both CFP and SMPH to a single contractor, the State reserves the right to make a split award if it is in the State’s best interest to do so. Therefore, a vendor may submit a bid for only one location. |
| 12 |
| SOW, Section 2.2 and 4.1 |
| 64, 93-94 |
| Will the tray ticket system be paid for by the SOM? |
| Yes, the State will cover the cost of the future tray ticket and meal management system. As outlined in Section B, the State plans to transition to an automated system during the Contract term and will work with the Contractor to define roles, responsibilities, and workflow impacts through a Contract Change Notice. |
| 13 |
| SOW, Section 5.8 |
| 109 |
| At what locations are staff currently unionized? |
| Staff at the Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital are currently unionized, and these employees are expected to transition to the new SMPH facility. CFP does not currently have any kitchen staff, so there is no union representation at CFP. |
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