e CAS Vendor RFR Questions and Answers.docx

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Office of Medicaid/MassHealth

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

regarding the Request for Responses for the EHS Comprehensive Assessment System Vendor

Document Number: 22EHSLCe-CASRFR

COMMBUYS Bid Number: BD-22-1039-EHS01-EHS01-70914

Q&A Issue Date: October 28, 2022

This document contains responses to questions received regarding the Request for Responses for the EHS Comprehensive Assessment System Vendor issued on June 22, 2022, as amended on August 8, 2022, and October 21, 2022, by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). Answers have been provided to those questions which are of general interest and relevant to the preparation of a Response to the RFR, further to RFR Section 4.1.3.

Request for Response (RFR) RFR Section 1.4.1.1.5 Consent to Complete the Assessment, Page 8. Is it EOHHS' desire that the e-CAS bring its own digital consent solution within the platform, or integrate with an existing EOHHS digital signature tool, or both?

A. The solution must be able to integrate or support non-repudiation compliant digital consent.

RFR Section 1.4.1.1.11 Noticing, Page 10. Does e-CAS intend to leverage EOHHS common noticing platform? If so, can you please provide the technical detail of the common noticing platform integration?

A. EOHHS will decide to either leverage an EOHHS noticing platform or the Selected Bidder’s noticing solution. Technical details of the common noticing platform integration will be provided to the Selected Bidder.

RFR Section 1.4.1.2.4, Page 12. Regarding Mail Management Services, will the awarded bidder receive print-ready PDFs from EOHHS, or will the letter composition be from a template with a data file merged with this template?

A. As described in Section 1.4.1.1.11 Noticing, the e-CAS will support creating and maintaining notice templates for both paper and electronic delivery. If EOHHS decides to have the Selected Bidder responsible for Mail Management Services, the e-CAS would generate the notice for printing and mailing. It would be up to the Selected Bidder to determine whether to create print-ready pdfs or use a data file merged with a letter template. If EOHHS decides to have the Selected Bidder generate the notice for printing and mailing by EOHHS, integration into/with existing application components would be expected.

RFR Section 1.4.1.2.4.2, Page 12 and Attachment 2:

RFR Section1.4.1.2.5, Page 12. Will EOHHS please confirm if the intent is for the awarded bidder to use EOHHS’ ticketing tool or if the awarded bidder should propose its own tool?

A. It is EOHHS’s intent for the Selected Bidder to use its own ticketing tool.

RFR Section 1.4.1.2.8 Training, Page 14. For the training delivery to be conducted in particular organizations, EOHHS mentions having training materials to be Train-the-Trainer usable. Does EOHHS expect the vendor to include the schedule for planned delivery to those organizations in the Knowledge Transfer and Training Plan or will that be the responsibility of each respective organization with the vendor only scheduling delivery of the 25 2.5 hour sessions described in the RFR?

A. EOHHS anticipates that organizations will be responsible for coordinating their own training processes using the materials provided by the Selected Bidder.

RFR Section 1.4.1.2.8 Training, Page 14. With respect to the Training Materials Package in hardcopy and electronic formats, is the expectation that the vendor will only provide masters of the hardcopy materials and any reproduction would be completed by the EOHHS?

A. No. For in person trainings, EOHHS may request a limited number available for distribution.

RFR Section 1.4.1.2.8 Training, Page 15. Will the ~76,000 users noted within Section 1.6.1 be directed to the web-based training application/tool (Learning Management System [LMS])? Are there additional learners not listed within Section 1.6.1 who would also need access to the LMS?

A. Yes, EOHHS intends to help direct the approximately 76,000 users to the Selected Bidder’s web-based training. We are not aware of additional users of the LMS at this time, however there may be a need for additional users in the future when additional assessments are added to the e-CAS system.

RFR 1.4.2.3, Page 18. Please explain the scope for “Data Entry – Offline.” For offline data entry, is the expectation that users will use a PDF-based solution and then upload a PDF once online, or is the system required to have offline data entry capabilities?

A. All tools and forms that are a part of the e-CAS should have offline capabilities, meaning users should be able to access the forms, complete them while not online, and that tools/forms are automatically synchronized once the user resumes online access to the e-CAS.

The ability to work offline must enable users to conduct a full assessment, with all edits, audit and logging controls, data validation rules, and results calculations. Offline capability must automatically populate (i.e., upload to and synchronize) the assessment tool’s database with updated data or new assessments upon connection.

RFR Section 1.5 Assessment Tools, page 19. Can the EOHHS please provide the full user manuals and data collection forms (in PDF) for the Uniform Core Assessment (“UCA”) Tool, the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (“CANS”) Tool, and the Time-to-Task (“TTT”) Tool?

A. e-CAS is a new solution; full user manuals and data collection forms are not available.

a. The core questions for the UCA tool are based on InterRAI MDS-HC9.1 for which there are user manuals available from InterRAI at https://catalog.interrai.org/content/interrai-home-care-hc-assessment-form-and-users-manual-standard-english-edition-912

RFR Section 1.5.1.3.2, Page 20 and Attachment 2:

RFR Section 1.5.2.3.1, Page 28. This section references UCA and states, “The e-CAS will generate a notice to the individual with the final Output from the assessment.”

RFR Section 1.5.3.2, Page 34. Regarding Data Sharing and Notification, the RFR states, “The e-CAS will send final PCA service levels to the appropriate MassHealth system(s). The e-CAS will generate a notice to the Member with the final service levels from the Time to Task (“TTT”) assessment. The notice may be mailed by the awarded bidder or MMIS, as determined by EOHHS.”

RFR Section 1.6.1, Page 35. Will EOHHS please explain “the other 45,000 users” and how will they interact with the e-CAS system?

A. The 45,000 e-CAS System users for CANS require access to CANS assessments, primarily for care management or care coordination purposes.

RFR Section 1.6.2, Page 37. Will EOHHS please explain how 1900 provider systems will communicate with e-CAS and the expected frequency. With regard to Attachment 6 Lines 59 and 60, can EOHHS provide more information regarding the state’s vision for how Providers and Health Plans would submit data to e-CAS and how e-CAS data should be shared? Will Providers and Health Plans have the staff to use APIs on their own if APIs are provided by e-CAS?

A. All solution applications will be a node on the Commonwealth’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) highway. The 1900 providers will be able to communicate with e-CAS utilizing HL7 protocols. The system provided by the Selected Bidder will interoperate with the HIE for access to the applicable nodes. Further details will be provided to the Selected Bidder.

RFR Section 1.9.3, Page 39. Please clarify what is meant by royalty payments “will be monthly.” Does this mean that EOHHS will pay any such payments directly to InterRAI?

A. No. The Selected Bidder will be responsible for paying software licensing royalty payments to InterRAI for hosting the InterRAI clinical assessment tool on the e-CAS. EOHHS will pay passthrough funds monthly to the Selected Bidder to fully cover the royalty payment amount(s).

RFR Section 3.1.1.1, Page 43:

RFR Section 3.2 Implementation Tasks and Deliverables, p. 44. What is the preferred project management methodology (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid Agile, Safe Agile etc.)?

A. CMS currently funds projects through waterfall methodology. However, individual project tracks may utilize Agile or other methods as directed by the EOHHS (MassHealth) IT Project Management Office.

RFR Section 3.2.3 Build: Configuration, Customization and Integration, p. 53. Is the bidder expected to co-ordinate with existing vendor/provider for integration or will the EOHHS also be part of this co-ordination?

A. The EOHHS IT Project Manager will support coordination among involved parties.

RFR 3.2.5 Pilot, p. 55. How many Pilot Users will there be in each of the three Pilot user group categories? Will System Administrators play a role in the Pilot?

A. EOHHS expects to work with the Selected Bidder to define Pilot user groups. It is likely that System Administrators would be involved in Pilots.

RFR Section 3.2.6 Knowledge Transfer and Training, page 57. What portion of the ~76,000 impacted users (as referenced in section 1.6.1) will the Awarded bidder be responsible for directly training? Will EOHHS provide a list of points of contact with whom the Awarded bidder will coordinate training plans?

A. Please see Section 1.4.1.2.8 Training for details on EOHHS’s expectations for user trainings.

RFR Section 3.3.1 System Operations, p. 61. Are we expected to follow Open API Standards to create APIs so that it can be integrated easily with 3rd party system?

A. Open API Standards such as SOAP or REST/JSON are recommended.

RFR Section 3.6, Page 66 and Section 4.1.2, Page 67. These two sections have conflicting anticipated timelines and Contract Start Dates, where one is 3/6/2023, and another is 7/7/2023. Please advise as to which is correct.

A. Please see Amendment 3 to the RFR posted on COMMBUYS.

RFR Section 4.3, Page 72. The RFR states, “All statements included in Responses regarding the confidential and proprietary nature of the Bidder’s submission shall be null and void. Accordingly, Bidders should refrain from including confidential and/or sensitive information in their submissions.” The RFR requires bidders to submit responses that contain confidential/proprietary and/or personal information for a compliant response/proposal. For example:

a. Key Personnel – Names and biographical information (RFR Section 4.3.2.1.3)

RFR Section 4.3.2.4, Page 82. The RFR states, “Limit to 30 pages maximum for items a. through f.” This section of the RFR lists items a-e. Is “f” a typo or is the RFR missing a requirement?

A. Please see Amendment 3 to the RFR posted on COMMBUYS.

Miscellaneous Are there any restrictions on using project resources based in Global Delivery Centers outside of the United States?

A. There is not a general restriction on using project resources based in Global Delivery Centers outside of the U.S.; however, on a case-by-case basis, the compliance to Federal and State privacy laws may impact the ability to allow them.

Does the EOHHS require any part of the solution to be on-prem or can the entire solution be hosted in the cloud? Is there any preference on region/location to host the proposed solution?

A. The entire solution can be hosted in the cloud. The preference for any cloud solution is a location in USA Eastern Regions.

Will the EOHHS be responsible for procurement of infrastructure (on-prem/cloud) or will the Selected Bidder be responsible for the procurement?

A. The Selected Bidder will be responsible for the procurement, in consultation with EOHHS.

Please share list of currently licensed and invested tools and what all tools can be leveraged/reused. We have noticed the below listed software and tools in the technology manual shared by the EOHHS. Are there others?

A. Please see Amendment 3 to the RFR posted on COMMBUYS, which replaces Attachment 4 to the RFR, EOHHS Technology Office Secretariat Application Reference Manual.

Do you have any ETL or Heavy Volumetric Integration in the current landscape?

A. No.

Attachment 1: Template Statement of Work (SOW) Attachment 1, Template Statement of Work (SOW), Exhibit B, Page 10, L. The requirement states, “Within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date of this Agreement, the Contractor shall provide EOHHS an accurate list of electronic and paper databases and other Systems containing PI, together with a description of the type(s) of PI contained in such databases and Systems and the various uses of the databases and Systems.” Since the awarded Contractor will still be designing at this time, will EOHHS consider modifying this requirement to provide an accurate list of systems by a more feasible timeline of 30-60 days prior to go-live?

A. Yes. To be discussed with the Selected Bidder.

Attachment 1 Template SOW Section 9.1 Fixed Price Tasks and Deliverables. There is a defined term but there is no definition, “Metrics of Acceptance”. Given this is how bidders are to get paid, could EOHHS please clarify are the “Metrics of Acceptance”?

A. Attachment 1 Template SOW Section 9.1 is about the process to accept deliverables. The EOHHS Project Manager will review the required deliverables/phases and approve them if they meet the specified "Metrics of Acceptance" set forth in RFR Attachment 3. It is anticipated that EOHHS and the Selected Bidder will define and mutually agree upon the Metrics of Acceptance.

Attachment 1 Template SOW Section 10.2.6 Warranty, Page 26. Will EOHHS please clarify what it means when it states “after EOHHS accepts such software and/or systems created or modified …” Is this when the assessments are deployed into production, or does this mean at some point prior to deployment of the assessment into production?

A. The EOHHS Project Manager must accept the Production Deployment Certification deliverable to commence the warranty period.

Attachment 1 SOW, Exhibit B, page B-3. Are there currently “Third Party Agreements” (such as the Social Security Administration, the Department of Revenue or the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services) that the awarded Contractor should be considering when proposing their solution and providing the RFR response?

A. Yes, there are agreements in place with SSA, DOR. They are primarily Security & Audit focused.

Attachment 1 SOW, Exhibit B, page B-10. The SOW, Exhibit B, requires the Contractor, within 30 days of the Effective Date of this Agreement, to provide EOHHS an accurate list of electronic and paper databases and other Systems containing PI. Please consider revising this requirement to 90 days prior to go-live in coordination with the required Security Controls Compliance and Audit?

A. Yes, EOHHS will consider revisions to the timing of the deliverable with the Selected Bidder.

Attachment 1 SOW, Exhibit D Cloud Offering. May a bidder propose different cloud terms in lieu of Attachment 1 SOW, Exhibit D Cloud Offering requirements?

A. Yes. EOHHS reserves the right to review and assess the proposed cloud terms, ask for additional requirements or reject them entirely.

Attachment 4: EOHHS Technology Office Secretariat Applications Reference Manual Attachment 4, EOHHS Technology Applications Reference Manual. The Reference Manual is dated November 20, 2017. This manual contains some requirements and standards that cannot be met in 2022. Is there a more recent version of this manual or might EOHHS indicate which requirements, standards, and guidance are applicable to the awarded bidder?

A. Please see Amendment 3 to the RFR posted on COMMBUYS, which replaces Attachment 4 to the RFR, EOHHS Technology Office Secretariat Application Reference Manual.

Attachment 4 EOHHS Technology Applications References Manual, 4.2 Services Tier, Page 37. Will EOHHS please confirm if it will consider using newer technology approaches such as an APIs on REST/JSON, API Gateway instead of interfaces based on SOAP, XML, and all the WS-x standards that go with SOAP?

A. EOHHS is capable of supporting REST/JSON but there are dependencies with the source systems.

Attachment 6: Requirements Matrix Attachment 6 Requirements Matrix, Ref #17:

Attachment 6 Requirements Matrix, Ref #28. The requirement states, “Generate paper and electronic notices…”

Attachment 6 Requirements Matrix, Ref #30:

Attachment 6 Requirements Matrix, Ref# 231 and 232. Can EOHHS provide the anticipated number of provider type levels/tiers to be used in triaging in-process and early re-assessments?

A. For UCA, EOHHS estimates approximately 45 provider types to be triaged, but there will likely be 2 or 3 tiers to manage.

Attachment 6 Requirements Matrix, Ref# 290. Can EOHHS define the scenarios in which automated scheduling functionality will be used?

A. EOHHS anticipates automated scheduling functionality for use with a centralized assessment entity to efficiently schedule appointments for conducting assessments. Assessors/schedulers can talk with member and book an appointment for an assessment that automatically includes all the needed information and generate an online calendar appointment.

Attachment 6 Requirements Matrix, Ref# 307. Can EOHHS describe what is meant by “allow for EOHHS system administration accounts … at the individual Assessment Tool level?”

A. The e-CAS system will house multiple assessments. Each assessment may have a separate set of System Administrators with the ability to make changes related to a specific assessment.

Attachment 6 Requirements Matrix. Can the EOHHS please list all the data systems that the e-CAS system should interoperate with along with the number of instances of each type of system (e.g., 20 instances of Netsmart Avatar) and the type of data exchanged with each system and whether SSO is expected for each system that is contained within the Data Exchange requirements defined as “Providers and Plans”?

A. Please see Amendment 3 to the RFR posted on COMMBUYS, which adds Appendix 10: System Support Matrix to the RFR.

Attachment 9: Mandatory Response Forms Checklist and Acknowledgements Attachment 9, Section C. If bidders suggest changes to the contract terms and conditions, will they be disqualified?

A. No. Proposals will be evaluated in their entirety and suggestions will be taken into consideration as part of the evaluative process. As a threshold matter, any revisions to the Commonwealth’s Standard Terms and Conditions, or any proposed language that conflicts with the Commonwealth’s Standard Terms and Conditions will not be accepted. Inclusion of such non-permissible language, however, will not disqualify a bidder.

Attachment 11: Conceptual Architecture Diagram/Model Please share the overall architecture, integration architecture and security architecture of the existing system.

A. The e-CAS system is a new system. The Selected Bidder will support defining the architecture of the new system. Please see Amendment 3 to the RFR, which adds Attachment 11: Conceptual Architecture Diagram/Model to the RFR.

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