RFQQ 2026HCA7.final.docx

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND QUOTATIONS (RFQQ)

RFQQ NO. 2026HCA7

NOTE: If you download this RFQQ from any source other than the Washington Electronic Business Solution (WEBS), you are responsible for registering in WEBS for your organization to receive any RFQQ amendments, including Bidder questions/agency answers. HCA is not responsible for any failure of your organization to register in WEBS or any other repercussions that may result to your organization because of this failure.

PROJECT TITLE: As needed convenience contracts for Tribal focused health care consulting, project management, engagement, coordination, and native artistry in numerous areas of expertise.

BID DUE DATE: July 31, 2026 by 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Olympia, Washington, USA.

Only e-mailed bids will be accepted.

ESTIMATED TIME PERIOD FOR CONTRACTS: August 31, 2026 to June 30, 2031.

The Health Care Authority reserves the right to extend the contracts in one (1) year periods, for up to five (5) years at its sole discretion, dependent on mutual agreement of the contract terms by the parties.

BIDDER ELIGIBILITY: This solicitation is open to those Bidders that satisfy the minimum qualifications stated herein and that are available for work in Washington State.

HCA RFQQ No. Page 1 of 37 Exhibit F HCA RFQQ No. Page

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

DEFINITIONS

Definitions for the purposes of this RFQQ include:

Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) – The Bidder selected as the entity to perform the anticipated services under this RFQQ, subject to completion of contract negotiations and execution of a written contract.

Bid – A formal offer submitted in response to this solicitation. To be responsive, a Bid must include all items outlined in Section 3 (BID CONTENTS AND REQUIREMENTS). Two such items that may be referred to throughout this document are:

1) Quotation – Bidder’s cost as described in Section 3.8 and Exhibit D.

2) Qualifications – Bidder’s qualifications as described in Section 3.7 and Exhibit C.

Bidder – Individual or company interested in the RFQQ that submits a Bid to attain a contract with the Health Care Authority.

Business Day – Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, except for holidays observed by the state of Washington, unless otherwise specified within the RFQQ.

Health Care Authority or HCA – An executive agency of the state of Washington that is issuing this RFQQ.

Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) – Formal solicitation document in which a service or need is identified, and firms are invited to provide their qualifications and quotation to provide the services.

Revised Code of Washington (RCW) – The laws of the state of Washington, as enacted by the Legislature. Any references to specific titles, chapters, or sections of the RCW include any substitute, successor, or replacement title, chapter, or section. Pertinent RCW chapters can be accessed at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/.

Subcontractor – A person, partnership, or entity not in the employment of or owned by the Bidder, who would be performing all or part of the services under this RFQQ under a separate contract with or on behalf of the Bidder. The term “Subcontractor” means Subcontractors in any tier.

Washington’s Electronic Business Solution or WEBS – An internet-based bid notification system HCA uses to post competitive solicitations. Individuals and firms interested in state contracting opportunities with the Department of Enterprise Services or any state agency should register for competitive solicitation notices on WEBS. Note: There is no cost to register on WEBS.

Work Order - Contractual document containing specific statement(s) of work issued under any as-needed contract awarded as a result of this RFP. Each Work Order must be within the scope of the as-needed contract must be signed by authorized representatives of each party prior to work commencing.

ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES

*Dates are anticipated and subject to change without an official amendment.

HCA reserves the right in its sole discretion to revise the above schedule at any time.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The Washington State Health Care Authority, hereafter called “HCA”, is initiating this Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) with the intent to award a contract to multiple bidders for each health consulting category outlined in this RFQQ. The objective of the contracts is to deliver as-needed services to HCA in the following categories of health consulting which have a focus on Tribes and Urban Indian Health Programs. Bidders will bid for the categories of consulting that they are most suited for based on experience and expertise. Bidders will identify these service categories and activities in their bid. HCA does not expect every Bidder to provide a bid for every category, especially if it is not their intention or strength in that capacity. The details of these consulting service categories are outlined as:

1. Tribal Engagement Coordinating Entity:

ASB will be responsible for working with Tribal governments and Tribal governmental partners including HCA, other state agencies, Tribal organizations, and non-Tribal health care partners such as managed care entities, Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BH-ASO), and accountable communities of health.

ASB will coordinate with these groups in order to support HCA in Tribal engagement; provide health policy consultation; and standing up needed Tribal specific committees, boards, and workgroups bringing Tribal governments, Urban Indian Health Programs, Tribal organizations, and state agency partners together to discuss health care delivery and policy improvements focused on raising health care outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) individuals in Washington State. Focus areas will be but are not limited to, opioid response, crisis response, Medicaid transformation, behavioral health, traditional health care practices, etc.

Experience includes knowledge and expertise in the Indian health care delivery system and experience working with Tribal governments in Washington State, Indian health care providers in Washington State, and entities that are Tribally operated or created by a Tribe or through Tribal delegation.

2. Strategic Planning:

ASB will be responsible for establishing connections, coordinating communications and meetings, creating workgroups, and facilitating group planning and meetings in order to develop strategic plans. Work would include managing the development of strategic plans and engaging Tribal governments, Urban Indian Health Programs and Tribal organizations as appropriate for feedback and working in partnership with HCA to finalize the strategic plans. Potential group members could include Tribal governments and Tribal governmental partners including HCA; Department of Social and Health Services; Department of Health; Division of Children, Youth, and Families; and parties serving AI/AN individuals across the state.

Examples of strategic plan topics include AI/AN opioid response planning, AI/AN Tribal crisis plannings, Medicaid transformation state planning, Governor’s Indian Health Advisory Committee strategic plans, and traditional health care services strategic planning, etc.

3. Partnerships and Coalitions:

ASB will work with Tribal governmental health partners, including HCA and AI/AN communities, in establishing and maintaining community partnerships; coalition building with public agencies, health care providers, and health insurance providers; facilitating external or internal focus groups with Tribes, Urban Indian Health Programs, and/or the AI/AN population; and establish governance models for new programs. This work would include developing strategic solutions to address specific business needs, sustainable financing models, administrative procedures, dispute resolution processes, and identifying common ground communications.

Experience includes convening and hosting large meetings, including agenda preparation, scheduling speakers, moderate sessions, and evaluating meeting outcomes; and experience working with Washington State Tribes, Urban Indian Health Programs, and Tribal consortia in developing partnerships and coalitions.

4. Development, Evaluation and Assessment of Health Program Delivery for AI/AN Individuals:

ASB will be responsible for developing tools and processes to assess the integrity and effectiveness of health programs and insurance benefits as it relates to services for the AI/AN population. Programs include the delivery of health services by Indian health care providers operated by Tribal governments and Urban Indian Health Programs. Work could include review and assessments of health benefits packages, enrollment, eligibility, and coverage; strategic plans; surveys of providers or clients; and developing strategy models to determine recommended changes and project management services.

Experience includes program and policy development and evaluation and assessment for service delivery to AI/AN individuals; experience working with these topics with Washington State Tribes, Urban Indian Health Programs, and Tribal Consortia; and experience in best practices for AI/AN data collection.

5. Health Care Information Technology for Indian Health Care Providers:

ASB would be responsible for systems/process analysis and assessment; implementation and integration of applications and systems on premises and in the cloud; communications to involved or affected parties; quality assurance reporting; clinical quality measurement; conducting feasibility studies; providing business cases to justify an investment in change; providing project management services to assist HCA to identify and articulate solutions and changes through technology; providing understanding of applicable state and federal laws and regulations; and providing health care and IT trends and best practices.

Experience includes experience related to systems, methods, and practices to manage and protect health care information at rest and in transit, Medicaid Information Technology Architecture Framework (MITA), and Health Care Analytics and Business Intelligence.

6. AI/AN Delivery System Reform:

ASB will be partnering with Tribal governments, Indian health care providers, and Urban Indian health programs to provide innovative, cutting-edge initiatives to drive delivery system reform. This includes development of new models for the payment and delivery of healthcare services and the inclusion of social supports into clinical models. ASB would provide expertise on strategic health care and community partnerships that will accelerate the transition through payment methods, targeted incentives, and provider capacity support to deliver value for outcomes for AI/AN individuals, for services provided by Indian Health Care Providers, and for other entities. ASB could possibly assist with technical support in program design, program financing, and processes for comprehensive project planning development and implementations.

ASB would also provide expertise in community needs assessments and capacity planning, as well as support at the individual provider level. ASB would need to have the ability to rapidly deploy experts and consultants to assist in Indian health care delivery system capacity building and transformation and provide project management services related to the delivery system reform initiatives. Additional services could include providing guidance on certificates of need, anti-trust issues, and legal entity options.

Experience includes evaluating project and provider performance, including support with determining the implications of federal and state delivery system data collection and reporting requirements and prior experience providing reform efforts from other states similar to the state of Washington in the health care industry, specifically for the AI/AN population.

7. Media Vendors and Artists:

ASB will work with Tribal governments, Tribal health and social service programs, Urban Indian Organizations, and/or Native Tribally owned or operated Native media company or Tribal artists to develop creative art elements for AI/AN health messaging which may include the "For Our Lives" campaign, “Native and Strong”, etc. Potential elements would include backgrounds, borders, symbols, visual or audio media, and other creative designs to enhance current campaign material or the development of new campaign material. In addition, ASB would potentially be working on coordinating placement of media buys and collaboration with existing vendors, as well as attending and representing the work at Tribal events. Any art development would have a focus on the unique elements that are culturally specific to the 29 Tribes and 2 Urban Indian Health Programs of Washington State.

Experience includes prior projects creating media campaign art, collective art and media projects, development of art and art elements for health messaging. Strong preference for experience working with Native art and AI/AN artists.

8. Tribal Health Conferences and Gathering:

ASB will be responsible for organizing and hosting Tribal health care conferences and gathering convening Tribal governments, Indian health care providers, Urban Indian Health Programs, Tribal organizations, and state agency Tribal partners focused on health-related topics. Hosting and organizing the meetings could include coordinating dates and checking availability with potential conference attendees, recruiting presenters, organizing vendors, creating conference materials, managing registration, securing venue and catering, organizing lodging, on-site or virtual management and coordination, accounting for reasonable accommodations for conference attendees, and communications related to all aspects of the conference or gathering.

Experience includes prior hosting of conferences and/or gatherings, with a strong preference for those conferences and/or gatherings to be focused on health care, Tribal related topics, and/or with a focus on Tribal attendance.

BACKGROUND

Washington State through HCA purchases and coordinates health care services and treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents, as well as community behavioral health services, supports, recovery, and prevention efforts for the entire state. Health care, including behavioral health, is continuously evolving and therefore the federal, state, and industry expectations are continuously changing and new legislative directives, federal mandates, and rules and regulations surrounding the services are being enacted.

HCA recognizes that different communities have different needs and priorities when addressing healthcare needs, as well as different legislative directives. Through this RFQQ, HCA will be focusing on gathering a qualified pool of selected Bidders who understand, have knowledge of, and experience with Tribes’ and Urban Indian Health Programs’ unique culture, communities, and healthcare goals. With this preestablished pool of selected Bidders, HCA will be able to more efficiently and timely execute Work Orders in order to promptly commence work on Tribal and Urban Indian Health Program healthcare goals and respond to the evolving healthcare legislation.

SCOPE OF WORK

Each ASB will be issued an as needed Contract specific to the health consulting category they submit and are awarded for this RFQQ and will be part of a pool of qualified Contractors for HCA to use as needed. As services are needed HCA will select the Contractor in the established pool which best meets the need of HCA, Contractor(s) and HCA will then agree upon timeframes and responsibilities as they relate to the establishing of the new Work Order(s). Each Work Order will consist of its own unique Statement of Work, deliverables, timeframes, and effort/cost related to the work, and must be signed by authorized representatives of each party prior to work commencing.

Each Work Order will have an identified Work Order contact for providing status updates, check-ins, and setting work direction. The Contractor may be responsible for resolving issues and addressing risks or delays related to the work order deliverables.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The following are the minimum qualifications for Bidders:

1.6.1 Licensed to do business in the state of Washington or provide a commitment that it will become licensed in Washington within 30 calendar days of being selected as the ASB.

1.6.2 Bidder must have two (2) years of experience working with Tribal governments, Tribal partners, Urban Indian health Programs, and/or in a Tribal setting.

1.6.3 Bidders must have three (3) years of experience in each Category the Bidders submits a proposal for.

1.7 FUNDING

1.7.1 Over the life of the Contract(s) there is not a minimum or maximum award amount. HCA intends to award Contracts to as many qualifying ASBs as HCA deems necessary. Awarded Contracts will have no initial payments or funds awarded. Funding amounts will be determined on an as needed basis for each Work Order. The execution of an as needed Contract does not guarantee any minimum or maximum amount of work. The amount of services that are utilized under an as needed Contract is at HCA’s sole discretion.

1.7.2 The as needed Contracts will not include any initial payments or awarded funds. Contracts will list an hourly rate table as submitted by ASB for use when creating a Work Order which includes hourly rates, see Exhibit D - Quotation. When a Work Order is issued, it will carry forth the terms and conditions listed in the executed Contract. Work Orders will be paid as deliverable based or at an hourly rate. The HCA Contract Manager and Contractor will determine the appropriate payment structure for each Work Order issued.

1.7.3 Any Contract and/or Work Order awarded as a result of this RFQQ is contingent upon the availability of funding.

1.8 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

1.8.1 The period of performance of any Contract resulting from this RFQQ is tentatively scheduled to begin on August 31, 2026, and to end on June 30, 2031.

1.8.2 Amendments extending the Contract(s) period of performance, if any, will be at the sole discretion of HCA. Work Orders issued off any Contract will have their own unique period of performance and will be within this timeframe.

1.8.3 HCA reserves the right to extend Contract(s) for up to five (5) additional one (1) - year periods.

1.9 Americans with disabilies act

HCA complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Interested parties may contact the RFQQ Coordinator to receive reasonable accommodations to participate in the RFQQ, including written information in another format (e.g., large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, and other formats).

2 GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS

2.6 RFQQ COORDINATOR

The RFQQ Coordinator is the sole point of contact in HCA for this solicitation. All communication between the Bidder and HCA upon release of this RFQQ must be with the RFQQ Coordinator, as follows:

Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on HCA. Bidders are to rely on written statements issued by the RFQQ Coordinator. Communication directed to parties other than the RFQQ Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Bidder.

2.7 PRE-BID CONFERENCE

A pre-bid conference is scheduled to be held on June 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time via a Microsoft Teams Meeting. All prospective Bidders should attend; however, attendance is not mandatory. For attendance, please join using the following Microsoft Teams Meeting link and information:

Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/289268134101471?p=Ou0CxwnI6tMqdhbD7r Meeting ID: 289 268 134 101 471 Passcode: 76ji6e7e HCA will be bound only to HCA written answers to questions. Questions arising at the pre-bid conference or in subsequent communication with the RFQQ Coordinator will be documented and answered in written form. A copy of the questions and answers will be posted on WEBS as an Amendment to this RFQQ.

2.8 INTERESTED SUBCONTRACTOR LIST

HCA supports and encourages contracts and subcontracts with small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses. To support participation in this process, the RFQQ Coordinator will add a list of Interested Subcontractors to the RFQQ. The RFQQ Coordinator will prepare the List based on the timely and complete submission of specific information requested in this section. The purpose of the List is to communicate to prime bidders the capabilities of interested subcontractors who can perform components of this RFQQ’s Scope of Work.

2.8.1 Interested Subcontractor Instructions

Failure to follow the instructions in this Section may prevent your information from being included in the List.

An interested party must complete the below table to submit their firm name, contact information, and the summary of their capabilities as they relate to this RFQQ’s Scope of Work. Submissions are limited to what is requested in the table below and capability summaries must be two paragraphs or less.

The RFQQ Coordinator will only include the information requested below. Do not submit marketing materials.

Submissions must be emailed to the RFQQ Coordinator, with the subject line “RFP 2026HCA7 Interested Subcontractor List – [Interested Subcontractor Name]” by the date specified in Section 1.2 (ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES).

All material submitted for the Interested Subcontractor List becomes a public record.

Summary of your capabilities as it relates to the Scope of Work

2.8.2 Posting Date

Complete and timely submissions will be compiled and posted in alphabetical order by interested subcontractor name. HCA anticipates the List will be posted as an RFP amendment on the Interested Subcontractor List Posted date identified in Section 1.2 (ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES). Late submissions will not be posted.

2.8.3 Information Provided As-Is

The Interested Subcontractor List is provided as an opportunity to support participation in this RFQQ. HCA provides this information as a courtesy with no warranties or representations as to any party and no guarantee of a subcontract. The Interested Subcontractor List shall not be construed as an endorsement by the state of Washington or HCA. The interested party is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their submission.

2.9 BIDDER QUESTIONS PERIOD

Bidders are provided an opportunity to ask questions during the bidder question period which starts on the date of the RFQQ posting and concludes on the Questions Due date specified in Section 1.2 (ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES).

2.9.1 Questions regarding the RFQQ will only be accepted in writing, sent by email to the RFQQ Coordinator. The Bidder must use the following email subject line when submitting questions: “RFQQ 2026HCA7 Question(s) – [Bidder Name]” to ensure timely receipt.

2.9.2 HCA anticipates it will post answers to the questions in WEBS as an RFQQ amendment on the Answers Posted date specified in Section 1.2 (ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES).

2.9.3 HCA is under no obligation to respond to any questions received after the Questions Due date but may do so at its discretion.

2.10 SUBMISSION OF BIDS

Bids must be received by the RFQQ Coordinator no later than the Bid Due deadline in Section 1.2 (ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES). Bids must be submitted electronically as an attachment to an e-mail to the RFQQ Coordinator at the e-mail address listed in Section 2.1, and meet the following requirements:

2.10.1 Attachments to e-mail must be in Microsoft Word format or PDF.

2.10.2 Zipped files cannot be received by HCA and cannot be used for submission of Bids.

2.10.3 The forms and certifications that require authorized signature (as designated in section 3.1, BID CONTENTS OVERVIEW) must have a signature of the individual within the organization authorized to bind the Bidder to the offer.

2.10.4 HCA does not assume responsibility for problems with Bidder’s e-mail. If HCA e-mail is not working, appropriate allowances will be made.

Bidders should allow sufficient time to ensure timely receipt of the bid by the RFQQ Coordinator. Late bids will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration, unless HCA e-mail is found to be at fault or HCA deems a grace period is in the best interest of the State. All bids and any accompanying documentation become the property of HCA and will not be returned.

2.11 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION / PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

Bids submitted in response to this RFQQ will become the property of HCA. All bids received will remain confidential until the Apparent Successful Bidder is announced; thereafter, the bids will be deemed public records as defined in chapter 42.56 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

Any information in the bid that the Bidder desires to claim as proprietary and exempt from disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW, or other state or federal law that provides for the nondisclosure of a document, must be clearly designated. Each page claimed to be exempt from disclosure must be clearly identified and must reference either: (1) the specific basis claimed under 42.56 RCW, or (2) a statement of why the information is designated propriety. Each page containing the information claimed to be exempt from disclosure must be clearly identified by the words “Proprietary Information” printed on the lower right-hand corner of the page. Marking the entire bid exempt from disclosure or as Proprietary Information will not be honored.

If a public records request is made for the information that the Bidder has marked as “Proprietary Information,” HCA will notify the Bidder of the request and of the date that the records will be released to the requester unless the Bidder obtains a court order enjoining that disclosure. If the Bidder fails to obtain the court order enjoining disclosure, HCA will release the requested information on the date specified. If a Bidder obtains a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction enjoining disclosure pursuant to chapter 42.56 RCW, or other state or federal law that provides for nondisclosure, HCA will maintain the confidentiality of the Bidder’s information per the court order.

A charge will be made for copying and shipping, as outlined in RCW 42.56. No fee will be charged for inspection of contract files, but 24 hours’ notice to the RFQQ Coordinator is required. All requests for information should be directed to the RFQQ Coordinator.

The submission of any public records request to HCA pertaining in any way to this RFQQ will not affect the solicitation schedule, as outlined in Section 1.2, unless HCA, in its sole discretion, determines that altering the schedule would be in HCA’s best interests.

2.12 REVISIONS TO THE RFQQ

If HCA determines in its sole discretion that it is necessary to revise any part of this RFQQ, then HCA will publish addenda on WEBS. For this purpose, the published questions and answers and any other pertinent information will be provided as an addendum to the RFQQ and will be published on WEBS.

HCA also reserves the right to cancel or to reissue the RFQQ in whole or in part, prior to execution of a contract.

2.13 COMPLAINT PROCESS

The complaint process allows potential Bidders to focus on the solicitation requirements and evaluation process and raise issues early enough in the process to allow HCA to correct a problem before bids are submitted. The complaint period starts on the date of the RFQQ posting and concludes on the Complaints Due date identified in Section 1.2 (ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES).

2.13.1 Potential Bidders may submit a complaint to HCA based on any of the following:

1. The RFQQ unnecessarily restricts competition;

The RFQQ evaluation or scoring process is unfair or unclear; or The RFQQ requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a response.

2.13.2 For a complaint to be considered, it must be received by HCA by 5:00 pm PT on the Complaints Due date identified in Section 1.2. The complaint must:

1. Be in writing;

Be sent to the RFQQ Coordinator, or designee;

Clearly articulate the basis for the complaint; and Include a proposed remedy.

2.13.3 HCA will address any complaint as follows:

1. The RFQQ Coordinator, or designee will respond to the complaint in writing.

The response to the complaint and any changes to the RFQQ will be posted on WEBS.

The Director of HCA will be notified of all complaints and will be provided a copy of HCA’s response.

Complaints may not be raised again during a protest and HCA’s action or inaction in response to a complaint will be final. There is no appeal process.

2.14 RESPONSIVENESS

The RFQQ Coordinator will review all bids to determine compliance with administrative requirements and instructions specified in this RFQQ. A Bidder’s failure to comply with any part of the RFQQ may result in rejection of the bid as non-responsive.

HCA also reserves the right at its sole discretion to waive minor administrative irregularities.

2.15 MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

HCA reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the bid submitted. Therefore, the bid should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the Bidder can propose. HCA reserves the right to contact a Bidder for clarification of its bid.

The ASB should be prepared to accept this RFQQ for incorporation into a contract resulting from this RFQQ. The contract resulting from this RFQQ will incorporate some, or all, of the Bidder’s bid. The bid will become a part of the official solicitation file on this matter without obligation to HCA.

2.16 RECEIPT OF INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF BIDS

If HCA receives only one responsive bid as a result of this RFQQ, HCA reserves the right to either: 1) directly negotiate and contract with the Bidder; or 2) not award any contract at all. HCA may continue to have the Bidder complete the entire RFQQ. HCA is under no obligation to tell the Bidder if it is the only Bidder.

2.17 NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

This RFQQ does not obligate HCA to enter into any contract for services specified herein.

2.18 REJECTION OF BIDS

HCA reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any and all bids received without penalty and not to issue any contract as a result of this RFQQ.

2.19 Subcontractor Participation Monitoring and Reporting

Pursuant to Executive Order 22-01, Equity in Public Contracting (dated 01/07/2022), Bidders using Subcontractors for any part of this work will be subject to the requirements of this section if awarded a contract as a result of this solicitation.

Once a contract is awarded through the solicitation process, the awarded Contractor is obligated to complete a new vendor registration in Access Equity. Access Equity (B2Gnow) is a secure business diversity management system available online at https://omwbe.diversitycompliance.com/.

Confidential Information (e.g., Tax ID, etc.) will not be published in Access Equity. Contractors that have previously registered with B2Gnow for any public entity, must verify and ensure that Access Equity contains their most up-to-date registration information. Contractors can navigate online to Access Equity at https://omwbe.diversitycompliance.com/ or through a direct link on the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) website at: https://omwbe.wa.gov/.

During the contract term, the Contractor will report monthly payments to all relevant Subcontractors in Access Equity. Monthly reporting information includes total dollar payments made to relevant Subcontractors, payment dates, and any additional information required to verify payment to Subcontractors. The Contractor will enter this payment information into Access Equity, and the Subcontractors will verify this payment information in the system. This requirement applies to both Contractors and Subcontractors. Online training is available through Access Equity.

HCA RFQQ No. Page 3 of 3

HCA RFQQ No. 2026HCA7 Page 20 of 26

3 BID CONTENTS AND REQUIREMENTS

3.1 BID CONTENTS OVERVIEW

Bids must be submitted per the instructions in Sections 2.10 (SUBMISSION OF BIDS) and 3.2 (BID REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES) in the order noted below.

3.1.1 Bidder Forms and Certifications (Exhibit A)

All the following are included in Exhibit A:

1. Bidder Profile & Submittal Form* (RFQQ Section 3.3 and Exhibit A, Section A)

1. Diverse Business Inclusion Plan (RFQQ Section 3.4 and Exhibit A, Section B)

1. Executive Order 18-03 Worker’s Rights* (RFQQ Section 3.5 and Exhibit A, Section C)

3.1.2 Draft Contract (Section 3.7 and Exhibit B)

3.1.3 Qualifications (Section 3.8 and Exhibit C)

3.1.4 Quotation (Section 3.9 and Exhibit D)

*Authorized signature required

3.2 BID REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES

Bids must comply with the requirements or restrictions listed below. Failure to do so may result in the disqualification of the Bidder’s Bid:

3.2.1 State the Bidder’s full legal name on the first or cover page of the Bid.

3.2.2 Bids must provide information in the same order as presented in this RFQQ and with the same headings. Title and number each item in the same way it appears in the RFQQ. Each question must be restated prior to the Bidder’s response.

3.2.3 All items listed in Section 3.1 (BID CONTENTS OVERVIEW) must be included as part of the Bid for the Bid to be considered responsive; however, only the following items will be scored during the evaluation process: Executive Order 18-03 Worker’s Rights and Qualifications.

3.2.4 Page limits stated in this RFQQ are determined by counting single sides of the response. HCA has no obligation to read, consider, or score any material exceeding the stated page limits. There will be no grounds for protest if critical information is on the pages exceeding the specified page limit that is not reviewed.

3.2.5 Bidders are liable for all errors or omissions contained in their Bids. Bidders will not be allowed to alter Bid documents after the deadline for Bid submission. HCA is not liable for any errors in Bids.

HCA is under no obligation to consider any supplemental materials submitted that were not requested.

3.3 BIDDER PROFILE & SUBMITTAL FORM (MANDATORY)

Exhibit A, Bidder Forms and Certifications, Section A, Bidder Profile & Submittal Form must be completed in its entirety and signed and dated by a person authorized to legally bind the Bidder to a contractual relationship (e.g., the President or Executive Director if a corporation, the managing partner if a partnership, or the proprietor if a sole proprietorship).

3.4 DIVERSE BUSINESS INCLUSION PLAN (SCORED)

Exhibit A, Bidder Forms and Certifications, Section B, Diverse Business Inclusion Plan must be completed in its entirety. In accordance with legislative findings and policies set forth in RCW 39.19 the State of Washington encourages participation in all contracts by firms certified by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE), set forth in RCW 43.60A.200 for firms certified by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, and set forth in RCW 39.26.005 for firms that are Washington Small Businesses. Participation may be either on a direct basis or on a Subcontractor basis. However, no preference on the basis of participation is included in the evaluation of Diverse Business Inclusion Plans submitted, and no minimum level of minority- and women-owned business enterprise, Washington Small Business, or Washington State certified Veteran Business participation is required as a condition for receiving an award. Any affirmative action requirements set forth in any federal governmental regulations included or referenced in the contract documents will apply.

3.5 EXECUTIVE ORDER 18-03 (SCORED)

Bidder must review Exhibit A, Bidder Forms and Certifications, Section C and respond as to whether the Bidder requires its employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses and class or collective action waivers.

3.6 DRAFT CONTRACT (MANDATORY)

The ASB will be expected to enter into a contract which is substantially the same as the sample contract and its general terms and conditions attached as Exhibit B. HCA will not accept any draft contracts prepared by any Bidder. The Bidder must be prepared to agree to all terms of the attached Exhibit B, Draft Contract, as presented or the Bid may be rejected. If Bidder has exceptions to the terms and conditions, they must include with their Bid a copy of the Draft Contract with redline edits/comments documenting the changes they propose to be made if selected as ASB. If the Bidder fails to identify an objection to any particular term or condition, the term or condition will be deemed agreed to by the Bidder. HCA will review requested exceptions and accept or reject the same at its sole discretion.

If, after the announcement of the ASB, and after a reasonable period of time, the ASB and HCA cannot reach agreement on acceptable terms for the Contract, the HCA may cancel the selection and Award the Contract to the next most qualified Bidder

3.7 QUALIFICATIONS (SCORED)

Exhibit C, Qualifications. Bidders must indicate which Category or Category(ies) they are submitting a Bid for. Bidders shall respond to all questions listed for each Category chosen. Responses shall be completed in their entirety in accordance with the page limits identified within Exhibit C, Qualifications.

3.8 QUOTATION (MANDATORY)

Exhibit D – Quotation. Bidders are to respond to each question in Exhibit D, Quotation. Responses shall be completed in their entirety in accordance with the page limits identified within Exhibit D, Quotation. Bidders are to respond using Exhibit D, Quotation as its template to ensure compliance with the formatting requirements outlined in Exhibit D, Quotation.

4 EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD

4.1 EVALUATION PROCEDURE

Responsive Bids will be evaluated strictly in accordance with the requirements stated in this RFQQ and any addenda issued. The evaluation of bids will be accomplished by an evaluation team, to be designated by HCA, which will determine the ranking of the bids. Evaluation teams could be comprised of internal (HCA) and external individuals. Evaluations will only be based upon information provided in the Bidder’s Bid.

4.1.1 All bids received by the stated deadline in Section 1.2 (ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES) will be reviewed by the RFQQ Coordinator to ensure that they contain all of the required information requested in the RFQQ. Only responsive bids that meet the requirements will be evaluated by the evaluation team. Any Bidder who does not meet the stated qualifications or any bid that does not contain all the required information will be rejected as non-responsive.

4.1.2 HCA may, at its sole discretion, waive minor administrative irregularities.

4.1.3 The RFQQ Coordinator may, at their sole discretion, contact the Bidder for clarification of any portion of the Bidder’s Bid. Bidders should take every precaution to ensure that all answers are clear, complete, and directly address the specific requirement.

4.1.4 Responsive Qualifications will be reviewed and scored by an evaluation team using the weighted scoring system described in Section 4.2 (EVALUATION WEIGHTING AND SCORING). Qualifications will be evaluated strictly in accordance with the requirements set forth in this RFQQ and any addenda issued.

4.1.5 The evaluation of the Divers Business Inclusion plan and Executive Order 18-03 will be completed by the RFQQ Coordinator.

4.1.6 HCA, at its sole discretion, may elect to select finalists for an oral presentation.

4.1.7 HCA reserves the right to award the contract(s) to the Bidder(s) whose bid(s) are deemed to be in the best interest of HCA and the state of Washington.

4.2 EVALUATION WEIGHTING AND SCORING

Bidders’ final scores will be based on the following scored items: Executive Order 18-03, Washington Small and/or Certified Veteran Owned Business, and Qualifications.

4.2.1 Washington Small and/or Certified Veteran owned Businesses Pursuant to Department of Enterprise Services (DES) Policy DES-090-06, and in furtherance of Washington’s business inclusion goals, HCA will evaluate bids for best value and will provide a bid preference in the amount of 25 points to any bidder who certifies, pursuant to Exhibit A – Bidder’s Certification, that Bidder qualifies as a Washington Small Business or a Certified Veteran-Owned Business.

4.2.2 Executive Order 18-03

Pursuant to RCW 39.26.160(3) and consistent with Executive Order 18-03 – Supporting Workers’ Rights to Effectively Address Workplace Violations (dated June 12, 2018), HCA will evaluate bids for best value and provide a preference in the amount of 25 points to any Bidder who certifies, pursuant to the certification included in Exhibit A, Bidder Forms and Certifications, Section C, that their firm does NOT require its employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waiver. Bidders that do require their employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waiver will not be disqualified from evaluation of this RFQQ, however they will receive 0 out of 25 points for this section.

4.2.3 Scoring of Qualifications

Each question in Exhibit C, Qualifications has been assigned a weight. Points will be assigned to each question based upon the average of all evaluation team members scores for the question (0-10) multiplied by the weight indicated below. Individual question scores will then be combined to result in the Bidder’s total weighted score. Any point calculations that result in decimal points will be rounded to the nearest whole number. The weight and maximum points for each question are as outlined in the following Evaluation Table:

Evaluation Table

4.2.4 Scoring Rubric for Written Response

Evaluators will score the sections outlined in the Evaluation Table above using the following (0-10) scoring rubric:

Scoring Rubric

4.2.5 Review of Quotation

Exhibit D, Quotation, responses are mandatory but are not scored. Quotation responses will be reviewed by the HCA evaluation team strictly in accordance with the requirements set forth in this RFQQ and any amendment issued. Quotation responses with hourly rates will be incorporated into the ASB’s resulting Contracts and may be used for any resulting Work Orders.

4.2.6 Total Score

Evaluation Table – All Scored Items

4.3 BEST AND FINAL OFFER (BAFO)

HCA reserves the right to use a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) before awarding any contract to further assist in determining the ASB(s).

4.4 SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT SCORES

Substantially Equivalent Scores are scores separated by two percent or less in total points. If multiple bids receive a Substantially Equivalent Score, HCA may leave the matter as scored, or select as the ASB the one bid that is deemed by HCA, in its sole discretion, to be in HCA’s best interest relative to the overall purpose and objective as stated in Section 1.3 of this RFQQ.

If applicable, HCA’s best interest will be determined by HCA staff, who have sole discretion over this determination. The basis for such determination will be communicated in writing to all Bidders with Substantially Equivalent Scores.

4.5 NOTIFICATION TO BIDDERS

HCA will announce the ASB to all Bidders via the WEBS notification system.

4.6 DEBRIEFING OF UNSUCCESSFUL BIDDERS

Any Bidder who has submitted a bid and been notified it was not selected for contract award may request a debriefing conference. The request for a debriefing conference must be received by the RFQQ Coordinator no later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, within three (3) Business Days after the Unsuccessful Bidder Notification is e-mailed to the Bidder. The debriefing will be held within three (3) Business Days of the request, or as schedules allow.

Discussion at the debriefing conference will be limited to the following:

4.6.1 Evaluation and scoring of the Bidder’s Bid;

4.6.2 Critique of the Bid based on the evaluation; and

4.6.3 Review of the Bidder’s final score in comparison with other final scores without identifying the other Bidders.

Topics a Bidder could have raised as part of the COMPLAINT PROCESS (Section 2.13) cannot be discussed as part of the debriefing conference, even if the Bidder did not submit a complaint.

Comparisons between bids, or evaluations of the other bids will not be allowed. Debriefing conferences may be conducted in person or on the telephone and will be scheduled for a maximum of thirty (30) minutes.

4.7 PROTEST PROCEDURE

A protest may be made only by Bidders who submitted a bid in response to this RFQQ and who have participated in a debriefing conference. Upon completing the debriefing conference, the Bidder is allowed five (5) Business Days to file a protest. Protests must be received by the Contracts Administrator no later than 4:30 p.m., Pacific Time, on the fifth Business Day following the Bidder’s debriefing. Protests must be submitted by e-mail to ensure timely receipt.

Consistent with RCW 39.26.030, bid submissions and bid evaluations will be available for public inspection following the announcement of ASB(s). If requested by a Bidder who received a debriefing pursuant to Section 4.6, the protest period will not conclude before the requestor has been provided with the applicable bid submissions and bid evaluations and provided five (5) Business Days to review the same. Bidder is responsible for notifying the RFQQ Coordinator of any such public disclosure requests so the timeline can be adjusted accordingly.

Bidders protesting this RFQQ must follow the procedures described below. Protests that do not follow these procedures will not be considered. This protest procedure constitutes the sole administrative remedy available to Bidders under this RFQQ.

4.7.1 All protests must be in writing, addressed to the Contracts Administrator, and signed by the protesting party or an authorized agent. The protest must state (1) the RFQQ number, (2) the grounds for the protest with specific facts, (3) complete statements of the action(s) being protested, and (4) the relief or corrective action being requested. Protests must be emailed to contracts@hca.wa.gov with the following subject line: “RFQQ # Protest – [Bidder Name]”

4.7.2…