RFR Elearning FINAL.docx

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Executive Office of Health and Human Services Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

600 washington Street, boston, Massachusetts

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: BRANDED TEMPLATE SET AND CONTENT CONVERSION TO E-LEARNING

COMMBUYS Bid#: BD-22-1071-AO-CON01-73448

Agency Document Number: MRC E-LEARN 22

Please Note: This is a single document associated with a complete Bid (also referred to as Solicitation) that can be found on COMMBUYS (www.COMMBUYS.com). All Bidders are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms and requirements for the entire Bid, which are all incorporated into the Bid. Bidders may also contact the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or the COMMBUYS Helpline at 1-888-MA-STATE. The Helpline is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal, state and Suffolk county holidays.

Boston, MA 02111

Procurement Questions:

All questions must be submitted via COMMBUYS by:

Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at 4PM Responses to questions will be posted on COMMBUYS by:

Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at 4 PM

ACQUISITION METHOD

MRC will issue a maximum obligation contract. The acquisition method to acquire goods and/or services from this Solicitation is Fee for Service

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE CONTRACTS

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission is conducting a competitive procurement to solicit a single, qualified provider to provide the services identified below in this RFR.

SINGLE OR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATION

Option to Allow Other Departments to Contract Under Terms of RFR using separate contracts

ANTICIPATED DURATION OF CONTRACT AND ANY RENEWAL OPTIONS

MRC also reserves the right to amend this contract if needed.

If there are no responses during the original bid period, March 30, 2022 through April 19, 2022, MRC may open another bid period, from April 20, 2022 to April 29, 2022, 4 PM.

ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES, FUNDING OR COMPENSATION FOR EXPECTED DURATION

Estimated Total Annual Funds up to $50,000

APPLICABLE PROCUREMENT LAW

This Bid is issued under the following law: Executive Branch Goods and Services: MGL c. 7, § 22; c. 30, § 51, § 52; 801 CMR 21.00

Table of Contents

PURPOSE OF PROCUREMENT

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) is a state agency dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities live and work independently. MRC provides services that break down barriers and empower people with disabilities to live life on their own terms. Our programs focus on vocational rehabilitation, community living, and disability determination for federal benefit programs. We are change agents and community builders. And we put the people we serve at the heart of everything we do. We envision a Commonwealth that is open to all, where everyone can seize their true potential and contribute fully to our communities and the world. Together with stakeholders, partners, and allies, MRC collaborates, problem solves, and innovates to bring about a better Massachusetts for everyone—one that is truly equitable, accessible, and inclusive.

MRC, through this RFR, seeks to have a vendor provide consultation and creation of a training/e-learning PowerPoint template set and the conversion of several existing/in-process presentations/materials to e-learning so that MRC colleagues can access the content outside of the learning management system (LMS) (such as an executable file) and store the content on MRC’s LMS (as a SCORM compliant package). Thus, the vendor’s CORE business should be e-learning consultation, design, development, and creation.

This work aims to ensure that the L&D office has a consistent format for any developed learnings/materials and that all MRC staff has a way to access relevant content. This also helps in capturing and maintaining knowledge.

A budget (not to exceed $50,000), work plan, map of a clear process regarding the vendor’s approach to eLearning development, along with samples of their work, should be attached (or linked to). These pages are not counted against proposal narrative count which should not exceed 15 pages, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. The start date will take place in the Fiscal Year 2022 and will be subject to the availability of funds.

Definition of Terms

· Key Personnel: personnel directly responsible for management of the contract; or those personnel whose professional/technical skills are determined to be essential to the successful implementation of the contract.

· Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission or MRC: an agency-level organization within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services secretariat.

· Purchasing Department: shall refer to MRC

· Request for Responses or RFR: shall refer to this RFR document’s procurement specification and referenced documents.

· Services: the activities engaged in by Bidder for fulfilling its obligations under the terms of this RFR, which may or may not result in the creation of a Deliverable.

· Statement of Work or SOW: a part of the contract resulting from this procurement governing the conduct of the work requested

· Vendor (or Provider or Selected Bidder or Contractor): the Bidder who is selected and executes a contract or agreement under this RFR.

· Work Plan/Project Plan: a plan that includes project scope, schedule details, milestones, deliverables, and resource responsibilities.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCUREMENT

MRC seeks a qualified Vendor to provide the following services: creation of a full PowerPoint template set used for creating learning and conversion of between 5-15 hours of current/in-process presentations/materials to e-learning.

For the creation of the PowerPoint template set, the Vendor shall:

· Create a set of MRC branded PowerPoint templates to be used by the Learning and Development team when creating learning presentations, course material, etc.

· Advise/identify, as a partner to the L&D team, all the different layouts potentially needed

· Provide guidance, counseling, and expertise to the L&D team by providing thoughts and suggestions as to other functionality that the L&D team may not have thought about. In other words, we aren’t looking for a vendor to just do what we tell them but one who can bring innovative ways we may not have thought of, who can provide thoughts on best practices and things we should consider, etc.

· Mock-up potential designs, go through the review and revision process, and produce the template set in Captivate or Articulate

· The design of the template set should be approached with the following in mind:

· MRC is a disability agency and thus the consumer of learning created with this template set may have various needs to navigate through the content

· The material created with these templates may, at some point, be converted to e-learning modules through common authoring tools (e.g. Captivate or Articulate). Thus, this template set should be able to be easily imported into an authoring tool.

· It should provide visual interest for sighted learners but also be accessible to non-sighted learners and those with other needs.

· It should have provisions for audio, video, knowledge checks, resources, etc.

For e-learning conversion of current/in-process presentations/materials, the Vendor shall:

· Convert between 5-15 hours of presentations into e-learning modules

· Conversion should be, at a minimum, a level two e-learning conversion and, where it makes sense, level three. [See Appendix A for a description of how we are describing levels 1-4 to get an idea of how we are thinking about the work.]

· Create modules that can scale to the browsers display

· Create modules that can be used with mobile devices

· Create modules that can be uploaded/accessible to/via the majority of social media sites such as YouTube, Facebook, etc.

· Create, for each converted presentation, executable files that can stand alone and be accessed outside of the learning management system, as well as create SCORM-compliant packages that can be uploaded to MRC’s learning management system (Cornerstone).

For both the creation of the template set and conversion of presentations to e-learning:

· The initial language used will be English, but the template set and conversion modules should be designed to easily facilitate translated versions into other languages

· Vendor will make sure that all documentation, material, electronic files, etc. will conform to the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, and Section 504 and Section 508 guidelines for Accessibility. This includes making sure that materials are designed to work with various screen readers (e.g.: JAWS), closed captioning, etc.

· Vendor agrees to provide, and transfer full rights of ownership without further remuneration, to MRC all the original source files for all materials (e.g. PowerPoint decks, electronic files used to create the SCORM-compliant modules, source authoring tool files, etc.)

· Provide training to the members of the Learning and Development team on the use of the template set and the design/navigation of the e-learning modules, both in the source authoring tool as well as the packaged module.

MRC reserves the right to identify follow-up or additional tasks for the Respondent to perform related to the scope of this project. If MRC exercises this right, the Parties will negotiate the scope and compensation for such additional tasks or change in scope and amend this Contract accordingly.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

N/A

BILLING REQUIREMENTS

Vendor will be expected to provide a payment schedule with their quote.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Upon award of contract, provider will be evaluated on the basis of the following performance criteria. MRC reserves the right to revise performance measures during the life of this RFR. The vendor will be evaluated on timely and adequate completion of the required project deliverables specified in this RFR including but not limited to:

1. Provision of quality services. The vendor will be responsible for delivery of a quality product(s) and quality services

2. All documentation, material, electronic files, final deliverables, etc. conform to the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, and Section 504 and Section 508 guidelines for Accessibility. This includes materials designed to work with various screen readers (e.g.: JAWS), closed captioning, etc.

3. On-time delivery of all deliverables

PROVIDER QUALIFICATIONS

The following are minimum requirements for all bidders to provide services through this RFR:

· The vendor’s CORE business should be e-learning consultation, design, development, and creation

· The vendor provides the services and personnel to effectively complete the project such as instructional designers, content writers, graphic designers, programmers, quality checkers, project managers, illustrators, animators, narrators, audio engineers, other subject matter experts, etc.

· Creation of e-learning will be done with common authoring tools (e.g. Articulate, Captivate)

· Demonstrated ability to produce timely, complete, professional, and quality outputs that meet/exceed the needs of MRC

· Demonstrated compliance with, and ability to design for, accessibility standards (e.g.: ADA, Section 504, Section 508, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), etc.). This includes making sure that outputs are designed to work with various screen readers (e.g.: JAWS), closed captioning, etc.

IT Requirements

The e-learning modules produced will be hosted on the Cornerstone Learning Management System. Details for course/LMS requirements will be available for the winning bidder.

REQUIRED NARRATIVE FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Page Limits and Attachments:

The response must not exceed 15 pages double-spaced, with 1-inch margins and a 12-pt. font. Additional materials such as: staff resumes, budget form and budget justification narratives, organizational charts, Supplier Diversity Office certifications and other required attachments are excluded from the page limit. Additionally, there is a 15-page attachment limit for proposals submitted, (this includes organization charts resumes/staff bios). COMMBUYS will accept Word, PDF, zip files.

Bidders must provide the following information in their Responses for which a Bid is submitted.

· RFR Cover Page;

· Business Response;

· Cost Response/Payment Schedule;

· Service Specifications

Bids will be considered valid for a minimum of ninety (90) calendar days. In your response submit the following:

1. RFR Cover Page and Cover Letter

The RFR Cover Page in included in the bid attachments on COMMBUYS and must be completed and submitted with the quote.

2. Business Response

At a minimum, include the following information:

a) Company Experience

Bidders must briefly describe their organization’s experience, including their knowledge and work in the field of e-learning as well as their experience with, and capacity for, providing the services to state agency and human services providers who serve individuals living with disabilities. Bidders should also provide a brief description of a project(s) they have delivered that is like the one proposed in this RFR

b) Project References

Bidders must highlight experience with clients and/or business processes similar in nature and size to MRC as well as experience with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Bidder should provide a minimum of two (2) references from clients with projects similar in size and scope, including email and phone contact information for people who can be contacted to validate the Bidder’s qualifications.

c) Project Delivery and Management Approach

Bidders must provide a description of their proposal to provide the services described in the section above called Description of the Procurement. The Response must explain the Bidder’s understanding of, and ability to, provide each of the services identified and the Bidder’s approach to each required element.

MRC expects that the Selected Bidder will apply sound project management methodologies across all project activities, including project planning, resource management, quality management, execution, and more.

d) Project Staffing

Bidders must provide information on the different roles of personnel proposed to work on this project to provide the services described in Description of the Procurement. For each proposed role, the Bidder must describe the envisioned roles and responsibilities.

e) Key Personnel Resumes The Bidder must provide resumes for Key Personnel proposed to work on this project.

f) Information about Partners/Collaborators

Bidders may propose one or more partners/collaborators to work on this engagement, but they must name themselves as the prime partner/collaborator. If applicable, Bidder may not use a partner/collaborator for more than 80% of the work as measured by dollar amount.

For each proposed partner/collaborator, the Bidder must provide the following:

· Partner/Collaborator name;

· Partner/Collaborator address;

· A summary of their qualifications, experiences, and duties, including project tasks to be performed by the partner/collaborator; and

· A written statement signed by each proposed partner/collaborator that clearly verifies that the partner/collaborator is committed to render the services required by this RFR and the subsequent contract.

All partners/collaborators are subject to the approval of MRC.

All employees and partners/collaborators are expected to abide by the Commonwealth Third Party Information Security Standard. See https://www.mass.gov/advisory/third-party-information-security-standard for additional information.

Prior approval of MRC is required for any partner/collaborator service of the contract. Vendors are responsible for the satisfactory performance and adequate oversight of its partners/collaborators.

g) Assumptions

The Bidder must include any relevant assumptions about its ability to provide the requested services, including assumptions about any MRC staff involvement or information to which the Bidder will require access. MRC will consider Bidder’s stated assumptions during evaluation; however, the Bidder may not condition its Response on MRC’s acceptance of any assumptions.

The Bidder’s Response to each of the required items herein must reference the RFR section numbers or title headings (if no section numbers) to ensure that the Strategic Sourcing Team (SST) properly considers all aspects of the Response. Failure to properly reference requirements could result in a lower evaluation.

The Bidder shall NOT include any costs in its Business Response. The Bidder's Cost Response must be separately submitted on COMMBUYS. The Cost Response shall comply with the instructions defined below. If any cost information is found in the Business Response, or if the Cost Response is not submitted separately, the entire Response may be disqualified at the discretion of MRC.

3. Cost Response/Payment Schedule

The Cost Response will include a budget and budget justification for the entire project, with reference to the Specifications section above. Bidders are encouraged to provide as many cost options and as much flexibility as possible. The total value of the proposal should not exceed $50,000.

A Bidder must adhere to stated page limits set for each Response Section. Attachments specifically asked for by this RFR will not be counted in determining if a Bidder’s Response Package exceeds the stated page limits. Attachments must be limited to those specifically asked for by this RFR. An attachment that was not requested will be removed from the Response and will not be reviewed.

All pages in excess of a stated page limit will be removed from the end of the relevant Response Section. They will not be reviewed or considered in evaluating a Bidder’s Response.

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

Compliance with Submission Requirements

Each response will be reviewed to determine if the response satisfies the submission, format and contents requirements set forth in the REQUIRED NARRATIVE FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION and Submission Components and Attachments sections of the RFR. A response which meets these requirements will be considered an “Eligible Response.” Any response that does not meet these requirements may be considered non-responsive and disqualified without further review. It may be determined that the non-compliance is insubstantial and can be readily corrected, or that an alternative proposed by the Bidder is acceptable. In such case, MRC can seek clarification or allow the Bidder to make minor corrections.”

As part of the minimum review process, it will be determined if the Bidder has been Financially Qualified and if the Bidder is subject to any debarment. If a Bidder is subject to a debarment order, the response will be considered non-responsive and disqualified.

Review Process

Review Committees. MRC will create one Review Committee to review the responses submitted.

Evaluation Criteria. The Review Committee(s) will evaluate the Response Packages in accordance with the relevant criteria set forth in the Evaluation Tool developed for the RFR.

In addition to the Bidder’s response, a Review Committee may consider any relevant information about the Bidder known to MRC. Any additional information that is considered will be noted by the Review Committee in the Evaluation Tool

Oral Presentations. The Review Committee may, in its sole discretion, invite those Bidders whose responses have been judged competitive and responsive in the course of the evaluation to attend an oral presentation. At that time, the Bidder’s response may be discussed and clarified, but not changed in any way. MRC reserves the right to apply restrictions to the structure and content of the oral presentation, and to instruct the Bidder regarding attendees. Oral presentations will not be open to the public nor to any competitors. Failure of a Bidder to agree to a date and time for an oral presentation may result in rejection of the Bidder’s response.

Findings and Recommendations to the Commissioner of MRC. The Review Committee rates all the applicable Response Packages and forwards its completed Evaluation Tools to the Commissioner of MRC.

Selection The Commissioner of MRC shall review the completed Evaluation Tools and make decisions regarding award of notices of qualification.

Selection Decision and Notification

The decision to select or not select a Vendor/Provider/Bidder/Contractor is the decision of the Commissioner of MRC.

Pursuant to 801 CMR 21.06(13), no Bidder shall have any press conferences, or make any news releases or announcements concerning its selection or non-selection, prior to MRC’s public release of said information, or prior to the written approval of MRC. Violation of this Subsection may be considered grounds for disqualification.

Compliance with Submission Requirements

Responses may be reviewed and evaluated by any person(s) at the discretion of MRC including non-allied and independent consultants retained by MRC now or in the future, for the sole purpose of obtaining an analysis of Responses.

At any time during its review, the committee may determine some element of a Bidder’s Responses requires clarification to verify its responsiveness to the RFR or facilitate a fair comparison with competing Responses. In such cases, the committee may seek written clarification from the Bidder. All Bidders will be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity(ies) for clarification.

MRC shall qualitatively rate Bidder’s Responses by evaluating it for appropriateness, clarity, effectiveness, and responsiveness to the needs and goals of MRC. Responses will be evaluated based on the Bidder’s ability, as described in its Responses, to meet the following requirements and to provide the best value to the Commonwealth:

· Implementation dates (MRC’s overall perception of the Bidder’s ability to execute on the Deliverables in accordance with its proposed timelines);

· Qualifications of the proposed project leadership, including their past experience of working on relevant, successful projects similar to the one proposed in this RFR;

· The reasonableness and competitiveness of Bidder’s Responses; and

· Responsiveness to the needs and goals of MRC;

MRC may also consider any relevant information about the Bidder known to MRC.

CULTURAL COMPETENCE

MRC is committed to awarding contracts to providers that demonstrate cultural competence. Programs shall ensure equal access to services. The following strategies are recommended:

Agency Commitment: Agency Board of Directors and administrators make a commitment to creating an environment that clearly supports services for cultural and linguistic minority populations through the mission and goals of the agency.

Consumer Services: Program policies include language that contributes to enhancing equal access to services for all individuals residing in the Commonwealth. If the program does not have bilingual/bicultural staff, there is a mechanism in place to respond to inquiries and serve people in languages other than those of the staff.

Staff: Staff and volunteers, especially those who have direct contact with consumers, reflect a diversity of culture and language. Services to non-English speaking clients are provided by bilingual/bicultural staff. Policies on recruitment, screening, and interviewing encourage hiring of individuals whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds are appropriate. If the program does not have bilingual/bicultural staff, there is extensive training to ensure sensitive and appropriate prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.

For MRC cultural competence also refers to the capacity to provide services to non-English speaking clients who speak one or more of the following underserved languages: American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Mandarin Chinese. Describe how the individual’s practices or the organization’s policies and procedures contribute to the cultural competence of the organization at the staff and leadership levels. Describe also how the organization will serve individuals who speak a language other than English, or for which the organization does not have on-staff capacity.

ADA, Section 504, Section 508, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Compliance

The proposal should provide a straightforward, concise description of the applicant’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFR. The vendor will make sure that all documentation, material, electronic files, etc. will conform to the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, and Section 504 and Section 508 guidelines for Accessibility. This includes making sure that materials are designed to work with various screen readers (e.g.: JAWS), closed captioning, etc.

Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (Organizational applicants only): Please provide an equal opportunity plan that details your organization’s efforts to employ people with disabilities and minorities.

AUDIT

Applicable Laws: The Vendor/Provider/Bidder/Contractor shall comply with all applicable state laws and regulations including but not limited to the applicable Massachusetts General Laws; the Official Code of Massachusetts Regulations; Code of Massachusetts Regulations (unofficial); 801 CMR 21.00 (Procurement of Commodity and Service Procurements, Including Human and Social Services); 815 CMR 2.00 (Grants and Subsidies); 808 CMR 1.00 (Compliance, Reporting and Auditing for Human And Social Services); AICPA Standards; confidentiality of Department records under G.L. c. 66A; and the Massachusetts Constitution Article XVIII if applicable.

The Vendor/Provider/Bidder/Contractor shall also comply with Federal Anti-Lobbying and Other Federal Requirements such as, but not limited to, 2 CFR 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, the so-called Uniform Guidance.

The providers that MRC contracts with agree to submit Uniform Financial Reports accurately and on a timely basis as required by regulation.

During the term of this Agreement and for a period of six years thereafter, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, its auditors, the Operational Services Division, the Office of the Inspector General or other authorized representatives shall be afforded access at reasonable times to Provider's accounting records, including sales information on any system, reports or files, in order to audit all records relating to goods sold or services performed pursuant to this Agreement. If such an audit indicates that Provider has materially overcharged the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, then the Provider shall remit the overcharged amount and be responsible for payment of any costs associated with the audit.

DEBRIEFINGS AND APPEALS

Debriefing Any Bidder that has filed an Eligible Response, but that is not selected may request a debriefing to understand the basis for the decision, and review all materials relevant to the review and the qualification and selection process. The request must be in writing and received within 14 calendar days of notification of such being sent to the Bidder. A Bidder aggrieved by the decision must participate in a debriefing as a prerequisite to filing a request for an administrative appeal. All requests for a debriefing must be sent by certified mail and addressed to:

If a debriefing is properly requested, one will be scheduled within 14 calendar days of the date the request was received. If necessary, a brief extension shall be allowed by mutual agreement of the Bidder and MRC. At the debriefing, a Bidder shall be allowed to review public records directly related to the selection decision.

Administrative Appeals A Bidder that is not selected and who attends a debriefing may appeal the decision to the Commissioner of MRC. Requests for appeal must be sent by certified mail and addressed to:

The appeal must be filed within 14 calendar days of the debriefing meeting. The appeal must be in writing specifying the basis for the appeal and it must be based on one or more of the following grounds:

a) The procurement failed to comply with applicable regulations and guidelines. These are limited to the requirements of 801 CMR 21.00 or any successor regulations, the policies in the Operational Services Division (OSD) Procurement Information Center, subsequent policies and procedures issued by OSD and the specifications of the RFR; or

b) There was a fundamental unfairness in the procurement process.

The burden of proof rests with the Bidder to provide sufficient and specific evidence in support of its claim.

Requests for an appeal must specify in sufficient detail the basis for the appeal. Sufficient detail requires the identification of an applicable regulation or guideline that was not complied with or the specific facts that demonstrate that the procurement was unfair. MRC reserves the right to reject appeal requests based on grounds other than those stated above, or those submitted without sufficient detail on the basis for the appeal.

Administrative appeals are not subject to the formal procedures specified in M.G.L. c. 30A, §§ 10 & 11. A pending appeal will not prohibit MRC from proceeding with the selected Bidder, awarding a contract or making referrals to the selected Bidder.

Acceptance/Denial of the Appeal Within 21 calendar days of the receipt of request for an appeal, MRC will schedule a hearing date or notify the Bidder that the appeal has been deemed without merit and that it will not be heard. The Bidder and the MRC may mutually agree to extend the date for the hearing. The Commissioner’s decision on the appeal will be put in writing and sent to the Bidder within 60 calendar days of the date of the hearing on the Bidder’s appeal.

Appeals to the Operational Services Division Non-successful Bidders who participate in the appeal process described in this Section and remain aggrieved by the decision of the Agency may appeal the decision to the Operational Services Division (OSD). The basis for an appeal to OSD is limited to the following grounds:

c) The competitive procurement conducted by MRC failed to comply with applicable regulations and guidelines. These would be limited to the requirements of 801 CMR 21.00 or any successor regulations, the policies in the OSD Procurement Information Center, subsequent policies and procedures issued by OSD and the specifications of the RFR; or

d) There was a fundamental unfairness in the procurement process. The allegation of unfairness or bias is one that is easier to allege than prove; consequently, the burden of proof rests with the Bidder to provide sufficient and specific evidence in support of its claim. OSD will presume that MRC conducted a fair procurement absent documentation to the contrary.

Requests for an appeal must be sent to OSD to the attention of the State Purchasing Agent at Room 1017, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108 and be received within 14 calendar days of the postmark of the notice of the Agency’s decision on the appeal. Appeal requests must specify in sufficient detail the basis for the appeal. Sufficient detail requires a description of the published policy or procedure which was applied and forms the basis for the appeal and presentation of all information that supports the claim under paragraphs a or b above. OSD reserves the right to reject appeal requests based on grounds other than those stated above or those submitted without sufficient detail on the basis for the appeal.

The decision of the State Purchasing Agent shall be rendered, in writing, setting forth the grounds for the decision within 60 calendar days of receipt of the appeal request. Pending appeals to the State Purchasing Agent shall not prohibit MRC from proceeding with executing contracts.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Bidder(s) is responsible for any and all costs associated with the preparation of the RFR response.

a) All response submissions, regardless of whether a contract is ultimately awarded to a particular Bidder, become the property of MRC.

b) The Agency may, during response review or at any time prior to selection, cancel a Request for Response or reject any or all responses if the Agency determines that such action is in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

c) The MRC and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts make no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any contract resulting from this RFR.

d) MRC reserves the right to renegotiate and adjust rates, performance terms and/or performance measures at any time during the life of the contract.

e) All materials developed by the selected Provider(s) under this contract will remain the property of MRC.

f) All bidders must comply with CORI (Criminal Offender Records Information) requirements identified with any contract awarded as a result of this procurement.

g) Any contract resulting from this solicitation may be terminated at any time if the Provider is unable to meet performance standards after given a reasonable opportunity to improve performance.

h) This Request for Response is developed in good faith based on needs known at the time of document preparation. Should additional information become available during the term of this contract suggesting the advisability of a different strategy and/or additional contract goals or performance benchmarks, MRC reserves the right to modify the contract accordingly, including adjusting the contract term, dates of performance, and/or contract rate structure or contract maximum obligation.

i) A Bidder unable to offer the exact commodity or service described in this RFR but believing a comparable one can be provided, is encouraged to respond and should fully explain why the substitute commodity or service meets the specifications set forth in this RFR.

j) The qualified provider must maintain an e-mail account capable of handling e-mails and attachments of appropriate size and of accessible formatting type.

k) Bidders are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of MRC regarding this RFR, except as specified in this RFR; and no other individual Commonwealth employee or representative is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this RFR. Bidders may contact the Contact Person(s) for this RFR if this RFR is incomplete or the Bidder is having trouble obtaining any required attachments electronically through COMMBUYS.

SUBMISSION COMPONENTS AND ATTACHMENTS

COMMBUYS is the official source of information for this Bid and is publicly accessible at no charge at www.COMMBUYS.com. Information contained in this document and in COMMBUYS, including file attachments, and information contained in the related Bid Questions and Answers (Q&A), are all components of the Bid, as referenced in COMMBUYS, and are incorporated into the Bid and any resulting contract.

Bidders are solely responsible for obtaining all information distributed for this Bid via COMMBUYS. Additionally, bidders are responsible for posting their response (called “quote”) on the system. Bidders should review the “COMMBUYS Market Center” and “COMMBUYS Registration” sections in Appendix 2 of the Appendix document for an overview of electronic submission. Additional detail is provided in the “Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids Electronically through COMMBUYS” section, found in the Appendix.

COMMBUYS Registration. Bidders may elect to obtain a free COMMBUYS Seller registration which provides value-added features, including automated email notification associated with postings and modifications to COMMBUYS records. However, in order to respond to a Bid, Bidders must register and maintain an active COMMBUYS Seller account. If a Bidder requires assistance with the registration process, they may contact the COMMBUYS Help desk by email at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or by phone at 1-888-627-8283.

Quote Submission Method. Online Quote Submission via COMMBUYS is required. All Bidders must submit Quotes online using tools available only to Sellers registered in COMMBUYS. COMMBUYS provides Seller registration functionality at no charge. To register, go to www.COMMBUYS.com and click on the “Register” link on the front page. All Bidders who are awarded a contract resulting from this Bid, if any, will be required to maintain an active account during the duration of the Contract, by reviewing their registration information regularly and maintaining its accuracy.

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 of the Bid in COMMBUYS. By selecting “Save & Continue” on the “Terms and Conditions” tab after accepting the terms and conditions of the bid, 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.

Responses must be submitted to COMMBUYS (https://www.commbuys.com/bso/) by April 19, 2022 by 4:00 pm EST. Deadline time is based on the time according to the COMMBUYS system.

The electronic response must include the following:

· RFR Cover Page (Attachment 1)

· Original written proposal (up to 15 pages for general application, excluding attachments, double spaced, 12-pt type, 1 inch margins all around; up to 3 additional pages for regional community-based service applicants)

· Resumes of either individual applicant, or organization’s key staff and job descriptions for positions to be filled

· Organization Chart (organizations only)

· Business Reference Form

· Copy of Corrective Action Plan required by any state agency within the last 5 years, if any, along with evidence of its current status.

· Copy of Organization liability insurance

· Prompt Payment Discount Form

· Massachusetts Department of Revenue Certificate of Good Standing (https://wfb.dor.state.ma.us/webfile/Certificate/Public/WebForms/Welcome.aspx )

· Financial Pre-Qualification requirements, as listed below in “Additional Requirements for Financial Pre-Qualification” section The general proposal must not exceed 15 pages double-spaced, with 1 inch margins, 12 pt. font, and must include page numbers. Additional materials such as: staff resumes, budget form and budget justification narratives, organizational charts, and Supplier Diversity Office certifications are excluded from the page limit.

Contact Help Desk with submission difficulties COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or 888-627-8283.

FORMS REQUIRED FOR FINANCIAL PREQUALIFICATION FOR ORGANIZATIONS

· Organization Chart

· Copy of Articles of Organization / Articles of Incorporation (issued by Secretary of the Commonwealth or state of incorporation)

· Copy of Corrective Action Plan required by any state agency within the last 5 years, if any, along with evidence of its current status

· Bidder must also meet all conditions listed below in the “Fiscal Requirements” section

FORMS REQUIRED AT CONTRACT AWARD

· Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standard Contract Form Please note that the Standard Contract Form, the Contractor Certifications and the (Commonwealth Terms and Conditions for Information Technology Contracts/ OR Commonwealth Terms and Conditions OR Commonwealth Terms and Conditions For Human and Social Services) are incorporated by reference into the Standard Contract Form. By submission of a Response to this RFR, Bidders agree to abide by the terms of the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions and the Standard Contract Form.

· W9

· EFT

· Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing For the Standard Contract Form and Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing, MRC will only accept signatures in formats that are allowed by the Comptroller at the time of contract execution. Currently, the Comptroller will allow the formats below.

· Traditional “wet signature” (ink on paper);

· An electronic signature that is either:

· Hand drawn using a mouse or finger if working from a touch screen device; or

· An uploaded picture of the signatory’s hand-drawn signature

· Electronic signatures affixed using a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign.

· If using an electronic signature, the signature must be visible, include the signatory’s name and title, and must be accompanied by a signature date.

· Please be advised that typed text of a name not generated by a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign, even in computer-generated cursive script, or an electronic symbol, are not acceptable forms of electronic signature.

MRC has recently transitioned to an electronic signatory method for W9 and EFT forms, and may ask vendors to complete the forms online in Docusign, upon receipt of an email from MRC.

Fiscal Requirements

Bidders must meet the requirements set forth in this Subsection when filing bids and if awarded Contracts as Contractors. If MRC becomes aware that the bidder has knowingly failed to disclose any of the conditions below, MRC may withdraw an offer of bid award, and/or terminate a contract.

A. Sound Fiscal Condition. Bidders/Contractors must be of sound financial condition as determined by MRC. MRC may request financial information from a Bidder/Contractor at any time throughout the procurement, to determine if the Bidder/ Contractor meets this standard.

B. Solvency.

a. Bidders/Contractors must not have been in bankruptcy and/or receivership within the last three (3) calendar years.

b. Bidders/Contractors must have at least three (3) months of adequate reserves.

C. Good Standing. If incorporated, Bidders/Contractors must be in good standing and in compliance with all filing requirements of the state of incorporation and with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

D. Debarment. Bidders/Contractors must not be subject to a federal or state debarment order. MRC cannot award a Contract to a provider that is currently subject to a Massachusetts or federal debarment order.

E. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). A Contractor must participate in the Commonwealth Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) program for receiving payments.

F. Tax Compliance. Bidders/Contractors must be in good standing with both State and Federal Tax Laws.

Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) Program Background. The Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) was established pursuant to Executive Order 523 to increase state contracting opportunities with small businesses having their principal place of business within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the SBPP, it is the intention of the issuing department to award this Small Procurement to one or more SBPP participating business(es) as described below.

SBPP Award Preference. While all businesses, no matter the size or principal place of business, may submit responses to this solicitation, should an SBPP participant respond and meet the best value criteria as described in this solicitation, the SBPP participant shall be awarded the contract. The Strategic Sourcing Services Team (SST) will not evaluate submissions from non-SBPP participants unless no SBPP Bidder meets the SSST’s best value evaluation criteria.

SBPP Participation Eligibility. To be eligible to participate in this procurement as an SBPP participant, an entity must meet the following criteria, and be marked as an SBPP registered business in COMMBUYS:

1. Have its principal place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

1. Been in business for at least one year;

1. Employ a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in all locations, or employees work less than a combined total of 26,000 hours per quarter; and

1. Have gross revenues, as reported on appropriate tax forms, of $15 million or less, based on a three-year average.

Non-profit firms also must be registered as a non-profit or charitable organization with the MA Attorney General’s Office and be up to date with all filings required by that office and be tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

SBPP Compliance Requirements. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their SBPP status is current at the time of submitting a response and throughout the life of any resulting contract. Misrepresentation of SBPP status will result in disqualification from consideration, and may result in debarment, contract termination, and other actions. To learn more about the SBPP, including how to apply, visit the SBPP Webpage.

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

CONTRACT EXECUTION

All bidders must complete a quote on the COMMBUYS system.

Electronic Responses must be submitted to COMMBUYS (https://www.commbuys.com/bso/) by April 19, 2022 at 4:00 pm

Upon selection, bidders will receive a Standard Contract packet for signature. No services should be rendered until the bidder is notified that the contract process is complete.

RFR Attachments

This RFR includes additional specifications, as described in the Appendix document:

· Appendix A: Four Levels of E-Learning

· MRC Appendix 1-2

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