BPM054082.26-Multi-CS-YS-001 Girls Committed Program RC V2 12.19.2025 Revised.pdf

Girls Committed Program

Solicitation #: 26-MULTI-CS-YS-001 RFP Document

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STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE SERVICES

(DJS)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

GIRLS COMMITTED PROGRAM

RFP NUMBER 26-MULTI-CS-YS-001

ISSUE DATE: NOVEMBER 10, 2025

REVISED: DECEMBER 19, 2025

A Prospective Offeror that has received this document from a source other than eMarylandMarketplace Advantage (eMMA) https://procurement.maryland.gov should register on eMMA https://emma.maryland.gov/

NOTICE TO OFFERORS

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ARE ENCOURAGED TO RESPOND TO THIS

SOLICITATION.

https://procurement.maryland.gov/ https://emma.maryland.gov/

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STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE SERVICES (DJS)

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals Services - Girls Committed Program

Solicitation Number: 26-MULTI-CS-YS-001

RFP Issue Date: November 10, 2025

RFP Issuing Office: Department of Juvenile Services (“DJS” or the "Department")

Procurement Officer: Ronald Colbert 217 East Redwood Street Baltimore, MD 21202

Email:

Phone Number:

Ronald.Colbert@maryland.gov

(443) 540-0929

Proposals are to be sent to:

Submit on emma.maryland.gov under Solicitation Number:

26-MULTI-CS-YS-001

To submit a proposal, offerors must first register on emma.maryland.gov.

We recommend registering in advance to become acquainted with the site.

https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2019/08/5-eMMA-QRG-Responding-to-Solicitations-Double-Envelope-v2.pdf

No Bid/Proposal Notice Feedback Form

*If you are not submitting a proposal for this solicitation, submit Attachment 1 with your reasons why.

Pre-Proposal Conference:

November 19th, 2025, at 12:00pm Local Time Virtual Teleconference, By Calendar Invitation from Procurement Officer.

See Section 4.3 for additional details.

See Attachment 2 to RSVP by November 17th 2025 at 3:30pm Local Time to Attend https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2019/08/5-eMMA-QRG-Responding-to-Solicitations-Double-Envelope-v2.pdf https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2019/08/5-eMMA-QRG-Responding-to-Solicitations-Double-Envelope-v2.pdf

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Scheduled Site Visit December 1st, 2025 at 10:00AM Local Time.

Site Visit Location:

Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School 9700 Old Harford Road Parkville, MD 21234 Building# 8

To attend the site visit please contact the Procurement Officer via Email no later than November 27th 2025 at 3:30pm Local Time.

Questions Due Date and Time:

Friday, December 5th 2025 by 3:30pm Local Time.

Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time:

Friday, January 9th 2025 by 3:30pm Local Time Offerors are reminded that a completed Feedback Form is requested if a no-bid/proposal decision is made (see Attachment 1 - No Bid Notice/Vendor Feedback Form).

MBE Subcontracting Goal:

An overall Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) subcontract participation goal of 5% percent of the total contract dollar amount, including all renewal option terms, if any, has been established for this procurement.

Refer to Exhibit 1 for information on how goal setting was determined.

Also, refer to Appendix 4 for information about the MBE or DBE program and goals.

VSBE Subcontracting Goal:

N/A

Procurement Method: A Contract will be awarded in accordance with the Competitive Sealed Proposals method under COMAR 21.05.03.

Multiple or Alternate Bids:

Multiple or alternate Proposals will not be accepted.

Contract Type: Cost Reimbursement.

Contract Duration: Two (2) year Estimated April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2028

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Primary Place of Performance:

Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School 9700 Old Harford Road Parkville, MD 21234 Building# 8 Or Location to be determined by the contactor.

SBR Designation: No

Federal Funding: No

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TABLE OF CONTENTS – RFP

1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.2 Background and Purpose

2.3 Contractor Responsibilities and Tasks

2.4 Experience and Personnel

2.5 Substitution of Personnel

2.6 Supplemental Category of Work Requirements and Responsibilities

3 Standard Terms and Conditions

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

3.2 End of Contract Transition

3.3 Invoicing

3.4 Liquidated Damages

3.5 Problem Escalation Procedure

3.6 Work Orders

3.7 Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer

3.8 Prompt Payment Policy

3.9 Federal Funding Acknowledgement

3.10 Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

3.11 Non-Disclosure Agreement

3.12 Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Requirements

3.13 The State of Maryland’s Commitment to Purchasing Environmentally Preferred Products and Services (EPPs)

3.14 Insurance Requirements

3.15 Non-Compete Clause Prohibition

3.16 Security Requirements

3.17 Child Protective Services Clearance

3.18 Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

4 Proposal Submission Information and Instructions

4.1 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA)

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4.2 Electronic Means

4.3 Pre-Proposal Conference

4.4 Questions

4.5 Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time

4.6 Economy of Preparation

4.7 Public Information Act Notice

4.8 Oral Presentation

4.9 Duration of Proposals

4.10 Revisions to the RFP

4.11 Cancellations

4.12 Incurred Expenses

4.13 Protest/Disputes

4.14 Offeror Responsibilities

4.15 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

4.16 Compliance with Laws/Arrearages

4.17 Verification of Registration and Tax Payment

4.18 False Statements

5 Proposal Submission Information and Instructions

5.1 Two Part Submission

5.2 Proposal Delivery and Packaging

5.3 Volume I - Technical Proposal

5.4 Volume II – Financial Proposal

6 Evaluation and Selection Process

6.1 Evaluation Committee

6.2 Technical Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.3 Financial Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.4 Reciprocal Preference

6.5 Selection Procedures

6.6 Documents Required upon Notice of Recommendation for Contract Award RFP Attachments (Table B)

7 RFP Appendices and Exhibits

7.1 Appendices (Table C)

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7.2 Exhibits (Table D)

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1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

The Offeror must document in its Proposal that it satisfies the following Minimum Qualifications:

A. Required Documentation: The Offeror shall provide with its proposal three (3) references from the past five (5) years attesting to the Offeror’s experience in providing residential or community services described in this solicitation.

B. The Offeror shall have applied for Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) certification and meet the specified requirements in “section Z” of the contractor responsibilities. Required Documentation: The Offeror shall provide with proposal proof that it applied for QRTP certification.

C. The Offeror must have a current license for girls Residential Childcare (RCC) issued by one of the following licensing agencies: Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) and Maryland Department of Health (MDH) or must have responded to the agency’s Statement of Need (SON) found on Maryland Register (https://djs.maryland.gov/Pages/Publications.aspx). Required Documentation: The Offeror shall provide with its proposal proof that it responded to the SON or the Offeror shall provide its current license for girls Residential Childcare (RCC) issued by one of the agencies mentioned above.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

https://djs.maryland.gov/Pages/Publications.aspx

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2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued to procure the services, as specified in this Section 2, from a contract between the selected offeror and the State of Maryland (“State”).

It is the State’s intention to obtain goods and services, as specified in this RFP, from a contract between the selected Offeror and the State.

A single Contract will be awarded as a result of this RFP. See RFP Section 6.5 Selection Procedures for more Contract award information.

The purpose of this solicitation is to procure a residential treatment service programming for girls and gender-expansive young people who are involved in the juvenile justice system. These young people are youth between the ages of ten (10) and twenty (20). The program shall be staff-secure, therapeutic, and provide a home-like environment that will replace the current hardware secure commitment program that DJS operates for girls in the Department’s custody. The program shall be located in the State.

A Contract award does not ensure a Contractor will receive all or any State business under the Contract.

2.2 Background and Purpose

The Department supervises most youth who are involved in the juvenile justice system in the community. In some situations, juvenile courts may commit a youth to DJS and order that the young person receive out-of-home placement. Currently, girls and gender-expansive young people make up a very small proportion of the DJS youth population. After launching a workgroup to analyze these cases, consulting with expert technical assistance providers, and doing research into national best practices, the Department seeks to create a program that is staff-secure and therapeutic with home-like environment for girls and gender-expansive young people1. The program shall replace the current hardware secure commitment program that DJS operates for girls.

The national trend of detaining and committing girls for minor offenses that pose little public safety risk is consistent with Maryland’s current landscape. In FY 2023, 33.3% of girls placed into a committed treatment placement were for misdemeanors, compared to 26.6% of boys. Girls often end up entwined with DJS not because they pose a threat to public safety, but because of scarce community resources, familial challenges, trauma, and other factors. The Contractor awarded this Contract will work with young people in their care to develop, support, and maintain permanent connections that will bolster them after leaving treatment while creating opportunities for them to feel safe and develop prosocial skills - all in support of the goal to reduce future system involvement.

The model program envisioned for girls and gender-expansive young people as a result of this solicitation should be rooted in the following principles:

1 Consistent with DJS’s housing policy: https://djs.maryland.gov/Documents/policies/residential/Classification-of- Youth-in-DJS-Residential-Facilities_RF-716-18.pdf

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1. Gender-Responsive, Trauma-Informed, Healing-Centered approaches. These approaches recognize that girls and gender-expansive young people have specific needs and experiences that should be met with specialized approaches.

2. Positive Youth Development. Although young people face many challenges, the belief is that every young person has skills, strengths, and positive qualities that must be at the forefront of their treatment plans and delivery of services.

3. Public Safety. Consistent with the Court’s determination that a young person needs to be placed in a residential program, intensive and caring supervision and monitoring be provided by attentive, well-trained staff in a setting without hardware secure locks, bars, and fences.

4. Educational Achievement. All youth should be afforded supportive educational services consistent with their individual needs and requirements outlined in COMAR 14.31.06.12. As appropriate, any on-site educational facility would need to be approved by MSDE before it could be operational.

5. Community and Family Engagement. Supporting and maintaining young people’s positive ties in their homes and neighborhoods is crucial to ensuring they thrive and do not reengage with the juvenile justice system. As such, the Contractor will bolster these relationships by offering family or group therapy, encouraging visits and phone calls, and arranging transportation. The Contractor should have a suitable vehicle(s) for this purpose.

The Department is committed to doing everything in its purview to reduce the number of young people safely and effectively in out-of-home placement and to work with our court partners to do the same. The Department expects the Contractor to have a small facility in the State to provide the home-like atmosphere envisioned for what it anticipates to be no more than eight (8) beds for the staff secure portion of the program. The Contractor could also include independent living or other types of housing; however, those beds would be separate from the staff secure program. The Department will fund the program based on an approved annual line-item budget. The budget should include all costs associated with operating the program annually. Budgets for year one and year two shall be submitted on the attached form (Exhibit 6). Providers will be reimbursed for actual costs up to the approved budgeted line-item amounts. A key element of this program model is no secure hardware, including barbed wire fences and exit doors that lock from the inside. The facility should be home-like and non-institutional in its environment, and equipped with staff providing trauma-responsive assessments, mentorship, and case management. Details of the facility or building it seeks to use for this program shall be detailed in its proposal and must be in the State of Maryland. Should the Offeror not have a building available to them, the Department has one (1) building on the grounds outside of the gated area of the Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School in Baltimore County that shall be repurposed to house the program. The Offeror would need to lease it from DJS for this purpose through a similar agreement shown in (Table D – Exhibit# 6).

Given the Department’s existing work on building a comprehensive strategy for working with girls and gender-expansive young people, and the model proposed in this solicitation, the Contractor selected as a result of this solicitation is expected to work as a partner with DJS. This includes having frequent meetings to discuss implementation and a collaborative process for starting up this program/facility with Departmental leadership. Once the program is established, the Department will

RFP for Department of Juvenile Services Page 11 of 50 seek to maintain frequent communication and contact to ensure operations are going as planned and to support the Contractor in troubleshooting any challenges, communicating with families, court actors and stakeholders, and ensuring the program is serving the intended population.

2.2.1 Project Goals

A. The program should be rooted in the previously-mentioned principles and center these principles in all aspects of the program (gender-responsive, trauma-informed, healing-centered, utilizing positive youth development, prioritizing public safety, emphasizing educational achievement, and encouraging community and family engagement).

B. Work with young people, families, and communities to begin planning transition back to their communities on the day of arrival, including identifying safe and stable housing.

C. Encourage and support healing with family members.

D. Work with young people on behavior change, workforce development, therapeutic interventions and skill building to reduce the likelihood of future system involvement.

E. Preferably, provide a range of residential options for young people beyond staff-secure programming as step-down options or in lieu of staff-secure programming.

2.2.2 State Staff and Roles

In addition to the Procurement Officer, the State project team consists of the following:

A. Contract Monitor

1. The Contract Monitor will be the Assistant Secretary of Community Resources.

The Contract Monitor will serve as the liaison between the local resource specialists and the program, and will assist in troubleshooting issues related to referrals, placements, and discharges.

B. DJS Licensing and Monitoring Unit

1. Will conduct regular program reviews and site visits to ensure compliance with

COMAR regulations.

2. Will review all incident reports from the program. The DJS incident policy and a blank incident form are available in (Table D – Exhibit#4.)

C. Regional Directors

1. Will work with the community Case Management Specialists and local Resource Specialists to troubleshoot any challenges that may arise, and support DJS and program staff to creatively respond and adjust treatment plans as necessary.

D. Local Resource Specialists

1. Will send referrals to Contractor’s referral coordinator.

E. Community Case Management Specialists

1. Will be responsible for attending all treatment team meetings and communicating court dates.

2. Will supporting the youth and family to address any challenges that may arise during their time in the program.

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2.2.3 Other State Responsibilities

A. DJS shall be responsible for providing required information, data, documentation, and test data to facilitate the Contractor’s performance of the work and will provide such additional assistance and services as are specifically set forth.

2.3 Contractor Responsibilities and Tasks

The Contractor Shall:

A. Possess and maintain a current and valid Maryland Residential Childcare (RCC) license for the program for which the Contractor submits a Proposal and remain in good standing with the appropriate licensing agency(ies) for the entire term of the Contract.

B. Operate its RCC facility(ies) in the State of Maryland.

C. Operate its RCC facility(ies) 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Contractors must have 24 hour supervision by awake staff. Contractors shall operate their RCC Program(s) consistent with the regulations and requirements of the RCC Program placement and licensing policies as detailed in COMAR 14.31.05 and .06.

D. Comply with all applicable State and federal laws, regulations, DJS policies, standards and guidelines affecting the care and supervision of children in the Contractor’s care. Contractors shall remain abreast of and comply with current, new, and revised laws, regulations, and DJS policies.

E. Comply with RCC services described in the Scope of Work, RFP Section 2 herein.

F. Beginning at the point of admission, work with DJS staff to develop a reentry plan for each youth.

G. Plan, facilitate, and coordinate all preventive, routine, and emergency medical, mental health and dental care services for each youth.

H. Provide residential staff for supervision of youth throughout the facility.

I. Arrange for and ensure that each school-aged resident attends an educational or vocational program in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws (see Education, RFP Section V and COMAR 14.31.06.12). This may include transportation to and from educational programs if not on-site at the facility.

J. Ensure that Contractor’s e-mail address, telephone and actual contact person information is up to date and on file with the DJS Contract Monitor.

K. Complete the provider questionnaire distributed by the University of Maryland, School of Social

Work Institute of Innovation and Implementation on an annual basis.

L. Staffing

Contractor shall:

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1) Maintain a Board of Directors, or similar advisory board, that provides governance oversight and is comprised of representatives with experience in governance, financial management, fundraising, juvenile justice, child welfare, and any other experience pertinent to administration of a residential child care environment.

2) Consistent with COMAR licensee regulations, employ a sufficient number of credentialed staff to provide services and behavior management that meets the needs of the young people in the Program.

3) Ensure staff can effectively perform the roles and responsibilities associated with their positions.

4) Based on the level of care, ensure that there are at least two (2) certified staff persons (excluding volunteers and staff not providing direct care and supervision of young people) present and on-duty in the facility at all times when a resident is present in the facility.

i. Note: The requirement that at least two (2) staff persons certified in Residential Child and Youth Care by the State Board for the certification of Residential Child Care Program Professionals be present and on-duty in the facility at all times applies even if this may result in more staff being present and on-duty at the facility than otherwise required by the minimum resident to staff ratios outlined in COMAR licensee regulations.

5) Ensure staff receive appropriate orientation and ongoing training in order to meet the minimum licensing requirements and to comply with COMAR 14.31.06 in order to meet the needs of the children served. Additionally, the Contractor shall:

i. Ensure all staff receive forty (40) hours of initial and forty (40) hours of annual training as prescribed in COMAR 14.31.06.05 F; and

ii. Maintain training records, including the names and credentials of trainers, staff attendance and copies of the curriculum.

6) Ensure that the Program’s residential child care workers are certified by the State Board for the certification of Residential Child Care Program Professionals as outlined in Health Occupations Article §20-301-(b)(1)and (2), as applicable.

7) Staff Security

i. Contractors shall ensure that all staff, including all employees, consultants and sub-contractors are background checked prior to beginning work.

ii. Contractors are encouraged to hire staff with lived experience in the juvenile or criminal justice system to act as credible messengers with our young people. In the case of a prior criminal background, Contractor should receive approval for the hire from the Contract Monitor.

M. Cultural and Linguistic Competence

1) Contractors shall ensure all staff will treat young people and families with respect and dignity. They shall celebrate the diversity of youth and families in all facets of identity. They should recognize the impact of social systems, racial disparities, and

RFP for Department of Juvenile Services Page 14 of 50 other forms of discrimination on youth and families, and who deploy strategies that mitigate these inequities. Offerors should explain their approach to this in their proposal. Additionally, integrating other community programming in the model is strongly encouraged, and providers should demonstrate how they plan to incorporate those partnerships in the model.

2) Contractors shall ensure that all staff persons who come in contact with young people are aware of and sensitive to the youth's cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences, which may include hearing impaired youth. Contractors shall employ or have access to individuals who are representative of the youth served in order to minimize the language or cultural barriers that may exist. Each youth in the Contractor’s care shall be provided services that address any special language needs and reinforce positive cultural practices, and acknowledge and build upon ethnic, socio-cultural and linguistic strengths. All costs for these services shall be included in the approved annual line-item budget.

N. Quality Assurance

Contractors shall maintain a formal process for program planning and evaluations, as well as an ongoing quality improvement plan as prescribed in COMAR 14.31.06.19B. The Department will monitor this system and data pertinent to the quality of care.

O. Intake/Admission

1) Accept all referrals provided there are vacancies. Placement will be made consistent with DJS’s placement recommendation process. DJS will work with a local resource specialist to send referrals with the referral packet (Table D - Exhibit# 3). Contractor will have three (3) business days to respond to the Department with an admission date.

Contractor will be responsible for preparing and submitting any court reports required three (3) days prior to scheduled court hearings.

2) Any time a referral is not accepted, the DJS staff will report the rejection to the State

Contract Monitor and the OLM Licensing Coordinator for review and investigation, if warranted. Ejections from the program will be permitted only in exceptional circumstances after all efforts to accommodate the youth have been exhausted, and in coordination with DJS’s policies that govern other placement programs. As this will be the highest level of security placement for female and gender-expansive youth in DJS’s care, the Contractor is expected to troubleshoot and work through challenging behaviors with young people and to keep them in the program.

P. Case Planning

Contractor shall support the activities of the DJS Case Management Specialist in the achievement of a safe, stable living environment, nurturing social relationships, and other goals of any relevant case plans. Contractors shall cooperate and work in conjunction with the assigned DJS Case

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Management Specialist in the planning of treatment, service delivery, family visits, education, health and mental health and with any applicable court orders.

Q. Visitation and Transportation

In conjunction with DJS staff, ensure and facilitate regular family and friend visits, with all attempts to eliminate restrictions on the frequency and length of such visits. Visitation shall be permitted 7 days/week, in coordination with the youth’s education and the programmatic schedule at the facility. Visitation and phone call policies should be flexible and allow for maximum contact between youth and their family members. Phone and video calls and other forms of communication shall also be encouraged between the youth and relatives, as well as other significant individuals. All requests to add individuals to the youth’s call or visitation list should be considered and approved, barring any verifiable concern over the youth having contact with that person. Visits and phone calls shall not be taken away as punishment, nor should youth have to “earn” visits or phone calls as part of a behavior management program. Phone calls shall never be recorded and must be provided free of charge.

R. Mandatory Incident Reporting

1) Follow the procedures outlined in COMAR 14.31.06.18 for mandatory reporting of incidents. Contractors shall also file an incident report any time the youth and/or staff has engaged in an event that is significantly distinct from the normal routine or procedure of the youth, the program, the staff, or any person relevant to the youth.

2) Report any alleged child abuse, neglect or other risk to residents’ health and safety to the DJS Case Manager, Child Protective Services, Office of Licensing and Monitoring.

i. Note: Failure to report any allegation of child abuse and/or neglect to OLM and to the appropriate law enforcement or social service agency in the jurisdiction in which the alleged act occurred, or failure to dismiss any employee or subcontractor shall be sufficient cause to restrict or suspend placement with the Contractor.

S. Normal Daily Routines

Contractor shall ensure a structured routine and schedule of events and activities that promote healthy development and improve social and behavioral functioning. Each youth should have minimal, if any, periods of unstructured time in their daily routine.

T. Community Integration

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1) In collaboration with the DJS Case Management Specialist, develop and maintain linkages that strengthen the relationship with the youth’s family and/or the community in which she/they may be residing upon discharge. It is imperative that the youth maintain connections with schools, churches, mentors, coaches, friends and families, and other important relationships.

2) Make community resources (volunteer civic activities, use of public agencies/services, local library, behavioral health services, and recreational activities at a local gym or community center) available to youth, and encourage participation and involvement in community based programming to ensure that the youth develops socialization skills for living successfully in the community.

3) Ensure that every youth has an opportunity to participate in religious services of her/their choice, or to refrain from religious practice if so desired.

4) Ensure that any gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning youth be linked with organizations and other networks that can support the youth’s identity and culture.

U. Education

1) Proposers should offer an on-grounds school, or details around transportation to a different on-grounds school located in the State of Maryland if the Offeror operates another program with an on-grounds school.

2) Proposers must comply with all regulations as outlined in COMAR 14.31.06.12.

V. Discharge

1) Participate with the DJS Case Management Specialist in the reentry planning process including regular treatment team meetings.

2) Work with case management staff at DJS to provide regular updates to the court about youth’s progress in the program. Disciplinary incidents and behavior challenges should be communicated to the court in the proper context of the youth’s treatment and development.

3) Create a written discharge summary to share with DJS Case Management Specialist.

Note: the Court has sole authority regarding when to release a youth from placement.

4) To ensure that youth do not stay unnecessarily in DJS custody, and to support successful reintegration into the community, the Contractor will be expected to collaborate with DJS on the appropriate timing to recommend release, to establish a system for identifying youth who may be eligible for early release, and to meet with DJS regarding reentry planning starting at the point of admission. This will be especially critical for youth who are dually committed to the Department of Social Services (DSS). As soon as DSS involved youth are placed in the Contractor’s

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W. Recordkeeping

1) Establish and maintain client case files and fiscal records in a manner that is compliant with and supports all policies and procedures promulgated by DJS, particularly as they relate to documentation needed for audits. Contractors’ documentation must include all progress notes on assessments, treatment and service delivery that fully outline the care and recommended future care provided to youth.

2) Retain all books, records, including documents that reflect all direct or indirect costs expended in the performance of this Contract for a period of no less than three (3) years after the date of final payment, in accordance with COMAR 21.07.01.21.

X. Contract Monitoring

1) Comply with all processes and requests made by DJS, including DJS’ Licensing and Monitoring Unit, in conducting contract and monitoring oversight activities during the term of the Contract.

2) Allow DJS staff, including DJS’ Licensing and Monitoring Unit, to conduct scheduled and unscheduled site visits, as appropriate, to assess performance, contract compliance, and report on delivery of services required under this Contract.

Y. Specific Requirements for Contractors Providing Services as a Qualified Residential Treatment

Program (QRTP)

Contractor shall:

1) Have a trauma-informed treatment model designed to address the needs, including clinical needs as appropriate, of youth with serious emotional or behavioral disorders or disturbances.

2) Implement the treatment identified for the youth by the required 30-day assessment of the appropriateness of the QRTP placement.

3) Facilitate participation of family members in the youth's treatment program in accordance with the youth's best interests.

4) Provide discharge planning and family-based aftercare support for at least six (6) months post-discharge.

5) The program must have a QRTP designation at the start date of operation and ensure the program contains the following:

i. Utilize a trauma-informed treatment model that includes service of clinical needs.

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ii. Meets the treatment needs of the child as determined by an assessment within 30 days of placement.

iii. Staffed by a registered or licensed nursing staff that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

iv. Facilitates outreach and engagement of family members.

v. Provides a physical plant consistent with the regulations as outlined in

COMAR 14.31.07.

vi. Provides discharge planning and family-based aftercare supports for at least 6 months post discharge.

vii. Must be licensed by the State and accredited by at least one of the following:

a) The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities

b) Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

c) Council on Accreditation.

Z. Payment Information

Vendors will be paid based on an approved annual line-item budget.

2.4 Experience and Personnel

2.4.1 Personnel Experience

The following experience is expected and will be evaluated as part of the Technical Proposal (see the capability of proposed resources evaluation factor from Section 6.2):

The Offeror shall have a minimum of three (3) years of experience working with young people in residential or community-based settings.

The Offeror must comply with COMAR 14.31.06.06 and the staffing requirements outlined therein for Residential Child Care centers. In addition, Offeror should possess demonstrated knowledge of the principles of Positive Youth Development, trauma-responsive, and gender-responsive approaches, as well as the other values outlined in Section 2.2 of this RFP.

2.4.2 THIS SECTION IS INAPPLICIABLE TO THIS RFP

2.4.3 Contractor Personnel Experience Equivalency (including Key Personnel submitted in response to this RFP)

A. A Substitution of Education for Experience: Bachelor’s Degree or higher may be substituted for the general and specialized experience for those labor categories requiring a High School Diploma. A Master’s Degree may be substituted for two years of the general and specialized experience for those labor categories requiring a Bachelor’s Degree. Substitution shall be reviewed and approved by the State at its discretion.

B. Substitution of Experience for Education: Substitution of experience for education may be permitted at the discretion of the State.

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C. Substitution of Professional Certificates for Experience: Professional certification (e.g., Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert, SQL Certified Database Administrator) may be substituted for up to two (2) years for general and specialized experience at the discretion of the State.

2.4..4Contractor Personnel Maintain Certifications

Any Contractor Personnel provided under this RFP shall maintain in good standing any required professional certifications for the duration of the Contract.

2.4.5 Work Hours

Unless otherwise specified, the following work hours requirements are applicable:

A. The Program operates 24 hours Monday through Sunday including State holidays.

Program business hours should align with the State’s hours of 9AM -5PM local time.

B. Contractor Personnel may be required to provide occasional support outside of normal State Business Hours, including evenings, overnight, and weekends, to support specific efforts and emergencies. Hours performing activities must be billed on an actual time worked basis at the budget rate proposed.

C. Scheduled non-Business Hours Support: Once personnel have demonstrated an understanding of the Department infrastructure, they will also be required to participate in a rotating emergency on-call schedule, providing non-Business Hours support.

Typically, personnel assigned to Department non-Business Hours support are required to be on-call 24 hours a day for a seven-day period, one week out of every four to five weeks.

2.5 Substitution of Personnel

2.5.1 Continuous Performance of Key Personnel

When Key Personnel are identified for the Contract, the following apply:

A. Key Personnel shall be available to perform Contract requirements as of the NTP Date.

Unless explicitly authorized by the Contract Monitor or specified in the Contract, Key Personnel shall be assigned to the State of Maryland as a dedicated resource.

B. Key Personnel shall perform continuously for the duration of the Contract, or such lesser duration as specified in the Technical Proposal. Key Personnel may not be removed by the Contractor from working under the Contract without the prior written approval of the Contract Monitor.

C. The provisions of this section apply to Key Personnel identified in any Task Order proposal and agreement, if issued, and any Work Order Request and Work Order, if issued.

2.5.2 Definitions

For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

A. Extraordinary Personal Event – means any of: leave under the Family Medical Leave Act; an Incapacitating injury or Incapacitating illness; or other circumstances that in the sole discretion of the State warrant an extended leave of absence, such as extended jury

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B. Incapacitating – means any health circumstance that substantially impairs the ability of an individual to perform the job duties described for that individual’s position in the RFP or the Contractor’s Technical Proposal.

2.5.3 Contractor Personnel General Substitution Provisions

The following provisions apply to all of the circumstances of Contractor Personnel substitution described in Section 2.5.4.

A. The Contractor shall demonstrate to the Contract Monitor’s satisfaction that the proposed substitute has qualifications at least equal to those of the Contractor Personnel proposed to be replaced.

B. The Contractor shall provide the Contract Monitor with a substitution request that shall include:

1. A detailed explanation of the reason(s) for the substitution request;

2. The resume of the proposed substitute, signed by the substituting individual and his/her formal supervisor;

3. The official resume of the current personnel for comparison purposes; and

4. Evidence of any required credentials.

C. The Contract Monitor may request additional information concerning the proposed substitution and may interview the proposed substitute personnel prior to deciding whether to approve the substitution request.

D. The Contract Monitor will notify the Contractor in writing of:

1. The acceptance or denial

2. Contingent or temporary approval for a specified time limit, of the requested substitution. The Contract Monitor will not unreasonably withhold approval of a proposed Contractor Personnel replacement.

2.5.4 Replacement Circumstances

A. Directed Personnel Replacement

1. The Contract Monitor may direct the Contractor to replace any Contractor Personnel who, in the sole discretion of the Contract Monitor, are perceived as being unqualified, non-productive, unable to fully perform the job duties, disruptive, or known, or reasonably believed, to have committed a major infraction(s) of law, Department policies, or Contract requirements. Normally, a directed personnel replacement will occur only after prior notification of problems with requested remediation, as described in paragraph 2.5.4.A.2.

2. If deemed appropriate in the discretion of the Contract Monitor, the Contract Monitor may give written notice of any Contractor Personnel performance issues to the Contractor, describing the problem and delineating the remediation requirement(s). The Contractor shall provide a written response to the remediation requirements in a Remediation Plan within ten (10) days of the date of the notice and shall immediately implement the Remediation Plan upon written acceptance by the Contract Monitor. If the Contract Monitor rejects the Remediation Plan, the Contractor shall revise and resubmit the plan to the Contract Monitor within five (5) days, or in the timeframe set forth by the Contract Monitor in writing.

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3. Should performance issues persist despite an approved Remediation Plan, the Contract Monitor may give written notice of the continuing performance issues and either request a new Remediation Plan within a specified time limit or direct the substitution of Contractor Personnel whose performance is at issue with a qualified substitute, including requiring the immediate removal of the Contractor Personnel at issue.

4. Replacement or substitution of Contractor Personnel under this section shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the State’s remedies under the Contract or which otherwise may be available at law or in equity.

5. If the Contract Monitor determines to direct substitution under 2.5.4.A.1, if at all possible, at least fifteen (15) days advance notice shall be given to the Contractor.

However, if the Contract Monitor deems it necessary and in the State’s best interests to remove the Contractor Personnel with less than fifteen (15) days’ notice, the Contract Monitor may direct the removal in a timeframe of less than fifteen (15) days, including immediate removal.

6. In circumstances of directed removal, the Contractor shall, in accordance with paragraph 2.5.4.A.1 of this section, provide a suitable replacement for approval within fifteen (15) days of the notification of the need for removal, or the actual removal, whichever occurs first.

A. Key Personnel Replacement

1. To replace any Key Personnel in a circumstance other than as described in 2.5.4.B, including transfers and promotions, the Contractor shall submit a substitution request as described in Section 2.5.3 to the Contract Monitor at least fifteen (15) days prior to the intended date of change. A substitution may not occur unless and until the Contract Monitor approves the substitution in writing.

B. Key Personnel Replacement Due to Sudden Vacancy

1. The Contractor shall replace Key Personnel whenever a sudden vacancy occurs

(e.g., Extraordinary Personal Event, death, resignation, termination). A termination or resignation with thirty (30) days or more advance notice shall be treated as a replacement under Section 2.5.4.B.1.

2. Under any of the circumstances set forth in this paragraph B, the Contractor shall identify a suitable replacement and provide the same information and items required under Section 2.5.3 within fifteen (15) days of the actual vacancy occurrence or from when the Contractor first knew or should have known that the vacancy would be occurring, whichever is earlier.

C. Key Personnel Replacement Due to an Indeterminate Absence

1. If any Key Personnel has been absent from his/her job for a period of ten (10) days and it is not known or reasonably anticipated that the individual will be returning to work within the next twenty (20) days to fully resume all job duties, before the 25th day of continuous absence, the Contractor shall identify a suitable replacement and provide the same information and items to the Contract Monitor as required under Section 2.5.3.

2. However, if this person is available to return to work and fully perform all job duties before a replacement has been authorized by the Contract Monitor the Contract Monitor may, at his/her sole discretion, authorize the original personnel to continue to work under the Contract, or authorize the replacement personnel to replace the original personnel, notwithstanding the original personnel’s ability to return.

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2.5.5 Substitution Prior to and Within 30 Days After Contract Execution

Prior to Contract execution or within thirty (30) days after Contract execution, the Offeror may not substitute proposed Key Personnel except under the following circumstances (a) for actual full-time personnel employed directly by the Offeror: the vacancy occurs due to the sudden termination, resignation, or approved leave of absence due to an Extraordinary Personal Event, or the death of such personnel; and (b) for any temporary staff, subcontractors or 1099 contractors:

the vacancy occurs due to an Incapacitating event or the death of such personnel. To qualify for such substitution, the Offeror must demonstrate to the State's satisfaction the event necessitating substitution. Proposed substitutions shall be of equal caliber or higher, in the State's sole discretion. Proposed substitutes deemed by the State to be less qualified than the originally proposed individual may be grounds for pre-award disqualification or post-award termination

2.6 Supplemental Category of Work Requirements and Responsibilities

Not Applicable

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3 Standard Terms and Conditions

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

Once all approvals have been obtained and the Contract is fully executed, the Procurement Officer may schedule a kickoff meeting to be held prior to commencement of Contract performance.

3.2 End of Contract Transition

The Contractor shall cooperate in the orderly transition of services from it to a subsequent contractor at the end of the contract term or upon receipt of a Notice of Termination from the State. Transition shall be provided in a prompt and timely manner and shall proceed in accordance with the schedule provided to the Contractor by the State in the Notice of Transition. Additional instructions regarding transition services may be provided in the event of a Notice of Termination issued by the State.

3.3 Invoicing

The Contractor shall e-mail the original of each invoice and signed authorization to invoice to the Contract Monitor, Maisha Davis maisha.davis@maryland.gov or its designee and Accounts Payable at the following e-mail address:

Submission of an invoice constitutes the Contractor’s verification that the information in the invoice is accurate as of the time of submission.

An invoice not satisfying the requirements of a Proper Invoice (as defined in COMAR 21.06.09) will not be processed for payment. To be considered a Proper Invoice, invoices must include the following information, without error:

A. Contractor name and address;

B. Remittance address;

C. Federal taxpayer identification (FEIN) number, social security number, as appropriate;

D. Invoice period (i.e. time period during which services covered by invoice were performed);

E. Invoice date;

F. Invoice number;

G. State assigned Contract number;

H. State assigned (Blanket) Purchase Order number(s);

I. Goods or services provided;

J. Amount due; and K. Any additional documentation required by regulation or the Contract.

Invoices that contain both fixed price and labor hour or time and material items shall clearly identify each item as either fixed price, and labor hour, or time and material billing.

The State reserves the right to reduce or withhold Contract payment in the event the Contractor does not provide all required deliverables within the time frame specified in the Contract or

Regions Facilities Email Addresses

Central Region Charles H. Hickey Jr. School djs.centralap@maryland.gov

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The State is generally exempt from federal excise taxes, Maryland sales and use taxes, District of Columbia sales taxes and transportation taxes. The Contractor, however, is not exempt from such sales and use taxes and may be liable for the same.

Invoices for final payment shall be clearly marked as “FINAL” and submitted when all work requirements have been completed and no further charges are to be incurred under the Contract.

In no event shall any invoice be submitted later than 60 calendar days from the Contract termination date.

3.3.1 Invoice Submission Schedule

The Contractor shall submit invoices in accordance with the following schedule:

A. For items of work within annual line-item budget (see Attachment B –The Price Form), those items shall be billed in the month following the acceptance of the work by the State.

Programs must submit a form (Table D – Exhibit# 5) to the Department tracking each admission and the duration of their stay for reimbursement.

3.3.2 Travel Reimbursement

Travel will not be reimbursed under this RFP.

3.4 Liquidated Damages

3.4.1 MBE Liquidated Damages

MBE liquidated damages are identified in Exhibit 2 – Sample Contract.

3.4.2 Liquidated Damages other than MBE

Liquidated damages other than MBE are identified in Exhibit 2 – Sample Contract

3.5 Problem Escalation Procedure

No later than ten (10) Business Days after notice of recommended award or after the date of the Notice to Proceed, whichever is earlier, the Contractor must provide, and thereafter, maintain a Problem Escalation Procedure (PEP) for both routine and emergency situations. The PEP must state how the Contractor will address problem situations as they occur during the performance of the Contract, especially problems that are not resolved to the satisfaction of the State within appropriate timeframes and must include:

A. Contact information B. The process for establishing the existence of a problem;

C. Names, titles, and contact information for progressively higher levels of personnel in the

Contractor’s organization who would become involved in resolving a problem;

D. For each individual listed in the Contractor’s PEP, the maximum amount of time a problem will remain unresolved with that individual before the problem escalates to the next contact person listed in the Contractor’s PEP;

E. Expedited escalation procedures and any circumstances that would trigger expediting them;

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F. The method of providing feedback on resolution progress, including the frequency of feedback to be provided to the State;

G. Contact information for persons responsible for resolving issues after normal business…