OFFERORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RETURN THIS FORM.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: IF YOU RECEIVED THIS SOLICITATION FROM THE STATE OF ALASKA’S “ONLINE PUBLIC NOTICE”

WEB SITE, YOU MUST REGISTER WITH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT TO RECEIVE

NOTIFICATION OF SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS. FAILURE TO CONTACT THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER MAY RESULT

IN THE REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER.

ISSUED BY:

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY

PRIMARY CONTACT:

VALETTE KELLER

PROCUREMENT OFFICER

VALETTE.KELLER @ALASKA.GOV

907.269.6039

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES

INNOVATION AND REFORM

RFP 27-002M

ISSUED MAY 26, 2026

ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY RFP 27-002M

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES

INNOVATION AND REFORM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION & INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.01 PURPOSE OF THE RFP

SEC. 1.02 BUDGET

SEC. 1.03 DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE

SEC. 1.05 REQUIRED REVIEW

SEC. 1.06 QUESTIONS PRIOR TO DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.07 RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.08 ASSISTANCE TO OFFERORS WITH A DISABILITY

SEC. 1.09 AMENDMENTS TO PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.10 AMENDMENTS TO THE RFP

SEC. 1.11 RFP SCHEDULE

SEC. 1.12 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

SEC. 1.13 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.14 NEWS RELEASES

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SEC. 2.01 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & CONTRACT INFORMATION

SEC. 3.01 SCOPE OF WORK

SEC. 3.02 CONTRACT TERM

SEC. 3.03 DELIVERABLES

SEC. 3.04 CONTRACT TYPE

SEC. 3.05 PROPOSED PAYMENT PROCEDURES

SEC. 3.06 PROMPT PAYMENT FOR TRUST PURCHASES

SEC. 3.07 CONTRACT PAYMENT

SEC. 3.08 LOCATION OF WORK

SEC. 3.09 SUBCONTRACTORS

SEC. 3.10 JOINT VENTURES

SEC. 3.11 CONTRACT PERSONNEL

SEC. 3.12 INSPECTION & MODIFICATION - REIMBURSEMENT FOR UNACCEPTABLE DELIVERABLES

SEC. 3.13 CONTRACT CHANGES - UNANTICIPATED AMENDMENTS

SEC. 3.14 NONDISCLOSURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

SEC. 3.15 INDEMNIFICATION

SEC. 3.16 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 3.17 TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

SEC. 4.01 RFP SUBMITTAL FORMS

SEC. 4.02 SPECIAL FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 4.03 OFFEROR INFORMATION AND CERTIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM A)

SEC. 4.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM B)

SEC. 4.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM C)

SEC. 4.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM D)

SEC. 4.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM E)

SEC. 4.08 SUBCONTRACTORS (SUBMITTAL FORM F)

SEC. 4.09 COST PROPOSAL (SUBMITTAL FORM G)

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SECTION 5. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND CONTRACTOR SELECTION

SEC. 5.01 SUMMARY OF EVALUATION PROCESS

SEC. 5.02 EVALUATION CRITERIA

SEC. 5.03 SCORING METHOD AND CALCULATION

SEC. 5.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

SEC. 5.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.08 CONTRACT COST (COST PROPOSAL)

SEC. 5.09 APPLICATION OF PREFERENCES

SEC. 5.10 ALASKA BIDDER PREFERENCE

SEC. 5.11 ALASKA VETERAN PREFERENCE

SEC. 5.12 ALASKA OFFEROR PREFERENCE

SEC. 5.13 OFFEROR NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION

SECTION 6. GENERAL PROCESS AND LEGAL INFORMATION

SEC. 6.01 INFORMAL DEBRIEFING

SEC. 6.02 ALASKA BUSINESS LICENSE AND OTHER REQUIRED LICENSES

SEC. 6.03 STANDARD CONTRACT PROVISIONS

SEC. 6.04 QUALIFIED OFFERORS

SEC. 6.05 PROPOSAL AS PART OF THE CONTRACT

SEC. 6.06 ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SEC. 6.07 HUMAN TRAFFICKING

SEC. 6.08 RIGHT OF REJECTION

SEC. 6.09 TRUST NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARATION COSTS

SEC. 6.10 DISCLOSURE OF PROPOSAL CONTENTS

SEC. 6.11 ASSIGNMENT

SEC. 6.12 DISPUTES

SEC. 6.13 SEVERABILITY

SEC. 6.14 SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SEC. 6.15 SOLICITATION ADVERTISING

SEC. 6.16 CLARIFICATION OF OFFERS

SEC. 6.17 DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFERORS

SEC. 6.18 CONTRACT NEGOTIATION

SEC. 6.19 FAILURE TO NEGOTIATE

SEC. 6.20 FEDERALLY IMPOSED TARIFFS

SEC. 6.21 PROTEST

SECTION 7. ATTACHMENTS

SEC. 7.01 ATTACHMENTS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION & INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.01 PURPOSE OF THE RFP

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (the Trust) is soliciting proposals for technical assistance and consultation to assist the Trust and the Department of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS) on technical components of the Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) delivery system.

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SEC. 1.02 BUDGET

The Trust estimates a budget of $150,000 and $200,000 for each year of this project. Proposals priced at more than $200,000 per year will be considered non-responsive.

Payment for the contract is subject to funds already appropriated and identified. Continuation of a contract resulting from this RFP is contingent upon trustee approval of funding.

SEC. 1.03 DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

Proposals must be received no later than 1:30 P.M. prevailing Alaska Time on June 22, 2026. Late proposals or amendments will be disqualified and not opened or accepted for evaluation.

SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE

In order for offers to be considered responsive offerors must meet these minimum prior experience requirements:

• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in providing expert consulting services, including fiscal impact and analysis of program or service implementation, to State Medicaid agencies including behavioral health and senior and disabilities services. The most recent consulting project must be within the last three years.

• Documented proof of successful completion of one (1) project providing consultative services to the State of Alaska related to a Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Program.

An offeror's failure to meet these minimum prior experience requirements will cause their proposal to be considered non-responsive and rejected.

SEC. 1.05 REQUIRED REVIEW

Offerors should carefully review this solicitation for defects and questionable or objectionable material.

Comments concerning defects and questionable or objectionable material should be made in writing and received by the procurement officer at least ten days before the deadline for receipt of proposals. This will allow time for the issuance of any necessary amendments. It will also help prevent the opening of a defective proposal and exposure of offeror's proposals upon which award could not be made.

SEC. 1.06 QUESTIONS PRIOR TO DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

All questions must be in writing and directed to the procurement officer. The interested party must confirm telephone conversations in writing.

Two types of questions generally arise. One may be answered by directing the questioner to a specific section of the RFP. These questions may be answered over the telephone. Other questions may be more complex and may require a written amendment to the RFP. The procurement officer will make that decision.

PROCUREMENT OFFICER: Valette Keller – PHONE 907-269-6039

SEC. 1.07 RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

Offerors must submit one copy of their proposal through one of the following methods. The Trust recommends sending a proposal enough ahead of time to ensure the proposal is delivered by the deadline for receipt of proposals. Faxed or oral proposals will not be accepted.

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It is the offeror’s responsibility to contact the issuing agency at 907-269-7960 to confirm that the proposal has been received. The Trust is not responsible for unreadable, corrupt, or missing attachments.

Method 1: Submission by mail or courier

The proposal must be submitted as a hard copy in a sealed package. The cost proposal included with the package must be sealed separately from the rest of the proposal and must be clearly identified. The package must include a USB thumb drive with a digital copy of their proposal in PDF format. The digital cost proposal included with the package must be a separate document from the rest of the proposal and must be clearly identified.

The sealed proposal package(s) must be addressed as follows:

Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Attention: Valette Keller

RFP 27-002 HCBS Innovation and Reform

3745 Community Park Loop Suite 200 Anchorage, AK 99508

Method 2: Submission by email

The proposal must be submitted as a digital copy in PDF format to deborah.delong@alaska.gov. The email must contain the RFP number in the subject line. The technical proposal and cost proposal must be saved as separate PDF documents and emailed as separate, clearly labeled attachments, such as “Vendor A – Technical Proposal.pdf” and “Vendor A – Cost Proposal.pdf”. You must not email (including CC and BCC) the proposal to any State employee or email address other than instructed above.

Please note that email transmission is not instantaneous, and the maximum size of a single email (including all text and attachments) that can be received by the Trust is 20mb (megabytes).

Method 3: Submission by Alaska ZendTo

Offerors must submit one digital copy of their proposal in PDF format to deborah.delong@alaska.gov via Alaska ZendTo, https://drop.state.ak.us. The cost proposal included with the package must be a separate document from the rest of the proposal and must be clearly identified. The technical proposal and cost proposal must be submitted as separate, clearly labeled PDF documents. Offerors must include the RFP number and title in the ZendTo note. You must not include any State employee or email address in the ZendTo form other than instructed above.

SEC. 1.08 ASSISTANCE TO OFFERORS WITH A DISABILITY

Offerors with a disability may receive accommodation regarding the means of communicating this RFP or participating in the procurement process. For more information, contact the procurement officer no later than ten days prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals.

SEC. 1.09 AMENDMENTS TO PROPOSALS

Amendments to or withdrawals of proposals will only be allowed if acceptable requests are received prior to the deadline that is set for receipt of proposals. No amendments or withdrawals will be accepted after the deadline unless they are in response to the Trust’s request in accordance with 2 AAC 12.290.

https://drop.state.ak.us/

6 Rev. 02/20

SEC. 1.10 AMENDMENTS TO THE RFP

If an amendment is issued before the deadline for receipt of proposals, it will be provided to all who were notified of the RFP and to those who have registered with the procurement officer after receiving the RFP from the State of Alaska Online Public Notice website.

After receipt of proposals, if there is a need for any substantial clarification or material change in the RFP, an amendment will be issued. The amendment will incorporate the clarification or change, and a new date and time established for new or amended proposals. Evaluations may be adjusted as a result of receiving new or amended proposals.

SEC. 1.11 RFP SCHEDULE

The RFP schedule set out herein represents the Trust’s best estimate of the schedule that will be followed. If a component of this schedule, such as the deadline for receipt of proposals, is delayed, the rest of the schedule may be shifted accordingly. All times are Alaska Time.

ACTIVITY TIME DATE

Issue Date / RFP Released May 26, 2026 Pre-Proposal Conference 11:00 A.M. June 5, 2026 Deadline for Receipt of Proposals / Proposal Due Date 1:30 P.M. June 22, 2026 Proposal Evaluations Complete June 25, 2026 Notice of Intent to Award June 26, 2026 Contract Issued July 6, 2026

This RFP does not, by itself, obligate the Trust. The Trust's obligation will commence when the contract is approved by the Trust. Upon written notice to the contractor, the Trust may set a different starting date for the contract.

The Trust will not be responsible for any work done by the contractor, even work done in good faith, if it occurs prior to the contract start date set by the Trust.

SEC. 1.12 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

A pre-proposal conference will be held at 11:00 A.M., Alaska Time, on June 5, 2026 via Zoom. The purpose of the conference is to discuss the work to be performed with the prospective offerors and allow them to ask questions concerning the RFP. Questions and answers will be transcribed and sent to prospective offerors as soon as possible after the meeting.

Offerors needing accommodation should contact the procurement officer prior to the date set for the pre-proposal conference so that reasonable accommodation can be made. Participants may dial into the meeting using the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82788028493?pwd=SLeDmfymwQWOTLYmBUKWDqLNtLo6qd.1 Meeting ID: 827 8802 8493 Passcode: Trust

SEC. 1.13 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Offerors may only submit one proposal for evaluation. In accordance with 2 AAC 12.830 alternate proposals (proposals that offer something different than what is asked for) will be rejected.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82788028493?pwd=SLeDmfymwQWOTLYmBUKWDqLNtLo6qd.1

7 Rev. 02/20

SEC. 1.14 NEWS RELEASES

News releases related to this RFP will not be made without prior approval of the project director.

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SEC. 2.01 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (Trust) is a state corporation that administers the Alaska Mental Health Trust, a perpetual trust, to improve the lives of beneficiaries. The Trust operates much like a private foundation, using its resources to ensure that Alaska has a comprehensive integrated mental health program.

While the Trust is a state agency, it is completely self-funded and uses no state general fund dollars.

The trust was created by congress before statehood. The state breached its trust duty by mismanaging the land.

The settlement of the resulting mental health trust land lawsuit in 1994 created a Trust Authority consisting of seven trustees. The trust was reconstituted with $200 million and approximately one million acres of land. The Trust Authority contracts with the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation to manage the cash assets and the Trust Land Office to manage the land and other non-cash assets.

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and the Trust Land Office work together to improve the lives of Trust beneficiaries by strengthening Alaska’s system of care, prudently managing Trust assets, and driving lasting, positive change across the state.

Trust beneficiaries include Alaskans who experience:

• Mental illness;

• Intellectual and development disabilities;

• Substance use disorders;

• Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia; or

• Traumatic brain injury.

In December 2025 the Trust adopted a new Strategic Framework, affirming our shared commitment to advance efforts to improve lives of Trust beneficiaries.

The Plan’s four Strategic Priorities strengthen Alaska's full continuum of care, guiding the Trust's investments and moving Alaskans toward a future of well-being:

1. Prevention & Early Intervention

2. Crisis Response

3. Treatment & Recovery

4. Ongoing Support and Wellbeing

The Trust's mission is fulfilled through three fundamental Core Commitments that maximize our impact:

• Make data-informed investments

• Foster transformative partnerships

• Steward natural resources for impact

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The Trust grants around $25M a year to beneficiary-serving organizations including state and local governments, Tribal organizations, nonprofits, service providers, and other agencies to help fund initiatives and projects that support beneficiaries. In addition to its role as a grant maker, the Trust is also a leader in implementing system-wide improvements to the continuum of behavioral health care in Alaska. The Trust also has a strong advocacy role around issues pertinent to beneficiaries.

The Trust’s 7-member board of trustees is charged with overseeing the management of Trust assets as well as the spending Trust income to improve the lives of Trust beneficiaries. Trustees are appointed by the Governor and must be confirmed by the legislature.

The Trust's Housing and Home and Community Based Services (HHCBS) focus area was established in 2006 and is now included in the Ongoing Services and Wellbeing Priority Area. Home and Community Based Services assist a person with their activities of daily living (e.g., eating, bathing, toileting) and instrumental activities of daily living (e.g., making phone calls, paying bills, managing medication) or support the person to become more independent and engaged in their community. These activities may include assistance with personal organization, time management, social interactions and problem solving. Technology solutions have emerged as innovative options to provide environmental modifications, cuing, supervision, education, and connectedness.

Trust staff partner with the Department of Health, primarily the Division of Senior and Disabilities Services, to provide a robust continuum of care for beneficiaries who need Home and Community Based Services. Partners provide services that range from meals and transportation to direct care services to assisted living home care and systems coordination and administration.

The Trust and the Department of Health have a shared goal of minimizing the number of Alaskans who are institutionalized. A robust Home and Community Based Services system provides alternatives to institutionalization, supporting people to live meaningful lives in their homes and communities. Important components of this work are to ensure the State of Alaska is implementing programs and services that are administratively efficient, fiscally responsible, and reflect the statutory commitment to implementing the Shared Vision (AS 47.80.095).

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & CONTRACT INFORMATION

SEC. 3.01 SCOPE OF WORK

The Alaska Mental Health Trust (the Trust) is soliciting proposals for technical assistance and consultation to assist the Trust and the Department of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS) on technical components of the Home and Community Based Service delivery system and specifically implementing and developing services and programs that will lead to an improved continuum of care for people receiving services.

The successful offeror shall:

• Provide consultation with reviewing and making critical decisions related to Alaska Medicaid waivers, state plan services, grant services, service system design, and other aspects of the home and community-based service delivery system.

9 Rev. 02/20

• Provide recommendations regarding optimizing the federal financial participation for Medicaid services, administrative claiming, and federal grant opportunities as related to home and community-based services.

• Provide guidance to ensure home and community-based service system alignment and coordination with other Medicaid, tribal or state funded programs to achieve successful implementation.

SEC. 3.02 CONTRACT TERM

The length of the contract will be from the date of award, approximately July 7, 2026, for approximately one year until June 30, 2027. This contract will have three (3) one-year renewal options, to be exercised at the sole discretion of the Trust.

Unless otherwise provided in this RFP, the Trust and the successful offeror/contractor agree: (1) that any extension of the contract excluding any exercised renewal options, will be considered as a month-to-month extension, and all other terms and conditions shall remain in full force and effect and (2) the procurement officer will provide notice to the contractor of the intent to cancel such month-to-month extension at least 30 days before the desired date of cancellation. A month-to-month extension may only be executed by the procurement officer via a written contract amendment.

SEC. 3.03 DELIVERABLES

The contractor will be required to provide the following deliverables:

• Provide recommendations for optimizing federal financial participation for HCBS through Medicaid waivers, state plan services, Medicaid Administrative Claiming or federal grants.

• Provide recommendations for the standardization of HCBS grant services such as the ADRCs/No Wrong Door Network.

• Draft or revise forms and processes to provide additional efficiencies while maintaining federal requirements.

• Make recommendations on modifying and implementing assessment tools for HCBS.

• Assist with or write federal grant applications related to HCBS.

• Review and analyze a specific service that is provided across payment types and agencies, such as environmental modifications or assistive technology, and make recommendations to improve service coordination, state policy, and reimbursement to maximize services delivered to Alaskans.

• Bring service definitions, forms, policies and procedures into alignment with federal guidelines or rules, such as the Quality Data Set in the Access Rule or new Medicaid waiver contract requirements.

• Conduct public information sessions for new potential HCBS service types and provide reports to state leadership on outcomes.

• Assist state agencies with preliminary planning activities to come into compliance with federal requirements or opportunities.

• Develop presentations and/or reports on projects as requested.

SEC. 3.04 CONTRACT TYPE

This contract is a time and materials contract.

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SEC. 3.05 PROPOSED PAYMENT PROCEDURES

The Trust will make payments based on a negotiated payment schedule. Each billing must consist of an invoice and progress report. No payment will be made until the progress report and invoice has been approved by the project director.

SEC. 3.06 PROMPT PAYMENT FOR TRUST PURCHASES

The Trust is eligible to receive a 5% discount for all invoices paid within 15 business days from the date of receipt of the commodities or services and/or a correct invoice, whichever is later. The discount shall be taken on the full invoice amount. The Trust shall consider payment being made as either the date a printed warrant is issued or the date an electronic funds transfer (EFT) is initiated.

SEC. 3.07 CONTRACT PAYMENT

No payment will be made until the contract is approved by the Trust. Under no conditions will the Trust be liable for the payment of any interest charges associated with the cost of the contract. The Trust is not responsible for and will not pay local, state, or federal taxes. All costs associated with the contract must be stated in U.S. currency.

Any single contract payment of $1 million or higher must be accepted by the contractor via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

SEC. 3.08 LOCATION OF WORK

The location(s) the work is to be performed, completed and managed is at the contractor’s workplace. The Trust will not provide workspace for the contractor. The contractor must provide its own workspace.

By signature on their proposal, the offeror certifies that all services provided under this contract by the contractor and all subcontractors shall be performed in the United States.

If the offeror cannot certify that all work will be performed in the United States, the offeror must contact the procurement officer in writing to request a waiver at least 10 days prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals.

The request must include a detailed description of the portion of work that will be performed outside the United States, where, by whom, and the reason the waiver is necessary.

Failure to comply with these requirements may cause the Trust to reject the proposal as non-responsive or cancel the contract.

SEC. 3.09 SUBCONTRACTORS

Subcontractors may be used to perform work under this contract. If an offeror intends to use subcontractors, the offeror must complete the Submittal Form identified in Section 4.02 of this RFP.

An offeror's failure to provide this information with their proposal may cause the Trust to consider their proposal non-responsive and reject it.

Subcontractor experience shall be considered in determining whether the offeror meets the requirements set forth in SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE.

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If a proposal with subcontractors is selected, the Trust may require a signed written statement from each subcontractor that clearly verifies the subcontractor is committed to provide the good or services required by the contract.

The substitution of one subcontractor for another may be made only at the discretion and prior written approval of the project director or procurement officer.

Note that if the subcontractor will not be performing work within Alaska, they will not be required to hold an Alaska business license.

SEC. 3.10 JOINT VENTURES

Joint ventures will not be allowed.

SEC. 3.11 CONTRACT PERSONNEL

Any change of the project team members or subcontractors named in the proposal must be approved, in advance and in writing, by the project director or procurement officer. Changes that are not approved by the Trust may be grounds for the Trust to terminate the contract.

SEC. 3.12 INSPECTION & MODIFICATION - REIMBURSEMENT FOR UNACCEPTABLE

DELIVERABLES

The contractor is responsible for the completion of all work set out in the contract. All work is subject to inspection, evaluation, and approval by the project director. The Trust may employ all reasonable means to ensure that the work is progressing and being performed in compliance with the contract. The project director or procurement officer may instruct the contractor to make corrections or modifications if needed in order to accomplish the contract’s intent. The contractor will not unreasonably withhold such changes.

Substantial failure of the contractor to perform the contract may cause the Trust to terminate the contract. In this event, the Trust may require the contractor to reimburse monies paid (based on the identified portion of unacceptable work received) and may seek associated damages.

SEC. 3.13 CONTRACT CHANGES - UNANTICIPATED AMENDMENTS

During the course of this contract, the contractor may be required to perform additional work. That work will be within the general scope of the initial contract. When additional work is required, the project director will provide the contractor a written description of the additional work and request the contractor to submit a firm time schedule for accomplishing the additional work and a firm price for the additional work. Cost and pricing data must be provided to justify the cost of such amendments per AS 36.30.400.

The contractor will not commence additional work until the procurement officer has secured any required Trust approvals necessary for the amendment and issued a written contract amendment, approved by the Trust.

SEC. 3.14 NONDISCLOSURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Contractor agrees that all confidential information shall be used only for purposes of providing the deliverables and performing the services specified herein and shall not disseminate or allow dissemination of confidential information except as provided for in this section. The contractor shall hold as confidential and will use reasonable care (including both facility physical security and electronic security) to prevent unauthorized access by, storage, 12 Rev. 02/20 disclosure, publication, dissemination to and/or use by third parties of, the confidential information. “Reasonable care” means compliance by the contractor with all applicable federal and state law, including the Social Security Act and HIPAA. The contractor must promptly notify the Trust in writing if it becomes aware of any storage, disclosure, loss, unauthorized access to or use of the confidential information.

Confidential information, as used herein, means any data, files, software, information or materials (whether prepared by the Trust or its agents or advisors) in oral, electronic, tangible or intangible form and however stored, compiled or memorialized that is classified confidential as defined by State of Alaska classification and categorization guidelines provided by the Trust to the contractor or a contractor agent or otherwise made available to the contractor or a contractor agent in connection with this contract, or acquired, obtained or learned by the contractor or a contractor agent in the performance of this contract. Examples of confidential information include, but are not limited to: technology infrastructure, architecture, financial data, trade secrets, equipment specifications, user lists, passwords, research data, and technology data (infrastructure, architecture, operating systems, security tools, IP addresses, etc).

Additional information that the contractor shall hold as confidential during the performance of services under this contract include:

Aggregate Medicaid data sets or other information that is considered embargoed will not be disclosed until released to the public. Personally Identifiable Information (PII), individual Medicaid data or claims, or other data that is protected by state or federal law may not be disclosed.

If confidential information is requested to be disclosed by the contractor pursuant to a request received by a third party and such disclosure of the confidential information is required under applicable state or federal law, regulation, governmental or regulatory authority, the contractor may disclose the confidential information after providing the Trust with written notice of the requested disclosure (to the extent such notice to the Trust is permitted by applicable law) and giving the Trust opportunity to review the request. If the contractor receives no objection from the Trust, it may release the confidential information within 30 days. Notice of the requested disclosure of confidential information by the contractor must be provided to the Trust within a reasonable time after the contractor’s receipt of notice of the requested disclosure and, upon request of the Trust, shall seek to obtain legal protection from the release of the confidential information.

The following information shall not be considered confidential information: information previously known to be public information when received from the other party; information freely available to the general public;

information which now is or hereafter becomes publicly known by other than a breach of confidentiality hereof;

or information which is disclosed by a party pursuant to subpoena or other legal process and which as a result becomes lawfully obtainable by the general public.

SEC. 3.15 INDEMNIFICATION

The contractor shall indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the contracting agency from and against any claim of, or liability for error, omission or negligent act of the contractor under this agreement. The contractor shall not be required to indemnify the contracting agency for a claim of, or liability for, the independent negligence of the contracting agency. If there is a claim of, or liability for, the joint negligent error or omission of the contractor and the independent negligence of the contracting agency, the indemnification and hold harmless obligation shall be apportioned on a comparative fault basis. “Contractor” and “contracting agency”, as used within this and the following article, include the employees, agents and other contractors who are directly responsible, respectively, 13 Rev. 02/20 to each. The term “independent negligence” is negligence other than in the contracting agency’s selection, administration, monitoring, or controlling of the contractor and in approving or accepting the contractor’s work.

SEC. 3.16 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Without limiting contractor's indemnification, it is agreed that contractor shall purchase at its own expense and maintain in force at all times during the performance of services under this agreement the following policies of insurance. Where specific limits are shown, it is understood that they shall be the minimum acceptable limits. If the contractor's policy contains higher limits, the Trust shall be entitled to coverage to the extent of such higher limits.

Certificates of Insurance must be furnished to the procurement officer prior to beginning work and must provide for a notice of cancellation, non-renewal, or material change of conditions in accordance with policy provisions.

Failure to furnish satisfactory evidence of insurance or lapse of the policy is a material breach of this contract and shall be grounds for termination of the contractor's services. All insurance policies shall comply with and be issued by insurers licensed to transact the business of insurance under AS 21.

Workers' Compensation Insurance: The contractor shall provide and maintain, for all employees engaged in work under this contract, coverage as required by AS 23.30.045, and; where applicable, any other statutory obligations including but not limited to Federal U.S.L. & H. and Jones Act requirements. The policy must waive subrogation against the State.

Commercial General Liability Insurance: covering all business premises and operations used by the Contractor in the performance of services under this agreement with minimum coverage limits of $300,000 combined single limit per claim.

Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance: covering all vehicles used by the contractor in the performance of services under this agreement with minimum coverage limits of $300,000 combined single limit per claim.

SEC. 3.17 TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT

If the project director or procurement officer determines that the contractor has refused to perform the work or has failed to perform the work with such diligence as to ensure its timely and accurate completion, the Trust may, by providing written notice to the contractor, terminate the contractor's right to proceed with part or all of the remaining work.

This clause does not restrict the Trust’s termination rights under the contract provisions of Appendix A, attached in SECTION 7. ATTACHMENTS.

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

SEC. 4.01 RFP SUBMITTAL FORMS

This RFP contains Submittal Forms, which must be completed by the offeror and submitted as their proposal.

Electronic copies of the forms are posted along with this RFP. Offerors shall not re-create these forms, create their own forms, or edit the format structure of the forms unless permitted to do so.

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Unless otherwise specified in this RFP, the Submittal Forms shall be the offeror’s entire proposal. Do not include any marketing information in the proposal.

Any proposal that does not follow these requirements may be deemed non-responsive and rejected.

SEC. 4.02 SPECIAL FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

The offeror must ensure that their proposal meets all special formatting requirements identified in this section.

Documents and Text: All attachment documents must be written in the English language, be single sided, and be single spaced with a minimum font size of 10. Pictures or graphics may be used if the offeror feels it is necessary to communicate their information, however, be aware of the page limit requirements.

Anonymity: Some Submittal Forms listed below must not contain any names that can be used to identify who the offeror is (such as company names, offeror name, company letterhead, personnel names, project names, subconsultant names, manufacturer or supplier names, or product names).

Page Limits: Some Submittal Forms listed below have maximum page limit requirements. Offerors must not exceed the maximum page limits. Note, the page limit applies to the front side of a page only (for example, ‘1 Page’ implies that the offeror can only provide a response on one side of a piece of paper).

Submittal Form Anonymous Document

Maximum Page

Limits Submittal Form A – Offeror Information and Certifications Submittal Form B – Experience and Qualifications YES 5 Submittal Form C – Understanding of the Project YES 5 Submittal Form D – Methodology Used for the Project YES 5 Submittal Form E – Management Plan for the Project YES 5 Submittal Form F – Subcontractors Submittal Form G – Cost Proposal

Any Submittal Form that is being evaluated and does not follow these instructions may receive a ‘1’ score for the evaluated Submittal Form, or the entire response may be deemed non-responsive and rejected. Failure to submit any of the Submittal Forms will result in the proposal being deemed non-responsive and rejected.

SEC. 4.03 OFFEROR INFORMATION AND CERTIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM A)

The offeror must complete and submit this Submittal Form. The form must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the offeror to the provisions of the RFP.

By signature on the form, the offeror certifies they comply with the following:

a) the laws of the State of Alaska;

b) the applicable portion of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964;

c) the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and the regulations issued thereunder by the federal government;

d) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the regulations issued thereunder by the federal government;

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e) all terms and conditions set out in this RFP;

f) a condition that the proposal submitted was independently arrived at, without collusion, under penalty of perjury; and

g) that the offers will remain open and valid for at least 90 days.

If any offeror fails to comply with [a] through [g] of this paragraph, the Trust reserves the right to disregard the proposal, terminate the contract, or consider the contractor in default.

The Submittal Form also requests the following information:

a) The complete name and address of offeror’s firm along with the offeror’s Tax ID.

b) Information on the person the Trust should contact regarding the proposal.

c) Names of critical team members/personnel.

d) Addenda acknowledgement.

e) Conflict of interest statement.

f) Federal requirements.

g) Alaska preference qualifications.

An offeror's failure to address/respond/include these items may cause the proposal to be determined to be non-responsive and the proposal may be rejected.

SEC. 4.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM B)

Offerors must provide detail on the personnel assigned to accomplish the work called for in this RFP; illustrate the lines of authority; designate the individual responsible and accountable for the completion of each component and deliverable of the RFP.

Offerors must provide a narrative description of the organization of the project team and a personnel roster that identifies each person who will actually work on the contract along with their titles and location(s) where work will be performed.

Offerors must also provide reference names and phone numbers for similar projects the offeror’s firm has completed.

Offerors must include two reports prepared for State Medicaid agencies that demonstrate their experience with the type of work described in this RFP. The Trust preference at least one report being prepared for an Alaska agency.

Offerors must clearly demonstrate their experience providing consultative services for a State Medicaid agency implementing an interRAI assessment instrument.

SPECIAL NOTE: The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. This Submittal Form shall be kept anonymous and must not contain any names that can be used to identify who the offeror is and cannot exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

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SEC. 4.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM C)

Offerors must provide comprehensive narrative statements that illustrate their understanding of the requirements of the project and the project schedule.

SPECIAL NOTE: The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. This Submittal Form shall be kept anonymous and must not contain any names that can be used to identify who the offeror is and cannot exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

SEC. 4.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM D)

Offerors must provide comprehensive narrative statements that set out the methodology they intend to employ and illustrate how the methodology will serve to accomplish the work and meet the Trust’s project schedule.

SPECIAL NOTE: The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. This Submittal Form shall be kept anonymous and must not contain any names that can be used to identify who the offeror is and cannot exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

SEC. 4.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM E)

Offerors must provide comprehensive narrative statements that set out the management plan they intend to follow and illustrate how the plan will serve to accomplish the work and meet the Trust's project schedule.

SPECIAL NOTE: The offeror shall not disclose their costs in this Submittal Form. This Submittal Form shall be kept anonymous and must not contain any names that can be used to identify who the offeror is and cannot exceed the page limit (as described in Section 4.02).

SEC. 4.08 SUBCONTRACTORS (SUBMITTAL FORM F)

If using subcontractors, the offeror must complete and submit this Submittal Form.

SEC. 4.09 COST PROPOSAL (SUBMITTAL FORM G)

Offerors must complete and submit this Submittal Form. Proposed costs must include all direct and indirect costs associated with the performance of the contract, including, but not limited to: total number of hours at various hourly rates, direct expenses, payroll, supplies, overhead assigned to each person working on the project, percentage of each person's time devoted to the project, and profit. The costs identified on the cost proposal are the total amount of costs to be paid by the Trust. No additional charges shall be allowed.

SECTION 5. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND CONTRACTOR SELECTION

SEC. 5.01 SUMMARY OF EVALUATION PROCESS

The Trust will use the following steps to evaluate and prioritize proposals:

1) Proposals will be assessed for overall responsiveness. Proposals deemed non-responsive will be eliminated from further consideration.

2) A proposal evaluation committee (PEC), made up of at least three state employees or public officials, will evaluate specific parts of the responsive proposals.

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3) The Submittal Forms, from each responsive proposal, will be sent to the PEC. No cost information will be shared or provided to the PEC.

4) The PEC will independently evaluate and score the documents based on the degree to which they meet the stated evaluation criteria.

5) After independent scoring, the PEC will have a meeting, chaired by the procurement officer, where the PEC may have a group discussion prior to finalizing their scores.

6) The evaluators will submit their final individual scores to the procurement officer, who will then compile the scores and calculate awarded points as set out in Section 5.03.

7) The procurement officer will calculate scores for cost proposals as set out in Section 5.08 and add those scores to the awarded points along with factoring in any Alaska preferences.

8) The procurement officer may ask for best and final offers from offerors susceptible for award and revise the cost scores accordingly.

9) The Trust will then conduct any necessary negotiations with the highest scoring offeror and award a contract if the negotiations are successful.

SEC. 5.02 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on their overall value to Trust, considering both cost and non-cost factors as described below. Note: An evaluation may not be based on discrimination due to the race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability, or political affiliation of the offeror.

Overall Criteria Weight Responsiveness Pass/Fail

Qualifications Criteria Weight Experience and Qualifications (Submittal Form B) 20 Understanding of the Project (Submittal Form C) 10 Methodology Used for the Project (Submittal Form D) 10 Management Plan for the Project (Submittal Form E) 10

Total 50

Cost Criteria Weight Cost Proposal (Submittal Form F) 40 Total 40

Preference Criteria Weight Alaska Offeror Preference (if applicable) 10 Total 10

TOTAL EVALUATION POINTS AVAILABLE: 100

SEC. 5.03 SCORING METHOD AND CALCULATION

The PEC will evaluate responses against the questions set out in Sections 5.04 through 5.07 and assign a single score for each section. Offerors’ responses for each section will be rated comparatively against one another with

18 Rev. 02/20 each PEC member assigning a score of 1, 5, or 10 (with 10 representing the highest score, 5 representing the average score, and 1 representing the lowest score). Responses that are similar or lack dominant information to differentiate the offerors from each other will receive the same score. Therefore, it is the offeror’s responsibility to provide dominant information and differentiate themselves from their competitors.

After the PEC has scored each section, the scores for each section will be totaled and the following formula will be used to calculate the amount of points awarded for that section:

Offeror Total Score x Max Points = Points Awarded Highest Total Score Possible

Example (Max Points for the Section = 100):

PEC

Member 1

Score

PEC

Member 2

Score

PEC

Member 3

Score

PEC

Member 4

Score Combined Total Score

Points

Awarded Offeror 1 10 5 5 10 30 75 Offeror 2 5 5 5 5 20 50 Offeror 3 10 10 10 10 40 100

Offeror 1 was awarded 75 points:

Offeror Total Score (30) x Max Points (100) = Points Awarded (75) Highest Total Score Possible (40)

Offeror 2 was awarded 50 points:

Offeror Total Score (20) x Max Points (100) = Points Awarded (50) Highest Total Score Possible (40)

Offeror 3 was awarded 100 points:

Offeror Total Score (40) x Max Points (100) = Points Awarded (100) Highest Total Score Possible (40)

SEC. 5.04 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) Questions regarding the personnel:

a) Do the individuals assigned to the project have experience on similar projects?

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b) Are resumes complete and do they demonstrate backgrounds that would be desirable for individuals engaged in the work the project requires?

c) How extensive is the applicable education and experience of the personnel designated to work on the project?

2) Questions regarding the firm and subcontractor (if used):

a) How well has the firm demonstrated experience in completing similar projects on time and within budget?

b) How successful is the general history of the firm regarding timely and successful completion of projects?

c) Has the firm provided references from previous clients?

d) If a subcontractor will perform work on the contract, how well do they measure up to the evaluation used for the offeror?

SEC. 5.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) How well has the offeror demonstrated a thorough understanding of the purpose and scope of the project?

2) How well has the offeror identified pertinent issues and potential problems related to the project?

3) To what degree has the offeror demonstrated an understanding of the deliverables the Trust expects it to provide?

4) Has the offeror demonstrated an understanding of the Trust's time schedule and can meet it?

SEC. 5.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) How comprehensive is the methodology and does it depict a logical approach to fulfilling the requirements of the RFP?

2) How well does the methodology match and achieve the objectives set out in the RFP?

3) Does the methodology interface with the time schedule in the RFP?

SEC. 5.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT

This portion of the offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against the following questions:

1) How well does the management plan support all of the project requirements and logically lead to the deliverables required in the RFP?

2) How well is accountability completely and clearly defined?

3) Is the organization of the project team clear?

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4) How well does the management plan illustrate the lines of authority and communication?

5) To what extent does the offeror already have the hardware, software, equipment, and licenses necessary to perform the contract?

6) Does it appear that the offeror can meet the schedule set out in the RFP?

7) Has the offeror gone beyond the minimum tasks necessary to meet the objectives of the RFP?

8) To what degree is the proposal practical and feasible?

9) To what extent has the offeror identified potential problems?

SEC. 5.08 CONTRACT COST (COST PROPOSAL)

Overall, a minimum of 40% of the total evaluation points will be assigned to cost. After the procurement officer applies any applicable preferences, the offeror with the lowest total cost will receive the maximum number of points allocated to cost per 2 AAC 12.260(c). The point allocations for cost on the other proposals will be determined using the following formula:

[(Price of Lowest Cost Proposal) x (Maximum Points for Cost)] ÷ (Cost of Each Higher Priced Proposal)

Example (Max Points for Contract Cost = 400):

Step 1 List all proposal prices, adjusted where appropriate by the application of applicable preferences claimed by the offeror.

Offeror #1 $40,000 Offeror #2 $42,750 Offeror #3 $47,500

Step 2

In this example, the RFP allotted 40% of the available 1,000 points to cost. This means that the lowest cost will receive the maximum number of points.

Offeror #1 receives 400 points.

The reason they receive that amount is because the lowest cost proposal, in this case $40,000, receives the maximum number of points allocated to cost, 400 points.

Offeror #2 receives 374.3 points.

$40,000 lowest cost x 400 maximum points for cost = 16,000,000 ÷ $42,750 cost of Offeror #2’s proposal = 374.3

Offeror #3 receives 336.8 points.

$40,000 lowest cost x 400 maximum points for cost = 16,000,000 ÷ $47,500 cost of Offeror #3’s proposal = 336.8

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SEC. 5.09 APPLICATION OF PREFERENCES

Certain preferences apply to all Trust contracts, regardless of their dollar value. The Alaska Bidder, Alaska Veteran, and Alaska Offeror preferences are the most common preferences involved in the RFP process. Additional preferences that may apply to this procurement are listed below. Guides that contain excerpts from the relevant statutes and codes, explain when the preferences apply and provide examples of how to calculate the preferences are available at the following website:

http://doa.alaska.gov/dgs/pdf/pref1.pdf

• Alaska Products Preference - AS 36.30.332

• Recycled Products Preference - AS 36.30.337

• Local Agriculture and Fisheries Products Preference - AS 36.15.050

• Employment Program Preference - AS 36.30.321(b)

• Alaskans with Disabilities Preference - AS 36.30.321(d)

• Alaska Veteran’s Preference - AS 36.30.321(f)

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