Answers to Questions PSA-10-RFP-0001 December 08 2010.doc

PSA-10-RFP-0001

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

8 December 2010

DC PSA SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES

Q1. Attachment 1 - #8 Contractor Facilities, 8.1: Do offerors need to be certified by JCAHO or CARF?

A1. Contractors do not need to be JCAHO or CARF certified, as long as they are appropriately recognized to deliver treatment services by the appropriate single state agency. JCAHO/CARF certification, while not required, will be considered a value-added component.

Q2. Attachment 1 - #8 Contractor Facilities, 8.2: Does non-mingled space at all times for treatment, dining, sleeping, bathroom areas mean that PSA clients cannot be in the same treatment groups, dining, sleeping, bathroom areas as clients from other agency contracts?

A2. It does not mean this. It means that that PSA clients may not share these areas with those not receiving treatment services—e.g. homeless shelter, halfway house, or other non-treatment recipients. PSA clients may be co-mingled with those from other agency contracts as long as the other clients are also receiving treatment services.

Q3. Attachment 1 - #10 Residential Treatment, 10.1: Does Level III.7 - Medically Monitored ASAM PPC criteria require an on-site medical director and/or on-site medical staff?

A3. This level of care does not require on-site medical director and/or on-site medical staff. It requires “Telephone or in-person consultation with a physician and emergency services, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” Please note the solicitation has incorrectly labeled the Clinical Managed High Intensity Residential Treatment required in 10.1 and referenced in 10.1.1 as Level III.7. The correct designation should be Level III.5. The Contractor should use criteria outlined in the ASAM PPC for Level III.5 Clinical Managed High Intensity Residential Treatment to respond to these requirement.

Q4. Clauses/Proposal Instructions, Page 17, 12.1.3 (a): Is it required that we provide HIV risk assessment, risk reduction and referral for counseling and testing?

A4: The items are not requirements, but value added enhancements. HIV risk assessment, risk reduction and referral for counseling and testing are not requirements.

Q5. Can you explain what is required in a subcontracting plan for agencies that are not small businesses (page 18, #13.1, e)?

A5. The requirements for a subcontracting plan are found at FAR 19.704 and the contract clause 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan. This information can be found at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/ or http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm

Q6. Page 17 of Clauses/Proposal Instructions, 12.1.3 (c): Among program enhancements that proposers may propose, it lists GBLT services. However, GBLT services are not mentioned in the list of possible enhanced services listed in the Statement of Work (Section 12, Enhanced Services, on pages 11 and 12 of the Statement of Work). Is this still one of the enhanced services that PSA would like to see?

A6. The GBLT services enhancement was inadvertently left out of the SOW Section 12. These services are among the enhancements that contractors may propose. The SOW will be amended to add:

13.6 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered (GLBT) Focused Treatment: Such services may include, but are not limited to GLBT-appropriate sleeping, bathing, and restroom facilities, as well as specialized interventions and staff to engage and assist this population whose presenting issues may include, in addition to substance abuse, sexual orientation and gender identity difficulties, family of origin/family of choice matters, discrimination and homophobia, domestic violence, barriers to employment, housing, & essential services, and HIV/AIDS-related and other personal health concerns.

Q7. May contractors provide Enhanced Services at one proposed program and not at another?

A7. Yes. Proposals must clearly identify which programs include the Enhanced Services.

Q8. On the budget forms, must proposers submit a unit price for ALL of the Coefficients for enhanced services under each treatment services that we will offer?

A8. Offerors must submit a unit price for all basic services offered and a Coefficient for any proposed enhanced services under the offered basic services (e.g., if the Offeror is proposing Residential Treatment services and will offer only the Medication-assisted Services enhancement and none of the others, the Offeror should include a Coefficient only for Medication-assisted Services).

Q9. Statement of Work, p. 12: For the Youthful African American Male Enhanced Services, is there a particular evidence based practice that PSA would require providers to use?

A9. There is not. The Contractor is not required to use any particular evidenced based practice or program. See FAR Clause 52.212-1 Addendum, 12.1.2, Offerors should describe the approaches proposed, including any applicable evidence base if the approach isn’t referenced in the National Registry of Evidenced Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) as targeted for this population. If the approach is referenced in NREPP, then noting that in the proposal is sufficient.

Q10. For the Coefficient for Medication Assisted services (on the budget pages) – do you have guidelines for the average price of medications?

A10. Offerors should propose pricing based on their experience with providing this service in the DC area market. Only Offerors who currently provide medication assisted services as described in the SOW may propose to deliver this enhancement.

Q11. Statement of Work, page 5, item 5.1 says “The Contractor shall immediately accept the number of defendants that are referred by PSA officials at any time based on the number of dedicated treatment slots procured by and reserved for the Government. These slots must remain vacant unless occupied by a PSA referred defendant and shall be invoiced whether filled or not.” Does this mean that Pretrial Services Agency will be paying contractors for empty beds? If so, how will the number of reserved beds be determined?

A11. As explained in FAR Clause 52.212-4 Addendum, 5, Task Order Quantities, PSA will issue task orders that identify to the Contractor the number of beds to be reserved for our use. Those quantities will be determined by PSA based on historical data. Attachment 2, page 11, paragraph 2, Variation in Quantities explains that the task orders will permit a variation in quantity. This may mean that PSA will pay for empty beds, but it may also mean that the Contractor will have to provide additional beds at no additional cost. Actual quantities used will be reconciled and payment adjusted as described in Attachment 2, page 11, paragraph 2.2.

Q12. Statement of Work, page 8, #10.1.1: For the required Clinically Managed Residential Detoxification services, will this require a nurse on site 24 hours a day? Will this require other medical services?

A12. The ASAM designation for this level of care is Level III.2-D, not Level III-D as the SOW specified. Twenty four hour nursing care or additional medical services are not required. The Offeror should consult the ASAM PPC for a full description of this service. However a review of this level of care will reveal that the requirements for social detoxification can generally be met by any Offeror providing Level III.5 clinically managed residential care. For instance, the ASAM PPC stipulates that programs providing clinically managed residential detoxification (Level III.2-D) are required to be “staffed by appropriately credentialed personnel who are trained and competent to implement physician-approved protocols for patient observation and supervision, determination of appropriate level of care, and facilitation of the patient’s transition to continuing care”. The ASAM PPC further clarifies that this level of detoxification is “designed explicitly to safely detoxify patients without the need for ready on-site access to medical and nursing personnel.”

Q13. Can you summarize the differences between Dual Diagnosis Capable and Dual Diagnosis Enhanced? We are consulting the ASAM PPC, but a summary of the differences would be helpful.

A13. The Contractor should consult pages 9 and 10 of the ASAM PPC for succinct summaries of both Dual Diagnosis Capable and Enhanced programs. The gist is as follows: “Dual Diagnosis Capable programs have a primary focus on the treatment of substance-related disorders, but also are capable of treating patients who have relatively stable diagnostic or sub-diagnostic co-occurring mental health problems and related emotional, behavioral, or cognitive disorder.” “Dual Diagnosis Enhanced programs, by contrast, are designed to treat patients who have more unstable or disabling co-occurring mental disorders in addition to their substance related disorders.” All Contractors are required to provide dual diagnosis capable services. However the provision of Dual Diagnosis Enhanced services is a value added enhancement for which a coefficient may be proposed if offered.

Q14. For on-site counseling, is there a recommended/required group size (minimum/maximum number of clients in a group)? Also, would billing be per session or per person?

A14. The group sizes will vary within the general range of 10 to 40 defendants depending on the type of group (e.g. didactic education versus therapy). Pricing for onsite services must be per session hour.

Q15. Past Pretrial Services RFPs have required an oral interview as part of the RFP process, but we do not see one mentioned here. Does that mean that an oral interview will not be required?

A15. There will NOT be an oral interview.

Q16. Page 18 of Clauses/Proposal Instructions, 13.1: Can you elaborate on what is required for "Proof of Certification for treatment programs," which we are required to submit with Volume III

A16. The Offeror is to provide any licensure, certification, accreditation, letters or other documents that attest that the Offeror is authorized to operate as a treatment program in the relevant jurisdiction.

Q17. Page 14 of Clauses/Proposal Instructions says that volume number, title, etc. should be included on the spine of each binder. Is it required that each volume be submitted in a binder?

A17. Yes, proposed must be submitted in binders.

Q18. Will Vendor be responsible for billing APRA for services or will all funds be provided through this contract?

A18. This contract will be entered with the DC Pretrial Services Agency, which is an agency within the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. It is not associated with APRA or the District of Columbia Government. All services required herein will be invoiced and paid through this contract as stipulated in this solicitation.

Q19. Do services (with exception of on-site counseling) have to be provided within Washington, DC? If not, is there a radius in which services can be provided?

A19. Services (other than on-site counseling) do not have to occur within the District of Columbia. No maximum radius has been established. Each Contractor should describe the location and distance from Washington DC. Accessibility by PSA defendants will be considered when rating the overall proposal.

Q20. What are prices paid for current services and terms?

A20. Current contracts are not based on the same terms and are not priced differently from this solicitation. PSA does not believe a direct comparison of current pricing would benefit offerors. Additionally, individual contractor pricing may be subject to one or more Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exceptions. You may want to submit a FOIA request to PSA's Office of General Counsel: Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency Attn: Renee Barley, FOIA Officer 633 Indiana Avenue, NW Room 1254 Washington, DC 20004-2902.

Q21. Are Out-patient and Intensive Out-patient slots among those to be billed if not filled? 5.2

A21. Yes. As explained in FAR Clause 52.212-4 Addendum, 5, Task Order Quantities, PSA will issue task orders that identify to the Contractor the number of slots to be reserved for our use. Those quantities will be determined by PSA based on historical data. Attachment 2, page 11, paragraph 2, Variation in Quantities explains that the task orders will permit a variation in quantity. This may mean that PSA will pay for empty slots, but it may also mean that the Contractor will have to provide additional slots at no additional cost. Actual quantities used will be reconciled and payment adjusted as described in Attachment 2, page 11, paragraph 2.2.

Q22. Are on-site counseling services billed at a flat rate? In other words, not dependent on number of clients who attend?

A22. Pricing for onsite services must be per session hour and are not dependent on the number of defendants who attend. Because the Government is fully responsible for assigning participants to these groups, the Contractors will invoice the Government even if no defendants are in group as long as the Contractor is on-site and available to conduct the session and the Government didn’t provide prior notice of the cancellation of the session.

Q23. Do the selected vendors have to provide various modalities i.e. Out-patient and Residential or can a vendor just bid on a certain modality?

A23. Offerors need not propose on all modalities and may propose only those modalities they select.

Q24. Are there a maximum number of clients permitted in various groups for a single counselor?

- Outpatient

- IOP

- Treatment

- Sanction

A24. No absolute maximum has been established for any of the above modalities. The largest groups are expected to be the didactic education groups and they are not expected to exceed 40 defendants.

Q25. What is standard co-efficient for Dual Diagnosis Enhanced? Medication-assisted Services?

A25. No, there are no standard coefficients. Offerors should submit a coefficient based on their cost experience/expectations.

Q26. Do Out-patient and IOP programs have to describe Leisure activities?

A26. Outpatient and Intensive outpatient programs should only describe leisure activities if such activities are included in the services delivered at this level.

Q27. Do you have a breakdown in areas where PSA clients reside? Wards in DC/ Prince George's County?

A27. No such breakdown is being provided with this solicitation. Any defendants arrested and released in the District of Columbia, regardless of residence, may be treated under these contracts.

Q28. Can we review a sample current invoice?

A28. Each invoice varies depending on the Contractor. As long as the invoice provides at least the information required, it is acceptable.

Q29. SOW paragraph 6.6.2: Can we review a sample current monthly treatment report?

A29. Each report varies depending on the Contractor. As long as the report incorporates at least the information required, it is acceptable.

Q30. FAR Clause 52.212-4 Addendum, paragraph 5.4: Does report of beds apply strictly to residential programs?

A30. Yes.

Q31. For On-Site Services, you are estimating 24 weekly one hour groups.

A31. See SOW paragraphs 12.2 and 12.3 for schedules.

Q32. Currently, how many vendors provide on-site services?

A32. One

Q33. Do you anticipate a sole vendor providing services under this solicitation or will there be multiple on-site providers?

A33. PSA may award one or more contracts for on-site providers.

Q34. Do you have a counselor/defendant ratio for On-Site services? In other words, is there a limit to number of defendants per one counselor in each group? You stated groups may have between 10 and 40 defendants. How many counselors will be facilitating?

A34. There is no predefined counselor/defendant ratio. Generally, PSA will provide a co-facilitator to work with the on-site contractor for therapy groups that require co-facilitation. The Offeror should develop their own approach to providing counseling for up to 40 participants per session and propose a per session hour price consistent with their proposed approach.

Q35. How are fees charged as the group sizes increase or decrease? If multiple counselors facilitate a large group (i.e. 40 people), does vendor charge a session rate for each counselor?

A35. The Offeror should develop their own approach to providing counseling for up to 40 participants per session and propose a per session hour price consistent with their proposed approach. Because the Government provides co-facilitators as necessary, past experience indicates that only one on-site counselor will be necessary per session hour. However, the Offeror is welcome to propose the staffing pattern consistent with their approach to this requirement. If the Offeror proposes providing more than one on-site counselor, they may not propose an additional charge for each counselor. Instead the Offeror should factor the additional counselor into their per session hour rate.

Q36. How soon after group sessions are Progress Notes required to be completed?

A36. A brief corporate group note will be required by the end of each group day that summarizes the content of each group for that day, as well as a separate individual note if there were noteworthy incidents or participation specific to a participant.

Q37. Where are defendant treatment records for On-site services retained?

A37. The Government will provide appropriate space to store on-site service notes.

Q38. For On-Site services, in addition to the actual group and individual sessions, how much time (Face-to-Face, telephone) is required for meetings with PSA staff and other ancillary providers i.e. attorneys, mentors, advocates? Is this time billed under Individual Counseling? Or, is it to be factored into the individual and/or group session rates?

A38. Such meetings are rare. When such meetings have to occur, they will occur in lieu of a scheduled group or individual sessions and should be factored into those rates.

Q39. For On-Site services, are the counselors present typically during group times or are they required to be at facility for an extended period?

A39. Contractor staff is required to be on-site during the times slated to conduct sessions.

Q40. Are other vendor staff ie (administrative support) usually present during service times?

A40. Other Contractor staff may be present as proposed by the Offeror. Other Government staff such as administrative, security, and/or treatment staff are present whenever the Contractor staff is on-site and conducting sessions.

Q41. How are the mental health professionals performing Out-patient and Intensive Out-patient Integrated Co-Occurring services compensated? Through this solicitation or other funding sources?

A41. Any services provided under this contract are to be incorporated into the proposed session rate. Those offering to provide this enhancement should reflect these additional costs in the coefficient provided for Dual Diagnosis Enhanced Services.

Q42. Does the vendor pay for urine and breathalyzer tests? Is there a collection fee for alcohol/drug screens?

A42. All such costs should be incorporated in the session/bed prices submitted by the Offeror. Defendants may not be assessed any fees for any services provided under this contract.

Q43. 13.7 (page 19) – This section states that an offeror shall include proof of certification to operate a treatment facility. Is this proof of certification needed if applying only for on-site services?

A43. Only proof of certification or licensure of the on-site counselor providing those services is required.

Q44. SCOPE of Work pg 1 –3. Certification/Accreditation & Practice Requirements: Is an Offeror required to have a physical site that is licensed if providing on-site services only?

A44. No physical location is required for on-site services.

Q45. Attachment 1 Section 9.3.1 Service and Cost: What is the definition of unit price as stated in this section? Is the 3 hours broken down in 1 hour units? Which equals 3 units with a total of 6 units per week per defendant?

A45. The unit price should be submitted per slot per month.

Q46. Attachment 2 Section 9.3.1 Services: When completing each service line item if the vendor is not providing that service listed should it remain blank or should N/A be placed on the line? Ex: CLIN 0003 Is for Residential treatment services if we are not providing this service what should we put on the line?

A46. Offerors should insert “N/A” if not offering to provide a particular service.

Q47. For Technical Approach (Volume II), if we are proposing several services (such as residential, outpatient, and transitional), are they all to be included together in the 20 page limit?

A47. For Volume II, if an offeror is proposing more than one modality (such as residential, outpatient, intensive outpatient and transitional), the page limit is 20 pages plus 3 pages for each additional modality proposed. Pages are to be double-sided. Therefore an Offeror proposing one modality would present a proposal that includes not more than 10 double-sided pages plus allowable attachments.

Q48. For Volume II, can there be attachments outside the 20 pages, for example staff credentials and resumes?

A48. Only the item at 12.1.1(d) may be an attachment (i.e. session schedule, description, curricula summaries, etc.) The Offeror may also attach an organizational chart and/or related documents to further answer the requirement in 12.2.2 . Amendment 1 will delete the requirement for the items at 12.1.1(g) through (k), as these items are no longer required for this submission. Staff credentials and resumes are not required and will not be considered in evaluating the Offeror’s submission.

Q49. Do you consider aftercare part of treatment?

A49. The modalities required herein are for primary treatment.

Q50. For which services does Pretrial pay additional?

A50. The services are identified in the price schedule as those items for which the offeror is permitted to propose a coefficient.

Q51. Has the deadline changed? What is the current deadline?

A51. The proposal due date will be extended to 21 December 2010 at 1:00 PM

Q52. Explain Wellness/Holistic Health treatment. What are you looking for?

A52. Our definition of Wellness/Holistic Health treatment is found in Attachment 1, page 12, paragraph 13.3.

Q53. Do clients requiring social detox get additional treatment time taking into account the 5 days or so for social detox, i.e., 30 days plus 5 days detox?

A53. Additional days of treatment are not automatically authorized for defendants requiring social detoxification at the beginning of residential treatment. However, the contract will allow for the provider to request an extension to treatment if a defendant requires a longer stay due to the social detoxification period or other clinical reasons.

Q54. Among treatment sanction groups, which ones include didactic groups?

A54. Both the regular outpatient and sanction groups include a combination of didactic, skill building and therapy groups. The on-site counselors providing these services should be qualified and capable of performing the full range of treatment groups.

Q55. Can staff members working with PSA clients be in the process of becoming certified?

A55. It is expected that the majority of Offeror staff providing services to PSA defendants will be appropriately certified and/or licensed. Uncertified staff members must be on a clear track to certification and under the supervision of certified staff.

Q56. Does dual diagnosis enhanced include paying for psychotropic medications?

A56. No, it does not include the cost of medications.

Q57. Can Volume I be amended if submitted according to the earlier deadline?

A57. Yes.

Q58. Approximately when will award be made?

A58. We expect award of contracts after 17 February 2011.

Q59. Please restate the requirement regarding ORCA. What is it? Explain again what has to be done if ORCA is not used.

A59. ORCA is the Federal Government’s On-line Representation and Certification Application (http://orca.bpn.gov). All offerors on federal contracts must certify compliance with many legal requirements; in this solicitation these representations and certifications (reps and certs) are found in FAR 52.212-3 on page 25. We prefer that you complete annual reps and certs on ORCA. If you use ORCA, you can complete and submit only paragraph (b) on page 27. If you don’t use ORCA, you need to complete all of the reps and certs in the solicitation, from page 25 through 37, and submit them with your proposal. If you do not submit use ORCA or submit the reps and certs in the solicitation, you will be ineligible for award and your proposal will not be evaluated.

Q60. When do you announce the award of the grant?

A60. See A58

Q61. For Dual Diagnosis Enhanced services, are we required to pay psychiatric, mental health counselor? Does it include medication?

A61. Your coefficient for Dual Diagnosis Enhanced services should include all additional costs to provide those services, except medication.

Q62. Are the quantities (i.e., 1248) per day, per month, per week?

A62. The quantities indicated in the pricing schedule are only estimates of our total requirements for the CLIN period; they are not guaranteed to be ordered on each contract. The quantities in the schedule will be used for the proposal price analysis during source selection.

Q63. Reference section 10.1, Does each volume original and 4 hard copies, each need to be in separate binders? If so we should submit 12 binders in total?

A63. Amendment 1 will change the proposal organization to:

I

2 pages per reference

Twenty (20) plus 3 pages per additional modality, plus attachments

II

Volume I and II must be submitted in separate cost effective binders.

Q64. Is handicap accessibility required?

A64. Facilities are required to be compliant with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)) and be able to accommodate those with disabilities, except as exempted in the act. Additionally, the Offeror providing residential treatment is required to provide handicap accessible transportation to and from their facility upon request. Please refer to Statement of Work paragraph 8.1 and 10.4

Q65. Reference Statement of Work paragraph 4.2, is the requirement that staff have no felony conviction on record?

A65. Yes. They may have no felony convictions or criminal justice supervision for a felony within the previous five years.

Q66. For on-site services, is the counselor required to be certified in any specific jurisdiction?

A66. They must be certified in Maryland, DC or Virginia.

Q67. What level of volume do you expect to generate for outpatient programs?

A67. Only estimate we have is that indicated in the pricing schedule, Attachment 2.