rfi.doc

08/21/00

Community Based Employment Services Request for Information

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, the Department of Mental Retardation and the Department of Mental Health is planning to re-issue a Request for Response for Community Based Employment Services (CBES) in February of 2001. Services will begin on July 1, 2001.

This RFR will again seek contractors to achieve and maintain community based employment for individuals with disabilities. Like the current procurement, this is a consumer based model that includes performance based reimbursement and streamlined access to services.

As the above departments consider various models for this group of services, they are seeking suggestions and feedback about the current CBES model from current and potential contractors of these services prior to developing the RFR.

Extensive information regarding these services, including the original Request for Response and the current list of qualified vendors may be found on Comm-PASS with the reference: cbes under the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission open solicitations.

The attached file contains the letter which has been sent to current qualified contractors notifying them of this Request for Information.

This Request for Information will also serve as public notice as required by the World Trade Organization for procurements in which expenditures over the entire duration of the procurement may exceed $483,000.

This Request for Information has been posted for the following departments: Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Department of Mental Retardation, Department of Mental Health and the Operational Services Division.

Please call, write or e-mail Monica Synnott (see contact information below) with your comments and suggestions by September 15, 2000.

The following questions may assist you in formulating your feedback. Your comments about these and any other CBES items will be helpful in drafting the Request for Response for these services.

1) With how many consumers did you utilize this model?___________

2) Was the rate structure adequate?

Assessment Component

_____YES

____NO

Placement Component

Initial Employment Services

Extended Support Services

Additional Support Services

Comments: _____________________________________________________

3) Was the reimbursement timely?

______Yes______No

Comments: _____________________________________________________

4) Was the referral information received from the funding agencies adequate?

______Yes______No

Comments: _____________________________________________________

5) Were the state agency’s secondary referral criteria reasonable?

______Yes______No

Comments: _____________________________________________________

6) Were you able to successfully negotiate for Additional Support Services?

______ALL of the time _____SOME of the time ______NONE of the time

7) When individuals transitioned between components and among providers, was it clear when one component ended and the next one began?

______Yes ______No

Comments: _____________________________________________________

8) Please rate the overall adequacy of the communication between you and the state funding agency.

______Excellent_____Very Good______Adequate______Poor_____Very Poor

Comments: _____________________________________________________

9) Would you recommend any structural changes in the components; (i.e. how services are categorized or effectiveness of benchmarks)?

Comments: _____________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:_______________________________________

CBES_RFI.doc