Final_RFP_728_2600000364_1_SO_FORM.PDF

Document ID: RFP 728 2600000364 Page: 1

Commonwealth of Kentucky

SOLICITATION

Modification: No Version #:

TITLE: Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Board C6645

Date Issued:

05/05/2026 Record Date:

04/29/2026

Solicitation Closes Date:

05/27/2026 Time:

14:00

Solicitation No:

RFP 728 2600000364

Online Bidding Prohibited: No

For Information Call:

Joseph Beatty 502-564-7736

Bid Receiving Location:

Bid Receiving

See Terms & Conditions for Bid Submission Instructions

Other KY

Vendor Customer Number:

Vendor Name:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

Ordering

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Contact Name:

Contact Email:

Contact Phone Number:

Payment

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Contact Name:

Contact Email:

Contact Phone Number:

Ownership Type

__ Sole Proprietorship __ Partnership __ Corporation __ Other_________________________

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED AGENT IS REQUIRED UNLESS RESPONSE

IS SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY. FAILURE TO SIGN SHALL RENDER

THE BID INVALID.

Signature X_________________________________________ FEIN#____________________ Date____________

All offers subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

Document ID: RFP 728 2600000364 Page: 2

Line Items

Commodity Group: Default

Line CL Description Quantity UOM Unit Cost Line Total or Contract Amnt

1 Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Board

Comm Code Comm Description Manufacturer Model # Manuf Part #

948 HEALTH RELATED SERVICES (FOR

HUMAN SERVICES SEE CLASS 952)

Extended Description Provide scientific review and administrative organizatinon to the Kentucky Spinal Cord Head Injury Research Board.

Shipping Information

Billing Information CHFS DPH Division of Prevention & Quality Improvement Billing 275 E Main Street HS1W-D

Frankfort KY 40601

Document ID: RFP 728 2600000364 Page: 3

Submission Checklist

The following items will be required to be submitted with bid:

Item Must provide Technical Short Form Response with attachments Cost Proposal Oral Presentation, if necessary

Revised February 2026

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

The vendor MUST include the following with the proposal submission.

If the items highlighted below are not submitted with the proposal submission, the Commonwealth MUST deem the proposal non-responsive and SHALL NOT consider for award.

All other items MUST be submitted prior to award.

_____ SIGNED AND COMPLETED SOLICITATION –Section(s) 8.00 and 8.10 of this RFP (not required if submitting electronically)

_____ *PROPOSED SOLUTION (TECHNICAL) UNDER SEALED COVER AND BY CLOSING DATE --

Section(s) 8.00 and 8.10 of this RFP

_____ *PROPOSED SOLUTION (COST) UNDER SEALED COVER AND BY CLOSING DATE -- Section(s)

8.00 and 8.10 of this RFP

_____ TRANSMITTAL LETTER – Section 8.20 of this RFP

_____ PROOF OF REGISTRATION WITH SECRETARY OF STATE BY A FOREIGN ENTITY -- Section 8.00 of the Personal Service Contract Terms and Conditions of this RFP

_____ REQUIRED AFFIDAVIT(S) – Section 8.20 of this RFP

*The Commonwealth defines SEALED as “a closure that must be broken to be opened and that thus reveals tampering” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seal

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Total Pages: 35 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FOR

PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACT

Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Department for Public Health, Division of Prevention and Quality Improvement Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Board

RFP 728 2600000364

This document constitutes a Request for Proposals for a Personal Service Contract from qualified individuals and organizations to furnish those services as described herein for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Cabinet for Health and Family Services on behalf of the Department for Public Health, Division of Prevention and Quality Improvement.

Offerors are advised that any personal service contract resulting from this RFP must comply with all applicable provisions of KRS 45A and KRS 12.210 prior to becoming effective.

A contract, based on this RFP, may or may not be awarded. Any contract award from this RFP is invalid until properly approved and executed by the Finance and Administration Cabinet and filed with the Legislative Research Commission, Government Contract Review Committee.

1.00 Purpose and Background

The purpose of the Request for Proposal (RFP) is to meet the technical needs of the Director of Research for the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Board (KSCHIRB). The Contractor will impanel and moderate a grant proposal review team composed of leading researchers in spinal cord and head injuries. The review team will research, study and score the grant proposals from the two research centers in Kentucky, the University of Kentucky (UK) and the University of Louisville (UofL). The Contractor will present the review panel’s findings to KSCHIRB who will determine which project(s) will receive funding.

2.00 Scope of Work

1. Provide grant review and administrative organization of grant proposal applications to the KSCHRIB.

2. Assist the KSCHRIB in establishing a mechanism to fund and promote spinal cord and head injury research.

3. Recruit and establish a peer review Study Section of leading experts in spinal cord and head injury trauma.

4. Conduct an annual peer review meeting of the Study Section to evaluate current grant applications submitted by the faculties of UK and UofL.

5. Make recommendations from the Study Section to KSCHIRB regarding each application for grant funding:

a. Collate voting results for each application

b. Calculate the final priority score

6. Negotiate contracts between KSCHIRB and universities receiving grant funding.

7. In accordance with KRS 211.502(6), maintain and provide the following records to KSCHIRB annually by December 1st of each year:

a. Copies of each grant application;

b. Recommendations of the Study Section with regarding each application;

c. Determination of KSCHIRB regarding each grant proposal;

d. Progress and financial reports prepared by the grantees.

8. As requested by the Department for Public Health (DPH), provide up to 40 consultations with members of the KSCHIRB. At any time during the contract, members of KSCHIRB may contact the director of UK or UofL research labs about the research being conducted. For awards and scoring questions, KSCHIRB may contact the Contractor.

9. Provide KSCHIRB with the results of technical reviews of research proposals and recommendations.

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10. Monitor UK and UofL Human Subject Committee project approval letters. When conducting research on human subjects, prior to starting the project, the research is reviewed and approved by an ethics and integrity board at the institutions (in this case, UK or UofL). The Contractor awarded this contract will ensure that the applicants have approval letters for the research from their institution.

11. Update KSCHIRB files to reflect the current year’s recommended budgets and grants awarded a no-cost extensions.

12. Contact and recruit members to serve on the Study Section.

13. Receive and administratively review submitted grant applications.

14. Assign each grant proposal to the appropriate Study Section members for scientific review.

15. Send grant applications, prior reviews, and review guidelines to the Study Section members.

16. Receive and review the approval letters from the International Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Human Subjects Committees of UK and UofL.

17. Conduct the annual meeting of the KSCHIRB Study Section.

18. Collate the voting results for each grant application and calculate the final priority scores.

19. Forward the following reports to KSCHIRB:

a. List of priority scores

b. Recommended annual budgets of each of the reviewed applications

c. List of currently funded KSCHIRB grants and their annual budgets

20. Prepare and distribute contracts to the Principal Investigators of the grants recommended by KSCHIRB for funding.

21. Send progress and financial annual report forms to the Principal Investigators of currently funded grants.

22. Update KSCHIRB files to include newly funded grants.

23. Receive and process annual financial and progress reports from KSCHIRB grantees.

24. Have a working knowledge of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Study Section process and the scoring protocol for grants.

25. Contractor must be independent of and have no current employment, contractual, financial, or other professional affiliation with UK or UofL, to avoid conflicts of interest in proposal review and to preserve grant review integrity.

2.01 Deliverables

By December 1st of each year, the Contractor shall provide KSCHIRB with a summary of grant review activities and the results of the review of grant applications.

2.02 Reporting Requirements

1. Provide an annual report by November 15th reflecting peer review experts (Study Section) meeting notes, the number of grant applications received, recommendations for each grant, contracts negotiated between KSCHIRB and UK or Uof L.

2. Provide an annual report by December 1st from the panel of spinal cord and head injury experts on each grant application, organized by the Contractor (UK or UofL) with a mailed hard copy sent to:

Director of the Board Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Board 2504 Valetta Road Louisville, KY 40205

2.03 CHFS Responsibilities

DPH, Health Care Access Branch (HCAB) is responsible for the following:

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1. Contact the Executive Director of KSCHIRB to determine dates for the two Board meetings during a calendar year.

2. Attend the two annual KSCHIRB meetings and any additional meetings necessary for the execution of the Contract.

3. Monitor the Contractor and the Study Section’s work to ensure compliance.

4. Prepare the Annual Report for KSCHIRB, which includes the statutorily mandated research reports from UK and UofL.

2.04 Monitoring Requirements – Federal and State

KSCHIRB shall monitor performance for compliance.

2.05 Pricing and Payment Requirements

Services are to be billed as follows:

1. A breakdown of charges by task (i.e., arranging for Study Section meeting, chairing study section, travel costs, honorariums paid, grant scoring).

2. For each task, other than direct purchases (e.g., travel, honorariums) the charges will be broken down by hour and charged based on the determined hourly rate.

3. For direct purchases (te.g., travel and honorariums), a separate spreadsheet shall be provided with a breakdown of charges and costs per person attending the Study Section.

Invoices for payment shall be submitted to:

Health Care Access Branch, Department for Public Health 275 East Main Street, HS2W-B Frankfort, KY 40601 or electronically to: HCAB@ky.gov

Payment shall be conditioned upon receipt of appropriate, accurate, and acceptable invoices submitted quarterly.

Invoices shall contain two parts:

1. Legislative Research Commission’s Government Contract Review Committee Invoice Form; and

2. Supporting documentation.

Invoices that do not contain the requirements above will be rejected and sent back to the Contractor for re-invoicing.

3.00 Evaluation Criteria

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) shall conduct a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation of all proposals. CHFS may reject any proposal that is incomplete or contains significant inconsistencies or inaccuracies.

CHFS reserves the right to reject all proposals.

CHFS has established a Proposal Evaluation Committee to review, evaluate and verify information submitted by the offeror.

Each Vendor is responsible for submitting all relevant, factual and correct information with their offer to enable the evaluator(s) to afford each Vendor the maximum score based on the available data submitted by the Vendor.

CHFS shall evaluate the proposals based on the following evaluation factors:

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Technical Proposal Evaluation

Criteria Maximum Points Possible Mandatory Requirements

The Contractor must submit responses on the Technical Response Short Form.

Pass/Fail

1. The Contractor must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience in National Institute of Health (NIH) Research Protocols as a funded investigator.

P/F

2. The Contractor must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience as an NIH Study Section member.

P/F

3. The Contractor shall be regularly and currently engaged in the business of providing grant review and administrative organization of grant proposal services for at least one (1) year.

P/F

Cost Proposal Evaluation

The Contractor is responsible for including and identifying all costs associated with the delivery of services. The cost proposal must be submitted using the attached Cost Proposal Form and shall include a monthly fee for providing Director of Research services for the KSCHIRB. The monthly fee must be all-inclusive. Consider this when proposing a monthly fee.

Contractors are cautioned against making assumptions when submitting cost proposals. If clarifications are needed, please submit questions during the Question-and-Answer period to ensure all cost assumptions are confirmed or clarified. Costs left out of a proposal on an assumption will not be negotiated at the time of award.

Maximum Points Possible 400

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Oral Demonstration/Presentation Evaluation, if required

Oral Presentations/Demonstrations

The Commonwealth reserves the right to require Oral Presentations/Demonstrations to verify or expand on the Technical or Cost Proposals. Oral Presentations/Demonstrations may be conducted through videoconferencing or by conference call, if it is in the best interest of the Commonwealth to do so.

This is the opportunity for the Vendor to present and demonstrate the solution, answer questions, or clarify the understanding of the evaluation committee in accordance with the requirements of this RFP. The Commonwealth reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part based on the oral presentations/ demonstrations.

If required, the top 2 highest ranking Vendors may be invited.

Scheduling will be at the discretion of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth reserves the right not to require oral presentations/demonstrations

Maximum Points Possible 200

Total Proposal Evaluation

Technical Proposal (Short Form Application) Pass/Fail

Cost Proposal 400

Oral Demonstrations/Presentations, if required 200

MAXIMUM POINTS POSSIBLE

4.00 Schedule of RFP Activities

The following schedule presents the major activities associated with the RFP distribution, written questions and proposal submission. The Commonwealth reserves the right at its sole discretion to change the Schedule of Activities, including the associated dates and times.

Release of RFP 05/05/26

Written Questions due by: 2:00pm 05/12/26

Anticipated Commonwealth Response to Written Questions 05/21/26

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Proposals Due by: 2:00pm 05/27/26

*NOTE: ALL TIME REFERENCES ARE TO THE EASTERN TIME ZONE.

5.00 Offeror’s Conference

Not applicable.

6.00 Point of Contact

The Agency Contact named below shall be the sole point of contact throughout the procurement process. All email communications concerning this procurement shall be addressed to:

Joey Beatty jbeatty@ky.gov

From the issue date of this RFP until a Contractor(s) is selected and the selection is announced, Offerors shall not communicate with any other Commonwealth staff concerning this RFP.

7.00 Questions Regarding this RFP

Questions must be submitted in writing to the Agency Contact. The Commonwealth will respond to salient questions in writing by issuing an Addendum to the Solicitation. The Addendum shall be posted to the Commonwealth’s eProcurement page.

8.00 Proposal Submission

Electronic Proposals

Proposals shall be received by electronic submission in the eProcurement system, Kentucky Vendor Self Service System.

An electronic proposal shall be authorized by the proper agent of the firm by the act of submitting it electronically through the eProcurement system.

Proposal information MUST be completed online. Response must contain all required information for the Solicitation.

All bidders MUST be registered in the Commonwealth eProcurement System via the Vendor Self Service System at https://vss ky.gov.

Allow 24 – 48 hours to complete Vendor Registration. Vendors must be logged in to their Vendor Self Service (VSS) account in order to submit a response. Registrations completed the day of bid closing must be completed by the Vendor in the VSS portal. The Customer Resource Center is not able to complete registrations and activate accounts on the same day. Closing dates will not be extended for Vendors not registered by the date/time of the bid closing.

All bidders are cautioned to begin their electronic submission in sufficient time to complete before the closing date and time. Delays due to technical difficulties or document upload impediments shall not be justification for acceptance of a late bid or proposal. Vendor attention to this advisory is encouraged. Instructions “How to Submit an Online Response for a Business Opportunity” are posted to Kentucky’s Vendor Self Service, https://vss.ky.gov.

If you need assistance, please contact the Customer Resource Center (CRC) by email at Finance.CRCGroup@ky.gov or phone 502-564-9641 or toll-free 877-973-HELP (4357).

Proposals shall be submitted in three (3) parts: The Technical Proposal, the Cost Proposal, and Proprietary Information. Each part shall consist of one document attachment. Do not submit multiple document attachments as Technical, Cost or Proprietary. All files shall be labeled accordingly. Attachments may not exceed 65,000 KB.

Proposals submitted online must be in an “Accepted” status and shall be assigned a date and time stamp from the eProcurement system at the time of final acceptance and formal submission by the Vendor. The system will not allow submission of an online proposal after the published date and time for closing.

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Total Pages: 35 https://vss.ky.gov/vssprod-ext/Advantage4 mailto:Finance.CRCGroup@ky.gov

A proposal may be modified or withdrawn by electronic or written notice ONLY if received prior to the bid closing date and time. An electronic offer may be modified by applying the appropriate electronic signature and following the procedure in the state’s eProcurement signature.

Acknowledgment of Addenda

It is the Vendor's responsibility to check the web site for any modifications to this solicitation. Vendors are encouraged to acknowledge each addendum by signing and submitting the latest addendum with their response. However, signing the face of the solicitation as indicated above constitutes the Vendor’s acknowledgement of and agreement to be bound by the terms of all addenda issued.

Failure to specifically acknowledge addenda will not excuse the Vendor from adhering to all changes to the requirements of the solicitation set forth therein nor provide justification for any pricing changes.

8.10 Format of Response

Electronic Proposals

Proposals shall be submitted in three (3) parts: The Technical Proposal, the Cost Proposal, and if applicable, Proprietary Information. Each part shall consist of one document. Do not submit multiple documents as Technical, Cost or Proprietary.

1. Proposals must be submitted electronically in the eProcurement System, Kentucky Vendor Self Service site.

a. The Technical Proposal shall be submitted on one (1) document marked Technical (in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or PDF format ONLY). Do not include embedded documents, hyperlinks or hyperlinks to videos. The document should be named in the following manner: Technical – Name of offeror – RFP number

b. The Cost Proposal shall be submitted on one (1) document marked Cost (in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or PDF format ONLY). Do not include embedded documents, hyperlinks or hyperlinks to videos.

The document should be named in the following manner: Cost – Name of offeror – RFP number

c. Any Proprietary Information shall be submitted on one (1) document marked Proprietary (in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or PDF format ONLY). Do not include embedded documents, hyperlinks or hyperlinks to videos. The document should be named in the following manner: Proprietary

– Name of offeror– RFP number

All proposals must be received no later than the close time and date listed in Section 4.00.

Pricing shall only be provided in the Cost Proposal. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY PRICING INFORMATION IN

THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL.

All submitted Technical and Cost Proposals shall remain valid for a minimum of six (6) months after the proposal due date.

8.20 Format of Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal must be arranged and labeled in the manner set forth below.

Transmittal Letter – a Transmittal letter shall be submitted on Offeror’s letterhead, and signed by an agent authorized to bind the Offeror. The Transmittal letter shall include the following:

a. A statement that deviations are included, if applicable.

b. A statement that proprietary information is included, if applicable.

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c. A statement that, if awarded a contract as a result of this Solicitation, the Offeror shall comply in full with all the requirements of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, and shall submit all data required by KRS 45.560 to 45.640.

d. A sworn statement that, pursuant to KRS 11A.040, that Offeror has not knowingly violated any provisions of the Executive Branch Code of Ethics.

e. A statement certifying that the price in this proposal was arrived at independently without collusion, consultation, communication, or agreement as to any matter relating to such prices with any other Offeror or with any competitor.

f. A statement affirming that the Offeror is properly authorized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to conduct business in this state and will remain in good standing with the Office of the Kentucky Secretary of State for the duration of any awarded contract resulting from this Solicitation.

g. The name, address, telephone number, fax number and email address and website address, if available, of the contract person to serve as a point of contact for day-to-day operations.

h. Subcontractor information to include the name of the company, address, telephone number and contact name, if applicable.

i. Foreign entity’s organization number issued by the Secretary of State in a certificate of authority or a statement of foreign qualification, if applicable.

Completed and Signed Solicitation and Addenda – An authorized representative MUST complete and sign the Solicitation form and include the following:

a. “Vendor” box and “Payment” box should be completed.

b. Vendor shall indicate ownership type.

c. Vendor shall provide “FEIN” if applicable.

d. Vendor shall provide date the form is completed and signed.

e. Signed face of the most recent Addenda, if applicable.

Signed and Notarized Required Affidavit for Bidders or Offerors - available at the following link:

https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx.

Signed and Notarized Required Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors Claiming Resident Bidder Status – if applicable. Available at the following link:

https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx.

*Offerors not claiming Resident Bidder Status need not submit this affidavit.

Signed and Notarized Required Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors Claiming Qualified Bidder Status – if applicable. Available at the following link:

https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx.

*Offerors not claiming Qualified Bidder Status need not submit this affidavit.

Response to the Technical Portion of the RFP – Please provide a detailed response to the technical requirements outlined in the Evaluation Criteria. No cost information shall be provided in the technical portion.

8.30 Format of Cost Proposal

The Cost Proposal must be submitted under separate cover from the Technical Proposal and must be arranged and labeled in the manner specified. The proposal with the lowest price receives the maximum score. The remaining proposals with the next lowest price receives points by dividing the lowest price by the next lowest price and multiplying that percentage by the available points.

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8.40 Certification Regarding Debarment and Suspension

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.209-5, 2 CFR 180.300, 2 CFR 200.318, 2 CFR 200.303, and FAP 111-59-00 the Offeror shall certify, by signing the Solicitation, that to the best of its knowledge and belief, the Offeror and/or its Principal(s) is (are) not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or declared ineligible for the award of contracts by any state or federal agency. If debarred during the life of the contract, the Offeror shall notify the Commonwealth buyer of record within seventy-two (72) hours of the federal debarment.

For the purposes of this certification, “Principals”, means officers, directors, owners, partners, and persons having primary management or supervisory responsibilities within a business entity (e.g., general manager, plant manager, head of subsidiary, division, or business segment, and similar positions.

9.00 Rules of Procurement

To facilitate this procurement, various rules have been established. These are described in the following paragraphs.

Offerors should review and comply with the General Conditions and Instructions for Solicitation/Contract listed under “Response to Solicitation” located on the eProcurement web page at https://finance.ky.gov/eProcurement/Pages/doing-business-with-the-commonwealth.aspx

The procurement process will provide for the evaluation of proposals and selection of the winning proposal in accordance with state law and regulations. KRS Chapter 45A of the Kentucky Model Procurement Code provides the regulatory framework for the procurement of services by state agencies.

9.10 Technical Proposal Evaluation

CHFS will evaluate the proposal based on the technical portion of the Evaluation Criteria. Each Offeror is responsible for submitting all relevant, factual and correct information with their offer to enable the evaluator(s) to afford each Vendor the maximum score based on the available data submitted by the Offeror. Past Offeror Performance may be considered in the award of this Contract. Offerors with a record of poor performance in the last twelve (12) months may be found non-responsible and ineligible for award.

9.20 Cost Proposal Evaluation

CHFS will evaluate the proposal based on the cost portion of the Evaluation Criteria.

Offeror shall only provide cost on the attached Cost Proposal Form; otherwise, the proposal may be deemed non-responsive.

9.30 Right to Reject/Waiver of Minor Irregularities

The Commonwealth reserves the right at its discretion to reject any and all offers. The Commonwealth also reserves the right at its discretion to waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received.

9.40 Clarification of Proposals

The Commonwealth reserves the right at its discretion to request additional information as may reasonably be required for selection and to reject any proposals for failure to provide additional information on a timely basis.

The Commonwealth reserves the right to conduct discussions with any Offeror who has submitted a proposal to determine the Offeror’s qualifications for further consideration. Such discussions shall not disclose any information derived from proposals submitted by other Offerors.

9.50 Best and Final Offers

The Commonwealth reserves the right at its discretion to request a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) for technical and/or cost proposals. Offerors are cautioned to propose their best possible offers at the outset of the process, as there is no guarantee that any Offeror will be allowed an opportunity to submit a Best and Final technical and/or cost offer.

9.60 Vendor Response and Public Inspection

This RFP specifies the format, required information and general content of proposals to be submitted in response to the RFP. CHFS shall not disclose any portions of the proposals prior to contract award to anyone outside CHFS, representatives of the agency for whose benefit the contract is proposed, representatives of the federal government, if required, and the members of the evaluation committee. After a contract is awarded in whole or in part, the Commonwealth shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose all proposal data submitted by Offerors in response to this RFP as a matter of public record.

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Any and all documents submitted by an Offeror in response to the RFP shall be available for public inspection after contract award pursuant to the Kentucky Open Records Act, KRS 61.870 to 61.884 (“the Act”). When responding to a request to inspect records submitted in response to this RFP, the Commonwealth will not redact or withhold any information or documents unless the records sought are exempt from disclosure pursuant to KRS 61.878 or other applicable law. Similarly, no such documents shall be exempt from public disclosure, regardless of the Offeror’s designation of the information contained therein as “proprietary,” “confidential,” or otherwise, except in cases where the requested documents (or information contained therein) would be excluded from application of the Act under KRS 61.878(1)(c).

The Commonwealth of Kentucky shall have the right to use all system ideas, or adaptations of those ideas, contained in any proposal received in response to this RFP. Selection or rejections of the proposal will not affect this right.

9.70 Reciprocal Preference for Kentucky Resident Bidders and Preferences for a Qualified Bidder

The scoring of bids/proposals is subject to the reciprocal preference for Kentucky resident bidders and preferences for a Qualified Bidder or the Department of Corrections, Division of Prison Industries (See KRS 45A.490(1), (2), 45A.492, 45A.494 and 200 KAR 5:410).

Vendors not claiming resident bidder or qualified bidder status need not submit the corresponding affidavit.

Determining the residency of a bidder for purposes of applying a reciprocal preference

Any individual, partnership, association, corporation, or other business entity claiming resident bidder status shall submit the attached Required Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors Claiming Resident Bidder Status as part of its response. CHFS reserves the right to request documentation supporting a bidder’s claim of resident bidder status.

Failure to provide such documentation upon request shall result in disqualification of the bidder or contract termination.

As part of its response, a nonresident bidder shall submit its certificate of authority to transact business in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Secretary of State. The location of the principal office identified therein shall be deemed the state of residency for that bidder. If the bidder is not required by law to obtain said certificate, the state of residency for that bidder shall be deemed to be that which is identified in its mailing address as provided in its bid.

Preferences for Qualified Bidder or the Department of Corrections, Division of Prison Industries (200 KAR 5:410)

Pursuant to KRS 45A.470 and 200 KAR 5:410, Kentucky Correctional Industries will receive a preference equal to twenty (20) percent of the maximum points awarded to a bidder in a solicitation. In addition, the following “qualified bidders” will receive a preference equal to fifteen (15) percent of the maximum points awarded to a bidder in a solicitation. New Vision Industries, Inc., any nonprofit corporation that furthers the purposes of KRS Chapter 163 and any qualified nonprofit agencies for individuals with severe disabilities as defined in KRS 45A.465(3). Any bidder claiming “qualified bidder” status, other than New Vision Industries, Inc., shall submit a notarized affidavit affirming that it meets the requirements to be considered a qualified bidder as part of its response to the solicitation (affidavit form included as part of this RFP). If requested, failure to provide documentation proving qualified bidder status to a public agency, if requested, may result in disqualification of the bidder or contract termination.

9.80 Negotiation

After conducting the evaluation to determine the best proposal received, CHFS reserves the right to negotiate a fair and reasonable compensation based on the pricing submitted in the offeror’s proposal. If the negotiations fail to reach an agreement on a fair and reasonable compensation rate, CHFS reserves the right to proceed to the next highest ranked proposal. Other terms and conditions relating to the technical and/or cost proposals may be negotiated at the sole discretion of the Commonwealth.

9.90 Best Interests of the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth will rank all proposals in the manner set forth in the Evaluation Criteria. However, the Commonwealth reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part before, during, or after negotiation based on the best interests of the Commonwealth.

CONTRACT AWARD, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS

10.00 Notification of Award

To view the award of contract(s), including the contractor(s) receiving the award(s) for this solicitation, access the Kentucky Vendor Self Service Site at https://vss ky.gov.

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Offerors can search for the solicitation title or number in the keyword search field or filter their search for only awarded solicitations by clicking on “Advanced Search” and changing the status to “awarded.” The award(s) information can be accessed by clicking on the details button of the solicitation and clicking the “Notice of Award” tab. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to review this information in a timely fashion. No other notification of the results of an Award of Contract will be provided to unsuccessful Offerors.

10.10 Beginning of Work

This Contract is not effective and binding until approved by the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet and filed with the Legislative Research Commission’s Government Contract Review Committee. The Contractor shall not commence any billable work until a valid Contract has been fully executed. This Contract, including the components referenced in Section 10.20, shall represent the entire agreement between the parties. Prior negotiations, representations, or agreements, either written or oral, between the parties hereto relating to the subject matter hereof shall be of no effect upon this Contract.

10.20 Contract Components and Order of Precedence

The Commonwealth’s acceptance of the Contractor’s offer in response to the Solicitation, indicated by the issuance of a Contract Award, shall create a valid contract between the Parties consisting of the following:

1. Procurement Statutes, Regulations and Policies

2. The resulting written agreement awarded from this solicitation and any subsequent written amendments.

3. Any Addenda to the Solicitation.

4. The Solicitation and all attachments

5. Any Best and Final Offer.

6. Any clarifications concerning the Contractor’s proposal in response to the Solicitation.

7. The Contractor’s proposal in response to the Solicitation.

In the event of any conflict between or among the provisions contained in the Contract, the order of precedence shall be as enumerated above.

10.30 Contract Term and Renewal Option

The initial term of the Contract is anticipated to be from 07/01/26 through 06/30/28.

This agreement is not effective until the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet or authorized designee has approved the Contract and until the Contract has been filed with the Legislative Research Commission, Government Contract Review Committee.

The Commonwealth reserves the right to renew this contract for up to two (2) additional two (2) year periods.

Renewal shall be subject to prior approval from the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, or authorized designee, and the LRC Government Contract Review Committee in accordance with KRS 45A.695 and KRS 45A.705.

10.40 Changes and Modifications to the Contract

Pursuant to 200 KAR 5:311, no modification or change of any provision in the Contract shall be made, or construed to have been made, unless such modification is mutually agreed to in writing by the Contractor and the Commonwealth, and incorporated as a written amendment by CHFS prior to the effective date of such modification or change.

Modification shall be subject to prior approval from the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, or authorized designee, and the LRC Government Contract Review Committee. Memoranda of Understanding, written clarification, and/or other correspondence shall not be construed as amendments to the Contract.

10.50 Insurance Requirements

** Proof of all required insurances should be provided prior to award.**

A Certificate of Insurance (COI) on an ACORD form is required unless approved by the Commonwealth’s Office of the Controller.

A. Required Coverage

The awarded vendor(s) shall be responsible for maintaining, and not reducing, the following insurance coverages, types, and limits of liability. Further awarded vendor shall be able to produce evidence of insurance in compliance with part C of this section through the entire contract:

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Commercial General Liability Insurance in accordance with minimum limits of liability of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence, $2,000,000.00 aggregate. The Commonwealth, in the Request for Solicitation, may require higher limits depending on the type of solicitation.

B. Additional Types of Insurance

(*The Commonwealth reserves the right to require higher coverage amounts if needed based on the type of contract and associated risk)

1. Automobile Liability Insurance (If Applicable)

Automobile Liability Insurance is required for delivery, onsite training, services or events in all situations where the Contractor must drive to any property where Commonwealth operations occur. With regard to delivery, if the items requested in this solicitation will be delivered by the awarded Contractor or Subcontractor, proof of Automobile Liability Insurance must be provided prior to award. If items will be delivered by common courier (USPS, FedEx, UPS, Old Dominion Freight Line, etc.), this requirement does not apply.

The Contractor or Subcontractor must provide a certificate of insurance coverage for any vehicle used in performance of this contract, whether owned, non-owned, or hired, or other vehicles utilized by the Contractor or Subcontractor. Said policy of insurance to have a minimum coverage limit of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence combined single limit for bodily injury, including death, and property damage.

This requirement does not apply if the Contractor does not own, lease, or hire any automobiles to be used in connection with performance under any Contract resulting from this Solicitation.

2. Professional Liability Insurance (If Applicable)

Professional Liability (Error & Omissions) Insurance shall be required for all professional services performed by licensed or certificated individuals or individuals working on behalf of licensed or certificated individuals. The required Professional Liability Insurance shall have a minimum limit of liability of $1,000,000.00 per claim for damages arising out of negligent acts, errors, and/or omissions in the performance of services.

C. Evidence of Insurance Coverage

The successful bidder shall provide evidence of insurance coverage as required. Failure to do so shall constitute a material breach of this Contract and may result in immediate cancellation of the Contract.

For all required insurance coverages, during the course of the Contract, the awarded vendor shall not be self-insured or utilize a Captive Insurer or a fronting policy that shifts risk back to the awarded vendor without prior written approval by the Office of the Controller of the Commonwealth.

Further, the awarded vendor shall not utilize an insurer or similar entity not in good standing with the Insurance Commissioner to fulfill the insurance requirements of the contract without prior written approval by the Office of the Controller of the Commonwealth.

Such approvals may require additional financial review, proof of funds, or bonding requirements sufficient for the risk associated with the services covered by the Contract, and approval or rejection is within the sole discretion of the Commonwealth’s Office of the Controller.

Contractor shall furnish the Certificate of Insurance prior to award and shall, upon request of the Commonwealth at any time during the contract term, provide a current, valid Certificate of Insurance.

Contractor and/or its insurer shall provide immediate notice of nonrenewal or cancellation of coverage during the course of the Contract.

All Certificates of Insurance must be signed by an authorized representative of the insurance agency, shall be in compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and shall be placed with a licensed resident or non-resident agent who represents insurance companies authorized to do business in Kentucky.

The insurer shall have an AM Best rating of B+ or higher. Visit www.ambest.com for verification. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the bid being deemed non-responsive. A list of authorized companies can be found at https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/Company/Default.aspx.

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Total Pages: 35 http://www.ambest.com https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/Company/Default.aspx

The certificate holder shall be listed as:

Cabinet for Health and Family Services 275 E. Main Street 4E-C Frankfort, KY 40601 Attn: Joey Beatty

Endorsement of Additional Insured. Certificate of Insurance must contain the following language in the Description of Operations box:

“The Commonwealth and its agents are Additional Insureds for the contract resulting from the solicitation.

Additional insured protection afforded is on a primary and non-contributory basis.”

A copy of the Endorsement of Additional Insured must be submitted with the Certificate of Insurance.

D. Subcontractors

If the contract allows for Subcontractors and utilizes Subcontractors, prior to the commencement of any work by a Subcontractor.

1. The primary Contractor’s Certificate of Insurance must identify coverage that meets or exceeds the insurance requirements defined in this contract and that covers Subcontractor and its work in support of the Contract or the Subcontractor must submit and maintain a Certificate of Insurance that also meets or exceeds the insurance requirements of the Primary Contractor defined in this contract, with an Additional Insured Endorsement.

2. Procuring Agency reserves the right to request copies of all Subcontractor’s Certificate(s) of Insurance at any time.

E. Maintenance of Insurance

During this Contract, the Contractor shall maintain and shall require any Subcontractor to maintain their directors and officers liability insurance, Workers’ Compensation insurance, employer liability insurance, and such other liability insurance as reasonably necessary in the Contractor's business judgment to provide adequate coverage against losses and liabilities attributable to the acts or omissions of the Contractor and the Subcontractor(s) in the performance of this Contract. The Contractor shall provide and shall require any Subcontractor to provide evidence of such coverage upon request.

If the Contractor and any Subcontractor are not self-insured, each shall name CHFS as an additional insured on any policy of coverage, except the Workers’ Compensation and any reinsurance. The Contractor and any Subcontractor shall provide proof of coverage within five (5) business days of coverage upon request.

CHFS shall not be responsible for any premiums or assessments on policy(ies) held by the Contractor or any subcontractor under this Contract. CHFS may, at its sole discretion, pay one or more premiums, if doing so would be in the Cabinet’s best interest. Should CHFS exercise this option, the Contractor shall fully reimburse CHFS, either directly or by an offset against future payments.

The Certificate of Insurance for any policy other than self-insurance or any reinsurance must require that the insurer cannot cancel the coverage without thirty (30) days prior written notice to CHFS. The Contractor shall notify CHFS within five (5) business days of any cancellation or interruption of the Contractor’s or Subcontractor’s insurance coverage. In any subcontract, the Contractor shall require that any Subcontractor also provide such notice to the Contractor and CHFS. Any insurance must remain in effect at all times during this Contract. If any insurance coverage expires during this Contract, the Contractor and any Subcontractor shall provide a new Certificate of Insurance evidencing coverage for not less than the remainder of the Contract at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to the expiration date.

10.60 Notices

Unless otherwise instructed, all notices, consents, and other communications required and/or permitted by the Contract shall be in writing. After the award of the Contract, all communications of a contractual or legal nature are to be made to the Agency Contact.

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CHFS STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS

11.00 General Provisions

11.00.01 Headings

The section headings in this Contract are for reference and convenience only and shall not have any effect on the construction or legal effect of this Contract.

11.00.02 Assignment

This Contract shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective legal successors of the Parties. Neither this Contract nor any rights or obligations may be assigned, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of CHFS, Division of Procurement and Grant Oversight, and the Finance and Administration Cabinet.

11.00.03 No Required Use of Contract

This Contract does not guarantee any minimum use of services. The Cabinet reserves the right to leave all, or any portion, of the contract unused. The Cabinet may establish or award other contracts for additional or related work, services, supplies, or commodities, and the Contractor shall fully cooperate with any such other contractors and Commonwealth employees. The Contractor shall not commit or permit any act that will interfere with the performance of work by any other contractor or by Commonwealth employees.

11.00.04 Severability

If any part of this Contract is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal or in conflict with any law of the Commonwealth or the United States of America, the validity of the remaining parts shall not be affected, and the rights and obligations of the Parties shall be construed and enforced as if the Contract did not contain the particular part held to be invalid, if the remainder of the Contract is capable of performance.

11.00.05 Indemnification

The Contractor shall indemnify and hold harmless CHFS and its agents, representatives, officers, directors, employees, insurers, successors, and assigns from and against any and all expenses, costs (including attorneys’ fees), causes of action, liability, loss and/or damages suffered or incurred by it or any of them, that results from or arises out of (a) this Contract; (b) any and all acts of the Contractor and or its Subcontractor(s); (c) the policies and procedures of the Contractor, specifically including all Contractor employment practices employed by Contractor during the term of this or any prior Contract with CHFS; (d) any dishonest, fraudulent, criminal, or negligent or unauthorized acts or errors or omissions which are committed by Contractor or any of Contractor's employees or agents or Subcontractors; (e) the publication translation, reproduction, delivery, performance, use or disposition of any data produced by CHFS in an unauthorized manner, provided that such action was not taken by Contractor or as a result of the express written request of CHFS; or (f) Contractor's failure to comply with any applicable state or federal laws or regulations.

Provided, however, in the event the Contractor is an agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the state agency’s liability shall be governed instead by KRS 49.010 through KRS 49.180 and limited to any award from the Board of Claims up to the jurisdictional amount.

11.00.06 Sovereign Immunity

No provision of this Contract constitutes a waiver by CHFS or the Commonwealth of Kentucky of any immunities from suit or liability that CHFS or the Commonwealth of Kentucky may have by operation of law.

11.00.07 Force Majeure

Events or conditions beyond the reasonable control of the Parties shall not be construed as non-performance, nor shall reductions be applied as a result of such events.