Responses to Questions 070621.docx

REQUEST FOR RESPONSES

FOR THE

K-12 COVID-19 TESTING SERVICES PROGRAM

Document #: 21EHSKAK-12COVID19TESTSVCS BID Number: BD-21-1039-EHS01-EHS01-63565 RFR Issued: June 25, 2021

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS

July 6, 2021

This document contains responses to questions received from interested parties regarding the Request for Responses (RFR) for the K-12 COVID-19 Testing Services Program issued by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) on June 25, 2021. Answers have been provided to those questions which are of general interest and relevant to the preparation of a response to the RFR.

General

1. What is the target population for testing?

Staff (including teachers and other school staff) and students at Authorized Schools are the only populations currently contemplated for testing under this RFR.

2. How many sites will have testing, and how many tests are needed per day/week?

As noted in Section 1.1 of the RFR, schools conducted over 150,000 tests from February through June of 2021, including approximately 13,000 per week in May 2021. Over 900 schools participated in the state’s current Pooled Testing Program during the spring of 2021.EOHHS does not yet know how many Authorized Schools will be participating in the K-12 COVID-19 Testing Program for the 2021-22 school year and makes no guarantee of volume regarding either schools or tests under the Contract.

3. What does a basic schedule for testing look like (hours, days, locations)?

Given the varying schedules and demands for Authorized Schools, EOHHS cannot provide a basic schedule for testing.

4. How much lead time will be provided for setting up and staffing collection sites?

Per Section 4.5 of the RFR, the anticipated date for notifying Bidders of selection is August 2, 2021, the Contract effective date is upon Contract execution, and the anticipated service start date is September 1, 2021.

5. When is the estimated contract award date, and how will EOHHS communicate award status to vendors?

Per Section 4.5 of the RFR, the anticipated date for notifying Bidders of Selection is August 2, 2021. Bidders will be notified by EOHHS via email. The Contract effective date is upon Contract execution.

6. How many Bidders does EOHHS expect to award a Contract to for the services requested in this solicitation?

Per Section 1.2 of the RFR, EOHHS anticipates selecting one Bidder to become a Contractor under this RFR, but EOHHS may vary the number of Contracts awarded under this RFR in its discretion.

7. If a vendor holds an existing contract with EOHHS for COVID-19 testing, will the vendor need to submit a bid to be considered for a Contract under this RFR?

Yes. All interested vendors who wish to be considered for a Contract under this RFR are required to submit a bid, regardless of whether they hold a contract with EOHHS for COVID-19 testing.

Response Requirements

8. How should a Bidder “Certify that it is capable and willing to perform all functions and activities, take on obligations related to, and work with EOHHS on, the efforts as detailed in Attachment A, Model Contract” as stated in Section 1.3 of the RFR?

The Bidder should include this statement in their Cover Letter. See Section 4.2.A. of the RFR.

9. Will EOHHS consider proposals from Bidders who provide personnel staffing only?

No. Per Section 1.3 of the RFR, to be considered for a Contract pursuant to this RFR, in addition to all other requirements, the Bidder must be currently engaged in the business of arranging for secure processing of collected specimens in a CLIA-certified laboratory that can detect SARS-CoV-2 virus, with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or another molecular test with greater than 95 percent sensitivity and greater than 95 percent specificity.

10. Can EOHHS clarify the phrase "service and obligations" as used in Section 4.2.E. of the RFR related to disclosure of litigation?

Service and obligations under the Contract, are the Contractor requirements set forth in Attachment A, Model Contract. Litigation related to the service and obligations under the Contract include but would not be limited to, for example, litigation relating to the Bidder’s testing services, testing support services, and data protections and security.

11. Regarding the required Disclosure of Litigation in Section 4.2.E. of the RFR, is there a particular timeframe EOHHS is looking for Bidders to disclose?

Bidders should be comprehensive in their Responses to all elements of the RFR, however, EOHHS is most interested in reviewing the past ten years of litigation history in a Bidder’s response to Section 4.2.E.

12. Are the Supplier Diversity businesses/entities listed in Section 6.17 of the RFR (M/WBEs, M/WNPOs, VBEs, SDVOBEs, DOBEs and/or LGBTBEs) also required to be small businesses/entities (less than 50 employees and less than $15m in annual revenue)?

The Bidder’s Supplier Diversity Program Plan may include any business or entity which is certified or verified by the Supplier Diversity Office.

13. Does EOHHS require client references for previous projects of similar size and scope? If yes, how many?

Bidders are not required to submit references with their Response.

14. Attachment B could not be located. Please advise as to where that document is available.

All materials may be found on COMMBUYS page for the bid solicitation.

15. Is it acceptable for a Bidder to offer an alternative price option as opposed to Attachment B?

Bidders shall submit their Cost Response using Attachment B. The Bidder may offer alternative services and prices for Level 2 Logistical and Support Services. The Bidder may use the rows identified in Section C of Attachment B to provide prices for any other Logistical and Support services that the Bidder proposes, if so described in Section 4.3.C.1.g. of the Bidder’s RFR response. The description shall include (a) a description of the service provided, and (b) the unit in which the price is provided (e.g., hourly, per diem, etc.). The Bidder may add additional rows as necessary.

16. In Attachment B, can a Bidder add additional rows to Sections A.2 and A.3 if the Bidder has more than two tests/labs to offer for pooled and individual diagnostic tests?

Yes. Bidders may add additional rows. If using two or more tests or labs, Bidders should clearly note the lab or test associated with each entry.

17. Can the hourly costs proposed in Section C of Attachment B include a mark-up of underlying subcontractor fees?

Yes. However, Bidders are encouraged to offer the most competitive price for all costs in Attachment B.

18. Can Bidders provide costs of hard goods needed, such as laptops, where it asks to provide prices for any other logistical and support services in Attachment B?

Bidders may provide the costs of hard goods in “Additional notes on logistical and support services pricing.” However, Bidders are encouraged to offer the most competitive price for all costs in Attachment B.

Attachment A (Model Contract)

19. What is the definition of an Authorized School?

Please refer to Section 1 of Attachment A for the definition of an Authorized School.

20. How will Authorized Schools be matched to the Contractor(s)?

EOHHS anticipates selecting one Bidder to become a Contractor under this RFR and all Authorized Schools are anticipated to be matched to the selected Bidder. If multiple Contractors are selected through this procurement, EOHHS and DESE will allow each Authorized School to indicate its preferred testing vendor in its application to participate in the K-12 COVID-19 Testing Program. EOHHS and DESE will then match the Authorized School with a Contractor, considering this preference and other factors in the discretion of EOHHS and DESE.

21. Will the state provide BinaxNOW test kits to Authorized Schools or are Contractors required to provide those tests under the Contract?

The state will provide Abbot BinaxNOW rapid antigen tests directly to Authorized Schools at no cost to the schools. The Contractor will not be responsible for purchasing Abbott BinaxNOW tests.

22. For PCR tests, what is EOHHS’s expectation for turnaround time on results?

Section 2.1.H of Attachment A specifies that the Contractor must deliver Pooled Testing Results and Individual Diagnostic Testing Results to Authorized School Staff within a Turnaround Time of no more than 24 hours, as a condition of full payment. Turnaround Time is defined as “For any tests that require laboratory processing, the length of time between 4:00 p.m. on the day the Authorized School initiates transfer of specimens to the Authorized Processing Laboratory (provided that such Authorized School initiates such transfer and registers such specimens in the Online Portal prior to 4:00pm of that day) via shipping or courier service, and the time that Pooled Testing Results or Individual Diagnostic Testing Results are reported to the Authorized School through the Online Portal.”

23. Can Bidders provide testing options in addition to those defined as K-12 testing, that may benefit COVID-19 testing to schools within the Commonwealth?

As stated in the RFR, K-12 COVID-19 Testing Services include weekly “pooled” testing (mixing numerous specimens into a “batch” or “pool”, and then testing the sample with PCR tests to detect COVID-19), and individual diagnostic testing to follow up on positive pools, testing symptomatic individuals, and testing individuals who are close contacts of a positive case. Bidders may propose additional services as part of their response to the RFR. As stated in Attachment A: Model Contract, all Testing Kits provided by the Contractor (whether for Pooled Testing or Individual Diagnostic Testing) must be able to detect SARS-CoV-2 virus, with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or another molecular test with greater than 95 percent sensitivity and greater than 95 percent specificity (or alternative measure(s) of accuracy agreed to in writing by EOHHS). The Contractor may propose, for EOHHS prior approval, to use COVID-19 tests that do not meet this standard. The Contractor shall provide validation data and any other information requested by EOHHS to support the Contractor’s proposal to utilize such tests. EOHHS may approve the use of such alternative test, in its sole discretion.

24. What transportation will be needed to an address provided by EOHHS/Massachusetts State Public Lab outlined in Appendix A of the Model Contract? Can EOHHS confirm that this would be transportation from a positive sample to the contractor’s proposed lab for further variant analysis?

As described in Section 2.1.I of Attachment A, the Contractor shall provide timely shipping of residual PCR positive samples (e.g. pooled or individual nasal swab, saliva, or other sample types) to the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory (MA SPHL), via shipping or courier service billed on a pass-through basis to EOHHS, for ongoing public health focused COVID-19 whole genome variant surveillance. Bidders should include their proposed cost (as a “not to exceed” amount) for this service in the Cost Response Worksheet (Attachment B), Section B.

25. What is Level 2 logistical support?

Level 2 Logistical and Support services are those services specified in Section 2.2.B of Attachment A, Model Contract.

26. Can a part time or full time employee provide Logistical Support Services to more than one location? Can the site coordinator also be the specimen collector and or observer?

Yes. A part-time or full-time employee may provide Logistical Support Services to more than one location. The site coordinator may also serve as the specimen collector or collection observer.

27. What, if any, responsibilities would the specimen collector have as it relates to managing test results and communicating post COVID testing instructions?

Please refer to Section 2.3 of Attachment A: Model Contract for more information.

28. Is EOHHS willing to waive school-specific background clearances?

No.

29. Approximately how much travel is expected for each contracted provider?

EOHHS cannot predict how much travel will be required, as travel is dependent on the number of Authorized Schools participating in the program, the Contractor’s location, the services provided to each Authorized School, and the location of each Authorized School.

30. Is EOHHS open to alternative participation incentives that meet legal and compliant qualifications for the Contractor?

EOHHS is only considering the gift card incentive program as described in Section 2.2.C of Attachment A at this time. However, a Bidder may include information on other strategies the Bidder has employed for soliciting high rates of participation in testing among students and staff in response to Section 4.3.B.2.c of the RFR.

31. Must the online portal provided by the Contractor be in the languages outlined or are you open to other options for language barriers?

Per Section 2.3.L of Attachment A, any parent, guardian, or individual-facing elements of the Online Portal must be translated into Spanish upon execution of this Contract, and into Arabic, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Chinese, and Portuguese within fourteen (14) days of execution of the Contract. The Contractor shall provide translation into other languages as further specified by EOHHS.

32. Can EOHHS clarify "another Covered Entity relevant to this contract" in Section 2.7.A of Attachment A? If a contractor is currently conducting COVID-19 testing in Massachusetts under an existing BA agreement, does this meet EOHHS "relevant" requirements? Does EOHHS intend to enter into a Business Associate Agreement specifically for this contract?

If the Bidder is not a Covered Entity, the Bidder must determine whether any existing Business Associate Agreement would cover the Bidder’s work under the Contract or if the Bidder is otherwise compliant with HIPAA for the disclosures required under the Contract. If the Bidder cannot certify that one of these requirements is met, the Bidder will be required to sign the Data Management and Confidentiality Agreement provided in Appendix B to Attachment A.

33. Is testing required or voluntary at a given school location?

Neither EOHHS nor DESE will make testing required at any school.

34. How will student, faculty, and staff register for the test? Will Bidders have to include a process in their proposal? Has EOHHS notified students, faculty, and staff of this requirement?

EOHHS intends to require every test taker to register and provide consent prior to testing. The Contractor shall use the consent forms developed by DESE and EOHHS to obtain consent from parents/guardians or students to participate in K-12 COVID-19 Testing. The Contractor is required to provide an option for individuals or their appropriate parent/guardian to consent and input demographic information directly within the Online Portal. See Attachment A, Sections 2.7.E. and 2.3.A. Bidders are required to submit certain information about their Online Portal as part of their bid. See Section 4.3.D of the RFR.

35. Must the Contractor provide hand sanitizer and PPE only when the Contractor provides Level 2 support staff, or also when school employees (e.g., school nurses) are conducting testing?

Per Section 2.8 of Attachment A, the Contractor shall provide ancillary consumable supplies for testing, including but not limited to tissues, hand sanitizer, and personal protective equipment, for any staff provided as Logistical and Support Services. Each Authorized School is responsible for providing standard other ancillary consumable supplies for testing for its Authorized School Staff.

36. If a student, staff, or school employee has tested positive and is in quarantine, is there a process defined for re-test/validation before that student, staff or school employee is allowed back in the school building or will the vendor have to define that process? Please clarify and/or elaborate.

The Contractor will not provide that process. Protocols around quarantine and return-to-school will be determined by EOHHS, the Department of Public Health, and the DESE. Bidders may propose services like re-testing for confirmed positives as part of their response to the RFR.

37. Will the Contractor be required to offer contact tracing?

No.

38. Can the Contractor or the Contractor’s Authorized Processing Laboratory bill the tested individual’s insurance company for the testing services provided under the Contract?

No. EOHHS will pay the Contractor for all services provided under the Contract.

K-12 COVID-19 Testing Services Program RFR 1 Questions and Answers