EOEA RFR 2024 001 PS Hotline F~1.docx

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Executive Office of Health and Human Services Executive Office of Elder Affairs

One ashburton place Boston, ma 02108

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: Elder Abuse Hotline Answering and Processing Services

COMMBUYS Bid#: BD-24-1040-1040C-1040L-93821

Agency Document Number: EOEA RFR 2024 001

October 5, 2023

Please Note: This is a single document associated with a complete Bid (also referred to as Solicitation) that may be found on COMMBUYS (www.COMMBUYS.com). Bidders are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms, and requirements for the entire Bid, which are incorporated into the Bid. Bidders also may contact the OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov or by phone at 1-888-MA-STATE (627-8283). The OSD Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, Eastern Time, except during federal, state, and Suffolk county holidays.

Boston, MA 02108

6.2 Mandatory requirements 23

APPENDIX7 Glossary Table of Contents Page iv Document Sensitivity Level: High during development; Low once published.

RFR Introduction and General Description Procurement Scope and Description The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) is soliciting Bidders for the acquisition of Call Answering and Processing Services to receive and process calls for the EOEA Protective Services Elder Abuse Hotline (Hotline), also referred to as the Central Intake Unit (CIU). The provision of Call Answering and Processing Services includes answering all incoming calls by a live operator, managing the intake of Protective Services reports using a Script provided by EOEA, and receiving limited written reports from other state agencies, such as the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC). Information included in received reports is to be entered into the APS Online System operated by EOEA. On a 24/7 bases when certain criteria are met, operators will contact a designated Protective Services Agency worker. Please see Appendix 3 for a Glossary of terms used in this RFR.

Background information As defined in Massachusetts General Laws (M.G.L.) c. 19A, §§ 14-26 and 651 CMR 5.00, Elder Abuse includes Physical, Emotional and Sexual Abuse, Neglect, Self-neglect, and Financial Exploitation. EOEA is required to administer a statewide system of Elder Protective Services (PS) which includes receiving and investigating allegations of Elder Abuse. To fulfill this responsibility, EOEA contracts with 19 not-for-profit PS agencies located throughout the Commonwealth and designates them as PS Agencies. A critical component of the PS system is the process of taking detailed reports of Elder Abuse from the public and distributing them to the appropriate PS Agencies for review and possible intervention, which includes a limited number of daily reports from DPPC.

State law requires the PS Program to take Elder Abuse reports 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Prior to 2017 and the inception of the initial Central Intake Unit, PS operated a distributed system in which these reports were taken over the phone by intake staff at each PS Agency for its designated geographic region during business hours and after-hours reports were taken by a single statewide hotline. Once the reports were taken over the phone, the information was entered into an online database operated by EOEA from which the cases were distributed to an investigator in one of the 19 PS Agencies.

Since 2017, the Central Intake Unit (CIU), or Elder Abuse Hotline, has operated 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and has been responsible for the receipt of intakes from the community and entry into the APS Online System which then automatically distributes the reports to the appropriate PS Agency based on geography. This centralized intake model was designed to simplify the process for individuals to report abuse and to ensure provision of consistent and uniform service regardless of location. In State Fiscal Year 2023, the PS Program received over 40,000 reports of Elder Abuse.

Additionally, EOEA has maintained a web-based reporting portal that allows reporters to file electronically in lieu of contacting the CIU; once intakes are completed in the web portal, they are assigned to the appropriate PS Agency. Also, a small number of reports continue to be taken directly by PS Agencies in accordance with intake exception guidelines established and managed by EOEA. These two intake points will continue and should not be considered as part of the responsibilities of any bidder.

The current Contract for the CIU/Elder Abuse Hotline services will expire on December 31, 2023. Any Bid selected by EOEA will provide the best protection for vulnerable Elders and the best value to the Commonwealth.

Applicable Procurement Law This Bid is issued under the following law(s):

· MGL c. 7, § 22, § 22N; c. 30, § 51, § 52; 801 CMR 21.00; 808 CMR 1.00 (Human and Social Services)

Number of awards The target maximum number of Contractors is one.

Adding Contractors after initial Contract award If, over the life of the Contract, the SSST determines that additional Contractors should be added, these may first be drawn from qualified companies that responded to this Bid but were not awarded Contracts. If necessary to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Bid may be reopened to obtain additional Quotes.

Eligible Entities Limited User Contract – Restricted to Use by Defined Entities Only. Any Contract resulting from this Bid will be open for use by the Issuing Entity as well as the following other entities:

· Executive Office of Health and Human Services

· Department of Children and Families

· Department of Developmental Services

· Department of Public Health

· Department of Mental Health

· Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

· Executive Office of Veterans Services

· Disabled Persons Protection Commission EOEA reserves the right to add or remove additional named authorized users during the Contract term.

Acquisition Method(s) The acquisition method(s) to acquire goods and/or services from this Bid is Fee for Service.

Performance and Payment Timeframes Which Continue Beyond Duration of the Contract.

All term leases, rentals, maintenance, or other agreements for services entered into during the duration of this Contract and whose performance and payment timeframes extend beyond the duration of this Contract shall remain in effect for performance and payment purposes no longer than 3 months after final Contract end date. No new leases, rentals, maintenance, or other 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 leases, rentals, maintenance, or other agreements for services already in place unless the department also terminates said leases, rentals, maintenance, or other agreements for service, which were executed pursuant to the main Contract.

Contract Duration The expected duration of this Contract is as follows:

Initial Duration

From the execution date of January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025

One (1) year for each option

Total Maximum Contract Duration

Five (5) years

No goods may be ordered and no new leases, rentals, maintenance, or other agreements for services may be executed after the Contract has expired.

Estimated Value of the Contract The estimated value of purchase(s) resulting from this Bid is $11.5 million for the full five-year period. The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any Contract resulting from this Bid. Any estimates or past procurement volumes referenced in this Bid are included only for the convenience of Bidders and are not to be relied upon as any indication of future purchase levels.

Basis for estimated dollar value for this Contract (including all options to renew) The “Estimated Value (US$)” for this Bid was based on the following: The Estimated Value of the Contract is based on a combined Unit and Cost Reimbursement Rate model of $2.3M per year.

Estimated Procurement Calendar

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 Procurement Calendar and dates in the Bid’s Header, the dates in the Bid’s Header on COMMBUYS shall prevail. Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Bid Q&A, on COMMBUYS for Procurement 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 the SSST regarding this Bid. Bidders’ questions must be submitted through the Bid Q&A found on COMMBUYS (see below for instructions) and 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 questions submitted to the SSST 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 questions are accessible to the public. Bidders must not include information that could be considered personal, security sensitive, inflammatory, incorrect, collusory, or otherwise objectionable, including information about the Bidder’s company or other companies. The SSST reserves the right to edit or delete 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 Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department 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 Department 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.

Amendment Deadline The SSST reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for amendments, addenda, or modifications to this Bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. The SSST and the Commonwealth accepts 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.

Bidders’ Conference The Bidders’ Conference is conducted by the SSST for the purpose of providing general information about the bid and may be in person or via webinar or conference call. Attendance is optional. The Bidder’s Conference will be held by phone on October 16, 2023, at 2 p.m. Bidder’s Conference information will be posted on COMMBUYS. Please refer to the COMMBUYS website for updated information, including the location, time, and date of the Bidders’ Conference.

Oral Presentations/Product Demonstrations Selected Bidders who are asked to participate in Oral Presentations / Product Demonstrations will be expected to prioritize this in their schedules. The SSST will make every effort to find a mutually convenient time for the Bidder and the SSST. However, failure to appear at the scheduled time of the presentation/demonstration may result in disqualification, reduction of points, or other action that the SSST deems appropriate.

Site Inspection EOEA reserves the right to request a site visit after the deadline to submit quotes/bids has closed. EOEA will make every effort to find a mutually convenient time for the Bidder and EOEA to complete the site visit. Bidders are not required to accommodate EOEA’s request for site visit, but a failure to accommodate such a request may result in disqualification, reduction of points or other action that EOEA deems appropriate.

Specifications Additional required terms appear in the Appendices to this RFR.

Bidder Qualifications Company experience EOEA prefers that Bidders have the following qualifications:

· Experience operating a hotline or emergency call answering services;

· Ability to consistently exceed the 80/30 minimum service level described in section 3.3;

· Prior service to a Commonwealth of Massachusetts public sector agency;

· Services provided at a location within Massachusetts;

· Services provided within a single facility location.

All Bidders must have experience providing call answering and processing services, which includes experience managing a high volume of calls, minimizing Wait Times and implementing mitigation, or back-up, plans to address the fluctuation in call volume as it shifts and in the moment. Bidders must also have experience operating programs that incorporate use of probing questions, posing follow-up questions and gathering clinically related material that extends beyond demographical information (e.g. medical conditions, medications, examples of problematic or reported situation) and/or the capacity and skilled staff to train staff that fall short of these qualifications. Bidders must provide the number of years in business, years in the industry of the bid and provide an organizational chart. Bidders must respond with a bid to cover the 24 hour per day, 7 days per week hotline model ONLY. No other bids will be accepted. As such, Bidders must provide background on providing a 24 hours per day, 7 days per week coverage model or describe in detail how they would meet those parameters.

References and reference information and/or requirements Bidder must provide at least three references that detail call center model qualifications, customer service experience, capacity to manage volume noted on a 24/7 basis, and telecommunications capacity and infrastructure. If Bidder has not handled call volume as noted and/or has not operated on a 24/7 capacity, references must provide information that details its relevant experience to show that the Bidder will be able to expand capacity to operate in accordance with identified specifications. additionally, references should provide any details related to supervisory and management structure and capacity, risk assessment background and any specifics on training and quality assurance.

Employee requirements Preferred staffing qualifications include:

· Management has experience in management of call center operations and Mitigation Plans for call volume and Wait Times, managing and interpreting data and implementing staffing schedules, training and other programs based on identified trends and patterns.

· Supervisors have experience in call center operations, the Triaging of Calls, management of call flow, and gathering information beyond demographics. In addition, supervisors should have the basic skills identified as preferred for intake workers.

· Intake workers have experience in call center operations and experience with asking probing questions and gathering information other than demographical data.

· Intake staff should be able to effectively follow a script and accurately enter data into the APS Online System. In addition, intake

· intake staff should be able to utilize existing technology and telecommunications systems to effectively take and enter reports into the system in a timely manner.

· All other staff connected to the Hotline should possess call center background and/or customer service experience.

· Staff providing training must have background in training employees on varied topics.

Bidders shall submit and annually update resumes for management, supervisors and other key personnel as identified by EOEA.

Training & training materials Training must consist of classroom, virtual and/or online guidance, hands on practice or mock calls and ongoing training and review.

Bidders shall have the following qualifications:

· Experience operating a hotline or emergency call answering services;

· Ability to consistently exceed the 80/30 minimum service level described in section 3.3;

· Prior service to a Commonwealth of Massachusetts public sector agency;

· Services provided at a location within Massachusetts

3.2.1 Training

Training must consist of classroom, virtual and/or online guidance, hands on practice or mock calls and ongoing training and review.

Classroom and online training should cover:

· Call center operations.

· Use of technology, including the APS Online System database and telecommunications system.

· An overview of PS, the role, and importance of the Hotline and intakes play in the overall PS system, intake quality, probing and clarifying questions, allegation definitions and risk assessment and Escalation guidelines to be developed by EOEA.

· Classroom training should be done for at least a week before any mock call or hands on training begins and should only begin once new staff are proficient in classroom materials presented.

· Classroom training should be conducted by designated staff for Bidder with background in training and EOEA staff upon request.

3.2.2 Hands on Practice

Hands on practice, or mock calls, shall begin once new hires have passed the classroom portion of training:

· Mock calls are to be done with existing telephony and case examples provided by EOEA.

· New hires will be expected to handle mock calls as if real intake calls which includes using provided script, escalation matrices, posing follow up questions, assessing risk, managing call flow and entering all information into Test/Sandbox database.

· All mock calls will be reviewed for accuracy of information when compared to call recording and mock call script.

· Mock calls also will be reviewed for timeframe compliance for intake completion.

· Feedback on mock calls should be provided to new hires to allow for modifications to be made.

· Training with mock calls to be done by Hotline staff with incorporation of EOEA as EOEA believes needed with EOEA reserving the right to review mock calls and provide feedback related to staff training.

· Training for new staff to be done upon hire and new staff cannot start taking live calls until approved by EOEA.

Once management and EOEA have approved new hires in mock call portion of training, new hires shall be permitted to move into taking live calls and entering intake information into APS online database.

· Supervisors and management should continue to review all call recordings and intake quality for accuracy for no less than a period of two weeks.

· Bidder may also incorporate a model of peer mentor to review new hire intakes as appropriate.

· After the two week period where all intakes are reviewed, reports done by all staff should continue to be reviewed by supervisors, management and QA based on established policies with feedback given to staff for improvement.

Reports taken by new staff will continue to be monitored by EOEA randomly.

3.2.3 Ongoing training

Ongoing training shall consist of:

· Training shall continue beyond the initial classroom and mock call training and be conducted as management and EOEA identify as warranted.

· Additional training may consist of additional classroom training, refresher email and memorandums sent to staff or other hands on training as warranted.

· All staff must go through a refresher risk assessment training on a yearly basis and participate in any other training sessions as deemed necessary by EOEA and Hotline management.

· All other training materials must be reviewed and approved by EOEA and modifications made in accordance with EOEA guidance before implementation.

· Training for all new Hotline staff and any refresher training for existing staff shall be scheduled and arranged by the Contractor in coordination with applicable EOEA staff to allow for EOEA staff to be present as appropriate. EOEA shall conduct select portions of staff training and will provide feedback to the Contractor regarding any issues noted. All training sessions shall be scheduled at the Contractor’s facilities, off-site as appropriate or remote as needed.

· All training developed and utilized related to this Contract and the completion of intakes and use of the APS Online System is owned by EOEA whereas all training materials developed related to telecommunications and other technology usage is owned by the Contractor.

0. Geographic service and delivery areas The Bidder must provide required services for the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts and receive and process calls from individuals from within and outside of the Commonwealth regarding an elder located in Massachusetts. Toll free numbers must be able to accept calls from outside of Massachusetts.

Statement of Work (SOW) requirements

3.3.1 Hours of Operation:

The Contractor must operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days/year including state and federal holidays and continuous operations during all emergencies, including, but not limited to, weather and public safety emergencies.

· Business hours are identified as the times from Monday through Friday, 9 am until 5 pm, excluding any holidays.

· Non-Business Hours: The following time periods would be considered ‘non-business hours’:

· Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day;

· Friday from 5:00 p.m. through Monday at 9:00 a.m.;

· All state and federal holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Hotline must maintain continuous operations for Business and Non-Business Hours with no uncovered gaps in time. All capabilities, operations and functional capacity, as identified in the remainder of Section 3.3 Statement of Word requirements, must be available and operational for all the timeframes noted.

3.3.2 Technical Capabilities:

The Contractor shall:

· Receive and process voice and TTY Calls;

· Have capacity to receive and process calls, when caller does not speak English or has limited English proficiency, including interpreter and translation services.

· Receive and process verbal or written intake referrals from other state agencies; such as the Disabled Person’s Protection Commission (DPPC).

· Transfer a call to another state and local agencies without endig the call (I.e., a “warm transfer”).

· Utilize the current EOEA PS phone number (1 (800) 922-2275);

· Maintain continuous operations in the event of a power or systems outage;

· Maintain continuous operations in the event of a telecommunications outage on a large or system specific level through backup systems, cell phones and paper reports.

· Have a Continuity Of Operations Plan detailing how operations will be maintained during an emergency or hazard situation.

· Maintain systems sufficient to process call volumes (see below), which provide a basis for call volume projections, but systems must be capable of processing actual call volumes);

· Maintain systems that allow for appropriate management of calls and expeditiously moving callers to an intake worker, which includes no messages being left; ability to complete Triaging of Calls and move urgent matters to the forefront; and systems to mitigate and minimize and/or eliminate Wait Times for callers;

· Monitor calls for quality assurance purposes and provide EOEA access to the monitoring mechanism;

· Ability to record all calls and retrieve digitally recorded calls and provide to EOEA on request; and,

· Capability to continuously access the online report system, including making any necessary upgrades to maintain such access over the length of any Contract, and utilize the EOEA PS online database and enter information directly into the system.

3.3.4 Volume and Staffing:

The Contractor shall:

· Ensure staff is able to meet all specifications in Section3 in accordance with call volumes which includes Triaging of Calls and minimizing and/or eliminating Wait Times for callers with back-up and/or Mitigation Plans. During Fiscal Year 2023 (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023) a total of 19,291 intake reports were received; this data includes all days, nights, weekends, and holidays. On a monthly basis, the average number of intake calls is 1608. Separate from calls that result in an intake report, 12,603 calls were received that resulted in a conversation or a warm transfer. The table below displays 12 months of actual intake data listed by: (1) weekday daytime calls, (2) overnight calls, and (3) weekend and holiday calls.

Call volume for calls that are not preferred to other state and local agencies.

Call volume for calls that result in Intake Reports.

· Based on previous records and demographic trends, intake volumes are likely to increase year-to-year and the Bidder must ensure that staffing is adjusted accordingly. Additionally, actual call volumes may be slightly higher than indicated in the intake volume records; the figures above represent only calls that were determined to require a complete PS intake (meaning the Script was completed and data entered into the APS Online System) and do not include wrong numbers, warm transfers, or other calls.

· Maintain a plan for the immediate provision of additional staffing should call volume shift and necessitate additional staff to avoid Wait Times for callers.

· Provide staff that can effectively follow a Script and accurately enter data into an online system for successful and consistent call processing (Attachment B is a paper copy of the computer Script that must be completed);

· Provide staff with Escalation guidelines (see attachments A and B example) to guide staff how to rate report regarding priority and when to escalate intakes to PS Agencies.

· Provide sufficient staff for PS Agency on-call schedules and numbers and ensure that on-call information is updated on a monthly basis. See attachment C for example.

· Ensure coverage for all possible emergencies and variations in call volume, including but not limited to, staffing vacancies, coverage for vacation and sick days, inclement weather, and public safety;

· Utilize an employee hiring process that ensures the provision of competent and appropriate staff (see 3.1.4);

· With the Bid, provide an organizational chart to EOEA and update annually;

· Provide supervisory staff 24/7 to oversee intake workers and answer questions regarding call flow, caller questions, intake concerns or issues, Escalation, and priority questions or other technical questions that may arise while taking a report.

· Submit and annually update resumes for managers, supervisors, trainers, and key personnel assigned to this project (EOEA reserves the right to review and approve assigned staff);

· All staff members are required to complete EOEA intake training.

3.3.4 Operations:

The Contractor shall:

· Staff shall be provided with the Script to be used for calls and when documenting a report in the APS Online System as well as the Escalation matrices (see examples of both attachments A and B to RFR).

· A minimum service level of 80/30 is required for telephone calls received during operating hours. An 80/30 service level is defined as 80% of calls received will reach a live customer service representative in an average of 30 seconds or less;

· Callers must never receive a busy signal or be directed to voicemail, and no caller shall be placed on hold without being transferred to an intake worker for no more than 10 minutes;

· Provide access for the deaf and hearing impaired via a toll-free phone number and industry standard ADA supportive technology and maintain a Mass Relay response time of less than ten seconds. If the contractor is unable to establish contact with the caller on the initial call, the contractor must make two follow-up calls;

· Maintain the capacity to receive and process calls from callers who do not speak English or have limited English proficiency;

· Demonstrate a triage system for incoming calls based on urgency based on EOEA trainings;

· Ensure a system that allows for additional staff to immediately handle calls when call volume dictates, minimizing or eliminating the continued need for Wait (Hold) Times;

· Effectively complete the intake of Elder abuse reports using the Script and Escalation matrices provided by EOEA. An intake is considered “complete” when all pertinent information is taken from a caller and entered into EOEA’s APS Online System. ;

· Ability to implement operational changes based on changes to EOEA’s Script as needed; changes must be implemented within 48 hours;

· Identify cases not within the jurisdiction of EOEA’s PS Program and refer the caller to other specified government agencies, programs, or other entities as may be appropriate, via a warm transfer in accordance with EOEA policy;

· Identify emergency and rapid situations and contact appropriate PS personnel in accordance with EOEA policy provided during training and EOEAs Escalation matrices;

· Supervisors must be available to workers and able to provide assistance on a 24/7 basis regarding intake, caller and documentation questions and system errors or questions. Intake workers and Supervisors must be available to take calls from the PS Agency.

· All intake documentation must be completed in the APS Online System according to training and specifications; documentation must be made with no modifications to the intake formatting and without alteration to the documentation process and flow of the system

· Protect Data Subject confidentiality in accordance with all applicable Massachusetts General Laws and Federal Laws, including the destruction of all recorded calls within the timeframes specified.;

· Comply with 101 CMR 19.00 (Workplace Violence Prevention and Crisis Response Plan);

· Compliance with applicable sections of 651 CMR 5.00 (Elder Abuse Reporting and Protective Services Program).

3.3.5 Quality Assurance:

The Contractor shall:

· Generate statistics for tracking call volumes, average speed of answer, the number of abandoned calls, average call handling time, and frequency of calls during specified periods of time;

· Demonstrate a system of reviewing a subset of recorded calls on at least a quarterly basis and more frequently as requested by EOEA to address quality issues and to establish a system of implementing program improvements based on such reviews and other measures;

· Allow representatives of EOEA to audit and listen to calls from EOEA offices;

· Perform routine quality assurance on all systems and hardware to avoid preventable interruptions to the telephone system;

· On-site by EOEA as noted below that will include listening to random Call Recordings for quality;

· Results on Hotline management on-going Quality Assurance of reports and scoring sheets or aggregate shall be submitted to EOEA Regional Manager by the 7th of the month following when the Quality Assurance reviews were completed;

· Hotline management must compile a monthly list for all Wait Times over 10 minutes and submit said list to EOEA by the 7th of the following month. This list shall also include how long call hold went beyond 10 minutes mark, outcome of the situation (e.g. call went to intake worker or caller disconnected), time of the event and any Mitigation Plans that occurred in the moment to address the situation and any plans that should or will occur in the future to prevent this from occurring again or when it does occur again; and

· Quality Assurance activities must also include a review of supervisors, the guidance that they are or are not providing, and specifics regarding how they are supervising and providing guidance as workers are generating reports, which shall include timeliness of assistance provided and management of the call process and documentation.

3.3.6 Program Review:

· Demonstrate a program evaluation procedure and standards for ensuring the overall quality of services;

· Provide all program review results to EOEA;

· Comply with all EOEA requests for Corrective Action Plans;

· EOEA will be on-site at least quarterly to discuss issues and concerns noted, assist with training of new or other staff, and randomly review Call Recordings and provide feedback. Selection method of Call Recordings to be determined by EOEA and Hotline management and will be based on issued raised by the PS network, Hotline staff or identified through other reviews by EOEA;

· Submission of Critical Incident Reports to EOEA for events as identified as serious in nature that could have resulted in harm to an older adult or PS staff member.

0. Requirements at Contract or engagement termination If future problems are identified and cannot be rectified so that the Contract or engagement must be terminated, the existing Contractor shall not cease operations until a new Contractor is identified and fully operational. Payment to existing Contractor will continue up to transfer of services to new Contractor. New Contractor reserves the right to hire or not hire existing Contractor staff with any final approval reserved to EOEA.

The Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) was established pursuant to Executive Order 599 to increase state contracting opportunities with small businesses having their principal place of business within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the SBPP, it is the intention of the issuing department to award this Small Procurement to one or more SBPP participating business(es) as described below.

3.4.2 SBPP Award Preference

While all businesses, no matter the size or principal place of business, may submit responses to this solicitation, should an SBPP participant respond and meet the best value criteria as described in this solicitation, the SBPP participant shall be awarded the Contract. The Strategic Sourcing Services Team (SSST) will not evaluate submissions from non-SBPP participants unless no SBPP Bidder meets the SSST’s best value evaluation criteria.

3.4.3 SBPP Participation Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in this procurement as an SBPP participant, an entity must meet the following criteria, and be marked as an SBPP registered business in COMMBUYS:

1. Have its principal place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

2. Been in business for at least one year;

3. Employ a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in all locations, or employees work less than a combined total of 26,000 hours per quarter; and

4. Have gross revenues, as reported on appropriate tax forms, of $15 million or less, based on a three-year average.

Non-profit firms also must be registered as a non-profit or charitable organization with the MA Attorney General’s Office and be up to date with all filings required by that office and be tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

3.4.4 SBPP Compliance Requirements

It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their SBPP status is current at the time of submitting a response and throughout the life of any resulting Contract. Misrepresentation of SBPP status will result in disqualification from consideration, and may result in debarment, Contract termination, and other actions. To learn more about the SBPP, including how to apply, visit the SBPP webpage, http://www.mass.gov/sbpp.

3.4.5 Program Resources and Assistance

Bidders and Contractors seeking assistance regarding SBPP may visit the SBPP webpage or contact the SBPP Help Desk at sbpp@mass.gov.

3.5 Supplier Diversity Program

THIS SECTION IS MANDATORY FOR PROCUREMENTS WITH ANNUAL VALUES EXCEEDING $250,000 AND OPTIONAL FOR PROCUREMENTS WITH ANNUAL VALUE EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN $250,000.

3.5.1 Program Background

Pursuant to, Executive Order 599 the Commonwealth’s Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) promotes business-to-business relationships between awarded Contractors and diverse businesses and non-profit organizations (“SDP Partners”) certified or recognized by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO).

All Bidders and Contractors are strongly encouraged to create a profile on the SDO’s Supplier Diversity Hub to access the Commonwealth’s supplier diversity resources and tools.

3.5.2 Financial Commitment Requirements

All Bidders responding to this solicitation are required to make a significant financial commitment (“SDP Commitment”) to partnering with one or more SDO-certified or recognized diverse business enterprise or non-profit organization. This SDP Commitment must be expressed as a percentage of Contract sales resulting from this solicitation that would be spent with the SDP Partner(s).

After Contract award (if any), the Total SDP Commitment shall become a contractual requirement to be met annually on a Massachusetts fiscal year basis (July 1 – June 30) for the duration of the Contract. The minimum total SDP Commitment acceptable in responses to this solicitation shall be 1%. Bidders shall be awarded additional evaluation points for higher SDP Commitments.

No Contract shall be awarded to a Bidder without an SDP Commitment that meets the requirements stated herein. This requirement extends to all Bidders regardless of their own supplier diversity certification.

3.5.3 Eligible SDP Partner Certification Categories

SDP Partners must be business enterprises and/or non-profit organizations certified or recognized by the SDO in one or more of the following certification categories:

· Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE)

· Minority Non-Profit Organization (M/NPO)

· Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)

· Women Non-Profit Organization (W/NPO)

· Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (VBE)

· Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOBE)

· Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)

· Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Business Enterprise (LBGTBE)

3.5.4 Eligible Types of Business-to-Business Relationships

Bidders and Contractors may engage SDP Partners in the following two ways:

· Subcontracting, defined as a partnership in which the SDP partner is involved in the provision of products and/or services to the Commonwealth.

· Ancillary Products and Services, defined as a business relationship in which the SDP partner provides products or services that are not directly related to the Contractor’s Contract with the Commonwealth but may be related to the Contractor’s own operational needs.

Other types of business-to-business relationships are not acceptable under this Contract. All provisions of this RFR applicable to subcontracting shall apply equally to the engagement of SDP Partners as subcontractors.

3.5.5 Program Flexibility

The SDP encompasses the following provisions to support Bidders in establishing and maintaining sustainable business-to-business relationships meeting their needs:

· SDP Partners are not required to be subcontractors.

· SDP Partners are not required to be Massachusetts-based businesses.

· SDP Partners may be changed or added during the term of the Contract provided the Contractor continues to meet its SDP Commitment.

3.5.6 SDP Plan Form Requirements

All Bidders must complete the SDP Plan Form included in this solicitation and attach it to their bid response. In addition to proposing an SDP Commitment, each Bidder must propose one or more SDP Partner(s) to utilize to meet its SDP Commitment. Certified diverse Bidders may not list their own companies, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, as SDP Partners and may not meet their SDP Commitment by spending funds internally or with their own subsidiaries or affiliates.

Bidders may propose SDP Partners that are:

· Certified or recognized by the SDO: Such partners appear in the SDO Directory of Certified Businesses or in the SBA Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) directory. After Contract award (if any), spending with such partners will contribute to meeting the Contractor’s SDP Commitment.

· Not yet certified or recognized by the SDO: Such partners must be certified in eligible categories by a third-party certification body, such as another city or state supplier diversity certification office, the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Women Business Enterprise National Council, Disability:IN, or the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), but not listed in the above-mentioned directories. Self-certification is not acceptable. While Bidders may list such proposed SDP Partners on their SDP Plans, spending with such partners will not contribute to meeting the Contractor’s SDP Commitment unless they apply for and are granted SDO supplier diversity certification or recognition. If proposed SDP Partners do not receive SDO supplier diversity certification or recognition, the Contractor must find alternative SDP Partners to meet their SDP Commitment.

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that their proposed SDP Partners obtain such certification or recognition by the SDO after Contract award (if any). The issuing department and the SDO will not conduct outreach to proposed SDP Partners to ensure their certification. Furthermore, no guarantee may be made that a proposed SDP Partner will be certified, or regarding the time it may take to process a proposed SDP Partner certification. Contractors may direct partners to the SDO’s homepage, www.mass.gov/sdo and the Certification Self-Assessment Tool for guidance on applying for certification.

It is desirable for Bidders to provide an SDP Focus Statement that describes the Bidder’s overall approach to increasing the participation of diverse businesses in the provision of products and services under this proposal/Contract (subcontracting) and in the Bidder’s general business operations (ancillary products and services). Such a description may include but not be limited to:

· A clearly stated purpose or goal.

· Specific types of diverse and small businesses targeted.

· Which departments/units within the business are responsible for implementing supplier diversity.

· Types of opportunities for which diverse and small businesses are considered.

· Specific measures/methods of engagement of diverse and small businesses.

· An existing internal supplier diversity policy.

· Public availability of the Bidder’s supplier diversity policy.

It also is desirable for Bidders to use the SDP Plan Form to describe additional creative initiatives (if any) related to engaging, buying from, and/or collaborating with diverse businesses. Such initiatives may include but not be limited to:

· Serving as a mentor in a mentor-protégé relationship.

· Technical and financial assistance provided to diverse businesses.

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