RFP 202606112 Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds_Final.docx

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Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds
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RFP Summary: Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds

This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health, soliciting a fiscal agent to manage Individual Planning Funds (IPF) for children with behavioral health needs. The fiscal agent will be responsible for reviewing, validating, approving, and processing IPF requests submitted by families and service providers through a secure online portal. Services include developing a HIPAA-compliant online request system, reviewing requests within two business days for completeness and eligibility, approving or denying requests within five business days, issuing payments via check or ACH transfer within five business days of approval, and maintaining comprehensive information management and tracking systems. Questions must be submitted by July 24, 2026, and proposals are due by August 27, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. local time via the Vendor Self Service System. The contract will have an initial period of performance from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2028, with two optional renewal periods (October 1, 2028, to September 30, 2030, and October 1, 2029, to September 30, 2031). The Department anticipates making one award.

The total anticipated funding available for IPF requests is up to $170,000 per state fiscal year, with individual child requests limited to $5,000 per year unless pre-approved. Historical data shows 73 transactions in SFY 2023 and 84 in SFY 2024. Bidders must have at least two years of fiscal agent experience with the State within the past five years and cannot be current MaineCare providers or providers of underlying services being coordinated through this contract. The cost proposal must be fixed and cover the entire initial period of performance, with the lowest bidder receiving 25 points and other bids scored proportionally. Mandatory performance measures require 100 percent of approved IPF payments to be issued within five business days and 100 percent of requests to be approved or denied within five business days. Bidders must provide three project examples from the past five years, organizational charts, litigation history, and financial statements for the past three years. All proposals must be submitted in four separate files containing preliminary information, qualifications and experience, proposed services with staffing plans and work timelines, and the cost proposal.

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RFP 202606112 FA for IPF Cost Form.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet

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STATE OF MAINE

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

RFP# 202606112

Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds

RFP Coordinator
NAME:
Casandra Manson
TITLE:
Procurement Administrator
EMAIL:
Casandra.R.Manson@Maine.Gov
Submitted Questions Due Date
July 24, 2026, no later than 4:00 p.m., local time
Proposal Submission Deadline
DATE:
August 27, 2026, no later than 4:00 p.m., local time
TO:
Vendor Self Service System

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

PUBLIC NOTICE
3
RFP DEFINITIONS/ACRONYMS
4
PART I INTRODUCTION
5

A. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

B. GENERAL PROVISIONS

C. ELIGIBILITY TO SUBMIT A BID AND ATTESTATION

D. CONTRACT TERM

E. NUMBER OF AWARDS

PART II SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED
8
PART III KEY RFP EVENTS
11

A. VENDOR SELF SERVICE SYSTEM (VSS)

B. QUESTIONS

C. AMENDMENTS

D. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

PART IV PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
13
PART V PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND SELECTION
16

A. EVALUATION PROCESS – GENERAL INFORMATION

B. SCORING WEIGHTS AND PROCESS

C. NEGOTIATIONS

D. SELECTION AND AWARD

E. APPEAL OF CONTRACT AWARDS

PART VI CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND CONDITIONS
18

A. CONTRACT DOCUMENT

B. STANDARD STATE CONTRACT PROVISIONS

PART VII RFP APPENDICES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
20

APPENDIX A – PROPOSAL COVER PAGE

APPENDIX B – RESPONSIBLE BIDDER CERTIFICATION

APPENDIX C – ELIGIBILITY TO SUBMIT A BID FORM AND ATTESTATION

STATEMENT

APPENDIX D – QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE FORM

APPENDIX E – LITIGATION FORM

APPENDIX F – PROPOSED SERVICES RESPONSE FORM

APPENDIX G – COST PROPOSAL FORM

APPENDIX H – ANTICIPATED IPF SERVICE CATEGORIES

PUBLIC NOTICE

State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services

RFP# 202606112

Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds

The State of Maine is seeking proposals for a fiscal agent to manage the review, validation, approval, and award of Individualized Planning Funds (IPF).

A copy of the RFP and all related documents can be obtained through Vendor Self Service (VSS): https://mevss.hostams.com/PRDVSS1X1/AltSelfService

Proposals must be submitted to the Office of State Procurement Services, via Vendor Self Service (VSS). Proposal submissions must be received no later than 4:00 p.m., local time, on August 27, 2026. Proposals will be opened the following business day.

RFP TERMS/ACRONYMS with DEFINITIONS

The following terms and acronyms, as referenced in the RFP, have the meanings indicated below:

Term/Acronym
DEFINITIONS
Automated Clearing House (ACH)
A digital hub that allows transferring of funds from one account to another. The ACH connects bank accounts to securely transfer funds, allowing for direct deposit payments at specified times.
Child/Children
An individual who has not attained the age of eighteen (18) years.
Department
Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services
Family
A Child’s primary guardian which can include birth parent, foster parent, kinship placement, State appointed guardian, and any other member of a Child’s primary or extended Family who is responsible for the care of the Child.
Individual Planning Funds (IPF)
Funding designed to provide flexible, short-term, specific, and time-limited support to fill gaps in services that cannot be addressed through any other funding source.
Medically Necessary/Medical Necessity
Services, supports, or products identified in the Child’s individualized treatment/service plan(s) and/or plan of care that are reasonably recognized as standard care to correct or ameliorate the challenges associated with a Child’s behavioral health condition that are not able to be funded through any other source.
RFP
Request for Proposals
State
State of Maine
Recipient
An individual or company who receives the IPF payment. The Recipient may be the direct provider of goods and/or services to a Child or the Child’s Family.
Vendor Self Service System (VSS)
The State’s web portal that provides vendors with a single-entry point to register, identify the commodities/services that their company provides, look for business opportunities, and respond to solicitations.

State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

RFP# 202606112

Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds

PART I INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose and Background

The Department of Health and Human Services (Department) is seeking a fiscal agent to manage available Individual Planning Funds (IPF) as defined in this Request for Proposals (RFP) document. This document provides instructions for submitting proposals, the procedure and criteria by which the awarded Bidder will be selected, and the contractual terms which will govern the relationship between the State of Maine (State) and the awarded Bidder.

The Department is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resiliency, and opportunity to all Maine Residents. The Department’s Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) is the State’s administrative authority responsible for the planning, development, implementation, regulation, and evaluation of substance use and mental health services. OBH is committed to supporting a complete and coordinated behavioral health continuum of care that serves the whole person, the whole community. The vision of OBH is to ensure that all Maine residents with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders, are not simply managing symptoms but living lives of dignity, hope, and meaning, as independently as possible.

Within OBH, Children’s Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) facilitates the provision of services for the benefit of Maine Children, youth, and families. CBHS oversees and provides access to a broad range of services and supports for children up to their twenty-first (21st) birthday, and their families, including services and supports for mental health, intellectual disability, pervasive developmental disorders and developmental disability needs. The vision of CBHS is that all Maine Children and their families receive the services and supports they need to live safe, healthy, and productive lives in their home, school, and community.

Through this RFP, the Department intends to procure a fiscal agent to review, validate, approve, and award direct payment for each approved IPF request. IPFs are designed to provide flexible, short-term, specific, and time-limited support to Children with behavioral health needs to fill gaps in services that cannot be addressed through any other funding source.

IPF is supported under 34-B M.R.S. §15003 (5)(D) charging the Department to use legislatively approved funds to meet needs that are not met by other funding resources. If MaineCare and/or another available funding source covers the requested service or product, IPF cannot be considered. Since IPF is meant for short-term or one-time needs, the parents/guardians and the Child’s treatment team must consider how the cost of the service or product will be sustained over time. IPF requests will be reviewed and considered individually and are based on the availability of funding. When seventy-five percent (75%) of the Department’s IPF funds have been spent, the Department will prioritize expense categories, as indicated in Appendix H.

The total anticipated funding available for IPF requests per State fiscal year will be up to one hundred seventy thousand dollars ($170,000.00), limited to five thousand dollars ($5,000) per Child per year, unless otherwise pre-approved by the Department. All requests must be substantiated with valid and appropriate documentation. Exhibit 1 provides the number of transactions for State Fiscal Years (SFY) 2023 and 2024:

Exhibit 1 – Total IPF Transactions from 7/1/2022 – 6/30/2024

SFY 2023

(7/1/2022- 6/30/2023)

SFY 2024

(7/1/2023 – 6/30/2024)

Number of IPF Transactions
73
84

B. General Provisions

1. From the time the RFP is issued until award notification is made, all contact with the State regarding the RFP must be made through the RFP Coordinator. No other person/ State employee is empowered to make binding statements regarding the RFP. Violation of this provision may lead to disqualification from the bidding process, at the State’s discretion.

2. Issuance of the RFP does not commit the Department to issue an award or to pay expenses incurred by a Bidder in the preparation of a response to the RFP. This includes attendance at personal interviews or other meetings and software or system demonstrations, where applicable.

3. All proposals must adhere to the instructions and format requirements outlined in the RFP and all written supplements and amendments (such as the Summary of Questions and Answers), issued by the Department. Proposals must follow the format and respond to all questions and instructions specified below in the “Proposal Submission Requirements” section of the RFP.

4. Bidders will take careful note that in evaluating a proposal submitted in response to the RFP, the Department will consider materials provided in the proposal, information obtained through interviews/presentations (if any), and internal Departmental information of previous contract history with the Bidder (if any). The Department also reserves the right to consider other reliable references and publicly available information in evaluating a Bidder’s experience and capabilities.

5. The proposal must be signed by a person authorized to legally bind the Bidder and must contain a statement that the proposal and the pricing contained therein will remain valid and binding for a period of 180 days from the date and time of the bid opening.

6. The RFP and the awarded Bidder’s proposal, including all appendices or attachments, will be the basis for the final contract, as determined by the Department.

7. Following announcement of an award decision, all records and documents regarding this RFP, including bid submissions, will be public records, available for public inspection pursuant to 5 M.R.S. §1825 B (6 &15) and the State of Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) (1 M.R.S. § 401 et seq.). State contracts and information related to contracts, including all records, documents, supporting documents, and bid submissions, are public records unless otherwise excepted by statute (Id).

8. Subject to the above and pursuant to applicable law, in the event that a Bidder believes any information that it submits in response to this RFP is confidential, it must mark that information accordingly, and include citation to legal authority in support of the Bidder’s claim of confidentiality. In the event that the Department receives a FOAA request that includes submissions marked as confidential, the Department shall evaluate the information and any legal authority from the Bidder to determine whether the information is an exception to FOAA’s definition of public record. If the Department determines to release information that a Bidder has marked confidential, it shall provide advance notice to the Bidder to allow for them to seek legal relief.

9. The Department, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to recognize and waive minor informalities and irregularities found in proposals received in response to the RFP.

10. If awarded a contract resulting from this RFP, vendors shall be required to disclose, in writing and in accordance with applicable Maine law, any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Such disclosure must include any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could give rise to a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. Failure to disclose a known conflict or appearance of conflict may result in disqualification, contract termination, or other remedies as provided by law.

11. All applicable laws, whether or not herein contained, are included by this reference. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to determine the applicability and requirements of any such laws and to abide by them.

C. Eligibility to Submit a Bid and Attestation

Bidders must have at least two (2) years of experience providing fiscal agent services to the State within the last five (5) years.

Bidders and its overarching organization, as applicable, cannot be a current provider of MaineCare services or a provider of the underlying services being coordinated and billed under the contract resulting from this RFP.

D. Contract Term

The Department is seeking cost-efficient proposals to provide services, as defined in this RFP, for the anticipated contract period defined in the table below. The dates below are estimated and may be adjusted, as necessary, in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with the RFP and the contracting process. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed and approved contract.

Contract Renewal: Following the initial term of the contract, the Department may opt to renew the contract for two (2) renewal periods, as shown in the table below, and subject to continued availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

The term of the anticipated contract, resulting from the RFP, is defined as follows:

Period
Start Date
End Date
Initial Period of Performance
10/1/2026
9/30/2028
Renewal Period #1
10/1/2028
9/30/2030
Renewal Period #2
10/1/2029
9/30/2031

E. Number of Awards

The Department anticipates making one (1) award as a result of this RFP process.

PART II SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

Specific instructions for the Bidder to provide a narrative response to the Scope of Services may be found in Part IV, Section III, Proposed Services.

Appendix H outlines the anticipated IPF service categories and is subject to change. The Department will provide the awarded Bidder with the Department processes for reviewing IPF requests at contract.

A. General Requirements

1. Ensure the awarded Bidder and its overarching organization, as applicable, throughout the duration of the contract resulting from this RFP:

a. Are not a MaineCare provider;

b. Are not a provider of any underlying service(s) being reimbursed; and

c. Do not make any request for IPF funding.

B. Individual Planning Funds (IPF) Requirements

1. Develop an online method by which Families and service providers can request Individual Planning Funds (IPF) via the Children’s Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) website which is:

a. Secure and HIPAA compliant, utilizing appropriate encryption and secure transmission to protect privacy and confidentiality of personal information; and

b. Allows for attachments to the request, including but not limited to service or goods quotes and/or invoices and the Child’s individualized treatment/service plan(s) and/or plan of care to support Medical Necessity.

2. Review IPF requests within two (2) business days of receipt for completeness and eligibility according to the Department’s process.

a. Children eligible for IPF must be actively enrolled in MaineCare with verification documentation included in the IPF request and all requests must include documentation validating Medical Necessity.

3. Approve or deny the IPF request, as applicable, within five (5) business days after reviewing the IPF request.

a. Garner Department approval for any IPF request that cumulatively exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000) per year/per Child and any other requests that require approval, as specified in the Anticipated IPF Service Categories (Appendix H).

4. Provide communication, via electronic and postal delivery, to the IPF requestor on the status of the IPF request within five (5) business days of the date of IPF decision (approval/denial).

5. Issue payment via check, Automated Clearing House (ACH) Transfer, or other method approved by the Department within five (5) business days of approved IPF requests.

a. Ensure no payment is made for any invoice or request that has not received a prior approval, as specified by the Anticipated IPF Service Categories (Appendix H).

6. Utilize the Anticipated IPF Service Categories (Appendix H) prioritization requirements for approvals once available IPF funding has approximately twenty-five percent (25%) remaining.

a. Notify the Department within two (2) business days once funding has approximately twenty-five percent (25%) remaining.

C. Information Management

1. Maintain an information management process that is capable of:

a. Tracking all IPF requests received, including date of request submission, category of request received, approval or denial status, payment date and status, and any other associated follow-up information;

i. Ensure all IPF tracking identifies the Recipient.

b. Receiving and transmitting service quotes, goods invoices, and other relevant documents for the IPF request via electronic transmission, paper, or fax, as necessary;

c. Managing the payment process to include payment generation through check or ACH transfer, or other method approved by the Department;

d. Producing all required reports requested by the Department; and

e. Creating and maintaining notifications to the IPF requestor related to errors in invoicing and payment of the IPF.

D. Confidentiality Requirements

1. Obtain and maintain insurance as outlined in the current State of Maine IT-Service Contract (IT-SC), Rider B-IT, Section 19. Insurance Requirements. The current IT-SC may be obtained on the Office of State Procurement Services Forms & Templates webpage.

2. Implement risk assessment and vulnerability scanning policies and procedures for collecting sensitive information electronically (PII, PHI, and/or other confidential data) as part of the services provided as a result of the contract awarded under this RFP, at minimum to be equivalent to current MaineIT Policies & Standards for:

a. Risk Assessment Policy & Procedures; and

b. Vulnerability Scanning Procedure.

3. Comply with all current State and Federal laws regarding the protection of confidential and/or sensitive information that is collected or maintained by the awarded Bidder, including, as applicable, notification to individuals in the event of unauthorized access or disclosure.

4. The State will not consume (use) any awarded Bidder application, nor will the awarded Bidder consume (use) any State application.

E. Performance Measures

1. Perform all services proposed in response to this RFP by achieving all Performance Measures listed in Table 1.

0. Submit data to support the performance measures utilizing the Department’s Deliverables Performance Tracking Template (to be provided upon contract execution) or via a third-party data source, as indicated within the performance measure data source column of Table 1.

Table 1 Mandatory Performance Measures

Performance Measure
Assessment Cycle
Supportive Documentation and Performance Measure Data Source

Office Goal/Initiative: Ensure all IPF payments are issued timely.

a.
One hundred percent (100%) of all approved IPFs have payment issued within five (5) business days of approved IPF requests
Quarterly
IPF Payment Report
b.
One hundred percent (100%) of all IPF requests are approved or denied, as applicable, within five (5) business days after reviewing the IPF request.
Quarterly
IPF Payment Report

F. Reports

1. Track and record all data/information necessary to complete the required reports listed in Table 2:

Table 2 – Required Reports

Name of Report
Description
a.
IPF Payment Report
Aggregate report of all IPFs paid, including all IPF financial values sorted by category for the preceding quarter. Submitted report must include a separate delineation regarding the awarded Bidder’s performance measure achievement.

2. Submit all the required reports to the Department in accordance with the timelines established in Table 3:

Table 3 – Required Reports Timelines

Name of Report
Period Captured by Report
Due Date
a.
IPF Payment Report
Each quarter
Thirty (30) calendar days after the end of each quarter

PART III KEY RFP EVENTS

A. Vendor Self Service System (VSS)

1. The Office of State Procurement Services Vendor Self Service System website is found at: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/vendor-self-service-system

2. A copy of the RFP and all associated documents will be published in VSS.

3. Only documents published in VSS will be considered binding.

4. Any interested party may view open solicitations in VSS using the Public Access feature.

5. Vendors must have an active User ID and password in VSS to submit questions and respond to solicitations, including this RFP.

a. Vendor registration instructions and User Guide may be found at the link above, which include steps for searching for an existing account/User ID, or registering for a new account/User ID.

b. Vendors interested in responding to a solicitation are encouraged to obtain a User ID and password for VSS as soon as possible.

6. Vendors must have an active Vendor Code (VC or VS) to contract with the Department.

B. Questions

1. General Instructions: It is the responsibility of all Bidders and other interested parties to examine the entire RFP and to seek clarification, in writing, if they do not understand any information or instructions.

a. Questions must be submitted in VSS as soon as possible but no later than the date and time published in VSS.

b. Questions should be clearly stated and reference the applicable section and/or page number of the RFP.

c. The Department assumes no liability for assuring accurate/complete/on time transmission and receipt.

2. Question & Answer Summary: Responses to all questions will be compiled in writing and published in VSS no later than seven (7) calendar days prior to the Proposal Submission Deadline. It is the responsibility of all interested parties to go to VSS to obtain a copy of the Question & Answer Summary. Only those answers issued in writing in VSS will be considered binding.

C. Amendments

All amendments released in regard to the RFP will be published in VSS. It is the responsibility of all interested parties to go to VSS to obtain amendments. Only those amendments published in VSS are considered binding.

D. Proposal Submission

1. Proposals Due

a. Proposals must be received no later than the Proposal Submission Deadline (closing date) published in VSS.

b. Any proposal submissions or any additional or revised proposal files received after the Proposal Submission Deadline will be rejected without exception.

2. Delivery Instructions

a. Proposal submissions must be submitted to the Office of State Procurement Services via VSS.

b. Only proposal submissions received via VSS will be considered. The Department assumes no liability for assuring accurate/complete receipt.

c. Submissions containing links to file sharing sites or online file repositories will not be accepted as submissions. Only proposal submissions that have the actual requested files attached will be accepted.

d. Encrypted submissions received which require opening attachments and logging into a proprietary system will not be accepted. Bidders should work with their Information Technology team to ensure that the proposal submission will not be encrypted due to any security settings.

e. File size limits are 15MB per file. Bidders may separate the submissions into multiple files, as necessary, due to file size concerns.

3. Submission Format

a. Bidders must submit multiple files, with each file named and containing the required information as defined below.

File 1 [Bidder’s Name] – Preliminary Information PDF format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix A (Proposal Cover Page)

· Appendix B (Responsible Bidder Certification)

· Appendix C (Eligibility to Submit a Bid Form and Attestation Statement)

· All required eligibility documentation stated in PART IV, Section I.

File 2 [Bidder’s Name] – Organization Qualifications and Experience PDF format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix D (Organization Qualifications and Experience Form)

· Appendix E (Litigation Form)

· All required information and attachments stated in PART IV, Section II.

File 3 [Bidder’s Name] – Proposed Services PDF format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix F (Proposed Services Response Form)

· All required information and attachments stated in PART IV, Section III.

File 4 [Bidder’s Name] – Cost Proposal Excel format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix G (Cost Proposal Form)

· All required information and attachments stated in PART IV, Section IV.

PART IV PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

This section contains instructions for Bidders to use in preparing their proposals. The Department seeks detailed yet succinct responses that demonstrate the Bidder’s qualifications, experience, and ability to perform the requirements specified throughout the RFP.

Bidders’ proposals must follow the outline used below, including the numbering, section, and sub-section headings. Failure to use the outline specified in PART IV, or failure to respond to all questions and instructions throughout the RFP, may result in the proposal being disqualified as non-responsive or receiving a reduced score. The Department, and its evaluation team, has sole discretion to determine whether a variance from the RFP specifications will result either in disqualification or reduction in scoring of a proposal. Rephrasing of the content provided in the RFP will, at best, be considered minimally responsive.

Bidders are not to provide additional attachments beyond those specified in the RFP for the purpose of extending their response. Additional materials not requested will not be considered part of the proposal and will not be evaluated. Bidders must include any forms provided in the submission package or reproduce those forms as closely as possible. All information must be presented in the same order and format as described in the RFP.

Proposal Format and Contents

Section I Preliminary Information (File #1)

1. Proposal Cover Page Bidders must complete Appendix A (Proposal Cover Page). It is critical that the cover page show the specific information requested, including Bidder address(es) and other details listed. The Proposal Cover Page must be dated and signed by a person authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Bidder.

2. Responsible Bidder Certification Bidders must complete Appendix B (Responsible Bidder Certification). The Responsible Bidder Certification must be dated and signed by a person authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Bidder.

3. Eligibility Requirements Bidders must provide documentation to demonstrate meeting eligibility requirements stated in PART I, C. of the RFP. This documentation includes:

a. Appendix C (Eligibility to Submit a Bid Form and Attestation Statement)

Section II Organization Qualifications and Experience (File #2)

1. Overview of the Organization Bidders must complete Appendix D (Qualifications and Experience Form) describing their qualifications and skills to provide the requested services in the RFP. Bidders must include three (3) examples of projects, which occurred within the last five (5) years, demonstrating their experience and expertise in performing these services, as well as highlighting the Bidder’s stated qualifications and skills.

2. Project Team Organizational Chart Bidders must provide a legible organizational chart of the project team including to whom the project team reports. Note: individual project team positions are to be identified in the job description and staffing plan.

3. Litigation Bidders must complete Appendix E (Litigation Form) providing a list of all current litigation in which the Bidder is named and a list of all closed cases that have closed within the past five (5) years in which the Bidder paid the claimant either as part of a settlement or by decree. For each, list the entity bringing suit, the complaint, the accusation, amount, and outcome. If no litigation has occurred, indicate such on the form.

4. Financial Viability Bidders must provide the following information for each of the past three (3) tax years:

a. Balance Sheets; and

b. Income (Profit/Loss) Statements.

Section III Proposed Services (File #3)

1. Bidders must complete Appendix F (Proposed Services Response Form) to discuss the Scope of Services referenced above in Part II of the RFP and what the Bidder will offer, including a description of the methods and resources the Bidder will use and how each task involved will be accomplished. Bidders must also describe how the expectations and/or desired outcomes as a result of these services will be achieved. If subcontractors are involved, Bidders must clearly identify the work each will perform.

2. Bidders must provide:

a. Job descriptions detailing the primary responsibilities, duties, and required qualifications for specific job positions (do not include individual resumes) for all project staff including the project lead.

b. A description of how subcontractors/consultants, if any, will interact with the Bidder’s organization, (i.e., oversight and management of subcontractors.)

c. A staffing plan that describes the minimum staffing (position titles and time allocation) necessary to meet the requirements in Part II of the RFP.

3. Bidders must provide a realistic work plan for the implementation of the program through the initial period of performance. The work plan must be displayed in a timeline chart, and concisely describe each program development and implementation task, the month it will be carried out, and the person or position responsible for each task. If applicable, Bidders must identify all tasks to be delegated to subcontractors.

Section IV Cost Proposal (File #4)

1. Cost Proposal Form Bidders must complete Appendix G (Cost Proposal Form).

2. General Instructions

a. The cost proposal must include the costs necessary for the Bidder to fully comply with the contract terms, conditions, and RFP requirements.

b. No costs related to the preparation of the proposal for the RFP, or to the negotiation of the contract with the Department, may be included in the proposal. Only costs to be incurred after the contract effective date that are specifically related to the implementation or operation of contracted services may be included.

PART V PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND SELECTION

Evaluation of the submitted proposals will be accomplished as follows:

A. Evaluation Process – General Information

1. An evaluation team, composed of qualified reviewers, will judge the merits of the proposals received in accordance with the criteria defined in the RFP.

2. Officials responsible for making decisions on the award selection will ensure that the selection process accords equal opportunity and appropriate consideration to all who are capable of meeting the specifications. The goals of the evaluation process are to ensure fairness and objectivity in review of the proposals and to ensure that the contract is awarded to the Bidder whose proposal provides the best value to the State of Maine.

3. The Department reserves the right to communicate and/or schedule interviews/presentations with Bidders, if needed, to obtain clarification of information contained in the proposals received. The Department may revise the scores assigned in the initial evaluation to reflect those communications and/or interviews/presentations.

4. Changes to proposals, including updating or adding information, will not be permitted during any portion of the evaluation process. Therefore, Bidders must submit proposals that present their rates and other requested information as clearly and completely as possible.

B. Scoring Weights and Process

1. Scoring Weights: Proposal scores will be based on a 100-point scale and will measure the degree to which each proposal meets the following criteria. The proposal materials that will be evaluated under each section below are identified in Part IV of the RFP.

Section I.
Preliminary Information
No Points – Eligibility Requirements
Section II.
Organization Qualifications and Experience
20
Section III.
Proposed Services
55
Section IV.
Cost Proposal
25
Total
100

2. Scoring Process: For proposals that demonstrate meeting the eligibility requirements in Section I, the evaluation team will use a consensus approach to evaluate and score Sections II & III above. Members of the evaluation team will not score those sections individually but, instead, will arrive at a consensus as to assignment of points for each of those sections. Section IV, the Cost Proposal, will be scored as described below.

3. Scoring the Cost Proposal: The total cost proposed for conducting all the functions specified in the RFP will be assigned a score according to a mathematical formula. The lowest bid will be awarded 25 points. Proposals with higher bid values will be awarded proportionately fewer points calculated in comparison with the lowest bid.

The scoring formula is:

(Lowest submitted cost proposal / Cost of proposal being scored) x 25 = pro-rated score

No Best and Final Offers: The State of Maine will not seek or accept a best and final offer (BAFO) from any Bidder in this procurement process. All Bidders are expected to provide their best value pricing with the submission of their proposal.

C. Negotiations

1. The Department reserves the right to negotiate with the awarded Bidder(s) to finalize a contract. Such negotiations may not significantly vary the content, nature or requirements of the proposal or the Department’s Request for Proposal to an extent that may affect the price of goods or services requested.

2. The Department reserves the right to terminate contract negotiations with an awarded Bidder who submits a proposed contract significantly different from the proposal they submitted in response to the advertised RFP.

3. In the event that an acceptable contract cannot be negotiated with the highest ranked Bidder, the Department may withdraw its award and negotiate with the next-highest ranked Bidder, and so on, until an acceptable contract has been finalized. Alternatively, the Department may cancel the RFP, at its sole discretion.

D. Selection and Award

1. The final decision regarding the award of the contract will be made by representatives of the Department subject to approval by the State Procurement Review Committee.

2. Notification of conditional award selection or non-selection will be made in writing by the Department.

3. Issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the State of Maine to award a contract, to pay costs incurred in the preparation of a response to the RFP, or to pay costs incurred in procuring or contracting for services, supplies, physical space, personnel or any other costs incurred by the Bidder.

4. The Department reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or to make multiple awards.

E. Appeal of Contract Awards

Any person aggrieved by the award decision that results from the RFP may appeal the decision to the Director of the Bureau of General Services in the manner prescribed in 5 M.R.S.A. § 1825-E and 18-554 Code of Maine Rules Chapter 120. The appeal must be in writing and filed with the Director of the Bureau of General Services, 9 State House Station, Augusta, Maine, 04333-0009 within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt of notification of conditional contract award.

PART VI CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND CONDITIONS

A. Contract Document

1. The awarded Bidder will be required to execute a State of Maine Service Contract with appropriate riders as determined by the issuing department.

All exceptions will be negotiated between the awarded Bidder(s) and the State. The State will not accept any proposed exceptions as part of this RFP process. The State is not obligated to accept, negotiate, or compromise of any proposed exceptions.

The complete set of standard State of Maine Service Contract documents, along with other forms and contract documents commonly used by the State, may be found on the Office of State Procurement Services website.

Forms and contract documents commonly used by the Department can be found on the Department’s Division of Contract Management website.

The awarded Bidder will be required to provide a certificate of insurance on a standard ACORD form (or the equivalent) evidencing its general liability, professional liability, and any other relevant liability insurance policies that might be associated with the services provided as part of the contract resulting from this RFP.

2. Allocation of funds is final upon successful negotiation and execution of the contract, subject to the review and approval of the State Procurement Review Committee. Contracts are not considered fully executed and valid until approved by the State Procurement Review Committee and funds are encumbered. No contract will be approved based on an RFP which has an effective date less than fourteen (14) calendar days after award notification to Bidders. (Referenced in the regulations of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Chapter 110, § 3(B)(i).)

This provision means that a contract cannot be effective until at least fourteen (14) calendar days after award notification.

3. The State recognizes that the actual contract effective date depends upon completion of the RFP process, date of formal award notification, length of contract negotiation, and preparation and approval by the State Procurement Review Committee. Any appeals to the Department’s award decision(s) may further postpone the actual contract effective date, depending upon the outcome. The contract effective date listed in the RFP may need to be adjusted, if necessary, to comply with mandated requirements.

4. In providing services and performing under the contract, the awarded Bidder must act as an independent contractor and not as an agent of the State of Maine.

B. Standard State Contract Provisions

1. Contract Administration Following the award, a Contract Administrator from the Department will be appointed to assist with the development and administration of the contract and to act as administrator during the entire contract period. Department staff will be available after the award to consult with the awarded Bidder in the finalization of the contract.

2. Payments and Other Provisions The State anticipates paying the awarded Bidder on the basis of net 30 payment terms, upon the receipt of an accurate and acceptable invoice. An invoice will be considered accurate and acceptable if it contains a reference to the State of Maine contract number, contains correct pricing information relative to the contract, and provides any required supporting documents, as applicable, and any other specific and agreed-upon requirements listed within the contract that results from the RFP.

PART VII LIST OF RFP APPENDICES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS

Appendix A – Proposal Cover Page

Appendix B – Responsible Bidder Certification

Appendix C – Eligibility to Submit a Bid Form and Attestation Statement

Appendix D – Qualifications and Experience Form

Appendix E – Litigation Form

Appendix F – Proposed Services Response Form

Appendix G – Cost Proposal Form

Appendix H – Anticipated IPF Service Categories

APPENDIX A

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

PROPOSAL COVER PAGE

RFP# 202606112

Fiscal Agent for Individualized Planning Funds

Bidder Name:

Vendor Customer Code (for current State of Maine vendors):

VC

Chief Executive - Name/Title:

Tel:

E-mail:

Headquarters Street Address:

Headquarters City/State/Zip:

(Provide information requested below if different from above)

Lead Point of Contact for Proposal - Name/Title:

Tel:

E-mail:

Street Address:

City/State/Zip:

· This proposal and the pricing structure contained herein will remain firm for a period of 180 days from the date and time of the bid opening.

· No personnel currently employed by the Department participated, either directly or indirectly, in any activities relating to the preparation of the Bidder’s proposal.

· No attempt has been made, or will be made, by the Bidder to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal.

· The above-named organization is the legal entity entering into the resulting contract with the Department if they are awarded the contract.

· The undersigned is authorized to enter contractual obligations on behalf of the above-named organization.

To the best of my knowledge, all information provided in the enclosed proposal, both programmatic and financial, is complete and accurate at the time of submission.

Name (Print):
Title:
Authorized Signature:
Date:

State of Maine RFP# 202606112 Rev. 4/17/2026 – DAFS/Office of State Procurement Services (DHHS Rev. 4/21/2026 – State Services)

APPENDIX B

State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

RESPONSIBLE BIDDER CERTIFICATION

RFP# 202606112

Bidder Name:

By signing this document, I certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the aforementioned organization, its principals and any subcontractors named in this proposal:

a. Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, and declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from bidding or working on contracts issued by any governmental agency.

b. Have not within three years of submitting the proposal for this contract been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for:

i. Fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a federal, state, or local government transaction or contract.

ii. Violating Federal or State antitrust statutes or committing embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property.

c. Are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State or Local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (b) of this certification.

d. Have not within a three (3) year period preceding this proposal had one or more federal, state, or local government transactions terminated for cause or default.

e. Have not entered into a prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a response for the same materials, supplies, equipment, or services and this proposal is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. The above-mentioned entities understand and agree that collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

f. Is not a foreign adversary business entity (https://www.maine.gov/oit/prohibited-technologies).

g. Is not on the list of prohibited companies (https://www.maine.gov/oit/prohibited-technologies) or does not obtain or purchase any information or communications technology or services included on the list of prohibited information and communications technology and services https://www.maine.gov/oit/prohibited-technologies (Title 5 §2030-B).

Name (Print):

Title:

Authorized Signature:

Date:

APPENDIX C

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

ELIGIBILITY TO SUBMIT A BID FORM AND ATTESTATION STATEMENT

RFP# 202606112

Bidder Name:

Eligibility and Attestation Certification

Bidders must have at least two (2) years of experience providing fiscal agent services to the State within the last five (5) years.

Bidders and its overarching organization, as applicable, cannot be a current provider of MaineCare services or a provider of the underlying services being coordinated and billed under the contract resulting from this RFP.

1. Does the Bidder have at least two (2) years of experience providing fiscal agent services to the State within the last five (5) years.
☐ Yes or ☐ No

Complete the section below which demonstrates the Bidder’s eligibility to submit a bid.

To Demonstrate Eligibility to Submit a Bid

Business Reference Name:

Reference Contact Person:

Telephone:

E-Mail:

Project Start Date

Project End Date

Include a detailed description of the project below:

Bidder Name:

Attestation Statement

Bidders and its overarching organization, as applicable, cannot be a current provider of MaineCare services or a provider of the underlying services being coordinated and billed under the contract resulting from this RFP.

By signing this form, the Bidder and its overarching organization, as applicable, is not a current MaineCare provider and does not provide any underlying service being coordinated and billed through this RFP.

Bidder Name (Print):
Title:
Authorized Signature:
Date:

APPENDIX D

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE FORM

RFP# 202606112

Bidder Name:

Present a brief statement of qualifications, and describe the history of the Bidder’s organization, especially regarding skills pertinent to the specific work required by the RFP and any special or unique characteristics of the organization which would make it especially qualified to perform the required work activities. Expand this form and use additional pages to provide this information.

Provide a description of two (2) projects (different from the project provided on Appendix C Eligibility to Submit a Bid) which occurred within the past five (5) years and reflect experience and expertise needed in performing the functions described in Part II – Scope of Services to be Provided of the RFP.

Project One

Business Reference Name:

Reference Contact Person:

Telephone:

E-Mail:

Project Start Date

Project End Date

Include a detailed description of the project below:

Project Two

Business Reference Name:

Reference Contact Person:

Telephone:

E-Mail:

Project Start Date

Project End Date

Include a detailed description of the project below:

APPENDIX E

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

LITIGATION FORM

RFP# 202606112

Bidder Name:

Provide a list of all current litigation in which the Bidder is named and a list of all closed cases that have closed within the past five (5) years in which the Bidder paid the claimant either as part of a settlement or by decree. For each, list the entity bringing suit, the complaint, the accusation, amount, and outcome. If no litigation has occurred, indicate such on this form.

Case #

Entity Filing Suit:

Complaint/Accusation:

Amount:

Outcome

Case #

Entity Filing Suit:

Complaint/Accusation:

Amount:

Outcome

Case #

Entity Filing Suit:

Complaint/Accusation:

Amount:

Outcome

APPENDIX F

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

PROPOSED SERVICES RESPONSE FORM

RFP# 202606112

Fiscal Agent for Individualized Planning Funds

Special Instructions

Bidders must submit all information describe in Part IV, Section III of the RFP.

1. Bidders may obtain the Proposed Services Response Form in VSS.

2. For staffing, Bidders must submit:

a. Job descriptions;

b. A description of the Bidder’s interactions with subcontractors, if any; and

c. A Staffing plan.

3. Bidders must provide a realistic work plan for the implementation of the program through the initial period of performance.

APPENDIX G

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

COST PROPOSAL FORM

RFP# 202606112

Bidder Name:

Proposed Cost:
$

Special Instructions

1. Bidders may obtain the Cost Proposal Form in VSS.

2. Bidders must submit a cost proposal that covers the Initial Period of Performance as defined in Part I of the RFP.

3. The Total Cost for the Initial Period of Performance is considered the Proposed Cost and will be used to score the cost proposal as defined in Part V, B.3. of the RFP.

4. The Proposed Cost must be presented as a fixed amount.

APPENDIX H

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Behavioral Health

ANTICIPATED IPF SERVICE CATEGORIES

RFP# 202606112

Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds

The service categories below cover typical Individual Planning Funds (IPF) requests and related guidance, including a fourth category for non-covered expenses. IPF funding is subject to availability, and requests are prioritized according to their applicable service category. All approved IPF requests must be for Medically Necessary service(s) and/or support(s), as identified by the Child’s Individualized Treatment/Service Plan or Plan of Care. Services and supports funded under IPF must not be eligible for reimbursement through MaineCare nor another available funding source; and will be limited to five thousand dollars ($5,000) per Child per year, unless otherwise pre-approved by the Department. The total anticipated funding available for IPF requests per State fiscal year will be up to one hundred seventy thousand dollars ($170,000.00).

When 75% of the Department’s IPF funds have been spent, any remaining disbursements will be prioritized in the category order below. Prioritization will not extend within the categories.

Category 1 - Family Engagement, Safety and Wellbeing

A. Travel for families participating in the treatment of their Child in a residential care facility.

1. For families with a Child placed over fifty (50) miles one-way from their home, mileage may be reimbursed up to the State mileage rate, currently fifty-six cents ($0.56) per mile, for bi-weekly in-state trips.

2. For families with a Child placed more than two hundred (200) miles from their home, including out-of-state, mileage may be reimbursed up to the State mileage rate, and lodging may be reimbursed up to the current General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rates.

3. For families with a Child placed outside of New England, families can seek approval for a quarterly trip, to include mileage, lodging, and airfare. Mileage may be reimbursed up to the State mileage rate, lodging may be reimbursed up to the current General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rates, and airfare may be reimbursed following the State process (section 10.50.45b and 10.50.50).

B. Safety

1. Home modifications, technology, and devices designed to promote or support the safety of the Child in their home or community, in accordance with the Child’s safety plan as identified in their individualized treatment/service plan(s) and/or plan of care. These modifications, technology, or devices cannot be considered a restrictive device or restraint.

2. Home modifications will require the Family to contribute thirty percent (30%) of the cost of the modification; and the IPF request quote must include delineation of the Family’s thirty percent (30%) contribution to the total modification cost.

3. All home modifications will require additional documentation from medical professionals to support the home modification, technology or device.

C. Adaptive Equipment

1. Adaptive equipment are devices that are used to assist bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and feeding.

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