cbes_rfr_amend.doc

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Community Based Employment Services

Community Based Employment Services (CBES)

Request for Response

Amendment Procurement Category:

Health, Human and Social Services

Sub-category:

Services - Employment Training or Support Issued 9/1/06 Table of Contents

1Summary of Amendments

Department contacts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Virtual Gateway Business Services Executive Office of Health and Human Services Provider Data Management (PDM) Executive Office of Health and Human Services Pre-qualification Requirements Compensation Structures Required Specifications and Forms Other Items

Summary of Amendments

The participating departments have determined it is appropriate to exercise their options to renew their existing CBES contracts.

The CBES Request for Response is being amended via this document. This amendment contains refreshed department contact persons, updated required specifications, forms and Comm-PASS references. It also introduces a new required specification, the Employment and Training Specifications for Requests for Responses.

This amendment also contains new requirements of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services concerning the Virtual Gateway and the Provider Data Management System. It also sets forth revised pre-qualification procedures. Finally, it contains a revised compensation structure and other miscellaneous items.

The effective date of this amendment is September 1, 2006. The terms of this amendment and any other forms and terms referenced within this document pertain to all streamlined and full responses received as of September 1, 2006. It also pertains to all contracts renewals executed by departments (except where noted otherwise) with effective dates of 10/1/06. Departments that have already executed renewal options will request an acknowledgement of and agreement to the terms of this RFR amendment.

Department contacts

The department contact persons listed on pages 2 and 30 of the RFR have been replaced by the following:

· MRC – Jim Fratolillo, Director, Statewide Employment Services, MRC, 27 Wormwood Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02210-1616

· MCB – Robert Takacs, Deputy Commissioner for Services Programs, MCB, 48 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116-4718

· DMR – Margaret VanGelder, Statewide Director of Family and Employment Supports, 500 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118

· DMH – Walter Jabzanka, Director of Community Systems Implementation, DMH, 25 Staniford St., Boston, MA 02114 Executive Office of Health and Human Services Virtual Gateway Business Services

This section is new.

During the term of this contract, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) will implement and enhance a number of business services through the Virtual Gateway in addition to existing services including, but not limited to, Provider Data Management (PDM), Common Intake (IE&R), Enterprise Invoice Management (EIM) and Enterprise Service Management (ESM). EOHHS operates the Virtual Gateway business services, which permit users to access a variety of EOHHS programs and services. Virtual Gateway business services are accessible by end users with web browsers such as Internet Explorer (6.0 or above), and a broadband Internet connection that is capable of high-speed data transmission, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a cable modem, or DSL. If the participating departments direct the contractor during the term of the resulting contract (new or amended) to access certain services through the Virtual Gateway, contractor agrees to submit all specified information including, but not limited to, invoices, contract and/or other information to the departments through these web-based applications, and agrees to comply with all applicable department and EOHHS policies and procedures related to such services. Contractor agrees to use all business services through the Virtual Gateway required by the participating departments and to take all necessary steps to insure that it, and its subcontractors or affiliates, has access to and utilizes all required web-based services. Contractor further agrees to execute and submit all required agreements, including subcontracts, MOAs, confidentiality and/or end user agreements in connection with obtaining necessary end user accounts for any Virtual Gateway business service.

Executive Office of Health and Human Services Provider Data Management (PDM)

This section is new.

Bidders must have a completed profile in the Commonwealth’s Provider Data Management (PDM) System. PDM is replacing the Department’s Provider Profile. PDM is accessed through the Commonwealth’s Virtual Gateway (see information on the Virtual Gateway System above). PDM is a web-based service managed by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) that presents information about a provider’s organizational structure, financial health, and state contract activity. Most of the information in PDM is pre-populated with data supplied by the Commonwealth; a limited amount of information is being requested from providers.

(a) If your organization has a current Purchase of Service contract with an EOHHS agency, you should be able to submit information directly to PDM via the Virtual Gateway. If you do not have a Virtual Gateway user name and password and/or if you have not provided required provider organizational information to PDM (including a current mission statement), you may contact the Provider Data Management team at pos.pdm@massmail.state.ma.us. You should also call the Virtual Gateway Help Desk at 1-800-421-0938 and ask for instructions for submitting electronic information to the PDM system.

(b) If a provider does not have a current human services contract with an EOHHS agency, the provider can submit information only after a contract has been awarded. If the provider is awarded a contract as a result of this RFR, the provider should submit information to PDM as described in (a) above.

Contractors whose contracts have been amended to exercise an option to renew must agree to this provision.

Executive Office of Health and Human Services Pre-qualification Requirements The following completely replaces the pre-qualification requirements on page 5 of the RFR.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has established a separate review process for financial, administrative and equal opportunity/affirmative action/programmatic access requirements which must be met before a bidder can be qualified to deliver services pursuant to this RFR. The vast majority of RFR respondents are expected to be existing contractors which have already met these pre-qualification requirements. The provider organization is qualified by one department which is that department that contracts with the provider for the highest amount of dollars. This department is referred to as the Principal Purchasing Agency (PPA).

The PPA uses the Provider Data Management System (PDM), a web-based tool that holds enterprise-wide information on providers. PDM has a direct interface with the OSD Uniform Financial Report database and provides summary information on providers.

If you are new to the Purchase of Service system, please obtain a Contracting Qualification Form from the EOHHS department to whom you are planning to submit a proposal in response to this RFR. Please review the Pre-qualifying New Providers section of the EOHHS publication, Virtual Gateway POS Provider Qualification Manual. Please call EOHHS Virtual Gateway Help Desk at 1-800-421-0938 or 1.617.988.3301 (TTY) if you experience any problems in accessing this material. One package of pre-qualification materials must be submitted to the department to whom you have submitted a proposal and from whom you anticipate the most referrals. You need not submit these materials to more than one department. This is a minimum submission requirement. Pre-qualification requirements must be met before a bidder can be qualified to deliver services under this or any other EOHHS procurement. Once approved, the pre-qualification remains valid for the current fiscal year for any other EOHHS department.

Compensation Structures

The following replaces the section on Compensation Structures starting on page 23 of the RFR in its entirety. Please note: The Assessment, Placement and Initial Employment Supports components have received increases. There has been no change to the terms of the Extended Supports ($26), Flexible Supports or Additional Supports components.

Overall reimbursement rates have been established through the evaluation of Responses to a Request for Information, pricing surveys, the Uniform Financial Statements and Independent Auditor’s Report (UFR) submissions and supplemental reports submitted by CBES contractors in prior years. As a result, the following reimbursement amounts and methodologies are subject to modification without re-issuance of this RFR. These rates will be re-examined periodically during the procurement period.

A benchmark/component completion payment mechanism has been established for the purpose of linking payment to performance. This method also addresses cash flow issues. Use of the Ready Payment system is not feasible due to the performance-payment linkage. Detailed information describing each component appears in the performance and contract specifications section of this RFR.

This section contains the rates for each component. A description of the pricing methodology for Additional and Flexible Supports follows the rates. Next, placement and stabilization descriptions are presented. The section concludes with other financial considerations.

Rates

Assessment Component

May include reimbursement for Additional Supports not specified below. Please see the description for Additional Supports following the rates.

Placement Component May include reimbursement for Additional Supports not specified below. Please see the description for Additional Supports following the rates.

Initial Employment Supports Component May include reimbursement for Additional Supports not specified below. Please see the description for Additional Supports following the rates.

20 days worked by the consumer (regardless of the length of the workday) following job placement. Note that, while occurring at the same point in time as the $720 Placement payment, this is a separate payment associated with separate component activities and separate costs.

$1,541

40%

Reimbursement will not occur any sooner than 40 days worked by the consumer (regardless of the length of the workday) beyond job placement but will also not be provided until stabilization has been reached, and if appropriate, submission of an Extended Support Plan.

Total

Extended Supports Component

Flexible Supports Component

Description

As described in the performance and contract specifications section of this RFR, the provision of short term Flexible Supports may be approved by the purchasing department for some consumers. These supports are distinct from the Assessment, Placement, and Initial Employment Supports components and any associated Additional Supports (see below). They are also distinct from the Extended Support component. These supports are determined on a case-by-case prior approval (in writing, by the appropriate department) basis. Where specific rates have been established by a pricing authority for a particular service, the established rate shall be used. Where a specific rate has not been established for the Flexible Support, the price shall be negotiated by the purchasing department and contractor in accordance with pricing principals established by OSD. The basis for any negotiated price shall be documented by a budget submitted by the contractor to the purchasing department. The negotiated rate must be approved by all participating departments.

Additional Support

Description

In unusual circumstances, the purchasing department and contractor may reach agreement that “Additional Supports” are required for a particular consumer in order facilitate the completion of one or more of the Assessment, Placement or Initial Employment Supports components. As described in the performance and contract specifications section of this RFR, Additional Supports are distinct from the Extended Supports and Flexible Supports components. These supports are determined on a case-by-case prior approval (in writing, by the appropriate department) basis. Where specific rates have been established by a pricing authority for a particular service, the established rate shall be used, e.g., a Division of Health Care Finance and Policy approved rate for a special consultation required in conjunction with the Assessment component. Where a specific rate has not been established for a service, the price shall be negotiated by the purchasing department and contractor in accordance with pricing principals established by OSD. The basis for any negotiated price shall be documented by a budget submitted by the contractor to the purchasing department. The negotiated rate must be approved by all participating departments.

Required Specifications and Forms

References to the Comm-PASS Forms and Information page throughout the original Request for Response are now replaced by references to the Comm-PASS Forms & Terms page of the solicitation.

The following changes have been made to the Comm-PASS Forms & Terms page (and are incorporated into resulting contracts for new responses (streamlined and new). They are also applicable to options to renew existing contracts, unless otherwise specified below or by the department. The list below replaces references to RFR Attachments and Required Specifications on pages 1 and 32 of the original Request for Response.

1. The RFR-Required Specifications, dated 5/27/03, has been replaced by the RFR-Required Specifications, dated 11/1/05. References to the RFR-Required Specifications throughout the original Request for Response pertain to the 11/1/05 version. Note: Contract renewals do not need to comply with the Affirmative Market Program language.

2. A new required specification entitled Employment and Training Specifications for Requests for Responses has been added.

3. The Contractor Authorized Signature Verification Form has been replaced by the Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing, dated May 2004 (for new full and streamlined responses only).

4. The Electronic Funds Transfer Form has been replaced by a document containing a link to the Office of the State Comptroller's Mass Finance website (for new full and streamlined responses only).

5. The HSS: Attachment 1 Program Cover Page, dated 3/14/97, has been replaced by the Attachment 1 Program Cover Page, dated 11/1/05 (for new full and streamlined responses only).

6. The Affirmative Market Program Plan, dated 11/1/05, has been added (for new full and streamlined responses only).

Other Items

The references to the Procurement Policies and Procedures Handbook that appear on page 6, Description of the Procurement, and page 7, Use of the procurement by Single or Multiple Departments, are replaced by references to the Procurement Information Center.

The sentence on page 2 for streamlined responses, "I understand that my streamlined Response will be verified via the CBES List of Qualified Contractors on the Comm-PASS contract summary page for the CBES procurement."

Has been replaced by the following:

"I understand that my streamlined Response will be verified by each department receiving the response."

The sentence in the Introduction of the Performance and Contract Specifications (page 8), Qualified bidders will execute a Master Service Agreement (MSA) with each department who intends to use their services. The MSA does not contain a maximum obligation nor does it commit the Commonwealth to refer or purchase a specified amount of employment service from qualified contractors.

Has been replaced by the following:

Qualified bidders will execute a Standard Contract Form with each department who intends to use their services. The contract does not contain a maximum obligation nor does it commit the Commonwealth to refer or purchase a specified amount of employment service from qualified contractors.