RFR 232527 The Department of Public Health Writing and Editing RFR final 2 28 22.doc

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of public health

Address: 250 Washington Street Contact Name: David Harvey Email: David.harvey@mass.gov

Request for Response (RFR) Document Title: The Department of Public Health Writing and Editing RFR ASK "RFR Number/Document Number" \* MERGEFORMAT COMMBUYS BID Number: BD-22-1031-ADMIN-ADM07-71842 ASK "RFR Number/Document Number" \* MERGEFORMAT DPH RFR Document Number: 232527

February 28, 2022

UNSPSC: 82-11-00 Object Code: HH3

1. Procurement Scope and Description:

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) seeks individuals for professional writing and editing services related to Public Health. Only individuals or individuals operating as a sole proprietorship or single-member LLC are eligible to apply to this RFR.

There are three categories of writing that an Individual may apply for. A separate response is not required if individuals want to apply for more than one category. The categories include:

Category 1: Grant Writing Category 2: Health Communication Category 3: Public Health Documents

DPH is procuring this as a master agreement contract, a process that creates a qualified list of consultants. Vendors who qualify and are added to the contract are not guaranteed any work from the department. As needed, bureaus, programs, and hospitals within DPH will contact vendors for specific services and negotiate and execute an engagement agreement that describes the specific services and compensation with the selected vendor. (Engagement process described in section 4.0 below) Engagements can be executed by DPH bureaus throughout the life of the contract. References to “bureau” in this document include all Department of Public Health bureaus, offices, programs, hospitals, and laboratory.

An Employment Status Form must be completed by the bureau at the time of engagement to determine and assure that individuals on the contract are independent contractors at the time of engagement. The form affirms that 1) the individual does not devote substantially full time to the business of the department and 2) the individual provides services for more than one client at a time or to the general public.

This RFR will replace RFR#173322 currently posted on COMMBUYS under BID # BD-17-1031-ADMIN-ADM07-10869. Vendors with existing contracts under RFR173322 will have to apply to this new RFR if they want to be considered for future work with the department.

1.2 Applicable Procurement Law

Executive Branch Goods and Services

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Legal Services

MGL c. 30, § 51, § 52 and § 65; c. 7, § 22; and 801 CMR 21.01(2) (b)

1.3 Whether Single or Multiple Contractors Are Required For Contract(s):

Check One (“X”):

Single Contractor

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Multiple Contractors

1.4 Calendar Rule Type:

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1.5 Acquisition Method:

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Fee-For-Service

Outright Purchase

Rental

Term Lease

Tax Exempt Lease-Purchase

License

Other:

1.6 Use of a Procurement by a Single or Multiple Departments:

Limited User Contract – Restricted to Use by Issuing Entity Only.

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Limited User Contract – Restricted to Use by Defined Entities Only. Any Contract(s) resulting from this Bid will be open for use by the issuing Purchasing Department and the following other entities:

· Identify additional Eligible Entities by name or type.

The Purchasing Department reserves the right to add or remove additional authorized users during the contract term.

1.7 Expected Duration of Contract:

Anticipated Initial Duration up to: __5__ year(s) ____months;

Anticipated Renewal Options: ____ options to renew for _____ year(s) each option

Final End Date of this Contract: ___6/30/2027_____________________

1.8 Anticipated Expenditures, Funding Or Compensation For Expected Duration Estimated Value of Procurement including all potential renewals $1,500,000.00 Estimated Annualized amount $300,000.00_________ Check One (“X”):

Contract will have a Maximum Obligation

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Rate Contract: Contract will NOT have a Maximum Obligation Amount

Subject to Quotes by Pre-Qualified List of Contractors

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

No

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Yes* - Services purchased under this contract may be from any source of funds, including federal funds.

Funds Balance Forward Requirement for Capital, Trust and Federal Accounts Only: Any funds designated in the budget that are unspent in any fiscal year will not be available for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year.

2.0 Specifications

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) seeks individuals for professional writing and editing services related to Public Health. There are three categories of writing that an individual may apply for. Individuals may apply for more than one category.

Category 1: Grant Writing

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health seeks grant writing services from professionals with extensive proposal writing experience. The purpose of this category is to support DPH in applying for federal and other grant funds. Approved individuals will work with the Grants and Development Manager and with senior management and program staff to plan, develop, write, and edit proposals. Grant writing projects may require meetings both on-site and virtually to discuss grant requirements, program details, budgets, and other components of the proposal. Grant writers will be required to meet tight deadlines, write original content, and edit other people’s content to submit a readable, comprehensive, competitive proposal for final submission. It is expected that applicants will have extensive grant writing and budget development experience.

While the majority of the Department’s proposals are submitted to federal funders, the Department also submits applications to local and national foundations; therefore, experience is desired for all types of proposals. However, experience with federal grant applications is strongly desired.

Grant Writing Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree, master’s preferred.

Required Experience:

· Familiarity with public health practice, theory, and programs

· At least three years of grant writing experience

· Demonstrated experience writing grant applications as the primary writer, including federal grants, with annual budgets over $100,000.

· Programmatic or managerial experience in health care; public health is preferred. Such areas might include maternal and child health, infectious disease, emergency preparedness, behavioral health, substance use disorders, environmental health, chronic disease prevention, wellness promotion, and health equity. Experience or background in social sciences, housing, economic development, or public health research are also helpful.

· A familiarity with quantitative information related to public health or health care systems.

Preferred Experience:

· Additional experience writing grants to local and national foundations.

· Familiarity with information technology and how it relates to public health initiatives.

Category 2: Health Communication

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health seeks health communication-related writing services from professionals with extensive experience in the creation and development of health communication content in a variety of formats including brochures, newsletters, fact sheets, websites, social media, training materials, provider guides, and other health education materials. Successful candidates should have experience and familiarity with drafting content related to health and public-health related topics and should be proficient in working independently to draft polished, authoritative content with minimal ongoing contact with subject matter experts.

Health Communication Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree, master’s preferred.

Required Experience:

· At least 3 years of experience in the development of health communication content and/or collateral materials

· Experience specific to the incorporation of plain language concepts and practices in the development of health communication materials

· Experience in translating technical and scientific concepts into accessible, readable prose for dissemination to a wide range of audiences of varying levels of education and reading comprehension

· Experience in writing or adapting content with a health equity lens to communicate effectively with audiences of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds Category 3: Public Health Documents

The Department of Public health may need individuals to assist in the writing of various reports and documents related to public health. Subject areas could include maternal and child health, infectious disease, emergency preparedness, behavioral health, substance abuse, environmental health or chronic disease prevention and wellness promotion. Areas of writing expertise may include but are not limited to:

· Racial and Health Disparities/Inequities – DPH deliberately and intentionally centers our public health work on equity and embed equity in how we think about public health. DPH is committed to improving health outcomes for all Commonwealth residents while eliminating the marginalization and health inequities that disproportionately threaten of the ability for communities of color to reach their full potential of health

· Environmental Justice (EJ) – Through its Environmental Justice (EJ) work, DPH is committed to protecting all people from environmental pollution so that they can live in and enjoy a clean, healthy environment. People of color and lower-income individuals have historically been excluded from meaningful participation in decisions that impact their communities’ environmental health, being more likely to live near toxic waste sites, in areas with high air pollution, and in low-quality housing because of the inequitable distribution of high pollution sites.

· Procurement Documents – Examples of documents include Request for Responses (RFR), Request for Quotes (RFQ) and other related documents.

· Data Reports

· Strategic Plans

· Best Practice Documents

· Literature reviews

· Case Studies Approved individuals will work with DPH senior management and program staff to plan, develop, write, and edit public health documents.

Public Health Documents Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree, master’s preferred.

Required:

· At least 5 years of experience in public health

· Demonstrated experience writing public health documents in at least one of the programmatic areas or in one of the writing expertise areas listed above.

· Programmatic or managerial experience in public health.

· A familiarity with quantitative information related to public health, health care systems and/or social sciences Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Pursuant to Executive Order 565, the Commonwealth’s Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) promotes business-to-business relationships between awarded Contractors and diverse businesses and non-profit organizations (“SDP Partners”) certified or recognized by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). A signed SDP Form with a meaningful and quantifiable plan will be required as contractors’ approach $50,000 in cumulative engagement proceeds from this contract.

Bidders and Contractors may engage SDP Partners in the following two ways:

· Subcontracting, defined as a partnership in which the SDP partner is involved in the provision of products and/or services to the Commonwealth.

· Ancillary Products and Services, defined as a business relationship in which the SDP partner provides products or services that are not directly related to the Contractor’s contract with the Commonwealth but may be related to the Contractor’s own operational needs.

Other types of business-to-business relationships are not acceptable under this contract. All provisions of this RFR applicable to subcontracting shall apply equally to the engagement of SDP Partners as subcontractors.

All Bidders must complete the SDP Plan Form found in the Attachment section of this procurement and upload it with their bid response. In addition to proposing an SDP Commitment, each Bidder must propose one or more SDP Partner(s) to utilize in order to meet its SDP Commitment. Certified diverse Bidders may not list their own companies, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, as SDP Partners and may not meet their SDP Commitment by spending funds internally or with their own subsidiaries or affiliates.

Additional information about the SDP policy can be found in the Supplier Diversity Program Policies for Goods and Services. Contractors seeking assistance in the development of their SDP Plans or identification of potential SDP Partners may visit the SDP webpage, www.mass.gov/sdp, or contact the SDP Help Desk at sdp@mass.gov.

CORI Requirements: In accordance with EOHHS policy, an individual's background, including any CORI and other relevant information, must be carefully considered so that the vulnerable populations served by EOHHS are protected. It is also EOHHS policy that qualified rehabilitated offenders are given a fair opportunity to be employed and successfully reintegrated into the workforce. In accordance with this policy, prior to any work engagement, the awarded Contractor shall obtain a Standard (Employer) Access Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check on any and all individual employees who are to enter public offices of the Commonwealth or provide services to any Hiring Entity of the Commonwealth. The awarded Contractor must 1) utilize the Internet-Accessible CORI (iCORI) system maintained by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) to request and receive CORI in accordance with 801 CMR 2.00 et seq. and 2) comply with the EOHHS CORI check regulations, 101 CMR 15.00 et seq. in reviewing CORI and in documenting its hiring determination as set forth in 101 CMR 15.09. Any associated costs are the responsibility of the awarded Contractor.

For environmental purchasing requirements, please see the “Required Procurement Language for Executive Order 515, Establishing an Environmental Purchasing Policy” section of the RFR Standard Required Information document posted at the COMMBUYS Bid Solicitation; File attachment section.

3.0 Performance Requirements and Contract Monitoring

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 contract is in compliance with what has been requested and what the contractor has offered in this RFR. 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

The PMT shall negotiate with contractors any requirements not set forth in the RFR.

The consultant’s performance will be monitored and assessed by the departmental engagement manager. Satisfactory quality and productivity includes an emphasis on accuracy, ability to meet deadlines and quality of the product.

4.0 Contract Compensation Structure and Engagement Process

Bidders will submit a proposal application with a maximum hourly rate along with other required documents. The Procurement Management Team (PMT) will review the submissions and finalize a maximum rate with the bidder. The rate will be for the duration of the contract. Acceptable applicants will execute a contract with the department and be placed on the master agreement list.

Individuals on this contract will be compensated using a fixed priced compensation structure. A DPH bureau will conduct an engagement process for the purpose of doing work by contacting a vendor on this contract to negotiate a fixed price for a project(s). An executed engagement form defining the project scope, tasks, deliverables, budget, invoicing, and payments will be signed by the consultant and the bureau. Payments are made when a milestone is reached, or a deliverable is received. The DPH Fixed Price Engagement Form is posted with this RFR for information only, engagement forms will be executed at the time of engagement.

Consultant billing must not occur more frequently than monthly. A summary invoice must be submitted by the consultant to the bureau engagement manager that details, at a minimum, the dates services were rendered, the number of hours, the work provided along with any deliverables and reports required in the engagement document.

This contract does not include costs for commuting to and from work for the Department of Public Health offices, hospitals, or laboratory. If additional travel and travel related expenses are required, the bureau engagement contract manager will specify the circumstances and compensation with a maximum according to the state standard in advance in the engagement agreement signed between the bureau and the vendor. All compensated in-state or out-of-state travel must have prior approval included in the engagement agreement.

Payment through Electronic Funds Transfer is required for any contract awarded through this solicitation. The EFT form and instructions on how and when to submit this form can be found in the Vendor Activation Folder (VENDACT) in the Attachments for this RFR.

5.0 Evaluation Criteria

The following components will be some of the criteria considered by the Evaluation Team when evaluating each quote.

Category 1: Grant Writing Evaluation Criteria

1. Bachelor’s Degree

2. Resume/CV demonstrates:

a. At least three years of grant writing experience.

b. Familiarity with public health practice, theory, and programs

c. Programmatic or managerial experience in health care; public health preferred

d. Familiarity with quantitative information related to public health or health care systems

e. Experience writing grants to local and national foundations (preferred not required)

f. Experience with Information Technology in relation to Public Health (preferred not required)

3. No more than five, but at least two successful grant application samples greater than $100,000

a. At least two of the samples must be for successful federal grants where the bidder is listed as the primary writer

4. Writing ability including:

a. Grammatical prose

b. Clear expression

c. Organized content

d. Emphatic, persuasive argumentation

e. Substantive discussion of public health or health care issues

f. Ability to clearly discuss quantitative information

5. Three references

a. Must have at least one non-DPH reference

b. Cannot include members of the RFR procurement team (see attached list of RFR team in COMMBUYS attachments)

Category 2: Health Communication Evaluation Criteria

1. Bachelor’s Degree

2. Resume/CV which demonstrates:

a. At least 3 years of experience in the development of health communication content and/or collateral materials which includes:

i. the incorporation of plain language concepts and practices in the development of health communication materials

ii. Experience in translating technical and scientific concepts into accessible, readable prose for dissemination to a wide range of audiences of varying levels of education and reading comprehension

iii. Experience in writing or adapting content with a health equity lens to communicate with audiences of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds

3. At least 5 writing samples which demonstrate experience in creating the types of health communication materials listed in the Health Communication description above. Preference will be given to applicants who can provide high-quality samples from as many of these categories as possible.

a. Brochures

b. Newsletters

c. Fact sheets

d. Website content

e. Social media

f. Training materials

g. Provider guides

h. Other health education materials

4. Writing ability including:

a. Grammatical prose

b. Clear expression

c. Organized content

d. Use of plain language to reach lower literacy levels

5. Three references

a. Must have at least one non-DPH reference

b. Cannot include members of the RFR procurement team (see attached list of PMT team in COMMBUYS attachments)

Category 3: Public Health Documents

1. Bachelor’s Degree

2. Resume/CV demonstrates:

a. At least 5 years public health experience

b. Programmatic or managerial experience public health

c. Familiarity with quantitative information related to public health or health care systems

d. Experience or background in social sciences, economic development, or public health research (preferred not required)

e. Familiarity with information technology and how it relates to public health initiatives (preferred not required)

3. Two writing samples that show programmatic experience in a particular Public Health subject area or in a Public Health related writing expertise area referenced in Section 2.0 Category 4 above.

4. Writing ability including:

a. Grammatical prose

b. Clear expression

c. Organized content

5. Three references

a. Must have at least one non-DPH reference

b. Cannot include members of the RFR procurement team (see attached list of team members in COMMBUYS)

6.0 Estimated Procurement Calendar

Deadline for Questions and Answers

All Questions must be received in writing. Questions can be sent by email no later than the date and time indicated in the Procurement Calendar. The issuing department reserves the right not to respond to questions submitted after this date. All Questions with answers will be posted on the COMMBUYS Attachment section for this procurement.

Questions will be taken throughout the duration of the contract.

Submit question by e-mail to David.harvey@mass.gov All questions and answers will be posted in the attachment section of COMMBUYS.

The BID opening date

(Deadline for Submission of Response)

All responses to be submitted electronically using the online submission tools available to active COMMBUYS account holders.

June 30, 2027

7.0 Requirements/Instructions for Submission of Responses

7.1 Submission Requirements

Complete and upload into COMMBUYS the Application form and all required documents referenced in the application form.

Vendor Activation Requirements: As part of this RFR application a potential bidder who is new to the state system or who will need to update existing information in MMARS must follow the instructions found in the Vendor Activation Folder (VENDACT) in the Attachments for this RFR.

Prompt Payment Discounts (PPD): All bidders responding to this procurement are strongly encouraged to participate in the Commonwealth Prompt Payment Discount (PPD) initiative for receiving early and/or on-time payments. PPD benefits both contractors and the Commonwealth. Contractors benefit by increased, usable cash flow as a result of fast and efficient payments for commodities or services rendered. Participation in the Electronic Funds Transfer initiative further maximizes the benefits with payments directed to designated accounts, thus eliminating the impact of check clearance policies and traditional mail lead time or delays. The Commonwealth benefits because contractors reduce the cost of products and services through the applied discount. Payments that are processed electronically can be tracked and verified through the Comptroller’s Vendor Web system. The PPD form can be found on the OSD Forms page and in this solicitation at the COMMBUYS Bid Solicitation and can be uploaded as part of your submission.

7.2 Submission Instructions

COMMBUYS Submission:

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.

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 and Naming Conventions

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.

DPH is requiring that all response attachments that are uploaded in COMMBUYS include the company name of the Bidder, the RFR number and the name of the document. (e.g. Company Name _ RFR Number _Doc Name).

Public Records All information, documents, and attachments submitted as a response to this RFR 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.

Amendments to BID

DPH reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after the initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda, or modifications to this Bid. DPH 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.

8.0 RFR Attachments:

The forms listed in the COMMBUYS with this RFR must be submitted with your response where indicated.

To assist bidders in identify the purpose of the attachments for this procurement; the forms posted on the COMMBUYS attachment section have a prefix according to the following chart:

9.0 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.

COMMBUYS REGISTRATION

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network, or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering. To register review the COMMBUYS Job Aide �HYPERLINK "https://www.mass.gov/doc/commbuys-vendor-registration-job-aid/download"��COMMBUYS Vendor Registration� or go to � HYPERLINK "http://www.COMMBUYS.com" �www.COMMBUYS.com�.

QUOTE SUBMISSION

This BID requires the submission of electronic quotes. All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission of their quotes by considering potential online 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.

VENDOR ACTIVATION

To receive a contract with state a vendor must be active in The Massachusetts Management Accounting and Reporting System (MMARS). MMARS is the official accounting system of the Commonwealth and once registered a vendor will be issued a Vendor Code number or a “VC” number. This VC number is used for all contracts that a vendor has with state agencies. An organization with existing state contracts or a vendor who has had state contracts with any state agency in the past has been registered in MMARS and does not need to re-submit paperwork again unless existing information in MMARS will need to be updated. As part of this RFR application a potential bidder who is new to the state system or who will need to update existing information in MMARS must follow the instructions found in the Vendor Activation Folder (VENDACT) in the Attachments for this RFR.

Standard Template 9/2021