RFP 19-2209 FAP Chippewa.docx

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Grants and Purchasing

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) CONDENSED

|_| Unit Rate/Actual Cost |_| Unit Rate |_| Unit Rate/Per Diem

Proposal Submission

All proposals with related material must be submitted electronically using the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website. For technical assistance when entering proposals, contact the State of Michigan VSS Support Center at (888) 734-9749 or SIGMA- Vendor@michigan.gov.

The Contractor (awarded bidder) must deliver human services to referred clients in the above geographic area, and have direct service providers based within 75 miles of the geographic area for the duration of the contract.

Disqualifying Criteria:

The bidder will be disqualified and the proposal will not be reviewed if there is failure to:

Submit a complete proposal, including sub-sections if required in the RFP, to the SIGMA VSS website on or before the due date and time specified.

Stay at or below the maximum award amount per contract year. (Delete if no maximum award is indicated)

Proposals from bidders who are current state of Michigan employees are also disqualified and will not be reviewed.

Additional Information:

For purposes of this RFP, the proposed unit rate should be based on $63,000.00 ($9,000.00 for year one (FY2019) and $27,000.00 each for years 2 and 3 (FY2020 and FY2021)). In addition to the amounts listed above, $7,000.00 is allocated for transportation ($1,000.00 for year one and $3,000.00 each for years 2 and 3 (FY2020 and FY2021)).

Transportation is considered an actual cost component and should not be included in the proposed unit rate.

Unit rate calculations must take into consideration all direct and indirect costs related to performing the service, including mandated insurance costs.

Authority:

Completion:

Penalty:

P.A. 2080 of 1939.

Mandatory.

Agreement Invalid The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) will not discriminate against any individual or group because of race, religion, age, national origin, color, height, weight, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political beliefs or disability. If you need help with reading, writing, hearing, etc., under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are invited to make your needs known to a MDHHS office in your area.

Table of Contents

This Request for Proposal (RFP) provides interested bidders with sufficient information to prepare and submit proposals for consideration by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and contains the following sections:

Section I Proposal Instructions

Section II Description of Service Specifications

Section III Instructions for Bidders

Section IV Proposal

Section V Confidential Treatment Form (CT Form)

RFP Number: 190000002209

From this point on, do not use tab. Unprotect the format and press CONTROL F to move to the next typing location (stop code). Protect the format again after the last stop code. The last stop code is before #28 (the Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment certification) in Section IV.

Section I

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Questions/Inquiries

Questions regarding the content of this RFP must be made by email to Christen Satchwell at SatchwellC@michigan.gov on or before May 23, 2019. MDHHS staff will not respond to questions regarding the content of the RFP that are telephoned in. Questions may be discussed verbally at the pre-proposal conference, if one is scheduled. MDHHS will compile all relevant questions and answers and post these as well as any other clarifications or revisions to the initial RFP onto the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website. Interested bidders are advised to monitor the website regularly.

2. Amendment to the RFP

MDHHS may modify this RFP at any time. Modifications will be posted on the SIGMA VSS website via a “proposal amendment.” This is the only method by which the RFP may be modified. Amendments posted before the deadline submission date may include documentations such as questions and answers, revisions, and/or clarifications to the initial RFP. Amendments posted after the deadline submission date may include documentation such as the award recommendation letter.

3. Response Preparation

Bidders must follow these proposal instructions and provide a complete response. Uniform Resource Locator (URL) links to information will not be considered for evaluation. Bidder should include its company name in the header of all response documents.

4. Delivery of Proposal

The bidder must submit its proposal, all attachments, and any modifications or withdrawals electronically through the SIGMA VSS website. The price proposal should be saved separately from all other proposal documents. The bidder should submit all documents in a modifiable (native) format (examples include, but are not limited to: Microsoft Word or Excel and Google Docs or Sheets). In addition to submitting documents in a modifiable format, the bidder may also submit copies of documents in PDF. Bidder’s failure to submit a proposal as required may result in disqualification. The proposal and attachments must be fully uploaded and submitted prior to the due date identified on the SIGMA VSS website. Do not wait until the last minute to submit a proposal, as the SIGMA VSS system requires the creation of an account and entry of certain information, in addition to uploading and submitting the materials. The SIGMA VSS system will not allow a proposal to be submitted after the due date and time, even if a portion of the proposal has been uploaded.

Questions on how to submit information or how to navigate in the SIGMA VSS system can be answered by calling (517) 373-4111 or (888) 734-9749.

5. Evaluation Process

In awarding the contract, proposals will be evaluated by a committee chaired by the MDHHS Bureau of Grants and Purchasing (BGP). Only those proposals receiving a score of 80 points or more will be considered for award. All qualified proposals will be evaluated based on rating criteria identified in the RFP.

MDHHS may utilize all bidder information, without regard to a proposal’s technical score, to determine fair market value for goods or services sought. MDHHS is not obligated to accept the lowest price proposal. If applicable, MDHHS’ evaluation will include consideration of a bidder’s qualified disabled veteran (QDV) status under MCL 18.1261(8). Additional information on the QDV preference is available at the Contract Connect website.

MDHHS strongly encourages strict adherence to the standard terms. MDHHS reserves the right to deem a proposal non-responsive for failure to accept the standard terms. Nevertheless, the bidder may submit proposed changes to the standard terms in track changes (i.e., visible edits) with an explanation of the bidder’s need for each proposed change. Failure to include track changes with an explanation of the bidder’s need for the proposed change constitutes the bidder’s acceptance of the standard terms. General statements, such as that the bidder reserves the right to negotiate the standard terms, may be considered non-responsive.

MDHHS reserves the right to establish the criteria by which it will evaluate each bidder’s response, and by which it will determine the most responsive, capable, and qualified bidder(s). In addition to cost, other principal factors may be considered in evaluating proposals relative to:

. Reliability . Bidder’s past performance . Bidder’s ability to respond to all requirements outlined in the RFP . Bidder’s ability to maintain a presence in providing services . Financial stability . Continuity and stability in provision of service . Knowledge transfer activities

If MDHHS determines in its sole discretion that contracting with or awarding a contract to a bidder presents an unacceptable financial risk to MDHHS, MDHHS reserves the right to not award a contract to that bidder.

MDHHS may conduct an on-site visit to tour and inspect the bidder's facilities; require an oral presentation of the bidder's proposal; conduct interviews, research, reference checks, and background checks; and request additional price concessions at any point during the evaluation process.

If it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false information, the bidder will not be considered for award, MDHHS may pursue debarment of the bidder, and any resulting contract that may have been established may be terminated.

6. Notice of Deficiency

MDHHS reserves the right to issue a Notice of Deficiency to bidders if MDHHS determines after the proposal deadline that a portion of the RFP was deficient, unclear, or ambiguous. Failure to respond to a Notice of Deficiency timely may be cause for disqualification.

7. Clarification Request

MDHHS reserves the right to issue a Clarification Request to a bidder to clarify its proposal if MDHHS determines the proposal is not clear. Failure to respond to a Clarification Request timely may be cause for disqualification.

8. Reservations

MDHHS reserves the right to:

a. Disqualify a bidder for failure to follow these instructions.

b. Discontinue the RFP process at any time for any or no reason. The issuance of an RFP, preparation and submission of a proposal, and MDHHS’s subsequent receipt and evaluation of a proposal does not commit MDHHS to award a contract, even if all the requirements in the RFP are met.

c. Consider late proposals if: (i) no other proposals are received; (ii) no complete proposals are received; (iii) MDHHS received complete proposals, but they did not pass the evaluation process; or (iv) the award process fails to result in an award.

d. Consider an otherwise disqualified proposal, if no other proposals are received.

e. Disqualify a proposal based on: (1) information provided by the bidder in response to this RFP; (2) the bidder’s failure to complete registration on SIGMA VSS; or (3) if it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false or misleading information in response to this RFP.

f. Consider prior performance with the State in making its award decision.

g. Consider overall economic impact to the State when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation. This includes but is not limited to: considering principal place of performance, number of Michigan citizens employed or potentially employed, dollars paid to Michigan residents, Michigan capital investments, job creation, tax revenue implications, and economically disadvantaged businesses.

h. Consider total-cost-of-ownership factors (e.g., transition and training costs) when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation.

i. Refuse to award a contract to any bidder that has failed to pay State taxes or has outstanding debt with the State.

j. Enter into negotiations with one or more bidders on price, terms, technical requirements, or other deliverables.

k. Award multiple, optional-use contracts, or award by contract activity.

l. Evaluate the proposal outside the scope identified in Section 5, Evaluation Process, if MDHHS receives only one proposal.

m. Evaluate proposals using a method that establishes the relative importance of each deliverable.

9. Award Recommendation

The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who offers the best value to the State, as determined by the State. Best value will be determined by the bidder meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of price and quality, as demonstrated by its proposal and other principal factors. MDHHS will post a Notice of Recommendation for Award on the SIGMA VSS website, which will appear as a Notice of Intent to Award to the original solicitation.

10. Debrief Meetings and Protest

MDHHS will post a Notice of Recommendation for Award, which will provide instructions on how to request a debrief meeting.

Bidders who wish to initiate a protest of the award must submit the protest in writing no later than 3:00 p.m. on the fifth business day after the notice of recommendation for award is published on the SIGMA VSS website. MDHHS reserves the right to adjust this timing and will publish any change on the SIGMA VSS system.

Submit protests via email to MDHHS-BGP@michigan.gov. Include “Protest” in the email subject line. All protests must include the bid number.

Additional information about the protest process is available at the Contract Connect website under the “Programs and Policies” link.

11. State Administrative Board

Contracts in excess of $500,000 require approval by the State Administrative Board. The State Administrative Board’s decision is final; however, its approval does not constitute a contract. The award process is not complete until the awarded Contractor receives a contract fully executed by all parties.

12. General Conditions

The State will not be liable for any costs, expenses, or damages incurred by a bidder participating in this solicitation. The bidder agrees that its proposal will be considered an offer to do business with the State in accordance with its proposal, including the Standard Terms, and that its proposal will be irrevocable and binding for a period of 90 calendar days from date of submission. If a contract is awarded to the bidder, the State may, at its option, incorporate any part of the bidder’s proposal into a contract. This RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract. This RFP may not provide a complete statement of the State’s environment, or contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached. Other than verified trade secrets, proposals submitted via SIGMA VSS are the State’s property.

13. Confidential Treatment Form and the Freedom of Information Act

All portions of the bidder’s proposal and resulting contract are subject to disclosure as required under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231, et seq. However, some information may be exempt from disclosure. Under MCL 18.1261(13)(b), records containing “a trade secret as defined under section 2 of the uniform trade secrets act, 1998 PA 448, MCL 445.1902,” are exempt from disclosure under FOIA. In addition, “financial or proprietary information” submitted with a bidder’s proposal is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. A bidder’s failure to comply with this Section is grounds for rejecting a bidder’s proposal as non-responsive. As a part of its proposal, each bidder must follow the procedure below.

a. SUBMIT A COMPLETED “CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM” (CT FORM) WITH YOUR BID. Completion and submission of the CT Form is required regardless of whether the bidder seeks confidential treatment of information. Failure to submit a completed CT Form may be cause for disqualification from the solicitation process.

i. Complete and sign Section 1 of the CT Form if the bidder does NOT request confidential treatment of information contained in its proposal; or

ii. Complete and sign Section 2 of the CT Form if the bidder requests confidential treatment of certain information. Bidder must also submit a “Public Copy” of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly labeled as the “Public Copy.”

b. FOIA REQUESTS. If a FOIA request is made for a bidder’s proposal, the Public Copy may be distributed to the public along with the bidder’s CT Form. The CT Form is a public document and serves as an explanation for the redactions to the Public Copy. Do not put any trade secret, financial, or proprietary information in the CT Form. Do not redact the CT Form itself.

c. NO ADVICE. The State will not advise a bidder as to the nature or content of documents entitled to protection from disclosure under FOIA or other laws, as to the interpretation of such laws, or as to the definition of trade secret or financial or proprietary information. Nothing contained in this provision will modify or amend requirements and obligations imposed on the State by FOIA or other applicable law.

d. FAILURE TO REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT. Failure to request material be treated as confidential as specified herein relieves the State, its agencies, and personnel from any responsibility for maintaining material in confidence.

e. Bids containing a request to maintain an entire proposal as confidential may be rejected as non-responsive. Bidders may not request confidential treatment with respect to resumes, pricing, and marketing materials. The State reserves the right to determine whether material designated as exempt by a bidder falls under MCL 18.1261 or other applicable FOIA exemptions. If a FOIA request is made for materials that the bidder has identified as trade secret, financial, or proprietary information, the State has the final authority to determine whether the materials are exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

f. Bidder forever releases the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees from all claims, rights, actions, demands, damages, liabilities, expenses and fees, which arise out of or relate to the disclosure of all or a portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP. Bidder must defend, indemnify and hold the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees harmless, without limitation, from and against all actions, claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, attorney fees, and expenses (including those required to establish the right to indemnification), arising out of or relating to any FOIA request, including potential litigation and appeals, related to the portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP that bidder has identified as a trade secret, or financial or proprietary information. The State will notify bidder in writing if indemnification is sought. The State is entitled to: (i) regular updates on proceeding status; (ii) participate in the defense of the proceeding; (iii) employ its own counsel; and to (iv) retain control of the defense, or any portion thereof, if the State deems necessary. Bidder will not, without the State’s written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise, or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, action, or proceeding. If a State employee, official, or law is involved or challenged, the State may control the defense of that portion of the claim. Any litigation activity on behalf of the State, or any of its subdivisions under this Section, must be coordinated with the Department of Attorney General. An attorney designated to represent the State may not do so until approved by the Michigan Attorney General and appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General.

14. Rights to Information Contained in Proposals

All proposals will be considered the property of MDHHS.

15. Independent Price Determination

a. By submission of a proposal, the bidder certifies:

1) The prices of the proposal have been arrived at independently without consultation, communication, or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other bidder or with any competitor;

2) Unless otherwise required by law, the price quotation in the proposal has not and will not be knowingly disclosed by the bidder to any potential bidder;

3) No attempt has been made or will be made by the bidder to induce any other person or agency to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition;

4) The price quoted is not higher than that given to the general public for the same service.

b. The person who submits the proposal certifies that:

1) She or he is the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to prices being offered in the proposal, and that she or he has not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above; or

2) He or she is not the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to the prices being offered in the proposal, but that he or she has been authorized in writing to act as agent for the persons responsible for such decision in certifying that such persons have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above, and as their agent does hereby so certify; and that he or she has not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above.

c. A proposal will not be considered for award if the bidder is found to be noncompliant with any part of Item 6., Independent Price Determination, unless the bidder furnishes a signed statement with the proposal, which sets forth in detail the circumstance of the disclosure and the BGP determines that such disclosure was not made for the purpose of restricting competition.

16. Subcontracting

Subcontractors shall be subject to all conditions and provisions of the contract including Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) and Central Registry background checks when applicable.

If subcontracting, the Contractor must obligate the subcontractors to maintain the confidentiality of MDHHS’ client information in conformance with state and federal requirements.

If portions of the services are being subcontracted, the bidder must identify the services the subcontractor will perform and provide all information requested, as it applies to both the bidder and the subcontractor(s).

MDHHS may, at its discretion, require information on the process of an awarded subcontractor proposal.

A Contractor is responsible for the performance of any subcontractors who are held to the same standard of quality and performance as the Contractor. Evaluators of proposals will consider the qualifications of both the Contractor and subcontractor when making contract award recommendations.

17. Price

Prices quoted are firm for the initial term of the contract.

18. Standard Terms

Awards made as a result of this RFP will require execution of a contract with MDHHS. The contract will contain standard terms. A copy of the standard terms was posted on SIGMA VSS as a separate attachment with this RFP.

19. Federal Provisions Addendum Use this section only when the purchase will be paid for in whole or in part with funds obtained from the federal government. If no federal funding will be used, delete all language in the section, including the section title, and replace with Reserved.

Awards made as a result of this RFP will require execution of a contract with MDHHS. The contract will contain a federal provisions addendum. A copy of the federal provisions addendum was posted on SIGMA VSS as a separate attachment with this RFP.

20. Options to Renew

At the discretion of MDHHS, an awarded contract may be renewed in writing by an amendment not less than 30 days before its expiration. The contract may be renewed for up to two additional one-year periods.

21. Criminal Background Check

If the resulting contract will be with an individual, MDHHS will complete the criminal background check on the Contractor, and the following language will be included in the contract:

The Contractor shall notify MDHHS in writing of criminal convictions (felony or misdemeanor), pending felony charges, or placement on the Central Registry as a perpetrator, at hire or within 10 days of the event after hiring.

If the resulting contract will be with an agency, the following language will be included in the contract:

As a condition of this Contract, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor shall, prior to any individual performing work under this Contract, conduct or cause to be conducted an Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) check and a national and state sex offender registry check for each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee or volunteer who, under this Contract, works directly with clients or has access to client information.

Information about ICHAT can be found at http://apps.michigan.gov/ichat.

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry website address is http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us.

The National Sex Offender Public website address is http://www.nsopw.gov.

As a condition of this Contract, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor shall, prior to any individual performing work under this Contract, conduct or cause to be conducted a Central Registry (CR) check for each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee, or volunteer who, under this Contract, works directly with children.

Information about CR can be found at http://www.mi.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-124-5452_7119_48330-180331--,00.html.

The Contractor shall require each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee, or volunteer who, under this Contract, works directly with clients or who has access to client information to notify the Contractor in writing of criminal convictions (felony or misdemeanor), pending felony charges, or placement on the Central Registry as a perpetrator, at hire or within 10 days of the event after hiring.

The Contractor further certifies that the Contractor shall not submit claims for or assign duties under this Contract to any new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee, or volunteer based on a determination by the Contractor that the results of a positive ICHAT and/or a CR response or reported criminal felony conviction or perpetrator identification make the individual ineligible to provide the services.

The Contractor must have a written policy describing the criteria on which its determinations shall be made and must document the basis for each determination. The Contractor may consider the recency and type of crime when making a determination. Failure to comply with this provision may be cause for immediate cancellation of this Contract. In addition, the Contractor must further have a clearly defined written policy regarding acceptable screening practices of new staff members and volunteers who have direct access to clients and/or client’s personal information. These screening practices serve to protect the organization and its clients. The Contractor must also assure that any subcontractors have both of these written policies.

If MDHHS determines that an individual provided services under this Contract for any period prior to completion of the required checks as described above, MDHHS may require repayment of any and/or all billed services for the period that the required checks had not been completed.

22. State of Michigan Employees

State of Michigan employees may not act as bidders. Proposals from bidders who are current state of Michigan employees will be disqualified and will not be reviewed.

Policy in Civil Service Rule 2-8, Ethical Standards and Conduct, states an employee cannot represent or act as an agent for any private interests, whether for compensation or otherwise, in any transaction in which the state has a direct and substantial interest and which could reasonably be expected to result in a conflict between the employee’s private interests and official state responsibilities.

Section II

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS

Introduction

This RFP is to procure a provider for assistance to families that are at risk of having their children removed from their home due to child abuse and/or neglect, and/or to families that are in need of supervised visitations.

The Family Assistance Program is an in-home service which provides guidance for the parents and children to increase the parents’ confidence and competence in their parenting abilities to successfully nurture their children and provide them with a healthy and safe environment. In addition, the Contractor shall provide, as needed, supervised parenting time for parents and their children allowing the interaction to take place in a safe environment while promoting healthy relationships.

1. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

1.1. Client Eligibility Criteria

a. Definition of Eligibility normally by funding source or program standards

For Child Protection/Community Partners (CPCP) Funding:

· Children and families investigated by MDHHS Children’s Protective Services within the previous 18 months where MDHHS determines there is a “preponderance of evidence” of child abuse or neglect (Category III).

· Children and families investigated by MDHHS Children’s Protective Services within the previous 18 months and there is not a “preponderance of evidence” of abuse or neglect but future risk (Category IV).

Family Preservation – Placement Prevention Services shall be provided to Parent or Primary Caregiver(s) who:

· are responsible for the care and supervision of minor child(ren) and

· have an open MDHHS Children’s Protective Services (Category I, II, and III), Foster Care or Delinquency case.

Time – Limited Family Reunification Services shall be provided to Parents and Primary Caregiver(s) who:

· are responsible for the care and supervision of minor child(ren) and

· have a MDHHS open case in out-of-home placement with family reunification as the goal.

· Families are eligible only within the 15 month period that begins on the date the child is considered to have entered foster care.

Family Support Services shall be provided to Parents or Primary Caregiver(s) who:

· are responsible for the care and supervision of minor child(ren) and

· have an open MDHHS Children’s Protective Services (Category I, II, and III), Foster Care or Delinquency case or

· whose open case was closed within the past 18 months or

· had a CPS investigation within the past 18 month or

· had 3 or more rejected CPS complaints.

Note: Adjudicated youth in out-of-home placement who are wards of the court (including tribal courts) may be referred by MDHHS to contracts that exclusively serve delinquent youth.

b. Determination of Eligibility

MDHHS shall determine client eligibility.

1.2. Referral Process

Use the referral process below or enter an appropriate referral process.

MDHHS

In the written referral MDHHS shall identify:

a. Date of referral.

b. Name of each client to be provided service.

c. Address and contact information of the referred client(s).

d. Reasons for referral.

e. Referring worker’s emergency on call phone number.

CONTRACTOR

a. The Contractor shall accept or reject written referrals from MDHHS within one calendar day.

b. The Contractor must contact the client within seven calendar days of accepting a referral.

2. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1. Geographic Area

The Contractor shall provide services described herein in the following geographic area: Chippewa County.

2.2. Credentials

The Contractor shall assure that appropriately credentialed or trained staff under its control, including Contractor employees and/or subcontractors, shall perform functions under this Contract.

The Family Assistance Worker shall possess a high school diploma and two years of experience working with families with issues such as parenting, child care, household management, nutrition and budgeting, and shall be familiar with and adhere to the laws and rules which apply to the MDHHS, or which have been promulgated by the MDHHS regarding client confidentiality. The Family Assistance Worker shall have knowledge of community resources, and the ability to handle crises.

In addition, the Family Assistance Worker shall have a valid driver’s license, without restrictions, and all appropriate vehicle insurances.Identify minimum, specific qualifications, such as degrees, training, etc. of staff providing direct services, and, if applicable, any positions overseeing those staff in the credentials section of the contract.

2.3. Services to be Delivered

Service #1 of 2: Direct Family Assistance

a. Activities the Contractor shall perform:

The Contractor shall:

2) Initiate contact with the MDHHS referring worker within 5 calendar days of receiving the written referral to:

a) Confirm the referral;

b) Discuss case dynamics;

c) Identify family needs;

d) Develop service goals and objectives;

e) Establish time frames and a schedule of contact.

3) Provide a flexible work schedule to meet the needs of referred clients during non-traditional hours.

4) Initiate contact by telephone or face-to-face with the referred client(s) within seven calendar days of the written referral to explain the service, determine the client’s willingness to participate and establish a mutually agreeable date to conduct a home visit. Document all attempts to reach the client(s) and if no contact is made within seven calendar days of the written referral, the Contractor shall notify the referring worker and withdraw the referral.

5) Conduct a home visit for a face-to-face interview with the client in their home to establish rapport and develop specific goals (and observe the physical conditions of the home) within seven calendar days of the referral. The interview shall be one hour or more in duration. During that interview, Contractor shall provide an explanation of confidentiality, an explanation of the complaint process and ensure completion of a release form indicating the client’s voluntary participation with Direct Family Assistance services. A copy of these forms shall be kept in the client file.

6) Develop a written service plan within 30 calendar days of receipt of referral. Engage the family/client in identifying family needs and goals.

The service plan shall include at a minimum:

a) A narrative description of the family home situation and problem definition;

b) Recommended frequency of contact with the client and listing all family members to be seen;

c) A statement of case goals, objectives, and projected outcomes related to the referral;

d) A listing of activities to be performed by the Contractor and schedule of contacts;

e) Any other information deemed by the Contractor to relate to the successful outcome of the case.

7) Provide the services specified in the service plan. These services shall be provided in the family’s home, or at the family’s request, a location (other than the Contractor’s facility) mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and the family.

These services shall include instruction and information in a form suitable for the education and abilities of the client. Said services may involve modeling, demonstrations, and supervision in any of the following areas as identified in the service plan:

a) Child Care:

1. Assist clients in identifying and remedying impediments to home safety and health of the child including, but not limited to, proper storage of household chemicals, household security and dressing children for the weather;

2. Teach appropriate child care techniques to the client including:

· Personal hygiene;

· Protection from injury in the environment;

· When to seek medical advice;

· Appropriate diet;

· Non-physical discipline techniques and parenting roles;

· Developing a daily family schedule and/or

· Safe Sleep practices (as appropriate).

3. Monitor clients in assuring children's school attendance as needed; and provide verbal support of client efforts and advice in overcoming obstacles with school staff regarding behavior problems and special education services.

4. Assist the client in arranging for tutoring of the client's children (as required) and/or as available hours permit in various school subjects such as math, science, language skills (reading, English, and writing) and any other subjects in which the children are enrolled and in which there are deficiencies.

b) Home Management:

1. Assist the client in improving housekeeping skills by helping the client clean house, do laundry, and maintain kitchen cleanliness;

2. Assist the client in improving money management skills by demonstrating efficient and cost effective shopping techniques, and developing a plan with the parent to pay monthly household bills on time; and/or

3. Assist the client in finding and maintaining adequate housing, if needed, through review of classified ads, MDHHS resources and personal knowledge. The Contractor also shall assist the client by advocating for such maintenance and home improvements directly with the landlord.

c) Nutrition:

1. Provide the clients with menus and recipes that use basic food groups and demonstrate preparation;

2. Take the client to the grocery store to buy groceries according to a menu.

d) Support

1. Accompany clients to hearings, medical appointments or other situations where a friendly presence would be of benefit to the client;

2. Provide transportation as needed, if part of the service plan;

3. Assist clients in the utilization of community resources, including public assistance, religious networks, health related services, food banks, and any other resources available to the client.

e) Teach, model and engage the client(s) in a discussion on the importance of Infant Safe Sleep practices for all families with an infant aged less than one year, including, but not limited to:

1. Reviewing the MDHHS/DCH What Every Parent Needs to Know safe sleep video, or similar educational tool.

2. Discussing with the client(s) what constitutes safe sleep, and how to assist parents in planning for how to ensure safe sleep is practiced at critical times (for example when a parent is trying to get a child back to sleep late at night, and bed sharing is being considered)

3. Provide the family with the option to sign an acknowledgement form indicating their understanding of and willingness to practice safe sleep with their infant.

8) Ask the referring working if an Early On referral has been made for all clients with a child aged less than three years or children with an identified behavioral/developmental need.

9) Provide a schedule of upcoming client contacts to the referring worker and client each month. The Contractor shall adhere to the length and frequency of client contacts as established in the service plan. Provide at least four face-to-face contacts with client over a one month period. As risk factors diminish, frequency may decrease with documented referring MDHHS worker approval.

Direct Family Assistance services shall not exceed six months in length, except with the written approval of any extension by the supervisor of the referring worker, or other MDHHS employee so designated and authorized to extend such approval.

10) Follow up each missed appointment with the client by telephone, reminder card or personal visit. A reminder card shall be used for one missed appointment. A telephone call or personal visit shall be used for two or more missed appointments.

The Contractor shall notify the referring worker by telephone of each appointment missed by a client within three calendar days.

11) Initiate case consultations and conferences on a monthly basis, or as requested by the MDHHS, whichever is most frequent.

12) Advise the referring worker of any concerns deemed by the Contractor to be better addressed through other community resources in order that appropriate referrals can be made by the MDHHS.

13) Immediately report any conditions or acts which are of a current or potential danger to the children in the case to the mandated reporting phone number 855-444-3911.

14) Maintain a record of costs incurred in the provision of service for mileage.

15) Provide the referring worker written monthly individual client progress reports (after completion of the Service Plan) by the 10th calendar day of each month which shall include all elements identified in the Reporting Requirements.

1) Clients - The estimated number of eligible clients to be served during the period of this Contract shall be: 30 (FY19: 6, FY20: 12, FY21: 12)

2) Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of Contractor’s time providing services to eligible clients, as outlined in the service delivery description, and approved client services plans when applicable. Billable services include case consultation, face-to-face client contact, collateral contacts, travel time, transportation of family members when required, and case related office activities including preparation of required reports.

A unit definition states how the service will be measured and documented. The unit of service must be clear, measurable, and capable of being documented. For unit rate contracts the unit definition and rate establish the basis on which the contractor will bill and be paid by MDHHS.

3) Number of Units: Enter the number of proposed units on the Schedule B Pricing Matrix.

Service #2 of 2: Parenting Time Support

a. Activities the Contractor shall perform:

The Contractor shall:

1) Accept referrals from MDHHS via fax or email. The written referral shall identify:

a) Date of referral

b) Name of each client to be provided service

c) The address and contact information of the referred client(s)

d) Reasons for referral

e) Discuss case dynamics

f) Parenting time restrictions including who can and cannot attend parenting time, court ordered restrictions, etc.

g) Parenting time needs

h) The goals and objectives identified in the Parent Agency Treatment Plan which includes the Parenting Time Plan and schedule

i) The referring worker’s emergency on call phone number.

If the Contractor is unable to accept a referral, the referring worker must be notified within one calendar day via email or phone.

2) Meet separately with the custodial parent/Guardian/foster parent and the visiting party to discuss scheduling, child behaviors, and services to be provided within 14 calendar days of the written referral.

3) Establish contact with the client by telephone or face-to-face within seven calendar days from the date of the written referral to explain the service, determine the clients willingness to participate, and to establish a mutually agreeable date to conduct a home visit at the individual’s residence or a location mutually agreed upon by the individual and Contractor.

Document all attempts to reach the client(s) and if no contact is made within seven calendar days of the written referral, the Contractor shall notify the referring worker and deny the referral.

Arrange and schedule parenting time as consistent as possible in order to establish regularity for the children and all parties involved. Submit schedule to referring worker for approval. The referring worker shall review, approve and notify the Contractor within three calendar days of receipt of a submitted parenting time schedule. Scheduling of parenting time must be done with primary consideration for the parents’ time commitments which may include employment and mandated service requirements. The Contractor shall institute a flexible schedule to provide a number of hours outside of the traditional workday to accommodate the schedules of the individuals involved.

4) Provide supervised parenting time for parents with their children, allowing the child to interact with their parents in a safe environment while promoting a healthy relationship.

5) Promote development of family relationships by allowing the family to take the lead and make choices and encourage a routine and structure that may be adapted to home life with the child/ren.

6) Document the dates, times and locations of parenting time. Include family members in attendance, observations of skills that parents used and activities the parent and child(ren) completed during the supervised parenting time, and feedback and/or information provided to the parent during or after parenting time on a format developed in collaboration with MDHHS.

7) Provide information and helpful suggestions to the parents on parenting skills, limit setting, etc. as needed, depending on their case dynamics, family needs and visitation goals.

8) Connect the parent(s) with community resources, if needs arise.

9) Transport and transition children and/or parents to and from each parenting time as requested by referring worker. Transportation time can be used to prepare children/parents for visitation by talking about previous visit, encouraging communication and positive interactions.

10) Meet face-to-face with each referred family (parents and children in attendance) weekly for a minimum of one hour, unless specified by referring worker. Parenting time shall occur in a family-friendly setting such as the foster home, Agency Office, the home of extended family members or community locations (such as a park, library or restaurant) that are mutually agreeable to the referring worker and family.

11) Provide testimony in court at the request of referring worker as to what was observed during parenting time.

12) Notify the referring worker by telephone or email of each appointment missed by each referred family (parents and children) within one calendar day of the missed appointment.

13) Provide referring worker with written monthly individual client progress reports by the 10th calendar day of each month which shall include all elements identified in the Reporting Requirements.

b. Volume of Service

1) Clients - The estimated number of eligible clients to be served during the period of this Contract shall be: 30 (FY19: 6, FY20: 12, FY21: 12)

2) Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of Contractor’s time providing services to eligible clients, as outlined in the service delivery description, and approved client services plans when applicable. Billable services include case consultation, face-to-face client contact, collateral contacts, travel time, transportation of family members when required, and case related office activities including preparation of required reports.

A unit definition states how the service will be measured and documented. The unit of service must be clear, measurable, and capable of being documented. For unit rate contracts the unit definition and rate establish the basis on which the contractor will bill and be paid by MDHHS.

3) Number of Units: Enter the number of proposed units on the Schedule B Pricing Matrix.

2.4. Expected Performance Outcomes

During the Contract, the Contractor shall demonstrate measurable progress toward the achievement of the outcomes listed below:

Service #1 of 2: Direct Family Assistance

During the contract period, the Contractor shall work towards achievement of the outcome measures listed below. The Contractor shall track and record data monthly for outcomes a. and b., and the Contractor shall report the cumulative outcome data quarterly to MDHHS. MDHHS shall provide and share available performance data for outcome c. annually.

a. Eighty percent of the families served that were intact at the time of referral shall remain intact upon completion of the services.

b. Eighty percent of parents/primary caregivers completing services will show improvement in a minimum of two of the identified target areas on the Service Plan.

c. Eighty percent of families served will not have a substantiated CPS complaint within three months following completion of the services.

Service #2 of 2: Parenting Time Support

During the contract period, the Contractor shall work towards achievement of the outcome measures listed below. The Contractor shall track and record data monthly for outcome(s) a through d, and the Contractor shall report the cumulative outcome data quarterly to MDHHS.

a. Ninety five percent of parents served will participate in scheduled parenting times or communicate with contractor prior to missed parenting times.

b. One hundred percent of families will have parenting times scheduled with primary consideration of their time commitments and offered hours outside of the traditional workday, when needed.

c. One hundred percent of families will have observations documented on the format developed in collaboration with MDHHS.

d. One hundred percent of families served will have been provided court testimony when required by MDHHS referring worker.The outcomes should include a goal, performance measure, baseline, and a target.

2.5. Reporting Requirements

Service #1 of 2: Direct Family Assistance

The written monthly progress reports and the written summary reports shall be submitted no later than the tenth calendar day of the month following the reporting period:

a. Written monthly progress reports. The report shall include, at a minimum:

1) Client name

2) DHHS case number

3) Dates of home visits/social work contacts since last report

4) Topics covered

5) Contacts with referring worker

6) Client participation and understanding of topics covered

7) Progress toward goals

8) Continuing service needs

9) Service plan updates

10) Barriers toward achieving goals

11) Identification of additional services needed and referral information shared with the client(s).

b. Written summary reports that include the cumulative number of cases referred, ongoing and closed that shall include:

1) Client name

2) DHHS case number

3) DHHS referring worker

4) Date referred, date opened and date closed

5) The number of face-to-face units provided for the reporting month and number of face-to-face units year-to-date per client.

c. The Service Plan shall be submitted to MDHHS within 30 calendar days of the initial home visit with the client.

d. The termination report shall be submitted to MDHHS within 10 calendar days from case closure. Complete a written termination report (on the approved MDHHS form) for each family. The termination report shall reflect the client’s participation in services, and shall include but be not limited to:

1) Re-assessment of individual/family needs as originally defined by the MDHHS worker.

2) Re- assessment of risk factors as originally defined by the MDHHS worker.

3)…