RFR 260734 Family Residential Treatment Services~1.docx

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services

Address: 250 Washington Steet, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02180

Contact Name: Ryan Naismith

Email: Ryan.H.Naismith@mass.gov

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: Family Residential Treatment

DPH RFR Document Number: 260734

COMMBUYS BID Number: BD-25-1031-BSAS0-BSA01-111510

January 17, 2024

Key RFR Information All Potential Bidder’s must read

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 COMMBUYS Vendor Registration and/or go to 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.

If you plan to submit a quote to this RFR “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.

Section A: Procurement Overview

A1: Procurement Description or purpose The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) seeks proposals from qualified and experienced substance use providers to provide family-centered, gender-responsive, gender inclusive, trauma-informed, culturally competent, comprehensive substance use disorder (SUD) Family Residential Treatment (FRT) services for Massachusetts’s families who meet the criteria of ASAM 3.1. Applicants are expected to demonstrate their commitment to participating in a continuum of SUD services that include prevention, intervention, treatment, aftercare and recovery support.

BSAS seeks to fund approximately seven family residential programs, including at least two programs for two-parent households and single male-identifying parents, where one parent has an identified SUD. All programs will provide family treatment services for pregnant people. BSAS seeks applicant sites that have a capacity for at least 11-15 families. Applicants must clearly and specifically describe the location of the site, demonstrate site control and present a floor plan with room sizes. BSAS is particularly interested in providing family residential substance use treatment services across the state. Programs must have the ability to serve families of various sizes, including pregnant people, infants, and children up to the age of 17.

INCUMBENT VENDORS ARE REQUESTED TO RE-APPLY BY MARCH 14, 2025, IN ORDER TO PREVENT SERVICE BREAKS A2: Program Background Information The goal of Family Residential Treatment (FRT) is to provide a safe, caring and family-centered treatment environment that supports parental recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and provides parenting skills, and dyadic supports for parents and their children. Treatment goals are individualized to meet the needs of each family, and programming provides groups, counseling, and care coordination within a recovery oriented and trauma informed community of support. Programs will incorporate promising or best practices as part of the treatment model and will select a parenting model specifically designed for parents recovering from SUD. Programs will support parents with obtaining and sustaining Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) and will collaborate with providers as needed. Programs will be inclusive of gender identity, race, ethnicity and abilities, and will be able to identify and address the co-occurring mild to moderate mental health needs and will accommodate needed referrals and coordination of care.

Section B: Procurement Information

Executive Branch Goods and Services

B1: Applicable Procurement Law

B2: Whether Single or Multiple Contractors Are Required For Contract(s)

Check One (“X”):

B3: Calendar Rule Type

B4: Acquisition Method: Fee for Service:

B5: Use of a Procurement by a Single or Multiple Departments

· 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.

B6: Expected Duration of Contract

month(s)

B7: Anticipated Expenditures, Funding Or Compensation For Expected Duration

Dollar Amount

Estimated annualized procurement amount $1,500,000.00

Check One (“X”):

Notice concerning rates of payment – implementation of Chapter 257 of the Acts of 2008: An Act Relative to Rates for Human and Social Service programs, provides that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has the sole responsibility for established rates of payment for social service programs purchased by governmental units of the Executive Office. Contracted vendors will be reimbursed based on rates established by EOHHS regulation and other applicable rate regulations as may be amended from time to time during the duration of the Contract. As a result of Chapter 257, during the life of the Contract, rates of payment and reimbursement structures may change.

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

*Additional information for contracts with Federal Dollars:

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.

Start Up and Capital Budget

Any start-up or capital costs will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the needs of the Bureau. Any costs deemed necessary will be negotiated between the purchasing Agency and the provider. Payment rates for start-up costs will be governed by 114.5 CMR 4.00 Rates for Certain Social, Rehabilitation, and Health Care Services or any successor regulation, and 808-CMR-100, Reporting and Auditing for Human and Social Services. Any capital requests deemed necessary will be negotiated between the purchasing Agency and the provider and will be governed by 114.5 CMR 4.00 and any successor regulation, 808-CMR-100 and the Operational Services Division Purchase of Service (POS) Capital Items Procurement Policy. Start-up costs: DPH may authorize a Capital Budget if deemed necessary by DPH for contract start-up purposes. Any start-up costs associated with this procurement contract must be negotiated to the satisfaction of DPH. Priority will be given to programs that can demonstrate readiness to offer services to members within three (3) months.

Section C: Performance and Contract Specifications

C1: Eligibility

This RFR is for direct services under Office of the Comptroller’s object code classification MM3 or M03. To be considered eligible to apply for this RFR a bidder must be considered an organization. Individuals are not eligible to apply.

BSAS seeks proposals from licensed substance use treatment qualified applicants to provide FRT to parent(s) recovering from SUD 1) who are pregnant, 2) have custody of at least one child, or 3) have a DCF documented re-unification plan with at least one child within 60 days of admission. Eligible applicants must indicate in the RFR application that they either have a license with BSAS for this service or have the ability to achieve licensure, by the beginning of the contracting period. A start-up cost reimbursement contract can be awarded to new FRT applicants, with the expectation that awardee will begin enrolling clients within six months of award at which time the contract will be converted to a unit rate contract. Applicants are expected to demonstrate their commitment to participation in a continuum of SUD services that include prevention, intervention, treatment, aftercare and recovery support. All applicants are required to develop and maintain a Qualified Service Agreement with the BSAS statewide vendor for family referrals.

Applicants for FRT will be required to have a current Residential Rehabilitation Services (RRS) for Adults with their Families (CMR 164.430) license in good standing and in compliance with all applicable DPH regulations as found in 105 CMR 164.000 – Licensure of Substance Addiction Treatment Programs with the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. A licensee with outstanding deficiency correction orders may be considered in good standing if there is no history of repeat unresolved deficiency correction orders or the deficiencies are not a threat to the health and safety of residents. Applicants currently contracted as FRTs must be in good standing with their BSAS contract. Bidders should have an in-depth understanding of substance use disorders and have demonstrated experience providing comparable services.

For programs not currently licensed and funded, applicants must demonstrate site control and community-based support for the proposed program in a detailed site plan. The site must be accessible for those with disabilities and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as appropriate for providing family services, including individual and group counseling space, child-friendly playrooms, sleeping, cooking, and eating facilities for the number of families in the treatment program. All applicants must also comply with 105 CMR 164.430.

C1a: Provider Qualification Requirements

To be considered eligible and prior to entering into a contract with DPH, a bidder must demonstrate that it meets minimum administrative and fiscal standards established through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) provider qualification policy. Your provider qualification status will be considered in making award decisions.

Provider qualification is the process used to evaluate a provider’s administrative and financial condition. The main objectives of the provider qualification process are to determine whether the provider has (a) the capabilities to comply with the numerous federal and state administrative requirements that surround the expenditures of public funds and (b) sufficient fiscal and administrative capacity to fulfill its contractual obligations.

· New Providers of Purchased Human and Social Services to Clients. Bidders who do not have current contracts with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide human and social services for clients must submit completed provider qualification application materials as part of the response to this RFR. The Contracting Qualification Forms and instructions can be found in the Provider Qualification Folder (QUALIFICATION) in the attachments section of COMMBUYS for this RFR.

· Current Providers of Purchased Human and Social Services to Clients. Bidders with current human and social services contracts (MM3/M03 contracts) must have filed their Uniform Financial Statements and Independent Auditor's Report (UFR) with the Operational Services Division via the internet using the UFR eFiling application for the most recently completed fiscal year before a contract can be executed and services may begin unless considered exempt from filing. Other contractor qualification/risk management reporting requirements and non-filing consequences promulgated by Secretariats or Departments pursuant to 808 CMR 1.04(3) may also apply. If you have questions about your UFR contact the UFR Help Desk at ufrefilehelp@mass.gov.

· Data Collection and Reporting. Programs agree to provide BSAS with all required monthly and annual reports, admission and discharge data, billing data, and any performance measure information requestions.

· Client Satisfaction Surveying. Programs will participate in BSAS initiatives to improve consumer satisfaction, as well as periodically conduct consumer satisfaction surveys, collect consumer satisfaction data, and describe how this information will be used for program planning and quality improvement.

C2: Scope of Services The FRT program will establish a culture of recovery for the participating families, that provides a community environment that is safe, recovery-oriented and person-centered. Programs are required to demonstrate their ability to provide a culture of recovery that offers residents and their children opportunities for healing within the four domains of health, home, purpose and community and is grounded in the 10 principles of recovery from SAMHSA, as well as in compliance with BSAS Standards of Care and Practice Guidance’s.

Applicants must provide administrative support and clinical supervision for on-site staffing to provide individual, group and family therapy, parenting/dyadic support and education, child services coordination and care during specific day-time treatment groups, milieu management, and case management within a trauma-informed and recovery-oriented environment. A minimum of 5 hours of clinical services will be documented in client’s record.

Linkages with the below services (including but not limited to) must be documented through Qualified Service Organization Agreements (QSOA) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as appropriate and required by BSAS regulations:

· Licensed primary health care providers

· OB/GYN providers

· Hospitals

· Mental health providers,

· Opiate Treatment Providers (OTP)

· Office Based Opioid/Addiction Treatment (OBOT/OBAT) programs

· Community-based agencies including sexual and domestic violence programs

· Child and family serving agencies including early intervention, home visiting and doula services

· Harm reduction providers

· Recovery supports such as recovery coaches and recovery support centers

· Housing resources

· Employment and Education resources Programs will receive referrals and coordinate admissions and discharges with the statewide vendor for families. Programs will also be able to directly screen, assess and admit families who meet the admission criteria as long as the admissions are coordinated with the statewide vendor for family admissions. Under this contract, pregnant people have priority for admission as articulated in the Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG). Each program will hold a QSOA with the BSAS statewide family referral vendor. Programs will network with their local community services and state agencies to enlist referrals. Length of treatment within a FRT is individualized and is determined by clinical justification, which should consider family needs, and availability of community-based supports and resources.

C2a: Primary Service Elements and Expectations:

· Needs assessment for each parent(s) and child/ren.

· Parent Treatment Plans for each parent(s) and Child Service Plans for each child/ren, which will include family goals.

· Individual, group, and family substance use recovery counseling for a minimum of 5 clinical hours per week.

a. Each parent should have weekly individual time with program clinical and care coordination staff

b. Family therapist will meet with families to determine goals related to relationship(s) with child/ren and extended family supports to strengthen and prepare for transition back to the community

c. Clinical Supervisor will conduct routine clinical family review team meetings so that each staff team member is informed of their role and responsibilities with each family.

· External services, such as medication for addiction treatment (MAT), mental health, sexual and domestic violence, and trauma treatment services, are integrated into each treatment plan with appropriate releases of information and having parents at the center of regular communication/coordination.

· Screen residents for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and adjust treatment plans and clinical techniques, as needed, to provider individualized services for those with FASD and/or TBI

· Identify supports and linkage agreements to address identified needs within an integrated treatment plan

· Integrated case coordination with state agencies, such as DCF and/or courts with appropriate releases of information

· Ability to provide appropriate medication management for both parents and child/ren;

· Parenting skills and supports that focus on building the parent-child relationship. All staff within FRT programs will participate in supporting parent/child interactions as well as broader parenting goals

· Programs will select and be trained in a parenting model specific to parents in recovery for SUD. Examples of models are: Mothering from the Inside Out; Child Parent Psychotherapy; Attachment Vitamins; The Nurturing Parenting Program; ARC Grow; Circle of Security; The Nurturing Program for Families in SU Treatment and Recovery.

· Parents are the responsible caretakers for their children while living in the residential treatment program and staff provide support, lend confidence and offer guidance as needed.

· Program will provide trauma-informed services to parent(s) and child/ren by reviewing protocols periodically and by getting feedback from residents as part of continuous quality improvement.

· Programs will have sufficient available staff at all times to ensure the safety of children in the program, including overnight shifts with regular safe sleep checks and room checks

· Concurrently with parents’ treatment schedules, programs will offer on-site developmental services/activities for children not yet accessing child-care within the community. Programs will also provide after school programming for school age children, as well as attend to the needs of adolescents during after school hours.

· Programs will develop an appropriate CORI-screening and Adam Walsh screening process, for all staff, interns/volunteers that will assist with children’s services.

· Programs will design weekly schedule that includes clinical and leisure activities, provide education on HIV, Viral Hep, STD, and TB, women’s health and family planning, sexual and domestic violence, conflict resolution/healthy relationships, gambling, and anger/stress management.

· Programs will provide nicotine cessation/reduction support, education and referral to Quit Line.

· Program will initiate and implement the Family Care Plan, formerly known as the Plan of Safe Care for all pregnant and post-partum parents.

· Program will provide housing/job search activities.

· Program will provide educational resources for GED/HI-SET and linkages with Mass Rehab.

· Program will work with parent to integrate self-help/recovery support meetings into their recovery work.

· Program will assist with building essential life skills, such as budgeting, nutrition and meal planning/preparation, self-care and housekeeping.

· Individualized family-focused discharge and aftercare planning will be initiated throughout the course of treatment.

· Programs will provide follow-up for three months post discharge. Follow-up will include assistance with accessing needed resources and referrals. Program is encouraged to provide a graduate/alumni group post discharge.

· Programs agree to communicate and collaborate weekly with the Family Referral Vendor about admissions, discharges, births, custody or reunification changes.

Committed to Engaging and Serving Persons with Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders: Treatment vendors are required to assess their capacity to serve individuals with mild to moderate co-occurring disorders, and to ensure that:

· Organizational leadership analyze existing systems and operations to identify and implement ways to ensure smooth care coordination;

· Screening and assessment of mental health history and needs, which include suicide risk and trauma history;

· Providers will identify policies, trainings, and supports for perinatal parents. See MCPAP for further guidance;

· Treatment plans specify referrals and follow ups for mental health services, safety planning (as needed), process for care coordination, plan for care management, and ensuring proper medication access and management;

· Staff are trained in mental health issues and disorders, and side effects of medications.

Committed to Trauma-Informed Services: Trauma-informed care is an approach to delivery of behavioral health services. Given the prevalence of trauma among persons with substance related disorders, and the benefits of trauma-informed approaches, BSAS requires applicants to establish trauma-informed treatment environments and provide trauma-informed care, as evidenced by:

· Stated commitment to trauma-informed care, with emphasis on individualized care, individual choice and decision making;

· Collaborative systems which provide for access to trauma specific treatment services;

· Inclusion of trauma screening in all assessments, and periodic re-assessments;

· Prohibition of coercion or force in treatment; including forced discharge without a plan for safety and referrals;

· Recognition that children of individuals served have experienced trauma and that they and their parents may require support and assistance in obtaining effective trauma treatment.

Committed to Opioid Overdose Prevention: Vendors are required to support Massachusetts’ efforts to prevent and reduce opioid overdose, as evidenced by:

· Having a stated commitment to prevent and reduce opioid overdose;

· Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of overdose prevention and response resources in their communities, including identification of pharmacies stocking naloxone and/or having standing orders for naloxone;

· Establishing an on-site overdose emergency response plan and ensuring all staff are trained in preventing, recognizing and responding to overdose including overdose drills for residents and staff;

· Including review of overdose history (including witnessing overdose) in treatment assessments;

· Educating clients about opioid overdose prevention, recognition, and response;

· Allowing individuals served to retain possession of naloxone rescue kits while in the treatment program;

· Including opioid overdose risk reduction in treatment and discharge plans.

Committed to Medication for Addiction Treatment: Vendors are required to support clients receiving Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT). Research and experience provide an increasingly comprehensive understanding of the physiological changes that accompany or result from substance use. The effectiveness of medication for addiction treatment in stabilizing individuals and enabling them to build a recovery-based lifestyle is well documented. BSAS supports the use of proven, effective medication for addiction treatment in a variety of settings.

C2b: Staffing Requirements:

· The staffing pattern shall support the delivery of the program service and provide at least 2 staff on-site at all times, 24/7, including overnight awake staff.

· Program and agency staff will include individuals who reflect the linguistic and cultural profile of the populations being served.

· Program must ensure that transportation can be provided as needed by clients, either through staff assignment or transportation agency. Child safe car seats must be utilized at all times if transporting children.

· Program should ensure that staffing is adequate to provide administrative capabilities such as answering the phone at minimum during business hours, returning messages, and other administrative tasks.

· Program must ensure adequate staffing to support parents to care for the children living at the program. This may include structured play groups, specific times for childcare during treatment groups, and parenting support in the milieu to provide and model a nurturing environment for both parents and children. Parents must be given encouragement and support to request assistance when needed.

All required positions and staffing pattern expectations can be found within the BSAS Regulations. All positions are required to be onsite. Required positions include, but are not limited to:

· Full-time Program Director

· Full-time Clinical Supervisor who meets the definition of a Senior Clinician

· Full-time Family Therapist who meets the definition of a Senior Clinician

· Counselor (minimum of 2 FTE)

· Child Services Coordinator (1 FTE)

· Child Services Assistant (1 FTE)

· Direct Care / Recovery Specialists (minimum of 6.3 FTE)

· Medication Specialists (2.8 FTE)

· All programs will designate existing staff members to the positions of Tobacco Education Coordinator (TEC), PAC-Net (HIV/HCV/AIDS) Coordinator, Access Coordinator, and CLAS Coordinator. Coordinators may be required to attend new role orientation, regularly scheduled meetings, ongoing training opportunities, as well as complete program self-assessments, and train other staff within the program in these areas. TEC and PAC-Net designees will facilitate wellness groups and provide educational resources to residents, as it pertains to their role.

C2c: Training and Supervision: Programs are required to provide ongoing staff supervision and training. A written plan for supervision will specify the frequency and goals of supervision for all staff within the program. Refer to BSAS Regulations for supervision and documentation requirements.

· Clinical supervision will be provided for all staff including counselors, recovery specialists, family therapist, and child services specialist to coordinate the care for each family. Clinical and administrative supervision will be provided by the organization for Program Director and Clinical Supervisor.

· Medication Specialists will receive supervision from dedicated staff, identified as being in a supervisory position, and knowledgeable in the duties and responsibilities of the Medication Specialist role.

· Staff will be knowledgeable about the principles and practices of harm reduction, including overdose prevention and safety planning.

· The program shall have a written plan for supervision sufficient to meet the needs of staff, patients and residents which shall specify the frequency and goals of supervision for all staff, and which shall provide that all direct care staff requiring clinical supervision receive clinical supervision from appropriately licensed staff qualified to deliver supervision, and that supervision is documented. Part-time employees, including temporary staff are required to receive regular supervision.

· Programs will provide, over the course of a year, monthly scheduled in-service training sessions, giving all staff the opportunity to participate. In addition, trainings will be available to increase knowledge and skills within the FRT environment, resulting in increased capacity for priority and under-served populations (e.g. trainings on cultural competence, working with persons utilizing medication for addiction treatment, working with persons having mental health and co-occurring disorders). Providers must comply with all regulatory expectations for maintaining in-service training records.

· Program staff will be trained to recognize child abuse and neglect and will be knowledgeable of requirements and procedures for reporting suspected cases of abuse and neglect in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 119, Section 51A.

· All staff will be trained on an evidenced-based parenting model which provides strength-based parenting supports within a residential milieu for parents with SUD.

C2d: DPH Racial and Health Equity Commitment

FRT programs are expected to develop continuous quality improvement processes with measures to improve the capacity of the program to serve BIPOC families equitably.

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. Applicants will be expected to design activities through a racial equity lens incorporating the principles for Racial Equity developed by DPH. (See Principles for Promoting Racial Equity in Attachments for this RFR on COMMBUYS). Applicants will also we expected to describe how the current or planned operations of their organization support racial equity. Each prospective applicant should demonstrate how they will incorporate racial equity into their service design. The social marginalization and inequities that racism cultivates in housing, education, employment, the built and social environments, and health care are felt across generations, most acutely in communities of color. DPH reviewers will be required to consider an applicant’s ability to reflect on racial equity and how it is incorporated into the agency operations and program design as they score proposals.

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) can be used as an additional tool to help achieve Health and Racial Equity. The National CLAS standards[footnoteRef:2] incorporate several principles, including but not limited to (1) collecting and analyzing data to better understand structural root causes of racial inequities; (2) building community partnerships to engage those who are most impacted in planning, implementing and evaluating programs; (3) fostering cultural competence to ensure staff understand and reflect the community served; and (4) ensuring language access services to increase quality of services to all communities. Applicants are expected to demonstrate the ability to provide culturally and linguistically competent services, including the ability to provide services to individuals whose primary language is not English, to individuals with disabilities especially the deaf and hard of hearing, to veterans, and to individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+. For further guidance visit www.mass.gov/dph/healthequity including The Making CLAS Happen Manual, a user’s guide to providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services in a variety of public health settings and the CLAS standards at https://www.mass.gov/lists/making-clas-happen-six-areas-for-action. [2: Adapted from National CLAS Standards and racial equity data roadmap

C2e: Supplier Diversity Program (SDP)

Pursuant to Executive Order 599, the Commonwealth’s Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) promotes business-to-business relationships between awarded Vendors, including health and human service providers, and diverse businesses and non-profit organizations (“SDP Partners”) certified or recognized by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO).

All Bidders responding to this solicitation are required to make a significant annual financial commitment (“SDP Commitment”) to partnering with one or more SDO-certified or recognized diverse business enterprise(s) or non-profit organization(s). Providers that are issued a contract from this procurement (Bid) will be required to submit an annual “Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Form for Purchase of Service (POS)” with their Uniform Financial Report (UFR) through the Operational Services Division’s (OSD) eFiling site.

No contract shall be awarded to a Provider without an SDP Commitment that meets the requirements. This requirement extends to all Providers regardless of their own supplier diversity certification.

SDP Program Resources and Assistance: Additional information about the SDP policy can be found in the Attachments section of this RFR on COMMBUYS. Bidders 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.

C3: Performance Requirements and Contract Monitoring

Contract Monitoring

· Applicants agree to provide BSAS with all required reports, ESM admission and discharge data, billing data, and any performance measure information requested.

· Applicants will participate in BSAS site visits in order to conduct program licensing, monitoring, and/or evaluation, and will be expected to effectively and timely respond to Deficiency Corrective Orders (DCO) and/or Corrective Action Plans (CAP) as required.

· Applicants will be responsible for meeting program results and measures as specified.

· Applicants will participate in BSAS initiatives to improve consumer satisfaction, as well as periodically conduct consumer satisfaction surveys, collect consumer satisfaction data, and describe how this information will be used for program planning and continuous quality improvement.

· Applicants will be responsible for providing occupancy data weekly to the Statewide Family Referral Vendor providing access coordination, as well as contacting the Statewide Family Referral Vendor immediately when a change in occupancy status occurs, including the addition or removal of a family member from the residential program.

· Applicants will be responsible for documenting all services provided and coordinated throughout the client’s stay in the program to follow the program’s effort to address the ever-changing needs of the family and client population served.

· Applicants are required to attend all regularly scheduled provider and level of care meetings.

· Programs will assign a staff to hold the role of PAC-NET Coordinator. PAC-NET Coordinators are responsible for attending required meetings and trainings, as well as supporting program implementation of infectious disease intervention and prevention strategies and education.

· Applicants will assign a staff to hold the role of Tobacco Education Coordinator. Tobacco Education Coordinators are responsible for attending required meetings and trainings, as well as supporting implementation of nicotine and tobacco reduction strategies and education.

· Applicants will assign a staff to hold the role of CLAS Coordinator. Programs are required to conduct a CLAS assessment a minimum of once a year and work with their contract managers for implementation.

· Applicants will adhere to BSAS Standards of Care guidance documents and all additional policies and protocols as released.

· Applicants will work with BSAS and statewide family referral vendor to reduce barriers to access by providing timely and efficient intake procedures that include prioritizing pregnant and postpartum people.

· Applicants will honor and provide timely response to received consent forms that meet 42 CFR Part 2.

· Applicants will maintain linkages and QSOAs with all needed community providers including documented care management and coordination in all patient records.

· Applicants will maintain a minimum of 80% utilization of beds.

· Applicants will report to BSAS contract manager any staffing vacancies which cause non-compliance with regulatory requirements. Staffing to census complies with BSAS regulatory requirements.

Results and Measures:

1) Result: Families will have an individualized transition/discharge plan that meets the needs of the family.

a. Measure: 100% of families will be discharged with a transition plan that meets the needs of the family and does not result in homelessness.

2) Result: Parents will gain recovery capital and stability in recovery.

a. Measure: All parents at discharge will increase their time in recovery and will be connected to supportive services for their recovery.

3) Result: Parents will increase their capacity to parent child/ren safely and will maintain reunification if separated before entering the program.

a. Measure: Increase percent of parents with physical custody of child/ren at discharge to percent of parents at admission with physical custody of child/ren.

4) Result: Increase program’s capacity to admit and adequately serve BIPOC families and other priority populations.

a. Measure 1: Percent of BIPOC enrollments of current year compared to previous years.

b. Measure 2: Compare average length of stay for BIPOC families to white families.

5) Result: Increase program’s capacity to admit and support individuals with co-occurring disorders.

a. Measure: Increase percent of individuals receiving outpatient services for co-occurring disorders.

C4: Contract Invoicing

Select at least one of the following types of contracts:

· DPH billing procedures through the EIM/ESM system require that contracted providers submit an invoice, on a monthly basis, for all services provided in the previous month.

· DPH requires that this invoice be authorized in EIM-ESM no later than the 14th day of the month, following service delivery. This includes a zero invoice if no services were provided.

· The only exceptions will be when the Bureau has been previously notified of extenuating circumstances and the request has been approved by the bureau contract manager. If corrections need to be made to previously submitted invoices, supplemental invoices must be submitted for the month in which the billing was originally submitted.

· All offsets must be reported for each UFR on the Invoice.

· Refer to the Provider Billing Booklet Reimbursement Policies and Billing in EIM at for detailed invoicing requirements.

1. Providers using the EIM-ESM manual billing process are required to submit a Service Delivery Report (SDR), on a monthly basis, for all services provided in the previous month.

· DPH requires that this SDR be authorized in EIM-ESM no later than the 14th day of the month, following service delivery. This includes a zero invoice if no services were provided.

· DPH requires that all services delivered to clients and paid by a third party be reported on the SDR as fully offset.

· Providers using the HIPAA electronic billing process are required to submit an all claims for the services provided in the previous month no later than the 14th day of the month, following service delivery.

· DPH requires that all delivered services paid by a third party be reported on an 837 HIPAA “encounter”.

· Program service delivery is paid through accommodation rates that are monthly rates developed to cover core services.

· Reports may be required for generation of payment.

Payment through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is required for any contract awarded through this solicitation. If awarded a contract bidders not already enrolled will be required to sign up for EFT as a contract requirement by completing the Authorization for Electronic Funds Transfer Form. Additional information will be sent at the time of contract.

Section D: RFR Evaluation

D1: Evaluation Criteria

All proposals will be scored on the following criteria:

· Equity in providing services described in the RFR

· Ability to respond to referrals from the Central Intake Coordinator

· Agency has history of and/or ability to recruit a diverse workforce

· Supplier Diversity Program (SDP)

· Program has history of and/or ability to appropriately assess and treat families within a residential setting using ASAM criteria

· Experience and capacity in working with those of MAT

· Demonstrated site control including implementation plan and timeline

· Participation in a coalition

· Program has history of and/or ability to work with pregnant and postpartum people including parents and children

· Provider Qualification Status D2: Review Process

Proposals will undergo multiple levels of review described below based on the evaluation criteria:

· Technical Review: The quality of the response to each question in the narrative is evaluated by a team of objective reviewers who score each question according to criteria related to that question. Reviewers are instructed to evaluate each question for content, comprehensiveness, and clarity of each answer.

· SDP form:

A key component of the technical level review will be the evaluation of the Supplier Diversity Program form. To encourage substantial Bidder supplier diversity initiatives and commitments as measures valuable to the Commonwealth, at least 25% of the total available evaluation points shall be allocated to the evaluation of the SDP Plan submissions. A portion of the score will be allocated to the evaluation of additional equity and inclusion criteria relevant to health and human services.

· Second Level Review: During the second level of review, factors such as an applicant’s past performance, billing, license status, agency demographics, need, resources available, and other criteria are considered and scored. These criteria may vary depending upon the service being procured.

Based on all review scores, recommendations will be made to the Commissioner, who makes the final funding determination.

Section E: Estimated Procurement Calendar

RFR Release Date

January 15, 2025

Deadline for Submission of RFR Q&A.1

June 30, 2034 (This is a Rolling RFR, questions submissions will be accepted up to the above end date)

Ryan.H.Naismith@mass.gov

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

June 30, 2034 (This is a Rolling RFR, submissions will be accepted up to the above end date)

5:00 PM

Anticipated Contract Start Date

July 1, 2025

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 RFR title and number in the subject of the email. All Questions with answers will be posted on the COMMBUYS Attachment section for this procurement.

Section F: Instructions for Submission of Responses

F1: Bidder Response Requirements

Potential bidder’s should refer to the Application Response Form found in the Attachments to this RFR on COMMBUYS for required questions to be completed as part of this RFR.

F2: Multiple Quotes

DPH will allow a bidder to upload more than one quote in response to this RFR

Multiple Quotes will be accepted:

F3: COMMBUYS Submission Instructions

All responses are to be submitted electronically using the online submission tools available to bidders 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. The 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. 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 RFR “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.

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 and the RFR number. For additional instructions about naming conventions and the document titles see the Checklist of Attachments found in the Application Response Form. The description entered during the file upload process ensures each file is readily identified by Company Name, RFR and content.

F4: RFR Attachments

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:

Must complete and upload document with application

F5: 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.

Section G: Other Requirements Pertaining to this RFR

Additional RFR requirements can be found in the document “Additional Requirements MM3-M03” found in the READ folder in the attachments section of COMMBUYS…