RFP Number: 200000002071

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Actual Cost 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 and Schedule B Pricing Matrix to the SIGMA VSS website on or before the bid closing date and time specified.

· Stay at or below the maximum award amount per contract year, if provided.

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

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 at the end of Category D in Section IV.

Additional Information:

For purposes of this RFP, the proposed unit rate should be based on $171,250.00 ($28,250.00 for year 1, and $71,500.00 each for year 2 and 3.). In addition to the amounts listed above, $33,750.00 ($6,750.00 for year 1, and $13,500.00 each for year 2 and 3) is allocated for transportation and $12,500.00 ($2,500.00 for year 1, and $5,000.00 each for year 2 and 3) is allocated for specific assistance.

Transportation and specific assistance costs should be considered actual cost components and should not be included in the proposed unit rate.

Unit rate calculations must take into consideration all other 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 and 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) Section I

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1.

Questions/Inquiries Questions regarding the content of this RFP must be made by email to Heather Robinson-Moore at RobinsonMooreH@michigan.gov on or before Wednesday July 27, 2020 before 3:00pm. 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. Attachment file size is limited to 6 MB per document. 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. MDHHS will not provide assistance related to the submittal of the proposal and all attachments on the day of the proposal deadline. Responsibility for a complete submission lies with the bidder.

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/service-disabled veteran owned business (QDV/SDVOB) status under MCL 18.1261(8). Additional information on the SDVOB preference is available at this 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 but is not required to 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.

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 the proposals 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 an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis, 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 Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis 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 equal to or greater than $250,000 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 that individual's salary, fringe benefits, and all related costs of employment 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 the Building Community Partners (BCP) program which is an in-home approach to parent mentoring by employing former foster care service recipients who have achieved reunification and maintained their children in their care.

1.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

1.1.

Client Eligibility Criteria a.

Definition of Eligibility normally by funding source or program standards

The Building Community Partners Program service is available to families with a child(ren) residing in out-of-home placement due to abuse or neglect who may be returned to the permanent family home with intensive services within six months of the referral. Families receiving services may include birth parents, non-custodial/absent parents, resource respite parents and children placed in out-of-home placement. Outof-home placement includes, but is not limited to residential treatment, family foster care, group family foster care, relative placement, shelters and psychiatric hospitalization and detention (if dual ward).

b.

Determination of Eligibility

The MDHHS local office determines eligibility. MDHHS does not guarantee a minimum number of referrals at any time during the Contract. The Contractor agrees to accept all referrals on a first-come, first-served, space available basis, with the following exceptions:

1) Upon consultation with MDHHS, the Contractor may be allowed to deny referrals or withdraw from an existing case.

2) After a family has been referred for Building Community Partners Program services, the case may be withdrawn from services if conditions such as the following exist within two weeks of the referral to the program:

a) The family declines services

b) The safety issues are such that the Building Community Partners Program staff are unable to safely plan with the family or provide services

c) The family demonstrates the inability/lack of willingness to make themselves available to work with the Building Community Partners Program staff

Final determination regarding the need to withdraw a family case from services is the responsibility of the MDHHS local office. The Contractor must contact the MDHHS Contract Administrator for approval to withdraw and then the MDHHS referring worker.

1.2.

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

MDHHS

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 telephone referrals from MDHHS.

b. The assigned Parent Partner shall make face-to-face contact with the referred family within 72-hours of the referral to the program. The initial contact shall be focused on engagement of the family members and determining their willingness to participate in services.

2.

CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1.

Geographic Area The Contractor shall provide services described herein in the following geographic area: Midland, Gladwin, Clare, and Isabella Counties.

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.

Parent Partner Supervisor and Program Manager shall possess a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in social work, sociology, psychology, family ecology, consumer/community services, family studies, family and/or child development, guidance/school counseling, counseling psychology or criminal justice and are required to work a flexible schedule (non-standard hours such as evenings and weekends). A Master’s degree is preferred.

2.3 Parent Partner Eligibility:

1) Parent Partners must meet all requirements below:

a) Have a valid driver’s license, without restrictions, and all appropriate vehicle insurances

b) Have had an open CPS or foster care case with successful case closure.

c) Have a healthy and stable family situation without current children protective services (CPS) substantiation for safety issues d) Have no confirmed child abuse report since during the role of Parent Partner e) Have flexibility to attend meetings and co-facilitate groups including non-standard hours such as evenings and weekends in accordance with family needs f) Allow for release of medical or mental health records/reports upon request g) Participate in all mandated training as well as individual and group supervision, including clinical supervision h) Be willing to share parenting experiences as a learning tool with other parents, community partners, and referring worker 2) Parent Partners will be disqualified if charged with any felony.

3) If the parent partner fails to maintain eligibility and/or behavior from the parent partner is identified that may put eligibility in jeopardy, the parent partner supervisor and program manager shall meet with the parent partner to address the issue.

a) If it is determined from this meeting that the parent partner no longer meets eligibility criteria, employment of the parent partner must be terminated.

b) If it is determined that the behavior can be rectified, a corrective action plan shall be developed by the program manager and parent partner supervisor along with the parent partner. The correction action plan shall identify the following:

(1) Problem behavior

(2) Expectations and assigned responsibilities

(3) Crisis planning

(4) Goals and expected outcomes

(5) Time frames and deadlines for expected progress

c) Progress made by the parent partner shall be reviewed by the program manager and supervisor during the time frames identified in the corrective action plan to determine next steps. Questions regarding this procedure should be directed to the MDHHS Program Office Specialist.

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.

4) Parent Partner must not:

a) Work independently with children.

b) Baby-sit or transport children.

c) Be used to supervise visits with children, but can be available as support during or after visitation.

2.4.

Services to be Delivered Service #1 of 1:

Building Community Partners (BCP) - Supportive Services a.

Activities the Contractor shall perform:

Service descriptions must be clear and specific so the contract is enforceable and can be appropriately monitored and audited.

The service description should clearly define:

a. The service title.

b. Service to be provided.

c. When service will begin.

d. Duration of service.

e. The referral process (if applicable).

f. How the provision of service is to be documented.

g. How the termination of service to a client is determined and documented.

h. How and when the contractor will communicate with MDHHS.

i. The expected time frames for performing tasks.

The Contractor shall:

1) Recruit and hire qualified Parent Partners who agree to be available at convenient family times including evenings and weekends.

a) A full-time Parent Partner must be employed by the Contractor a minimum of 37.5 hours per week.

2) Assign one Parent Partner Supervisor for every five Parent Partner to do the following:

The Supervisor shall:

a) Have individual weekly meetings with each Parent Partner to review progress on assigned cases including date and length of contact with each assigned parent/family, confirm the family agreement to participate and the initial plan of service. If it is determined that the family is not engaging in services, the MDHHS referring worker shall be notified.

b) Have a minimum of one monthly Parent Partner team/support meetings with all Parent Partners for in-service training, case consultation, support and feedback. Training packets must be approved by MDHHS Program Office.

c) Provide training/education to MDHHS local office staff about the Building Community Partners Program.

The Parent Partner shall:

a) Work with parents to promote engagement in case plan activities via face-to-face visits, letters, emails, and/or phone calls a minimum of two hours each week.

b) Coach parents on what to expect throughout the child welfare process

c) Help maintain connections between parents and children by observing and advocating for children and family rights.

d) Assist the parents in identifying and advocating for their needs.

e) Assist in the goal of reunification and/or the development of appropriate alternative permanency plans.

f) Provide permanency, encouragement, outreach, and advocacy by connecting parents with resources.

g) Help the parents connect with the community.

h) Assist parents in building protective factors.

i) Support families by attending Family Team Meetings, court hearings, treatment and recovery appointments, or other events with parents.

j) Collaborate with Parent Partners team including the Parent Partner Supervisor and/or Program Manager, referring worker, planning committees, and others.

k) Request re-assignment if there is a conflict or concern including if he or she knows the birth family or lives in close proximity.

l) Meet, call, or email with MDHHS caseworker periodically during the duration of services, as needed or requested by the family.

m) Develop written termination reports for each client for the purpose of documenting the reasons for case closure and submit to the MDHHS referring worker within seven calendar days of the case closure.

n) Administer the Protective Factors Survey at the initial face to face contact

o) Administer the following surveys upon termination of the case:

(1) Referring worker satisfaction survey

(2) Anonymous client satisfaction survey

(3) Post project outcome survey after the first six months and again after the first year of termination to identify successes or modifications needed.

(4) Protective Factors Survey 3) Provide/make available regular in-service training for Parent Partners and their supervisors on special topics such as:

a) Successful partnering with birth parents including non-custodial/ absent parent and resource parents

b) Successful partnering with Foster Care, CPS, and Adoption staff when necessary

c) MDHHS Policy and Procedures

d) Understanding the child welfare system, roles and responsibilities, reasonable efforts, court process, and Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)

e) Peer Mentoring as an intervention strategy

f) Accessing and utilizing community resources to support families

g) Cultural awareness, sensitivity and understanding

h) Successful use of "teachable moments" to enhance parenting skills

i) Mandatory reporting training and procedures

j) Basic boundaries and safety issues; including ethics, and safety issues in a professional atmosphere with special attention to children, families, domestic violence, substance use, mental health, etc.

k) Understanding the primary purpose of family interaction, identify goals and guidelines, and understand the safety assessment outcomes I) Understanding the effects of domestic violence and substance abuse and techniques with working with the victims

m) Understanding mental health issues in families and children and demonstrate the ability to address safety and risk factors associated with them

n) Have an initial training/overview of Family Team meetings

o) Promoting and building protective factoris 4) Identify, recruit, and retain community representatives to become collaborative members for Building Community Partner (BCP) committee, including but not limited to neighborhood residents, businesses, faith-based organizations, service providers, agencies, other institutions, and trades persons. A community representative is a trained volunteer who is knowledgeable about the availability of various resources in the community.

5) Maintain a directory of the BCP committee members which includes contact names, telephone numbers, and the services they provide.

6) Provide mandatory supportive services and facilitate the following group meetings and trainings:

a) Monthly meetings:

(1) One, two-hour birth parent support group

(2) One, two-hour foster parent support group

b) Quarterly meetings:

(1) One, two-hour BCP committee meeting which includes but is not limited court contacts, MDHHS, advocacy groups, Parent Partner, Parent Partner Supervisor, and FPS Program Office Specialist to enhance communication.

c) Other meetings as requested:

(1) Coordination meetings with BCP staff and representatives as scheduled by MDHHS.

(2) Two informational meetings for local MDHHS offices within the geographic service area. Meetings should occur in October and April and include presentations on the BCP program, the contracted services and benefits to MDHHS clients.

(3) Coordinate monthly community forums, BCP meetings, and focus groups to promote awareness of BCP/Parent Partners and solicit collaborative efforts with neighboring service agencies. Secure and maintain attendee sign-in sheets reflecting the date, time and location of each session.

d) Training sessions:

(1) Co-facilitate with MDHHS staff in providing Parent Partner training consisting of an initial one-day training followed by up to three additional days of training on "Building A Better Future” (BABF). Training targets new Parent Partners, MDHHS referring worker, foster parents, youth, and those identified by MDHHS.

(2) Two times a year provide training to community representatives who attend Family Team meetings as requested by the MDHHS Foster Care Worker or referred family.

(3) Quarterly provide one, two-hour child abuse prevention training for referred MDHHS parents in the community.

(4) Collaborate with County MDHHS to provide training and mentoring services to potential and existing resource foster parents.

7) Establish a 24-hour communication policy to be approved annually by the MDHHS Program Office Specialist. A 15-minute or less call-back system for requested services from all referred clients/families and collaborative partner contacts is required. All changes must be submitted in writing and approved by the MDHHS Program Office Specialist.

8) Provide specific assistance funds averaging $300.00 per family to address treatment goals and remove obstacles or reunify children with their family. Funds can be used when other resources are inaccessible or have been exhausted and must be available within 24-hours of the request.

9) Provide or arrange for the provision of support services, activities and resources such as:

a) Fatherhood involvement activities/programs

b) After-school programs

c) Grandparent raising grandchildren support

d) Extracurricular activities in conjunction with schools in the target area

e) Tutorial/mentoring support services

f) Children's workshops

g) Recreational activities for youth involved in the child welfare system

h) Youth support groups b.

Volume of Service

1) Clients - The estimated number of eligible clients to be served during the period of this Contract shall be: 75 (25 per fiscal year) 2) Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one (1) hour of Contractor's time providing related Parent Partner services to eligible families as outlined in services #1 of 1. Billable services include face-to-face contact, collateral and telephone contacts, travel time, follow-up attempts, paperwork, case consultation, supervisory and administrative/clerical time as well as other case related office activities 3) Number of Units: Enter the number of proposed units on the Schedule B Pricing Matrix.

2.5.

Expected Performance Outcomes

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

a. 80% of foster parents or birth parents who attended a meeting, workshop, or training shall report an increase in knowledge of the topics covered following each session

b. 75%of birth parents who received Parent Partner services shall be reunified with their children within 6 months of the start of the Parent Partner services

c. 85% of referred families shall report high customer satisfaction

d. 75% of children enrolled in the program shall not experience substantiated maltreatment in the 12 months following completion of services

2.6.

Reporting Requirements The Contractor shall submit to MDHHS reports that indicate the status and effectiveness of activities performed under this Contract as indicated:

a.

On a monthly basis, submit:

1) A summary report to the local office MDHHS Contract Administrator which includes:

a) Cumulative number of:

(1) Referred families

(2) Ongoing cases

(3) Closed cases, and reason for closure

(4) Successful completions

(5) Status of Parent Partner assigned cases

b) Number of extended cases

2) A billing report to the local county MDHHS Contract Administrator. The monthly report is due no later than the 10th day of each month and must include, but is not limited to the following information for the billing month and fiscal year-to-date cumulative totals for each family:

a) A list of locations and type of community-based Parent Partner meetings attended as it relates to families served.

b) The locations and types of support services and resources identified or developed that meet the specific needs for current and prospective resource parents including:

(1) Resources identified, developed, or provided for children and youth involved in the child welfare system care

(2) Resources identified, developed, or provided that meet the specific needs of birth families involved in the child welfare system c) The number and names of new Parent Partners recruited for the program d) Copies of receipts for all specific assistance expenditures for the respective billing period including names of clients and reason for expenditure as a part of the treatment plan e) Problems encountered during service provision, and how they were addressed

f) Suggestions for improvements regarding the provision of services g) A list of Parent Partners hired, trained, and the cases assigned to each Parent Partner

b. Ten days after the end of each fiscal year, submit a report to the MDHHS Contractor Administrator which summarizes the Contractors activities. The narrative portion of the report shall describe the types of activities and efforts performed related to supportive services and resources identified and Parent Partners services. The year-end report will be accompanied by a statistical report based on data accumulated through that date and that addresses items listed under evaluation.

c. Maintain a written record of services provided to each family through utilization of MDHHS required forms. The record should include, but not limited to client referral form, progress reports with dates and times of contacts, reunification goal achievement or barriers impacting reunification and termination report.

d.

Copies of the Referring Worker satisfaction survey, the Post Project Outcome survey and the Client Satisfaction survey shall be maintained by the Contractor and upon request, mailed or electronically sent to the MDHHS Contract Administrator for review.

e.

Within 30 calendar days of the first face to face contact, submit a Service Plan and include the following:

1) Existing strengths and resources of the family and individual family members.

2) Goals to be accomplished by the family.

3) An assessment of the family’s current situation (current successes or concerns).

4) Evidence of negotiating concerns of the family, referring worker’s expectations and assessment of areas of concerns.

5) Evidence of empowering the family in the formation of positive solution-focused goals and action steps.

6) Evidence of collaborative goal setting between the family, Partner Parent and Referring Worker

f. By the end of each calendar month after the development of the Service Plan, submit a progress report to the referring worker.

g.

Seven calendars after a case closer, submit a termination report to the MDHHS referring working which includes evidence of linkages to community resources, closing recommendations regarding needs for future services, and summary of the termination meeting between the family and referring worker to review the family’s recommendations.

2.7.

Audit Requirements

This Contract constitutes a contractor relationship with MDHHS. No financial audit is required under this Contract by MDHHS. No financial audit costs can be billed to this Contract. In the event the Contractor elects to have a financial audit performed, the submission of the audit report to MDHHS is not required nor desired unless there is a finding of a Going Concern.

3.

OTHER

3.1.

Mileage For mileage incurred related to services provided under this Contract, the Contractor may bill MDHHS the premium state rate, or Contractor's usual reimbursement rate for employees, whichever is less. State of Michigan travel rates may be found at the following website:

http://www.michigan.gov/dmb/0,1607,7-150-9141_13132---,00.html MDHHS shall reimburse the Contractor for mileage incurred by the Contractor for:

a.

Providing transportation to a referred client.

b.

Driving to or from a referred client’s home.

c.

Driving to or from a court hearing, at the request of the referring MDHHS worker.

d.

Driving to or from sites other than the client’s home for purpose of advocacy on behalf of the client.

The point of origin for mileage shall be the Contractor’s home or normal place of business whichever is closer. The Contractor may bill for mileage incurred by the Contractor driving to/from a scheduled client appointment.

Section III

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BIDDERS

Bidders must complete Section IV electronically and attach additional pages if necessary. If additional pages are added, the related category should be indicated at the top of the page with an attachment number. The pages should be numbered in sequence under each attachment. (For example, Category: Bidder Experience & Past Performance, Attachment A, page 1 of 4, page 2 of 4, etc.)

Bidders are expected to use the form and format provided in Section IV to complete the proposal. Under each category in Section IV, there is a box titled “Bidder Response” for bidders to respond to each question. Font size should be no smaller than 12 point. Each box will automatically expand according to the amount of text entered. The shaded boxes that are titled “Evaluator Comments” should not be completed by the bidder.

If no page restriction, delete this sentence.

Pricing Instructions

Schedule B Pricing Matrix was included with this RFP in SIGMA VSS. Complete and attach it as a separate document in SIGMA VSS.

Proposal Submission and Bidder Checklist Proposals will be accepted only through SIGMA VSS.

· Hard copy responses will not be accepted.

· Proposals submitted in person,…