RFQ 262369380127 Support for EMS Supplemental Funding to Reimburse for Extreme Costs~1.docx

Request for Quotes Template for Service Engagements

RFQ File Name/Title: Support for EMS Supplemental Funding to Reimburse for Extreme Costs RFQ File Number: 262369380127 Object Code: P01 Purchasing Department: DPH Offices Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management (OPEM)

Engagement Team Leader/ Contact Person: Aaron Gettinger

Email: aaron.gettinger1@mass.gov

1. Description Or Purpose of Engagement:

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking a vendor to serve as a fiscal agent and support administering grants in accordance with Section 2A of Chapter 14 of the Acts of 2025 which made $5,000,000 available to municipalities for extraordinary EMS costs. This includes issuing nine awards in FY26, and the remaining in FY27 as directed by DPH. This vendor must have documented history supporting regional projects in public health, public safety, and work extensively with municipalities.

Only vendors with an existing contract under RFR 236938 “Public Health Services at the Local and Regional Level” are eligible to apply.

2. Whether Single Or Multiple Contractors Are Required For Engagement(s)

Single Contractor Multiple Contractors.

3. Indicate Engagement Performance and Business Specifications:

Scope of Service The selected vendor shall serve as the fiscal agent for the administration and disbursement of Department-designated funding to municipalities for eligible emergency medical service (EMS) costs. The vendor will operate under the direction and oversight of the DPH and will be responsible for implementing funding processes in accordance with DPH guidelines, timelines, and compliance requirements.

Roles and Responsibilities

DPH Direction and Funding Framework The vendor shall implement a formula-driven funding methodology as determined by DPH. DPH will establish and communicate:

· Municipal funding eligibility and allocation amounts

· Categories of allowable and non-allowable expenditures

· Required timelines for obligation and disbursement of funds

The vendor shall not modify these parameters and will ensure all activities align strictly with DPH-issued guidance.

Fund Administration and Disbursement The vendor shall administer funds to municipalities in accordance with DPH determinations. While allocations are assigned at the municipal level, all funds must ultimately be expended by the licensed ambulance service providing primary ambulance response within each respective city or town. The vendor shall ensure that disbursements are structured to reimburse extraordinary EMS costs consistent with DPH-defined criteria.

Municipal Engagement and Compliance Oversight The vendor shall:

· Provide technical assistance to municipalities regarding application procedures, documentation standards, and allowable costs

· Ensure municipalities adhere to all applicable procurement requirements, including state and local procurement laws and regulations

· Establish and enforce standardized reporting processes to document use of funds, including financial tracking and programmatic outcomes

· Review submissions for completeness, accuracy, and compliance prior to reimbursement

Differentiated Implementation Approach The vendor shall implement a phased approach to funding distribution:

· In Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), nine municipalities, as designated by DPH, will receive funding and may be subject to distinct requirements, timelines, or reporting expectations as defined by DPH.

· In Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27), eligibility will expand to include the remaining municipalities across the Commonwealth under a broader implementation model.

The vendor shall be responsible for managing these differing requirements and ensuring clear communication and compliance across both cohorts.

Reporting and Accountability The vendor shall maintain comprehensive records of all financial transactions and program activities and provide regular reports to DPH, including:

· Disbursement tracking and fund balances

· Municipal compliance with procurement and reporting requirements

· Documentation of reimbursed EMS costs

· Identification of risks, gaps, or non-compliance issues

The vendor shall promptly escalate any concerns to DPH and support corrective actions as directed.

RFQ Standard Template 1-2026

Evaluation Criteria The Vendor will need to include in their response:

1. Implementation plan to meet the requirements as presented in the scope of service.

2. Documentation of engagement with agencies and/or organizations including: a Massachusetts EMS Council, and a Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition.

3. Documentation of receipt of grant funding from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grant Research (OGR) for more than one Homeland Security Council.

4. An ability to work with the nine priority communities in FY26.

Performance Requirements and Engagement Monitoring

· In FY26, the vendor will send nine awards for funding prior to June 30, 2026, with the ability for the nine municipalities to utilize the funds in this fiscal year. Then in FY27, the vendor will work with the remaining communities identified by DPH to award funding withing 60 days of a municipality submitting an application.

· Annual reporting requirements will be required, showing how many municipalities have applied for funding, how many were approved, and how much funding is left. At the conclusion of FY27, a final report showing expended funds through 6/30/27 must be submitted The Department of Public Health is endeavoring to deliver the Best Value to facilitate our needs. However, it is important to measure the Contractor’s performance to ensure the Engagement is in compliance with what has been requested and what the Contractor has offered in this RFQ. The following performance areas will be subject to measurement:

1. Timely Delivery (Commodities, Services, Reports, Billing, etc.)

2. Responsiveness to Departmental Inquiries

3. Quality of Deliverables (Commodities, Services, Reports, etc.)

4. Performance Targets/Benchmarks (Quantities, Outcomes, etc.)

5. Attendance at scheduled meetings Payment through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is required for any engagement awarded through this solicitation.

4. Expected Duration of Engagement

Final End Date of this Engagement: 6/30/27 (equals the initial duration plus all renewal options)

The engagement signed as a result of this RFQ may be extended and additional dollars added in the event that a new contract replacing RFR 236938 is not finalized.

5. Anticipated Expenditures, Funding Or Compensation For Expected Duration

Dollar Amount

Will Federal Funds be used to fund any part of Engagement(s)?

No

Yes*

Sub-Recipient: Providers receiving federal grant funds will be considered sub-recipients for federal grant purposes and will be required to comply with applicable federal requirements, including but not limited to sub-recipient audit requirements under OMB Circular A-133.

Unique Entity Identifier: On April 4, 2022, the unique entity identifier used across the federal government changed from the DUNS Number to the Unique Entity ID also known as UEI or SAMS number. Any entity that wants to apply for federal contracts or wants to receive federal funds must register with SAM. Entities that use SAM include for profit businesses, nonprofits, government contractors or subcontractors, as well as state and local governments.

Registering with SAM.gov is free and is required for your organization to receive federal funds. Your organization can submit an application to this RFR without being registered on SAM, however if awarded your organization will need to have an active SAM account prior to contract execution.

Unspent Funds: Any funds from Capital, Trust and/or Federal Accounts designated in the budget that are unspent in any fiscal year will not be available for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year.

6. Confidentiality Agreement: will be required at time of engagement.

Yes No

If yes is checked, a copy of the confidentiality agreement is posted in attachments for informational purposes only. You do not need to sign and return it with your response.

7. Estimated Procurement Calendar Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as displayed on the COMMBUYS system clock. Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Q&A for Procurement Calendar updates.

Deadline for Submission of RFQ Q&A.1

May 1, 2026

4:00 PM

aaron.gettinger1@mass.gov

Deadline for Submission of Responses Also known as the BID Opening Date in COMMBUYS

May 11, 2026

4:00 PM

Anticipated Engagement Start Date

May 15, 2026

1All Questions must be received in writing. Questions can be sent by email no later than the date and time indicated in the Procurement Calendar. All questions should be sent to the email listed in the calendar and should include the RFQ title and number in the subject of the email. All Questions with answers will be posted on the COMMBUYS Attachment section for this procurement.

8. Instructions for Submission of Responses:

Responses must include, at a minimum, the following components:

· Cover Letter Signed by an authorized representative, including the legal name of the Respondent, address, and contact information.

· Statement of Qualifications Description of the Respondent’s experience, capabilities, and relevant past performance.

· Proposed Approach Narrative describing how the Respondent will meet the requirements outlined in the RFQ, including estimated staff hours and costs associated.

· Organizational Information Including structure and key personnel

· References At least three (3) references for similar work performed within the last three (3) years.

· Required Forms and Certification All forms required by the Commonwealth

Additional Response Requirements/Information:

All responses are to be submitted electronically using the online submission tools available to Vendors registered in COMMBUYS. There is no charge to register in COMMBUYS. To Register go to www.COMMBUYS.com and click on the “Register” link on the front page. COMMBUYS Vendor Registration Job Aide is also available.

All Quotes must be received by the Department of Public Health before the specified date, month, year and time of the Bid Opening Date displayed on COMMBUYS. Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as applicable.

All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission by considering potential online submission impediments like Internet traffic, Internet connection speed, file size, and file volume. DPH is not responsible for delays encountered by Bidders or their agents, or for a Bidder’s local hardware failures, such as computers or related networks, associated with bid compilation or submission. Bids submitted via COMMBUYS are time stamped by the COMMBUYS system clock which is considered the official time of record.

Bidders are encouraged to upload attachments well in advance of the Bid Opening Date. This will help to reduce disqualified submissions that can occur if upload is not fully completed or if an attachment is missing at the deadline. Prior to the Bid Opening Date listed in the Procurement Calendar above, documents can easily be deleted and revised versions can be uploaded. If you wish to revise or delete a quote after submission, you may do so prior to the bid opening date. Please review the Withdraw, Reopen, and Resubmit a Quote in COMMBUYS Job Aide for additional instructions.

No Bid in COMMBUYS Quote If you plan to submit a quote to this RFQ “No Bid” should not be checked anywhere in your quote in COMMBUYS. This includes on the General Screen and the Items tab. Checking No Bid sends your quote to a different location in COMMBUYS than the rest of the quotes for that Bid and you run the risk of the Department not receiving your response. The department will not guarantee that a bid received with a “No Bid” checked will be reviewed.

COMMBUYS Electronic Signatures Quotes submitted via COMMBUYS must be signed electronically by the Bidder or the Bidder’s Agent by accepting the terms and conditions of the bid on the “Terms & Conditions” tab in COMMBUYS. Bidders do this by selecting “Save & Continue” on the “Terms and Conditions” tab after accepting the terms and conditions of the bid. By agreeing to this the submitter attests that s/he is an agent of the Bidder with authority to sign on the Bidder’s behalf, and that s/he has read and assented to each document’s terms.

File Format Scanned documents will be accepted and must be scanned in such a way that they can be read on a computer monitor and printed on 81/2” x 11” paper, unless otherwise specified. Attachments must be uploaded individually and cannot be combined in a zipped file.

File Size Limits COMMBUYS will not accept files that approach or exceed 10 MB. If a large file fails to upload, the Bidder must save the contents as multiple files.

7. COMMBUYS Support

A link to a job aid on How to Submit a Quote on COMMBUYS COMMBUYS Resource Information at www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys Email: Send inquiries to the COMMBUYS OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov Telephone: Call the COMMBUYS Help Desk at 1-888-627-8283 or 617-720-3197. The Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal and state holidays.

Technical assistance is available during the procurement process. Every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

Bidders are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

Other Requirements Pertaining to this RFQ

Amendments to BID MDPH reserves the right to make amendments to the RFQ after the initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. MDPH and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

Fraud Risk Management and Reporting Requirements: Fraud is defined as any intentional illegal act characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust, committed by an individual or organization to obtain money, property, or services; to avoid payment or loss of property or services; or to secure personal or business advantage.

DPH requires that all providers have a zero-tolerance policy for fraud. All DPH providers must maintain internal fraud risk management policies and procedures that include regular risk assessments, internal controls, and a process for reporting and investigating incidents of suspected fraud. Such policies and procedures shall be made available to DPH for review upon written request.

Additionally, in connection with their work for DPH, providers are required to comply with the following obligations related to incidents of suspected fraud:

· Notification to DPH. Written notification of any incident of suspected fraud must be made as soon as possible, but no less than 5 business days, following discovery to your DPH program contract manager.

· Responsibility for Personnel. Providers are solely responsible for the actions of any individuals or entities it employs, contracts with, or otherwise uses in connection with the provision of the work under this RFQ to DPH, including, without limitation, any actions by such personnel that may result in an incident of suspected fraud and/or the misuse and/or abuse of Commonwealth funds.

· Cooperation. Irrespective of any actions taken by the provider, providers are expected to cooperate fully in any investigation, litigation, or other action deemed necessary by the Commonwealth in connection with an incident of suspected fraud.

· Corrective Measures. Immediately upon becoming aware of an incident of suspected fraud, the provider shall, at its own expense, take all reasonable and appropriate action necessary to mitigate, to the extent practicable, any harmful effect of the incident. Upon request, the provider, at its own expense, shall take such further actions as the Commonwealth may reasonably request, or shall take such additional action to assist the Commonwealth to further mitigate any harmful effect of the incident and prevent recurrence, including, without limitation, strengthening internal controls.

Failure to report incidents of suspected fraud in a timely manner may result in adverse consequences, including, but not limited to, any of the following: recoupment of funds, suspension of payments, required corrective action plans, suspension/termination of program participation and/or any contract with DPH, or civil or criminal penalties.

DPH use of DocuSign for Execution of Contracts: Contracts and Engagements for the Department are sent through DocuSign. Vendors will be able to use DocuSign to electronically sign and return all applicable contract forms to DPH. A web browser and valid email are all that are needed to access the documents through DocuSign. A DocuSign account is not required. Contracted vendors will be expected to keep their contract contact information updated through the life of their contract with the Department. The Job Aide “How to Sign MDPH Contracts and Engagements” is available in the attachment section for this RFQ on COMMBUYS.

MBTA Communities Compliance Grant Policy: The receipt of grant funds is contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L.

c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.”

Public Records: All information, documents, and attachments submitted as a response to this RFQ are considered a public document subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L., c. 66,

s. 10, and to c. 4, s. 7, ss. 26. Please be aware that checking the “confidential” box in COMMBUYS does not bar these documents from being released as a public record pursuant to these statutes once the procurement is awarded, unless statutorily exempt from disclosure.

· Program Resources and Assistance: Bidders and Contractors seeking assistance regarding SBPP may visit the SBPP webpage, http://www.mass.gov/sbpp, or contact the SBPP Help Desk at sbpp@mass.gov.

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