Tech-23 - FINAL Restated 4-2024.docx

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services

Address: 1000 Washington Street Suite 410 Boston, MA 02118

Contact Name: Timothy Cahill

Email: DDSPOSProcurement@mass.gov

Request for Response (RFR)

Document Title: Massachusetts Technical Schools with Full-time LPN Certificate Programs Qualifying RFR

COMMBUYS BID Number: BD-23-1023-1023C-1023L-85978

DDS RFR Document Identifier: Tech-23

Date: March 21, 2023

Restated: April 12, 2024

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 go to www.COMMBUYS.com.

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. The Department of Developmental Services 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

Public Records: All information, documents, and attachments submitted as a response to this RFQ are considered a public document subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L., c. 66, s. 10, and to c. 4, s. 7, ss. 26. Please be aware that checking the “confidential” box in COMMBUYS does not bar these documents from being released as a public record pursuant to these statutes once the procurement is awarded, unless statutorily exempt from disclosure.

1.1 Procurement Scope and Description

The Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS or the Department) releases this procurement in order to identify technical schools in the Commonwealth that offer Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Certificate programs, to partner with DDS for the purpose of encouraging and supporting DDS employees to obtain their LPN certificate. DDS will make direct payments to awarded Bidders for tuition, fees and related school expenses for DDS employees who enroll in that technical schools’ LPN Certificate program. The Department will evaluate the yearly limit each year based on costs to technical schools and financial resources available each fiscal year. For academic year 2024-2025, the direct payment is up to $20,000 per employee.

1.2 Procurement and Contract Structure

This RFR incorporates all relevant provisions of 801 CMR 21.00 Procurement of Commodities and Services, the Standard Contract Form including related Instructions/Certifications, the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, the Operational Services Division’s Required Specifications, Attachment C, and any updates to these documents during the life of this procurement.

This procurement will result in a Master List of Bidders who have been deemed qualified and awarded a contract. This is a rolling enrollment RFR, and Bidders may continue to submit proposals up to January 31, 2028.

Awarded Bidders will sign a standard contract form and be placed on a Master Agreement. Current contracted Bidders do not need to reapply but will be asked to sign an updated Master Agreement contract. The Master Agreement contract does not guarantee the awarded Bidder a specific level of funding. Funding will be approved and managed by the DDS Central Office for each enrolled DDS employee.

1.3 Applicable Procurement Law

Executive Branch Goods and Services Applicable Laws

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

Check One (“X”)

1.5 Calendar Rule Type:

1.6 Acquisition Method:

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

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

1.8 Expected Duration of Contract:

Anticipated Initial Duration up to: 5 years

Final End Date of this Contract: June 30, 2028

At any time during the duration of the contract, the Department may conduct reviews of services and may consider taking corrective action, up to and including cessation or termination of all or part of the services covered under the contract.

1.9 Anticipated Expenditures, Funding or Compensation For Expected Duration

Estimated Value of Procurement (Including Anticipated Renewal Options): $150,000 to $250,000 per year

Check One (“X”)

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

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

2.0 Specifications (Scope of Service)

DDS seeks to implement an LPN Certificate Program for DDS employees that will be available for up to twenty-five (25) DDS employees in each academic year during the life of this procurement. DDS may expand program availability beyond twenty-five (25) in subsequent academic years. DDS will make direct payments for tuition, fees, and related school expenses to the awarded Bidder for each DDS employees to who enrolls in a full-time LPN certificate program offered by the vendor technical school and is accepted to the DDS LPN Certificate program. The direct payment amount may change over the life of this procurement and is contingent on available financial resources each fiscal year. For academic year 2024-2025, the direct payment is up to $20,000 per employee. During the life of this procurement, the Department will evaluate the yearly limit. Any changes in the payment limit will be communicated separately to qualified providers.

DDS seeks responses from technical schools that offer LPN Certificate programs. All proposals must include: 1) a primary and secondary point of contact and 2) completion of the response document that includes a schedule of tuition and fees associated with the program. If a DDS employee is accepted into and enrolls in the technical school’s certificate program, DDS will work with the school to process tuition and fee payments related to DDS employees’ participation in the LPN certificate program. The Department will seek an updated schedule of tuition and fees from qualified technical schools every year that a DDS employee is enrolled in the technical school’s program.

3.0 Performance Requirements and Contract Monitoring

DDS reserves the right to accept or reject all responses received as a result of the RFR, to negotiate with any or all Bidders, and to cancel the RFR if it is in the best interest of the Department to do so.

4.0 Contract Invoicing:

Awarded Bidders will assign a primary and secondary point of contact to interact with the Department regarding this contract. The technical school will invoice the Department for the fall semester and spring semester based upon a mutually agreed schedule for the DDS employee so enrolled.

Awarded Bidders may not incur any obligation in any form until a Standard Contract Form and any supplements thereto has been signed by representatives of DDS and the awarded Bidder. Supplements may include but are not limited to the following: submission of updated schedule of fees and tuition and an invoice document.

The invoice must include:

1. invoice date

2. unique invoice number

3. school name

4. full student name

5. semester/timeframes covered

6. total amount due Payment through Electronic Funds Transfer is required for any contract awarded through this solicitation.

5.0 Evaluation Process:

Technical schools that submit a signed attestation form with required forms listed below will be issued a contract.

6.0 Estimated Procurement Calendar:

The BID opening date (Deadline for Submission of Response) All responses to be submitted electronically using the online submission tools available to active COMMBUYS account holders.

April 27, 2023.

Technical schools can continue to submit proposals until January 1, 2028

A Bidder’s Conference will not be held.

7.0 Submission Requirements

(If any)

The above attachments are available as part of the BID record on COMMBUYS

7.1 Prohibitions

Bidders are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of the Department or any member of the Procurement Management Team regarding this RFR except as specified in this RFR, and no other individual Commonwealth employee or representative is authorized to provide information or respond to questions or inquiries concerning this RFR. Bidders may contact the individual listed in contact information section of the Header Information this Bid in the event that this RFR is not complete, or information is missing.

7.2 Submission Instructions

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

All Quotes that wish to be considered for the anticipated start must be received by the Department of Developmental Services before the specified date, month, year, and time of the Bid Opening Date displayed on COMMBUYS. Times displayed in COMMBUYS are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US).

COMMBUYS Support The following resources are provided to assist Bidders in submitting Quotes:

· A link to a job aid on How to Submit a Quote on COMMBUYS

· A link to a job aid on Finding Open and Rolling BIDS While Logged into COMMBUYS Website: Go to www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys and select the COMMBUYS Resource Center link offered under Key Resources.

Email: If you have any questions or concerns contact the OSD Help Desk at OSDHELPDESK@MASS.GOV Telephone: Call the COMMBUYS Help Desk at 1-888-MA-STATE (1-888-627-8283). 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.

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.

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

Alterations Bidders may not alter (manually or electronically) the Bid language, or any Bid component files, except as directed in the RFR. Modifications to the body of the Bid, specifications, terms and conditions, or which change the intent of this Bid are prohibited and may disqualify a Bid.

Ownership of Submitted Quotes The PMT shall be under no obligation to return materials submitted by a Bidder in response to this Bid. All materials submitted by Bidders become the property of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will not be returned to the Bidder. The Commonwealth reserves the right to use any ideas, concepts, or configurations that are presented in a Bidder’s Quote, whether or not the Quote is selected for Contract award.

Quotes stored on COMMBUYS in the encrypted lockbox are the file of record. Bidders retain access to a “read-only” copy of this submission via COMMBUYS, as long as their account remains active. Bidders also may retain a traditional paper copy or electronic copy on a separate computer, or network drive or separate media, such as CD or DVD, as a backup.

7.3 Privacy and Data Security: See Attachment C.

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