CHIA RFR Actuarial Services - 11.29.22.docx

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Center for health information and analysis

501 Boylston Street, Suite 5100 Boston, MA 02116

Request for Response (RFR)

Actuarial Consulting Services

RFR # 2023-005

COMMBUYS Bid# BD-23-1052-2000-2000-78450 Date: 11/29/2022

Please Note: This is a single document associated with a complete Bid (also referred to as Solicitation) that can be found on COMMBUYS (www.COMMBUYS.com). All Bidders are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms and requirements for the entire Bid, which are all incorporated into the Bid. Bidders may also contact the OSD Helpdesk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov or the Helpline at 1-888-627-8283 or 617-720-3197. The Helpline is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal, state and Suffolk county holidays.

Table of Contents

PROCUREMENT TITLE AND CONTACT INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION OR PURPOSE OF PROCUREMENT

1. Background The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) is soliciting Bidders to be prequalified on a Departmental Master Service Agreement for the acquisition of actuarial consulting services in connection with health care related projects.

The resulting Contract from this bid will be available for use (upon approval) by other eligible Purchasing Entities of the Commonwealth for the services covered by the Contract. Any approved Purchasing Entities will be listed in COMMBUYS. Any approved Commonwealth Purchasing Entity will be responsible for executing its own Statement of Work/Task Orders or any other engagement specific document and paying its own invoices for services acquired from this Contract. Further, in addition to the requirements of the resulting master Contract, a Purchasing Entity within the Executive Department may be subject to additional requirements and responsibilities established by an Executive Order of the Governor of Massachusetts and should comply with the same when applicable.

This Bid is a rolling enrollment Bid which will be open on an ongoing basis for Bidders to submit bid responses throughout the duration of the contract. CHIA reserves the right to suspend enrollment at any time.

CHIA is an independent agency established pursuant to M.G.L. c. 12C, a health care reform law enacted to improve health care quality and contain health care costs. CHIA’s mission is to monitor the Massachusetts health care system and to provide reliable information and meaningful analysis for those seeking to improve health care quality, affordability, access, and outcomes. CHIA also acts as a principal repository for health care data collected by the state and is responsible for the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database (APCD) and the Acute Hospital Case Mix Databases (Case Mix Databases). CHIA’s vision is to be the hub of information and analysis with respect to the Massachusetts health care system, connecting our products to policy-makers, providers, public and private payers, employers, researchers, and the residents of the Commonwealth.

CHIA is recruiting actuarial consultants to assist CHIA staff with health care projects and initiatives related to health care reform implementation and evaluation, research and initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of the Massachusetts health care system, and other health policy research and analyses consistent with our mission.

This is not a Human and Social Services/Purchase of Services (POS) procurement and any references to POS are not applicable.

2. Procurement Scope and Goals CHIA is soliciting Bidders for the acquisition of Actuarial Consulting services. The selected vendor(s) will provide expert advice regarding all assumptions, projections and analyses in the following areas:

Conducting cost and efficacy analyses of bills mandating new and existing health benefits as requested by the Massachusetts Legislature;

Supporting CHIA staff in the development of new data specifications and templates, or modifications to existing ones, in response to evolving analytic priorities and project needs;

Assisting with the collection, quality review, and analysis of aggregated health insurance data when needed;

Advising CHIA of market or regulatory changes that may impact CHIA’s approach around data collection, analysis, and reporting of findings;

Providing subject matter expertise on the national and Massachusetts health care delivery/financing and insurance markets;

Critically reviewing analyses performed by CHIA staff as requested; and, Providing CHIA staff with other actuary services as needed.

The vendor may be asked to oversee the analyses conducted by CHIA staff. They may also be asked to conduct the analyses themselves, depending on the complexity of the analysis, the data sets used and preferences of CHIA staff.

In all of the above, the vendor will provide expert advice regarding various assumptions that need to be made to address issues including but not limited to changing demographics, changing economic health, changing state and federal policies, and changes in the provision of health care (new technologies, etc.). In some cases, data will be provided to the vendor, in other cases CHIA/the Purchasing Entity and the vendor will depend on national data sets that the vendor has available to him/her. Data sets used will be agreed upon by the vendor and CHIA/Purchasing Entity staff.

Bidders Pre- Qualification Master List This RFR is intended to develop a master list of pre-qualified Vendors who will provide services under a CHIA Departmental Actuarial Consulting Services Master Agreement 2023-005. Qualified Bidders who meet the evaluation criteria of this bid may receive a future award for one or more projects from CHIA or other approved Purchasing Entities under the Contract.

The resulting award(s) from this bid will allow the awarded Vendors to be pre-qualified to bid on future request for quotes (“RFQ”) from CHIA and other approved eligible Purchasing Entities under the Actuarial Consultant Services Master Agreement 2023-005. Bidders who have been awarded a Contract under this Bid will be required to execute a Statement of Work/Task Order or other Purchasing Entity engagement specific document(s) for project engagements they are selected to work on.

World Trade Organization

This RFR is covered by the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement, established January 1, 1996, to encourage worldwide trade by ensuring fairness, non-discrimination, and equal treatment of laws, regulations, and procedures in the government procurement process.

Quotation Requirements for Purchasing Entities for Projects once CHIA Master Departmental Agreement has been Awarded

Quotes must be obtained for all engagements that exceed $10,000.00.

If the project value is estimated to exceed $10,000.00, then CHIA and other eligible Purchasing Entities must solicit written quotes from a minimum of three (3) approved vendors by creating a bid from scratch in COMMBUYS, against CHIA’s Master Blanket Purchase Order in COMMBUYS. Eligible Purchasing Entities must develop a written Statement of Work and attach it to their COMMBUYS bid. The engagement/ project will be awarded to the Vendor deemed most responsive to the Statement of Work as evaluated by the awarding Purchasing Entity.

There is no quote requirement for projects with an estimated total price that is $10,000.00 or less. In this instance, CHIA and eligible Purchasing Entities must ensure a sound business practice and award the Contract to the responsible pre-qualified Contractor that meets the project specifications outlined in their Statement of Work (SOW). Any work awarded under this method may not subsequently add tasks that exceed the $10,000.00 threshold.

Splitting of orders of the same or similar services to avoid the bidding of services costing more than $10,000.00 violates policy and is not allowed.

APPLICABLE PROCUREMENT LAW

Executive Branch Goods and Services

ACQUISITION METHOD

☒ Fee-For-Service

WHETHER SINGLE OR MULTIPLE VENDORS ARE REQUIRED FOR CONTRACT

Check One (“X”):

☐ Single Vendor

☒ Multiple Vendors

a. Estimated Number of Awards CHIA reserves the right to limit the number of contracts awarded from this solicitation. The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any contract resulting from this RFR.

b. Adding Vendors after initial Contract Award This solicitation is a rolling enrollment solicitation. Under a rolling enrollment process the RFR allows bidders to submit a response throughout the life of the solicitation. but no later than the end date for the resulting master Contract. CHIA reserves the right to suspend the bidding process and limit the number of awards made for this RFR at any time.

ENTITIES ELIGIBLE TO USE THE RESULTING CONTRACT

☒ Limited User Contract – Restricted to Use by Defined Entities Only. Any Contract(s) resulting from this Bid will be open for use by CHIA and any other approved Purchasing Entities authorized by CHIA at its discretion.

CHIA reserves the right to add or remove additional authorized Purchasing Entities during the Contract term.

☐ Limited User Contract – Restricted to Use by Issuing Entity Only.

Each eligible Purchasing Entity is responsible for executing its own SOW/Task Order or other engagement-specific documents that they may require. Each eligible Purchasing Entity is responsible for paying their own invoices for services acquired from this Contract in addition to the retention, retrieval, archiving, and disposal of their project engagement documents. Further, an eligible Purchasing Entity within the Executive Department may be subject to additional requirements and responsibilities established by an Executive Order of the Governor of Massachusetts and should comply with the same when applicable.

Expected Duration of Contract (Initial Duration and any Options to Renew) The expected duration of this contract is as follows:

Initial Duration

From contract execution date through 6/30/2033

Performance and Payment Time Frames Which Continue Beyond Duration of the Contract All agreements for services entered into during the duration of this resulting master Contract and whose performance and payment time frames extend beyond the duration of this Contract shall remain in effect for performance and payment purposes limited to the time frame and services established per each written agreement. No new agreements for services may be executed after the Contract has expired. Any Contract termination or suspension pursuant to this section shall not automatically terminate any agreements for services already in place unless the Purchase Entity also terminates said agreements for service, which were executed pursuant to the main Contract.

Contract Performance and Business Specifications This RFR targets multiple Contractors in order to meet the service requirements of a wide-spectrum of Actuarial Consulting needs. Bidders must have demonstrated experience and core competencies providing health care related actuarial consulting services. Overall, Bidders must describe their services and provide detailed information on their expertise and core competencies in their bid response. Bidders should review the sections below for specific information regarding Bidders’ capacity and qualifications. Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certified businesses are strongly encouraged to respond to this RFR.

Additional required terms appear in the Appendices to this RFR.

Required Bidder Qualifications

1. Bidder minimum qualifications:

· Bidders must be licensed actuaries with at least 5 years’ experience in health care.

2. Other required qualifications:

· Bidders must demonstrate expertise in actuarial analysis, and knowledge in health care delivery system in Massachusetts; knowledge of and expertise working with data from Massachusetts’ programs; knowledge of options for expanding health insurance coverage; and/or knowledge of available data sets at a federal and state level.

3. Company Experience

· Business background Bidders should identify how their company is presently organized. A description of the current ownership, incorporation, and business size must be included.

· Business Profile Bidders are encouraged to submit a one-page business profile outlining the Bidder’s overall operations, related to providing the services offered under this bid. Relevant business history, local affiliations may be included here.

· Years in the industry of the Bid Bidder must state the number of years it has been in the industry of this bid and define the scope of services performed during this time. A minimum of 60 months preceding the date of this bid submission is required.

Bidders should describe their experience with government agencies, if any.

· Organizational chart Each Bidder must submit a copy of their Organizational Chart identifying staff by name (or initials), position title and responsibilities.

The Vendor(s) shall commit to a level of service (number and experience of employees and corresponding number of full time equivalents) as they determined in their response to this RFR and shall maintain that level of service throughout the term of the Contract.

· References and reference information and/or requirements Bidders are required to submit three (3) business references from customers with whom there is a standing relationship of one (1) year or greater duration.. References must include largest customers (in MA if available or largest state government customers if available).

State the services provided to each of the largest customers identified above.

Note: References may not include members of the Purchasing Entities.

· Employee requirements (Employee technical/business experience, certifications, licenses)

· Resumes Bidder must attach resume of account management team assigned to this bid.

· Background/CORI check requirements Prior to any work engagement (upon request) the awarded Vendor should be prepared to obtain a Publicly Accessible Massachusetts CORI check on any and all individual employees who are to enter public offices of the Commonwealth, or provide services to any Purchasing Entity. Any associated costs are the responsibility of the Vendor. Results of the Publicly Accessible Massachusetts CORI check are to be revealed to the Purchasing Entity before any work is engaged. The Purchasing Entity shall be responsible for requesting CORI checks. Eligible Purchasing Entities should use a CORI as required by Executive Order 495 and in a manner consistent with their own applicable rules, regulations and policies. Purchasing Entities are to utilize a uniform process for requesting CORI checks in order to maintain fairness and should be prepared to document their criteria for requiring CORI checks, if requested.

CHIA reserves the right to conduct a security background check or otherwise approve any employee, Subcontractor or agent furnished by the Vendor and to refuse access to or require replacement of any personnel for cause based on, including but not limited to, professional, technical or training qualifications, resumes, quality of work or change in security status or non-compliance with CHIA’s security or other requirements. Such approval shall not relieve the Vendor of the obligation to perform all work in compliance with the Contract terms.

CHIA maintains strict building and property security requirements. This will require Vendors to obtain permission from the designated CHIA representative prior to Vendor personnel attempting to access the site. The Bidder must provide personnel who will agree to all security requirements including, but not limited to, background checks prior to entering or exiting CHIA sites that require such.

Compensation Structure/Pricing The compensation structure for RFR 2023-005 will be either Unit/Hourly Rate Based OR Project Based. The project compensation structures will be determined according to individual projects as described and agreed to in a SOW/Task Order or other engagement specific document in addition to the accepted Bidder response for each individual project. Awarded Contractors are required to provide specific and transparent prices in all responses to bid quotation requests.

1. Cost tables All Bid responses must include a Job Classification List and an up-to ceiling all-inclusive hourly rate for each job classifications under the Contract (see examples of job classifications in the table below) for hourly rate based projects.

Eligible Purchasing Entities will determine which compensation format fits best for their specific project(s) (i.e., project based vs. hourly rate based) and request how that format should be submitted by the Contractor in their bid response at the individual project level. Bidders must provide a detailed and transparent budget related to the scope of services to be completed.

The table shown below is a list of Job Classification examples; however, bidders should submit in their bid response to this RFR, all potential job classifications that their company may assign to any given project in the attached Job Classification Form that is located under the Attachments Tab in COMMBUYS under this bid.

Job Classification Under the CHIA Actuarial Consultant RFR Categories

Principal/CEO/President/Executive Director

Accountant

Actuary

Administrative Assistant

Director

Manager

Senior Actuary

Associates/Consultants

Program Manager

Project Manager

Health Systems Analyst

Research Analyst

Business Analyst

Policy Analyst

Actuarial Analyst

Other (Bidder must provide title/ job classification)

2. Prompt Payment Discounts (PPD) All Bidders must agree to offer discounts through participation in the Commonwealth Prompt Payment Discount (PPD) initiative for receiving early and/or on-time payments, unless the Bidder can provide compelling proof that it would be unduly burdensome.

Bidders must submit agreeable terms for Prompt Payment Discount unless otherwise specified by CHIA. CHIA will review, negotiate or reject the offering as deemed in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

The requirement to offer a PPD may be waived by CHIA on a case-by-case basis if participation in the program would be unduly burdensome on the Bidder. If a Bidder is claiming that this requirement is a hardship or unduly burdensome, the specific reason must be documented in the Bidder’s Response.

The minimum accepted PPD submitted must be equal to or greater than 1%.

3. Statement of Work (SOW) / Task Order / Engagement Specific Document requirements CHIA/Purchasing Entity will solicit Request for Quotes (RFQ) from awarded Vendors under this bid for projects with scopes of work covered under this RFR. The successful Vendor will be required to sign a SOW /Task Order or another engagement specific document that other eligible Purchasing Entities may require; however, CHIA’s provisions of the project should include:

· Responsibilities of the Purchasing Entity

· Responsibilities of the Vendor

· Work schedules and performance dates

· Project Budget

· Ownership of intellectual property developed under the Contract

· CHIA’s Confidentiality Agreement (Only applicable if Vendor will be accessing Confidential Information)

· CHIA’s Data Use Agreement (Only applicable if Vendor will be accessing/using Confidential Data that contains Identifiable Confidential Information)

· CHIA’s Data Management Plan (Only applicable if Vendor will be receiving Confidential Data that contains Identifiable Confidential Information)

4. Work schedules and performance dates Dates and Tasks/Milestones will be determined at time of SOW/Task Order award.

5. Project Budget The compensation structure for each project will include the option of Unit Pricing (Hourly rate) or Project Based pricing. The budgets will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual projects at the SOW/Task Order or other engagement specific level. Each Project Budget Structure will be specified in the Request for Quote put out by the Purchasing Entity. Awarded Contractors are required to provide specific and transparent pricing in all responses to quote requests.

Project based compensation may be used when contract performance cannot be divided neatly into severable units/hours. The payment may be a flat rate or an all-inclusive amount (all related costs, overhead, administrative costs, time, materials, etc.). The Bidder provides an actual or estimated cost for the completed contract performance based on the RFQ specifications. Payment may be based on a schedule of predetermined events or deliverables, or upon completion and acceptance by the Purchasing Entity. Contractors who underestimate their costs may not request additional compensation.

A unit/hourly rate based structure pertains to rates that are set by the unit (per item, hour, day, week, or service). Unit-based compensation is valuable when a performance-based compensation structure is not feasible. Units/hours are customarily independent components of a contract and the number may change depending on the Purchasing Entity’s needs. A Purchasing Entity pays only for the units/hours requested and delivered. Unit based/hourly rate contracts should be inclusive of the individual's work; materials, including copying and printing; ALL TRAVEL considerations; communication costs; overhead costs; overtime including weekend and holidays; and any other ancillary charges or expenses.

The rates submitted within the initial proposal will be valid throughout the duration of the Contract. No provision for automatic annual rate increases will be accepted. Requests for a change in rates will be decided on a case by case basis. There is no guarantee expressed or implied that new rate request(s) will be approved.

In order to provide potential savings to the Commonwealth, Contractors may request to reduce approved maximum rates for current titles during the year or request new titles whose rates are different from those currently approved by CHIA. Requests for new rates and/or titles will be decided on a case by case basis.

Subcontractors Awarded Contractor is responsible for the satisfactory performance and adequate oversight of its Subcontractors. Any provisions contained in any subcontract agreement do not bind eligible Purchasing Entities nor are eligible Purchasing Entities ruled by any requirements that could be in conflict with this RFR 2023-005.

Subcontracting should appear seamless to the eligible Purchasing Entities. Subcontractors must be identified in the Statement of Work (SOW)/Task Order or other engagement specific document at the project level for the eligible Purchasing Entities.

Purchasing Entities reserve the right to approve or reject any and all Subcontractors identified by the Contractor along with categories of work designated for subcontracting.

The portion of the SOW/Task Order or other engagement specific document that addresses subcontracting, subcontractors, and their work must include a clear description of the work to be performed, capabilities of the Subcontractor to perform such work, and breakdown of costs.

Travel expenses and all other expenses (only applicable for project based projects)

1. Commuting Expenses Commuting expenses will not be reimbursed.

2. Standard Business Expenses Standard Business Expenses may be allowed with prior authorization from a Purchasing Entity but in no case will the amount be more than that allowed for Commonwealth of Massachusetts employees.

(Search the Human Resources Division (HRD) website at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/human-resources for the term “Red Book.”)

3. Reimbursable Expenses All or some of the expenses below may be allowed with prior authorization from the Purchasing Entity, but in no case will the amount be more than that allowed for Commonwealth of Massachusetts employees. (Search the Human Resources Division (HRD) website at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/human-resources for the term “Red Book.”)

· Travel

· Meals

· Lodging

· Incidental

· Other expenses

Ownership of intellectual property developed under the Contract All reports created or any component being developed or produced as part of a SOW/Task Order or any other engagement specific document written under RFR 2023-005 Contracts belongs to the Purchasing Entity that purchased such materials.

Data Use and Confidentiality It is acknowledged that in the course of providing services under a resulting Agreement, the Contractor may be provided with access to Confidential Information, as defined herein. If the Contractor is provided access to Confidential Information, this Section sets forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which Confidential Information that the Contractor uses, maintains, discloses, receives, creates or otherwise obtains from or on behalf of CHIA will be handled during the term of and after the termination of the services.

Confidential Information includes Identifiable Confidential Information and CHIA Confidential Information both as defined below.

A. Identifiable Confidential Information “Identifiable Confidential Information” shall mean any “Personal Data” as defined in M.G.L. c. 66A; any “Personal Information” as defined in M.G.L. c. 93H; any “Patient Identifying Information” as defined in 42 CFR Part 2; any “Protected Health Information” as defined in the Privacy Rule (45 CFR 160.103) and 957 CMR 5.00; and any other individually identifiable information, as defined under any federal or state law (including for example any state or federal tax return information), that the Contractor uses, maintains, discloses, receives, creates or otherwise obtains under a resulting Agreement. Information, including aggregate information, is considered Identifiable Confidential Information unless it is fully de-identified in accord with 45 CFR 164.514(a), (b), and (c).

If the Contractor has access to Identifiable Confidential Information, the terms of the Data Use Agreement attached hereto and incorporated herein, shall apply. Further, prior to execution of an agreement for services Contractor must provide a Data Management Plan that must be approved by CHIA.

If the Contractor is not authorized under a resulting Agreement to obtain Identifiable Confidential Information, but receives such information inadvertently, the Contractor shall immediately notify CHIA, destroy the information and submit a Certificate of Destruction.

If the Contractor has access to Patient Identifying Information, as defined under 42 CFR Part 2, the Contractor shall adhere fully to any and all restrictions on the use and/or disclosure of such information as required by the federal regulations governing the Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records, 42 CFR Part 2.

B. CHIA Confidential Information “CHIA Confidential Information” shall mean records and information maintained by CHIA that is exempt from disclosure under public records law, as defined by M.G.L. c4 §7, and may include correspondence, documents, raw and aggregate data (including data submitted by payers), studies and reports, and policy under development. CHIA Confidential Information also includes information identified as “Confidential” under a resulting Agreement.

If the Contractor has access to CHIA Confidential Information, the Contractor shall take reasonable steps to ensure the physical safety of such information, as well as manually held information under its control. Such steps may include, but are not limited to: the use of devices and methods such as alarm systems, locked files, guards, camera surveillance of work areas or other devices reasonably expected to prevent loss or unauthorized removal of manually held information. In addition, the Contractor agrees to take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized use of passwords, access logs, badges or other methods designed to prevent loss of or unauthorized access to electronically or mechanically held information by using methods including, but not limited to: restricted terminal access, restricted access to input and output documents and other such restrictions designed to protect CHIA Confidential Information.

The Contractor shall require all employees, agents, and/or subcontractors who use, maintain, disclose, receive, create or otherwise obtain Confidential Information to sign the Confidentiality Agreement, attached hereto and incorporated herein. The Contractor shall maintain a log of all individuals who sign a Confidentiality Agreement.

Unless otherwise set forth under this RFR, all Confidential Information will be destroyed or returned to CHIA upon termination of the services. If Contractor is authorized to destroy Identifiable Confidential Information under the terms and conditions of the Agreement, the Contractor shall complete and return, within two (2) business days of destruction, the Certificate of Completion and Data Destruction attached to and incorporated within the Data Use Agreement.

Evaluation Criteria

Bidder scores will be used to determine which Bidders will receive a Contract award to become a pre-qualified/approved Contractor on the resulting Actuarial Services Master Agreement.

1. Quote Review Process All qualified proposals will be reviewed and scored by the Review Committee. Review Committee composition will adhere to Conflict-of-Interest laws. All Review Committee members will all be familiar with all parts of the Request for Responses package. The Committee will evaluate each proposal against the criteria on the score sheet.

All qualified proposals will be reviewed using the RFR Proposal Review Evaluation Criteria, shown herein. The number of evaluation points for each section will vary according to the value assigned to that particular aspect of the proposal.

2. RFR Proposal Review Evaluation Criteria

The criteria considered by CHIA when evaluating each Response for this Bid will include, but not be limited to, the following Bid components:

1. Bidder minimum qualification and references

2. Relevant experience in actuarial analysis

3. Experience collaborating and communicating successfully with healthcare industry stakeholders, including but not limited to:

· Public health/healthcare professionals

· Government policy-makers and agency staff

· Health insurers and third-party administrators

· Healthcare providers

· Patients, advocates and consumers

4. Demonstrated knowledge of the health care system, including knowledge of the health care delivery and financing system in Massachusetts; knowledge of and expertise working with data from Massachusetts’ programs; knowledge of health insurance premiums and other costs; knowledge of options for expanding health insurance coverage; and/or knowledge of available data sets at a federal and state level

5. Competitive Hourly Rates

6. Best value based on qualifications and pricing

The Committee may also use sources other than the written proposal to evaluate proposals. Other sources of information may include Oral Presentations by Bidders, and verbal or written responses to questions posed by Committee members.

The Committee will complete as score sheet for each proposal reviewed. In addition to the above evaluation criteria, CHIA will select and enter into a contract(s) with the candidate(s) whose proposals, in reviewers’ opinions, provide the best value for the services required. Lowest price will not be the sole determining factor in awarding the contract.

Instructions for Submission of Responses:

Only electronic quotes submitted via COMMBUYS will be accepted in response to this RFR. Responses must be sent via the “Create Quote” functionality contained in COMMBUYS. For instructions concerning how to submit a Quote, please see Appendix B.

CHIA will accept no more than one proposal from a single Bidder. Any Bidder that disregards a requirement in this RFR simply by proposing an alternative to it will have submitted a defective proposal that CHIA may reject.

Quote (Proposal) Contents Responses to this RFR must be in the form of a proposal package that must be submitted as described below. Proposals that exceed the required page limits may not be considered. Proposals that fail to meet the submission requirements of the RFR, will be found non-responsive without further evaluation unless the evaluation team, at its discretion, determines that the non-compliance is insubstantial and can be corrected. In such cases, the evaluation team may allow the Bidder to make minor corrections to the submission.

1. Submission Requirements/Checklist CHIA seeks to reduce the number of Bidder disqualifications based on incomplete submissions. Therefore, Bidders must use the Submission checklists below as a guide for submitting bid responses. The RFR Submission Checklist and all documents or forms referenced in the Checklist must be included in the Contractor(s) bid response.

1) Cover Page

· Submit on letterhead stationery, signed by a duly authorized officer, employee, or agent of the organization/firm. Include the RFR Number and Title.

2) Table of Contents

· Table of contents is intended to organize the proposal package for the evaluators.

3) Business Response

· Narrative description of technical/business experience (no more than five pages)

· Relevant certifications and/or licenses

· Resumes from a representative sample of key staff members who may provide contracted services; provided that such list shall not be considered all-inclusive

· Maximum Hourly Rates by Title/Level/Classification (Job Classification Form listed in grid below)

· References (3)

· If known, communicate whether subcontractors will be used to provide contracted services, and if feasible, provide the names of the subcontractors and/or the types of services contemplated (non-exhaustive list). Contractors will be able to submit subcontractor information at the project level if unknown at this time.

· Document of tax compliance (Certificate or Statement of Good Standing from the Department of Revenue) or if unable to submit a Certificate of Good Standing, Bidder must provide an explanation.

· Other relevant documents

4) Required Forms and Job Classification / Ceiling Rate Form (See Submission Required Forms Checklist Below)

Submission Required Forms Checklist

The above attachments are available as part of the Bid Record in COMMBUYS.

Acceptable Forms of Signature Effective June 15, 2021, for all 1) CTR forms, including the Standard Contract Form, W-9s, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) forms, ISAs, and other CTR-issued documents and forms, or 2) documents related to state finance and within the statutory area of authority or control of CTR (i.e. contracts, payrolls, and related supporting documentation), CTR will accept signatures executed by an authorized signatory in any of the following ways:

1. Traditional “wet signature” (ink on paper);

2. Electronic signature that is either: a. Hand drawn using a mouse or finger if working from a touch screen device; or b. An uploaded picture of the signatory’s hand drawn signature.

3. Electronic signatures affixed using a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign. If using an electronic signature, the signature must be visible, include the signatory’s name and title, and must be accompanied by a signature date.

Please be advised that typed text of a name not generated by a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign, even in computer-generated cursive script, or an electronic symbol, are not acceptable forms of electronic signature.

Alterations Bidders may not alter (manually or electronically) the Bid language or any Bid component files, except as directed in the RFR. Modifications to the body of the Bid, specifications, terms and conditions, or which change the intent of this Bid are prohibited and may disqualify a Bid.

Prohibition regarding contract terms Bidders must not, as part of their Quote, propose additional contractual terms, or supplemental or clarifying language pertaining to contractual terms, even if the proposed additions/clarifications are not in conflict with the Standard Contract Form and incorporated Commonwealth Terms and Conditions and Contractor Certifications or other documents comprising this RFR. It is essential for Contracting Departments that all contractors’ Statewide Contracts can be depended upon to incorporate the same terms and only those terms. Contractors who wish to propose additional non-conflicting contractual terms, or supplemental or clarifying language, may do so ONLY on a case-by-case basis, negotiated for each specific engagement and memorialized in the Project Statement of Work.

Ownership of Submitted Quotes CHIA shall be under no obligation to return any Quotes or materials submitted by a Bidder in response to this Bid. All materials submitted by Bidders become the property of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will not be returned to the Bidder. The Commonwealth reserves the right to use any ideas, concepts, or configurations that are presented in a Bidder’s Quote, whether or not the Quote is selected for Contract award.

Quotes stored on COMMBUYS in the encrypted lock-box are the file of record. Bidders retain access to a read-only copy of this submission via COMMBUYS, as long as their account is active. Bidders may also retain a traditional paper copy or electronic copy on a separate computer or network drive or separate media, such as CD or DVD, as a backup.

Prohibitions regarding communications Bidders are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of the procuring Department or any member of CHIA regarding this RFR except as specified in this RFR, and no other individual Commonwealth employee or representative is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this RFR. Bidders may contact the contact person using the contact information provided in this Bid in the event that this RFR is incomplete or information is missing. Bidders experiencing technical problems accessing information or attachments stored on COMMBUYS should contact the COMMBUYS Helpdesk.

In addition to the certifications found in the Commonwealth’s Standard Contract Form, by submitting a Quote, the Bidder certifies that the Quote has been arrived at independently and has been submitted without any communication, collaboration, or without any agreement, understanding or planned common course of action with, any other Bidder of the commodities or services described in the RFR.

Estimated Procurement

1. Procurement Calendar

2. Procurement Calendar Updates Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as displayed on the COMMBUYS system clock displayed to Bidders after logging in. If there is a conflict between the dates in this RFR Calendar and the dates posted to COMMBUYS, the dates on COMMBUYS shall prevail. Any changes in the RFR Calendar that are made after the RFR has been published will not result in amendments to the RFR and the related RFR Calendar therein. Instead, such changes will appear only on COMMBUYS. Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Bid Q&A, on COMMBUYS for RFR Calendar updates Written Questions via the Bid Q&A on COMMBUYS

The “Bid Q&A” provides the opportunity for Bidders to ask written questions and receive written answers from CHIA regarding this Bid. All Bidders’ questions must be submitted through the Bid Q&A found on COMMBUYS (see below for instructions). Questions may be asked only prior to the Deadline for Submission of Questions stated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar. The issuing department reserves the right not to respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

Please note that any questions submitted to CHIA using any other medium (including those that are sent by mail, fax, email or voicemail, etc.) will not be answered. To reduce the number of redundant or duplicate questions, Bidders are asked to review all questions previously submitted to determine whether the Bidder’s question has already been posted.

Bidders are responsible for entering content suitable for public viewing, since all of the questions are accessible to the public. Bidders must not include any information that could be considered personal, security sensitive, inflammatory, incorrect, collusory, or otherwise objectionable, including information about the Bidder’s company or other companies. CHIA reserves the right to edit or delete any submitted questions that raise any of these issues or that are not in the best interest of the Commonwealth or this Bid.

All answers are final when posted. Any subsequent revisions to previously provided answers will be dated.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective Contract Manager, if awarded a Contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Entity, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Entity and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/Awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/Awarded Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded Contractor and the Purchasing Entity to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Locating Bid Q&A Log into COMMBUYS, locate the Bid, acknowledge receipt of the Bid, and scroll down to the bottom of the Bid Header page. The “Bid Q&A” button allows Bidders access to the Bid Q&A page.

Bid Amendment Deadline CHIA reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

Quotes (Bid Response) Deadline (Bid Opening Date/Time) All Bids must be received by CHIA before the specified date, month, year and time displayed as the Bid Opening Date/Time in the Header Information section of the Bid in COMMBUYS. Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as applicable. All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission by considering potential online submission impediments like Internet traffic, Internet connection speed, file size, and file volume. CHIA or OSD are not responsible for delays encountered by Bidders or their agents, or for a Bidder’s local hardware failures, such as computers or related networks, associated with bid compilation or submission. Bids submitted via COMMBUYS are time stamped by the COMMBUYS system clock which is considered the official time of record. Estimated Contract Start Date This is the approximate start date. The actual start date will be the Contract Effective Date which is the date the Contract is executed by the parties.

Bidders’ and Contractors’ Contact Information It is the prospective Bidder’s and awarded Contractor’s responsibility to keep their contact person and contract manager information current. If this information changes, the Bidder/Contractor must notify the Contract Manager by email immediately, using the address located in the Header Information of the Purchase Order or Master Blanket Purchase Order on COMMBUYS.

The Commonwealth assumes no responsibility if a Bidder’s/Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the Bidder’s/Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP), cause e-mail communications between the Bidder/Contractor and the SST to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

RFR Attachments Appendix A: Required Specifications https://www.mass.gov/doc/rfr-required-specifications-of-commodities-and-services Appendix B: Electronic Quote Submission Instructions https://www.mass.gov/doc/instructions-for-vendors-responding-to-bids Appendix C: RFR – Other Specifications (For Review Only, Vendors may need to sign a Confidentiality Agreement, a Data Use Agreement or a Data Management Plan at Contract Award depending on the type of services provided.)

Appendix D: Instructions for Execution and Submission of Commonwealth Standard Forms

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Actuarial Consulting Services RFR # 2023-005 / COMMBUYS Bid# BD-23-1052-2000-2000-78450

APPENDIX C - RFR - Other Specifications (For Review Only, Vendors may need to sign a Confidentiality Agreement, a Data Use Agreement or a Data Management Plan at…