RFP-3120003190 EVALUATION SERVICES FOR MS DELTA HEALTH COLLABORATIVE.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP Number: 3120003190

Evaluation Services for the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative Issue Date: July 28, 2025

CLOSING TIME AND DATE

Proposals must be received before:

10:00 am CST, August 27, 2025

PROPOSAL COORDINATOR

Hannah Wright

Telephone: (601) 576-7954 E-mail: procurement@msdh.ms.gov

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Section 1 - Background, Authority and Purpose

The Mississippi State Department of Health (hereinafter “Agency”) has issued this solicitation (RFx number 3120003190) for the purpose of attaining sealed competitive proposals from qualified vendors to provide Evaluation Services for the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative. The Agency wants assistance with comprehensively evaluating and improving surveillance for the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative (MDHC) initiatives. The Contractor will work closely with the MDHC staff to plan, design, collect and analyze data, report findings, ensure ethical standards, manage relationships with stakeholders, and engage in continuous learning and improvement. The goal of this project is to ameliorate cardiovascular health outcomes, specifically heart disease and stroke by improving hypertension and cholesterol control rates in the Mississippi Delta Region. Efforts are focused on the following targeted counties: Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, Desoto, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Panola, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Warren, Washington and Yazoo County.

The Agency desires to contract with an academic university that possesses the necessary abilities and resources to provide the services specified within this Request for Proposal (RFP). The Agency seeks to enter into a multi-term, firm fixed price, requirements contract for the aforementioned services. This RFP, any amendment thereto, such as Questions and Answer document(s) and Summary of Pre-Proposal Conference, Tour, or Site Visit, if any were issued, as well as the awarded vendor’s proposal, and any requested best and final offer shall constitute the Contract.

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this RFP will be five years, tentatively scheduled to begin on or about November 5, 2025, and to end on November 4, 2030. Continuation of the contract is contingent on the availability of funding, meeting milestones, performance metrics, and outcomes detailed in the contractual agreements with the selected applicant. Funds will be administered on a reimbursement basis upon receipt of invoices and supporting documentation.

Section 2 - Timeline

Request for Proposal Issue Date: July 28, 2025

Proposal Package Submission Deadline: August 27, 2025, 10:00am

Proposal Opening: August 27, 2025, 1:00pm

Anticipated Date of the Notice of Intent to Award:

September 12, 2025

Request for Reconsideration : September 19, 2025

PPRB Submission Deadline: October 1, 2025

PPRB Approval Meeting Notice of Contract Award:

November 5, 2025

Section 3 - Contact and Questions/Requests for Clarification

3.1 Vendors must carefully review this solicitation, the Contract, risk management provisions, and all attachments for defects, questionable, or objectionable material. Following review, vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposals possible. To accommodate the questions and requests for clarifications, vendors shall submit any such question through the Question & Answer section of this IFB on the Agency's OpenGov Procurement portal by the deadline reflected in Section 2. All questions and requests for clarifications must be directed through the Agency's portal.

3.2 Official responses will be provided only for questions submitted as described above and only to clarify information already included in the RFP. The identity of the organization submitting the question(s) will not be revealed. All questions and answers will be published on the Agency's OpenGov Procurement portal and released as an addendum to the RFP by the date and time reflected in Section 2.

3.3 The Agency will not be bound by any verbal or written information that is not contained within this RFP unless formally noticed and issued by the contact person as an RFP amendment. Vendors are cautioned that any statements made by agency personnel that materially change any portion of the proposal document shall not be relied upon unless subsequently ratified by a formal written addendum to the proposal document.

3.4 All vendor communications regarding this RFP must be directed through the Agency portal or to the designated Proposal Coordinator. Unauthorized contact regarding the RFP with other employees of the Agency may result in the vendor being disqualified, and the vendor may also be suspended, disbarred, or removed from consideration for award of contracts with the State of Mississippi for a period of two (2) years.

3.5 Pre-Proposal Conference, Tour, or Site Visit: No pre-proposal conference, tour, or site visit will be held for this RFP.

3.6 Acknowledgement of Amendments: Should an amendment to the RFP be issued, it will be posted on the Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal website and the agency's website in a manner that all vendors will be able to view. Vendors must acknowledge receipt of any amendment to the solicitation by signing and returning the amendment with the proposal package, by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on the RFP amendment, or by letter.

The acknowledgment should be received by the agency by the time, date, and at the place specified for receipt of proposals. It is the vendor’s sole responsibility to monitor the websites for any updates or amendments to the RFP. Questions and Answer document(s) and/or Summary of Pre-Proposal Conference, Tour, or Site Visit, if any are issued/posted on the Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal website and the agency's website, must be treated the same as an RFP Amendment.

3.7 Vendors must provide a signed Acknowledgements of RFP Amendment(s), Questions and Answer document(s), and/or Summary of Pre-Proposal Conference, Tour, or Site Visit, if any were issued/posted on the Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal website and the agency's website.

3.8 The RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, any amendments issued prior to the submission deadline, and any other documents released before contract award.

Section 4 - Scope of Services

Summary

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative (MDHC) was established to ameliorate cardiovascular health outcomes, specifically heart disease, stroke, and hypertension rates. Efforts are focused on the following targeted counties: Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, Desoto, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Panola, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Warren, Washington and Yazoo County.

The MSDH seeks to partner with an academic university in Mississippi to provide evaluation and surveillance services. Assigned staff will work with the MSDH Internal Program Evaluation Lead to evaluate all Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative initiatives and activities. The institution or university will assist with developing a framework for evaluating projects. This includes developing and testing methodologies for assessing the impact of community and clinical-based interventions. In addition, the institution or university will assist in program monitoring using measures developed in a collaborative process with the Evaluation and Epidemiology Cores.

The academic university will track progress towards accomplishment of short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals of the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative. The Internal Program Evaluation Lead will provide technical guidance and evaluation expertise to carry out evaluation activities. The Evaluation Core will oversee the overall evaluation framework design with common community and clinical measures based on evidence based public health resources, including the approved and credible publications on Evaluation Framework. The Internal Program Evaluation Lead and evaluator assigned by the university will produce a final report documenting the impact of the interventions in terms of new health promotion policies, increased capacity, behavioral change, application of theory, and reduction in cardiovascular disease risk factors, healthcare disparities and the social determinants of health.

Scope of Services to Be Performed

This section contains information on services and procedures that the Vendor must provide or adhere to, in servicing the Agency’s account, either directly or through identified subcontractors. The descriptions are not all-inclusive but are provided to alert you to services or procedures that may require additional planning or programming on your part. The following is a list of services the Agency expects the successful Vendor to provide.

Please respond by restating each service listed below, including the number, and confirm your intention to provide the service as described, respond by stating, “Confirmed”. If your company can provide the service, but not exactly as described, respond by stating, “Confirmed, but with exceptions”, and state the specific exceptions.

If your company is currently unable to provide a listed service, respond by stating, “Unable to provide this service”. Any additional details regarding these services should be provided in your responses to the questionnaire, or as additional information included as an appendix to your proposal.

Vendor shall provide services, and otherwise do all things necessary for or incidental to the performance of work, as set forth below:

State Furnished Property/Services: The State shall provide the contractor with an agency email address and access to de-identifiable data.

Contractor-Furnished Property: A supply line item may be included to purchase necessary supplies, software, and equipment such as laptop computers, peripheral devices, HDMI or other cables to allow compatibility with peripheral devices (i.e., external monitors, keyboard, mouse, and soundbars).

Description of Specific, Results-Oriented Tasks:

Throughout the timespan of the executed agreement, the MDHC and vendor will work with the program's funder to track the implementation of strategies and activities and assess progress on achieving the intended outcomes. Both the process and outcome evaluation will seek to answer the following overarching evaluation questions:

Process (Implementation) Evaluation:

1. To what extent have the strategies and activities increased the number of people in the communities in the region receiving quality care for heart disease and stroke prevention and management?

2. What factors or components of the strategies and activities were associated with effective implementation that expanded reach and improved outcomes?

3. What factors were associated with identifying and addressing social services and support needs and social determinant of health?

4. To what extent were data from the recipient-led and funder-led evaluation used to improve program implementation and ensure strategies and activities were leading to the intended effect?

Outcome Evaluation:

1. To what extent have the strategies and activities conducted for this agreement contributed to measurable changes in health outcomes for residents in the Mississippi Delta regions?

2. To what extent are the strategies and activities sustainable within the communities?

The MDHC and funder will use an evaluation approach that consists of (1) ongoing monitoring and evaluation through the collection and reporting of performance measure data, (2) a funder-led evaluation, and (3) a recipient-led evaluation. The vendor will support the MDHC with reporting all short-term and intermediate performance measure data. Performance measure data will be reported annually to the funder, and the MDHC and funder will manage and analyze the data to assess program progress, respond to technical assistance needs, and to ensure transparency and accountability for funding. The vendor will be required to participate in the evaluation activities and to respond to provide data that contributes to the evaluation. An appropriate level of guidance and support will be provided by the funder to ensure effective participation in the comprehensive evaluation. For the evaluation led by the vendor and MDHC, the evaluator appointed by the program's funder will assist in developing and implementing evaluation plans that are useful for program improvement and for the overall evaluation. The vendor is required to develop a robust evaluation plan and to report evaluation results to the programs funder annually and report performance measure data annually.

All evaluation findings produced, where appropriate, will contribute to: (1) continuous improvement of quality and effectiveness of program strategies; (2) the evidence base; (3) documentation and sharing of lessons learned to support replication and scaling of these program strategies; and (4) future funding opportunities.

Quality Assurance: Clear expectations and intended outcomes will be defined and refined, as needed, throughout the lifespan of the agreement. The vendor will be monitored by the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative’s Lead Evaluator. Bi-directional communication and formal and informal feedback will be continuously provided by the staff and Lead Evaluator. The vendor’s performance will be measured by accuracy, timely submissions, accessibility, and adherence to procedures. To reinforce positive behavior, the MDHC staff will acknowledge the vendor's achievements.

Applicable Laws, Rules, and Directives: Any activities involving information collections (e.g., surveys, questionnaires, applications, audits, data requests, reporting, recordkeeping and disclosure requirements) from 10 or more individuals or non-Federal entities, including State and local governmental agencies, and funded or sponsored by the Federal Government are subject to review and approval by the Office of Management and Budget. For all components of the evaluation, the recipient will only collect data that will be analyzed and used.

The data collected for this Cooperative Agreement for performance measurement and national evaluation do not include any personally identifiable information. Data being collected are strictly related to the implementation of the Cooperative Agreement strategies and shall be used for assessing and reporting progress and for other pertinent program improvement actions.

Technical Exhibits: N/A

Deliverables: The Evaluator will provide the following deliverables to the MDHC staff over the next five years:

Evaluator will provide the following deliverables:

1) Provide an evaluability assessment report including priority evaluation questions, recommendations regarding the plausibility, usefulness, and feasibility of evaluation, and appropriate design options within the first six (6) months of an executed agreement.

2) Develop primary data collection instruments such as questionnaires, pre/post-tests, satisfaction surveys. and submit narrative evaluation summary reports.

3) Provide updated the Evaluation Plan annually.

4) Submit reports of process and outcomes evaluation findings and recommendations.

5) Rigorously evaluate the following Strategies and sub-strategies over the next 4 years.

Strategy 1: Track and Monitor Clinical Measures Shown to Improve Health and Wellness and Health Care Quality Within Populations with and at the Highest Risk of Hypertension and High Cholesterol.

a. Sub-Strategy 1: Advance the adoption and use of electronic health records (EHR) or health information technology (HIT), to identify, track, and monitor measures for clinical and social services and support needs to address health care disparities and health outcomes within populations with and at the highest risk of hypertension and high cholesterol.

Strategy 2: Implement Team-Based Care to Prevent and Reduce CVD Risk with a Focus on Prevention, Detection, Control, and Management of Hypertension and High Cholesterol.

b. Sub-Strategy 2C: Promote the adoption of Medication Therapy Management (MTM) by community pharmacists and clinical providers to manage hypertension, high cholesterol, and lifestyle modification.

Strategy 3: Link Community Resources and Clinical Services that Support Comprehensive Bidirectional Referral and Follow-Up Systems Aimed at Mitigating Social Services and Support Needs for Optimal Health Outcomes.

c. Sub-Strategy 3A. Create and enhance community-clinical links to identify SDOH (e.g., housing, transportation, access to care, and community resources) and respond to individual social services and support needs.

6) Submit final drafts of the evaluation sections of the Monthly Progress Reports.

7) Submit final drafts of the evaluation reports including an integral copy of all datasets used for the evaluation report. (i.e., Performance Measures, Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan (EPMP), Summative Evaluation Briefs, Health Impact Statements) annually.

8) Submit final drafts of the evaluation sections of the monthly report and Annual Performance Reports.

9) Respond to the MDHC and other reviewers' comments on draft reports.

10) Develop and submit abstracts for podium and in-person presentation at Local, Regional, or National Conferences.

11) Develop infographics, fact sheets, GIS maps, success stories, PowerPoint presentations, abstracts, and other brief reports

12) Develop and/or support Peer-reviewed Manuscript(s)

13) Submit Dissemination Log.

14) Meet monthly in the MS Delta, virtually twice monthly, three (3) in-person Learning Sessions, annually for the in-person Delta Health Summit, and Adhoc and onsite meetings, as needed.

15) Participate in monthly program calls and Adhoc Evaluation Calls with the funder, monthly In-person staff meeting and virtual meeting, and monthly virtual EPI/Evaluation Team Meetings.

Location of Work: The vendor will perform the majority of the deliverables offsite or virtually. However, the vendor will meet monthly in the MS Delta, quarterly for Learning Sessions, annually for the Delta Health Summit, and onsite, as needed. The State will provide a workspace for the contractor.

Travel for business should be conducted at a minimum cost to achieve the success of the mission. Travelers shall request air, train, bus, hotel and vehicle rental reservations as far in advance as possible and shall utilize the lowest logical rate available. Reimbursement for the use of a personal vehicle for business related to deliverables in this agreement is based on actual miles traveled and will be at the most recent state approved rate. Supporting documents for which reimbursement is claimed must be attached to the entity’s invoices.

Invoices must be submitted for hotel, airfare and airport parking and other charges in excess of $10.

Meals shall be reimbursed at the actual cost of meals incident to official travel, not to exceed the daily maximums for the specific location of assignment. Meals shall not be claimed as expenses if the meals are included in the conference registration fee. All tips reported should be totaled for the day and not exceed 20% of the maximum daily meal reimbursement or the actual meal expense, whichever is less. Receipts are not required for meal reimbursements. Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable.

If lodging is within the state of Mississippi, reimbursement will not exceed the current U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rate. Since hotels charge for unkept reservations, changes in travel plans must be communicated to the hotel as soon as possible. Cancellation should always be made using the hotel/motel’s policies. The website is accessible at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates.

Federal Requirements: Funds may not use funds for research or clinical care except as allowed by law.

Recipients may use funds only for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Generally, recipients may not use funds to purchase furniture or equipment. Any such proposed spending must be clearly identified in the budget.

Other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships, no funds may be used for publicity or propaganda purposes, for the preparation, distribution, or use of any material designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before any legislative body, the salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before any legislative body.

Vendor Responsibilities

Vendor shall:

• Assign a Vendor Account Representative to work directly with the Agency Representative.

• Perform all services provided in the Contract between the Vendor and the Agency in accordance with customary and reasonable industry standards as well as in strict conformance to all laws, statutes, and ordinances and the applicable rules, regulations, methods and procedures of all government boards, bureaus, offices, and other agents. The Contractor shall be responsible for the complete performance of all work; for the methods, means, and equipment used; and for furnishing all materials, tools, apparatus, and property of every description used in connection therewith. No statement within this RFP shall negate compliance with any applicable governing regulation. The absence of detail specifications or the omission of detail description shall be recognized as meaning that only the best commercial practices are to prevail and that only first quality materials and workmanship are to be used.

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates

• Submit invoices monthly on the 15th of the following month, along with supporting documentation. Examples of supporting documentation include payroll statements, receipts for items purchased, conference registration, and hotel lodging.

Vendor shall also:

• Administer and maintain all employment and payroll records, payroll processing, and payment of payroll checks and taxes, including the deductions required by state, federal, and local laws such as social security and withholding taxes for their business and employees;

• Make all unemployment compensation contributions as required by federal and state law(s) and process claims as required for their business and employees;

• Perform a background check and/or drug screening prior to placement if requested by the Contracting Agency and verify and/or provide the results; and,

• Replace immediately, at no additional expense to the Contracting Agency, any employee not performing satisfactorily.

Evaluation Services for the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative

Data Collection

1. Conduct a desk review and assist in the design of the overall project evaluation framework, a comprehensive operational plan, and alternative approaches. This includes the identification of priority areas, and the timeline for implementation in concordance with programs’ goals, objectives, expected outcomes, performance measures, and activities.

2. Work with the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative’s Internal Program Evaluation Core to identify common community health and clinical measures.

3. Help identify existing data sources or tools for the overall evaluation.

4. Assist in the development and implementation of a landscape analysis for the MS Delta counties.

5. Finalize monitoring forms used by the community-clinical programs.

6. Develop and implement data collection methodology (qualitative and/or quantitative) to obtain data in clinical and community settings.

7. Develop program collection tools such as a grantee climate survey, stakeholder survey, multi-unit housing, transportation, and other social services assessments.

8. Prepare and analyze surveys/assessments/instruments using Qualtrics, REDCap, and/or similar platforms.

9. Collect, compile, analyze, and interpret project related data and statistics.

10. Use data to identify and monitor populations experiencing disparities and inform public health action.

11. Use surveillance data to inform the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative staff of program planning, development, and implementation.

12. Request and manage data in accordance with agency policies and procedures.

Reporting

1. Use data when developing evaluation reports, infographics, fact sheets, Geographic Information System (GIS) maps, success stories, PowerPoint presentations, abstracts, and other brief reports. The office director, the program director, and the director of evaluation or designated staff will be coauthors and will make significant contributions according to the parameters recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

2. Work closely with the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative staff to draft the surveillance/evaluation section of all reports listed below:

a) Evaluation section of the monthly progress reports, Annual Progress Reports, and Year Work Plan using data related to Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative.

b) Performance Measures, Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan (EPMP) including an integral copy of all datasets used for the evaluation report.

c) Goals, objectives, and strategies for the grant renewal application each year.

3. Monitor progress towards developing reports and dissemination materials based on the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative data.

4. Write and submit the final versions of the aforementioned evaluation reports to the MDHC.

5. Contribute to and/or lead the development of at least three (3) manuscripts and three (3) abstracts.

6. In partnership with the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative staff, share evaluation results at state, regional, and national meetings/conferences.

7. Assist and support the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative staff and the Office of Evaluation with identifying and applying for related and new funding opportunities.

Trainings and Meetings

1. Participate in the monthly in-person and virtual staff meetings, monthly meetings with the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative’s staff and funders, monthly Clinical Community Health Worker Initiative Learning Sessions, quarterly Mississippi Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (MACH) Learning Sessions, and bi-monthly Internal Program EPI/Evaluation Core team meetings virtually to discuss evaluation activities and report outcomes.

2. Collaborate with the Clinical Community Health Worker Initiative Learning Sessions to discuss patient & CHW needs and resource allocation. Monitor planning meetings and grantees’ activities using Qualtrics, REDCap, and/or similar platforms.

3. Work closely with the MDHC staff and sub-grantees by providing training and technical support on data collection, developing evaluations, and pre/post-tests as needed.

4. Summarize and present pre/post-tests and evaluation results to the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative’s staff, internal, and external partners.

Section 5 - Proposal Evaluation and Basis for Award

5.1 All proposals received in response to this RFP by the stated deadline will receive a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation. A formal scoring methodology comprised of three phases – compliance, analysis, and finalist, will be utilized with each proposal required to pass the previous phase in order to qualify for further evaluation in the next phase. Agency will use an evaluation committee to review and evaluate the proposals using a 100-point scale as well as consensus scoring. Consensus scoring involves solidarity or general agreement of opinion among evaluators, based on information and data contained in the RFP proposals.

The evaluation of any proposal may be suspended and/or terminated at the Agency’s discretion at any point during the evaluation process at which time the Agency determines that said proposal and/or vendor fails to meet any of the mandatory requirements as stated in this RFP, the proposal is determined to contain fatal deficiencies to the extent that the likelihood of selection for contract negotiations is minimal, or Agency and/or the Board receives reliable information that would make contracting with the vendor impractical or otherwise not in the best interests of the Board and/or the State of Mississippi.

5.2 Compliance Phase: In this initial phase of the evaluation process, all proposals received are reviewed by the Agency Procurement Director and/or designee to determine if mandatory RFP requirements have been satisfied, meaning whether a proposal/vendor is responsive, responsible, and/or acceptable. Compliance requirements are not assigned a point percentage or score, but are simply recorded as Pass or Fail.

• Every statement containing “must,” “shall,” “will,” etc., is a mandatory requirement. Failure to respond leads to mandatory proposal disqualification. Such mandatory requirements are to be clear and (preferably) standing alone.

• Every statement containing “may,” “can,” “should,” etc., is a desirable requirement. Vendors may ignore these if they wish. The only penalty for doing so is a possible loss of scoring points if the requirement has scoring points tied to it.

A Pass score is assigned to each factor for which the response to the question(s) defined is “Yes.” In the event that any factor receives a Fail score or for some reason cannot be evaluated, an explanation of the problem or concern and the corresponding question must be evaluated and made part of the record, to include any allowable waivers.

Proposals with errors that do not alter the substance of the proposal can be accepted, and the Agency Procurement Director may allow the vendor to correct the problem prior to review as long as the irregularities are insignificant mistakes that can be waived or corrected without prejudice to other vendors.

The Agency has the right to waive minor defects or variations of a proposal from the exact requirements of the specifications that do not affect the price, quality, quantity, delivery, or performance time of the services being procured. If insufficient information is submitted by a vendor with the proposal for the Agency to properly evaluate the proposal, the Agency has the right to require such additional information as it may deem necessary after the time set for receipt of proposals, provided that the information requested does not change the price, quality, quantity, delivery, or performance time of the services being procured.

Discussions may be conducted with vendors who submit proposals determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for the award, but proposals may also be accepted without such discussions. If any component received a Fail score (a “No” response) on any item or contains an item which for some reason cannot be evaluated, it shall be deemed as non-responsive and/or non-responsible. Failure to comply with these RFP requirements may result in the proposal being eliminated from further consideration. All proposals which are determined to be responsive, responsible, and/or acceptable will continue on to next phase.

5.3 Analysis Phase: In this phase of the evaluation process, the evaluation committee utilizes consensus scoring to determine numerical scores for each proposal.

5.4 Finalist Phase: In this phase of the evaluation process, the evaluation committee seeks to determine from among the finalists whose proposal is the most advantageous to Agency and the Board. Upon completion of the Analysis Phase, the evaluation committee reviews and compares the numerical scores from among the Vendors in order to determine finalists. The top scoring Vendor, as well as all other Vendors with scores within ten points of the top scoring Vendor, will be named as finalists and will be further evaluated. This phase consists of the following components:

• Finalist Presentations – At the Agency’s discretion, all finalists may be required to make a presentation to the evaluation committee. If scheduled, individual finalist presentations shall be held in Jackson, Mississippi, or virtually, to allow the evaluation committee the opportunity to conduct interviews of the finalists, and to confirm/clarify information provided in the submitted proposals or otherwise gathered during the evaluation process. Any substantial oral clarification shall be reduced to writing by the vendor.

• Best and Final Offer (BAFO) – At the Agency’s discretion, all finalists may be given the opportunity to provide a BAFO relative to their cost proposal. The Agency will notify finalists if a BAFO may be submitted, and will establish a date and time for submission. Although a finalist is under no obligation to submit such an offer, any such BAFO should include any applicable revised financial exhibits and must be signed by an appropriate representative of your company. If a finalist chooses to not make a BAFO, the financial proposal included in your company’s response to this RFP will be considered as the BAFO. Unsolicited BAFOs, including but not limited to such offers submitted by non-finalists, will not be accepted. The numerical scores for the Cost factor from the Analysis Phase will be adjusted for any BAFO received from a finalist.

5.5 Upon completion of the evaluation of proposals, the evaluation committee will determine the top scoring proposal and provide a recommendation to the Board. The Board will make a determination as to the proposal deemed most advantageous to the Board and will authorize the issuance of a notice of intent-to-award the Contract to the selected vendor and authorize contract negotiations with the selected vendor.

Subsequent to such authorization by the Board, all participating vendors will be notified in writing of the contract award and will be afforded the opportunity to participate in a post-award vendor debriefing.

5.6 The Agency intends to award one or more contract(s) to provide the services described in this RFP to the responsible and responsive vendor(s) determined in writing to be the most advantageous to the State taking into consideration price and the evaluation factors set forth in this RFP. No other factors or criteria shall be used in the evaluation. This RFP may result in a single or multiple award, depending on which is in the best interest of the Agency/State. The number of awards is at the sole discretion of the Agency.

Section 6 - Minimum Vendor Qualifications

The following minimum Vendor requirements are mandatory. Failure to meet any of these requirements will result in disqualification of the proposal submitted by your company. Please respond by restating each minimum requirement, including the number, listed below with documentation that proves specifically how your company meets that minimum criteria. Please include in your responses the total number of years and types of experience of your company. If, in the opinion of the procurement team, you fail to prove that your company meets any of these minimum requirements, the proposal will be disqualified from further evaluation. If this happens, you will be notified of the decision and will have an opportunity to provide additional information to prove your company does meet the minimum requirements. It is incumbent upon the disqualified Vendor to respond timely and completely to any such notice as unreasonable delays and/or non-responsive submissions may result in the disqualification being upheld without further review.

The Vendor must have:

6.1 Prior Experience

Vendor must have been in business and provided services equivalent or similar in requirements and scale to those described in this RFP for a minimum of Five (5) years. The determination of the length of time an entity has provided these services will be based upon the initial date the Vendor established a contractual relationship to provide such services. For each client, please specify:

• Client information, including the name, title, address, email address, and phone number of a person whom we may contact to confirm as needed,

• The type of work your company provided to the client,

• Contract effective dates for the time period(s) your company provided services to the client.

6.2 Required Certification, Accreditation, and/or Licenses

Vendor shall provide notarized copies of all valid licenses and certificates required for performance of the work.

The notarized copies shall be delivered to the Agency no later than ten (10) days after Vendor receives the

Notice of Intent-to-Award from the Agency. Current notarized copies of licenses and certificates shall be provided to the Agency within twenty-four (24) hours of demand at any time during the contract term. Vendor must possess and maintain the minimum vendor certifications, accreditations, and/or licensures described in this RFP, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following:

1. An accredited university in Mississippi.

2. A Doctorate Degree in Epidemiology and experience in biostatistics.

3. Experience in public health and evaluating quality improvement initiatives with emphasis on cardiovascular disease.

6.3 Financial Stability or Solvency

Vendor must be financially stable or solvent, if required. Each vendor shall submit copies of the most recent years independently audited financial statements as well as financial statements for the preceding three (3) years, if they exists. The submission must include the audit opinion, the balance sheet, and statements of income, retained earnings, cash flows, and the notes to the financial statements. If independently audited financial statements do not exist, Vendor must state the reason and, instead submit sufficient information to enable the Agency to access the financial stability or solvency of the vendor, such as financial statements, credit ratings, a line of credit, or other financial arrangements sufficient to enable the Vendor to be capable of meeting the requirements of this RFP.

6.4 Budget

No estimated budget is stated for this RFP.

6.5 Resources and Facilities

The Vendor must have adequate resources and facilities to render the requested services referenced herein.

The Vendor must have in place as of the date of the proposal submission a secure and accessible work and storage space, appropriate equipment for processing the aforementioned data and mail pieces, access to reliable transportation, and adequate experienced staffing ready to begin performing the requested services.

6.6 References

A minimum score of six (6) on the Reference Score Sheet (Attachment C) from reference interviews by agency staff with two (2) vendor references {for a total minimum scoring requirement of twelve (12) points}, as well as all other requirements of this RFP.

6.7 Ability to Perform

The vendor may be required before the award of any contract to show to the complete satisfaction of the Agency that it has the necessary facilities, ability, and financial resources to provide the service specified therein in a satisfactory manner. The Vendor may also be required to give a past history and references in order to satisfy the Agency in regard to the Vendor’s qualifications. The Agency may make reasonable investigations deemed necessary and proper to determine the ability of the Vendor to perform the work, and the Vendor shall furnish to the Agency all information for this purpose that may be requested. The Agency reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of, the Vendor fails to satisfy the Agency that the Vendor is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the Contract and to complete the work described therein. Evaluation of the vendor’s qualifications shall include:

1. the ability, capacity, skill, and financial resources to perform the work or provide the service required;

2. the ability of the Vendor to perform the work or provide the service promptly or within the time specified, without delay or interference;

3. the character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency of the Vendor; and,

4. the quality of performance of previous contracts or services.

Section 7 - Proposal Submission Requirements

7.1 Submission Format - Each vendor must submit their written proposal in the style and format outlined herein.

The proposal shall consist of three (3) separate sections: technical, cost, and management. Pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated §§ 27-104-7 and 31-7-401 through 31-7-423, the State of Mississippi requires a blind evaluation of certain factors not requiring knowledge of the name of an offeror. All Vendor-identifying information shall be removed and/or redacted. Identifying information includes, but is not limited to, any prior, current and future names or addresses of the offeror, any names of incumbent staff, any prior, current and future logos, watermarks, and company colors, any information, which identifies the offeror as an incumbent, and any other information, which would affect the blind evaluation of technical factors. The Technical Section shall have no identifying information; while the Cost and Management Sections will be allowed to have identifying information. Any proposals that do not adhere to these requirements within the “Blind” copy described in RFP Section 7.2.2 (b) below will be deemed non-responsive and may be rejected on that basis.

The three sections of the proposal shall be comprised of the following tabs. It is the Vendor’s responsibility to organize and separate the information into the sections and tabs accordingly. Management Section consists of Tabs 1-2, 5-6, and 8-10; Cost Section is Tab 4; and Technical Section consist of Tabs 3 and 7.

Conflicts of Interest

Other Current MSDH Contracts* List all other current agreements/contracts with MSDH, including the dollar amount associated with the agreement/contract and the beginning and ending dates. If no other funds are received, please mark N/A.

Please provide each entry in the following format:

MSDH Program or Agreement/Contract Name #1

• Dollar Amount

• Contract Beginning Date

• Contract Ending Date

*Response required

Organization Governing Body* Please list the name of each member of your organization’s Board of Directors or other governing body (i.e., trustee, alderman, partner, owner).

*Response required

Governing Body or Project Staff Affiliations* Are any members of the governing body or project staff also MSDH employees, MSDH Board Members, or spouses, parents, or children of MSDH employees?

☐ Yes ☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

Governing Body or Staff Affiliations - Explanation* You have indicated that one or more members of your governing body or project staff are also MSDH employees, MSDH Board Members, or spouses, parents, or children of MSDH employees.

Please provide the following for all such individuals:

• Name of Individual

• Indicate if individual is an MSDH Employee, MSDH Board Member, or relative type of MSDH employee.

• Applicable position held with MSDH

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

Income From Business* Does the MSDH Board Member, Employee, or Relative receive more than $2,500.00 per year in income from the business?

☐ Yes ☐ No

When equals "Yes"

Ownership Status - Percentage* Does the MSDH Board Member, Employee, or Relative own ten (10%) percent or more of the fair market value in the business, either directly or indirectly through another business?

☐ Yes ☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

Ownership Status - Amount* Does the MSDH Board Member, Employee, or Relative have ownership interest in the business, in which the fair market value exceeds $5,000.00?

☐ Yes ☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

Position Within Business* Is the MSDH Board Member, Employee, or Relative a director, officer, or employee of the business?

☐ Yes ☐ No

*Response required

Conflict of Interest Certification* I hereby certify that the information set forth above is true and complete to the best of my knowledge and that no MSDH employee, spouse, parent, or child of an MSDH employee, serves as a member of the governing body, project staff, or has an ownership or pecuniary interest in the agreement/contract or organization. I agree to notify MSDH within thirty (30) days if any of these conditions change during the agreement/contract.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

Management Section (Part 1)

Tab 1 - Proposal Cover Sheet (Attachment A) containing narrative questionnaire* Failure to complete and/or sign may result in Vendor being determined nonresponsive. Unauthorized modification or addition to any portion of the Attachment A may be cause for rejection of the proposal.

In preparing your written response to the narrative questionnaire, you are required to repeat each question, including the number, or requirement followed by your response. Please provide complete answers and explain all issues in a concise, direct manner. If you cannot provide a direct response for some reason (e.g., your firm does not collect or furnish certain information), please indicate the reason rather than providing general information that fails to answer the question. “Will discuss” and “will consider” are not appropriate answers.

*Response required

Tab 2 - Minimum Vendor Requirements Confirmation* Respond by restating each minimum Vendor requirement and document how your company meets these minimum criteria. Refer to RFP Section 6.

*Response required

Technical Section (Part 1)

Tab 3 - Scope of Services Confirmation* Respond by restating each service listed in RFP Section 4, Scope of Service, and confirm your intention to provide the service as described by responding, “Confirmed”. If your firm can provide the service, but not exactly as described, respond, “Confirmed, but with exceptions”, and state the specific exceptions. If your firm intends to provide a listed service through a subcontractor, respond, “Confirmed, service will be provided through subcontractor”, and name the subcontractor. If your firm is currently unable to provide a listed service, respond by stating, “Unable to provide this service”. Any additional details regarding these services should be provided in your responses to the questionnaire, or as additional information included as an appendix to your proposal.

*Response required

Cost Section

Tab 4 - Fee Schedule (Attachment B)* All pricing must be submitted on the fee schedule. Failure to complete and/or sign the fee schedule may result in Vendor being determined non-responsive. Modification or addition to any portion of the Attachment B may be cause for rejection of the proposal.

*Response required

Management Section (Part 2)

Tab 5 - References (Attachment C)* Each vendor must furnish a listing of at least three (3) trade references along with the contact person, address, and phone number for each. These references must be familiar with the Vendor’s abilities in the areas involved with this solicitation. Agency staff will use these references to determine the Vendor’s ability to perform the services. It is the responsibility of the Vendor to ensure that the reference contact information is correct and current. Agency staff will not track down references. Vendors should verify before submitting their proposal that the contact person and phone number are correct for each reference. Agency staff must be able to reach two (2) references for a vendor within two (2) business days of proposal opening to be considered responsive.

Further, the Vendor must score a minimum of six (6) points on each Reference Score Sheet which will be used by the Agency staff when interviewing the two (2) references (for a total minimum scoring requirement of twelve (12) points) to be considered responsive and/or responsible. (See Section 6.5 and Attachments C and

D.) Only vendors who are found responsive and/or responsible will have their proposals considered. Vendor may submit as many references as desired. Agency staff will begin contacting references at the top of the list and will continue down the list until they have completed Reference Score Sheets for two (2) references. After two (2) score sheets are completed, the reference check process will end.

*Response required

Tab 6 - RFP Statement of Compliance and Exception(s) form (Attachment G) If a vendor objects to any terms, conditions, or requirements listed in the Evaluation Services for the Mississippi Delta Health Collaborative, dated Monday, July 28, 2025, including all RFP attachments and amendments, the Vendor must list and explain the exceptions taken. If no exceptions are taken, then the Vendor shall state on the form “No Exceptions Taken.” Failure to indicate any exception will be interpreted as the Vendor’s intent to comply fully with the requirements as written. Failure to complete and/or sign may result in Vendor being determined non- responsive. Refer to RFP Sections 7.2.10-7.2.12 and 14.5.

Technical Section (Part 2)

Tab 7 - Service Plan* Address the following:

• Security Procedures - Describe the security procedures your company uses to protect mailing list files.

• Timeline - Based on the projects listed in Section 4, Scope of Services/Specifications, provide an estimated timeline for each project from design approval to delivery to an appropriate USPS postal facility.

• Facility - Describe the facility that will be used to provide the services required in this RFP, including but not limited to location, square footage, access, security, freight-handling capability, and storage capability.

• Equipment - Describe your resources or equipment that will be used to provide the services required in this RFP, including but not limited to computers, printers, folding machines, tabbing devices, inserters, labelers, metering devices, and trucks.

*Response required

Technical Section (Part 3)

Tab 8 - Signed Acknowledgment(s) of RFP Amendment(s)* (if any were posted)

In the event of no Amendments or Addenda to this RFP, you are still required to upload a statement here regarding such.

Tab 9 - Resumes for Key Staff* Provide a complete résumé…