DCAT3-25-001 Restorative Strategies.pdf

DCAT3-25-001

Restorative Strategies

Form Date 6/24/20

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Amy Huntington

600 West 4th Street, 3rd Floor

Davenport, Iowa 52801

Phone: 563-326-8794 ahuntin1@dhs.state.ia.us

Form Date 6/24/20

RFP Purpose.

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals that will enable the Department of Health and Human Services

(Agency), Juvenile Court Services, and the Dubuque County Decategorization Board to select the most qualified contractor to provide a youth Restorative Diversion Program that will reduce referrals to Juvenile Court Services and assist in the reduction of law violations coming from schools located in Dubuque County. Preferred bids will demonstrate an understanding and a plan to address the following principals of restorative justice: acknowledge that relationships are central to building community; build systems that address misbehavior and harm in a way that strengthens relationships; focus on the harm done rather than rule-breaking; give voice to the victim(s);

engage in collaborative problem solving and enhance responsibility.

Duration of Contract.

The Agency anticipates executing a contract that will have an initial 1-year contract term with the ability to extend the contract for 5 additional 1-year terms. The Agency will have the sole discretion to extend the contract.

Procurement Timetable

There are no exceptions to any deadlines for the Bidder; however, the Agency reserves the right to change the dates.

Times provided are in Central Time.

Event Date Agency Issues RFP Notice to Targeted Small Business Website (48 hours): February 5, 2024

Agency Issues RFP to Bid Opportunities Website February 7, 2024

Bidder Letter of Intent to Bid Due By February 22, 2024

11:00 a.m.

Bidder Written Questions Due By February 28, 2024

4:30 p.m.

Agency Responses to Questions Issued By March 6, 2024

Bidder Proposals and any Amendments to Proposals Due By April 3, 2024

11:00 a.m.

Agency Announces Apparent Successful Bidder/Notice of Intent to Award May 17, 2024

Contract Negotiations and Execution of the Contract Completed June 14, 2024

Anticipated Start Date for the Provision of Services July 1, 2024

Section 1 Background and Scope of Work

1.1 Background.

The Dubuque County Decategorization Governance Board provides oversight to Decategorization funding in

Dubuque County. Decategorization of child welfare and juvenile justice funding is an initiative intended to establish systems of delivering human services based upon client needs to replace systems based upon a multitude of categorical funding programs and funding sources, each with different service definitions and eligibility requirements. Decategorization is designed to redirect child welfare and juvenile justice funding to services which are more preventive, family-centered, and community-based in order to reduce use of restrictive approaches that rely upon institutional, out-of-home, and out-of-community services. To this end, the Dubuque County

Decategorization Board is soliciting proposals for Restorative Strategies in Dubuque County for youth who are involved or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system.

1.2 RFP General Definitions.

When appearing as capitalized terms in this RFP, including attachments, the following quoted terms (and the plural thereof, when appropriate) have the meanings set forth in this section.

“Agency” means the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

“Bid Proposal” or “Proposal” means the Bidder’s proposal submitted in response to the RFP.

“Bidder” means the entity that submits a Bid Proposal in response to this RFP.

“Contractor” means the Bidder who enters into a Contract as a result of this Solicitation.

“Deliverables” means all of the services, goods, products, work, work product, data (including data collected on behalf of the Agency), items, materials and property to be created, developed, produced, delivered, performed, or provided by or on behalf of, or made available through, the Contractor (or any agent, contractor or subcontractor of the Contractor) in connection with any contract resulting from this RFP.

“Invoice” means a Contractor’s claim for payment. At the Agency’s discretion, claims may be submitted on an original invoice from the Contractor or may be submitted on a claim form accepted by the Agency, such as a

General Accounting Expenditure (GAX) form.

Definitions Specific to this RFP.

When appearing as capitalized terms in this RFP, including attachments, the following quoted terms (and the plural thereof, when appropriate) have the meanings set forth in this section.

“Decategorization Governance Board" or "Governance Board" means the group that enters into and implements a Decategorization project agreement.

"Contract Manager" means an Agency employee who is accountable to the contract owner (Service Area

Manager) for general management of the contract, monitoring and review functions or oversees these functions if they are assigned to a designee(s).

"Decategorization Director" means an individual who provides administrative support as determined by the

Decategorization Governance Board.

"DECAT" means Decategorization.

"HHS" means Department of Health and Human Services.

Form Date 6/24/20

“Juvenile Court Services” or “JCS” means a division of the Iowa Judicial Branch in which juveniles adjudicated by the Iowa Juvenile Court as delinquent and Youth at risk of entering the court system receive services as directed by the Chief Juvenile Court Officer or designee. Support may include case management and a variety of community-based services known as graduated sanctions services. Pursuant to the authority granted in Iowa Code chapters 232, 602, 7E and 8, and the annual appropriations Acts, the Executive Branch, represented by the

Department, and the Judicial Branch, represented by the State Court Administrator and the Chief Juvenile Court

Officers, are each charged with specific responsibilities for funding, administering, and providing services such as those described in this RFP.

"JCO" means Juvenile Court Officer.

"GAX" means General Accounting Form used for billing.

"Recidivism" means the likelihood that a youth will be arrested and subsequently adjudicated delinquent.

"Restorative Justice" is a way of looking at criminal justice that emphasizes repairing the harm done to people and relationships rather than only punishing offenders.

"Restorative Community Conferencing (RCC)" is a process for resolving harm through an organized, facilitated dialogue in which young people, with the support of family and community members, meet with their crime victims to create a plan to repair the harm caused by their offense.

"Diversion" is a term used to describe intervention approaches that redirect youths away from formal processing in the juvenile justice system, while still holding them accountable for their actions. The goal of diversion is to remove youths as early in the juvenile justice process as possible to avoid later negative outcomes associated with formal processing, such as increased odds of recidivism, stigmatization/labeling, and increased criminal justice costs.

"Unduplicated Youth" refers to the actual number of individual youth enrolled in the program. Youth may be served over multiple quarters but should only be counted once for year-end reports.

"Client" means referred youth and their family.

"Successful Discharge" refers to client(s) who have successfully completed restorative diversion programming by completing their goals.

1.3 Scope of Work.

1.3.1 Deliverables.

The Contractor shall provide the following:

1. Provide opportunities for staff and volunteers to be trained in Restorative Community Conferencing

(RCC) and/or other training in Restorative Strategies. This may require that trainers are brought to the area or staff are sent out of state to be trained in RCC to ensure fidelity of the program. Bidder’s must identify their plan for trainings in their proposal.

a. If training under this contract is being hosted at a lodging facility, the potential contractor must follow the following guidelines:

i. Conferences at Lodging Facilities. In accordance with Iowa Code § 80.45A(5), if the following tasks are a part of the Contractor’s scope of work under this Contract, prior to either (1) procuring space or services for a conference, meeting, or banquet located at a site where lodging is available that is owned, operated, or owned and operated by a lodging provider, or (2) hosting a conference, meeting, or banquet at a site where lodging is available that is owned, operated, or owned and operated by a lodging provider, and in either case, the lodging provider must pay Iowa hotel/motel taxes, the Contractor shall

Form Date 6/24/20 verify the lodging provider is certified as having completed human trafficking prevention training on a website maintained by the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The website is currently available at https://stophtiowa.org/certified-locations. The Contractor shall submit proof of this certification to the Agency’s contract manager with the claim for reimbursement.

2. Implement a Restorative Diversion Program (RDP) that will teach youth how to utilize conflict resolution alternatives along with restorative practices.

3. Provide programming to youth that reside in Dubuque County.

4. Provide programming that addresses the following restorative justice principals: acknowledges that relationships are central to building community; builds systems that address misbehavior and harm in a way that strengthens relationships; focuses on the harm done rather than rule-breaking; gives voice to the victim(s); engage in collaborative problem solving and enhance responsibility.

5. Develop relationships with community partners, schools, law enforcement, JCS, and others to develop a culture within the community to promote communication, engagement, and cooperation.

6. Address the disproportionality of discipline on students of color. Restorative practices give us new tools to replace outdated and ineffective methods of punishment and suspension.

7. Engage youth that are referred by JCS or law enforcement for Restorative Strategies that will address the harm and restore trust within their school/community.

8. Establish a process for collecting data for quarterly performance reports. This may include the development of surveys to help capture performance measures and partnering with JCS for recidivism rates.

a. The potential Contractor shall provide Quarterly Reports to the Decategorization Director based on the following schedule:

i. July, August, September - Due October 31

ii. October, November, December - Due January 31

iii. January, February, March - Due April 30

iv. April, May, June - Due July 31

b. The Quarterly Reports shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

i. Number of youth referred

ii. Number of unduplicated youth participating in services

iii. Demographics of youth served (gender, race/ethnicity, and age)

iv. Number of youth who successfully completed the program

v. Progress on identified performance measures

vi. Short narrative of successes and barriers

9. Complete the Vendor Security Questionnaire (Attachment F).

1.3.2 Performance Measures.

1. 95% of youth offenders and victims will be contacted within 72 hours of the referral.

2. 80% of youth will not be referred to JCS during the program.

3. 75% of youth will not be referred to JCS within six months of completing the program.

Form Date 6/24/20

4. 70% of youth will report an improved relationship with their school (only measured when school is in session and for youth referred due to an incident reported at school).

1.3.3 Contract Payment Methodology.

The Contractor will be reimbursed monthly for the services described in the Scope of Work Section a fee not to exceed $36,000 for the first year of services with a three percent (3%) increase for all subsequent years. The entire life term amount shall not exceed $232,862, including any contract extension years. Please note, this amount is subject to decrease over the years due to funding availability. Gift cards shall not be reimbursed under this contract.

Payment shall be contingent upon the Contractor performing the services set forth in the Scope of Work Section and submitting detailed invoices. The invoices shall be accompanied with appropriate documentation that is necessary to support all charges included on the invoice. The contract number must be placed on all claims for payment. Should the Contractor not meet performance measures outlined in the contract, and results of the

Corrective Action Plan not be satisfactory, the Department may reduce the monthly expenditures by 10% until such time that the performance measures have been achieved or the contract is terminated. All Decategorization billing is processed via email and should be sent to the below email address.

Claims shall be submitted to:

DecatBilling@scottcountyiowa.com

Section 2 Basic Information About the RFP Process

2.1 Issuing Officer.

The Issuing Officer is the sole point of contact regarding the RFP from the date of issuance until selection of the successful Bidder. The Issuing Officer for this RFP is:

Amy Huntington

600 West 4th Street, 3rd Floor

Davenport, Iowa 52801

Phone: 563-326-8794 ahuntin1@dhs.state.ia.us

2.2 Restriction on Bidder Communication.

From the issue date of this RFP until announcement of the successful Bidder, the Issuing Officer is the point of contact regarding the RFP. There may be no communication regarding this RFP with any State employee other than the Issuing Officer, except at the direction of the Issuing Officer or as otherwise noted in the RFP. This section shall not be construed as restricting communications related to the administration of any contract currently in effect between a Contractor and the Agency.

The Issuing Officer will respond only to questions regarding the procurement process. Questions pertaining to the interpretation of this RFP may be submitted in accordance with the Questions, Requests for Clarification, and

Suggested Changes section of this RFP.

2.3 Downloading the RFP from the Internet.

The RFP and any related documents such as amendments or attachments (collectively the “RFP”), and responses to questions will be posted at the State of Iowa’s website for bid opportunities: http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/.

Check this website periodically for any amendments to this RFP. The posted version of the RFP is the official version. The Agency will only be bound by the official version of the RFP document(s). Bidders should ensure that any downloaded documents are in fact the most up to date and are unchanged from the official version.

http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/

2.4 Reserved. (Online Resources)

2.5 Intent to Bid.

The Agency requests that Bidders provide their intent to bid by email to the Issuing Officer by the date and time in the Procurement Timetable. The Bidder may wish to request confirmation of receipt of the email from the

Issuing Officer to ensure delivery. Do not submit letters of intent by mail, shipping service, or hand delivery.

The intent to bid should include the Bidder's name, contact person, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and a statement of intent to submit a bid in response to this RFP. Though it is not mandatory that the

Agency receive an intent to bid, the Agency will only respond to questions about the RFP that have been submitted by Bidders who have expressed their intent to bid. The Agency may cancel an RFP for lack of interest based on the number of letters of intent to bid received.

2.6 Reserved. (Bidders’ Conference)

2.7 Questions, Requests for Clarification, and Suggested Changes.

Bidders who have provided their intent to bid on the RFP are invited to submit written questions, requests for clarifications, and/or suggestions for changes to the specifications of this RFP (hereafter “Questions”) by the due date and time provided in the Procurement Timetable. Bidders are not permitted to include assumptions in their

Bid Proposals. Instead, Bidders shall address any perceived ambiguity regarding this RFP through the question and answer process. If the Questions pertain to a specific section of the RFP, the page and section number(s) must be referenced. Bidders shall submit questions to the Issuing Officer by email. The Bidder may wish to request confirmation of receipt from the Issuing Officer to ensure delivery. Do not submit questions by mail, shipping service, or hand delivery.

Written responses to questions will be posted at http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/ by the date provided in the

Procurement Timetable.

The Agency assumes no responsibility for verbal representations made by its officers or employees unless such representations are confirmed in writing and incorporated into the RFP. In addition, the Agency’s written responses to Questions will not be considered part of the RFP. If the Agency decides to change the RFP, the

Agency will issue an amendment.

2.8 Submission of Bid Proposal.

Each Bidder is responsible for ensuring that the Issuing Officer receives the Bid Proposal by the time and date specified in the Procurement Timetable at the address provided in the RFP for the Issuing Officer. The Agency will not waive this mandatory requirement. Any Bid Proposal received after this deadline will be rejected and will not be evaluated.

Bid Proposals are to be submitted in accordance with the Bid Proposal Formatting section of this RFP. Bid

Proposals may not be hand-delivered to the Issuing Officer. Rather, Bid Proposals are to be mailed through the postal service or shipping service.

2.9 Amendment to the RFP and Bid Proposal.

Each Bidder is responsible for ensuring that the Issuing Officer receives the Bid Proposal and any permitted amendments by the established deadlines at the address provided in the RFP for the Issuing Officer. Amendments must be received utilizing the same delivery method as set forth in the RFP for the submission of the original Bid

Proposal.

Bidders may amend a previously submitted Bid Proposal at any time before the bid submission date and time.

Any such amendment must be in writing and signed by the Bidder. The Bidder shall provide the same number of copies of the amended Bid Proposal as is required for the original Bid Proposal, for both hardcopy and electronic copies, in accordance with the Bid Proposal Formatting Section.

http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/

The Agency reserves the right to amend or provide clarifications to the RFP at any time. RFP amendments will be posted to the State’s website at http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/. If an RFP amendment occurs after the closing date for receipt of Bid Proposals, the Agency may, in its sole discretion, allow Bidders to amend their Bid

Proposals.

2.10 Withdrawal of Bid Proposal.

The Bidder may withdraw its Bid Proposal prior to the closing date for receipt of Bid Proposals by submitting a written request to withdraw signed by the Bidder, scanned, then emailed to the Issuing Officer. The Bidder should request confirmation of receipt of the email from the Issuing Officer to ensure delivery.

2.11 Costs of Preparing the Bid Proposal.

The costs of preparation and delivery of the Bid Proposal are solely the responsibility of the Bidder.

2.12 Rejection of Bid Proposals.

The Agency reserves the right to reject any or all Bid Proposals, in whole and in part, and to cancel this RFP at any time prior to the execution of a written contract. Issuance of this RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the Agency to award or enter into a contract.

2.13 Review of Bid Proposals.

Only Bidders that meet the mandatory requirements and are not subject to disqualification will be considered for award of a contract.

2.13.1 Mandatory Requirements.

Bidders must meet these mandatory requirements or will be disqualified and not considered for award of a contract:

• The Issuing Officer must receive the Bid Proposal, and any amendments thereof, prior to or on the due date and time (See RFP Sections 2.8 and 2.9).

• The Bidder is not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from receiving federal funding by any federal department or agency (See RFP

Additional Certifications Attachment).

• The Bidder’s Cost Proposal adheres to any pricing restrictions regarding the project budget or administrative costs (See RFP Section 3.3).

2.13.2 Reasons Proposals May be Disqualified.

Bidders are expected to follow the specifications set forth in this RFP. However, it is not the Agency’s intent to disqualify Bid Proposals that suffer from correctible flaws. At the same time, it is important to maintain fairness to all Bidders in the procurement process. Therefore, the Agency reserves the discretion to permit cure of variances, waive variances, or disqualify Bid Proposals for reasons that include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Bidder initiates unauthorized contact regarding this RFP with employees other than the Issuing Officer

(See RFP Section 2.2);

• Bidder fails to comply with the RFP’s formatting specifications so that the Bid Proposal cannot be fairly compared to other bids (See RFP Section 3.1);

• Bidder fails, in the Agency’s opinion, to include the content required for the RFP;

• Bidder fails to be fully responsive in the Bidder’s Approach to Meeting Deliverables Section, states an element of the Scope of Work cannot or will not be met, or does not include information necessary to substantiate that it will be able to meet the Scope of Work specifications (See RFP Section 3.2.3);

• Bidder’s response materially changes Scope of Work specifications;

• Bidder fails to submit the RFP attachments containing all signatures (See RFP Section 3.2.6);

Form Date 6/24/20

• Bidder marks entire Bid Proposal confidential, makes excessive claims for confidential treatment, or identifies pricing information in the Cost Proposal as confidential (See RFP Section 3.1);

• Bidder includes assumptions in its Bid Proposal (See RFP Section 2.7); or

• Bidder fails to respond to the Agency’s request for clarifications, information, documents, or references that the Agency may make at any point in the RFP process.

• Bidder is a “scrutinized company” included on a “scrutinized company list” created by a public fund pursuant to Iowa Code §12J. This list is maintained by the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System.

The list is currently found here: https://ipers.org/investments/restrictions.

The determination of whether or not to disqualify a proposal and not consider it for award of a contract for any of these reasons, or to waive or permit cure of variances in Bid Proposals, is at the sole discretion of the Agency. No

Bidder shall obtain any right by virtue of the Agency’s election to not exercise that discretion. In the event the

Agency waives or permits cure of variances, such waiver or cure will not modify the RFP specifications or excuse the Bidder from full compliance with RFP specifications or other contract requirements if the Bidder enters into a

2.14 Bid Proposal Clarification Process.

The Agency may request clarifications from Bidders for the purpose of resolving ambiguities or questioning information presented in the Bid Proposals. Clarifications may occur throughout the Bid Proposal evaluation process. Clarification responses shall be in writing and shall address only the information requested. Responses shall be submitted to the Agency within the time stipulated at the occasion of the request.

2.15 Verification of Bid Proposal Contents.

The contents of a Bid Proposal submitted by a Bidder are subject to verification.

2.16 Reference Checks.

The Agency reserves the right to contact any reference to assist in the evaluation of the Bid Proposal, to verify information contained in the Bid Proposal, to discuss the Bidder’s qualifications, and/or to discuss the qualifications of any subcontractor identified in the Bid Proposal.

2.17 Information from Other Sources.

The Agency reserves the right to obtain and consider information from other sources concerning a Bidder, such as the Bidder’s capability and performance under other contracts, and the Bidder’s authority and ability to conduct business in the State of Iowa. Such other sources may include subject matter experts.

2.18 Criminal History and Background Investigation.

The Agency reserves the right to conduct criminal history and other background investigations of the Bidder, its officers, directors, shareholders, or partners and managerial and supervisory personnel retained by the Bidder for the performance of the resulting contract. The Agency reserves the right to conduct criminal history and other background investigations of the Bidder’s staff and subcontractors providing services under the resulting contract.

2.19 Disposition of Bid Proposals.

Opened Bid Proposals become the property of the Agency and will not be returned to the Bidder. Upon issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award, the contents of all Bid Proposals will be in the public domain and be open to inspection by interested parties subject to exceptions provided in Iowa Code chapter 22 or other applicable law.

2.20 Public Records and Request for Confidential Treatment.

Original information submitted by a Bidder may be treated as public information by the Agency following the conclusion of the selection process unless the Bidder properly requests that information be treated as confidential at the time of submitting the Bid Proposal. See the Bid Proposal Formatting Section for the proper method for making such requests. The Agency’s release of information is governed by Iowa Code chapter 22. Bidders are

Form Date 6/24/20 encouraged to familiarize themselves with Chapter 22 before submitting a Bid Proposal. The Agency will copy public records as required to comply with public records laws.

The Agency will treat the information marked confidential as confidential information to the extent such information is determined confidential under Iowa Code chapter 22 or other applicable law by a court of competent jurisdiction. However, the Bidder shall certify by signing and returning RFP Attachment B its understanding that any Agency references to Bid Proposal information marked confidential made during the evaluation process may become part of the public domain

In the event the Agency receives a request for information marked confidential, written notice shall be given to the Bidder seventy-two (72) hours prior to the release of the information to allow the Bidder to seek injunctive relief pursuant to Iowa Code § 22.5 or 22.8.

The Bidder’s failure to request confidential treatment of material pursuant to this section and the relevant law will be deemed, by the Agency and State personnel, as a waiver of any right to confidentiality that the Bidder may have had.

2.21 Copyrights.

By submitting a Bid Proposal, the Bidder agrees that the Agency may copy the Bid Proposal for purposes of facilitating the evaluation of the Bid Proposal or to respond to requests for public records. By submitting a Bid

Proposal, the Bidder acknowledges that additional copies may be produced and distributed, and represents and warrants that such copying does not violate the rights of any third party. The Agency shall have the right to use ideas or adaptations of ideas that are presented in the Bid Proposals.

2.22 Release of Claims.

By submitting a Bid Proposal, the Bidder agrees that it shall not bring any claim or cause of action against the

Agency based on any misunderstanding concerning the information provided herein or concerning the Agency's failure, negligent or otherwise, to provide the Bidder with pertinent information as intended by this RFP.

2.23 Reserved. (Presentations)

2.24 Notice of Intent to Award.

Notice of Intent to Award will be sent to all Bidders that submitted a Bid Proposal by the due date and time. The

Notice of Intent to Award does not constitute the formation of a contract between the Agency and the apparent successful Bidder.

2.25 Acceptance Period.

The Agency shall make a good faith effort to negotiate and execute the contract. If the apparent successful Bidder fails to negotiate and execute a contract, the Agency may, in its sole discretion, revoke the Notice of Intent to

Award and negotiate a contract with another Bidder or withdraw the RFP. The Agency further reserves the right to cancel the Notice of Intent to Award at any time prior to the execution of a written contract.

2.26 Review of Notice of Disqualification or Notice of Intent to Award Decision.

Bidders may request reconsideration of either a notice of disqualification or notice of intent to award decision by submitting a written request to the Agency:

Bureau Chief c/o Bureau of Service Contract Support

Department of Health and Human Services

Lucas State Office Building

321 E 12th Street

Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075 email: reconsiderationrequest@dhs.state.ia.us

The Agency must receive the written request for reconsideration within five days from the date of the notice of disqualification. The written request may be emailed or delivered by postal service or other shipping service. Do not deliver any requests for reconsideration to the office in person. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to ensure that the request for reconsideration is received prior to the deadline. Postmarking or submission to a shipping service by the due date shall not substitute for actual receipt of a request for reconsideration by the Agency.

The request for reconsideration shall clearly and fully identify all issues being contested by reference to the page and section number of the RFP. If a Bidder submitted multiple Bid Proposals and requests that the Agency reconsider a notice of disqualification or notice of intent to award decision for more than one Bid Proposal, a separate written request shall be submitted for each. At the Agency’s discretion, requests for reconsideration from the same Bidder may be reviewed separately or combined into one response. The Agency will expeditiously address the request for reconsideration and issue a decision. The Bidder may choose to file an appeal with the

Agency within five days of the date of the decision on reconsideration in accordance with 441 IAC 7.41 et seq.

2.27 Definition of Contract.

The full execution of a written contract shall constitute the making of a contract for services and no Bidder shall acquire any legal or equitable rights relative to the contract services until the contract has been fully executed by the apparent successful Bidder and the Agency.

2.28 Choice of Law and Forum.

This RFP and the resulting contract are governed by the laws of the State of Iowa without giving effect to the conflicts of law provisions thereof. Changes in applicable laws and rules may affect the negotiation and contracting process and the resulting contract. Bidders are responsible for ascertaining pertinent legal requirements and restrictions. Any and all litigation or actions commenced in connection with this RFP shall be brought and maintained in the appropriate Iowa forum.

2.29 Restrictions on Gifts and Activities.

Iowa Code chapter 68B restricts gifts that may be given or received by state employees and requires certain individuals to disclose information concerning their activities with state government. Bidders must determine the applicability of this Chapter to their activities and comply with the requirements. In addition, pursuant to Iowa

Code § 722.1, it is a felony offense to bribe or attempt to bribe a public official.

2.30 Exclusivity.

Any contract resulting from this RFP shall not be an exclusive contract.

2.31 No Minimum Guaranteed.

The Agency anticipates that the selected Bidder will provide services as requested by the Agency. The Agency does not guarantee that any minimum compensation will be paid to the Bidder or any minimum usage of the

Bidder’s services.

Form Date 6/24/20

2.32 Use of Subcontractors.

The Agency acknowledges that the selected Bidder may contract with third parties for the performance of any of the Contractor’s obligations. The Agency reserves the right to provide prior approval for any subcontractor used to perform services under any contract that may result from this RFP.

2.33 Bidder Continuing Disclosure Requirement.

To the extent that Bidders are required to report incidents when responding to this RFP related to damages, penalties, disincentives, administrative or regulatory proceedings, founded child or dependent adult abuse, or felony convictions, these matters are subject to continuing disclosure to the Agency. Incidents occurring after submission of a Bid Proposal, and with respect to the successful Bidder after the execution of a contract, shall be disclosed in a timely manner in a written statement to the Agency. For purposes of this subsection, timely means within thirty (30) days from the date of conviction, regardless of appeal rights.

Section 3 How to Submit A Bid Proposal: Format and Content Specifications

These instructions provide the format and technical specifications of the Bid Proposal and are designed to facilitate the submission of a Bid Proposal that is easy to understand and evaluate.

3.1 Bid Proposal Formatting.

Subject Specifications

Paper Size 8.5" x 11" paper (one side only). Charts or graphs may be provided on legal-sized paper.

Font Bid Proposals must be typewritten. The font must be 11 point or larger (excluding charts, graphs, or diagrams). Acceptable fonts include Times New Roman, Calibri and

Arial.

Page Limit Not Applicable

Pagination All pages in Proposal Tabs 1-5 are to be sequentially numbered from beginning to end

(do not number these Proposal sections independently of each other). The contents in

Proposal Tab 6 may be numbered independently of other sections.

Bid Proposal

General

Composition

• Bid Proposals shall be divided into two parts: Technical Proposal and Cost Proposal.

• Technical Proposals submitted in multiple volumes shall be numbered in the following fashion: 1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc.

• Bid Proposals must be bound and use tabs to label sections.

Envelope

Contents and

Labeling

• Envelopes shall be addressed to the Issuing Officer.

• The envelope containing the original Bid Proposal shall be labeled “original.” The

Technical and Cost Proposal must be packaged separately.

Number of

Hard Copies

Submit one (1) original hard copy of the Proposal (separate Technical and Cost proposals). The original hard copy must contain original signatures.

USB Flash

Drive

• The Technical Proposal and Cost Proposal must be provided on separate USB flash drives. Bidders shall submit one (1) flash drives, each with a copy identical to the content of the original hard copy of the Technical Proposal and one (1) flash drive of the Cost Proposal, each with a copy identical to the content of the original hard copy of the Cost Proposal.

• The Technical Proposal must be saved in less than three files, with a preference for the entire Technical Proposal in one file. Proposals shall be provided in either PDF or

Microsoft Word format. Files shall be text-based and not scanned image(s) and shall be searchable and not password protected or contain restrictions that prevent copying, saving, highlighting, or printing of the contents.

Request for

Confidential

Treatment

Requests for confidential treatment of any information in a Bid Proposal must meet these specifications:

• The Bidder will complete the appropriate section of the Primary Bidder Detail Form &

Certification which requires the specific statutory citation supporting the request for confidential treatment and an explanation of why disclosure of the information is not in the best interest of the public.

• The Bidder shall submit one complete paper copy of the Bid Proposal from which confidential information has been redacted. This copy shall be clearly labeled on the cover as a “public copy” and each page upon which confidential information appears shall be conspicuously marked as containing confidential information. The confidential material shall be redacted in such a way as to allow the public to determine the general nature of the material removed. To the extent possible, pages should be redacted sentence by sentence unless all material on a page is clearly confidential under the law. The Bidder shall not identify the entire Bid Proposal as confidential.

• The Cost Proposal will be part of the ultimate contract entered into with the successful

Form Date 6/24/20

Subject Specifications

Bidder. Pricing information may not be designated as confidential material. However, Cost Proposal supporting materials may be marked confidential if consistent with applicable law.

• The transmittal letter may not be marked confidential.

• The Bidder shall submit a USB flash drive containing an electronic copy of the Bid

Proposal from which confidential information has been redacted. This USB flash drive shall be clearly marked as a “public copy”.

• The Technical Proposal must be saved in less than three files, with a preference for the entire Technical Proposal in one file. Proposals shall be provided in either PDF or

Microsoft Word format. Files shall be text-based and not scanned image(s) and shall be searchable and not password protected or contain restrictions that prevent copying, saving, highlighting, or printing of the contents.

Exceptions to

RFP/Contract

Language

If the Bidder objects to any term or condition of the RFP or attached Sample Contract, specific reference to the RFP page and section number shall be made in the Primary

Bidder Detail & Certification Form. In addition, the Bidder shall set forth in its Bid

Proposal the specific language it proposes to include in place of the RFP or contract provision and cost savings to the Agency should the Agency accept the proposed language.

The Agency reserves the right to either execute a contract without further negotiation with the successful Bidder or to negotiate contract terms with the selected Bidder if the best interests of the Agency would be served.

3.2 Contents and Organization of Technical Proposal.

This section describes the information that must be in the Technical Proposal. Bid Proposals should be organized into sections in the same order provided here. Hard copies of Bid Proposals should use tabs to separate each section. If a Bidder chooses to provide information in attachments to respond to any section below, please create a new tabbed attachment section immediately behind the applicable section. For example, to add attachments related to information asked for in Section 3.2.3 Information to Include Behind Tab 3: Bidder’s Approach to

Meeting Deliverables, the Bidder would create a new tab in the Technical Proposal that is called Tab 3

Attachments and place the attachment(s) there. The Bidder would follow suit by creating new tabbed sections for attachments created to respond to any other section below in their bid proposal

3.2.1 Information to Include Behind Tab 1:

Transmittal Letter.

The transmittal letter serves as a cover letter for the Technical Proposal. It must consist of an executive summary that briefly reviews the strengths of the Bidder and key features of its proposed approach to meet the specifications of this RFP.

3.2.2 Information to Include Behind Tab 2: Proposal Table of Contents.

The Bid Proposal must contain a table of contents.

3.2.3 Information to Include Behind Tab 3: Bidder’s Approach to Meeting Deliverables.

The Bidder shall address each Deliverable that the successful contractor will perform as listed in Section 1.3, Scope of Work, by first restating the Deliverable from the RFP and then detailing the Bidder’s planned approach to meeting each contractor Deliverable immediately after the restated text. Bid responses should provide sufficient detail so that the Agency can understand and evaluate the Bidder’s approach, and should not merely repeat the Deliverable.

Bidders are given wide latitude in the degree of detail they offer or the extent to which they reveal plans, designs, examples, processes, and procedures. Bidders do not need to address any responsibilities that are specifically designated as Agency responsibilities.

Note:

• Responses to Deliverables shall be in the same sequence as presented in the RFP.

• Bid Proposals shall identify any deviations from the specifications the Bidder cannot satisfy.

• Bid Proposals shall not contain promotional or display materials unless specifically required.

If a Bidder proposes more than one method of meeting the RFP requirements, each method must be drafted and submitted as separate Bid Proposals. Each will be evaluated separately.

3.2.4 Information to Include Behind Tab 4: Bidder’s Experience.

3.2.4.1 Level of technical experience in providing the types of services sought by the RFP.

3.2.4.2 Description of all services similar to those sought by this RFP that the Bidder has provided to the Agency and other businesses or governmental entities within the last twenty-four (24) months.

For each similar service, provide a matrix detailing:

A. Project title;

B. Project role (primary contractor or subcontractor);

C. Name of client agency or business;

D. General description of the scope of work;

E. Start and end dates of contract for services as originally entered into between the parties;

F. If the contract was terminated for any reason before completion of all obligations under the contract provisions, detail the reason(s) for the termination;

G. Contract value;

H. Whether the services were provided timely and within budget;

I. Any damages, penalties, disincentives assessed, or payments withheld, or anything of value traded or given up by the Bidder that were valued at or above $500,000. Include the estimated cost assessed against the Bidder for the incident with the details of the occurrence;

J. List administrative or regulatory proceedings or adjudicated matters related to this service to which the

Bidder has been a party;

K. Whether the Bidder has been debarred or suspended from federally-funded healthcare programs by any state or the federal government; and

L. Contact information for the client’s project manager including address, telephone number, and email address.

3.2.4.3 Letters of reference from three (3) of the Bidder’s previous clients knowledgeable of the Bidder’s performance in providing services similar to those sought in this RFP, including a contact person, telephone number, and email address for each reference. It is preferred that letters of reference are provided for services that were procured in a competitive environment. Form letters of reference that do not elaborate on the Bidder’s performance under the specific relationships addressed in the reference letter may negatively impact the Bidder’s evaluation/score. Persons who are currently employed by the Agency are not eligible to be references.

3.2.4.4 Description of experience managing subcontractors, if the Bidder proposes to use subcontractors.

3.2.5 Information to Include Behind Tab 5: Personnel.

The Bidder shall provide the following information regarding personnel:

3.2.5.1 Tables of Organization.

Illustrate the lines of authority in two tables:

• One showing overall operations

• One showing staff who will provide services under the RFP

3.2.5.2 Names and Credentials of Key Corporate Personnel.

• Include the names and credentials of the owners and executives of your organization and, if applicable, their roles on this project.

• Include names of the current board of directors, or names of all partners, as applicable.

• Include resumes for all key corporate, administrative, and supervisory personnel who will be involved in providing the services sought by this RFP. The resumes should include: name, education, years of experience, and employment history, particularly as it relates to the scope of services specified herein.

Resumes shall not include social security numbers.

3.2.5.3 Information About Project Manager and Key Project Personnel.

• Include names and credentials for the project manager and any additional key project personnel who will be involved in providing services sought by this RFP. Include resumes for these personnel. The resumes shall include: name, education, and years of experience and employment history, particularly as it relates to the scope of services specified herein. Resumes shall also include the percentage of time the person would be specifically dedicated to this project on a monthly basis, if the Bidder is selected as the successful Bidder. Resumes should not include social security numbers.

• Include the project manager’s experience managing subcontractor staff if the Bidder proposes to use subcontractors.

3.2.5.4 Disclosures.

List any details of whether the Bidder or any owners, officers, primary partners, staff providing services or any owners, officers, primary partners, or staff providing services of any subcontractor who may be involved with providing the services sought in this RFP, have ever had a founded child or dependent adult abuse report, or been convicted of a felony.

3.2.6 Information to Include Behind Tab 6: RFP Forms.

The forms listed below are attachments to this RFP. Fully complete and return these forms behind Tab 6:

• Release of Information Form

• Primary Bidder Detail & Certification Form

• Subcontractor Disclosure Form (one for each proposed subcontractor)

3.2.7 Financial Statements.

The Bidder shall submit 1 complete hard copies and a USB flash drive containing an electronic copy of audited financial statements from independent auditors for the last three (3) years. Entities not required to have audited financial statements may submit CPA-prepared unaudited financial statements. Hard copies should be submitted in a separate binder from the Technical and Cost proposals.

3.3 Cost Proposal.

Pricing Restrictions.

Contract Budget.

The Agency is limiting the funding that is available for these services. Cost proposals may not exceed $36,000 for the first year of services with a three percent (3%) increase for all subsequent years. The entire life term amount shall not exceed $232,862 including any contract extension years.

Administrative Costs.

The Agency is placing a cap on the amount of funds that may be spent for Administrative Costs in any contract(s) resulting from this RFP. Spending on Administrative Costs under each contract, for both the contractor and all their subcontractors, cannot exceed 15% of the total contract amount. For the purposes of this subsection, “Administrative Costs” means the costs that may include, but are not limited to, such categories as: salary and benefits for administrators and support staff, rent and lease payments, utilities, data collection and data processing

Form Date 6/24/20 costs, printing, communications equipment and services, and other costs necessary to support the delivery of services.

Content and Format.

The Bidder shall provide the following information in the Cost Proposal:

The bidder's Cost Proposal shall be submitted using the pricing worksheet set forth in Attachment E of this RFP.

Section 4 Evaluation Of Bid Proposals

4.1 Introduction.

This section describes the evaluation process that will be used to determine which Bid Proposal provides the greatest benefit to the Agency. When making this determination, the Agency will not necessarily award a contract to the Bidder offering the lowest cost to the Agency or to the Bidder with the highest point total. Rather, a contract will be awarded to the Bidder that offers the greatest benefit to the Agency.

4.2 Evaluation Committee.

The Agency intends to conduct a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation of Bid Proposals received in response to this RFP. In making this determination, the Agency will be represented by an evaluation committee.

4.3 Proposal Scoring and Evaluation Criteria.

The evaluation committee will use the method described in this section to assist with initially determining the relative merits of each Bid Proposal.

Scoring Guide.

Points will be assigned to each evaluation component as follows, unless otherwise designated:

Technical Proposal Components.

When Bid Proposals are evaluated, the total points for each component are comprised of the component’s assigned weight multiplied by the score the Bid Proposal earns. Points for all components will be added together.

The evaluation components, including maximum points that may be awarded, are as follows:

4 Bidder has agreed to comply with the requirements and provided a clear and compelling description of how each requirement would be met, with relevant supporting materials. Bidder’s proposed approach frequently goes above and beyond the minimum requirements and indicates superior ability to serve the needs of the Agency.

3 Bidder has agreed to comply with the requirements and provided a good and complete description of how the requirements would be met. Response clearly demonstrates a high degree of ability to serve the needs of the Agency.

2 Bidder has agreed to comply with the requirements and provided an adequate description of how the requirements would be met. Response indicates adequate ability to serve the needs of the Agency.

1 Bidder has agreed to comply with the requirements and provided some details on how the requirements would be met. Response does not clearly indicate if all the needs of the Agency will be met.

0 Bidder has not addressed any of the requirements or has provided a response that is limited in scope, vague, or incomplete. Response did not provide a description of how the Agency’s needs would be met.

Form Date 6/24/20

Technical Proposal

Components

Weight Score (0-4) Potential Maximum

Points

Bidder demonstrates a thorough understanding of the purpose and scope of the project.

------- 40

Bidder demonstrates understanding of the services and deliverables related to the project.

Bidder proposed a logical approach to fulfilling the requirements of the RFP

Bidder’s proposal includes a logical and feasible timeline

Bidder exceeded the minimum tasks of the

RFP or offers alternatives

------- 20

Are there pending legal proceedings that could affect the bidder’s performance under the proposed contract.

------- 20

Bidder demonstrates knowledge and experience applicable to the services…