OFF48 PCA ID RFQ~3.docx

Responses are restricted to Vendors on the following statewide contract: OFF48 Print, Copy, and Mail Services, and Printed Promotional Products, Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4

REQUEST FOR QUOTES

FOR PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT IDENTIFICATION CARD REQUEST, PRINT AND MAIL SERVICES

ISSUE DATE: December 24, 2024

Program Description and Purpose of Procurement

1.1 Description

Executive Office of Health and Human Services The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is issuing this Request for Quotes (RFQ) pursuant to 801 CMR 21.00, which governs procurement of services by state agencies. EOHHS is issuing this RFQ as a single department procurement use procurement (open for use under separate contract execution).

EOHHS is the state agency responsible for administering a number of human services programs to the financially and medically needy. A key responsibility of EOHHS is serving as the single state agency responsible for administering the Medicaid program and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program within Massachusetts (collectively, “MassHealth”), pursuant to M.G.L. c.118E, Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §1396 et seq.), Title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1397aa et seq.), and other applicable laws and waivers.

MassHealth MassHealth provides comprehensive health coverage to more than one million persons, of whom over two hundred thousand are persons with disabilities. The MassHealth Personal Care Attendant (PCA) program operates under MassHealth regulation 130 CMR 422.000 et seq. and is a Medicaid state plan benefit that provides Personal Care Attendant services to eligible MassHealth Members who have disabilities that limit their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) without physical assistance.

Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Program The MassHealth Personal Care Attendant (PCA) program, administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), is a consumer-directed program that covers medically necessary assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), which helps people with permanent or chronic disabilities keep their independence, stay in the community, and manage their own personal care. PCA Consumers are considered the employers of the PCA providers and are responsible for directly hiring and managing their PCAs. Consumer-employers are supported in the administration of employee-related tasks by a contracted fiscal intermediary (FI) and personal care management (PCM) agencies.

PCA services provided under the Medicaid state plan are administered through a Consumer-directed program. The MassHealth Member, referred to as a “Consumer” for purposes of this program, is the employer of his or her PCA(s) and is fully responsible for recruiting, screening, hiring, training, scheduling, and paying his or her PCA(s). While the Consumer is the employer of his or her PCA(s), the PCA program utilizes a Fiscal Intermediary (“FI”) to hold, administer and disburse certain MassHealth payments for the benefit of MassHealth Members receiving PCA Services.

Fiscal Intermediary Services The PCA Program Fiscal Intermediary supports Consumers in exercising choice and control over the Personal Care Services they receive by assisting Consumers to fulfill certain state and federal obligations as employers of their PCAs, and to perform certain employer-related administrative activities on the Consumer’s behalf including ensuring Consumers comply with their legal obligations as employers of their PCAs; are in compliance with federal and state labor, tax and workers’ compensation insurance rules, timelines, and regulations for household employers who use a Fiscal Intermediary; are in compliance with federal and state labor, tax and workers’ compensation insurance rules, timelines, and regulations for household employers who use a Fiscal Intermediary; and accountability of all MassHealth funds.

PCA Quality Homecare Workforce Council In 2006, the Massachusetts Legislature passed Chapter 268 of the Acts of 2006. Chapter 268 established a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Quality Home Care Workforce Council (the “Workforce Council”) “to ensure the quality of long-term, in-home, personal care by recruiting, training, and stabilizing the workforce of personal care attendants.” As a result of this Act, PCAs were able to form a union and in November 2008 the PCAs voted for representation by 1199 SEIU. Subsequently, the Workforce Council (representing Consumers), and members of SEIU (representing PCAs) ratified the first PCA union collective bargaining agreement. The parties agreed on a three-year collective bargaining agreement, effective July 1, 2008.

As a result of the most recent collective bargaining agreement, which is effective through June 30, 2026, PCAs will now have the opportunity obtain a PCA Identification card upon request.

1.2 Purpose of Procurement

EOHHS is seeking quotes for Personal Care Attendant (PCA) identification card processing, printing and mailing services, as described in greater detail in this Request for Quotes (RFQ) and the model Statement of Work (SOW) attached hereto as Attachment C.

Also, unless otherwise noted, capitalized terms in this RFQ and its Attachments are defined in the model SOW.

The selected bidder for this engagement must have, in addition to all other requirements specified herein:

· A demonstrable, recent, track record of completing multiple projects to the satisfaction of the clients that include equivalent aspects of the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Identification Card processing and printing, electronic file acceptance, ongoing biweekly PCA Identification Card distribution, and monthly report generation and updating;

· Successfully operated and/or maintained, in collaboration with a client, one or more mission-critical production systems of similar size and scope for this project; and

· Familiarity with the human service environment.

This RFQ does not commit the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Commonwealth) or EOHHS to approve or enter into an SOW or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the Bidder’s Quote or contract for products or services.

EOHHS reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals received as a result of this RFQ and to contract for some, all or none of the products and services as a result of this RFQ. EOHHS further reserves the right to negotiate with any or all qualified Bidders and to cancel in part or in its entirety this RFQ if it is in the best interest of EOHHS or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to do so.

All Quote submissions, regardless of whether a contract is awarded to a particular Bidder, become the property of EOHHS. EOHHS will not return to Bidders any proposals or materials they submit in response to this RFQ.

This RFQ is restricted to Bidders on the Statewide Contract OFF48: Print, Copy & Mail Services, and Printed Promotional Products. Only Quotes from approved Bidders on this statewide contract that are in good standing with the Commonwealth will be accepted for consideration under this RFQ.

Responses are restricted to Vendors on the following statewide contract: OFF48 Print, Copy & Mail Services, and Printed Promotional Products.

Applicable Procurement Law

Executive Branch Goods and Services

Acquisition Method:

Payment for this effort shall be a fixed price payment that incorporates personnel rates and all deliverables. Bidders are urged to carefully review the information in this RFQ Section 9.4 and Attachment D for detailed information about the anticipated payment structure for this Contract.

Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract:

Check One (“X”):

Entities Eligible to Use the Resulting Contract

· [Identify additional Eligible Entities by name]

Performance and Business Specifications As described in greater detail herein and in the SOW, EOHHS seeks a vendor to accept requests for, and produce and distribute PCA identification cards, consistent with IEEE STD 1012-2016 (available at https://standards.ieee.org/ieee/1012/5609/) for Personal Care Attendants (PCAs).

As described in greater detail in Section 3 of the SOW, the selected Card Vendor will:

· Accept requests for PCA identification cards directly from PCAs;

· Receive PCA information from Personal Care Attendant Program’s Fiscal Intermediary (FI) vendor;

· Produce PCA identification cards and distribute them in a timely manner according to regular issuance schedules;

· Stock supplies to support regular PCA Identification Cards issuance schedules;

· Produce reports and supply data to EOHHS, its agent, or other designee for production confirmation, analysis, and general status; and

· Have the ability to report to EOHHS regarding card adoption rates and timelines, in support of reducing the production and mailing of plastic cards.

It is anticipated that the contract resulting from this RFQ will have an initial term that begins with contract execution and terminates up to 26 months from the execution date. The contract may be extended in any increment(s) at the discretion of EOHHS, upon terms related to extension agreed to by the parties, and to the extent allowable under the terms of OFF48 or its successor Statewide Contract provided that the Contractor is an approved vendor under the successor Statewide Contract.

EOHHS shall have the option, at its sole discretion, to modify, increase, reduce or terminate any activity related to any contract that may result from this RFQ whenever, in the judgment of EOHHS, the goals of the project have been modified or altered in a way that necessitates such changes.

EOHHS may determine additional work products to be added to the final Statement of Work. If additional funds become available during the contract duration period, EOHHS reserves the right to increase the maximum obligation of the SOW executed as a result of this RFQ. EOHHS may also determine that previously requested work products are no longer required, or that work products or deliverables must be modified.

In any case, EOHHS will provide prior written notice of any such action to the Vendor, and the parties will negotiate the effect of such changes in scope to the schedule and payment terms, to be incorporated as a Change Order or SOW amendment. No compensation shall be owed, nor credits given, until the parties reach agreement on the modified Change Order or SOW amendment. Such Change Order or SOW amendment, when approved, shall detail the changes, the cost impact (if any) and the timeline impact (if any).

Fiscal Terms:

Prompt Pay Discounts All Bidders must agree to offer discounts through participation in the Commonwealth Prompt Payment Discount (PPD) initiative for receiving early and/or on-time payments, unless the Bidder can provide compelling proof that it would be unduly burdensome.

Bidders must submit agreeable terms for Prompt Payment Discount unless otherwise specified by EOHHS. EOHHS will review, negotiate or reject the offering as determined to be in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Tax Exemption Invoices submitted to EOHHS must not include sales tax.

VendorWeb Vendors can see their scheduled payments and payment history by logging on to VendorWeb. On-line vendors can find the tentative scheduled payment date or the actual payment date, payment number, vendor invoice number, contract number, line amount, any associated text information and the Department making the payment. VendorWeb is located at: https://massfinance.state.ma.us/VendorWeb/vendor.asp.

The VendorWeb application was created to help the Commonwealth’s vendors get their payment information free and easily. Vendors access VendorWeb with their Commonwealth VC code and the last 4 digits of their TIN. Vendors can view or download information for payments made in the current or prior fiscal year or scheduled to be paid. Payment information can be generated using date ranges and selected Department(s). Payment information can be sorted by payment number or Department payer(s).

VendorWeb also provides vendors on-line access to 1099 tax forms.

Payments:

Payment for this effort shall be issued monthly, based upon a fixed cost payment schedule, as described at Section 15.1 of the SOW, which defines a per-card payment based on the selected Vendor’s monthly production volume. Note that all fixed cost payments incorporate personnel rates, all deliverables, and all other reimbursable expenses associated with the SOW, including postage or distribution costs. Bidders are urged to carefully review the information in Section 9.4 of this RFQ for detailed information about the anticipated payment structure for this Contract. The selected vendor will be required to submit payment invoices in accordance with the procedures outlined above in order to receive payments. Payments and invoices are made in accordance with the Commonwealth’s bill pay policy through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) while maximizing the use of prompt payment discounts (PPD).

BILLS ARE PAYABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MASSACHUSETTS COMPTROLLER’S BILL PAYMENT POLICY: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/understanding-commonwealth-payments

Response Requirements

1.3 Response Submission Requirements

All procurements posted on COMMBUYS, known as Bids, require the submission of electronic responses, known as Quotes, as described in Section 14. To submit an electronic Quote, Bidders must register and maintain an active COMMBUYS Seller subscription account. Questions regarding COMMBUYS should be directed to the COMMBUYS Help Desk at commbuys@state.ma. Bidders must submit electronic Quotes on COMMBUYS by the date and time specified in Section 11, Procurement Timetable. COMMBUYS will not accept submissions after the specified deadline.

Bidders must provide the following information in their Responses to this RFQ:

· Cover Letter (as described in Section 9.1.1);

· Required Forms -- (as described in Section 9.1.2);

· Business Response (as described in Section 9.2);

· Programmatic Response (as described in Section 9.3); and

· Cost Proposal (as described in Section 9.4).

Each document submitted shall be clearly labeled and state:

· The title of this RFQ;

· The bidding entity’s legal name; and

· The title of the Response document contained in the file (e.g., Business Response).

Each page should include the name of the Bidder organization for easy identification.

The narrative section of each document shall be formatted as follows: pages numbered, single-spaced, one inch or greater margins, the equivalent of 11-point font (or larger), except in tables and graphs, where 10-point may be used.

EOHHS assumes no responsibility for knowledge of any material that is not presented in accordance with EOHHS’s instructions and may not consider any such material in evaluating the Bidder’s response to the RFQ.

The Bidder must respond to each item in the order in which it appears in the RFQ. The Bidder’s response to each section must include headings and numbering to match the corresponding section of the RFQ. Each response document should contain only relevant information that is specific to the topic of that response document as required by the RFQ. Superfluous information may be disregarded. Marketing and firm background boilerplate and materials not directly responsive to RFQ elements should not be submitted; this material will not be read or evaluated.

Each document must contain a table of contents, and each section of the document must be separated by a tabbed page that includes reference to the RFQ section number and heading (for example, “Section 9.2.1. Bidder’s General Background”). Each attachment of the document must also be separated by a tabbed page that includes the attachment number and heading.

The Bidder shall adhere to page limits wherever specified. Attachments and other supporting documentation specifically permitted or required by this RFQ are not counted in calculating the Bidder’s page limit.

Cover Letter The Bidder must include with its response a Cover Letter, signed by a principal or person with authority to sign a contract, that clearly states the name of the Bidder organization, principal address, local (greater Boston) address (if applicable, and if different from principal address), and the name, address, e-mail, fax, and telephone number of the Bidder’s contact person. The letter must:

· Include a statement that the Bidder agrees to be bound by the terms of the model SOW;

· Clearly identify all subcontractors (if any), their roles and responsibilities, and indicate the overall percentage of the work effort they will perform; and

· Include a statement that the Bidder’s response will remain in effect until a Contract resulting from this RFQ is executed.

1.4 Required Forms

All Bidders must submit the following forms, executed as appropriate.

· SDP Plan Form, which is attached hereto as Attachment E.

· Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing Form (As noted on the document, the proof of authentication of signature on page 2 is optional), which is attached here to as Attachment G.

· Prompt Payment Discount Form, which is attached hereto as Attachment H.

· Bidder Certifications, which is attached hereto as Attachment I.

1.5 Business Response

Corporate/Business Information and References

· The Bidder shall provide corporate references from at least two but no more than five entities for which the Bidder has successfully completed a contract or scope of services of similar scale to, or larger than, the scope of work contemplated by this RFQ. (The page limit for each reference is 5 pages.)

These corporate references must include the following information:

· The client organization’s name and address;

· The name and title, address, telephone number, fax number and email address for a contact person;

· A brief description of the contract scope (including a description of any transition efforts and the products and services offered, as appropriate);

· The cost of the effort at contract signing and the final cost of the effort, with a brief explanation of any difference; and

· The start and end dates for the effort, commencing with the signed contract and the actual start and end dates, with a brief explanation of any difference and a description of any unanticipated difficulties that occurred, along with a description of remediation efforts.

In addition to the references described above, the Contractor shall also disclose any experience with any Commonwealth of Massachusetts agency.

· The Bidder shall provide a brief history of its organization and a description of its corporate / business experience in relation to the EOHHS expectations listed in Section 1. (Page limit: 10 pages.)

Note: If performance of the Bidder’s proposal depends in part on the performance of a subcontractor(s) or other third party(ies), EOHHS requires references and information equivalent to the foregoing regarding the experience and history of each such subcontractor or third party (see Section 9.2.2).

Subcontractors If the Bidder plans to use a subcontractor for any element of the project, the Bidder shall:

· Identify each such subcontractor(s) by corporate name, address, telephone number, and status as Minority Business Enterprise;

· Briefly describe the corporation, including years in business, its organization, experience in the Commonwealth, and a synopsis of all previous experience similar to that proposed for their role in this effort (i.e., provide equivalent information as requested in Section 9.2.1);

· State for which element(s) of the project the subcontractor(s) will be used, and how the Bidder’s and the subcontractor’s performance will be coordinated;

· State for each subcontractor the percentage of the total project effort to be assigned to that subcontractor;

· Include an acknowledgement that:

· proposals to use subcontractors shall not cause any additional administrative burden on EOHHS as a result of the use of multiple entities, and shall not relieve the Bidder of any legal obligations under the Contract; and

· all subcontracts, and other agreements or arrangements for reimbursement will be in writing and will contain terms consistent with all terms and conditions of this RFQ and the agreement executed hereunder. Maximum page limit: 2 pages per subcontractor proposed Note: If the Bidder does not plan to utilize any such subcontractor, the Bidder’s response to this section should clearly state that fact. Use of partners and subcontractors shall not count for or against the Bidder; however, the qualifications of the partners or subcontractors to perform their assigned functions and the Bidder’s ability to manage partners and subcontractors will be reviewed and assessed.

Security Policies and Procedures As part of its Business Response, Bidders must provide: (1) their own and their proposed subcontractors’ respective internal security procedures and policies applicable to work performed by them for customers and (2) the particulars of any circumstances over the past five (5) years in which the Bidder or its proposed subcontractor(s) has caused a breach of the security, confidentiality or integrity of a customer's data.

1.6 Programmatic Response

Executive Summary The Bidder shall include with its response an executive summary of not more than 5 pages that summarizes its proposal. The executive summary should briefly address:

· The Bidder’s understanding of the overall project, goals and objectives, and each of these areas listed in Section 4 of the SOW;

· The Bidder’s understanding of the project’s constraints and its approach to overcoming them;

· The proposed Bidder’s organizational structure and the roles and responsibilities of each subcontractor (if applicable);

· The methodology by which the Bidder plans to monitor, evaluate, and ensure the quality and performance of 1) its own personnel; and 2) its subcontractors, if any;

· Project risks and the Bidder’s approach to managing them;

· A summary of the proposal that includes an overview of the approach the Bidder will take to the requirements listed in this RFQ; and

· A brief summary of why the Bidder offers the best solution to EOHHS.

Organization Chart The Bidder shall provide its proposed organization chart, including the management structure for project oversight, with a cross-reference to a detailed job description for each name and function shown on the organization chart. The organization chart must clearly identify the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) being devoted to the project, for each position listed.

The organization chart shall include any parts of the project for which the Bidder intends to use a subcontractor; if a proposed individual “belongs” to a subcontractor, this must be noted.

A separate and additional organization chart showing the relationship of this project to the Bidder’s corporate organization must also be included, if applicable.

The Bidder may include up to 4 pages of narrative to describe the assumptions, limitations and constraints on which the organization charts are based.

Key Personnel All proposed Key Personnel must be qualified for their positions, in terms of experience, education and management skills (as appropriate). When preparing the staffing plans, the Bidder should take into account all activities that must be performed in order to meet the scope of services described in Section 6.1 of the SOW. EOHHS has determined that the following Contractor personnel qualify as “Key Personnel”:

· Project Manager; and

· Contract Manager.

Note that the Project Manager and the Contract Manager may be the same person.

EOHHS prefers each Key Personnel to have the following minimum qualifications:

· Two (2) years with the Bidder’s organization or parent organization or subcontractor;

· Five (5) years appropriate managerial experience; and

· Two (2) years senior managerial experience.

The Bidder must provide résumés for each Key Personnel offered for this engagement (suggested limit: 4 pages per résumé). The Bidder must describe the working relationship between the proposed staff (e.g., the manner in which they will work together to execute the functions of the SOW), their experience for this project in relation to the qualifications listed at Section 9.3.3 – including whether either proposed staff member fails to meet such preferred qualifications, and the percentage of their time that will be attributable to the execution of functions described at Section 9.1 of the SOW. In the event that the Bidder is awarded a contract, the Bidder must include a description of how it will acquire any additional resources that may be needed (e.g., hiring new staff), prior to the execution of such contract. (Page limit: 3 pages.)

Detailed Scope of Services Responses The Bidder shall respond to the following sections regarding a process for accepting requests for, and the production and distribution of the PCA Identification Cards.

If the Bidder intends to utilize a licensed application in the execution of its duties under the SOW, the Bidder shall describe the major terms (such as coverage, services, technical support escalation and resolution procedures, etc.) of the maintenance contract covering each licensed application. (Page limit: 6 pages.) If the Bidder proposes no additional licensed component, the Bidder shall affirmatively state that in response to this section.

The Bidder shall propose to EOHHS a method to validate that all produced PCA Identification Cards are delivered timely and securely to the Contractor-proposed distributor, in a manner consistent with the SOW and any applicable laws regarding PCA privacy. The Bidder shall describe the risks and mitigations of PCA Identification Card production. (Page limit: 4 pages.)

In response to Section 4.1 Process Requests for Identification Cards PCA Identification Cards The Card Vendor shall describe how they will:

· Accept requests for identification card PCA Identification Cards directly from PCAs via mail/paper, telephone, and electronically;

· Operate a phone line and email for technical and informational assistance related to questions on the PCA Identification Card request submission process, replacement PCA Identification Cards, and have the ability to provide support in multiple languages;

· Verify the eligibility, identity and mailing or physical address of each PCA through use of data obtained from the Fiscal Intermediary; and

· Receive a photograph for inclusion on PCA Identification Card;

In response to Section 4.2 (Card Specifications) of the SOW, the Bidder shall:

· Provide at least one, and up to four, physical samples of cards that demonstrate both the card specifications and design requirements noted at Section 4.2 of the SOW;

· Note that physical card samples must be mailed to EOHHS at the below address with a postmark date no later than the Deadline for Bidder Submission of Response noted at Section 11 of this RFQ.

ATTN: Amy Butcher, Procurement Coordinator Executive Office of Health and Human Services 1 Ashburton Place, 11th Floor Boston, MA 02108

· On the outside of the package that contains the samples, the Bidder must clearly identify its name, the Bid Number, and any other information needed for EOHHS to confirm that the sample in question is attributable to the Bidder without being opened.

· Bidders must include the tracking number for the mailed sample in their Responses.

· Note that Bidders will be considered noncompliant with this section if they send physical card samples that cannot be clearly identified as belonging to their specific bid.

· Provide specifications for each of the samples offered;

· Provide pro and con descriptions for each sample and prioritize the samples with one option being clearly identified as the preferred option, along with justification as to why;

· Agree to support all industry-standard colors, images, and inks;

· Agree to the EOHHS ownership provisions of Section 10.3.4 of the SOW; and

· Agree to support the evolving quality of PCA Identification Cards by providing technical suggestions and concerns for all iterations of the cards including, but not limited to, an EOHHS annual design review exercise.

(Page limit: 5 pages, not including samples.)

In response to Section 4.3 of the SOW (Card Carrier, Envelope, and Mailer Insert Specifications) the Bidder shall:

· Provide at least one, and up to four, physical samples of card carriers that demonstrate both the design specifications and requirements noted at Section 4.3 and Appendix A of the SOW;

· Note that physical card carrier samples must be mailed to EOHHS at the below address with a postmark date no later than the Deadline for Bidder Submission of Response noted at Section 11 of this RFQ.

ATTN: Amy Butcher, Procurement Coordinator Executive Office of Health and Human Services 1 Ashburton Place, 11th Floor Boston, MA 02108

· On the outside of the package (that contains the samples), the Bidder must clearly identify its name, the Bid Number, and any other information needed for EOHHS to confirm that the sample in question is attributable to the Bidder without being opened.

· Bidders must include the tracking number for the mailed sample in their Responses.

· Note that Bidders will be considered noncompliant with this section if they send physical card carrier samples that cannot be clearly identified as belonging to a specific bidder.

· Produce specifications for each of the samples offered;

· Describe the attachment method for securing the cards to the card carrier that ensures that, under normal circumstances, no damage occurs to either;

· Describe the process for affixing the return address to the envelope;

· Describe the method for presenting the mailing address on the envelope;

· Provide pro and con descriptions for each sample and prioritize the samples with one option being clearly identified as the preferred option, along with justification as to why;

· Agree to EOHHS ownership provisions of Section 10.3.4 of the SOW; and

· Agree to support the evolving quality of PCA Identification Cards by providing technical suggestions and concerns for all iterations of the cards including, but not limited to, an EOHHS annual design review exercise.

(Page limit: 5 pages, not including samples) In response to Section 4.4 of the SOW (Maintenance of Supplies), the Bidder shall:

· Describe the frequency that card carrier and envelope stocks are individually ordered (e.g., annually, semi-annually, quarterly, monthly, or “just in time”) with lead times for each and explain the pros and cons of their preferred method over the other options;

· Without referencing exact costs, provide a cost-benefit analysis for the proposed method; and

· Describe the security arrangements for protecting carriers and carrier stock throughout the entire time that they are in the control of the Card Contractor.

(Page limit: 5 pages) In response to Section 4.5 of the SOW (PCA Identification Card Production), the Bidder shall:

· Provide a location for the PCA Identification Card production facilities, describing the physical and personnel security practices utilized therein;

· Describe the process whereby PCA Identification Cards will be produced on a monthly basis, including, but not limited to:

· The number of machines that will be required with hourly / daily / weekly capacity and maintenance downtime;

· The number of staff / operators required;

· What Quality Assurance processes will be employed to ensure accuracy; and

· What stock / inventory control processes will be employed;

· Controls over this process to ensure that this product is not intermingled with other jobs potentially being run on the same machines / same facility / same staff, etc.; and

· Any other information deemed relevant by the Bidder.

· Confirm the ability to accept a Data File from the Fiscal Intermediary and to confirm a PCA’s eligibility for the PCA Identification Card and confirm mailing address of PCA (Appendix A to the Model SOW) according to the specifications provided and according to the timelines listed;

· Confirm the ability to produce PCA Identification Cards according to the SLA found in Section 12.2 of SOW;

· Describe the security, back-up, and disaster recovery arrangements for maintaining the security and integrity of PCA Identification Card information during:

· Electronic file transfer; and

· Electronic data storage; and

· Describe the security arrangements for protecting cards and card stock throughout the entire time that they are under the control of the Contractor.

(Page limit: 4 pages) In response to Section 4.6 of the SOW (PCA Identification Card Distribution), the Bidder shall:

· Describe the Quality Assurance processes that will be employed to ensure accuracy of the PCA Identification Card creation and distribution;

· Describe the controls over this process that will ensure that this distribution is not intermingled with other jobs potentially being run on the same machines / same facility / same staff, etc.;

· Describe the storage facilities and how the stock will be safeguarded in each step of the production and distribution process;

· Describe the process for sorting the mailings in the most cost-effective manner;

· Describe the proposed distribution solution and how this solution will ensure that identification cards arrive safely and in a timely manner to the PCA; and

· Describe the security protocols and procedures for maintaining the security and integrity of PCA information during transportation and delivery of the completed envelopes to the distribution site.

(Page limit: 3 pages) In response to Section 4.7 of the SOW (Reporting), Bidders must describe how the Bidder will meet each of the requirements listed therein, while ensuring the accuracy of all data being reported to EOHHS. (Page limit: 3 pages) In response to Section 4.8 of the SOW (Quality Assurance and Cost Savings) the Bidders shall describe how it will maximize efficiencies in completing this initiative and demonstrate how it will work to ensure the lowest possible cost per PCA Identification Card. Real life examples from a previous engagement (and included as one of the references) are preferred. (Page limit: 3 pages) In response to Section 4.9 of the SOW (Administration) the Bidder shall describe how the Bidder will meet each of the requirements listed therein (page limit: 5 pages).

In response to Section 4.10 of the SOW (Deliverables) the Bidder shall:

· Agree to present documentation of the successful completion of the Milestones listed therein.

(Page limit: 8 pages) Project Plan The Bidder shall include with its response a detailed project plan. The project plan must commence with Contract execution (Section 11) and must show the deliverables listed in Section 4.11 of the SOW, and must show task duration and dependencies, listing task numbers and descriptions, and responsible parties. For the purpose of creating this plan, the Bidder should assume the dates in Section 11, but with the ability to shift plan timelines as needed to accommodate actual start of production or necessary date changes.

Other Recommendations and New Initiatives EOHHS is seeking a Contractor that can demonstrate an ability to introduce stable, cost-effective solutions that will enhance the customer experience and reduce costs associated with communication with Personal Care Attendants. Due to the dynamic nature of EOHHS's operations, if requested, the Contractor shall support, subject to negotiation between the parties, additional programs, populations, and card variations as a result of changes in federal or state law, program modifications, and new initiatives in accordance with the terms of the Contract.

In addition, the Bidder is encouraged, but not required, to provide information regarding any other services the Bidder believes are logically related to the services described in this RFQ. Bidders are strongly encouraged to be creative and to draw on their experience with other states and in other areas to suggest additional services that EOHHS might wish to obtain from the Bidder in the future in furtherance of the objectives of the SOW.

Service Level Agreement (SLA) Each Bidder shall describe how it will implement the requirements of the SLA terms for timely printing, mailing, quality and service delivery as set forth at Table 3 of the Model SOW.

Additionally, the Bidder may propose alternate and/or additional SLAs that would validate and support performance and compliance with the terms of the SOW, subject to EOHHS approval. Note that EOHHS, in its sole authority, reserves the right to accept or reject any proposed alternative or additional SLAs as described by the Bidder, prior to contract execution, should the Bidder be awarded a contract. Ultimately, the agreed-upon SLA terms between EOHHS and the selected vendor will be memorialized in Section 12.2 of the SOW.

(Page limit: 3 pages) Cost Response The Bidder must not include any costs or cost information for this project in any portion of the Bidder’s response except in the Cost Response. Failure to comply with this instruction may be grounds for rejection of the Response. For the avoidance of doubt, please note that if the Bidder proposes Service Level Agreements (and associated liquidated damages, penalties, credits, or offsets) in its programmatic response, this shall not be considered “costs or cost information” for purposes of this paragraph.

The Bidder shall submit its Cost Response using Attachment D. Accompanying this may be no more than 5 pages of assumptions.

All other costs or expenses, including deliverable production and presentation, preparation costs, travel, and other indirect costs, must be included within the firm fixed prices of Attachment D.

Evaluation Criteria

1.7 Response Review and Evaluation Criteria

Responses shall be evaluated by a Strategic Sourcing Team (SST) assigned by EOHHS. EOHHS shall select the Bidder whose proposal, in the aggregate, provides the best business, technical, and financial value for EOHHS. Cost will be amongst several factors in the SST’s consideration; however, EOHHS is not required to choose the Bidder that proposes the lowest costs but will seek best value to the Commonwealth. The SST will evaluate all RFQ Responses as follows:

Compliance with Mandatory Submission Requirements Initially, all Responses will be reviewed to determine compliance with the requirements set forth in this RFQ. The SST will evaluate:

· the Business Response of all Responses that comply with the Mandatory Submission Requirements.;

· the Programmatic Responses of all Responses that comply with the Business Response requirements, and;

· the Cost Responses of all Responses that satisfy the Programmatic requirements for this initiative.

Business Response Review All responses shall be initially reviewed to determine compliance with the response submission instructions in Section 9.1 and the Business Response requirements described in Section 9.2. Responses that meet those requirements shall have their Programmatic and Cost Responses (Sections 9.3 and 9.4) reviewed and evaluated by the Committee against the criteria in Section 10.2 and Section 10.4.

1.8 Review of Business Response and Evaluation of Programmatic Response The Selected Bidder will be selected based on its ability to meet the requirements set forth in this RFQ as represented in its Response, completion of any required RFQ attachments, and a determination by the SST that contracting with the Selected Bidder will provide the “best value” to the Commonwealth.

The SST will determine whether the Bidder has satisfied all Business Response requirements. The SST shall qualitatively rate Bidder’s Programmatic Response on the basis of (1) the comprehensiveness, appropriateness, clarity, and responsiveness of the Bidder’s proposal to the RFQ specifications; (2) the effectiveness, feasibility, creativity, and other relevant attributes that characterize the Bidder’s proposed approach; (3) Bidder history and experience as it relates to the scope of services detailed in the SOW, and ability to meet all of the requirements in Attachment C, the SOW; and (4) the qualifications and experience of the proposed Contractor Key Personnel and appropriateness and feasibility of the proposed staffing plan. In addition, EOHHS may consider any relevant information about the Bidder that is known to EOHHS, any other Commonwealth agency, or individual SST members. Responses may be reviewed by any persons at the discretion of SST, including non-allied and independent consultants retained by EOHHS now or in the future, for the sole purpose of obtaining an analysis of Responses.

The following identifies non-cost criteria by which the SST will evaluate the Bidder’s Response, overall organization, and proposed staff for the engagement:

· The comprehensiveness of the Bidder’s approach to fulfilling the project’s requirements as described in the SOW;

· The strength of the Bidder’s proposed personnel for this engagement, specifically the proposed personnel’s skill and relevant experience;

· The proposed project plan;

· The strength of the Bidder’s corporate references and overall relevant experience; and

· The Bidder’s commitment to partner with certified M/WBEs, M/WNPOs, VBEs and/or SDVOBEs certified or verified by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), as described further in Section 17.13. EOHHS will favorably consider Bidders with higher SDP Plan commitments.

EOHHS may also consider any relevant information about the Bidder known to EOHHS, including without limitation the agencies’ prior experience with the Bidder. The SST will (1) evaluate the Programmatic Response in accordance with the criteria described above; (2) give a composite rating of “Excellent,” “Very Good,” “Good,” “Fair,” “Poor,” or “non-responsive” for each category of the Programmatic Response; (3) assign an overall rating to each Programmatic Response; and (4) compare the Responses to one another.

1.9 Supplier Diversity Requirements

All Bidders must submit the Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Form, included with this RFQ in Attachment E. SDP Plans will be evaluated as part of the overall response evaluation, in accordance with the evaluation criteria listed in this Section. The SST will give preference to any Bidder that is certified as a minority business enterprise by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Supplier Diversity Office. See Section 17.13.

1.10 Cost Response Review

Each Cost Response shall be reviewed by the Committee for its reasonableness, competitiveness and value to EOHHS. Cost will be one factor, but not the sole factor, in the Committee’s consideration. EOHHS is not required to choose the Bidder that proposes the lowest cost.

1.11 Written Questions and Answers

Bidders will have the opportunity to submit questions about the RFQ.

Written questions regarding the RFQ’s requirements shall be sent by email to the procurement contact person identified above by the date and time stated in Section 11, Procurement Timetable.

EOHHS will review all questions and, at its discretion, prepare written responses to those it determines to be of general interest and relevant to the preparation of a response to the RFQ. These responses will be posted on the COMMBUYS website. Only written responses will be binding on EOHHS.

1.12 Request for Clarification

Pursuant to 801 CMR 21.06(8), at any time during its review, the SST may determine some element of a Bidder's Response requires clarification to verify its responsiveness to the RFQ or facilitate a fair comparison with competing proposals. In such cases, the SST may seek written clarification from the Bidder. All Bidders shall be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity for clarification.

1.13 Best Value Selection and Negotiation

EOHHS intends to select the response that demonstrates the best value overall, including proposed alternatives, and achieves the procurement goals of EOHHS. EOHHS and the Selected Bidder may negotiate a change in any element of contract performance or cost identified in the original RFQ or the Selected Bidder’s response which results in lower costs or a more cost-effective or better value than was presented in the Selected Bidder’s original response.

EOHHS reserves the right to reject a Bidder’s response at any time during the evaluation process if the Bidder:

· Fails to demonstrate to EOHHS’ satisfaction that it meets all RFQ Requirements;

· Fails to submit all required information or otherwise satisfy all Response Requirements in Section 9;

· Receives a rating of “Poor” or “Non-Responsive” in the evaluation of one or more categories of its Business or Programmatic Response;

· Has any interest that may, in EOHHS’ sole determination, conflict with performance of services for the Commonwealth or be anti-competitive; or

· Fails to make an oral presentation/demonstration pursuant to Section 10.8 or allow for a site visit/inspection pursuant to Section 10.9 requested by EOHHS at a time, place, and manner satisfactory to EOHHS.

The SST, in its sole discretion, may determine whether non-compliance with any of the above requirements is insubstantial. In such cases, the SST may seek clarification, allow the Bidder to make minor corrections, apply appropriate penalties in evaluating the response, or apply a combination of all three remedies.

The Committee may recommend for selection the response that demonstrates the best value overall, considering both the Programmatic and Cost Responses, that will achieve the procurement goals of EOHHS. The Committee and a selected Bidder may negotiate a change in any element of contract performance or cost identified in the original RFQ or the selected Bidder’s response that results in lower costs or a more cost effective or better value than was presented in the selected Bidder’s original response.

1.14 Oral Presentation

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, invite those Bidders whose responses have been judged competitive and responsive in the course of the evaluation to attend an Oral Presentation, either in person or virtually, as requested by EOHHS. At that time, the Bidder’s proposal may be discussed and clarified, but not changed in any way. The Bidder’s Key Personnel and subcontractors identified in Bidder’s response are expected to attend the session. The results of this session shall be included in the overall evaluation of the responses. The Committee reserves the right to apply restrictions to the structure and content of the Oral Presentation, and to instruct the Bidder regarding attendees.

Oral Presentations shall not be open to the public nor to any competitors. Failure of a Bidder to agree to a date and time for an Oral Presentation may result in rejection of the Bidder’s response.

1.15 Site Visits

The Committee may, in its sole discretion and at its convenience, elect to inspect any of the Bidder’s offices. An inspection would most likely consist of a detailed introduction to the Bidder’s operations that are relevant to this RFQ. Failure to agree to such an inspection may result in rejection of the Bidder’s response.

1.16 Best and Final Offer

Pursuant to 801 CMR 21.06(11), EOHHS may offer one or more Bidders an opportunity to provide a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). If it so chooses, EOHHS will distribute specific information regarding submission requirements, timelines, and information about its BAFO evaluation process to those Bidder(s) selected for participation in the BAFO. Bidders may be asked to reduce costs or provide additional clarification to specific sections of the RFQ response. Bidders are not required to submit a BAFO in response to EOHHS’ offer and may notify EOHHS in writing that their response remains as originally submitted.

1.17 Recommendation for Award

After the Committee completes its evaluation, comparison, and ranking of all proposals, and, if applicable, oral presentation(s), site visit(s), reference check(s) and BAFO, the Committee may recommend to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (or her designee) a Bidder or Bidders with which to enter into Contract negotiations. The Secretary’s decision shall consider the Committee’s recommendation and the best interests of the Commonwealth. EOHHS is under no obligation to award an SOW pursuant to this RFQ.

EOHHS, in its sole discretion, may determine whether non-compliance with any of the above requirements (or any other RFQ requirement) is insubstantial. In such cases, EOHHS may seek clarification from the Bidder, allow the Bidder to make technical corrections, apply appropriate adjustments to scoring in the evaluation, apply a combination of all three remedies, or utilize any other remedial action EOHHS deems appropriate.

Estimated Procurement Calendar