PHPA 2027 RFP NAH 4.17.23 gus.pdf

EXHIBIT A

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

PROCUREMENT ID NUMBER – PHPA-2027

Issue Date: April 17, 2023

Maryland Youth Pandemic Behavior Survey

NOTICE

A Prospective Offeror that has received this document from the Maryland Department of Health’s website or https://procurement.maryland.gov , or that has received this document from a source other than the

Procurement Officer, and that wishes to assure receipt of any changes or additional materials related to this RFP, should immediately contact the Procurement Officer and provide the Prospective Offeror’s name and mailing address so that addenda to the RFP or other communications can be sent to the

Prospective Offeror.

Minority Business Enterprises Are Encouraged to Respond to this Solicitation

THIS SOLICITATION SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL

PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS DESCRIBED IN COMAR 21.05.07

https://procurement.maryland.gov/

STATE OF MARYLAND

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

RFP KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals: Maryland Youth Pandemic Behavior Survey

Solicitation Number: PHPA-2027

RFP Issue Date: April 17, 2023

RFP Issuing Office: Maryland Department of Health

Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control

Procurement Officer: Augustus D. Woyah Maryland Department of Health

Prevention and Health Promotion Administration

201 West Preston Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

410-767-5063/443-469-6180

Email: augustus.woyah@maryland.gov

Contract Monitor: Nikardi Jallah

Maryland Department of Health, Center for Tobacco

Prevention and Control

201 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Questions due date: May 3, 2023, 2:00 PM EST Local Time

Proposals are to be sent to: eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) additional information regarding eMMA can be in the

Frequently Asked Questions and Quick Reference Guides.

Any questions regarding eMMA, please contact eMMA Help

Desk at eMM.helpdesk@maryland.gov

Pre-Proposal Conference: N/A

Closing Date and Time: May 10, 2023, 2:00 PM EST Local Time mailto:eMM.helpdesk@maryland.gov

08/31/2022

SECTION 1 - GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Summary Statement

1.1.1 The Maryland Department of Health (MDH or the Department), Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control, is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to award a Contract to an Offeror to recruit high school students through social media to take an online Maryland Youth Pandemic Behavior Survey (YPBS), analyze the survey results, produce a codebook of the analyzed data, and report findings in a summary report. Offeror shall recruit a targeted

1,000 public and private Maryland high school students aged 14-19 to participate in the survey. The Offeror responding to this RFP may not have performed any prior services for or on behalf of the tobacco industry or related entities.

1.1.2 It is the State’s intention to obtain services, as specified in this RFP, from a Contract between the selected

Offeror and the State. The anticipated duration of services to be provided under this Contract is July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

1.1.3 The Department intends to make a single award as a result of this RFP.

1.1.4 Offerors, either directly or through their subcontractor(s), must be able to provide all services and meet all of the requirements requested in this solicitation and the successful Offeror (the Contractor) shall remain responsible for

Contract performance regardless of subcontractor participation in the work.

1.2 Contract Type

The Contract resulting from this solicitation shall be a firm fixed price as defined in COMAR 21.06.03.02.

1.3 Procurement Method

This solicitation shall be made in accordance with the small procurement regulations described in COMAR 21.05.07.

1.4 Procurement Officer

The sole point of contact in the State for purposes of this solicitation prior to the award of any Contract is the

Procurement Officer at the address listed below:

Augustus D. Woyah

Procurement Officer

Prevention and Health Promotion Administration

Maryland Department of Health

410-767-5063/443-469-6180

E-mail: augustus.woyah@maryland.gov

The Department may change the Contract Officer at any time by written notice.

mailto:augustus.woyah@maryland.gov

1.5 Contract Monitor

The Contract Monitor is:

Nikardi Jallah

Maryland Department of Health

Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control

201 W. Preston Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

The Department may change the Contract Monitor at any time by written notice.

1.6 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage

1.6.1 Each Offeror is requested to indicate its eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) vendor number in the

Transmittal Letter (cover letter) submitted at the time of its Proposal submission to this RFP.

1.6.2 eMMA is an electronic commerce system administered by the Maryland Department of General Services. The

RFP and associated materials, the solicitation and summary of the Pre-Proposal Conference, Offeror questions and the

Procurement Officer’s responses, addenda, and other solicitation-related information will be provided via eMMA.

1.6.3 In order to receive a contract award, a vendor must be registered on eMMA. Registration is free. Go to https://procurement.maryland.gov/, click on “Register” to begin the process, and then follow the prompts.

1.7 Questions

1.7.1 Written questions from prospective Offerors will be accepted by the Procurement Officer. Questions to the

Procurement Officer shall be submitted via e-mail to the following e-mail address: augustus.woyah@maryland.gov

Please identify in the subject line the Solicitation Number and Title.

1.7.2 Questions are requested to be submitted by the due date indicated on the key information sheet. The

Procurement Officer, based on the availability of time to research and communicate an answer, shall decide whether an answer can be given before the Proposal due date.

1.8 Pre-Proposal Conference

1.8.1 There will not be a Pre-Proposal Conference for this RFP.

1.9 Proposals Due (Closing) Date and Time

1.9.1 Proposals, in the number and form set forth in Section 4.2 “Proposals” must be received in eMaryland Market

Advantage (eMMA), no later than May 10, 2023, 2:00 PM EST Local Time to be considered.

1.9.2 Requests for extension of this time or date will not be granted. Except as provided in COMAR 21.05.02.10, Proposals received after the due date and time listed in this section will not be considered. Questions regarding this solicitation should be directed (By e-mail only, no phone calls will be accepted) to the PROCUREMENT OFFICER.

https://procurement.maryland.gov/

1.9.3 Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by written notice received by the Procurement Officer before the time and date set forth in this section for receipt of Proposals. Multiple and/or alternate Proposals will not be accepted.

1.9.4 Proposals will only be accepted through eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). Proposal may not be mailed, hand delivered, emailed or by facsimile.

1.10 Award Basis

1.10.1 The Contract shall be awarded to the responsible Offeror submitting the Proposal that has been determined to be the most advantageous to the State, considering price and evaluation factors set forth in this RFP, for providing the goods and services as specified in this RFP. See RFP Section 5 for further award information.

1.11 Revisions to the RFP

1.11.1 If it becomes necessary to revise this RFP before the due date for Proposals, the Department shall endeavor to provide addenda to all prospective Offerors that were sent this RFP or which are otherwise known by the Procurement

Officer to have obtained this RFP. In addition, addenda to the RFP will be posted on the MDH Current Procurements web page and through eMMA. It remains the responsibility of all prospective Offerors to check all applicable websites for any addenda issued prior to the submission of Proposals. Addenda made after the due date for Proposals will be sent only to those Offerors that submitted a timely Proposal and that remain under award consideration as of the issuance date of the addenda.

1.11.2 Acknowledgment of the receipt of all addenda to this RFP issued before the Proposal due date shall be included in the Transmittal Letter accompanying the Offeror’s Technical Proposal. Acknowledgement of the receipt of addenda to the RFP issued after the Proposal due date shall be in the manner specified in the addendum notice.

Failure to acknowledge receipt of an addendum does not relieve the Offeror from complying with the terms, additions, deletions, or corrections set forth in the addendum.

1.12 Cancellations

1.12.1 The State reserves the right to cancel this RFP, accept or reject any and all Proposals, in whole or in part, received in response to this RFP, waive or permit the cure of minor irregularities, and conduct discussions with all qualified or potentially qualified Offerors in any manner necessary to serve the best interests of the State.

1.12.2 The State reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to award a Contract based upon the written Proposals received without discussions or negotiations. In the event a government entity proposes and receives the recommendation for award, the procurement may be cancelled and the award processed in accordance with COMAR

21.01.03.01.A(4). If the services that are the subject of the RFP are currently being provided under an interagency agreement with a public institution of higher education and the State determines that the services can be provided more cost effectively by the public institution of higher education, then the RFP may be cancelled in accordance with

Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Art., § 3- 207(b)(2).

SECTION 2 – MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

2.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

There are no Offeror Minimum Qualifications for this procurement.

REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

SECTION 3 – SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 Background and Purpose

3.1.1 Background

The Department regularly conducts the Maryland Youth Risk Behavior Survey/Youth Tobacco Survey (YRBS/YTS) during the fall of every even calendar year. The Maryland YRBS/YTS is a Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) sponsored anonymous survey that collects data on youth health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of mortality and morbidity and tracks those behaviors over time. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual school schedules, the Department was not able to administer the traditional classroom-based Maryland

YRBS/YTS during the 2020-2021 school year. In place of the 2020 biennial Maryland YRBS/YTS, the Department, with a Contractor’s assistance conducted an online survey called the 2021 Youth Pandemic Behavior Survey (YPBS-

21) between May and June of 2021. Students were recruited through social media ads on Facebook and Instagram to complete a survey that asked about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 600 students successfully completed the survey. The Maryland YPBS-21 results were posted online after the data was collected, analyzed, and disseminated: https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/ohpetup/Pages/tob_reports.aspx.

To continue to collect this information, the Department is soliciting proposals to implement an online survey during the fall semester of the 2023-2024 school year to collect this information on a state level to continue to support and promote the well-being of Maryland students. The Department will use a similar comprehensive survey tool for the

YPBS-23 that was used for the YPBS-21. The YPBS-23 shall be administered online to high school students aged 14-

19 during the fall semester of 2023 (anticipated survey implementation and administration dates are primarily

September-November 2023, with student response completion no later than November 17th). The Department seeks to replicate the social media recruitment method used for the YPBS-21 so that the survey results are comparable across survey years.

3.1.2 Purpose

The State is issuing this solicitation for the purposes of awarding a Contract to an entity to recruit public and private

Maryland high school students aged 14-19 through social media to take an online 2023 Maryland Youth Pandemic

Behavior Survey (YPBS-23), analyze the survey results, produce a codebook of the analyzed data, and report findings in a summary report.

3.2 Scope of Work - Requirements

The Contractor shall plan, recruit, conduct, and analyze results from the online 2023 Youth Pandemic Behavior

Survey:

3.2.1 Plan the online 2023 Youth Pandemic Behavior Survey

3.2.1.1 Create an Online Website to Host the Online Survey. The Contractor shall select a domain name with the approval of the Contract Monitor. The domain name shall reference the YPBS survey and be easy to understand. The

Contractor shall find a website hosting provider to host its chosen domain name for the YPBS survey. The Contractor shall pay any fees associated with the domain name and website hosting provider. The Contractor shall design and customize the website for the YPBS survey.

3.2.1.2 Create Survey Recruitment Ads for Social Media. The Contractor shall develop a minimum of three (3) social media recruitment ads that feature high school students with diverse backgrounds to improve recruitment of a diverse group of students. The Contractor shall submit ads to the Contract Monitor for approval prior to beginning any recruitment activities.

https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/ohpetup/Pages/tob_reports.aspx

3.2.1.3 Obtain IRB Approval and Ethical Research Training. It is required that an Institutional Review Board

(IRB) approve the Contractor’s YPBS-23 survey project application and protocols prior to implementing the survey.

The Contractor shall work with the Contract Monitor to complete an IRB application to submit to the Maryland IRB for approval prior to the implementation of the survey. Documentation for the project application may include the overall project work plan, project timeline, final questionnaires, confidentiality protocols, parental permission forms, etc. In addition to submitting an IRB application, Maryland IRB requires documentation of ethical research training received by the Contractor within the past three (3) years for all staff involved in survey implementation:

https://health.maryland.gov/oig/irb/Pages/IRB.aspx. The Maryland IRB will accept the free U.S. Health and Human

Services’ Human Research Protection Foundation training offered by the Office for Human Research Protections

(OHRP) as the required ethical research training.1 Documentation of Ethical Research Training shall be submitted with the Contractor’s proposal.

3.2.1.4 Program Survey Questions into Online Survey Platform. The Department will create and finalize the

Maryland YPBS-23 questionnaire - this is not the responsibility of the Contractor. The Department will submit the final and approved PDF copy of the questionnaire to the Contractor. The final and approved questionnaire will consist of about 60 to 70 multiple choice questions. The number of answer choices for each question ranges from two to eight. The Contractor shall program the final and approved questions from the questionnaire into their chosen online survey platform within 45 days of Contract Award.

3.2.1.5 Recruit High School Students Through Social Media. The Offeror shall detail how students will be recruited through social media (e.g., Facebook and Instagram) so that the YPBS-23 data is comparable to the YPBS-

21 data2. The Contractor shall detail and justify any incentives being offered to survey respondents (e.g., monetary gift cards or sweepstakes). The proposed recruitment method should be reliable and accurate to address the target responses of at least 1,000 Maryland high school students aged 14-19. The Contractor shall recruit students that are representative of high school students in Maryland by race/ethnicity, sex, age, and grade. The Contractor shall also attempt to recruit student responses from all 24 political subdivisions. The Department will provide the Contractor state-level demographic information on the targeted population so that the Contractor can enhance recruitment efforts to reach a representative sample of high school students in Maryland. Demographic estimates for Maryland public and private schools can be found here: https://www.greatschools.org/maryland/#students.

3.2.1.6 Distribute and Track Parental Consent Materials. The Contractor must ensure that any student under the age of 18 has the consent of a parent and/or guardian prior to completing the YPBS-23. The Contractor shall draft a parental consent document and submit it to the Contract Monitor for review prior to submitting the project application to Maryland IRB. The Contractor shall distribute and track all parental consent documentation for all survey respondents under the age of 18.

3.2.1.7 Ensure Confidentiality. The Contractor shall ensure and document that respondent identification and survey responses are kept confidential. The Contractor shall create a confidentiality agreement form to ensure data protection and to preclude disclosure of respondent identification. The Contractor shall sign the confidentiality agreement prior to conducting the YPBS-23. The Contractor shall maintain all original confidentiality forms in its files for at least five (5) years after survey administration ends and permit Departmental inspection or audit of such files. The Contractor shall deliver a copy of the confidentiality agreement form to the Contract Monitor prior to

1https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/education-and-outreach/human-research-protection-training/human-research-protection-foundational-training/index.html 2 Kühne, S. & Zindel, Z. (2020). Using Facebook and Instagram to Recruit Web Survey Participants: A Step-by-Step Guide and

Application in Survey Methods: Insights from the Field, Special issue: ‘Advancements in Online and Mobile Survey Methods’.

Accessed 7 December 2022 at <https://surveyinsights.org/?p=13558>.

https://health.maryland.gov/oig/irb/Pages/IRB.aspx https://www.greatschools.org/maryland/%23students https://surveyinsights.org/?p=13558 survey administration.

3.2.2 Maryland Youth Survey Administration

3.2.2.1 Data Collection. Implementation and administration of the YPBS-23 is anticipated to take place primarily during September and November of 2023. The Contractor shall ensure that data is collected in a timely manner and that all survey responses are confidential. The Contractor shall aim for 1,000 student responses with at least 800 responses being complete and validated after data editing. The Contractor’s proposal shall also discuss contingency plans that address any unforeseen obstacles that may be encountered during the data collection process.

3.2.2.2 Weekly Student Completion Reports. The Contractor shall develop and submit a report of the cumulative number of parental consent forms received and high school student survey completions that have been received.

Beginning on the Monday following the start of survey administration (Section 3.2.2.1), the Contractor shall submit this report weekly to the Contract Monitor by close of business every Monday until the end of survey administration.

Payments for survey responses are based on the amount of completed surveys received and paid in a lump sum

(Section 3.2.2.1).

# Surveys Completed and Validated % Payment of Line B in Section 3.3

800+ 100%

700-799 80%

600-699 60%

500-599 40%

400-499 20%

Less than 400 10%

3.2.2.3 Adhere to Timelines. The Contractor shall meet the established timelines and schedule for administration of the Maryland YPBS-23. Should anticipated timeline adjustments become necessary, the Contractor and the Contract

Monitor shall agree in writing to any changes. The Contract Monitor will provide final approval for any timeline adjustments.

3.2.2.4 Ensure Quality Control. The Contractor shall perform quality control checks throughout the survey administration period. The Contractor shall actively check for any ‘survey bots’3 (a type of form bot that is specifically designed to fill out a survey on the behalf of a human user) during data collection. The Contractor shall also ensure consistency of survey responses by reviewing the answering patterns of the completed survey questionnaires. If a survey questionnaire is inconsistent or the Contractor suspects a ‘survey bot’, the Contractor shall remove the surveys from the final dataset. In the event that a systematic error is discovered in the sampling, questionnaires, data collection, data processing, data analysis, or reporting, the Contractor shall immediately notify the Contract Monitor of the error, correct the error within five (5) calendar days of notification at no cost to the

Department, and provide written documentation to the Contract Monitor of the occurrence and corrective action taken.

3.2.3 Post-Survey Administration Tasks

3.2.3.1 Clean, Edit, and Weight Survey Responses. The Contractor shall clean and edit received survey responses

3 What is a Survey Bot. Accessed 7 December 2022 at <https://www.anura.io/blog/what-is-survey-bot-fraud-and-how-does-it-affect-businesses#:~:text=A%20survey%20bot%20is%20a,express%20purpose%20of%20causing%20harm>.

https://www.anura.io/blog/what-is-survey-bot-fraud-and-how-does-it-affect-businesses#:~:text=A%20survey%20bot%20is%20a,express%20purpose%20of%20causing%20harm https://www.anura.io/blog/what-is-survey-bot-fraud-and-how-does-it-affect-businesses#:~:text=A%20survey%20bot%20is%20a,express%20purpose%20of%20causing%20harm to ensure data accuracy and quality. The Contractor shall review the survey responses for any outliers based on normal frequency distributions and remove those outlier responses from the cleaned data set. After completion of data cleaning and editing the Contractor shall provide weighted data responses for populations that have an adequate sample size.

3.2.3.2 Transmittal of Student Responses. The Contractor shall maintain survey respondent confidentiality by combining all student responses into a complete de-identified dataset file in Excel or SAS and deliver the file to the

Contract Monitor no later than 30 calendar days after the conclusion of survey administration. The Contractor shall also develop a codebook for the survey results and deliver to the Contractor within 45 calendar days of the conclusion of survey administration.

3.2.3.3 Deliver Post-Survey Administration Report. The Contractor shall deliver to the Contract Monitor a draft report detailing all aspects of survey administration no later than 30 calendar days after the conclusion of survey administration and receipt of the last survey response results. This report shall include, but is not limited to, the total number of students engaged through social media, total number of students completing the survey, total number of surveys marked as responsive after data cleaning and editing, survey challenges encountered and how they were resolved, and recommendations for future surveys on this population. The Contract Monitor will review the report for acceptability and may request edits and further information, as needed. The Contractor shall deliver the final report to the Contract Monitor no later than 10 business days after receiving comments from the Contract Monitor.

3.2.3.4 Development and Design of Summary Report. The Contractor shall develop and design a summary report that provides an overview of YPBS-23 data and highlight key points and analysis. This report shall be a camera-ready product that includes salient educational information for the Department to provide to stakeholders and the general public. The Contractor shall discuss specifics regarding the proposed summary report in their proposal. Upon award, the Department will provide the Contractor with the MDH style and branding guide to assist with any design work.

The first draft of the summary report shall be completed and submitted to the Department no later than February 1, 2024. The Contract Monitor will review the summary report produced for acceptability and may request edits and further information, as needed. Approval may also be required by higher governmental authorities; final edits required by this review process will be the responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor shall submit revised drafts to the

Contract Monitor and address edits until a final draft is agreed upon by the Contract Monitor and higher governmental authorities. The Contractor shall submit the final copy of the summary report by March 31, 2024. A copy of the final report for the YPBS-21 can be found at this link:

https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/ohpetup/Documents/2021%20Youth%20Pandemic%20Behavior%20Survey%20De tailed%20Report.pdf.

Additionally, the summary report shall be packaged and sent in both high-resolution PDF format and their original file formats (i.e., InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, PowerPoint, etc.). The Contractor shall submit a summary report that can be edited. The Contractor shall provide to the Contract Monitor a summary document outlining all specs

(i.e., colors, fonts, etc.) used in the design at no additional cost, so the Department may use the summary report in the future. The final product and component parts must be available for the perpetual use at the discretion of the

Department and its designees for future reports at no additional cost and with no limits on times or formats. For any fonts, stock photo, and artwork that are purchased, the proof of buy-out, extended license agreements, and other relevant documentation and details must be provided to the Contract Monitor.

3.2.4 Meetings

3.2.4.1 Conduct Kick-Off Meeting. The Contractor shall schedule and hold a Kick-Off meeting with Department staff within ten (10) business days of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) date. The Contractor and Department staff shall be in attendance. The Contractor shall submit meeting notes and summary to the Contract Monitor within two (2) https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/ohpetup/Documents/2021%20Youth%20Pandemic%20Behavior%20Survey%20Detailed%20Report.pdf https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/ohpetup/Documents/2021%20Youth%20Pandemic%20Behavior%20Survey%20Detailed%20Report.pdf business days following the meeting. A final Work Plan shall be submitted to the Contract Monitor no later than five

(5) business days after the Kick-Off meeting.

3.2.4.2 Conduct Bi-Weekly Update Calls. The Contractor shall be available for bi-weekly check-in calls with

Department staff to discuss survey administration progress, updates, and other relevant topics. The Contractor shall submit call notes to the Contract Monitor within two (2) business days.

3.2.5 Additional Contractor Requirement

3.2.5.1 The Americans with Disabilities Act: The Americans with Disabilities Act (https:www.ada.gov/) protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disability in services, programs, and activities. Accessibility and inclusion of diverse populations are essential to reduce health disparities for vulnerable populations. Contractors must comply with all ADA requirements in their work to ensure the needs of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations are met. This includes, but is not limited to:

● facilities and any venues used for meetings/conferences are accessible;

● requested accommodations are provided in a timely manner; and

● written and printed materials developed in accessible formats (easy to read, large print, etc.), or providing access to alternative formats.

For contracts which include direct patient care or service delivery through a program, the ADA requires entities provide full and equal access for people with disabilities. This includes, but is not limited to:

● reasonable modifications of policies, practices, and procedures;

● effective communication; and

● accessible facilities.

3.3 Invoicing

3.3.1 General

(a) All invoices for services shall be signed by the Contractor and submitted to the Contract Monitor. All invoices shall include the following information:

● Contractor name;

● Remittance address;

● Federal taxpayer identification number (or if sole proprietorship, the individual’s social security number);

● Invoice period;

● Invoice date;

● Invoice number

● State assigned Contract number;

● State assigned (Blanket) Purchase Order number(s);

● Goods or services provided; and

● Amount due.

Invoices submitted without the required information cannot be processed for payment until the Contractor provides the required information.

(b) The Department reserves the right to reduce or withhold Contract payment in the event the Contractor does not provide the Department with all required deliverables within the time frame specified in the Contract or in the event that the Contractor otherwise materially breaches the terms and conditions of the Contract until such time as the

Contractor brings itself into full compliance with the Contract. Any action on the part of the Department, or dispute of action by the Contractor, shall be in accordance with the provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and

Procurement Article §§ 15-215 through 15-223 and with COMAR 21.10.02.

3.3.2 Invoice Submission Schedule

The Contractor shall submit invoices in accordance with the following schedule:

% of Contract

Total (See Exhibit

B)

Deliverable Invoice

Anticipated

Submission Due

Date (SFY Work)

A 25% Successful Completion of Kick-off Meeting, Submission of Final

Meeting Notes, MDH Acceptance of Final Work Plan, Create an

Online Website to Host the Online Survey, Create Survey Recruitment Ads for Social Media.

08/15/2023

(SFY 2024)

B 15% Successful Programming of YPBS-23 Survey on Web Platform and IRB Approval 09/15/2023

(SFY 2024)

C 40% Successful Completion of Data Collection – a minimum of 1,000

HS students surveyed for survey administration with at least 800 completed and usable survey student responses (payment made in lump sum upon completion of data collection)

12/15/2023

(SFY 2024)

D 10% Upon Receipt and MDH Approval of Post Survey Administration

Report and First Draft of Summary Report

02/15/2024

(SFY 2024)

E 10% Upon Final Approval of Summary Report 04/15/2024

(SFY 2024)

SECTION 4 – PROPOSAL FORMAT

4.1 Two Part Submission

Offerors shall submit Proposals in separate volumes:

▪ Volume I – TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

▪ Volume II – FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

4.2 Proposals

4.2.1 The Procurement Officer must receive all electronic Proposal material by the RPF due date and time specified in the Key Information Summary Sheet. Requests for extension of this date or time will not be granted. Except as provided in COMAR 21.05.03.02F, Proposals received by the Procurement Officer after the due date will not be considered.

4.2.1.1 Offerors shall provide their Proposals in two separate envelopes through eMMA following the Quick

Reference Guides (QRG) labelled “5 - eMMA QRG Responding to Solicitations (RFP)” for double envelope submissions.

4.2.1.2 The submission subject line shall state the RFP Title and number and either Technical Proposal or Budget

Narrative.

4.2.2 Two Part Submission:

A. Technical Proposal (See 4.3.)

B. Financial Proposal (See 4.4)

4.2.2.1 Proposals will be shown only to State employees, members of the Evaluation Committee, or other persons deemed by the Department to have a legitimate interest in them.

A. Technical Proposal consisting of:

1) Technical Proposal and all supporting material in Microsoft Word format, version 2007 or greater,

2) Technical Proposal in searchable Adobe PDF format,

3) a second searchable Adobe copy of the Technical Proposal, with confidential and proprietary information redacted (See Section 4.2.3).

B. Financial Proposal consisting of:

1) Financial Proposal in searchable Adobe PDF format,

2) a second searchable Adobe copy of the Financial Proposal, with confidential and proprietary information removed (See Section 4.2.3.

*All information submitted as part of this proposal is subject to release under the Public Information

Act (PIA). If you would like the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to consider redactions in the event that your proposal is subject to a PIA request, submit a proposed PIA copy including justifications for each redaction and under what statute that justification is qualified for redaction.

4.3 Volume I – Technical Proposal

Note: No pricing information is to be included in the Technical Proposal (Volume 1). Pricing information is to be included only in the Financial Proposal (Volume II).

4.3.1 The Technical Proposal shall include the following documents and information in the order specified as follows:

4.3.1.1 Transmittal Letter:

● Offeror;

● Solicitation Title and Solicitation Number that the Proposal is in response to;

● Signature, typed name, and title of an individual authorized to commit the Offeror to its Proposal;

● Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) of the Offeror, or if a single individual, that individual’s

Social Security Number (SSN);

● Offeror’s eMMA number;

● Offeror’s MBE certification number (if applicable);

● Offeror’s SBR number (if applicable) – please contact eMMA at 410-767-1492 if you don’t know your number.

4.3.1.2 Minimum Qualifications Documentation (If applicable)

The Offeror shall submit any Minimum Qualifications documentation that may be required, as set forth in Section 2

“Offeror Minimum Qualifications.”

4.3.1.3 Offeror Technical Response to RFP Requirements and Proposed Work Plan:

a. The Offeror shall address each Scope of Work requirement (Section 3.2) in its Technical Proposal and describe how its proposed services, including the services of any proposed subcontractor(s), will meet or exceed the requirement(s). If the State is seeking Offeror agreement to any requirement(s), the Offeror shall state its agreement or disagreement. Any paragraph in the Technical Proposal that responds to a Scope of Work (Section 3.2) requirement shall include an explanation of how the work will be done. Any exception to a requirement, term, or condition may result in having the Proposal classified as not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award or the

Offeror deemed not responsible.

b. The Offeror shall give a definitive description of the proposed plan to meet the requirements of the RFP, i.e., a Work Plan. The Work Plan shall include the specific methodology and techniques to be used by the Offeror in providing the required services as outlined in RFP Section 3, Scope of Work. The description shall include an outline of the overall management concepts employed by the Offeror and a project management plan, including project control mechanisms and overall timelines. Project deadlines considered contract deliverables must be recognized in the Work Plan.

c. The Offeror shall have qualified staff to ensure the ability to execute all of the requirements of the RFP.

Personnel working on this project should have at least three years of experience with online surveys or conducting public health surveillance demonstrated by the individual resumes for key personnel. The Offeror shall submit two examples of past surveys, public health surveillance projects, and/or summary reports with the Work Plan.

d. The Department has determined that a history of working for the tobacco industry presents a conflict of interest with respect to the delivery of services. Therefore, the Offeror shall not be currently providing services to an entity that is a part of the tobacco industry, as either a manufacturer of tobacco products or a distributor thereof and shall not have provided such services to such an entity since November 1998. The successful Offeror is prohibited from performing services for the tobacco industry or related entity throughout the entire term of the Contract resulting from this RFP (See Attachment D).

4.3.1.4 Signed W-9 with Contact Person Names and Phone Number

4.4 Volume II – Financial Proposal

4.4.1 Under separate sealed cover from the Technical Proposal and clearly identified in the format identified in

Section 4.2 “Proposals,” the Offeror shall submit an original unbound copy of the Financial Proposal. The Financial

Proposal shall contain all price information in the format specified in Exhibit B. The Offeror shall complete the

Financial Proposal Form only as provided in the RFP.

SECTION 5 – EVALUATION COMMITTEE, EVALUATION CRITERIA, AND

SELECTION PROCEDURE

5.1 Evaluation Committee

Evaluation of Proposals will be performed in accordance with COMAR 21.05.03 by a committee established for that purpose and based on the evaluation criteria set forth below. The Evaluation Committee will review Proposals, participate in Offeror oral presentations and discussions, and provide input to the Procurement Officer. The

Department reserves the right to utilize the services of individuals outside of the established Evaluation Committee for advice and assistance, as deemed appropriate.

5.2 Technical Proposal Evaluation Criteria

The criteria to be used to evaluate each Technical Proposal are listed below in descending order of importance.

5.2.1 Proposed Work Plan

5.2.2 Experience and Qualifications of Proposed Staff

5.2.3 Offeror Qualifications and Capabilities

5.3 Financial Proposal Evaluation Criteria

All Qualified Offerors will be ranked from the lowest (most advantageous) to the highest (least advantageous) price based on the Total Proposal Price within the stated guidelines set forth in this RFP and as submitted on Exhibit B -

Financial Proposal Form. In cases where the financial cost is fixed, then only the technical proposals are ranked.

5.4 Selection Procedures

5.4.1 General

The Contract will be awarded in accordance with the Competitive Sealed Proposals (CSP) method found at COMAR

21.05.03. The Competitive Sealed Proposals method allows for the conducting of discussions and the revision of

Proposals during these discussions. Therefore, the State may conduct discussions with all Offerors that have submitted Proposals that are determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for contract award or potentially so. However, the State reserves the right to make an award without holding discussions.

In either case (i.e., with or without discussions), the State may determine an Offeror to be not responsible and/or an

Offeror’s Proposal to be not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award at any time after the initial closing date for receipt of Proposals and prior to Contract award. If the State finds an Offeror to be not responsible and/or an

Offeror’s Technical Proposal to be not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award, that Offeror’s Financial

Proposal will be returned if the Financial Proposal is unopened at the time of the determination.

5.4.2 Award Determination

Upon completion of the Technical Proposal and Financial Proposal evaluations and rankings, each Offeror will receive an overall ranking. The Procurement Officer will recommend award of the Contract to the responsible

Offeror that submitted the Proposal determined to be the most advantageous to the State. In making this most advantageous Proposal determination, technical factors will receive equal weight with financial factors.

RFP ATTACHMENTS

EXHIBIT B – Financial Proposal Form

This must be completed and submitted with the Technical Proposal in a separate envelope.

ATTACHMENT A – Contract

This is the sample contract used by the Department. It is provided with the RFP for informational purposes and is not required to be submitted at Proposal submission time. Upon notification of recommendation for award, a completed contract will be sent to the recommended awardee for signature. The recommended awardee must return to the Procurement Officer the signed copy in a PDF within five (5) Business Days after receipt. Upon Contract award, a fully-executed copy will be sent to the Contractor.

ATTACHMENT B – Proposal Affidavit

This must be completed and submitted with the Technical Proposal.

ATTACHMENT C – Sample Timeline

ATTACHMENT D – Conflict of Interest Affidavit: Service Performed for Tobacco Industry

This must be completed and submitted with the Technical Proposal.

EXHIBIT B – FINANCIAL PROPOSAL FORM

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL FORM

The Financial Proposal shall contain all price information in the format specified on these pages. Complete the

Financial Proposal Form only as provided in the Financial Proposal Form format. Do not amend, alter or leave blank any items on the Financial Proposal Form. If option years are included, Offerors must submit costs for each option year. Failure to adhere to any of these instructions may result in the financial proposal being determined non-responsive and rejected by the Department.

Line Items Cost

1. Personnel $

2. Domain Name and Web Hosting $

3. Survey Software $

4. Incentives $

5. Other Direct Costs (10%) $

6. Other Category (Specify) $

7. Sub-Total: Add Line Items 1 - 6 $

Price is based onat a Total Cost of: $______________.

Submitted By:

Authorized Signature: _______________________________________________ Date: ________________________

Printed Name and Title: ___________________________________________________________________________

Company Name : ________________________________________________________________________________

Company Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

Location(s) from which services will be performed (City/State): ___________________________________________

FEIN: _________________________________________

eMMA #: ________________________________________

Telephone: (_______) _______-- ____________________

Fax: (_______) _______--____________________

E-mail: _________________________________________

ATTACHMENT A – CONTRACT

STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

SMALL PROCUREMENT CONTRACT

THIS CONTRACT (the “Contract”), is made as of the day of , 20 by and between the STATE OF MARYLAND, acting through the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (“Department”), and

(“Contractor”) whose principal office in Maryland is and whose principal business address is

(Please note that this template provides to you the clauses that are necessary for all small procurements. Your particular procurement may need additional clauses or provisions, such as those that are typically found in the standard solicitation templates and contracts (e.g., security provisions, rights in records, intellectual property, designation of the contract monitor, etc.)

The parties agree as follows:

1. Scope of Contract.

(a) The Contractor shall provide the following goods or services:

(Insert Contract Specifications here. Any product or service deliverables, milestones, or deadlines must be identified.

The specifications must clearly articulate what the State will be purchasing via this contract. Readers should understand exactly what the State is buying. The specifications need to be clearly written so that payment can be made appropriately, work (un)performed can be identified, and the contractual rights of the State can be enforced. If there is a written scope of work/solicitation, you can refer to it here.)

The scope of work or solicitation dated is attached and incorporated by reference as Exhibit . The

Contractor’s bid or proposal dated is attached and incorporated by references as Exhibit . If there

Is any conflict between this Contract and any exhibits incorporated by reference, the terms of this contract shall govern.

If there is any conflict among the Exhibits, the following order of precedence shall determine the prevailing provision:

Exhibit A – the scope of work or solicitation and Exhibit B – the Contractor’s bid or proposal.

(b) Changes. This Contract may be amended only with the written consent of both parties. Amendments may not change significantly the scope of the Contract (including the Contract price).

2. Term of Contract. The term of this Contract shall be for the period of

, 20 through , 20 .

3. Compensation and Method of Payment.

(a) Compensation. The total compensation for services to be rendered by the Contractor shall not exceed

$____________. (Insert the appropriate dollar amount for this Contract. The amount may not exceed $50,000.)

(b) Method of Payment. The Department shall pay the Contractor no later than thirty (30) days after the

Department receives a proper invoice from the Contractor. Charges for late payment of invoices, other than as prescribed by Title 15, Subtitle 1, State Finance and Procurement Article, Maryland Code, are prohibited.

(c) Tax Identification Number. The Contractor’s Federal Tax Identification Number is

. The Contractor’s Social Security Number is

(Individual Contractor Only). Contractor’s Federal Tax Identification Number (or

Social Security Number - Individual Contractor Only) shall appear on all invoices submitted by the

Contractor to the Department for payment.

(d) Invoicing. All invoices for services shall be signed by the Contractor and submitted to the Procurement Officer.

All invoices shall be submitted in triplicate no later than the 15th of the month for the preceding calendar month. (The invoice schedule may be adjusted to meet your particular needs. The 15th of the month billing cycle is fairly typical, but not required.) All invoices shall include the following information:

● Contractor name;

● Remittance address;

● Federal taxpayer identification number (or if sole proprietorship, the individual’s social security number);

● Invoice period;

● Invoice date;

● Invoice number

● State assigned Contract number;

● State assigned (Blanket) Purchase Order number(s);

● Goods or services provided; and

● Amount due.

Invoices submitted without the required information cannot be processed for payment until the Contractor provides the required information.

4. Procurement Officer. The Department designates to serve as Procurement Officer for this Contract. All contact between the Department and the Contractor regarding all matters relative to this Contract shall be coordinated through the Procurement Officer.

5. Disputes. Disputes arising under this Contract shall be governed by State Finance and Procurement Article, Title

15, Subtitle 2, Part III, Annotated Code of Maryland, and by COMAR 21.10 Administrative and Civil Remedies. Pending resolution of a dispute, the Contractor shall continue to perform this Contract, as directed by the Procurement Officer.

6. Termination for Convenience. The State may terminate this Contract, in whole or in part, without showing cause upon prior written notification to the Contractor specifying the extent and the effective date of the termination.

The State will pay all reasonable costs associated with this Contract that the Contractor has incurred up to the date of termination, and all reasonable costs associated with termination of the Contract. However, the Contractor may not be reimbursed for any anticipatory profits which have not been earned up to the date of termination. Termination hereunder, including the determination of the rights and obligations of the parties, shall be governed by the provisions of COMAR 21.07.01.12(A)(2).

7. Termination for Default. If the Contractor does not fulfill obligations under this Contract or violates any provision of this Contract, the Department may terminate the Contract by giving the Contractor written notice of termination. Termination under this paragraph does not relieve the Contractor from liability for any damages caused to the State. Termination hereunder, including the rights and obligations of the parties, shall be governed by the provisions of COMAR 21.07.01.11B.

8. Termination for Nonappropriation. If funds are not appropriated or otherwise made available to support continuation in any fiscal year succeeding the first fiscal year, this Contract shall be terminated automatically as of the beginning of the fiscal year for which funds are not available. The Contractor may not recover anticipatory profits or costs incurred after termination.

9. Non-Discrimination in Employment. The Contractor shall comply with the nondiscrimination provisions of federal and Maryland law, including, but not limited to, the employment provisions of §13-219 of the State Finance and

Procurement Article, Maryland Code and Code of Maryland Regulations 21.07.01.08, and the commercial nondiscrimination provisions of Title 19, Subtitle 1, State Finance and Procurement Article, Maryland Code.

10. Maryland Law Prevails. The laws of Maryland shall govern the interpretation and enforcement of this Contract.

The Maryland Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (Commercial Law Article, Title 22 of the Annotated Code of Maryland) does not apply to this Contract or any software license acquired hereunder.

11. Anti-Bribery. The Contractor certifies that, to the Contractor’s best knowledge, neither the Contractor; nor (if the Contractor is a corporation or partnership) any of its officers, directors, partners, or controlling stockholders; nor any employee of the Contractor who is directly involved in the business’s contracting activities, has been convicted of bribery, attempted bribery, or conspiracy to bribe under the laws of any state or of the United States.

12. Commercial Non-Discrimination Policy. The Contractor shall comply with the provisions of State Finance and

Procurement Article. Title 19, Annotated Code of Maryland.

IN WITNESS THEREOF, the parties have executed this Contract as of the date hereinabove set forth.

CONTRACTOR STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

(Seal)

By: By:

(Printed Name and Title) (Printed Name and Title)

Date Date

Attachments: Exhibit A: Scope of Work or Solicitation

Exhibit B: Bid or Proposal

ATTACHMENT B – Proposal Affidavit

A. AUTHORITY

I hereby affirm that I, _____________________ (name of affiant) am the ______________ (title) and duly authorized representative of _________________ (name of business entity) and that I possess the legal authority to make this affidavit on behalf of the business for which I am acting.

B. CERTIFICATION REGARDING COMMERCIAL NONDISCRIMINATION

The undersigned Bidder/Offeror hereby certifies and agrees that the following information is correct: In preparing its

Bid/proposal on this project, the Bidder/Offeror has considered all Bid/proposals submitted from qualified, potential subcontractors and suppliers, and has not engaged in “discrimination” as defined in § 19-103 of the State Finance and

Procurement Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. “Discrimination” means any disadvantage, difference, distinction, or preference in the solicitation,…