RFP JUV-27-4E-SW-004.docx

Iowa Judicial Branch 1111 East Court Avenue | Des Moines, IA 50319

RFP# JUV-27-4E-SW-004

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP COVER SHEET

Administrative Information:

Issuing Officer:

Angi Hillers angi.hillers@iowacourts.gov

3:00 PM

3:00 PM

Proposals Due Date:

Proposals Due Time:

10/30/26

3:00 PM

https://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/

Electronic Copies of Proposals Required to be Submitted to Issuing Officer.

Firm Proposal Terms Per Section 3.2.11, of the RFP the minimum Number of Days following the deadline for submitting proposals that the Respondent guarantees all proposal terms, including price, will remain firm:

120 Days

1. Introduction Purpose The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals from Responsible Respondents to provide the goods and/or services identified on the RFP cover sheet and further described in Section 4 of this RFP to the IJB, as identified on the RFP cover sheet. The IJB intends to award a Contract(s) beginning and ending on the dates listed on the RFP cover sheet, and the IJB, in its sole discretion, may extend the Contract(s) for up to the number of annual extensions identified on the RFP cover sheet.

Definitions For the purposes of this RFP and the resulting Contract, the following terms are defined.

“Agency” means the agency identified on the RFP cover sheet that is issuing the RFP.

“Bid Proposal” or “Proposal” means Respondent’s proposal submitted in response to the RFP.

“Contract” means the Contract(s) entered into with Respondent(s) as described in section 6.

“Contractor” means the awarded business/person to provide the contractual services agreed upon.

“General Terms” and “General Terms and Conditions” shall mean the General Terms for Juvenile Court Services service contracts as linked on the RFP cover page.

“IJB” shall mean the Iowa Judicial Branch.

“Invoice” means a Contractor’s claim for payment. At the IJB’s discretion, claims must be submitted on an original invoice from the Contractor and on a claim form accepted by the IJB, such as a General Accounting Expenditure (GAX) form.

“Juvenile Court Officer” or “JCO” means a person appointed as a juvenile court officer under section 602.7202 of the Iowa Code and also includes a chief juvenile court officer appointed under section 602.1217 of the Iowa Code.

“Juvenile Court Services” or “JCS”, for the purposes of this RFP, means a unit of the Iowa Judicial Branch in which juveniles adjudicated by the Iowa Juvenile Court as delinquent and youth at risk of entering the court system receive services as directed by the Chief Juvenile Court Officer or designee.

“Respondent” means the company, organization or other business entity submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

“Responsible Respondent” means a Respondent that has the capability, as determined in the sole discretion of the IJB, in all material respects to perform the scope of work and specifications of the Contract. In determining whether a Respondent is a Responsible Respondent, the IJB may consider various factors including, but not limited to, the Respondent’s competence and qualifications to provide the goods or services requested, the Respondent’s integrity and reliability, the past performance of the Respondent and the best interest of the IJB and the State.

“Responsive Proposal” means a Proposal that complies, in the sole discretion of the IJB, with the material provisions of this RFP.

“RFP” means this Request for Proposals and any attachments, exhibits, schedules or addenda hereto.

“State” means the State of Iowa, the IJB, and all state agencies, boards, and commissions, and any political subdivisions making purchases from the Contract as permitted by this RFP.

“Vendor” means anyone who provides goods or services to another entity.

Overview of the RFP Process The RFP process is for the IJB’s benefit and is intended to provide the IJB with competitive information to assist in the selection process. It is not intended to be comprehensive. Each Respondent is responsible for determining all factors necessary for submission of a comprehensive Proposal.

Respondent should review Attachment 3, Form 22 Request for Confidentiality, for more information if its Proposal contains confidential information. Any Proposal marked “Confidential” or “Proprietary” on every page may be disqualified.

Respondents will be required to submit their Proposals electronically via email to the Issuing Officer.

Background Information The mission of Juvenile Court Services (JCS) is to serve the welfare of children and their families within a sound framework of public safety. JCS is committed to providing the guidance, structure and services needed by every child under its supervision. Participation in Title IV-E claiming will continue to provide JCS with an additional funding source that can be utilized to develop and enhance youth and family programming and services.

In April of 2021, Iowa JCS implemented random moment sampling to claim federal reimbursement for certain administrative activities related to the proper and efficient administration of the Title IV-E Prevention Program. These included activities to develop necessary processes and procedures to establish and implement the provision of prevention services and programs for eligible individuals, policy development, program management, and data collection and reporting.

Additionally, Iowa has been claiming for allowable child-specific administrative activities, such as verification and documentation of program eligibility and activities that comport with or are closely related to one of the listed activities in 45 CFR 1356.60(c)(2), which include:

· Referral to services;

· Preparation for and participation in judicial determinations;

· Placement of the child;

· Development of the case plan;

· Case reviews;

· Case management and supervision;

· A proportionate share of related agency overhead; and

· Costs related to data collection and reporting.

JCS, within the Iowa Judicial Branch (IJB) is seeking to identify a successful respondent to:

1. Provide expert consultation and technical assistance with all aspects of Title IV-E claiming, including Administrative, Prevention Services, and Training.

2. Configure, implement, operate, and maintain a comprehensive web-based RMS system for Title IV-E Administrative claiming.

3. Draft, review and/or enhance Title IV-E Administrative claiming through quarterly evaluation of program and activity coding.

4. Provide appropriate reports as scheduled and/or on demand.

5. Provide technical assistance in case of an audit.

6. Complete required quality assurance (QA) activities and provide ongoing evaluation and advisement of internal JCS Title IV-E QA processes.

7. Provide assistance with the development of training programs, including preliminary training for new users, as well as ongoing evaluation and recommendations for improvement.

8. Participate in a minimum of quarterly virtual meetings to review data, trends and areas for improvement.

Administrative Information Issuing Officer The Issuing Officer identified in the RFP cover sheet is the sole point of contact regarding the RFP from the date of issuance until a Notice of Intent to Award the Contract is issued.

Restriction on Communication From the issue date of this RFP until a Notice of Intent to Award the Contract is issued, Respondents may contact only the Issuing Officer. The Issuing Officer will respond only to written questions regarding the procurement process. Questions related to the interpretation of this RFP must be submitted as provided in Section 2. Oral questions related to the interpretation of this RFP will not be accepted. Respondents may be disqualified if they contact any State employee other than the Issuing Officer about the RFP except that Respondents may contact the State Targeted Small Business Office on issues related to the preference for Targeted Small Businesses.

Downloading the RFP from the Internet The RFP document and any addenda to the RFP will be posted at https://www. iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/rfp/ , https://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/.

The Respondent is advised to check the website periodically for Addenda to this RFP, particularly if the Respondent downloaded the RFP from the Internet as the Respondent may not automatically receive addenda. It is the Respondent's sole responsibility to check daily for addenda to posted documents.

Procurement Timetable The dates provided in the procurement timetable on the RFP cover sheet are provided for informational and planning purposes. The IJB reserves the right to change the dates. If the IJB changes any of the deadlines for Respondent submissions, the IJB will issue an addendum to the RFP.

Questions, Requests for Clarification, and Suggested Changes Respondents are invited to submit written questions and requests for clarifications regarding the RFP. The questions or requests for clarifications must be in writing and received by the Issuing Officer before the date and time listed on the RFP cover sheet. Oral questions will not be permitted. If the questions or requests for clarifications pertain to a specific section of the RFP, Respondent shall reference the page and section number(s). The IJB will post written responses to questions, requests for clarifications, or suggestions received from Respondents on or before the date listed on the RFP cover sheet to the website(s) referenced on the RFP cover sheet. The IJB’s written responses will become an addendum to the RFP.

The IJB assumes no responsibility for oral representations made by its officers or employees unless such representations are confirmed in writing and incorporated into the RFP through an addendum.

Amendment to the RFP The IJB reserves the right to amend the RFP at any time using an addendum. The Respondent shall acknowledge receipt of all addenda in its Proposal. If the IJB issues an addendum after the due date for receipt of Proposals, the IJB may, in its sole discretion, allow Respondents to amend their Proposals in response to the addendum.

Amendment and Withdrawal of Proposal The Respondent may amend or withdraw and resubmit its Proposal at any time before the Proposals are due. The amendment must be in writing. Electronic mail is acceptable. Respondents must notify the Issuing Officer in writing prior to the due date for Proposals if they wish to completely withdraw their Proposals. Electronic mail is acceptable for notice of withdrawal.

Submission of Proposals Each Respondent is responsible for submitting its Proposal at the Issuing Officer’s email address identified on the RFP cover sheet before the “Proposals Due” date and time listed on the RFP cover sheet, unless such date and time is extended by the IJB, at its sole discretion, through the issuance of an addendum to this RFP. This is a mandatory requirement and will not be waived by the Agency. Any Proposal received after this deadline will be rejected and the IJB will notify the Respondent. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to ensure that the Proposal is received by the Issuing Officer prior to the deadline. Late proposals, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered for evaluation, and will be disqualified from further consideration. It is the Respondent’s sole responsibility to ensure delivery at the stated location and time.

Respondents must furnish all information necessary to enable the IJB to evaluate the Proposal. Oral information provided by the Respondent shall not be considered part of the Respondent's Proposal unless it is reduced to writing.

Proposal Opening The IJB will open Proposals after the deadline for submission of Proposals has passed. The Proposals will remain confidential until the Evaluation Committee has reviewed all of the Proposals submitted in response to this RFP and the IJB has issued a Notice of Intent to Award a Contract. See Iowa Code Section 72.3. However, the names of Respondents who submitted timely Proposals will be publicly available after the Proposal opening. The announcement of Respondents who timely submitted Proposals does not mean that an individual Proposal has been deemed technically compliant or accepted for evaluation.

Costs of Preparing the Proposal The costs of preparation and delivery of the Proposal are solely the responsibility of the Respondent.

No Commitment to Contract The IJB reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals received in response to this RFP at any time prior to the execution of the Contract. Issuance of this RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the IJB to award a Contract.

Rejection of Proposals The IJB may reject outright and not evaluate a Proposal for reasons including without limitation:

The Respondent fails to email the cost proposal in a separate attachment.

The Respondent acknowledges that a mandatory specification of the RFP cannot be met.

The Respondent's Proposal changes a material specification of the RFP or the Proposal is not compliant with the mandatory specifications of the RFP.

The Respondent’s Proposal limits the rights of the IJB.

The Respondent fails to include information necessary to substantiate that it will be able to meet a specification of the RFP as provided in Section 3 of this RFP.

The Respondent fails to timely respond to the IJB's request for information, documents, or references.

The Respondent fails to include Proposal Security, if required.

The Respondent fails to include any signature, certification, authorization, stipulation, disclosure or guarantee as provided in Section 3 of this RFP.

The Respondent presents the information requested by this RFP in a format inconsistent with the instructions of the RFP or otherwise fails to comply with the specifications of this RFP.

The Respondent initiates unauthorized contact regarding the RFP with state employees.

The Respondent provides misleading or inaccurate responses.

The Respondent’s Proposal is materially unbalanced.

There is insufficient evidence (including evidence submitted by the Respondent and evidence obtained by the IJB from other sources) to satisfy the IJB that the Respondent is a Responsive Respondent.

The Respondent alters the language in Attachment 1: Certification Letter or Attachment 2: Authorization to Release Information letter.

Nonmaterial Variances The IJB reserves the right to waive or permit cure of nonmaterial variances in the Proposal if, in the judgment of the IJB, it is in the State’s best interest to do so. Nonmaterial variances include but are not limited to: minor failures to comply that do not affect overall responsiveness, that are merely a matter of form or format, that do not change the relative standing or otherwise prejudice other Respondents, that do not change the meaning or scope of the RFP, or that do not reflect a material change in the specifications of the RFP. In the event the IJB waives or permits cure of nonmaterial variances, such waiver or cure will not modify the RFP specifications or excuse the Respondent from full compliance with RFP specifications or other Contract specifications if the Respondent is awarded the Contract. The determination of materiality is in the sole discretion of the IJB.

Reference Checks The IJB reserves the right to contact any reference to assist in the evaluation of the Proposal, to verify information contained in the Proposal and to discuss the Respondent’s qualifications and the qualifications of any subcontractor identified in the Proposal.

Information from Other Sources The IJB reserves the right to obtain and consider information from other sources concerning a Respondent, such as the Respondent’s capability and performance under other Contracts, the qualifications of any subcontractor identified in the Proposal, the Respondent’s financial stability, past or pending litigation, and other publicly available information.

Verification of Proposal Contents The content of a Proposal submitted by a Respondent is subject to verification. If the IJB determines in its sole discretion that the content is in any way misleading or inaccurate, the IJB may reject the Proposal.

Proposal Clarification Process The IJB reserves the right to contact a Respondent after the submission of Proposals for the purpose of clarifying a Proposal. This contact may include written questions, interviews, site visits, a review of past performance if the Respondent has provided goods and/or services to the State or any other political subdivision wherever located, or requests for corrective pages in the Respondent’s Proposal. The IJB will not consider information received from or through Respondent if the information materially alters the content of the Proposal or the type of goods and/or services the Respondent is offering to the IJB. An individual authorized to legally bind the Respondent shall sign responses to any request for clarification. Responses shall be submitted to the IJB within the time specified in the IJB's request. Failure to comply with requests for additional information may result in rejection of the Proposal.

Disposition of Proposals All Proposals become the property of the State and shall not be returned to the Respondent. Once the IJB issues a Notice of Intent to Award the Contract, the contents of all Proposals will be in the public domain and be available for inspection by interested parties, except for information for which Respondent properly requests confidential treatment or according to exceptions provided in Iowa Code Chapter 22 or other applicable law.

Public Records and Requests for Confidential Treatment The IJB’s release of public records is governed by Iowa Code chapter 22. Respondents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Chapter 22 before submitting a Proposal. The IJB will produce public records upon request as required to comply with Chapter 22 and will treat all information submitted by a Respondent as non-confidential records unless Respondent requests specific parts of the Proposal be treated as confidential at the time of the submission as set forth herein AND the information is confidential under Iowa or other applicable law.

Form 22 Request for Confidentiality Form 22 must be completed and included with respondent’s proposal. Completion and submittal of form 22 is required whether the proposal does or does not contain information for which confidential treatment will be requested. Failure to submit a completed form 22 will result in the proposal being considered non-responsive and not evaluated.

Confidential Treatment Is Not Requested A Respondent not requesting confidential treatment of information contained in its Proposal shall complete Section I of Form 22 and submit Form 22 with the Proposal.

Confidential Treatment of Information is Requested A Respondent requesting confidential treatment of specific information shall perform all the following:

1. Complete Section II of Form 22, Include the word "CONFIDENTIAL" in file name of its Proposal containing confidential information, Mark each page upon which the Respondent believes confidential information appears and clearly identify each item for which confidential treatment is requested; marking a page in the page margin is not sufficient identification, and Submit a “Public Copy” from which the confidential information has been excised.

Form 22 will not be considered fully complete unless, for each confidentiality request, the Respondent:

1. Enumerates the specific grounds in Iowa Code chapter 22 or other applicable law that supports treatment of the material as confidential, Justifies why the material should be maintained in confidence, Explains why disclosure of the material would not be in the best interest of the public, and Sets forth the name, address, telephone, and email for the person authorized by Respondent to respond to inquiries by the IJB concerning the confidential status of such material.

The confidential material in the Public Copy must be excised in such a way as to allow the public to determine the general nature of the material removed and to retain as much of the Proposal as possible.

Failure to request information be treated as confidential as specified herein shall relieve the IJB and State personnel from any responsibility for maintaining the information in confidence. Respondents may not request confidential treatment with respect to pricing information and transmittal letters. A Respondent’s request for confidentiality that does not comply with this section or a Respondent’s request for confidentiality on information or material that cannot be held in confidence as set forth herein are grounds for rejecting Respondent’s Proposal as non-responsive. Requests to maintain an entire Proposal as confidential will be rejected as non-responsive.

If the IJB receives a request for information that Respondent has marked as confidential and if a judicial or administrative proceeding is initiated to compel the release of such material, Respondent shall, at its sole expense, appear in such action and defend its request for confidentiality. If Respondent fails to do so, the IJB may release the information or material with or without providing advance notice to Respondent and with or without affording Respondent the opportunity to obtain an order restraining its release from a court possessing competent jurisdiction. Additionally, if Respondent fails to comply with the request process set forth herein, if Respondent’s request for confidentiality is unreasonable, or if Respondent rescinds its request for confidential treatment, the IJB may release such information or material with or without providing advance notice to Respondent and with or without affording Respondent the opportunity to obtain an order restraining its release from a court possessing competent jurisdiction.

Copyright Permission By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent agrees that the IJB may distribute the Proposal for purposes of facilitating the evaluation of the Proposal or to respond to requests for public records. By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent consents to such distribution and warrants that such distribution will not violate the rights of any third party. The IJB shall have the right to use ideas or adaptations of ideas that are presented in Proposals.

Release of Claims By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent agrees that: (a) the IJB and the State shall not be liable to any extent for any information, facts or data (or the completeness or accuracy thereof) provided in the RFP or for any information, facts or data that may be omitted from the RFP, regardless of whether such inaccurate, incomplete or omitted information or data would be considered material or relevant to a Respondent for purposes of making an informed decision to either submitting a proposal or entering into a Contract if awarded to a successful Respondent; and (b) it will not bring any claim or cause of action against the IJB or the State based on any misunderstanding concerning the information provided in the RFP or concerning the IJB's or the State’s failure, negligent or otherwise, to provide the Respondent with complete, pertinent, or accurate information in this RFP or for any failure to provide information that any Respondent might consider relevant for purposes of making a decision to submit a proposal or to enter into any Contract resulting from this RFP.

Evaluation of Proposals Submitted The submission of a Proposal shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Respondent that it:

1. is a sophisticated party possessing sufficient knowledge and expertise concerning the subject matter of this RFP;

is able to fully and independently evaluate the advisability of submitting a proposal and in assuming and performing all duties, liabilities, and obligations described in or contemplated by this RFP;

has conducted its own independent gathering, review, and investigation of all information, facts, and data necessary for purposes of making an informed decision whether to submit a proposal and to assume and perform all duties, liabilities, and obligations described herein, without relying on any specific facts, information or representations of any kind made or provided by or on behalf of the IJB, including any information presented in this RFP; and has investigated all aspects of the RFP, and it is aware of the applicable facts of the RFP process and its procedures and requirements, and it has read and understands the RFP.

No request for modification of the provisions of the Proposal shall be considered after its submission on the grounds the Respondent was not fully informed as to any fact or condition. Statistical information that may be contained in the RFP or any addendum is for informational purposes only. The IJB disclaims any responsibility for any information or facts that may subsequently be determined to be incomplete or inaccurate. The IJB does not represent or warrant the accuracy or completeness of any such information, and the IJB shall not be liable for any errors or omissions, or the results of errors or omissions, which may be discovered, at any time, to exist in RFP, including any appendices, attachments or amendments thereto.

Proposals that are timely submitted and are not rejected will be reviewed in accordance with Section 5 of the RFP. The IJB will not necessarily award a Contract resulting from this RFP to the Respondent offering the lowest cost. Instead, the IJB will award the Contract(s) to the Responsible Respondent(s) whose Responsive Proposal the IJB believes will provide the best value to the IJB and the State.

Award Notice and Acceptance Period Notice of Intent to Award the Contract(s) will be sent to all Respondents submitting a timely Proposal and may be posted at the website shown on the RFP cover sheet. Negotiation and execution of the Contract(s) shall be completed no later than thirty (30) days from the date of the Notice of Intent to Award or such other time as designated by or acceptable to the IJB. If the successful Respondent fails to negotiate and deliver an executed Contract by that date, the IJB, in its sole discretion, may cancel the award and award the Contract to the remaining Respondent the IJB believes will provide the best value to the State.

No Contract Rights until Execution No Respondent shall acquire any legal or equitable rights regarding the Contract unless and until the Contract has been fully executed by the successful Respondent and the IJB.

Choice of Law and Forum This RFP and the Contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Iowa. Changes in applicable laws and rules may affect the award process or the Contract. Respondents are responsible for ascertaining pertinent legal requirements and restrictions. Any and all litigation or actions commenced by any party in connection with this RFP or any contract shall only be brought in the appropriate Iowa forum.

Restrictions on Gifts and Activities Iowa Code Chapter 68B restricts gifts which may be given or received by State employees and requires certain individuals to disclose information concerning their activities with State government. Respondents are responsible for determining the applicability of this Chapter 68B to their activities and to comply with its requirements. In addition, pursuant to Iowa Code section 722.1, it is a felony offense to bribe or attempt to bribe a public official.

No Minimum Guaranteed The IJB does not guarantee any minimum level of purchases under the Contract.

Appeals If appealed, the state court administrator shall consider the evaluation committee’s recommendation when making the final decision, but the state court administrator is not bound by the recommendation. The state court administrator may either accept or reject the recommended Respondent, or accept the Proposal of another Respondent, or elect not to select any Respondent. Appeals of the Notice of Intent to Award need to be received in the office of the state court administrator within 5 calendar days following the posting of the Notice of Intent to Award a contract.

Form And Content Of Proposals Instructions These instructions prescribe the format and content of the Proposal. They are designed to facilitate a uniform review process. Failure to adhere to the Proposal format may result in the rejection of the Proposal.

Specifications The Proposal shall be submitted as an electronic file, in either Microsoft Word, or text searchable PDF format. The Proposal shall be divided into two separate electronic files: (1) the Technical Proposal and (2) the Cost Proposal. The Technical Proposal and the Cost Proposal shall be labeled in the file name as such and submitted as separate files.

All cost information MUST be contained ONLY in the Cost Proposal and NOT included in the Technical Proposal.

The electronic submissions should be sent to the email address below:

Angi Hillers, Issuing Officer Issuing Officer Email Address: angi.hillers@iowacourts.gov

In addition to submitting separate files for the Technical Proposal, as well as the Cost Proposal, the following information should also be included within the text of the email:

RFP Number: JUV-27-4E-SW-004 RFP Title: Random Moment Sampling System and Title IV-E Claim Support

The IJB shall not be responsible for misdirected emails or premature opening of Proposals if a Proposal is not properly labeled.

Confidential Information If the Respondent designates any information in its Proposal as confidential pursuant to Section 2, the Respondent must also submit one (1) electronic copy of the Proposal from which confidential information has been excised as provided in Section 2 and which file is labeled “Public Copy”.

Promotional or Display Materials Proposals shall not contain promotional or display materials.

Attachments Attachments shall be referenced in the Proposal.

If a Respondent Proposes Multiple Solutions If a Respondent proposes more than one solution to the RFP specifications, each shall be labeled and submitted separately and each will be evaluated separately.

Technical Proposal The following documents and responses are required and shall be included in the Technical Proposal in the order given below:

Transmittal Letter An individual authorized to legally bind the Respondent shall sign the transmittal letter. The letter shall include the Respondent’s mailing address, email address, fax number, and telephone number. Any request for confidential treatment of information shall be included in the transmittal letter in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.

Table of Contents The Respondent shall include a table of contents of its Proposal and submit with its Proposal.

Executive Summary The Respondent shall prepare an executive summary and overview of the goods and/or services it is offering, including all of the following information:

1. Statements that demonstrate that the Respondent has read, understands and agrees with the terms and conditions of the RFP including the Contract provisions in Section 6.

An overview of the Respondent’s plans for complying with the specifications of this RFP.

Any other summary information the Respondent deems to be pertinent.

Mandatory Specifications and Scored Technical Specifications Respondent shall answer whether it will comply with each specification in Section 4 of the RFP. Where the context requires more than a yes or no answer or the specific specification so indicates, Respondent shall explain how it will comply with the specification. Merely repeating the Section 4 specifications may be considered non-responsive and result in the rejection of the Proposal. Proposals must identify any deviations from the specifications of the RFP or specifications the Respondent cannot satisfy. If the Respondent deviates from or cannot satisfy the specifications of this section, the IJB may reject the Proposal.

Vendor Background Information Respondent shall provide the following general background information:

1. Name, address, telephone number, fax number and email address of the Respondent including all d/b/a’s or assumed names or other operating names of the Respondent and any local addresses and phone numbers.

Form of business entity, i.e., corporation, partnership, proprietorship, limited liability company.

State of incorporation, state of formation, or state of organization.

The location(s) including address and telephone numbers of the offices and other facilities that relate to the Respondent’s performance under the terms of this RFP.

Number of employees.

Type of business.

Federal Tax ID.

Name, address and telephone number of the Respondent’s representative to contact regarding all contractual and technical matters concerning the Proposal.

Name, address and telephone number of the Respondent’s representative to contact regarding scheduling and other arrangements.

Name, contact information and qualifications of any subcontractors who will be involved with this project the Respondent proposes to use and the nature of the goods and/or services the subcontractor would provide.

Respondent’s accounting firm.

The successful Respondent will be required to register to do business in Iowa before payments can be made.

For vendor registration documents, go to: https://das.iowa.gov/procurement/vendors/how-do-business Experience The Respondent must provide the following information regarding its experience:

1. Number of years in business.

Number of years of experience with providing the types of goods and/or services sought by the RFP.

The level of technical experience in providing the types of goods and/or services sought by the RFP.

A list of all goods and/or services similar to those sought by this RFP that the Respondent has provided to other businesses or governmental entities.

Personnel.

Termination, Litigation, Debarment The Respondent must provide the following information for the past five (5) years:

1. If the Respondent had a contract for goods and/or services terminated for any reason, provide full details regarding the termination.

1. Describe any damages or penalties assessed against or dispute resolution settlements entered by Respondent under any existing or past contracts for goods and/or services. Provide full details regarding the circumstances, including the dollar amount of damages, penalties and settlement payments.

1. Describe any order, judgment or decree of any Federal or State authority barring, suspending or otherwise limiting the right of the Respondent to engage in any business, practice or activity.

1. A list and summary of all litigation or threatened litigation, administrative or regulatory proceedings, or similar matters to which the Respondent or its officers have been a party.

1. Any irregularities discovered in any of the accounts maintained by the Respondent on behalf of others. Describe the circumstances and disposition of the irregularities.

Failure to disclose these matters may result in rejection of the Proposal or termination of any subsequent Contract. The above disclosures are a continuing requirement of the Respondent. Respondent shall provide written notification to the IJB of any such matter commencing or occurring after submission of a Proposal, and with respect to the successful Respondent, following execution of the Contract.

Criminal History and Background Investigation The Respondent hereby explicitly authorizes the IJB to conduct criminal history and/or other background investigation(s) of the Respondent, its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, and managerial and supervisory personnel who will be involved in the performance of the Contract.

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions By submitting a Proposal, Respondent acknowledges its acceptance of the terms and conditions of the RFP and the Contract terms set forth in Section 6 as well as the General Terms for the Iowa Judicial Branch IJB Services Contracts linked on the RFP cover page, without change except as otherwise expressly stated in its Proposal. If the Respondent takes exception to a provision, it must:

1. identify it by page and section number;

state the reason for the exception;

set forth in its Proposal the specific RFP or General Terms language it proposes to include in place of the provision; and comply with all requirements set forth in Section 6 of this RFP.

If Respondent’s exceptions or responses materially alter the RFP, or if the Respondent submits its own terms and conditions or otherwise fails to follow the process described herein, the IJB may reject the Proposal, in its sole discretion.

Certification Letter The Respondent shall sign and submit with the Proposal, the document included as Attachment #1 (Certification Letter) in which the Respondent shall make the certifications included in Attachment #1.

Authorization to Release Information The Respondent shall sign and submit with the Proposal the document included as Attachment #2 (Authorization to Release Information Letter) in which the Respondent authorizes the release of information to the IJB.

Firm Proposal Terms The Respondent shall guarantee in writing the goods and/or services offered in the Proposal are currently available and that all Proposal terms, including price, will remain firm Bid Terms 120 days following the deadline for submitting Proposals.

Cost Proposal The Respondent shall provide its cost proposal in a separate electronic file, in either Microsoft Word or text searchable pdf format, identified as such for the proposed goods and/or services. All cost information MUST be contained ONLY in the Cost Proposal and NOT included in the Technical Proposal. The Respondent must also complete and include Attachment # 4 – Cost Proposal Form with its Cost Proposal.

Payment Methods The State of Iowa, in its sole discretion, will determine the method of payment for goods and/or services as part of the Contract. The State of Iowa’s Purchasing Card (Pcard) and ePayable solution (EAP) are preferred payment methods, but payments may be made by any of the following methods: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)/Automated Clearing House (ACH), or State Warrant. Respondents shall provide payment acceptance information in this section 3.3.1 in their Cost Proposals. This information will not be scored as part of the Cost Proposal or evaluated as part of the Technical Proposal.

Credit card or ePayables Pcards and EAP are commercial payment methods utilizing the VISA credit card network. The State of Iowa will not accept price changes or pay additional fees if Respondent uses the Pcard or EAP payment methods. Pcard-accepting Respondents must abide by the State of Iowa’s Terms of Pcard Acceptance.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) by Automated Clearing House (ACH) Respondents shall provide a statement regarding their ability to accept payment by EFT by ACH. Payments are deposited into the financial institution of the claimant's choice three working days from the issue date of the direct deposit.

https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/acct_sae/man_for_ref/forms/eft_authorization_form.pdf State Warrant The State of Iowa's warrant drawn on the Treasurer of State is used to pay claims against the departments of the State of Iowa. The warrant is issued upon receipt of proper documentation from the issuing department.

Payment Terms Per Iowa Code 8A.514 the State of Iowa is allowed sixty (60) days to pay an invoice submitted by a Vendor/Respondent.

Respondent Discounts Respondents shall state in their Cost Proposals whether they offer any payment discounts, including but not limited to:

Prompt Payment Discount The State can agree to pay in less than sixty (60) days if an incentive for earlier payment is offered.

Cash Discount The State may consider cash discounts when scoring Cost Proposals.

Specifications Overview The successful Respondent shall provide the goods and/or services to the IJB and other agencies using the Contract in accordance with the specifications as provided in this Section. The Respondent shall address each specification in this Section and indicate whether it will comply with the specification. If the context requires more than a yes or no answer or the section specifically indicates, Respondent shall explain how it will comply with the specification. Proposals must address each specification. Merely repeating the specifications may be considered non-responsive and may disqualify the Respondent. Proposals must identify any deviations from the specifications of this RFP or specifications the Respondent cannot satisfy. If the Respondent deviates from or cannot satisfy the specification(s) of this section, the IJB may reject the Proposal.

Mandatory Specifications All items listed in this section are Mandatory Specifications. Respondents must mark either “yes” or “no” to each specification in their Proposals. By indicating “yes” a Respondent agrees that it shall comply with that specification throughout the full term of the Contract, if the Respondent is successful. In addition, if specified by the specifications or if the context otherwise requires, Respondent shall provide references and/or supportive materials to verify the Respondent’s compliance with the specification. The IJB shall have the right to determine whether the supportive information and materials submitted by the Respondent demonstrate the Respondent will be able to comply with the Mandatory Specifications. If the IJB determines the responses and supportive materials do not demonstrate the Respondent will be able to comply with the Mandatory Specifications, the IJB may reject the Proposal.

1. The Issuing Officer must receive the Bid Proposal, and any amendments thereof, prior to or on the due date and time.

2. The Respondent is not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from receiving federal funding by any federal department or agency.

Scored Technical Specifications All items listed below are Scored Technical Specifications. All specifications will be evaluated and scored by the Evaluation Committee in accordance with Section 5.

Specifications – Describe how each item will be achieved

The Successful Respondent shall:

A. Provide consultation and subject matter expertise in random moment sampling and all aspects of Title IV-E claiming.

Performance Measures:

A.1. Respond to questions via email or phone call from JCS within 2 business days of receipt for non-time sensitive issues.

A.2. Respond to time-sensitive issues via email or phone call within 2 hours of request.

B. Provide JCS with timely notification of developments or changes to Title IV-E claiming.

Performance Measures:

B.1 Provide notification to JCS of Title IV-E claiming developments, policy changes, and regulatory updates within 5 business days of becoming aware of the change.

B.2. Communicate 100% of significant Title IV-E claiming changes that may impact JCS operations, compliance, or reimbursement opportunities.

C. An email-based RMS system that meets all federal and state requirements and accurately allocates JCS Title IV-E costs.

Performance Measure:

C.1. Maintain an email-based RMS system that complies with 100% of applicable federal and state Title IV-E requirements.

C.4. Maintain an RMS error rate of less than 2% as identified through quality assurance reviews or audits.

C.6. Notify JCS within 24 hours of any issues to the system that prevent claiming, the plan to remedy the issue, and have sufficient samples for the quarter.

D. Ensure JCS is maximizing claiming for all allowable Title IV-E costs.

Performance Measures:

D.2. Identify and claim 100% of allowable Title IV-E costs in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements.

D.4. Submit Title IV-E claims accurately on or prior to the 10th business day after the previous quarter’s end.

D.5. Achieve and maintain an error rate of less than 2% for Title IV-E claims, as identified through audits, monitoring, or quality assurance reviews.

D.7. Ensure all allowable Title IV-E reimbursement opportunities are evaluated and documented annually.

E. Evaluate reporting needs on an ongoing basis and provide access to accurate reporting of Title IV-E data.

Performance Measure:

E.3. Maintain data accuracy rates of 98% or greater through ongoing quality assurance and validation processes.

F. Identify and implement QA measures required to ensure compliance with Title IV-E federal and state requirements.

Performance Measures:

F.1. Develop, implement, and maintain quality assurance (QA) processes that ensure compliance with 100% of applicable federal and state Title IV-E requirements.

F.5. Maintain an error rate of less than 2% in Title IV-E claiming and related processes as identified through QA reviews, monitoring, or audits.

G. Collaborate with JCS staff to evaluate needs and develop and deliver training for sampled staff.

Performance Measure:

G.3. Provide initial and refresher training to 100% of sampled staff according to established schedules.

H. Respondent Experience Requirements:

1. Have experience establishing, implementing and providing ongoing support for at least 3 functional email-based RMS systems, which meet all state and federal requirements.

2. A minimum of 5 years’ experience in all aspects of Title IV-E claiming required.

3. A minimum of 3 years’ experience in ongoing quality assurance development and implementation for Title IV-E activities required.

4. Have experience evaluating and providing ongoing training to support the RMS system that ensures adequate responses to maximize federal reimbursement.

I. General Requirements:

1. Provide, configure, operate, and maintain a comprehensive web-based Random Moment Sampling system (RMS), which is statistically valid, and compliant with all federal and state guidelines and requirements.

2. Deliver technical Title IV-E administrative services, including cost reporting, accurately drafting quarterly claim for timely submission and enhancement and evaluation of program and activity coding ensuring compliance with federal and state Title IV-E guidelines.

3. Assist JCS in properly allocating Title IV-E administrative costs to their appropriate cost centers and ensure that the costs identified are permissible for federal financial participation (FFP) and are the only costs allocated to the Title IV-E program if applicable.

4. Ensure that any eligible population and services are included in the Title IV-E program and activities and review existing JCS programs and activities to identify and propose Title IV-E reimbursable activities currently being performed but not claimed.

5. Evaluate reporting needs on an ongoing basis and provide access to accurate reporting of Title IV-E data.

6. Provide technical assistance services for all aspects of Title IV-E claiming for which JCS is eligible.

7. Provide technical assistance services for implementation of the Title IV-E RMS claiming system, including identifying needs and providing initial and ongoing staff training.

8. Provide technical assistance in case of an audit.

J. RMS System Functional Requirements:

1. Provide a functional RMS system that meets both state and federal requirements as an acceptable cost allocation methodology for JCS.

2. Generate ongoing Random Moment Samples (samples); and send them electronically to eligible participants. Responses should not require a login. Participants must receive instant confirmation that their sample has been recorded successfully.

3. Monitor and collect sample responses; validate sample responses; and align each sample to the appropriate program and activity code.

4. Ensure that program and activity codes capture all the activities performed by the participants and distinguish Title IV-E activities from similar activities that are not eligible for Title IV-E reimbursement. This should be accomplished using “parallel” program and activity codes.

5. Require a narrative/free-text comment description of each activity selected, along with the activity code to ensure quality assurance. The narrative/free-text comment description must be stored in a manner that makes the comments available for QA purposes.

6. Provide a question in the response asking if the participant is working with a specific youth, and if the answer is yes, provide space for participant to enter the youth’s Juvenile Identification number (JID).

7. Store and report each sample’s initiation date and time, the participant name, confirmation of receipt, submittal of response, the time of sample completion, the program and activity codes selected, as well as the free text comments provided. All information must be available for audit purposes.

8. Send reminder emails to unresponsive participants at required intervals. Survey moments must expire at federally required intervals. Participants must not be able to respond to samples after federally required expiration.

9. Ensure work schedules for each participant can be programmed and adjusted quarterly within the RMS system to…