RFP 1078 HFNY QA AMENDED 5-31-2022.pdf

Responses to Questions for RFP # 1078 Targeted HFNY with HFA Protocols Amended 5/31/2022

Counties Q1 I know the RFP had specific counties does this mean that other counties are excluded to apply?

A1 Funding through this RFP will be awarded only to applicants to implement HFNY services in the targeted counties which are counties without a HFNY program. Serving a target county is one of the minimum qualifications of this RFP. Refer to RFP 1078 Section 2.3 Purpose and Funding Availability, Section 3.1 Minimum Qualifications, and Attachment 12 for more information.

Q2 Is there a preferred or maximum number of counties to be served under one contract?

A2 No, there is no preferred or maximum number of counties to be served under one contract.

Q3 Given the time needed to communicate with stakeholders and then prepare applications, can we have an unofficial answer to how many counties can be served under one contract?

A3 The official answer is that there is no preferred or maximum number of counties to be served under one contract. Refer to Answer 2 (A2).

Medicaid Births

Q4 Referring to RFP Section 4.1, page 20, Estimated Cost per Family, paragraph 1 and Section 2.3, page 13, Purpose and Funding Availability, paragraph 3, and Attachment 10 – New York State Medicaid Births by County, it is noted throughout the RFP that applicants should propose to serve 10-15% of Medicaid births in chosen counties. Would OCFS accept and consider an application in which the applicant proposed to serve on a smaller scale – example: 10% of Cayuga County Medicaid births equals 38 which the RFP is stating the applicant should propose to serve and based on caseload limits would require at least 3.5 staff. Is there flexibly to propose to serve a percentage of the birth rate – example 50% of the 38, based on our staffing capacity? Or is this an all-or-nothing situation where the applicant proposes to serve minimum of 10% and the applicant cannot decrease that proposed number?

A4 Yes, OCFS would accept and consider an application to serve more or less than the equivalent of 10-15% of the Medicaid births in the proposed county(ies). This allows flexibility for applicants to consider factors such as community need, organizational capacity, caseloads, and other elements of a proposed program. Note that applicants are not restricted to serving only Medicaid recipients and the maximum annual awards amount is $500,000 per county.

Refer to the following RFP 1078 sections for related content: 2.3 Purpose and Funding Availability, 4.1 Desired Outcomes and Program Requirements, Program Structure, and 5.2 Proposed Budget.

Q5 Please clarify “up to 15% of Medicaid births”- are we required to target 15% in the proposal, or can it be less than 15%, even in a smaller county?

A5 Refer to A4.

Staff Q6 Referring to HFNY Policy Manual HFA Best Practice Standard 10-4, page 59, section: Program

Managers, paragraph 2; regarding Program Manager responsibilities, notes that program managers may split their time between different locations. Is it acceptable to propose a Program Manager that oversees HFNY projects in multiple counties? Are there any requirements regarding actual office location/proximity for Manager or Supervisor?

A6 Yes, the HFNY model allows for a Program Manager to oversee HFNY services in multiple counties. Note that all related Best Practice Standards would apply regardless of the distance between locations including, but not limited to, Program Manager meeting with supervisees for reflective supervision each month, accompanying staff on home visits, and participating in community outreach. Please note: if applicants propose to serve multiple counties that are not contiguous, Healthy Families America approval may be required and could delay the award and contracting processes. Refer to RFP 1078 Section 4.1 and Healthy Families New York Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password: “HFNYpolicy2021”).

Q7 For smaller programs, can we have one staff member serve as Program Manager/ Supervisor? Can adjacent counties be served by the same PM, or do they need to be separate?

A7 Yes, to both questions. Note that all related Best Practice Standards would apply including, but not limited to, Program Manager meeting with supervisees for reflective supervision each month, accompanying staff on home visits, and participating in community outreach. If applicants propose to serve multiple counties that are not contiguous, Healthy Families America approval may be required and could delay the award and contracting processes.

Q8 a) Can you provide a breakdown of staffing requirement related to the program manager and supervisor?

b) i.e., can the program manager and supervisor be the same person depending on size of the program, can the program manager be part-time assigned to this program, again based on size and for the supervisor, how many home visitors can one supervisor provide supervision to?

A8 a) Staffing requirements including the number of home visitors for one supervisor are reflected in the HFA Best Practice Standards and included in the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password: “HFNYpolicy2021”).

b) Yes. Depending on the size of the program, the Program Manager and Supervisor can be the same person, and the Program Manager may be part-time assigned to the proposed program. As reflected in the Best Practice Standards and HFNY Policy Manual, large programs need more time allocated for Program Manager duties and need more supervisors than smaller programs. Refer to Attachment 9 for additional information.

Q9 Can the same person be the Home Visitor and Program Supervisor?

A9 Yes, the Supervisor can also have a role as a home visitor. Keep in mind that all Best Practice

Standards need to be adhered to including supervision provided to staff conducting home visits, and caseloads. Staffing requirements are in the Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards (RFP Attachment 9) and the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password: “HFNYpolicy2021”).

https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf

Q10 What are the qualifications for a Child Development Specialist?

A10 Qualifications for a Child Development Specialist are:

• Extensive experience in providing services to children ages 0-5 (beginning at birth), preferably developmentally appropriate, and their parents in a homebased setting preferred.

• Ability to provide consultation regarding child development

• Extensive experience in providing services within a home-based model to overburdened communities and families.

• Experience in working with culturally diverse communities and families and the ability to be culturally sensitive and appropriate.

• A belief in a strength-based and family-centered service provision model.

• Bachelor’s degree in child development, human development or early education strongly preferred.

• Working knowledge of attachment theory, parent-infant relationships, and effective/nurturing parenting techniques.

• Understanding of Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and ability to provide assistance, follow up and training to staff

• Knowledge of local early intervention programs preferred Note that the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password: “HFNYpolicy2021”) includes selection criteria for some staff positions.

Q11 The Child Welfare Protocols (attachment 8), state, "sites will provide monthly reflective consultation groups for direct service staff and supervisors with a skilled Infant Mental Health Consultant." How do programs fulfill that requirement if only one home visitor can be funded? For example, a "group" would require more than one staff.

A11 The group is for supervisors and direct service staff. In this example, the group would include the home visitor and their supervisor.

Q12 Is the Program Manager position considered part of the 15% admin?

A12 Program Managers conducting only HFNY work are not considered administrative and do not count towards the 15% cap.

Q13 Is the Data Manager position part of the 15% Admin?

A13 No, the Data Manager is not considered an administrative expense.

Q14 RFP Section 4.1 Staffing/Leadership described the staffing structure for the HFNY program.

The presenters at the bidders conference indicated that the leadership roles can be combined in smaller HFNY programs and/or HFNY program can serve adjacent counties under the same contract and leadership. Please provide guidance on limits or suggestions for serving counties through HFNY with either combined leadership roles and/or adjacent counties served by the same county.

A14 Guidance regarding staffing is included in RFP Attachment 9 Healthy Families America Best Practice Standards and in the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password:

“HFNYpolicy2021”). Within those parameters, programs have flexibility to combine leadership roles to reflect their organization, their proposed capacity, and geography of the county(ies) to serve.

https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf

Prequalification Q15 Our agency holds several contracts with OCFS and currently has contracts with HFNY, will this mean we do not have to go thru the prequalification process? I am told by my finance department that we should be all set with the pre qual. requirements, is this correct?

A15 Per Section 3.1 Minimum Qualifications: all applicants must be prequalified, if not exempt, in the NYS Grants Gateway on the day and time that applications are due. It is recommended that all applicants check their organization’s status in the NYS Grants Gateway and take steps to ensure they are prequalified. Grants Gateway document vaults must be updated each year for not-for-profit organizations to remain prequalified. See RFP 1078 Section 3.2 for additional information.

New and Existing Programs

Q16 Is this RFP being up grant or for new programs?

A16 It is not entirely clear what is being asked, but if you are asking if the RFP can be used to increase a current contract to an existing HFNY program to provide services in a county that is NOT targeted, the answer is no. The purpose of this funding is to provide HFNY Services to families in targeted counties, not to increase funding to existing HFNY Programs. If the question is whether an existing HFNY program can apply for funding to serve a targeted county, the answer is yes. Refer to RFP 1078 Section 2.3 Purpose and Funding Availability and Attachment 12 Counties for Targeted HFNY RFP for more information.

Q17 Can you clarify if Schenectady County would be able to reply to this RFP in order to expand our current HFNY program? I am not sure in reading the RFP if it is limited to counties on the priority list only or counties that currently do not have a HFNY program.

A17 No, funding under this RFP cannot be used to expand an existing program to serve their current county. Schenectady County is not a county targeted by this RFP. Existing programs can submit a proposal to offer HFNY services in one or more targeted counties. These counties do not currently have an OCFS-funded HFNY program. Refer to RFP 1078 Section 2.3 Purpose and Funding Availability (p. 12) and Attachments 5 and 12 for more information.

Q18 If an existing program is providing HFNY services in a neighboring county, can this RFP be used to expand the existing contract to serve the new county instead of initiating a new contract for the new county? For example, a new contract would require the program to complete quarterly and annual reports, as well as quarterly claiming. However, expanding an existing program contract, the reporting and claiming could all be completed together. A new contract would require a lot of duplication for a small program size (one home visitor per RFP guidance).

A18 If an existing program is awarded a contract to provide services in a neighboring county, the contract would be separate from their existing contract. Claiming would be done separately for each contract. OCFS staff will work with vendors to avoid duplication of other activities such as data reporting where possible.

Q19 Page 12 of the RFP states, "the purpose of this funding is to provide HFNY services to families in targeted counties through new or existing OCFS HFNY programs." If an existing HFNY program receives funding for a new county, can the contract dates be aligned to avoid duplication of reporting and claiming. It would also help to align costs for shared staff (e.g., supervisor and manager) or services (e.g., phone, internet, admin costs). For example, an existing contract year of Dec 1 to Nov 30. However, this RFP funding has an anticipated start date of Oct 1.

A19 If an existing program is awarded a contract to provide services in a targeted county, the contract will be separate from their existing contract, and may or may not align with existing contract dates. In those situations, OCFS will work with bidders to coordinate the separate budgets. Claiming will be done separately for each contract. OCFS staff will work with vendors to avoid duplication of other activities such as data reporting where possible. Refer to Section

2.1 Calendar of Events and 2.4 Term of Contract

Funding and Budget

Q20 a) Is the $7,200 per family for only the first year of the contract, and then further years will be determined later?

b) Can a family be funded for more than $7,200 if they need services across two contract years?

A20 a) No, the cost per family is the annual cost. For example, if the vendor’s contracted capacity is 50 and the cost per family for the county(ies) to be served is $7,200, the maximum award amount is $360,000 each year.

b) No, there is no planned increase in the cost per family at this time.

Q21 There is a maximum of $500,000 available for each county. Is the funding delivered through a contract where we will receive the funding up front to provide services? Or are funded reimbursed and paid on a fee-for-service basis?

A21 Bidders will be awarded an annual funding amount and will submit claims based on their expenses. Claiming will be done quarterly. If desired, not-for-profit vendors may request advances up to 40% of their annual award amount. If approved, any advances will be recouped by subtracting 33.33% of the advance amount in claims for quarters 2, 3, and 4.

Refer to Section 2.3 Purpose of Funding Availability.

Q22 This would be the calculation for the first year. However, knowing that families can be served from early pregnancy through age 5, the number of families being served in year 2 or 3 would increase. How would this be reflected in the proposal?

A22 The proposal should provide an annual budget for the first year and projected maximum capacity when the program is fully operational, even if the maximum capacity is not expected to be reached until after the first year. The budget must also not exceed the maximum award amount. Refer to RFP 1078 Section 2.3 Purpose and Funding Availability, 5.2 Proposed Budget

Q23 As I understand it, there is a HFNY web-based case record keeping system. Is that the case, and are there any fees for this that should be budgeted? If so, what are they?

A23 There are no fees to utilize the HFNY web-based Management Information System (MIS). The costs to maintain, enhance, and provide assistance to utilize this system are paid by OCFS.

Q24 RFP Section 2.3 states that requests for advance payments on state funded contracts will be allowed up to 40 percent of the annual contract value. How will OCFS determine whether to allow an advance payment and the percentage of the annual contract value to be advanced?

A24 When requesting an advance, vendors submit the request through the Contract Management System (CMS). OCFS makes a determination based on whether or not the request is 40% or less of the annual contract value.

Q25 RFP Section 4.1 describes accounting for $7,200 for each family served in the first year of the contract. What basis will be used for estimating costs and budgets per family during the development of the five-year program budget? Can the same family be funded for more than $7,200 if they need services across more than one contract year?

A25 The cost per family is the annual cost for each of the five-year program budget. For example, if the vendor’s contracted capacity is 50 and the cost per family for the county(ies) to be served is $7,200, the maximum award amount is $360,000 each year. There is no planned increase in the cost per family at this time.

Q26 Can unused dollars from year to year, be rolled over to the next year and ultimately year 5 A26 No. Unused dollars from one annual period cannot be rolled over to any subsequent years.

However, requests may be considered in extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis, contingent on budget approval and subject to the continued availability of funding.

Q27 Are we provided with an eligibility tool for insurance eligibility?

A27 No. Note that funds under this RFP cannot be used to pay for services to a family that are also being paid for by an insurer or other funder. Insurance payment cannot be used for local match. Refer to Section 5.2 Proposed Budget.

Bidder’s Webinar

Q28 Will the Bidder’s Webinar PowerPoint slides be made available for download?

A28 Yes, the slides were posted on our OCFS public website Funding Opportunities page https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/funding/ and can be downloaded by clicking this link:

Bidder’s Webinar Slides.

Title IV-E and Child Welfare

Q29 To be eligible, do families or children need to be eligible for Title IV-E funding? Same question for Child Welfare families?

A29 This question is not entirely clear. If the question is asking if families or children need to be eligible for Title IV-E funding and/or be referred by Child Welfare in order to receive services through this RFP, the answer is no. Programs funded under this RFP can serve any family that meets HFNY eligibility which is included in the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password: “HFNYpolicy2021”). Refer to Section 4.1 Desired Outcomes and Program Requirements for additional information.

https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/funding/ https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/funding/RFP1078/RFP1078-Bidders-Conference.pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf

Q30 Numerous times throughout the RFP it was mentioned that Page 14 #4 under minimum qualifications “4. Awardees under this contract must agree to enter into a contract with the county(ies) they serve, if necessary and at OCFS direction, to obtain payment for Title IV-E eligible families if counties seek Title IV-E reimbursement.” Could you explain what that term “if necessary” means?

A30 Pending federal approval, OCFS will obtain federal reimbursement for state funds utilized through this RFP to provide HFNY services to Title IV-E eligible families. OCFS anticipates approval for this, but if this plan were disapproved, OCFS might deem it necessary for the counties to contract with HFNY programs to seek the federal reimbursement.

This RFP has been amended on 5/31/2022 to remove this requirement. Please refer to the amended RFP for additional information. The amended RFP can be downloaded from the OCFS website at https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/funding/, the NYS Contract Reporter at https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/agency/adsView.cfm?numID=2081627 or the NYS Grants Gateway at https://grantsgateway.ny.gov.

Q31 I have a question about Attachment 7 (LDSS Commitment Form). Can you please clarify the following statement in the attachment?

By signing this form, I affirm that it is the intention of the department of social services to:

Seek federal reimbursement for HFNY services provided by the entity listed above (if awarded) under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act if deemed necessary by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services when reimbursement becomes available for families eligible for IV-E funding. In addition, if necessary, this LDSS will enter into a contract with the contractor selected to serve this county to make direct payment to this entity (if awarded) for services provided to Title IV-E eligible families.

A31 Pending federal approval, OCFS will obtain federal reimbursement for state funds utilized through this RFP to provide HFNY services to Title IV-E eligible families. OCFS anticipates approval for this based on discussions to date with our federal liaisons, and that other states are making the same proposal. If it is disapproved, OCFS would deem it necessary for the counties to contract with HFNY programs and seek the federal reimbursement.

The Attachment 7 has been amended on 5/31/2022 to remove this requirement. Please refer to the amended RFP for additional information. The amended Attachment 7 can be downloaded from the OCFS website at https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/funding/, the NYS Contract Reporter at https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/agency/adsView.cfm?numID=2081627 or the NYS Grants Gateway at https://grantsgateway.ny.gov.

Q32 Page 7 section 2.1 second paragraph: 1. Does the expanded criteria mean that all referrals must come from Child Welfare? Or can referrals be a combination of community based (WIC, OB’s, pediatricians, etc.) and Child Welfare? 2. Will OCFS require a certain percentage of referrals to be from Child Welfare?

A32 1) No, the expanded criteria does not mean all referrals must come from child welfare. The referrals can be a combination of community-based organizations such as Women, Infant and Children (WIC) sites, obstetricians, pediatricians, etc. and child welfare. 2) No, OCFS does not require a certain percentage of referrals to be from child welfare.

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Awards Q33 How many awards will be provided? Will all the targeted counties receive an award if proposals meet the passing score of 65?

A33 The number of awards made is contingent on the number of proposals received, how many counties are proposed to be served, and the amount of funding requested by applicants in their proposals. Awards will be made until available funding is exhausted. Refer to RFP 1078 Section 2.0 Executive Overview and Section 6.2 Evaluation Process for additional information.

Applications, Submissions and Forms Q34 If a Local Health Department is applying and is utilizing their own space, equipment, supplies would we just put MWBE is not applicable because we aren't using any vendors/contractors?

A34 All MWBE-related forms should be completed to the best of the applicant’s abilities. If there are no line items in the budget proposed by the applicant where MWBE utilization may occur, that should be indicated in the MWBE utilization plan provided on your proposal. Refer to RFP Section 7.10 for additional information.

Q35 We are ready to submit our reporting forms and wanted to confirm if we have to send document with original signatures or if electronic signature is sufficient? May we also fax in the forms to the Comptroller’s office, or must they be mailed?

A35 It is unclear what forms you are referring to. For the purposes of this RFP, applications are being submitted in the NYS Grants Gateway electronically.

Q36 Mentioned on the 5/4 call was that a commitment letter from Local DSS should be obtained;

please elaborate – does that mean a collaborative letter of support?

A36 Commitment Form: Local Department of Social Services is Attachment 7. Note that submitting it is a minimum qualification. Refer to the Attachment 7 and RFP Section 3.1 Minimum Qualifications. No additional letter of support is required from Local Department of Social Services (LDSS). Applicants have the option of submitting Attachment 6 Affirmation of Support from community partners. Some applicants may view their LDSS as a community partner.

Q37 What level of involvement are you excepting [expecting] from our LDSS?

A37 Applicants are required to submit an Attachment 7 Commitment Form: Local Department of

Social Services as required in RFP 1078 Section 3.1 Minimum Qualifications. The Commitment Form identifies the minimum expectations of involvement. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to explore additional aspects of collaboration with their LDSS.

Training and Meetings

Q38 I know that extensive staff training is required in the HFNY program. Is there any fee for the training sessions? Should we budget for travel costs to attend in-person training, or is the training virtual?

A38 Some of the training needed for the provision of HFNY services is paid for directly by OCFS.

OCFS has contracted with Prevent Child Abuse New York (PCANY) to conduct required core training, training specific to the roles of FSS, FRS, Supervisors and Program Managers, and advanced training on selected topics for all HFNY staff. At this time those trainings are virtual but that may change based on public health guidelines. Costs of other trainings (e.g., home visitor curricula training, HFA Implementation training for Program Manager, topics chosen by the program) and travel for any trainings is the responsibility of HFNY programs and should be reflected in the budgets and proposals submitted for this RFP based on current plans. HFNY programs will have the ability to modify their budgets even after awards are made if conditions change. Refer to RFP 1078 Sections 4.0 Program Requirements, 5.2 Proposed Budget, and the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password:

“HFNYpolicy2021”).

Q39 Is in-person training in Albany?

A39 Training may be in Rensselaer, at regional locations, and/or held virtually. OCFS currently provides many of the required trainings virtually, but that may change based on needs and public health guidelines. Travel for any trainings is the responsibility of the HFNY program and should be reflected in the budget and proposal submitted under this RFP. Refer to Q38.

Q40 Page 20 of section 4.0 5th bullet from the top “Participation in bi-monthly HFNY regional Meetings and bi-annual Statewide Leadership Meetings” 1) Who needs to attend these meetings? Executive Directors, Program Managers, Supervisors? 2) Where are regional meetings held -via Zoom or in person? 3) Where are Statewide Meetings held? 4) How long are meetings, hours, days requiring overnight accommodations?

A40 Program Managers attend the regional and statewide leadership meetings. When a Program Manager is not able to attend, a representative from the program should attend in their absence (program supervisor, supervisor to the Program Manager). Currently statewide and regional meetings are held virtually, but applicants should plan for the possibility of in-person meetings in the future. For the purposes of this application, and the one-year budget that is required, applicants may assume meetings for the first six months will be held virtually.

Regional meetings will rotate based on available meeting space at HFNY programs within the HFNY regions. Statewide meetings are held at OCFS in Rensselaer. When in person, regional meetings do not require overnight stays. When in person, statewide meetings may require one overnight stay depending on the location of the site to OCFS.

Q41 HFNY Site-Specific-Policy and Procedures Manual April 2021 Training Plan/Policy page 56 - How often (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly?) and where (in person or virtual) do the HFA Core Training take place?

A41 Core trainings are held at a frequency based on the need of the HFNY system. There are typically Core trainings offered at least monthly. Core trainings are currently virtual, but applicants should plan for the possibility of in-person trainings in the future.

Q42 How will the contracts connected to this funding opportunity pay for staff training in the HFNY model?

A42 Some training needed for the provision of HFNY services is paid for directly by OCFS. OCFS has contracted with Prevent Child Abuse New York (PCANY) to conduct required core training, training specific to the roles of FSS, FRS, Supervisors and Program Managers, and advanced training on selected topics for all HFNY staff. At this time those trainings are virtual but that may change based on public health guidelines. Costs of other trainings (e.g., home visitor curricula training, HFA Implementation training for Program Manager, topics chosen by the program) and travel for any trainings is the responsibility of HFNY programs and should be reflected in proposals submitted under this RFP. Refer to Sections 4.0 Program Requirements,

5.2 Proposed Budget and the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password:

“HFNYpolicy2021”).

https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf

Program Information and Requirements

Q43 Is the agency providing services in each county expected to have on-call hours to serve families?

A43 No, there is not a requirement that the agency providing services in each county have on-call hours to serve families. Note that one program requirement is the ability to provide home visits outside of traditional hours for families that are engaged in work or school. Refer to Section 4.0 Program Requirements.

Q44 What is the anticipated time frame a family would remain as a part of the program?

A44 Families can remain in the program until the child is 5 or enters Head Start or kindergarten, whichever comes first. Refer to Section 2.1 Introduction/Description of Program Objectives and Background.

Q45 Attachment 4 Quarterly Performance Targets – When does a quarter begin? Does OCFS or HFNY have a grace period for starting a new program? For example, once contracts are signed programs will need to hire Program Managers, Supervisors and Home Visitors, they must all be trained prior to conducting any outreach or visits. Does the quarter start when the first family is enrolled? Does HFA or HFNY have an estimated time it takes to start a new program?

A45 Based on a start date of 10/1/2022, annual quarters are as follows: First Quarter, 10/1– 12/31;

Second Quarter, 1/1 – 3/31; Third Quarter, 4/1-6/30; Fourth Quarter, 7/1-9/30. Programs are not expected to meet all quarterly performance targets immediately. OCFS does expect steady progress towards target attainment. Initially, progress is measured by filling positions, training all staff, outreach to referral sources, outreach to communities to lay the groundwork for enrollment, and other activities that create the foundation for attainment of performance targets and performance indicators.

Q46

Based on prior experience in New York State, what does OCFS expect the average length of services for each family through HFNY to be?

A46 It’s expected that applicants would make HFNY services available to families from the time of enrollment until the child’s 5th birthday, or until the child enters a Head Start Program, or kindergarten -whichever may come first. Some families can graduate from the program based on achievement of level changes. The enrollment window is from pregnancy to when the child is 2 years old when the referral is from Child Welfare, or until the child is 3 months old when it’s from all other referral sources. Bidders should strive to serve families for the full period of eligibility.

Q47 The RFP notes services from prenatal to 3 months, then services continue as indicated until a child’s 2 birthday – also referenced on the 5/4 call was serving children from 0- 5 years old.

Please clarify the expectations of the ages and families to be served?

A47 Refer to A44.

Q48 Is there a recommended time frame to keep cases open?

A48 It’s not clear if the question is about HFNY service provision or Child Welfare cases. This RFP is solely for HFNY services, not for Child Welfare services and thus does not address time frames for Child Welfare cases. Refer to A44 and A47.

Q49 Can families receive services from LDSS Preventive Services or FAR services and the HFNY grant?

A49 Yes. Families receiving LDSS Preventive Services and/or Family Assessment Response (FAR) are eligible to receive HFNY services.

Q50 Will there be a formal data base provided by OCFS to enter case notes and data?

A50 Yes, there is a web-based HFNY Management Information System (MIS). It is provided by

OCFS. Note that programs are required to utilize MIS and meet associated timeframes. Refer to Sections 4.0 Program Requirements, 5.1 Proposal Content/Work Plan C Objectives, Tasks and Performance Measures.

Q51 Is this program also for low-income families that are not eligible to receive Medicare?

A51 Neither Medicare nor Medicaid eligibility affects eligibility for HFNY services. HFNY Eligibility requirements are included in the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password:

“HFNYpolicy2021”).

Q52 Can we accept undocumented clients?

A52 Yes.

Q53 Is OCFS providing a client database/ do we need to enter client information into a certain database?

A53 Yes, there is a web based HFNY Management Information System (MIS). It is provided by OCFS. Note that programs are required to utilize MIS and meet associated timeframes. Refer to Sections 4.0 Program Requirements, 5.1 Proposal Content/Work Plan C Objectives, Tasks and Performance Measures.

Q54 If you serve 65 families per year x$7,600= $494,000.00 per year- Can these same families, be claimed for billable services from pregnancy until age 3 if needed for preventive service interventions?

A54 There’s no prohibition on a family receiving HFNY services paid for through this RFP, and also receiving other services paid by other programs or sources. Awardees of this RFP cannot claim costs to provide HFNY services to a family and also claim for those same services under a different contract, through insurance, or other arrangement.

Q55 Are there income eligibility requirements for families that are served for the home visiting portion of the program? If so, does this also apply to the families served through the Child Welfare Protocol?

A55 No. There are no income eligibility requirements for families served by HFNY programs.

Q56 Do the children served by the program need to be Medicaid eligible for the home visiting portion? Can it only be the child with Medicaid, or does it need to be the family eligible?

A56 No. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid eligibility impacts eligibility for HFNY services. HFNY Eligibility requirements are included in the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password: “HFNYpolicy2021”).

Q57 HFA requires the start of the accreditation process after one year and to be completed by the end of year two, will each contract be accredited individually, or will the contracts be absorbed in to HFNY accreditation?

A57 Once the contract has been approved, the program will complete an application to be affiliated with Healthy Families America and Healthy Families New York as part of the HFNY https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf multi-site system. All programs will go through the accreditation process via the HFNY multi-site system and not individually.

Q58 While not recommended to have more than one subcontractor, will our score be reduced if we have more than one subcontractor?

A58 Not necessarily. The questions used for scoring, and maximum points for each, are included in the RFP. There is no specific question or associated points regarding the number of subcontractors to be used. However, applicants must ensure that their proposal meets the requirements of the HFA Best Practice Standards and HFNY Policy Manual such as requirements around staffing, supervision, quality assurance, etc. Refer to RFP Section 5.4 Proposal Content, Section 6.2 Evaluation Process, and the HFNY Site-Specific Policy and Procedures Manual (password: “HFNYpolicy2021”).

Q59 Supplies- please clarify “obtain three written or verbal quotes for any single item costing $2500 or less”. For example, to purchase a $100 desk or $5 stapler?

A59 For single items costing $2,500 or less, verbal bids or informal quotes are permitted. Checking prices online or in catalogues satisfies this recommendation. Applicants are encouraged to use good judgement for low-value items.

Q60 5b: How do we answer if Charities Registration is not applicable? And how do we provide documentation we are an eligible entity if not through the Charities Registration?

A61 If any administrative questions are not applicable to your organization, it is permissible to respond with a “Yes” response for that question. If an upload or narrative field is not available to provide an explanation as to why the question is not applicable, applicants are encouraged to submit additional information in the form of an upload to the “Grantee Document Folder” section of their online application. Please ensure all uploads are clearly identified and labeled.

Q62 If more than one county is included in a proposal, will you award only a portion of the proposal- such as only one county versus the three that may have been included?

A62 There is a possibility that the award will vary and may not include all proposed counties to be served by the applicant. That will depend on several factors including whether other bidders have proposed serving the same county(ies), and scores of associated proposals. OCFS reserves the right to adjust the funding amount based on programmatic need, funding availability, geographic distribution of awards, and the total dollar values of all applications receiving a passing score. If the award amount and/or county(ies) to be served is different than what was proposed, OCFS will work the bidder to adjust the budget and workplan during the contract development process. Refer to RFP 1078 Section 6.2 Evaluation Process.

Q63 If we have a worker funded by another source which allows us to exceed the 15% in enrollment, how does that impact targets and reports?

A63 If you are asking if your program can exceed the 15% of Medicaid births in your county, the answer is yes. You may propose to serve more or less of the 10-15% of Medicaid births in your county(ies). All families served by the program will be counted in targets and reporting regardless of whether the program receives additional funds outside of OCFS to support more staff.

https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf https://www.healthyfamiliesnewyork.org/Staff/Documents/HFNYSiteSpecificPolicyProcedures_Manual_FINAL_April_2021%20(1).pdf