PRE-ETS RFR Amendment 9-2018 FINAL.docx

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission 600 Washington Street Boston, MA 02111-1704

CHARLES D. BAKER

GOVERNOR

KARYN E. POLITO

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

MARYLOU SUDDERS

SECRETARY

TONI WOLF

COMMISSIONER

(617) 204-3600 1 (800) 245-6543 Voice/TDD (617) 204-3868

FAX (617) 727-1354

RFR File Number: MRC PRE-ETS 11-16 Pre-Employment Transition Services for Students – Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) As of September 18, 2018, The RFR File Number: MRC PRE-ETS 11-16, is being amended as follows to broaden the age range of the consumers to be served under the procurement and to allow for the provision of Pre-ETS services to students with disabilities who may be potentially eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation Services in addition to the provision of services to existing MRC and MCB VR-eligible consumers.

Any questions on this amendment should be submitted via COMMBUYS by Monday, September 24th 2018, 4:00 PM at https://www.COMMBUYS.com/bso/ Responses to questions will be posted by Thursday, September 27, 2018, 4:00 PM.

COMMBUYS Helpdesk #: 1-888-627-8283 (8am - 5pm ET Monday - Friday)

The RFR is amended as follows:

Cover Sheet, Page 1 is revised to add an additional Program Director: “Jennifer Stewart, Statewide Transition Director, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission”

Description and Purpose of Procurement, Section B, Purpose of Procurement is amended to add:

1. The purpose of this amended procurement is to allow provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services to students with disabilities who are potentially eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation services in addition to the provision of services to students who are already eligible for MRC and MCB VR services. MRC and MCB will continue to require vendors to make available the five existing Pre-Employment Transition Services. These services remain the same as outlined in the original procurement. The services include: Work Based Learning Experience/Internship, Job Exploration Counseling, and Workplace Readiness Training, Self-Advocacy/Mentoring Instruction, and Counseling on Enrollment in Post-Secondary Education or Other Comprehensive Transition Training Programs. Vendors are encouraged to provide services in a group or classroom setting.

2. In addition, the age range for consumers that can be served under this procurement is being expanded. Providers may now serve high school and/or post-secondary education students with disabilities aged 14 through 21 (up to their 22nd Birthday).

3. Vendors will now be able to recruit potentially eligible students directly from schools and other referral services as well as getting assistance in obtaining referrals through MRC Vocational Rehabilitation counselors. A potentially eligible student is defined as a student with a disability who has not applied directly for Vocational Rehabilitation services from MRC or MCB. There will be no changes to the process for VR-eligible consumers, who will continue to be referred to providers from a MRC or MCB counselors.

4. For potentially Eligible consumers, vendors will now be asked to record the recruitment and provision of Pre-ETS services and report them to MRC for using a web-based database Formstack. The following data elements are required to be reported quarterly for potentially eligible students receiving Pre-ETS services. Upon initial enrollment, MRC VR Supervisors will review and approve information submitted via Formstack. Providers will continue to report quarterly via Formstack until the student is no longer receiving any of the 5 Pre-ETS services. Training will be provided by MRC on these data elements and the process for reporting. Vendors must maintain backup documentation for all data elements reported to MRC.

Formstack Data Elements:

· Student First and Last Name

· Current Age

· Student Address

· Provider Name

· Provider Staff Member Completing Form

· Date Form Submitted

· Date of Birth

· Race

· Ethnicity

· Student with a Disability (IEP, 504)

· Start Date of Pre-Employment Transition Services

· Pre-Employment Transition Service Details

If a potentially eligible student is receiving Pre-ETS services and elects to apply for Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the vendor would need to refer the student to the appropriate MRC or MCB Area Office for application and eligibility determination for the VR program.

Participant Requirements, Section D, is amended to read:

“Consumers served through this procurement must be:

· A student with a disability who is potentially eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation Services from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission or Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.

or

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

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

AND

· An enrolled high school student or post-secondary education student with a disability; including but not limited to those receiving services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 plan.

· Within the Ages of 14 through 21 (up to their 22nd birthday).

No other changes are being made.

Timeframe and Submission Requirements:

All existing contracted providers under this RFR must submit a letter on their official letterhead via COMMBUYS indicating their agreement that they have reviewed and accepted the revised terms of the RFR. In addition, existing vendors need to update and submit a revised curriculum to include the provision of services to potentially eligible students and to incorporate the expanded age range for consumers served under the RFR.

All letters and revised curricula must be submitted in COMMBUYS by Thursday, October 4th, 2018 at 4:00pm.

Any new vendors seeking to apply under this RFR must submit a full proposal following the requirements in the original RFR and this attachment via COMMBUYS. This is an open, rolling enrollment procurement. Responses may be submitted at any time until 6 months prior to the end of the procurement period.

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