RFP 10912_Miami_Frequently_Asked_Questions.pdf

Exhibit 8 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: How many total classrooms and staff offices are there?

Answer: There are two classrooms and eight staf f of f ices.

2. Question: How many sleeping rooms are there and are they all single occupancy?

Answer: There are twelve (12) sleeping rooms; however not all are single occupancy.

3.

Question: Can the Department provide a copy of the floor plans with the room measurements so

Respondents can understand the size of each room to better propose innovative programming?

Answer: Floor plans shall be provided by the Procurement Of f icer per request via email.

4.

Question: Are there any State-owned vehicles available for use at the program? If so, how many and what is the year/make/model?

Answer: There will be no Department-owned vehicles available. Any vehicles needed shall be requested in the Respondent’s Attachment H - Budget.

5.

Question: How old are the current AC units and when were they last serviced? Are there any HVAC concerns or repairs in progress?

Answer: There are two units. One was installed in 2014 and the other was installed in 2018. Both units were serviced in October 2024. There are no HVAC concerns or repairs in progress.

6.

Question: What is the current major maintenance fund balance and what are the current major maintenance projects that are pending completion?

Answer: The current major maintenance fund balance is $10,050.04. There are currently no major maintenance projects in process at this facility.

7.

Question: Can the Department provide the last twelve (12)-month run rate for utilities, water/sewer, waste, gas, and food at the program?

Answer:

8.

Question: How many cameras are at the facility, are all operational currently, and when was the video surveillance system last updated?

Answer: There are forty-f ive (45) cameras at this facility, all are operational, and a new Avigilon system was installed in March 2024.

9.

Question: Is there a functioning sprinkler system throughout the building? If not, will recessed sprinklers be installed prior to the contract award?

Answer: Yes. There is a functioning sprinkler system throughout this facility.

10. Question: Does the facility have a generator?

Answer: Yes. The facility has a generator.

11.

Question: If this facility is in a flood-zone, how many evacuations has the facility experienced in the past five years due to a flood warning?

Answer: This facility is in a f lood-zone. There has been one evacuation of this facility in the past f ive years, on November 8, 2020.

12. Question: Are all the showers and bathrooms PREA compliant, or will they be prior to the Contract award?

Answer: Yes. All showers and bathrooms are PREA compliant.

13.

Question: Is the food prepared for youth in-house, or catered? If in-house, is all the kitchen equipment working properly?

Answer: All food is prepared for youth in-house. All kitchen equipment is fully functional. A new icemaker has been ordered and will be installed prior to the new Contract being executed.

14. Question: Where is the Control Room in the facility?

Answer: There is no Control Room at this facility.

15.

Question: Can the Department please provide an editable version of Attachment D, Attachment O, and

Attachment Q in Microsoft Word format?

Answer: Please contact the Procurement Manager, via email, for a copy of Attachments D, O, and Q in Microsoft

Word format.

16.

Question: Can the Department please provide Exhibit 5 and Exhibit 6 in either Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel format?

Answer: Please contact the Procurement Manager, via email, for a copy of Exhibits 5 and 6 in Microsof t Word format.

17.

Question: Per the solicitation, the Respondent must include a “detailed plan for the provision of clinical staff and clinical services to include weekends and evenings; for services including, but not limited to, individual, group, and family therapy.”

a. Is it sufficient for the Respondent’s plan to indicate that per the model requirements of the chosen EBPs and per the individualized needs of youth as specified on their treatment plans, clinical services may be available on weekends and evenings, as needed?

Answer: No. Per the OHS Attachments, a mental health clinical staf f person must be on-site seven days per week, to meet the unique needs of the youth, and to provide clinical services as outlined in the relevant OHS Attachment(s). This allows for f lexibility with the administration of therapeutic activities and crisis intervention services, while accommodating time for educational requirements, and for parents/guardians/co-parents to be involved in family treatment services.

18.

Question: The solicitation states “an orientation process that begins prior to, or within two hours of, admission to the program” is required. The current requirement is within twenty-four (24) hours.

Can this requirement be modified to give staff the twenty-four (24) hours?

Answer: No. Per Chapter 63E-7.101 (6), F.A.C., Youth Admission, Intake, and Orientation, it states, “A residential commitment program shall begin the orientation process for each youth admitted to the program prior to, or within two hours of , admission to the program.”

19.

Question: The solicitation states that there will be “continuous, twenty-four (24) hours awake supervision every day of the year.” Can you confirm that this requirement applies to having awake staff, NOT awake ratios 24/7?

Answer: Twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year, all youth must have in-sight supervision everyday by staf f who are awake and not sleeping.

20.

Question: “Job Placement” is mentioned throughout this solicitation. Would you clarify if this is meant for during their stay, during their transition, or both?

Answer: Job Placement is meant for both during their stay and during their transition.

21.

Question: Is it the Department’s expectation that pre- and in-service training plans will NOT be required to be submitted to DJJ to be approved prior to December 1 of the year preceding implementation?

It is our understanding that plans will only need to be submitted to DJJ for approval as part of the proposal for this solicitation. Is an annual calendar or annual plan equally acceptable for use at the program?

Answer: No. The resulting Contract will require that the annual in-service training plan and the pre-service training plan be submitted for review and approval to the Residential Regional Director each year.

22.

Question: Under the Religious and Spiritual Opportunities section, the solicitation indicates the Respondent “shall provide regular faith-based opportunities and quarterly documented attempts to provide religious services and education that encompasses all faiths.”

Is taking youth to church services on Sundays satisfy this requirement, provided that different options are available to youth and does the State have a listing of approved volunteer organizations that could provide the sort of services to Youth as described here?

Answer: Church services on Sundays, and dif ferent options available to youth, satisfies this requirement. We do not have a running list of volunteer organizations; however, the internet may provide you with organizations in the area, or those that are close by.

23.

Question: Can the Department please provide the names and titles of the staff members who will be evaluating this solicitation?

Answer: The Evaluators for this solicitation are:

• James “Buddy” Hall, South Regional Director, Residential Services

• Ashley Schwab, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Residential Services

• Billy Starke, Central Regional Director, Residential Services

• Patrick Brock, Of f ice of Education

• Benson Bernard, Of f ice of Health Services – Mental Health

• Kala Garner, Of f ice of Health Services – Medical

• Jillian Cumbo, Of f ice of Postsecondary and Workforce Education

Please Note: Evaluators for this solicitation are subject to change based on the needs of the Department and availability of the individuals.

24.

Question: Does the Department plan to provide any start-up/cost reimbursement funds to the winning

Respondent so that necessary facility projects can be completed?

Answer: There are no start-up/cost reimbursement funds available for this program.

25.

Question: What is the census utilization for the last twelve (12) months?

Answer: Month/Year Utilization

October 2023 98% November 2023 96% December 2023 96% January 2024 92% February 2024 100%

March 2024 100% April 2024 100% May 2024 100% June 2024 92% July 2024 89%

August 2024 85% September 2024 80%

October 2024 92%

26.

Question: Are there any specific delinquency interventions required for this program?

Answer: A list of approved curricula is located at: https://www.djj.state.f l.us/partners-providers-staf f /programming-and-technical-assistance-unit/research-informed-and-best-practices

27.

Question: The solicitation indicates that the Department can reduce the Respondent’s monthly invoice at its discretion for the amount allocated for unfilled positions. Please confirm that if the Respondent can maintain ratios by paying overtime to existing staff the penalty will not apply.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.djj.state.fl.us%2Fpartners-providers-staff%2Fprogramming-and-technical-assistance-unit%2Fresearch-informed-and-best-practices&data=05%7C01%7CLaura.Gallagher%40fldjj.gov%7C90cde3e17daa49e8c2f408dbd55cd75d%7C446f3eb4b3de4f0492ea54497eaca292%7C0%7C0%7C638338366953453716%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J%2Fln0lWslnV0gUPF04ROnNZyNGdQ4cs0OSRCwdU06Kk%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.djj.state.fl.us%2Fpartners-providers-staff%2Fprogramming-and-technical-assistance-unit%2Fresearch-informed-and-best-practices&data=05%7C01%7CLaura.Gallagher%40fldjj.gov%7C90cde3e17daa49e8c2f408dbd55cd75d%7C446f3eb4b3de4f0492ea54497eaca292%7C0%7C0%7C638338366953453716%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J%2Fln0lWslnV0gUPF04ROnNZyNGdQ4cs0OSRCwdU06Kk%3D&reserved=0

Answer: No. By executing the resulting Contract, the Respondent agrees to always maintain the required ratios.

In the Attachment H - Budget, all the program costs (including staf f ) add up to equal the f illed per diem amount paid in the resulting Contract. Should 15% or more of the Respondent’s total program positions be vacant at any one time, the Department may reduce the Respondent’s monthly invoice to recoup the salary not being paid because of excessive vacancies.

28.

Question: Submitting proposals: If the preference is for electronic copies, are hard copies still required?

Answer: The solicitation says “Respondents shall submit the required information and documents for this solicitation in the hard copy and electronic submittal of Volume 3”; therefore, both formats are required.

29.

Question: For Substance Abuse Treatment Overlay Services (SAOS) programs: Attachment A-3, SAOS references a LMHP on-site five days. Will the Department consider exempting existing master level counselors who are working toward licensure (i.e., registered interns) into this role?

Answer: Registered interns may not work as a Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP).

30.

requires that “psychiatric services be provided in the facility.” Will the Department allow these services to be provided via telehealth modality?

Answer: No. Tele-mental health services (individual and group therapy sessions) are not permitted at this time.

Tele-psychiatry services should be requested f rom the Of f ice of Health Services (OHS).

31.

requires that “Note: Process Groups based on Evidence Based therapy models (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems, Reality Therapy, Humanistic Therapy, Insight-oriented Therapy, Behavior Therapy, etc.) are allowable two times per week, and all other MH/SA group therapy services shall be Evidence-Based therapy curricula.”

Will the Department consider allowing more flexibility in this requirement, as evidence-based curricula cohorts vary based on youth admission/discharge timelines and frequencies? As an example, a youth in transition will likely have finished all formal evidence-based interventions such as ART and CYT, so may need more process groups to meet the 4-per-week requirement.

Answer: Yes. If a youth has successfully completed evidence-based curricular based groups, then that youth can participate in a greater number of process groups, or increase the number of individual sessions for the week. It is not therapeutic for a youth to repeat a curricular-based group if that youth successfully completed the group.

32.

requires that “A qualified professional licensed under Chapters 458, 459, 490 or 491, F.S. must be on-site and provide a substance abuse service each day Substance Abuse Treatment Overlay Services (SAOS) are provided.”

As group frequency has been reduced, how will this be reflected, since SAOS is no longer a separately billed service, and will the Department consider removing this language?

Answer: If the program has a 397 License, then non-licensed clinical staf f may provide substance abuse treatment services under the supervision of a licensed professional. However, the Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) does not need to be on-site during such service provision. Substance Abuse services are not billed separately; however, these services are governed by 65D-30, F.A.C. The Department will not remove this language.

33.

table specifies minimum therapist qualifications as “master’s degree student interns.” Please clarify this requirement, as registered internship is not a requirement specified in section 3b “minimum non-licensed clinical staff qualifications.”

Answer: There is a dif ference between a student intern and a registered intern. The non-licensed mental health clinical staf f must, if not otherwise licensed, have at minimum a bachelor’s degree and be a currently enrolled master’s degree student and has reached the internship phase of the program. A registered intern already holds a master’s degree and is approved by DOH to provide treatment services under the supervision of a Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP). Thus, a student intern or a registered intern may serve as non-licensed mental health clinical staf f working in MHOS or SAOS programs.

34.

requires that “Family therapy shall be provided monthly at a minimum for all youth.” Will the Department consider changing the language of this requirement to “shall be offered” or “shall be scheduled” as the Respondent cannot control whether parents will attend scheduled sessions?

Answer: If a parent/guardian/co-parent does not attend a family session the therapist will document that in the progress notes.

35.

Question: If the LMHP is serving as the DMHCA, will that individual being full-time on-site satisfy the requirements listed in the MHOS/SAOS attachments under clinical staff requirements a and b?

Answer: The Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) and the Designated Mental Health Clinician Authority (DMHCA) can be the same person, satisfying the requirements of being on-site at least forty (40) hours per week, f ive days of the week.