MRC-MCB PRE-ETS WIOA 11-2016 RFR ~1.doc

RFR: MRC/MCB PRE-ETS 11-16: Pre-Employment Transition Services for Students – Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Executive Office of Health and Human Services

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

600 washington Street, boston, Massachusetts

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: Pre-Employment Transition Services for Students – Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) ASK "RFR Number/Document Number" \* MERGEFORMAT COMMBUYS Bid#: BD-17-1071-AO-CON01-10623 Agency Document Number: MRC PRE-ETS 11-16

Identify on RFR Response Cover Sheet the Agency Responding to (MRC, MCB, or Both)

Boston, MA 02111-1704

Program Directors:

William Noone, Director of Research, Development, and Performance Management (MRC) John Oliveira, Deputy Commissioner (MCB)

Responses to questions will be posted on COMMBUYS by: Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at 5 PM

Vendor must register on and submit proposals to COMMBUYS https://www.commbuys.com/bso/ COMMBUYS Helpdesk #: 1-888-627-8283 (8am - 5pm ET Monday - Friday)

RFR File Name/Title:

Pre-Employment Transition Services for Students – Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA)

MRC: Up to $2,600,000 annually

MCB: Up to $500,000 annually (Federal Funds – based on the availability of funding)

1. ACQUISITION METHOD

This will be a cost reimbursement maximum obligation contract based on the delivery of services specified in the RFR. This is a rolling enrollment contract. Additional providers can be added periodically.

2. SINGLE OR MULTIPLE CONTRACTS

Multiple Contracts will be awarded.

3. SINGLE OR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATION

Only Procuring Department May Contract Under RFR

4. ANTICIPATED DURATION OF CONTRACT AND ANY RENEWAL OPTIONS

Anticipated Initial Contract Duration:

1/19/2017 through 6/30/2021

Anticipated Options to Renew:

Annually (*) Anticipated Total Duration:

1/19/2017 through 6/30/2026

(*) Individual contracts will be renewable annually based on contractor performance, service need, and/or availability of funds.

5. ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES, FUNDING OR COMPENSATION FOR EXPECTED DURATION

Estimated Total Annual Funds up to: $3,100,000

Up to $2,600,000 (MRC)

Up to $500,000 (MCB)

Individual contract amounts during any contract period are subject to a selected Bidder’s response, and may increase or decrease based upon contract negotiation, performance, service needs, appropriation, and/or the availability of funds. Federal funds will be used to fund this contract.

6. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE OF PROCUREMENT

A. Introduction The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) promotes the equality, empowerment, and independence of individuals with disabilities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These goals are achieved through enhancing and encouraging personal choice and the right to succeed or fail in the pursuit of independence and employment in the community. The mission of the MRC is to provide comprehensive services to individuals with disabilities that maximize quality of life, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency through integrated competitive employment in the community.

The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) is the designated agency and point of entry for rehabilitation and social services for legally blind individuals in the Commonwealth leading to productive independence and full community participation.

B. Purpose of the Procurement The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) and the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) are jointly seeking bids from qualified contractors to provide individualized Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with disabilities enrolled in high school and/or post-secondary educational programs, aged 16 through 22 served by the Commissions across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This procurement is designed to meet the demands of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA), which requires that each state’s public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) system play a much larger role in addressing the transition from school to adult life. Under WIOA, MRC and MCB are required to provide extensive Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with disabilities. In order to meet these requirements, MRC and MCB will be committing additional resources towards serving high school and/or post-secondary education students aged 16 through 22 with disabilities in school year-based programming. The MRC and MCB are also seeking to serve students ages 18 through 22 who have completed their academic program but still are attending school (programming for students with IEPs who are aged 18 through 22) under this procurement. MRC and MCB encourage new and innovative program models, including models designed as a continuum to provide services to student’s ages 16 through 22 in high school or postsecondary education.

The purpose of this procurement is to provide MRC and MCB with additional mechanisms to provide comprehensive and coordinated pre-employment transition services to assist students with disabilities with successful transitions from high school to post-secondary education and competitive integrated employment. MRC and MCB are seeking contractors with experience providing transition services to high school and post-secondary education students with disabilities to provide pre-employment transition services to student consumers within the guidelines of this procurement.

The proposed services must be conducted during school or after school hours, during vacations (including summer vacation), school breaks, and on weekends. The services must consist of a Work Based Learning Experience/Internship, Job Exploration Counseling, and Workplace Readiness Training. Optional services can also include Self-Advocacy/Mentoring Instruction, and Counseling on Enrollment in Post-Secondary Education or Other Comprehensive Transition Training Programs. Descriptions of these services are listed below. All services under this procurement must be provided in an integrated setting.

MRC and MCB anticipate making multiple awards under this procurement, each estimated to be between $100,000 and $200,000 per vendor, based on contractor capacity. The initial contract will be renewable annually through June 30, 2021. The contract could be renewed for an additional 5 years to June 30, 2026 pending need and the availability of funds. This procurement will be a rolling enrollment procurement that will allow vendors to apply throughout the contract period to facilitate on-boarding of new providers. All awards are subject to the availability of federal funding. Applicants will be qualified based on the scoring process and criteria described in this RFR. Awards will be made on the basis of proposal scores, priorities identified in submitted proposals relating to the RFR priorities and requirements, and consumer needs and availability of funds as determined by the MRC and MCB.

The contractor must identify and demonstrate the ability to provide these services in a specified geographical area in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to closely coordinate with MRC and MCB staff throughout all phases of program administration and evaluation. The contractor must be able to provide a monthly statistical and narrative progress report and participate in quarterly site visit meetings with MRC and MCB staff.

MRC and MCB encourage proposals from contractors who can provide services and meet the needs of individuals who speak: American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Additional points will be awarded to contractors proposing to serve these underserved priorities. Contractor must be able to clearly describe their ability to deliver these services as well as any experience they have working with these individuals.

C. Description of Services (Pre-Employment Transition Services/Components) Three pre-employment transition services are required to be provided under this procurement: Work-based learning experience, job exploration counseling, and workplace readiness training. Two additional services may be offered in addition to the required services. The proposed services must be conducted during school or after school hours, during vacations (including summer vacation), school breaks, and on weekends.

The following three pre-employment transition services are required as part of this proposal:

Work-Based Learning Experience/Internships (required):

Contractors must provide a work-based experience, such as an internship or an on-the-job training, in cooperation with employers, to a high school student. This work-based experience will be intended to assist them in developing necessary skills and abilities to effectively place them into competitive integrated employment. MRC and MCB will require that all work-based learning experience/internships be paid work experiences $10 an hour or more for students. An example of this service would be a paid internship for a student as an administrative assistant at a financial services company.

The Work Based Learning Experience/Internship must involve competitive, integrated employment. An integrated setting is one found in the community, in which an individual with a disability interacts with employees and other persons, as appropriate to the position, who do not have disabilities to the same extent that employees without disabilities interact with these persons. Employment enclaves, work crews, and segregated employment sites are not considered appropriate integrated employment or internship sites and are not acceptable under the terms of this contract.

The contractor will: identify and describe how many high school students will be served annually by the program; indicate how many sessions/classes will be offered annually; identify how many students per session/class; provide a criteria for the successful completion of the classes and internships; describe how the work based learning experience or internships will work in practice (for example, the contractor will serve at total of 40 consumers annually, with 20 consumers per session/class, with a paid work experience or paid internship for 8-10 weeks after school, at 20 hours per week and 10 dollars per hour). In addition, the contractor should identify and describe if employers will pay the students directly or if the program will provide a payroll mechanism to pay wages or stipends to program participants.

Job Exploration Counseling (required): Counseling, guidance, and training provided to high school students with disabilities designed to assist them in identifying and learning about job opportunities in particular occupations and industry sectors, including career assessment and planning. An example of this service would be a resume preparation workshop.

Workplace Readiness Training (required): Workplace readiness services provided to high school students with disabilities designed to assist them in preparing for employment through soft-skills training, job search training, and other related training. For example, these services could be comprised of a classroom-based soft skills training program, web based work readiness training modules, or a combination of classroom and web based training services.

The following two pre-employment transition services are optional as part of this proposal:

Self-Advocacy/Mentoring Instruction (optional): Services provided to high school students with disabilities to promote self-advocacy and leadership skills, including peer-mentoring, to assist them in successful transition from school to post-secondary education, employment, and independent living. An example of this service would include an after-school program where students would meet with peer mentors for guidance and support.

Counseling on Enrollment in Post-Secondary Education or other Comprehensive Transition Training Programs (optional): Assistance and support provided to students with disabilities regarding various opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs at institutions of higher education based on their goals, needs, and preferences. This also includes assistance with identifying educational opportunities and applying for programs and services. An example of this service could be a workshop to assist students with the process of preparing applications for enrollment in post-secondary education.

D. Participant Requirements

Consumers served through this procurement must be:

· A current consumer of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services referred from a MRC VR Area Office; or

· A current consumer of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services referred from an MCB VR Counselor

AND

· An enrolled high school student or post-secondary education student with a disability; and

· Within the Ages of 16 through 22 The MRC and MCB are also seeking to serve students with IEPs in 18 through 22 programs / programming for students with IEPs who are aged 18 through 22 under this procurement.

7. PROPOSAL SPECIFICATIONS

The proposal must not exceed 20 pages double-spaced, with 1 inch margins and a 12 pt. font. Additional materials such as: staff resumes, budget form and budget justification narratives, organizational charts, and Supplier Diversity Office certifications are excluded from the page limit.

Responses must be submitted to COMMBUYS (https://www.commbuys.com/bso/) by December 19th, 2016 at 4:00 PM for contracts starting 1/19/2017. All responses must include the cover page outlined in Attachment 1, as well as the budget summary as outlined in Attachment 2, and the monthly statistical narrative report outlined in Attachment 3.

The RFR proposal should follow the template order and headings provided below. This template references the order and content of the proposal specifications (described later in this section), which in turn correspond to the evaluation criteria described in the Proposal Evaluation (section 8).

RFR Outline Template

1: Experience

2: Service Model

3: Curriculum

4: Staffing

5: Implementation Plan

6: Budget

7: Reporting

8: Program Start-up

9: Underserved Languages

10: Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certification

Contractors should write their proposal with the following headings, in the following order, and addressing the following areas of consideration.

1. Experience: Describe experience and capabilities in providing services and programs to high school and post-secondary education students with disabilities (Aged 16 to 22) to assist in their successful transition from school to post-secondary education or employment, and for improving long term competitive employment outcomes and self-sufficiency. Providers should demonstrate their experience in placing consumers into competitive employment internships and provide supporting data and/or reports.

2. Service Model: Describe the proposed innovative continuing service model to be provided, which must include the provision of a competitive integrated work-based experience, job exploration counseling, and workplace readiness training along with any other optional services to be provided. Providers should describe their current services and models in the community that support students in their efforts to transition and work competitively in the community. The contractor should: identify and describe how many high school and post-secondary education students (aged 16 to 22) will be served annually by the program; indicate how many sessions/classes will be offered annually; identify how many students per session/class; provide a criteria for the successful completion of any classes and/or internships; describe how any work based learning experience or internships will work in practice (for example, the contractor will serve at total of 40 consumers annually, with 20 consumers per session/class, with a paid work experience or paid internship for 8-10 weeks after school at 20 hours per week and 10 dollars per hour). In addition, the contractor should identify and describe if employers will pay the students directly or how the program will provide a payroll mechanism to pay wages or stipends to program participants. All services under this procurement must be provided in an integrated setting. All internships should be paid.

3. Curriculum: Provide a curriculum for the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services to high school and post-secondary educational students with disabilities. The curriculum should reflect adequate knowledge and use of best practices with regard to delivering the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services to students with disabilities. The curriculum should also include sample schedules and timelines, and describe all requirements for the successful completion of the proposed curriculum and services. Providers should describe the services they are proposing and how these complement the existing array of services currently available in high schools. All responses should reflect consideration of the fact that these are services to students who are in school, take into consideration the school schedule and student’s availability or lack thereof, to participate in activities during school hours. Services should be provided during school or after school hours, during vacations (including summer vacation), school breaks, and on weekends. Organizations that can obtain agreements with schools or school district to operate programming on site during the school day or in collaboration with school districts are strongly encouraged to apply.

4. Staffing: Provide a staffing proposal for the project, demonstrating that staff has the experience, knowledge, and abilities to successfully implement and operate the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services delivery model. Attach resumes of key staff, sample job descriptions for staff roles to be filled, and an organizational chart for the proposed model.

5. Implementation Plan: Provide an implementation plan for the proposed service model, to include:

a. A description of the geographic area to be served under this procurement, including discussion of contractor’s experience providing similar services in the proposed service area.

b. Identify the capacity to provide the proposed services in each proposed service area, including the number of students to be served.

c. Describe recruitment and outreach strategies for obtaining an adequate number of high school and post-secondary student referrals from MRC/MCB Area Offices serving the proposed service area.

d. Describe the start-up process, including timeframes required to implement the delivery of the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services, and any factors affecting program start-up time (such as hiring of new staff).

6. Budget: Submit a detailed annual budget based on the proposed number of students to be served using the provided template and include a 1 to 2 page budget justification for all proposed costs in the budget categories. Organizations submitting a proposal to provide services to both MRC and MCB must submit two separate budgets and budget narratives.

7. Reporting: Demonstrate the ability to track fiscal, program, and statistical data for services provided under this procurement, including the ability to submit adequate and timely monthly program status and outcomes reports using key program data. Include a sample monthly status report using the provided template to demonstrate how program data will be tracked and reported.

8. Program Start Up: Contractors should describe the start-up process for their proposed service model, including specific timeframes required to implement the delivery of the proposed services and deliverables, and any factors affecting program start-up time (such as hiring of new staff).

9. Underserved Languages: Contractors should identify if they will provide language services to meet the needs of consumers who speak one or more of the following underserved languages: American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Mandarin Chinese. Contractors who can provide services to the listed languages above will have 3 additional points added to their score.

10. Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) Certificate: The contractor will submit proof of a SDO (Supplier Diversity Office) certificate, if applicable. Contractors who can provide proof of a SDO certificate will have 3 additional points added to their score.

8. PROPOSAL EVALUATION

The RFR responses that are received will be evaluated by MRC and MCB RFR evaluation teams, comprised of 3 to 5 MRC and MCB staff with subject matter experience and expertise. The RFR evaluation team will utilize the evaluation criteria and scoring process described below.

Applicants will be qualified based on the scoring process and criteria described in this RFR. Awards will be made on the basis of proposal scores, priorities identified in submitted proposals relating to the RFR priorities and requirements, and consumer needs and availability of funds as determined by the MRC and/or MCB.

The RFR proposal should detail the contractor’s ability to address the 10 evaluation criteria below, which are based on the provided proposal specifications (page 5). The RFR evaluation team will evaluate each submission by applying the provided scoring scale to each evaluation criteria. For criteria 1-8, a rating scale of 1 to 5 points (see below) will be utilized. For criteria item #9 (Underserved Languages), an additional 3 points will be awarded to contractors who submit proposals addressing any of the stated underserved languages. For criteria item #10, The Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certification, 3 points will be awarded for contractors who provide proof of SDO certification.

Using the provided rating scale, the maximum possible evaluation score is 46, with proof of SDO certification and Underserved Languages. The maximum score is 40 without any of the additional awarded points for SDO certification and Underserved Language needs. The minimum score for consideration of funding a proposal is 24.

Evaluation Rating Scale: (does not apply to items 9 and 10) 1 = Does not meet any portion of the item criteria

2 = Does not meet a substantial portion of the item criteria

3 = Meets some of the item criteria

4 = Meets item criteria

5 = Exceeds item criteria

1:

Experience Contractor adequately describes their experience and capabilities in providing effective services and programs to high school and post-secondary students with disabilities aged 16 to 22 to assist in their successful transition from school to post-secondary education and/or integrated employment and for improving long term competitive employment outcomes and self-sufficiency. Contractor demonstrated their experience in placing consumers into competitive employment internships and provides data and/or information that supports their stated experience.

2.

Service Model Describe the proposed innovative continuing service model as specified in the Service Model portion of the Proposal Specifications section of this RFR (such as annual numbers to be served, class duration, and completion requirements). The service model includes the provision of a competitive integrated work-based experience, job exploration counseling, and workplace readiness training, plus any other optional services that will be provided under this procurement. The contractor describes any existing service models supporting high school students in their transition to adulthood and describes how all services will be provided an integrated settings.

3:

Curriculum The contractor provides a curriculum for the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services reflecting adequate knowledge and use of best practices with regard to vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, and youth counseling. The curriculum includes schedules and timelines for the delivery of proposed services and programming. The curriculum also describes requirements for the successful completion of the proposed curriculum and services. Providers adequately describe the services that they are proposing and how these complement the existing array of services available in high schools.

4:

Staffing The contractor provides a comprehensive staffing proposal demonstrating that staff have the experience, knowledge, and abilities to successfully implement and operate the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services. The contractor provides resume attachments for key staff, sample job descriptions for staff roles to be filled, and an organizational chart for the proposed staffing model.

5:

Implementation Plan (service area, capacity, outreach, and start-up time) The contractor provides a comprehensive implementation plan for the proposed service model, including: (a) a description of the geographic area to be served and a discussion of the contractor’s experience providing similar services in the proposed service area; (b) an estimate of the numbers to be served under the proposed service model and a discussion of the contractor’s ability to meet the estimated capacity; (c) a description of recruitment and outreach strategies for obtaining an adequate number of high school and post-secondary student referrals from the MRC/MCB Area Offices serving the proposed service area; and (d) a description of the start-up process, including timeframes for delivery of the proposed services and any factors affecting program start-up time (such as the hiring and/or training of new staff).

6:

Budget The contractor submits a detailed annual budget based on the proposed number of students to be served using the provided template and includes a 1 to 2 page budget justification for all proposed costs in the budget categories.

7:

Reporting The contractor demonstrates the ability to track fiscal, program, and statistical data for services provided under this procurement, including the ability to submit timely monthly program status and outcomes reports for each proposed Pre-Employment Transition Service. The contractor provides a sample monthly program status report using the provided reporting template to demonstrate how program data will be tracked and reported.

8.

Program Start Up Contractor should describe the start-up process for their proposed service model, including specific timeframes required to implement the delivery of the proposed services and deliverables, and any factors affecting program start-up time (such as hiring of new staff).

9.

Underserved Languages Contractor identifying if they will provide language services to meet the needs of consumers who speak one or more of the following underserved languages: American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Mandarin Chinese. An additional 3 points will be awarded to contractors addressing any of these underserved languages.

10.

SDO

The contractor has received certification as a minority or female business enterprise from the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). There will be 3 additional points awarded with valid SDO certification.

9. RATINGS SCORE SHEET

RFR File Name/Title: MRC/MCB Pre-Employment Transition Services Program (Pre-ETS) for High School Students – Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA)

RFR: MRC/MCB PRE-ETS 11-16

Evaluation of Responses:

Submitted RFR proposals will be evaluated by MRC/MCB RFR evaluation teams, comprised of 3-5 MRC/MCB staff with subject matter experience and expertise. The RFR evaluation team will utilize the evaluation criteria and scoring process described below.

The RFR proposal should detail the contractor’s ability to address the 10 evaluation criteria below, which are based on the provided proposal specifications. The RFR evaluation team will evaluate each submission by applying the provided scoring scale to each evaluation criteria. For criteria 1-8, a rating scale of 1 to 5 points (see below) will be utilized. For criteria item #9 (Underserved Languages), an additional 3 points will be awarded to contracts who submit proposals addressing any of the stated underserved languages. For criteria item #10, The Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certification, 3 points will be awarded for contractors who provide proof of SDO certification.

Using the provided rating scale, the maximum possible evaluation score is 46, with proof of SDO certification and Underserved Languages. The maximum score is 40 without any of the additional awarded points for SDO certification or Underserved Language needs. The minimum score for consideration of funding a proposal is 24.

Evaluation Rating Scale: (does not apply to items 9 and 10) 1 = Does not meet any portion of the criteria item

2 = Does not meet a substantial portion of the criteria item

3 = Meets some of the item criteria

4 = Meets item criteria

5 = Exceeds item criteria

1:

Experience Contractor adequately describes their experience and capabilities in providing effective services and programs to high school and post-secondary students with disabilities aged 16 to 22 to assist in their successful transition from school to post-secondary education and/or integrated employment and for improving long term competitive employment outcomes and self-sufficiency. Contractor demonstrated their experience in placing consumers into competitive employment internships and provides data and/or information that supports their stated experience.

2.

Service Model The contractor adequately describe the proposed innovative continuing service model, as specified in the Service Model portion of the Proposal Specifications section of this RFR (such as annual numbers to be served, class duration, and completion requirements). The service model includes the provision of a competitive integrated work-based experience, job exploration counseling, and workplace readiness training, plus any other optional services that will be provided under this procurement. The contractor describes any existing service models supporting high school students in their transition to adulthood and describes how all services will be provided an integrated settings.

3:

Curriculum The contractor provides a curriculum for the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services reflecting adequate knowledge and use of best practices with regard to vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, and youth counseling. The curriculum includes schedules and timelines for the delivery of proposed services and programming. The curriculum also describes requirements for the successful completion of the proposed curriculum and services. Providers adequately describe the services that they are proposing and how these complement the existing array of services available in high schools.

4:

Staffing The contractor provides a comprehensive staffing proposal demonstrating that staff have the experience, knowledge, and abilities to successfully implement and operate the proposed Pre-Employment Transition Services. The contractor provides resume attachments for key staff, sample job descriptions for staff roles to be filled, and an organizational chart for the proposed staffing model.

5:

Implementation Plan (service area, capacity, outreach, and start-up time) The contractor provides a comprehensive implementation plan for the proposed service model, including: (a) a description of the geographic area to be served and a discussion of the contractor’s experience providing similar services in the proposed service area; (b) an estimate of the numbers to be served under the proposed service model and a discussion of the contractor’s ability to meet the estimated capacity; (c) a description of recruitment and outreach strategies for obtaining an adequate number of high school and post-secondary student referrals from the MRC/MCB Area Offices serving the proposed service area; and (d) a description of the start-up process, including timeframes for delivery of the proposed services and any factors affecting program start-up time (such as the hiring and/or training of new staff).

6:

Budget The contractor submits a detailed annual budget based on the proposed number of students to be served using the provided template and includes a 1 to 2 page budget justification for all proposed costs in the budget categories.

7:

Reporting The contractor demonstrates the ability to track fiscal, program, and statistical data for services provided under this procurement, including the ability to submit timely monthly program status and outcomes reports for each proposed Pre-Employment Transition Service. The contractor provides a sample monthly program status report using the provided reporting template to demonstrate how program data will be tracked and reported.

8.

Program Start up Contractor should describe the start-up process for their proposed service model, including specific timeframes required to implement the delivery of the proposed services and deliverables, and any factors affecting program start-up time (such as hiring of new staff).

9.

Underserved Languages Contractor identifying if they will provide language services to meet the needs of consumers who speak one or more of the following underserved languages: American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Mandarin Chinese. An additional 3 points will be awarded to contractors addressing any of these underserved languages.

10.

SDO

The contractor has received certification as a minority or female business enterprise from the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). There will be 3 additional points awarded with valid SDO certification.

Reviewer’s Comments and Recommendation to Fund:

10. CONTRACT PERFORMANCE

Upon award of the contract, vendors will be evaluated on the basis of the following performance criteria. Services provided must consist of a Work-Based Learning Experience/Internship, Job Exploration Counseling, and Workplace Readiness Training. All services must be provided in integrated settings.

Contractors may also provide one or more of the following optional Pre-Employment Transition Services components (described in section 1C): Self-Advocacy/Mentoring Instruction and/or Counseling on Enrollment in Post-Secondary Education or Other Comprehensive Transition Training Programs.

Contractors will be measured on the following performance standards:

· 90% of all participating high school and post-secondary students (aged 16 to 22) must successfully complete each provided Pre-Employment Transition Service component based on the approved curriculum (see Section 1C for descriptions of service components)

· Timely and accurate submission of monthly statistical and narrative reports (See templates, section 10). Reports must be submitted to MRC/MCB Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and to MRC/MCB District Contract Supervisors.

· Quarterly site visits will be conducted by MRC/MCB staff to review programmatic and fiscal performance.

Contract Performance Measures for Pre-Employment Transitional Services:

Contractors should define the terms for what constitutes successful program completion according to the nature and goals of their proposed service model. In general, successful program completion should be defined as completion of all discrete units or length of curriculum or proposed services (such as completing all 8 weeks of an 8 week paid internship program). Contractors should report on successful (and unsuccessful) completion in their monthly statistical narrative status reports (see Attachment 3) and final program reports, described in Section 7/item #7/reporting.

11. CULTURAL COMPETENCE

MRC is committed to awarding contracts to providers that demonstrate cultural competency. Programs shall ensure equal access to services. The following strategies are recommended:

Agency Commitment: Agency Board of Directors and administrators make a commitment to creating an environment that clearly supports services for cultural and linguistic minority populations through the mission and goals of the agency.

Consumer Services: Program policies include language that contributes to enhancing equal access to services for all individuals residing in the Commonwealth. Program design, content, and materials are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Planning, implementation, and evaluation efforts include members of the target population. Where possible, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies are participatory in nature in order to provide opportunities for skill building and to facilitate self-empowerment. All consumers receive information on accessing health and human services including education on potential barriers and assistance in overcoming them. The program location and outreach activities are in settings that are most effective in reaching the target population.

Staff: All staff and volunteers, especially those who have direct contact with consumers, reflect the diversity of the culture and language of the community/target population. Services to non-English speaking clients are provided by bilingual/bicultural staff. Policies on recruitment, screening, and interviewing encourage hiring of individuals whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds are appropriate. If the program does not have bilingual/bicultural staff, there is extensive training to ensure sensitive and appropriate prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.

12. AUDIT

During the term of this Agreement and for a period of six years thereafter, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, its auditors, the Operational Services Division, the Office of the Inspector General or other authorized representatives shall be afforded access at reasonable times to Contractor's accounting records, including sales information on any system, reports or files, in order to audit all records relating to goods sold or services performed pursuant to this Agreement. If such an audit indicates that Contractor has materially overcharged the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, then the Contractor shall remit the overcharged amount and be responsible for payment of any costs associated with the audit.

13. SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM (SDP)

The Supplier Diversity Program (formerly known as Affirmative Market Program) was established in September, 2010 via Executive Order 524 to promote equality in the state contracting market by ensuring full participation of minority and women owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) in all areas of state contracting including construction, design, goods and services. The Executive Order consolidates the State Office of Minority and Women Assistance (SOMWBA) and Affirmative Market Program (AMP) into a new Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) that is part of the Operational Services Division. Similarly, Executive Order 546 established the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOBE) Program to encourage the participation of businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans in all areas of state procurement and contracting, thereby including them in the SDP.

The essence of both Executive Orders is to provide policies to promote the award of state contracts in a manner that develops and strengthens certified M/WBEs and SDVOBEs, because a diverse business community strengthens the economy and is beneficial to all of the citizens of the state.

In support of both Executive Orders, the state tracks SDP spending through POS contracts. As a result, providers that are issued a contract from this procurement will be required to submit a “Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Form for Purchase of Service (POS)” on a yearly basis with their Uniform Financial Report (UFR) through the Operational Services Division (OSD) eFiling site. Providers that file a UFR exemption request are required to submit the SDP Plan Form for POS with their exemption request. The plan will be evaluated yearly by the Commonwealth Department with the most Purchase of Service funding to a provider during the previous fiscal year. This Department is commonly referred to as the Principal Purchasing Agency (PPA).

Bidders are to submit a copy of their most recently submitted “SDP Plan Form for POS” with their proposal to signify to the Procurement Management Team that a form has been submitted. Bidders that do not currently hold POS contracts with Commonwealth Departments are required to complete the Form and include it with their proposal. The “SDP Plan for POS” can be found in the File Attachments Section of the respective Bid Solicitation on www.COMMBUYS.com The evaluation criteria for this POS solicitation do not dedicate a specific percentage of the total evaluation points to the SDP Plan. However the Strategic Sourcing/Procurement Management Team (SST/PMT) has developed strong evaluation benchmarks in order to identify robust plans. While the Plan is not assigned any points in the evaluation process, the Department is unable to issue a contract to an organization that has not submitted a Plan that demonstrates a strong commitment to working with M/WBEs and SDVOBEs.

Resources available to assist providers in identifying SDP Certified Partners include:

Potential Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Women Business Enterprises (WBE) partners can be found on the Supplier Diversity Program webpage (www.mass.gov/sdp ). For a complete list of certified vendors, refer to: https://www.sdo.osd.state.ma.us/BusinessDirectory/BusinessDirectory.aspx Resources available to assist providers in finding potential Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOBE) partners can be found on the Supplier Diversity Office Webpage (www.mass.gov/sdo ).

The Operational Services Division offers SDP trainings for providers. The dates of upcoming SDP trainings can be found on the OSD Training & Outreach Webpage. In addition, the SDP Webinar can be located on the Supplier Diversity Program webpage (www.mass.gov/sdp)

14. DEBRIEFINGS AND APPEALS

Debriefing

Any Bidder that has filed an Eligible Response, but that is not selected may request a debriefing to understand the basis for the decision, and review all materials relevant to the review and the qualification and selection process. The request must be in writing and received within 14 calendar days of notification of such being sent to the Bidder. A Bidder aggrieved by the decision must participate in a debriefing as a prerequisite to filing a request for an administrative appeal. All requests for a debriefing must be sent by certified mail and addressed to:

Attn: Director of Contracts

Contracts Department

600 Washington St., 1st Floor

Boston, MA 02111

If a debriefing is properly requested, one will be scheduled within 14 calendar days of the date the request was received. If necessary, a brief extension shall be allowed by mutual agreement of the Bidder and MRC. At the debriefing, a Bidder shall be allowed to review public records directly related to the selection decision.

Administrative Appeals

A Bidder that is not selected and who attends a debriefing may appeal the decision to the Commissioner of MRC. Requests for appeal must be sent by certified mail and addressed to:

Commissioner

600 Washington St., 2nd Floor

Boston, MA 02111

The appeal must be filed within 14 calendar days of the debriefing meeting. The appeal must be in writing specifying the basis for the appeal and it must be based on one or more of the following grounds:

a. The procurement failed to comply with applicable regulations and guidelines. These are limited to the requirements of 801 CMR 21.00 or any successor regulations, the policies in the Operational Services Division (OSD) Procurement Information Center, subsequent policies and procedures issued by OSD and the specifications of the RFR; or

b. There was a fundamental unfairness in the procurement process.

The burden of proof rests with the Bidder to provide sufficient and specific evidence in support of its claim.

Requests for an appeal must specify in sufficient detail the basis for the appeal. Sufficient detail requires the identification of an applicable regulation or guideline that was not complied with or the specific facts that demonstrate that the procurement was unfair. MRC reserves the right to reject appeal requests based on grounds other than those stated above, or those submitted without sufficient detail on the basis for the appeal.

Administrative appeals are not subject to the formal procedures specified in M.G.L. c. 30A, §§ 10 & 11.

A pending appeal will not prohibit MRC from proceeding with the selected Bidder, awarding a contract or making referrals to the selected Bidder.

Acceptance/Denial of the Appeal

Within 21 calendar days of the receipt of request for an appeal, MRC will schedule a hearing date or notify the Bidder that the appeal has been deemed without merit and that it will not be heard. The Bidder and the MRC may mutually agree to extend the date for the hearing. The Commissioner’s decision on the appeal will be put in writing and sent to the Bidder within 60 calendar days of the date of the hearing on the Bidder’s appeal.

Appeals to the Operational Services Division

Non-successful Bidders who participate in the appeal process described in this Section and remain aggrieved by the decision of the Agency may appeal the decision to the Operational Services Division (OSD). The basis for an appeal to OSD is limited to the following grounds:

a.

The competitive procurement conducted by MRC failed to comply with applicable regulations and guidelines. These would be limited to the requirements of 801 CMR 21.00 or any successor regulations, the policies in the OSD Procurement Information Center, subsequent policies and procedures issued by OSD and the specifications of the RFR; or b.

There was a fundamental unfairness in the procurement process. The allegation of unfairness or bias is one that is easier to allege than prove; consequently, the burden of proof rests with the Bidder to provide sufficient and specific evidence in support of its claim. OSD will presume that MRC conducted a fair procurement absent documentation to the contrary.

Requests for an appeal must be sent to OSD to the attention of the State Purchasing Agent at Room 1017, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108 and be received within 14 calendar days of the postmark of the notice of the Agency’s decision on the appeal. Appeal requests must specify in sufficient detail the basis for the appeal. Sufficient detail requires a description of the published policy or procedure which was applied and forms the basis for the appeal and presentation of all information that supports the claim under paragraphs a or b above. OSD reserves the right to reject appeal requests based on grounds other than those stated above or those submitted without sufficient detail on the basis for the appeal.

The decision of the State Purchasing Agent shall be rendered, in writing, setting forth the grounds for the decision within 60 calendar days of receipt of the appeal request. Pending appeals to the State Purchasing Agent shall not prohibit MRC from proceeding with executing contracts.

15. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

a) The Bidder(s) is responsible for any and all costs associated with the preparation of the RFR response.

b) All response submissions, regardless of whether a contract is ultimately awarded to a particular Bidder, become the property of MRC.

c) The Agency may, during response review or at any time prior to selection, cancel a Request for Response or reject any or all responses if the Agency determines that such action is in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

d) The MRC and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts make no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any contract resulting from this RFR.

e) MRC reserves the right to renegotiate and adjust rates, performance terms and/or performance measures at any time during the life of the contract.

f) All materials developed by the selected Contractor(s) under this contract will remain the property of MRC.

g) All bidders must comply with CORI (Criminal Offender…