PHPA_3334_Community_Engagement_for_Adv_Directives__04032025RFA.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA)

STANDARD GRANT AGREEMENT (SGA)

(COMPETITIVE)

PROCUREMENT ID NUMBER – PHPA 3334/ BPM050491

Issue Date: April 03, 2025

Community Engagement Program to Increase Awareness and Uptake of Advance Directives Among Underutilizing

Maryland Residents

NOTICE

A Prospective Applicant that has received this document from the Maryland Department of Health, 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 RFA, should immediately contact the

Procurement Officer and provide the Prospective Applicant’s name and mailing address so that addenda to the RFA or other communications can be sent to the Prospective Applicant.

09/2024

STATE OF MARYLAND

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

RFA KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Applications: Community Engagement Program to Increase

Awareness and Uptake of Advance Directives

Among Underutilizing Maryland Residents

Solicitation Number: PHPA 3334/ BPM050491

RFA Issue Date: April 03, 2025

RFA Issuing Office: Maryland Department of Health

Prevention and Health Promotion Administration

Cancer and Chronic Disease Bureau

Center for Cancer Prevention and Control

Procurement Officer: Li’Chelle Lindsey

201 W. Preston Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone: 410-767-5621 e-mail: LiChelle.Lindsey@maryland.gov

Grant Monitor: Sadie Peters, MA, MD, MHS

201 West Preston Street, 302B

Baltimore, MD 21201

Pre-proposal conference: April 16, 2025 at 1:00pm

(link on eMMA)

Questions due date and time: April 23, 2025 Time: 2:00 pm EST Local Time

Applications are to be sent to: eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA)

(https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?Return

Url=%2fpage.aspx%2fen%2fbuy%2fhomepage). For questions and/or technical assistance, please contact emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov. In addition, you may visit https://procurement.maryland.gov for additional information.

Closing Date and Time: May 08, 2025 Time: 2:00pm EST Local Time https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?ReturnUrl=%2fpage.aspx%2fen%2fbuy%2fhomepage https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?ReturnUrl=%2fpage.aspx%2fen%2fbuy%2fhomepage mailto:emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov https://procurement.maryland.gov/

SECTION 1 - GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Summary Statement

1.1.1 The Maryland Department of Health (MDH or the Department), Center for Cancer Prevention and Control, is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) to develop and deliver advance directive education and training for community leaders, including those from faith-based groups and community-based organizations (CBOs), to increase their capacity to engage clients and community members about creating or updating their advance directives.

1.1.2 It is the State’s intention to obtain services, as specified in this RFA, from an Agreement between the selected Applicant and the State. The anticipated duration of services to be provided under this Agreement is October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.

1.1.3 The Department intends to make a single award of up to $75,000 as a result of this RFA.

1.1.4 Applicants, either directly or through their subcontractor(s), must be able to provide all services and meet all the requirements requested in this solicitation and the successful Applicant shall remain responsible for performance regardless of subcontractor participation in the work.

1.2 Contract Type

1.2.1 The Agreement resulting from this solicitation shall be a Fixed Price Contract.

1.3 Procurement Officer

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

Agreement is the Procurement Officer at the address listed below:

Li’Chelle Lindsey

Prevention and Health Promotion Administration Department

Maryland Department of Health

Phone Number: 410-767-5621

E-mail: LiChelle.Lindsey@maryland.gov

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

1.4 Grant Monitor

1.4.1 The Grant Monitor is:

Sadie Peters

Maryland Department of Health

201 West Preston Street, 302B

Baltimore, MD 21201

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

1.5 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage

1.5.1 Each Applicant is requested to indicate its eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) vendor number in the Transmittal Letter (cover letter) submitted at the time of its application submission to this RFA.

1.5.2 eMMA is an electronic commerce system administered by the Maryland Department of General

Services. The RFA and associated materials, the solicitation and summary of the Pre-Proposal

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

1.5.3 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.

1.6 Questions

1.6.1 Written questions from prospective Applicants will be accepted by the Procurement Officer.

Questions to the Procurement Officer shall be submitted via e-mail to the following e-mail address: LiChelle.Lindsey@maryland.gov. Please identify in the subject line the Solicitation

Number and Title.

1.6.2 Questions are requested to be submitted no later than the due date indicated on the RFA Key

Information Summary 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

Application due date.

1.7 Application Due (Closing) Date and Time

1.7.1 Applications, in the number and form set forth in Section 4.2 “Applications' ' must be received by the Procurement Officer, in eMaryland Marketplace (eMMA) or the RFA email address

RFA.PHPA@maryland.gov, no later than 2:00 pm EST Local Time on May 08, 2025 in order to be considered. If emailing, please identify in the subject line the Solicitation Number and Title.

1.7.2 Requests for an extension of this time or date will not be granted. Applications 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.

1.7.3 Applications 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 Application. Multiple and/or alternate Applications will not be accepted.

1.8 Award Basis

https://procurement.maryland.gov/ mailto:RFA.PHPA@maryland.gov

1.8.1 The Grant shall be awarded to responsible Applicants submitting Applications that have been determined to be the most advantageous to the State, considering price and evaluation factors set forth in this RFA, for providing the activities as specified in this RFA. See RFA Section 5 for further award information.

1.9 Revisions to the RFA

1.9.1 If it becomes necessary to revise this RFA before the due date for Applications, the Department shall endeavor to provide addenda to all prospective Applicants that were sent this RFA, or which are otherwise known by the Procurement Officer to have obtained this RFA.

1.9.2 Acknowledgment of the receipt of all addenda to this RFA issued before the Application due date shall be included in the Transmittal Letter accompanying the Applicant’s Project Narrative.

Acknowledgement of the receipt of addenda to the RFA issued after the Application due date shall be in the manner specified in the addendum notice. Failure to acknowledge receipt of an addendum does not relieve the Applicant from complying with the terms, additions, deletions, or corrections set forth in the addendum.

1.10 Cancellations

1.10.1 The State reserves the right to cancel this RFA, accept or reject any and all Applications, in whole or in part, received in response to this RFA, 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. The State reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to award a

Grant based upon the written Applications received without discussions or negotiations.

1.10.2 In the event a government entity proposes and receives the recommendation for award, the procurement may be canceled, and the award processed in accordance with COMAR

21.01.03.01.A(4). If the services that are the subject of the RFA 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 RFA may be canceled in accordance with Md. Code Ann., State

Finance and Procurement Art., § 3- 207(b)(2).

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

SECTION 2 – MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Applicant Mandatory Requirements

The Applicant must provide proof with its application that the following Mandatory Requirements have been met:

2.1.1 The Applicant shall be a social organization as defined per Section 7-402 of the State Finance and

Procurement Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland or a local, state government agency, public college or state university.

2.1.2 For social organization Applicants (not local, state government agency, public college, or state university), the Applicant must be a nonprofit organization, classified by the IRS as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applications must include attachments of the following documentation from the applicant:

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: Documentation of tax-exempt status of the Applicant or the Applicant’s fiscal sponsor (i.e., IRS tax exempt status determination letter)

SECTION 3 – SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 Background and Purpose

Advance Directives help individuals receive medical care consistent with their values and can improve one’s quality of care at the end of life. Advance Directives also decrease the financial burden on the health care system by reducing the likelihood of unwanted, costly life-sustaining treatments. Despite decades-long efforts to improve advance care planning through public awareness and technological infrastructure enhancements, two thirds of Maryland’s population have yet to complete an advance directive.1,2

In 2017, the Maryland legislature created the Maryland Advance Directive Program and directed

Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to implement an educational and outreach program to increase completion, access, and use of advance directives, especially digital advance directives, across the state.

Between 2017 and 2023, MDH’s community engagement activities reached more than 16,000 people statewide, but participation lagged among men, minority groups, youth under age 35, and rural residents.

Historically, lack of trust in healthcare institutions, widespread myths about advance care planning, cultural norms, and disjointed messaging have all hindered uptake of advance directives for vulnerable populations.3 Trained laypersons can be effective at engaging their peers in conversations about advance care planning4 and lay-led education, when tailored for harder to reach groups, can help normalize what may be challenging conversations for many people.5

1 MHCC. (2022). Advance Directives Workgroup Report. Retrieved 1/24/24 at https://mhcc.maryland.gov/mhcc/pages/hit/hit_advancedirectives/documents/hit_adv_directives_wkgrp.pdf 2 MHCC. (2023). “Chapter 297|Senate Bill 154 (2023) Public Health-Mental Health Advance Directives-Awareness and Statewide

Database: An Update of Activities” Retrieved 1/24/2024 at chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://mhcc.maryland.gov/mhcc/pages/hit/hit/documents/HIT_SB154_2023_rpt.pdf Brean SJ, Recoche K, William L, Lakhani A, Zhong Y, Shimoinaba K. Advance care plans for vulnerable and disadvantaged adults: systematic review and narrative synthesis. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2023 Jun 28:spcare-2023-004162.

4 Calista J, Tjia J. Moving the advance care planning needle with community health workers. Med Care. 2017;55(4):315–8.

5 Biondo PD, King S, Minhas B, Fassbender K, Simon JE; Advance Care Planning Collaborative Research and Innovation

Opportunities Program (ACP CRIO). How to increase public participation in advance care planning: findings from a World Café to elicit community group perspectives. BMC Public Health. 2019 Jun 3;19(1):679.

There exist many training modules that center community-based leaders and organizations with established reputations as key facilitators of advance care planning conversations.6,7,8,9 Some Maryland initiatives have had success in increasing the numbers of people who have named a health care agent,10,11 and in sharing information, including the availability of digital storage for advance directives, with multiple ethnic groups and in multiple languages with ready-made community engagement materials that could be used statewide.12

The Program’s current aims are to

1) target underutilizing groups with emphasis on message delivery from trusted individuals like faith-based and other community organization leaders; and

2) underscore a simple call to action:

● start by naming a healthcare agent

● start now

● use online/cloud-based storage for your advance directive.

The State is issuing this solicitation for the purposes of engaging a community education contractor to a) develop or adapt a multi-component community-based delivery model/curriculum that can be used to train advance directive community-based organization (CBO) leaders, including those from faith-based groups, b) use the model/curriculum to improve CBO leaders knowledge and skills to promote and facilitate advance directive completion for the people they serve. Additionally, the community education contractor shall disseminate and manage small grants to support local community engagement activities related to advance directives.

3.2 Scope of Work - Requirements

The target audience for this effort is community leaders who serve rural residents of Maryland.

The Contractor will:

3.2.1 Develop and Implement Live and On-Demand Training Sessions for Community-Based

Leaders

A. Develop and implement a robust education and engagement program for a variety of community leaders, including faith-based leaders, that a) increases their capacity to lead discussions about advance

6 Candrian C, Lasker Hertz S, Matlock D, Flanagan L, Tate C, Kutner JS, Lum HD. Development of a Community Advance Care

Planning Guides Program and the RELATE Model of Communication. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2020 Jan;37(1):5-11.

7 Carter RZ, Hassan E, Porterfield P, Barwich D. A model for community-led peer-facilitated advance care planning workshops for the public. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2023 Nov 29;17:26323524231212515.

8 Fink RM, Kline DM, Bailey FA, Handel DL, Jordan SR, Lum HD, Fischer SM. Community-Based Conversations about Advance

Care Planning for Underserved Populations Using Lay Patient Navigators. J Palliat Med. 2020 Jul;23(7):907-914.

9 Van Scoy LJ, Levi BH, Bramble C, Calo W, Chinchilli VM, Currin L, Grant D, Hollenbeak C, Katsaros M, Marlin S, Scott AM, Tucci

A, VanDyke E, Wasserman E, Witt P, Green MJ. Comparing two advance care planning conversation activities to motivate advance directive completion in underserved communities across the USA: The Project Talk Trial study protocol for a cluster, randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2022 Sep 30;23(1):829.

10 Wolff JL, Scerpella D, Giovannetti ER, et al. Advance Care Planning, End-of-Life Preferences, and Burdensome Care: A

Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2025;185(2):162–170. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.6215 11 Horizon Foundation. A Farewell to Speak(easy) Howard. Retrieved 1/31/25 at https://www.thehorizonfoundation.org/tag/speakeasy-howard/ 12 NexusMontgomery. Retrieved 1/31/2025 at https://www.nexusmontgomery.org/voice-your-choice.html https://www.nexusmontgomery.org/voice-your-choice.html directives, b) enhances their skills in completing advance directives for themselves and c) equips them with both skills and confidence to guide others to complete advance directives.

1) Review the existing literature, including literature on Maryland advance care planning, to identify the best practices for community engagement focused on community-based leaders who work with or serve harder to reach populations (i.e. rural residents)

2) Adapt or devise a multi-modular engaging curriculum for use in both online and in-person training

a) Ensure curriculum is designed with varying levels of complexity such that it allows for different learner computer/technical abilities (beginner to advanced) and prior to extensive knowledge of advance care planning

b) Develop and host the online module following Shareable Content Object Reference Model

(SCORM) standards and available in a learning management system (LMS) on the Applicant’s website.

i) Drafts must be submitted to, and discussed with, the MDH contract monitor and MDH project team before field testing and before dissemination to training session participants.

c) Field test the curriculum for acceptability and potential effectiveness among target audiences

d) Finalize the advance directives curricular module for both online and in-person training sessions

i) Final curricular module and training session plans must be reviewed and approved by the

MDH contract monitor and MDH project team.

3) Establish an online participant registration page for both in-person and online sessions

a) Provide timely and professional customer service to prospective and actual registrants on an ongoing basis

4) Recruit CBO leaders from diverse service occupations within an identified geographical area, including faith-based leaders, and train them using the multi-modular curriculum

a) Conduct in-person workshops

i) Workshops should vary in length according to the level of knowledge and expertise of the trainee cohort. (Specify in Work Plan.)

b) Facilitate availability of an online on-demand component on a publicly available website

c) Facilitate education session evaluation/satisfaction surveys by both online and in-person participants.

5) Include in all training sessions pre- and post-tests that capture both knowledge gained and intent to complete one’s own advance directive–from both online participants and in-person participants

6) Secure professional development and/or continuing education credits at no cost to in-person workshop and online module users

7) Capture and analyze demographic information for both online and in-person participants to understand geographic and socio-economic reach of the training sessions

8) Host recorded training sessions online for at least 3 years, accessible to the public on-demand and at no cost to users

a) Provide a mechanism for secure file transfer of the online material to MDH when requested.

9) Provide a mechanism for participant feedback about the sessions

a) Evaluate both online and in-person training sessions and the project’s impact and reach.

b) Analyze pre- and post-test knowledge and intent responses—from both in-person and online training sessions—to understand impact of training on participants

c) Analyze participant demographics to understand the project’s reach

d) Analyze participant feedback.

3.2.2 Fund Community Member Engagement through Mini Grants

A. Develop and implement activities that facilitate direct engagement of rural residents.

1) Provide approximately five mini-grants to CBOs to facilitate local conversations and awareness activities about advance directives and advance care planning targeting community residents

2) Proposals for mini grants should require a description of the target audience, a brief Work Plan describing the mini-grantee’s proposed activities, a brief budget, and expected outcomes.

B. Report to MDH the outcomes of each mini-grantee’s activities (See Deliverables in Section 3.2.4

C. Non-allowable use of funds

1) Funds under this contract may not be used to purchase or reimburse for costs of food, lobbying activities, evidence-based community programs, direct clinical service provision, or construction of physical improvements to the workplace

3.2.3 Work Plan

A. The Applicant shall follow a detailed Work Plan (template provided as ATTACHMENT G), to be included with this application, that outlines the specific tasks, timeline, team members responsible for achieving each task and objective. The Work Plan should clearly demonstrate the plan for how the

Applicant will execute the project and ensure efficient use of the grant funds and available resources.

3.2.4 Deliverables/Performance Measures

By the end of the project period, the Contractor shall have completed the following:

A. At least 20 new CBO and faith-based leaders will be trained in advance directives within the identified geographical area(s) during the grant period

B. 100% of CBO and faith-based leaders who participate in the in-person workshops will complete a post-test with at least 80% of the questions answered correctly

● 75% of CBO leaders completing workshops report high confidence to engage clients in advance directives conversations

● 75% of CBO workshop participants create and complete or update their own advance directive

C. At least 15,000 people will be reached through community engagement with mini grants

● At least 80% of post-tests from community members (who take a pre- and post-test) get at least 80% of the post-test questions correct.

D. Final deliverables shall include a report that provide

● An executive summary summarizing the key achievements of the project, including mini-grant activities

● The multi-modular curriculum, project evaluation (including analysis of pre-and post-test data), and an appendix with any associated recruitment and training materials

● An overview of participant feedback gained over the grant period

● Recommendations for changes to the curriculum and implementation process that might be impactful to reach other MDH target populations (men, minority groups, disabled populations, and people younger than 35).

3.2.5 Description of Organizational Capacity, Staffing, and Experience

A. Clearly describe the capacity of the Applicant organization to carry out the project’s Scope of Work, including previous experience planning and conducting educational training sessions online and in person; recruiting and training community leaders to engage those whom they serve; past work with vulnerable populations and in rural areas of Maryland; and expertise of the team to be dedicated to this project.

B. To demonstrate their experience, the Applicant must provide written references from two other organizations that attest to previous work with dates, specific project descriptions, including deliverables, and outcomes achieved.

C. The Applicant must provide a list of in-person conferences and online training session titles, name and address of venue or online platforms on which the sessions were presented, number of attendees at each session, and contact information (name, phone number, and email address) of the individual associated with the organization for which the conference or online training session was coordinated.

D. Provide a resume for each proposed team member participating in the project. It is preferred that the

Applicant’s staff have experience recruiting and providing in-person and online education for community leaders, including faith-based leaders, who serve rural residents. This experience should be highlighted on the resumes of all relevant team members

1) The Applicant will have a designated Project Director who oversees all project activities and is the main point of contact for the Grant Monitor.

2) A single individual may fulfill multiple roles. If so, the Applicant should highlight this in their initial Work Plan.

3) The Applicant may employ or subcontract to fulfill the requirements of the project.

3.2.6 Participate in Regular Planning and Update Meetings with MDH

A. Designate a point person to participate in bi-weekly meetings to report on project planning and to obtain feedback from MDH and Advance Directive Program partners.

B. Regularly update MDH with

• Training session components/topics

• Outreach and engagement strategies

• Live and on-demand offerings

• Post-training debrief/evaluation reviews

3.2.7 Reporting Requirements

3.2.7.1 The Applicant will maintain and submit financial reports and progress updates. This includes a requirement to:

A. Establish a separate account to track expenditures under this grant

B. Maintain accurate records, including documentation of each transaction associated with the project

C. Submit invoices and financial reports (templates will be provided) by the deadline given by MDH

D. Submit a final invoice for any unbilled expenditures by the deadline given by MDH.

E. Submitting refunds of any unexpected funds by the deadline given by MDH.

3.2.7.2 The Applicant shall submit interim report describing the progress of the project along with each invoice submitted using the template provided by MDH. The interim report should provide an update on the activities listed in the Work Plan submitted by the Applicant and approved by MDH.

General Requirements

3.2.8 Product and Deliverable Ownership

The Applicant must provide written acknowledgement to the following:

A. All data created, handled, or processed by the Applicant for this project is owned by MDH. The data may not be shared with resources that are not on the Grant, other states, or vendors without approval of the MDH contract monitor.

B. The Applicant shall coordinate with the MDH contract monitor to securely transfer and store the educational modules and all data collected and analyzed throughout the project period and at the end of the specified time (3 years) for hosting on demand recorded sessions.

3.2.9 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 shall include the following information:

● Grantee 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 Grant payment in the event the

Grantee does not provide the Department with all required deliverables within the time frame specified in the Grant or in the event that the Grantee otherwise materially breaches the terms and conditions of the Grant until such time as the Grantee brings itself into full compliance with the Grant.

3.3.2 Invoice Submission Schedule

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

Document Expenditure Period Due Date Payment

Amount

First Invoice October 1, 2025 – December 31, January 15, 2026 Actual expenditures must be accompanied by adequate documentation

Second Invoice January 1, 2026 – March 31, April 15, 2026

Third (Final)

Invoice

April 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026 July 31, 2026

Final Financial

Report

October 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 August 15, 2026

• Invoices (completed using the invoice template provided by the contract monitor) are due by the 15th of the month following the previous two months during which services were performed. These forms cannot be altered. If you do not have expenditures in a given month, submit the signed MDH invoice reflecting zero expenditures.

• The third and final invoice (completed using the invoice template provided) is due no later than 31 days after the grant period ends.

• A final financial report listing all grant expenditures during the award period (completed using the template provided) is due no later than 45 days after the date the grant period ends.

Supporting Documentation Requirements: The award recipient must be able to support grant expenditures with adequate source documentation. The extent of the documentation required is affected by the budgetary categories stated in the approved budget. The nature and type of the documentation needed may also vary, depending on the relationship to specific internal controls.

Invoice submissions must be calculated using actual expenditures and accompanied by adequate supporting documentation. Invoices must be submitted, even if no expenditures are being submitted for reimbursement.

Specific requirements: All invoices must be accompanied by itemized receipts and other direct evidence of actual expenditures. Adequate forms of documentation are as follows:

I. Reimbursement of salary and fringe benefits will be based on records that accurately reflect the time period requested, including itemization by individual and pay period.

II. Copies of canceled checks or other documents providing direct evidence that the transaction was executed. All copies of canceled checks submitted should include both the front and back of the check.

III. Submission of credit card statements is not sufficient documentation of an incurred and paid expense unless itemized supporting documentation is also provided (e.g., a purchase receipt/invoice and statement verifying the balance was paid in full).

IV. General ledgers/journals may be included with supporting documentation but should only serve to improve the clarity and organization of the supporting documentation. General ledgers/journals will not be accepted as direct evidence of expenditures.

V. Any invoiced expenditures determined by prorating a larger expenditure must be clearly identified as a prorated item in the supporting documentation, along with the specific prorating percent.

VI. Expenditures directly linked to a specific deliverable will only be reimbursed if the deliverable is complete and acceptable.

VII. Minimum requirements for travel expense documentation include:

• Purpose of travel

• Date(s) of travel

• Names and roles of travelers

• Any applicable travel expenses with itemized receipts

• Miles traveled

VIII. Each item of supporting documentation must be clearly labeled with the expenditure category(ies), purpose, and total amounts contained therein. Relevant expenditures must be clearly identified if alongside extraneous expenditures.

IX. It is the responsibility of the Grantee to submit supporting documentation that is clear, complete, and readily linked to invoiced expenditures. Invoices and/or supporting documentation that require piecing together to any degree will be rejected.

Conscientious preparation of invoices and supporting documentation facilitates efficient invoice approval within MDH and, in turn, prompt delivery for further processing and payment.

3.3.3 Insurance Requirements - The recommended awardee must provide current certificate(s) of insurance with the prescribed coverages, limits and requirements set forth in this section within five (5) Business Days from notice of recommended award. During the period of performance for multi-year contracts, the Grantee shall provide certificates of insurance annually, or as otherwise directed by the Contract Monitor. Any insurance furnished as a condition of the Contract shall be issued by a company authorized to do business in the State of Maryland.

3.3.3.1 Subcontractor Insurance - The Grantee shall require any subcontractors to obtain and maintain comparable levels of coverage and shall provide the

Contract Monitor with the same documentation as is required of the

Contractor.

3.3.3.2 The following type(s) of insurance and minimum amount(s) of coverage are required:

A. Commercial General Liability - of $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury and $3,000,000 annual aggregate. The minimum limits required herein may be satisfied through any combination of primary and umbrella/excess liability policies.

B. Errors and Omissions/Professional Liability - $1,000,000 per combined single limit per claim and $3,000,000 annual aggregate.

C. Cyber Security / Data Breach Insurance – The Contractor shall possess and maintain throughout the term of the Contractor and for three (3) years thereafter, cyber risk/ data breach insurance (either separately or as part of a broad Professional Liability or Errors and Omissions Insurance) with limits of at least five million dollars ($5,000,000) per claim. Any "insured vs. insured" exclusions will be modified accordingly to allow the

State additional insured status without prejudicing the State’s rights under the policy(ies).

Coverage shall be sufficiently broad to respond to the Contractor's duties and obligations under the Contract and shall include, but not be limited to, claims involving privacy violations, information theft, damage to or destruction of electronic information, the release of Sensitive Data, and alteration of electronic information, extortion, and network security. The policy shall provide coverage for, not by way of limitation, breach response costs as well as regulatory fines and penalties as well as credit monitoring expenses with limits sufficient to respond to these obligations.

SECTION 4 – APPLICATION FORMAT

4.1 Two Part Submission

4.1.1 Offerors shall submit Proposals in separate volumes:

▪ Volume I – Project Narrative

▪ Volume II – Budget Justification/Narrative

4.2 Applications

4.2.1 Applications must be submitted to eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA),or the RFA email address RFA.PHPA@maryland.gov. The Procurement Officer will not accept submission after the date and exact time stated in the Key Information Summary Sheet.

4.2.1.1 The submission subject line shall state the RFA Title and PHPA number and either

Technical Proposal or Budget Narrative.

4.2.1.2 Two Part Submission:

A. Technical Proposal (See Section 4.3)

B. Budget Narrative (See Section 4.4)

4.2.2 Applications 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.

*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 – Project Narrative

Note: No pricing information is to be included in the Project Narrative (Volume 1). Pricing information is to be included only in the Budget Justification/Narrative (Volume II).

4.3.1 The Project Narrative shall include the following documents and information in the order specified as follows:

4.3.1.1 Transmittal Letter:

● Applicant;

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

● Signature, typed name, and title of an individual authorized to commit the

Applicant to its Proposal;

mailto:RFA.PHPA@maryland.gov

● Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) of the Applicant, or if a single individual, that individual’s Social Security Number (SSN);

● Applicant’s eMMA number;

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

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

4.3.1.2 Scope of Work/Work Plan shall include the Scope of Work, including the Work Plan

(as described in Section 3.2).

4.3.1.3 Mandatory Requirements Documentation

4.3.1.3.1 For social organization Applicants (not local, state government agency, public college, or state university), the Applicant must be a nonprofit organization, classified by the IRS as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Applications must include attachments of the following documentation from the applicant:

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: Documentation of tax-exempt status of the

Applicant or the Applicant’s fiscal sponsor (i.e., IRS tax exempt status determination letter).

4.3.1.3.2 The Applicant shall have experience in implementing community-based education projects for vulnerable or underserved populations in Maryland, including those in rural areas.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: Written references from two other organizations, on their official organizational letterhead, that attest to previous work with dates, specific project descriptions, including deliverables, and outcomes achieved.

4.3.1.3.3 The Applicant shall have experience planning and conducting educational training sessions online and in person.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: A list of in-person conferences and online training session titles, name and address of venue or online platforms on which the sessions were presented, number of attendees at each session, and contact information (name, phone number, and email address) of the individual associated with the organization for which the conference or online training session was coordinated.

4.3.1.4 Applicant Technical Response to RFA Requirements and Proposed Work Plan:

a. The Applicant shall address each Scope of Work requirement (Section 3.2) in its

Project Narrative 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 Applicant agreement to any requirement(s), the Applicant shall state its agreement or disagreement. Any paragraph in the Project Narrative 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 Application classified as not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award or the Applicant deemed non-responsive.

b. Applicant shall acknowledge they have read the American with Disabilities Act

Statement in Section 3.2 and will meet all requirements.

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

4.4 Volume II – Budget Narrative

4.4.1 Under a separate folder from the Project Narrative and clearly identified in the format identified in

Section 4.2 “Applications,” the Applicant shall submit a copy of the Budget Narrative. The

Budget Narrative shall contain all price information in the format specified in Exhibit C. The

Applicant shall complete the Budget Narrative Form only as provided in the Budget Narrative

Form.

4.4.2 The Applicant shall attach to the Budget Form Exhibit B document that details the total cost of the proposed activities. The budget categories may include: Personnel (salary and fringe), Consultants; Travel; Contractual; Supplies; Operating Costs; and Other project-related costs.

SECTION 5 – EVALUATION COMMITTEE, EVALUATION CRITERIA,

AND SELECTION PROCEDURE

5.1 Evaluation Committee

5.1.1 Evaluation of Applications will be performed by a committee established for that purpose and based on the evaluation criteria set forth below. The Evaluation Committee will review

Applications, participate in Applicant 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 Project Narrative Evaluation Criteria

The criteria to be used to evaluate each Project Narrative within the Scope of Work: Requirements are listed below in descending order of importance.

5.2.1. Develop and Implement Live and On-Demand Training Sessions for Community-Based Leaders as described in Section 3.2.1

5.2.2 Fund Community Member Engagement through Mini Grants as described in Section 3.2.2

5.2.3 Work Plan as described in Section 3.2.3

5.2.4 Acknowledgement of Deliverables and Performance Measures as described in Section 3.2.4

5.2.5 Description of Organizational Capacity, Staffing and Experience as described in Section 3.2.5

5.2.6 Participate in Regular Planning and Update Meetings with MDH as described in Section 3.2.6

5.2.7 Reporting Requirements (Attestation required in application) as described in Section 3.2.7

5.2.8 Acknowledgement of intent to follow the ADA Act as described in Section 3.2.8

5.3 Budget Narrative Evaluation Criteria

All Qualified Applicants will be ranked from the lowest (most advantageous) to the highest (least advantageous) based on the rating of the Project Narratives. The Budget Narrative (including the Budget

Form and Budget Narrative), will be evaluated based on reasonable cost given the time and effort described in the Project Narrative. The budget line items must be within the stated guidelines set forth in this RFA and as submitted on Exhibit B – Budget Narrative.

5.4 Selection Procedures

5.4.1 General

The Grant will be awarded in accordance with the Standard Grant Agreement method outlined in the Announcement. The State may determine an Applicant to be non-responsive and/or an

Applicant’s Application to be not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award at any time after the initial closing date for receipt of Applications and prior to Grant award.

If the State finds an Applicant to be not responsive and/or an Applicant’s Project Narrative to be not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award, that Applicant’s Budget Narrative will be returned if the Budget Narrative is unopened at the time of the determination.

5.4.2 Award Determination

Upon completion of the Project Narrative and Budget Narrative evaluations and rankings, each

Applicant will receive an overall ranking. The Procurement Officer will recommend award of the

Grant to the responsible Applicant that submitted the Application determined to be the most advantageous to the State. In making this most advantageous Application determination, technical factors and financial factors will be weighted equally.

RFA ATTACHMENTS

EXHIBIT A – Budget Form

This must be completed and submitted with the Project Narrative in a separate envelope.

EXHIBIT B- Budget Narrative

This form must be completed and submitted with the Budget Form in a separate envelope from the

Project Narrative.

EXHIBIT C- Standard Grant Agreement “Sample”

This is the sample grant agreement used by the Department. It is provided with the RFA for informational purposes and is not required to be submitted an Application submission time. Upon notification of recommendation for award, a completed standard grant agreement will be sent to the recommended awardee for signature. The recommended awardee must return to the Procurement Officer one (1) executed copies of the Standard Grant Agreement within five (5) Business Days after receipt.

Upon award, a fully executed copy will be sent to the Grantee. APPENDIX A & B

EXHIBIT D – RFA Document Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure that the required documents for the Project Narrative and Budget

Narrative are completed.

ATTACHMENT A- Conditions of Award

ATTACHMENT B- Federal Funds

ATTACHMENT C- Debarment Affirmation

ATTACHMENT D - Certification Regarding Tobacco Smoke

ATTACHMENT E - Certification Regarding Lobby

ATTACHMENT F- Additional Information required for Prevention and Health Promotion

Administration Grants

ATTACHMENT G:-Work Plan Template

EXHIBIT A – BUDGET FORM

BUDGET FORM

The Budget Narrative shall contain all price information in the format specified on these pages. Complete the Budget Form only as provided in the Budget Form format. Do not amend, alter or leave blank any items on the Budget Form. Failure to adhere to any of these instructions may result in the Budget

Narrative being determined non-responsive and rejected by the Department.

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: _________________________________________

Budget Summary

Line Item Qty Unit Cost Total Cost

Salary

Fringe

Contractual

Travel

Operating Costs

Supplies

Other

Other

Other

Other

TOTAL

IDC % CAP 10%

EXHIBIT B – BUDGET NARRATIVE

BUDGET NARRATIVE TEMPLATE

(Please submit a separate Narrative for each Budget Period)

Sample Line-Item Justification

Personnel (Preventionist): $15,600

Justification: The Preventionist will be responsible for: conducting project-related relationship-building activities with new and existing partners; developing informational materials for community leaders and the public, including fact sheets and social media posts related to the project topic; coordinating and facilitating monthly project meetings with partners; conducting awareness-building activities within key demographic areas in the community to engage the project target audience; developing and providing professional training at targeted local governmental agencies and private businesses; attending community events relevant to the project and the project’s partners. The Project Coordinator will also attend RISEMD meetings, collect data, conduct evaluation activities, prepare reports, and act as a liaison with the MDH Grant Monitor.

$30/hr. x 520 hours = $15,600

EXHIBIT C – Standard Grant Agreement “Sample”

ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE STATE

STANDARD GRANT AGREEMENT

This Agreement, which is executed in compliance with Section 7-402 of the State Finance and Procurement Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, is made this <enter day> day of <month, year> , between the State of

Maryland (the “State”), acting through the Maryland Department of Health, (the “Department”), located at <enter

MDH Address> and the <grantee name> (the “Grantee” ), located at <grantee address> in <county / city> County, <state, zip> , a Maryland Limited Liability Company / Corporation. .

1. Effective on the date of execution of this Agreement, the State is extending to the Grantee a grant in the amount of

<amount in words> Dollars ($ xx,xxx.xx) (the “Grant”), which the Grantee shall use only for the following purposes: <grant purpose>

2. Any expenditure of Grant funds that is not consistent with the purposes stated in paragraph 1 may, at the sole discretion of the Department, be disallowed. Should any expenditure be disallowed, or should the Grantee violate any of the terms of this Agreement, the State may require repayment to the State Treasury, an offset from any State Grant to the Grantee in the current or succeeding fiscal year, or other appropriate action. The Grantee shall repay to the State any part of the Grant that is not used for the purposes stated in paragraph 1 within 3 months after the date of this Agreement.

3. The Grantee may not sell, lease, exchange, give away, or otherwise transfer or dispose of real or personal property, or any part of or interest in real or personal property, acquired with Grant funds without the prior written consent of the

Department. This includes transfer or disposition to a successor on the merger, dissolution, or other termination of the existence of the Grantee. The Grantee shall give the Department written notice at least 30 calendar days before any proposed transfer or disposition. Any proceeds from a permitted transfer or disposition shall be applied to repay to the State a percentage of that portion of the Grant allocable to the particular real or personal property transferred or disposed of, unless the Department and the

Grantee agree to other terms and conditions. The percentage shall be equal to the percentage of the unadjusted basis of the property that would remain if the property had been recovery property placed in service after December 31, 1980, and if all allowable deductions had been taken up to the time of disposition under the Accelerated Cost Recovery System (ACRS) specified in the United States Internal Revenue Code, Section 168(b)(1).

4. For any item of real or personal property that is acquired with Grant funds and has an original fair market value of

Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) or more, the Grantee shall, at its own expense, and for the reasonable useful life of that item or for 5 years, whichever is less, obtain and maintain insurance. The insurance shall provide full protection for the Grantee and the

State against loss, damage, or destruction of or to the real or personal property. The Grantee shall, on request, provide the

Department with satisfactory evidence of its compliance with this requirement. Proceeds of insurance required by this paragraph shall be applied toward replacement of the real or personal property or toward the partial or total repayment of the State of the

Grant, in the sole discretion of the Department.

5. The Grantee may not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other characteristic forbidden as a basis for discrimination by applicable laws and certifies that its Constitution or…