RFP_SD_22-00114.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL - SECONDARY

Notice to Prospective Proposers

RFP #SD22-00144

March 19, 2024

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) is soliciting for service under the authority of California Public Contract Code Section 10340, subdivisions (a) and (b). You are invited to review and respond to this Request for Proposal (RFP), entitled RFP #SD22-00144 – State Level Lived Experience Project (LEP). In submitting your proposal, you must comply with the instructions provided herein.

Please note that mandatory Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) requirements are part of this RFP. Proposers must meet the required 3% DVBE participation for their proposal to be considered responsive. Please refer to the DVBE program requirements within this document for additional information.

Note that all Contracts entered into with the CCHCS/CDCR include by reference General Terms and Conditions (GTC 04/2017) and the Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) that may be viewed and downloaded at Internet site:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List- Folder/Standard-Contract-Language

If you do not have Internet access, a hard copy can be provided by contacting the person listed below.

In the opinion of CDCR/CCHCS, this RFP is complete and without need of explanation. However, if you have questions, or should you need any clarifying information, the contact person for this RFP is:

Maggie Villucci CDCR - California Correctional Health Care Services

Acquisitions Management Section 916-691-2865

Maggie.villucci@cdcr.ca.gov

Please note that no verbal information given will be binding upon the CDCR/CCHCS unless such information is issued in writing as an official addendum.

Maggie Villucci

Maggie Villucci Contract Analyst

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation RFP #SD22-00144 California Correctional Health Care Services State Level Lived Experience Project (LEP)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

A) Purpose and Description of Services

B) Term of Contract

C) Budgeted Amount

D) Minimum Qualifications for Proposers

E) Desirable Qualifications for Proposers

F) Proposal Requirements and Information

1) Key Action Dates

2) Proposal Content Requirements

3) Submission of Proposal

4) Evaluation Process

5) Award and Protest

6) Disposition of Proposals

7) Contract Execution and Performance

8) Executive Order N-6-22 - Russia Sanctions……………………………………………26

G) Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program Requirements

H) Preference Programs

1) Small Business Preference

2) Non-Small Business Preference

3) Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Incentive Requirements

4) Commercially Useful Function

5) Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA)

I) Required Attachments

1) Attachment 1 – Proposal Checklist

2) Attachment 2 – Rate Sheet

3) Attachment 3 – Proposal Certification Sheet

4) Attachment 4 – Proposer/Customer References

5) Attachment 5 – Bidder Declaration

6) Attachment 6 – DVBE Declaration Form (DGS PD 843)

7) Attachment 7 – Minimum Qualifications Statement

8) Attachment 8 – Desirable Qualifications Statement

9) Attachment 9 – Work Plan Template

10) Attachment 10 – Payee Data Record (STD 204)

11) Attachment 11 – Darfur Contracting Act Certification

12) Attachment 12 – California Civil Rights Laws Certification

13) Attachment 13 – Contractor Certification Clauses ………………

14) Attachment 14 – Non Disclosure Agreement

15) Attachment 15 – Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700)

Sample Contract (Includes the following): Separate

Standard Agreement (STD 213) Exhibit A – Scope of Work Exhibit A-1 – Detailed Scope of Work Exhibit B – Budget Detail and Payment Provisions Exhibit B-1 – Rate Sheet Exhibit C – General Terms and Conditions* Exhibit D – CCHCS Special Provisions Exhibit E – Insurance Requirements Exhibit F – Non Re Disclosure Agreement Attachment 1 - Deliverable Acceptance Document (DAD) Attachment 2 - Work Authorization

*Included by reference

The remainder of this page was intentionally left blank.

A. PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES:

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)/California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) is soliciting proposals from qualified Contractors to provide the services specified herein for the State-level Lived Experience Project (LEP) for the Council of Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health (CCJBH). For the purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP), lived experience (LE) is defined as having personal experience navigating the behavioral health (i.e., mental health and substance use disorder) and criminal justice systems.

The Contractor shall furnish all labor, including travel and per diem, materials, non-consumable supplies, transportation, equipment, and every other item of expense necessary to provide the services as defined in the Sample Contract. The Contractor, CDCR/CCHCS, and CCJBH intend this Agreement to be a contract for services wherein the results of the services rendered by the Contractor (the “Work”) is considered work for hire, as defined under United States copyright laws. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that the Work and all rights therein including, but not limited to, all copyrights, trademarks, and incarcerated persons, belong to and shall be sole and exclusive property of CDCR/CCHCS.

CDCR/CCHCS is soliciting proposals from qualified Contractors for a contract that will elevate the perspectives of children/youth and adults with LEs, raise awareness of the complex needs that the behavioral health (BH) and justice-involved (JI) population (hereafter referred to as the BH/JI population) require for success. In addition, in alignment with CCJBH goals, the contractor shall serve as a liaison between CCJBH and community stakeholders and is expected to assist with fostering collaboration among state and local-level agencies across the State of California through stakeholder engagement; promoting the utilization of evidence-based practices in the areas of prevention, deflection, diversion, and reentry of individuals with LE; increasing education and community awareness on the needs of the BH/JI population; utilizing publicly available data and other credible information to help inform the decision-making process on projects and policy that impact the BH/JI population; providing consulting services to CDCR/CCHCS for the development of products and materials that can be used to serve the BH/JI population; and by providing relevant technical assistance to CDCR/CCHCS and Local-level LEP contractors.

1. Background:

This section provides a description of the BH/JI population, which is the focus of CCJBH’s mission; an overview of CCJBH; and a description of CCJBH’s past LEP projects.

a) Description of the BH/JI Population:

In the United States, there is an overrepresentation of children/youth and adults in the criminal justice system who suffer from mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders (SUDs). There are approximately 4,000 minors who are detained in county-run juvenile facilities in the State of California, and an estimated 35,000 juveniles supervised by probation officers in their communities1. Nearly 90 percent of all justice-involved youth have had prior exposure to toxic stress and other factors that can be detrimental to a youth’s overall wellbeing. Furthermore, studies have shown that youth who are justice-involved are more likely to have been exposed to one or more adverse childhood experiences, such as food insecurity, homelessness, SUDs, and other traumatic experiences, and are more likely to have school disciplinary histories of suspensions and expulsions. Depending on the circumstance, 1 Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice Factsheet (2020).

youth who enter the juvenile justice (JJ) system will either be referred to a county’s probation department or return to their home where their case can potentially be sent to a juvenile court and/or placed into a diversion program. The JJ system strives to address the criminogenic needs or major risk factors highly associated to criminal behavior of youth who are justice-involved. However, there is often limited staff capacity and funding at the community level to fully address the behavioral health needs of the JJ population. Furthermore, youth who are justice-involved may experience gaps in services, which can make it more difficult for them to receive the services and supports necessary to prevent them from reentering the justice system.

For adults, according to CDCR’s August 2023 Monthly Report of Population, there was a total of 90,671 adult incarcerated persons and in-custody/community rehabilitative pre-release programs within the State’s adult institutions.2 In December 2022, the total adult jail population for the state of California was 58,886.3 As shown in previous CCJBH reports, approximately 30 percent of the California prison and jail populations suffer from a mental illness, with 6.4 percent of the prison population being diagnosed with a serious mental illness, and approximately 80 percent of the prison population has a SUD.4 Individuals who are justice-involved and have mental health and/or SUDs are more likely to experience relapse and/or reenter the criminal justice system. For example, out of a total of 35,447 incarcerated persons released from CDCR in Fiscal Year 2017-18, those identified as Correctional Clinical Case Management, Enhanced Outpatient Program, and Inpatient Services at the time of release had re-conviction rates higher than adults who had no mental health designation (48.3, 53.4 and 54.0 percent, respectively, versus 43.1 percent).5

Additionally, individuals with behavioral health conditions who are justice-involved suffer adverse outcomes due to their SUD and/or SMI – outcomes which are all-too-often the result of the fact that these individuals often face barriers when trying to engage with the necessary health, behavioral health care, and social services throughout different points in their lives. Specifically, research has demonstrated that individuals who have a SUD, such as an opiate disorder, are 12 times more likely to return to substance use resulting in an overdose death following incarceration.6 Furthermore, individuals who are incarcerated often have an elevated risk of losing their lives to suicide. According to CDCR's 2021 Annual Report on Suicides, the suicide rate for incarcerated persons was 15.2 suicides per 100,000 incarcerated persons (the lowest rate in decades),7 compared to the general California population, which was 10.4 suicides per 100,000 in 2021, as documented by the California Department of Public Health’s Suicide and Self-Harm Trends.8 The statewide California jail suicide rate is unknown.

Overall, individuals who are justice involved and have behavioral health conditions when compared to the general population are at a higher risk for adverse outcomes.

Factors such as an undiagnosed mental health condition, substance use disorder, 2 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Monthly Report of Population (August 2023).

3 Board of State and Community Corrections Jail Profile Survey (December 2022).

4 CCJBH 19th Annual Legislative Report (December 2020). It is currently unknown as to how many individuals in

California jails have a serious mental illness as relevant data are not captured.

5 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Recidivism Report for Offenders Released in Fiscal Year

2017-18.

6 See The New England Journal of Medicine article: Release from Prison — A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates

(2007).

7 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 2021 Annual Report on Suicides in the CDCR (2021).

8 See the California Department of Public Health’s Powerpoint: Suicide and Self-Harm Emergency Department Visit

Trends in California (2021).

and unaddressed social determinants of health make the BH/JI a vulnerable population. However, the BH/JI population is often perceived by public system providers as being “difficult to work with” and “hard to reach” due to their complex needs, thereby leading to frustration and avoidance by both parties that all-too-often results in unmet needs, recidivism, and overall poor BH/JI population life outcomes.

One effective and important approach to combatting this phenomenon is incorporating LE into state and local efforts to serve as thought leaders and to provide subject matter expertise to ensure new and ongoing state and local system improvement projects will benefit the BJ/JI population. Engaging individuals with LE into decision-making processes can not only help to inform the development and implementation of policies, programs, and services for the BH/JI population, but it can also help to reduce barriers to accessing services, provide coordination and navigation to various public supports, and assist providers with effectively addressing their multifaceted needs.

b) The Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health:

Established by CA Penal Code Section 6044(a), CCJBH is a 12-member council chaired by the Secretary of CDCR and is comprised of representatives from the Department of State Hospitals, the Department of Health Care Services, and appointed experts from the criminal justice and behavioral health systems, and individuals with LE. CCJBH serves as a resource to assist and advise the administration and the legislature on best practices to reduce the incarceration of children/youth and adults with mental illness(es) and substance use disorder(s) with a focus on prevention, deflection, diversion, and reentry strategies. CCJBH works on several projects to strengthen systems that serve the BH/JI population, and information on efforts to date are documented in CCJBH’s Annual Legislative Reports.

CCJBH seeks to engage and gather input from diverse groups of stakeholders to help inform project design, development of recommendations, and identify priorities that can help improve both the service delivery and overall health outcomes of the BH/JI population. CCJBH’s Strategic Framework describes how the Council seeks to address the “drivers” of outcomes when developing solutions to address the needs of the BH/JI population across a continuum of care (e.g., housing, health and behavioral health care services, social welfare, education and training, and employment). CCJBH’s meeting format is as follows:

i. Full Council Meetings:

CCJBH hosts quarterly Full Council meetings where CCJBH Councilmembers and stakeholders are presented with information related to important efforts and issues related to the BH/JI population, provide feedback on CCJBH projects and recommendations, and identify priorities that can help improve relevant outcomes. Full Council meetings serve as a platform to share educational presentations on state initiatives, resources, and evidence-based practices (e.g., diversion and reentry programs and services that utilize justice-involved peer support) that are designed to support the BH/JI population.

ii. CCJBH Workgroup Meetings:

CCJBH established two workgroups to examine specific issues related to the juvenile and adult BH/JI populations: JJ and Diversion/Reentry. These workgroups meet bi-monthly to create opportunities for community members and system partner stakeholders to engage in conversations with

Councilmember Advisors about solutions to improve program efforts across the state of California. The JJ Workgroup focuses on identifying ways to provide care, treatment, and guidance to minors whose behaviors have led them to justice system involvement. In addition, the JJ Workgroup supports statewide efforts to improve outcomes for youth with behavioral health needs who are in the JJ system. The Diversion/Reentry Workgroup focuses on identifying ways in which the BH/JI population released from jail, prisons, and state hospitals who are returning to their communities, and those who are under community supervision (parole or probation), can receive the necessary support services to reduce recidivism. Both workgroups seek to support statewide efforts to improve outcomes for the BH/JI population.

c) Previous CCJBH Stakeholder Advocacy Contracts:

In 2020, CCJBH received an ongoing allocation of Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)9 funding to support stakeholder advocacy10 contracts, and associated program administration, to support mental health outreach and services for criminal justice-involved populations. Using these funds, CCJBH contracted with the California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), to determine how best to engage statewide public outreach efforts surrounding individuals with LE in the behavioral health and criminal justice systems. This effort resulted in two LE projects (LEPs):

i. A regional LEP, with five regional contracts that focused on elevating the voices of individuals who have LE. The regional LEPs worked to increase advocacy capacity, engage in education and training opportunities, expand organizational and community awareness of those with LE, and improve collaborative efforts with system partners. In addition, CCJBH leveraged the regional LEP experts to inform work on a report in response to the SB 389 (2020) Governor’s Veto Message, entitled Successful Reentry/Transition from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Identification of Barriers and Solutions to Address Them, and also formed a state-level LEP Advisory Team to create a safe space where individuals with LE can share with CCJBH their experiences and provide input that informs state-level policy development. The LEP Advisory Team assisted CCJBH with participant outreach for listening sessions to gather feedback that helped inform the development of data visualization frameworks for the CCJBH Public Health Meets Public Safety project and helped gather input that informed the development of recommendations for the Justice-Involved Peer Support Specialty certification that is being led by the California Mental Health Services Authority.

9 The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), established in 2004 by Proposition 63, is a voter-approved initiative designed to support and encourage a statewide system change in the public mental health system to promote California’s mental health prevention and treatment efforts at the state and local levels. Throughout the State of California, the passing of Proposition 63 has enabled the expansion and transformation of mental health services delivery and infrastructure, creating a sustainable funding source, fostering collaboration between local behavioral health departments and consumers, and establishing more wraparound services to address the mental health needs for children, youth, and adults that incorporate the MHSA values, which include wellness, recovery, and resilience;

community collaboration; cultural competence; integrated service experience; and client and family driven services.

10 For these contracts, CCJBH defined advocacy as developing and/or performing work, activities, and products that uplift the voices of individuals with LE; increase community awareness of the needs of the BH/JI population; identify barriers and solutions to reentry; highlight evidence-based practices that can effectively engage the BH/JI population in services; include prevention and early intervention; and outreach designed to eliminate bias, reduce stigma, and commit to diversity.

ii. A state-level LEP led by CSUS that took a multi-phased approach using focus groups, key informant interviews, and an online survey, to gather stakeholder feedback on how to effectively employ individuals with lived experience, identified barriers to accessing health care services among the BH/JI population (Phase I), and identified strategies and/or solutions to hiring barriers (Phase II). These efforts resulted in the reports Successful Approaches to Employing Individuals with Lived Experience in the Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health Fields and Solutions to Hiring Barriers for Individuals with Lived Experience to Work in the Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health Fields. Similarly, CCJBH in collaboration with CSUS facilitated a series of virtual and in-person regional listening sessions that focused on understanding the barriers to accessing Medi-Cal services among the BH/JI population. These efforts resulted in the report Barriers to Improve Utilization of Medi-Cal Services Among Individuals Transitioning: A Summary of Beneficiary and Provider Listening Sessions.

Given the success of the LEP contracts to date, CDCR/CCHCS seeks to continue building upon these efforts with this solicitation’s ensuing contract.

2. Project Goals:

The Contractor shall be responsible for coordinating with the Local-level LEPs and CCJBH, as well as other CCJBH contractors (e.g., Public Health Meets Public Safety contractor) and stakeholders, to meet the Project Goals, as follows:

a) Elevating the perspectives and experiences of children/youth and adults with LE at the state- and local-levels (e.g., integrate their voices, experiences, and perspectives in planning and decision-making processes). For example, gathering stakeholder feedback to help inform the decision-making process on projects and policy and leveraging the utilization of publicly available data, including using the CCJBH Public Health Meets Public Safety Data.

b) Increasing community awareness statewide of the needs of the BH/JI population through education, training, and technical assistance, including how the successes of these individuals is beneficial to community health and public safety.

c) Fostering and facilitating multi-disciplinary collaborations across the different systems that serve the BJ/JI population including, but not limited to, health, behavioral health, criminal justice, housing, and social services.

d) Promoting evidence-based practices for prevention, deflection, diversion, and reentry services and programs that serve the BH/JI population. For example, evidence-based practices for employing individuals with LE (e.g., peers, Community Health Workers, parents, and caregivers), within systems that serve the BH/JI population including, but not limited to, behavioral health, criminal justice, housing, and social services, requesting feedback from consumers and family members, as needed.

e) Provide technical assistance (e.g., facilitation and coordination of stakeholder engagement activities) to CDCR/CCHCS and Local-level LEP contractors, as needed.

The Contractor shall include at least one representative with BH/JI LE who will provide CDCR/CCHCS and Local-level LEP contractors with assistance in developing relevant work products, as well as providing technical assistance (e.g., material development, trainings, and system partner outreach). A key intent of this RFP is to promote collaboration with organizations that adopt the MHSA values to support initiatives that address the behavioral health needs of diverse populations, promote cross collaboration, and uplift the voices of individuals with LE at the state and local levels.

B. TERM OF CONTRACT:

The term of the Contract, resulting from this RFP, shall be May 15, 2024, or upon approval, whichever is later, through June 30, 2026. The Contractor is not authorized to commence work, as described in the Sample Contract, until the ensuing Contract has been fully executed.

C. BUDGETED AMOUNT:

The budgeted amount of the contract resulting from this RFP shall not exceed $377,500.00, and Proposers should keep this dollar amount in mind when submitting their proposals.

D. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROPOSERS:

Proposers not meeting the following minimum qualifications shall be considered non-responsive and shall be disqualified:

1. The Proposer (if Corporation, LLC, or Partnership) must be active and in good standing with the California Secretary of State’s Office. Certification must be provided. The Contractor (if Sole Proprietor) must have a valid business license. Copy of business license must be provided.

2. The Proposer must provide three (3) positive references on Attachment 4 – Proposer/Customer References demonstrating competence for the provision of services to the BH/JI population within the last two (2) years. Proposers are responsible for ensuring that the references are available and respond during the time period included in the Key Action Dates. The inability to confirm references, or if any reference provides an unsatisfactory review, may cause the proposal to be rejected and deemed nonresponsive.

3. The Proposer must be a non-profit organization that is registered to do business in California. Copy of non-profit certification must be provided.

4. Two (2) years’ experience providing reentry services such as education on available community resources (e.g., employment, housing, and accessing health care services) to the BH/JI population. Provide a detailed timeline of two (2) years’ experience.

E. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROPOSERS:

Proposers not meeting the following Desirable Qualifications shall not be disqualified. It is the proposer’s responsibility to provide the appropriate verification to qualify for these desirable qualifications.

1. Proposers and proposed staff have a minimum of three (3) years’ experience in the following:

Ability to manage and monitor the implementation and evaluation of Project Goals and Deliverables.

Ability to submit contract supporting documents in a timely manner (e.g., progress reports and invoices).

Experience in fostering partnerships at the state and local level that promote multidisciplinary collaboration on the needs of the BH/JI population.

Experience with written and verbal feedback in public stakeholder meetings.

Experience in leading projects that improve access to public services for vulnerable populations.

Experience collaborating with other subcontractors to accomplish a shared project goal that addresses the needs of the BH/JI population.

The Proposer has at least one staff who have LE with the justice and behavioral health systems who have been employed by the organization for at least one (1) year.

2. Preferred candidates for the BH/JI Lived Experience staff position should ideally possess:

A personal background related to criminal justice system involvement and a mental health condition(s) and/or a substance use disorder(s) to include:

o Experience being incarcerated in a correctional facility (e.g., juvenile hall jail, State prison) and/or community supervision (e., probation, parole), or related criminal justice setting(s).

o Experience with behavioral health challenges, including mental health and additional, which should have been acquired through personal experience and applied to professional roles within the systems that serve the BH/JI population and/or through community engagement.

o Quantities and skills similar to the core competencies outlined for the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist:

The concepts of hope, recovery, and wellness;

The role of advocacy;

The role of consumers and family members;

Psychiatric rehabilitation skills and service delivery, and addiction recovery principles, including defined practices;

Cultural and structural competence trainings;

Trauma-informed care;

Group facilitation skills;

Self-awareness and self-care;

Co-occurring disorders of mental health and substance use;

Conflict resolution;

Professional boundaries and ethics;

Preparation for employment opportunities, including study and test-taking skills, application and resume preparation, interviewing, and other potential requirements for employment;

Safety and crisis planning;

Navigation of, and referral to, other services;

Confidentiality;

Digital literacy o Strong interpersonal and communication skills, particularly in advocacy and public speaking, where the candidate can demonstrate comprehensive understanding of both justice and behavioral health public systems, as well as other systems that serve the BH/JI population.

3. Possesses a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) certification.

F. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION:

1. Key Action Dates:

Listed below are the important dates and times by which action must be taken or completed. If CDCR/CCHCS finds it necessary to alter any of these dates, it will be accomplished by issuance of an addendum to the RFP. All dates after the deadline for Final Date for Proposal Submission are approximate and may be adjusted without an addendum to this RFP.

Event Date and Time

RFP Available to Prospective Proposers Tuesday, March 19, 2024 Final Date for Proposer Questions* Tuesday, March 26, 2024 CDCR/CCHCS Response to Questions** Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Final Date for Proposal Submission Tuesday, April 9, 2024, by 3:00pm

References Contacted Monday, April 29, 2024

Due Date for Responses from References***

Monday, May 6, 2024

Notice of Intent to Award Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Proposed Award Date Wednesday, May 15, 2024

* Submit all questions via email to the contact person indicated on the cover page of the RFP no later than the date and time specified in the Key Action Dates.

** Written responses to RFP questions will be released by the date and time specified and will be viewable online at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx under this RFP posting.

*** Proposers are responsible for ensuring that the References are available to respond within the time period specified.

2. Proposal Content Requirements:

a) RFP Proposal Format Requirements:

i. All proposals submitted under this RFP must use a 12-point font, one-inch margins on all four sides with 1.5 lined spacing. Pages must be numbered, and the Narrative sections titled (e.g., Project Need, Project Description, and Organizational Capacity.)

ii. Within each section, the Proposer should prepare a comprehensive response.

The Proposer may use footnotes as references; however, these must be formatted within the document, as indicated above. Do not include website links, charts, graphs, or other graphics.

b) Minimum Qualifications Statement:

All Proposers must submit an Attachment 7 - Minimum Qualifications Statement that clearly demonstrates how they meet all the minimum qualifications identified in Section D, Minimum Qualifications for Proposers. The Minimum Qualifications Statement must address all the minimum qualifications identified individually. The Proposer must provide enough information to clearly demonstrate that the Proposer has met all the minimum qualifications. If the minimum qualification requires a minimum amount of years’ experience or certifications, proof of that information must be submitted and noted on the Minimum Qualifications Statement, i.e. See Resume for 2 years’ experience providing (insert specific requirement). If the Attachment 7 -

Minimum Qualifications Statement is not submitted or if it does not adequately provide the necessary information, the proposal may be rejected and deemed non-responsive.

c) Desirable Qualifications Statement/Verification:

All Proposers who wish to claim a Desirable Qualification must submit an Attachment 8 - Desirable Qualifications Statement or the appropriate verification that clearly demonstrates how they meet the desirable qualifications identified in Section E, Desirable Qualifications for Proposers. Failure to provide adequate information to verify the desirable qualification will result in 0 points.

d) Proposal Narrative (Limit 2 pages):

In preparing the Proposal Narrative, explain the community need and how this project works towards accomplishing the Contractor defined Goals and Deliverables (see Sample Contract, Exhibit A-1 – Detailed Scope of Work, Section B. Contract Goals, and Section D. Deliverables and Tasks).

The Proposal Narrative should not include a Cover Letter, Proposal Checklist, Work Plan, or Cost Proposal Sheet. It is up to the Proposer to determine how to evenly use the required page limit in addressing each Narrative section.

Questions to consider when writing the Proposal Narrative:

How will the proposed project address the needs of the BH/JI population?

Are the proposed project goals specific, measurable, attainable, and time specific?

If so, do they support the project goals and contract framework?

e) Project Need (Limit 2 pages):

The Proposer shall provide a narrative of the project need demonstrating an understanding of the issues that need to be addressed through this RFP. This should include detailing the needs for the activities in the proposal and providing any relevant local statistics as evidence for these needs.

Questions to consider when writing the Project Narrative:

What are the needs of the BH/JI population in the communities you plan to serve?

Are there any gaps in serves that should be made available to the BH/JI population in your community?

What are the issues in these communities that need to be prioritized, and is there a need for tailored efforts to address the needs of certain BH/JI population sub-groups within these communities?

Why is it important to engage these communities, particularly representatives of the identified BH/JI population sub-groups (if applicable), in your work as per the Project Framework?

What actions are needed to achieve the project’s goals and deliverables?

f) Project Description (Limit 2 pages):

The Proposer shall provide a project description, which is a narrative of the project.

The project description shall detail the strategies proposed to accomplish the

Contractor defined Goals and Deliverables. Similarly, the project description shall include detailed descriptions of activities and list supporting documentation that shall be used to measure and achieve the project’s and Deliverables in the Work Plan.

Questions to consider when writing the Project Description:

How do you envision working at the state and local levels to address the identified needs in these communities, including the BH/JI sub-population groups (if applicable)?

What strategies and activities would be most effective to address the identified issues and needs in the communities you will serve to accomplish the Project Goals and Deliverables, including the BH/JI sub-population groups (if applicable)?

Describe how these proposed strategies and activities will:

o Engage different systems (e.g., behavioral health, criminal justice, primary care, housing, and social services agencies) and promote cross-system collaboration with these agencies at the local and state levels.

o Increase awareness of the needs of the BH/JI population at the local and state levels.

o Increase the advocacy capacity of individuals with BH/JI LE.

How do you envision your role within the Project Framework as related to the implementation of those strategies?

How will you evaluate and/or measure the progress of activities?

g) Organizational Capacity (Limit 2 pages):

In this section, the Proposer will describe their organization’s background, mission, and vision. Similarly, they shall provide information on why they believe their organization qualifies to complete the project’s Goals and Deliverables. Previous experience conducting activities similar to the Goals and Deliverables of this project are not required. The intent of this RFP is to fund organizations that have the capacity to accomplish the Deliverables.

Questions to consider when writing this section are:

How long has your organization been in existence?

How many staff members are in your organization? Do any of them have lived experience, as defined in this solicitation, “having personal experience navigating the behavioral health and criminal justice systems?” If so, how many and describe that experience.

What counties, regions or areas of the state does your organization currently serve or have served in the past?

What experience does your organization have related to collaborating or participating in activities that interface with the public systems that serve the BH/JI population?

What experience does your organization have working directly with, and addressing the needs of, the BH/JI population?

What strategies have you implemented to engage the BH/JI population? Have these strategies been effective? What, if any, challenges have you experienced and how did you overcome these challenges?

How does this project align with goals and outcomes that your organization is working towards accomplishing?

What approaches does your organization use to design, implement, and evaluate services?

How does your organization ensure and promote equity, inclusion, and diversity?

h) Work Plan (Limit 9 pages):

The Proposer shall complete the Attachment 9 – Work Plan Template to identify activities, provide supporting documentation, assign responsible party responsibilities, and establish estimated timelines that support the completion of the Project Goals and Deliverables. The Work Plan shall provide step-by-step account of how the Proposer plans to complete the Project Deliverables. The number of activities must reflect the amount of work that the Contractor deems appropriate to successfully accomplish Project Deliverables 2-7. The Proposer shall copy and paste the template on pages 47-56 into a Microsoft Word document in order to modify for their specific Work Plan. Proposers should limit submitted work plans to no more than 9 pages.

The Work Plan must be well-organized, detailed, and comprehensive, describing the activities that will lead to the completion of Project Goals and Deliverables, including estimated timelines and the appropriate levels of review and approval. The activities shall be sufficiently detailed to clearly articulate the process proposed with no additional information required. In addition, activities shall be organized to exhibit the sequencing and time required to complete each activity, as well as include appropriate levels of review/approval at agreed-upon stages of development to ensure that CDCR/CCHCS, CCJBH is in agreement with the activities to be completed prior to commencement of work.

Examples of activities related to issues that affect the BH/JI population (e.g., barriers to reentry such as homelessness, SUDs, and food insecurity) that can be used by Contractor to support the Project Goals and Deliverables include, but are not limited to:

Hosting/facilitating trainings (e.g., trainings on public speaking, advocacy, and other skills that promote professional development of individuals with lived experience), workshops, conferences, and summits.

Designing and implementing educational campaigns.

Developing educational materials, such as training curriculum, flyers, brochures, factsheets, podcasts, e-blasts video testimonials, infographics, white papers, and policy reports.

Hosting or attending community events and providing direct education of services and/or priority issues (e.g., health fairs and job fairs).

Attending relevant public stakeholder meetings, convenings, and webinars to educate stakeholders on and to advocate for the BH/JI population, sharing lived experience in the form of public comments.

Developing data collection tools (e.g., environmental scans to capture existing county resources and/or identify gaps in services).

i) Cost Proposal:

Submit Attachment 2 - Rate Sheet as outlined in Section 4(b) below.

3. Submission of Proposal:

a) All proposals must be submitted and received by CCHCS by the dates and times shown in the Key Action Dates.

b) RFP documents MUST be submitted to CDCR/CCHCS electronically (by email) to the contact individual listed below:

Maggie Villucci Maggie.villucci@cdcr.ca.gov

Subject Line: RFP #SD22-00144 - State Level Lived Experience Project (LEP)

c) All attachments MUST be submitted in ONE email.

d) All attachments must be combined into one PDF document and labeled “Proposal” with the exception of Attachment 2 - Rate Sheet, which must be submitted as a separate attachment.

e) Attachment 2 - Rate Sheet, must be submitted as a separate attachment and labeled “Attachment 2 - Rate Sheet”.

f) All proposals shall include the documents identified in Attachment 1 – Proposal Checklist. Proposals that do not include the required documents and/or attachments shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive proposal is one that does not meet the basic proposal requirements.

g) All documents requiring a signature must bear a certified scanned signature or a certified electronic signature (i.e., DocuSign or Adobe Certify) of a person authorized to bind the Proposer’s firm.

Note to Proposers: It is the sole responsibility of the Proposer to contact the Contract Analyst listed for this RFP to verify receipt of the submitted proposal.

h) Proposals must be submitted for the performance of all the services described herein.

Any deviation from the work specifications will not be considered and will cause a proposal to be rejected.

i) A proposal may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. The State may reject any or all proposals and may waive an immaterial deviation in a proposal. The State's waiver of an immaterial deviation shall in no way modify the RFP document or excuse the Proposer from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the Contract.

j) Costs incurred for developing proposals and in anticipation of award of the Contract are entirely the responsibility of the Proposer and shall not be charged to the State of California.

k) An individual who is authorized to bind the Proposer contractually shall sign Attachment 3 - Proposal Certification Sheet. The signature should indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the firm. An unsigned proposal may be rejected.

l) A Proposer may modify a proposal after its submission by withdrawing its original proposal and resubmitting a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline.

Proposer modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

m) A Proposer may withdraw its proposal by submitting a written withdrawal request to the State, signed by the Proposer or an authorized agent. A Proposer may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline. Proposals may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to proposal submission deadline.

n) The awarding agency may modify the RFP prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum which will be posted within this RFP’s posting at: https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/index.aspx.

o) The awarding agency reserves the right to reject all proposals. The agency is not required to award a Contract.

p) Before submitting a response to this solicitation, Proposers should review, correct all errors, and confirm compliance with the RFP requirements.

q) Where applicable, Proposer should carefully examine work sites and specifications.

Proposer shall investigate conditions, character, and quality of surface or subsurface materials or obstacles that might be encountered. No additions or increases to the Contract amount will be made due to a lack of careful examination of work sites and specifications.

r) The State does not accept alternate contract language from a prospective Proposer.

A proposal with such language will be considered a counter proposal and will be rejected. The State’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC) are not negotiable.

s) No oral understanding or agreement shall be binding on either party.

t) It is unlawful for any person engaged in business within this state to sell or use any article or product as a “loss leader” as defined in Section 17030 of the Business and Professions Code.

4. Evaluation Process:

An evaluation committee will be used to evaluate the proposals. Final selection will be made to the responsive, responsible Proposer who has the highest combined score for all stages. Preference points (as claimed and as applicable) will be added to the total.

Proposals containing false or misleading statements, or which provide references that do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the Proposer, may be rejected. CCHCS shall reject any proposal that is deemed to be non-responsive during the evaluation.

Below are the point values for each evaluation category that will be scored.

Evaluation Category Maximum Points per Category Minimum Points per Category

STAGE I

1. Proposal Administrative Review/Minimum Qualifications

Pass/Fail Pass/Fail

STAGE II

2. Desirable Qualifications 15 points 0 points

3. Proposal Narrative 20 points 8 points

4. Project Need 15 points 6 points

5. Project Description 25 points 12 points

6. Organizational Capacity 25 points 8 points

7. Work Plan 20 points 8 points

STAGE III

8. Cost Proposal 55 points N/A

Total Maximum points possible: 175 Total Minimum points possible: 42

a) Evaluation Stage I - Proposal Administrative Review:

At proposal opening, each proposal will be checked for the presence or absence of required information in conformance with the RFP submission requirements. Proposal will be checked for timeliness, completeness, and initial responsiveness to the RFP requirement. The Attachment 7 – Minimum Qualifications Statement will also be reviewed to confirm the Proposer has met all of the minimum qualifications. This is a pass/fail evaluation.

b) Evaluation Stage II – Proposal Evaluation/Scoring:

To be considered a responsive proposal, minimum points per Category must be achieved as identified below. A zero (0) or one (1) obtained for any evaluated item (not including Desirable Qualifications) will be considered non-responsive and will result in a disqualification. (A responsive proposal is one which meets or exceeds the requirements stated in this RFP.)

Points Interpretation General Basis for Point Assignment

0 Unacceptable

Proposal response did not reflect any content and/or explanation and does not meet CCHCS’ needs/requirements.

The omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s) are significant and deemed non-responsive.

1 Inadequate

Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is inadequate or does not meet CCHCS’ needs/requirements or expectations. The omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s) are significant and unacceptable.

2 Barely Adequate

Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is barely adequate or barely meets CCHCS’ needs/requirements or expectations. The omission(s), flaw(s) or defect(s) are consequential but are acceptable. The quality of the proposal response is considered to be less than average.

3 Adequate

Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is adequate or meets CCHCS’ basic needs/requirements or expectations. The omission(s), flaw(s), or defect(s), if any, are inconsequential and acceptable. The quality of the proposal response is considered to be average.

More than Adequate

Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is more than adequate or fully meets CCHCS’ needs/requirements or expectations. No omission(s) or flaw(s) are apparent. The quality of the proposal response is above average.

Excellent or Outstanding

Proposal response (i.e., content and/or explanation offered) is well above average or exceeds CCHCS’ needs/requirements or expectations. Proposer offers one or more enhancing feature, method or approach that will benefit the State.

Response represents the best proposal that can be expected.

Any present weakness is minor and unrelated to a performance evaluation.

In assigning points for individual rating factors, the evaluation committee may consider these issues, when applicable, the extent to which a proposal response:

Is fully developed, comprehensive and has few if any weaknesses, defects, or deficiencies; and/or

Demonstrates that the proposer understands the needs of the project, the services sought, and/or the Proposer’s responsibilities; and/or

Illustrates the Proposer’s capability to perform all services and meet all Scope of Work requirements and Project Goals and Deliverables of the RFP; and/or

Reflects the MHSA values of:

o Stakeholder engagement;

o Cultural and linguistic competence;

o Client- and family-driven;

o Wellness, recovery, resilience focused service delivery, and;

o Integrated service experiences.

Demonstrates efforts to impact BH/JI population, including sub-groups, such as:

o Marginalized, vulnerable populations including, but not limited to, women, LGBTQ+ and individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

o Family members and/or caregivers of the BH/JI population.

Demonstrates efforts to promote and implement the following priority approaches:

o Fosters multi-disciplinary collaboration.

o Integrates lived experience practitioners (e.g., peers, promotor(a), community health workers, and navigators).

o Adopts best practices that:

advance health equity, diversity, and inclusion.

provide a trauma-informed approach to services.

are culturally and linguistically appropriate.

are gender responsive.

are LGBTQ+-responsive.

address the in-reach and post-release continuum of care needs of the BH/JI population.

lead to positive outcomes.

c) Desirable Qualifications (45 points):

Desirable Qualifications Rating Factors Points

Possible Points Earned

Proposers not meeting the following Desirable Qualifications shall not be disqualified. It is the proposer’s responsibility to provide the appropriate verification to qualify for these desirable qualifications.

1. Proposers and proposed staff have a minimum of three (3) years’ experience in the following:

Ability to manage and monitor the implementation and evaluation of Project Goals and Deliverables.

Ability to submit contract supporting documents in a timely manner (e.g., progress reports and invoices).

Fostering partnerships at the state and local level that promote multidisciplinary collaboration on the needs of the BH/JI population.

Written and verbal feedback in public stakeholder meetings.

Leading projects that improve access to public services for vulnerable populations.

0-5

Collaborating with other subcontractors to accomplish a shared project goal that addresses the needs of the BH/JI population.

The Proposer must have at least one staff who have LE with the justice and behavioral health systems who have been employed by the organization for at least one (1) year.

2. Preferred…