Questions received for Nursing Services RFP w answers.pdf

Question and Answers For

TEMPORARY NURSING CARE PROVIDER AGENCIES

RFP 5465 OregonBuys Bid No. S-443300-00003706

Questions received during the Questions/Requests for Clarification period are listed below by number with the responses in red following each question.

1. What agencies do you currently use for Nursing Services and what are their rates?

OSH is currently utilizing the services of 5 temporary staffing agencies. Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

2. What is the current number of FTEs for RN’s, LPN’s, and CNA’s being utilized presently to service this contract?

RN – 50

LPN – 20

MHTT – 50

MHST – 10

No CNAs required

3. What is the annual spend that is projected for this contract?

The estimated budget for this RFP is approximately $36,000,000.

4. When will services commence for any vendor awarded a contract as a result of this RFP?

Service are expected to begin October 1, 2022.

5. Can you please share the no. of requirements posted under these contracts for year 2020 and 2021?

RN – 50

LPN – 20

MHTT – 50

MHST – 10

6. What is the estimated budget for this RFP?

The estimated budget for this RFP is approximately $36,000,000.

7. Can you confirm the anticipated number of awards?

Multiple awards are expected. No limit in place.

8. Can we get the proposals or pricing of the incumbent(s)?

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

9. What is the average length of the assignment?

Assignments are typically 8 weeks.

10. Section 5.3.3 Business Registry, Page no. 24: Is it mandatory to provide Oregon Business Registry Number at the time of proposal submission?

Proposer shall be duly authorized by the State of Oregon to transact business in the State of Oregon before executing the Contract. Visit http://sos.oregon.gov/business/pages/register.aspx for Oregon Business Registry information. Contract execution will follow shortly after proposal award, so proposers need to build in time for application and approval with the Secretary of State, if not already authorized to do business in the State of Oregon.

11. Section 5.3.3 Business Registry, Page no. 24: Is it mandatory that bidder should have Business Registration Certificate in the State of Oregon at the time of proposal submission?

See answer to question 10.

12. Section 6: Additional Information, Page no. 26: Is there any mandatory disadvantage business subcontracting goal under this RFP?

No.

13. General - What is the expected annual budget of this contract? Please share the rough estimate.

The estimated budget for this RFP is approximately $36,000,000.

14. General - Can you please tell us where we can see the records for the old contract?

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

15. General - Will the City of Oregon, Oregon Health Authority be giving any preference to local vendors over out of state vendors? Please confirm.

Section 6.1 Certified Firm Participation. No formal preference.

16. General - Can you please share the amount of business each vendor did under this contract in previous years?

Total at any given time between 5 vendors:

RN – 50

LPN – 20

17. General - Can you please share the no. of positions served in previous years under this contract?

RN – 50

LPN – 20

18. General - Can you share details from where we can get old RFP details?

Information on previous RFP can be provided through a formal public records request.

19. General - Could you please share the current Suppliers' pricing and Proposals?

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

20. General - When was the existing contract started, and what is the annual monetary spent value of the current contract since inception?

Multiple contracts currently in place.

1. 5/15/21

2. 9/15/21

3. 11/17/17

4. 9/29/17

5. 8/30/17

Average total annual spend $36,000,000

21. General - Please share the historical spending for the year 2021

Approximately $36,000,000

22. General - We understand that it is a multi-award contract, so can you please confirm the total number of vendors to be awarded this contract?

Multiple awards are expected. No limit in place.

23. General - Is this a new contract or renewal of an existing contract?

This is a new contract.

24. General - If there is an existing contract, could you please share the name of the Current Supplier?

All current contracts will terminate September 30th of this year. Additional information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

25. General - How will job requests be shared among multiple awarded vendors?

See Section 2.4.3 Assignment of Work in the RFP document.

26. General - Will all job requests be shared among all awarded vendors simultaneously?

See Section 2.4.3 Assignment of Work in the RFP document.

27. General - Is there any ranking system for sharing job requests among awarded vendors such as primary bidder, secondary bidder, and then other awarded bidders?

See Section 2.4.3 Assignment of Work in the RFP document.

28. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Will the agency be giving separate award for each job positions? Please confirm.

No. Proposals will be considered as a whole.

29. General - Is this a single award or multiple award contract?

Potential for multiple awards.

30. General - If it is a multi-award contract, can you please confirm the total number of vendors to be awarded this contract?

Multiple awards are expected. No limit in place.

31. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please confirm, most of time job positions are filled on per-diem basis or fulltime basis?

Full-time (40 hrs./wk.)

32. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Do we need to provide Standard Hourly Rate for fulltime positions?

Yes.

33. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please confirm the minimum guaranteed hours for each job title for Standard Hourly Rate?

40 hrs./wk.

34. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please share job position wise count for Salem Campus and Junction City Campus separately?

*All figures are approximations Salem

RN – 40

LPN – 15

MHTT – 40

MHST – 8

Junction City

RN – 10

LPN – 5

MHTT – 10

MHST – 2

35. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: How many positions we can expect at any of time for Salem Campus?

Salem

RN – 40

LPN – 15

MHTT – 40

MHST – 8

36. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: How many positions we can expect at any of time for Junction City Campus?

Junction City

RN – 10

LPN – 5

MHTT – 10

MHST – 2

37. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please share the minimum guaranteed hours for each shift position?

40 hrs./wk.

38. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Are these full-time positions or weekly assignments?

Full-time positions. Standard 8-week assignments with extensions as needed.

39. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please confirm the weekly assignments duration (7 week/13 week or more) if any?

Standard 8-week assignments with extensions as needed.

40. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please provide the level of experience required for each position?

See Section 2.2 Definition of Terms for each position descriptions. Oregon State Hospital is a psychiatric treatment facility requiring experience in behavioral health.

41. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Do we need to provide crisis rate?

No. Standard rates only.

42. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please confirm how many positions per day expected for each job title?

RN – 50

LPN – 20

43. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: To be responsive, is it mandatory to bid for all listed Staffing positions? Please confirm.

No. You may omit positions you’re unable to support.

44. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please share the minimum guaranteed hours for each position?

45. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Can you please share minimum or maximum duration for each job position?

Standard 8-week assignments with extensions as needed.

46. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: What were the most commonly filled positions in the past?

Registered Nurses.

47. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: How many positions are expected to be filled under this contract?

RN – 50

LPN – 20

48. Attachment E – Price Proposal, Page no. N/A: Out of mentioned staffing positions, what are the most commonly filled positions? Please share.

Registered Nurses.

49. Attachment D – Reference Check Form, Page no. 1 of 1: Do we need to get filled ATTACHMENT D - REFERENCE CHECK FORM from client?

Yes. See Section 3.3.2 References.

50. Attachment D – Reference Check Form, Page no. 1 of 1: Can bidder fill ATTACHMENT D - REFERENCE CHECK FORM itself?

See Section 3.3.2 References - Proposer shall send the Reference Check Form (Attachment D) to its references. Reference forms must be completed by the reference, returned to the Proposer and submitted with the Proposal.

51. Attachment D – Reference Check Form, Page no. 1 of 1: Can we provide references of large commercial clients?

52. Does the agency need to be Joint Commission certified at the start of the contract, if awarded?

The vendors themselves do not need any form of Joint Commission Certification. They just need to abide by the requirements The Joint Commission sets for OSH. The mandates can change over time.

53. IF not, what is the timeframe for getting the certification to stay in good standing with the contract terms?

The vendors themselves do not need any form of Joint Commission Certification. They just need to abide by the requirements The Joint Commission sets for OSH. The mandates can change over time.

54. What is the typical monthly headcount demand for agency staff, by discipline (e.g. RN, LPN, CNA)? Do you expect this need to change significantly within the next 12 -24 months?

RN – 50

LPN – 20

MHTT – 50

We expect these numbers to remain consistent

55. Is Overtime common/necessary?

Overtime is rarely necessary

56. Why is this RFP being issued?

• Staffing shortages

• Post-pandemic contract reevaluations

• State procurement requirements

57. Who are the current incumbent vendors?

58. Is OHA satisfied with the current vendors? If not, why not?

Reasoning for issuance of the RFP does not include dissatisfaction with current vendors.

59. What are the bill rates for the current vendors/contract?

60. Do you anticipate awarding one or multiple vendors?

Potential for multiple awards.

61. What is the anticipated hours by discipline expected on the contract?

40 hrs./wk. Standard 8-week assignments.

62. What is the expected dollar spend on the contract per year?

$36,000,000.

63. Who are your current incumbent vendors for these services?

64. Are your staffing needs being met by your vendors?

Reasoning for issuance of the RFP does not include dissatisfaction with current vendors.

65. What are your current hourly bill rates by classification?

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

66. What were your hours of usage by each classification for the last 3 years?

That information is not known.

67. Are vendors able to take exceptions and propose language to any of the terms and/or requirements?

Statement of Work may be negotiated at time of award. Contractual terms and/or requirements are not negotiable.

68. Will the Oregon Health Authority accept electronic signatures, or must signatures be original?

Yes, electronic signatures will be accepted.

69. Are vendors required to provide a Certificate of Insurance with the bid response?

Certificate of Insurance is not required with the bid response.

70. Please confirm that vendors are not responsible for providing supplies or equipment to perform services under this contract.

Vendor is not responsible for providing supplies or equipment.

71. Is timekeeping done by paper timecards?

Yes. Oregon State Hospital provides paper timecards

72. Is there a minimum font size requirement for our response?

There is no minimum font size, but for readability purposes, please use no smaller than 9 pt.

73. Regarding insurance requirements, personal and cyber liability are listed, but we do not see requirements for these lines of coverages. Is there an addendum to this contract where these requirements are listed?

The bid makes no reference to personal and cyber liability. The only reference to personal liability is under Commercial General Liability, which will be required.

74. SECTION 2: AUTHORITY, OVERVIEW, AND SCOPE, 2.2 Definition of Terms: Who will be required to monitor the per diem nursing personnel assignments to ensure they are 14 days or less, as well as the cumulative total hour limits?

Oregon State Hospital Nurse Management will work with vendor on formal processes.

75. 2.4.5 Account Representatives/Contractor Performance Reviews, C: What information is required to be in the entity-specific monthly reports to the OHA Contract Administrator?

General performance review. Details to be included in negotiated Statement of Work.

76. Regarding the RFP insurance requirements, would the County consider limiting the required waiver of subrogation to the Commercial General Liability and Excess Umbrella policies only?

The insurance requirements are contractual requirements once a contract has been awarded and are attached with the sample contract for informational purposes for consideration when submitting a proposal. Assuming by “County” it is intended to reference the “State”.

77. Could the State please provide a job description for the Mental Health Security Technician (MHST)?

See Section 2.2 Definition of Terms.

78. Who are the current vendors of the requested services to OSH?

79. What has been the current spend for each of the current vendors on this contract?

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

80. What is the projected budget for this program?

$36,000,000

81. What are the current vendor rates for the proposed services?

82. How many vendor award notices does OSH anticipate making as a result of this solicitation?

Multiple awards are expected. No limit in place.

83. How are requests for support disseminated to vendors?

See Section 2.4.3 Assignment of Work in the RFP document.

84. Are there any penalties associated with not meeting the reporting metrics specified on page 10 of the solicitation?

Reassessment of preferential vendor ranking, or potential contract termination.

85. Are current vendors able to use OSH as a reference?

86. Is OSH open to alternative pricing proposals?

87. Who is currently contracted to provide services under this agreement and what are the contract rates?

88. What are the current number of temporary nursing hours being provided under this agreement and how many hours does the OHA foresee utilizing under the new contract?

Expected to remain consistent

89. Does the proposer need to supply all types of clinical staff to be considered for award?

No. You may omit positions you’re unable to support.

90. Is there a tentative budget assigned for the resultant contract?

91. Please share the details of the incumbents/vendors currently providing Temporary Nursing Services?

92. Please share the pay and bill rates of the candidates/resources currently working in the ongoing contract?

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

93. Please provide bill rates for the incumbent suppliers.

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

94. What is the estimated annual spend of this contract?

$36,000,000

95. What is the total amount of total revenue broken down by vendor over the last year?

Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

96. Can we provide either rate ranges or include more than one set of rates with categories such ask incentive or crisis pay?

RFP is seeking Standard Rates only. Highest point of a range will be considered bid rate for evaluation purposes.

97. Will there be any changes to the 80 hours of orientation half bill? Is there an opportunity to reduce the hours?

Orientation time is set by Oregon State Hospital Policy and may not be reduced.

98. How many agencies are you using today?

99. Are you satisfied with the incumbent suppliers? If not, what are you unsatisfied with?

Reasoning for issuance of the RFP does not include dissatisfaction with current vendors.

100. Please list the top three areas for improvement you would like to see from new contract providers.

Request Fulfillment, Communication, and Billing Accuracy are very important to the success of this contract.

101. Are staff member resumes required to be submitted with our bid response?

No.

102. Are the profiles/resumes of our healthcare professionals required to be submitted with our bid response? If so, how many would you like us to include?

No. A contract award should not be considered an assignment request, but rather an opportunity for requests as they become available.

103. May we include references from our Oregon Health Authority?

104. What is the estimated annual spend for this opportunity?

105. Is this a new program or is it a rebid? If so, could you share the previous suppliers.

OSH currently utilizes the services of 5 vendors. Although this is not a new program there are many changes to the current agreement. Information on current agencies and rates can be provided through a formal public records request.

106. Could you provide the expected number of clinicians needed for each shift and role type?

RN – 50

LPN – 20

MHTT – 50

Count by shift not available.

107. What are the main challenges Oregon has faced with staffing these facilities in the past?

Request Fulfillment, Invoicing.

108. With the understanding that you cannot provide an exact length for these assignments, could you provide a range or estimate for assignment length?

Standard 8-week assignments with extensions as needed.

109. For fingerprinting and drug screening, will successful bidders be required to use OHA’s preferred vendor or can they engage their own preferred vendors for those services?

Contractors will be responsible for fingerprinting and drug screening prior to arrival at OSH.

110. Could you share an example of an OHA time sheet form?

111. Will all shifts be 13 hours?

No.

See 2.4.9 Schedule of Work (d) Shift Schedules in the RFP document.

112. Please provide tabulations for the prior contractor.

113. Does the account representative have be a licensed medical practitioner?

No

114. Does the contractor have to be an Oregon based company & a fiscal location?

No. Proposer shall be duly authorized by the State of Oregon to transact business in the State of Oregon before executing the Contract. Visit http://sos.oregon.gov/business/pages/register.aspx for Oregon Business Registry information. Contract execution will follow shortly after proposal award, so proposers need to build in time for application and approval with the Secretary of State, if not already authorized to do business in the State of Oregon.