Wheelchair Operations Manager RFR Amended and Restated - Amendment 2.docx

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

ONE ASHBURTON PLACE

BOSTON, MA 02108

REQUEST FOR RESPONSES

FOR

WHEELCHAIR OPERATION MANAGER

COMMBUYS BID #: BD-23-1039-EHS01-EHS01-80460

DOCUMENT #: 23EHSLCWHEELCHAIROMRFR

ISSUED: NOVEMBER 1, 2022

Amended and Restated (Amendment 1): January 27, 2023

Amended and Restated (Amendment 2): February 3, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A: Model Contract Attachment B: Cost Response Template Attachment C: MassHealth DME Providers Attachment D: Mandatory Response Forms Checklist and Acknowledgements

RFR for Wheelchair Operations Manager 2

INTRODUCTION

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is issuing this Request for Responses (RFR) pursuant to 801 CMR 21.00, which governs procurement of services by state agencies and requires a competitive process, including the issuance of an RFR, for acquisitions of all commodities and services.

Purpose of Procurement In this Request for Responses (RFR), EOHHS is soliciting proposals to contract with a single qualified entity (Bidder) to serve as an Operations Manager to support the administration of the Wheelchair Loaner Program and Community Provider Wheelchair Repair Program, as described in Section 1.2.B herein and in the Model Contract (hereinafter, “Attachment A”).

Background EOHHS and MassHealth EOHHS is the single state agency responsible for administering the Commonwealth’s Medicaid program and its Children’s Health Insurance Program (together, MassHealth) in accordance with M.G.L. c. 6A, § 16, Titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act, M.G.L. c. 118E, and other applicable federal and state laws, regulations, waivers and demonstration projects.

MassHealth is a joint state-federal program that provides health coverage to more than 2 million, or about 1 in 4, Massachusetts residents. This coverage contributes to the Commonwealth’s high level of health care coverage of over 96 percent of its residents. Approximately 70 percent of MassHealth members are enrolled in some type of managed care program, with the remaining 30 percent in the Fee-for-Service program (FFS). MassHealth provides health care coverage and premium assistance for low income and uninsured families, disabled individuals, children, long-term unemployed adults, and seniors. MassHealth covers services that commercial insurance typically covers, as well as other benefits such as long-term services and supports (LTSS) and additional behavioral health care.

MassHealth’s mission is to improve the health outcomes of its diverse members, their families and their communities by providing access to integrated health care services that sustainably promote health, well-being, independence, and quality of life. MassHealth provides services to its Members through a variety of ways, including through fee-for-service and through managed care and related programs.

EOHHS, the American Rescue Plan Act and its Wheelchair Initiatives On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Section 9817 provides enhanced federal funding for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). On July 16, 2022, the EOHHS, Office of Medicaid, submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed investments for the enhanced funding that were subsequently provided partial approval by CMS pending the Commonwealth’s continued compliance with program requirements, which is fully anticipated. The approved investments were to use ARPA funding for the design and implementation of two new wheelchair initiatives: a) the Wheelchair Loaner Program and b) the Community Provider Wheelchair Repair Program. The goal of these initiatives is to test enhanced supports for MassHealth Members whose wheelchairs need repair. These two initiatives are separate but related initiatives and will be managed by a single Operations Manager, which is the focus of this RFR. The ARPA funds available for implementation of the two wheelchair initiatives, including the costs for the Operations Manager to administer the programs and to purchase parts and loaner wheelchairs, are approximately $3.7 million.

The term of any Contract award made pursuant to this RFR will be through August 31, 2025, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 6.26 of Attachment A. On March 31, 2025, all ARPA funding for the Wheelchair Programs, must be disbursed. On or around this time, EOHHS will determine if the Wheelchair Programs described in Section 1.2.B of this RFR should extend beyond Contract Year Three or be modified in any way, including contraction or expansion. EOHHS’ determination will be subject to (1) further legislative appropriations, with the extent and presence of any appropriation to be determined by EOHHS in its sole discretion; (2) all necessary federal and state approvals as determined by EOHHS in its sole discretion, including continued authorization if necessary; and (3) satisfactory performance, as determined by EOHHS in its sole discretion.

In addition to the other requirements set forth in Attachment A, the Bidder selected for Contract award pursuant to this RFR will be required to provide Operations Manager services that will consist of the following components:

Community Provider Wheelchair Repair Program: The Community Provider Wheelchair Repair Program will establish a new community-based manual and power wheelchair Simple Repair option for Members using Community Providers as further specified in Section 2.1.A of Attachment A. The program is designed to decrease the demand for Simple Repairs of wheelchairs for MassHealth Members by MassHealth-contracted DME providers, freeing their technician resources for more Complex Repairs.

The Operations Manager shall perform various tasks to support the administration of the Wheelchair Repair Program, including but not limited to:

Planning and implementing two phases of implementation, including:

a home-based Simple Repair program by Operations Manager technicians; and a community-based program, where Simple Repairs would be provided at Community Provider service locations throughout the Commonwealth;

Hiring and training repair technicians to provide Simple Repairs and support MassHealth-contracted DME Provider Remote Assessments, as needed;

Ensuring performance of Simple Repairs by Operations Manager staff or through referral to an available Community Provider;

Developing and implementing processes to provide part stocking and restocking to ensure parts availability for Simple Repairs, and;

Processing invoices and payments for Simple Repairs conducted by Community Providers, providing timely payments to Community Providers and submitting invoices to MassHealth-contracted DME Providers for submitting claims to the appropriate MassHealth payer or primary insurance, including Medicare and requesting authorizations for services, where needed.

Wheelchair Loaner Program: The Wheelchair Loaner Program, as described further in Section 2.1.B of Attachment A, is designed to enhance access for individuals who use wheelchairs by 1) augmenting the availability of loaner wheelchairs and 2) facilitating and supporting delivery and Pick-up of back-up manual or power Loaner Wheelchairs to Members who do not have a useable back-up chair to use while their primary wheelchair is repaired by a MassHealth-contracted DME Provider or a Community Provider.

The Operations Manager shall perform various tasks to support the administration of the Wheelchair Loaner Program, including but not limited to:

Processing requests for Loaner Wheelchair delivery and Pick-up from DME Providers and Members;

Performing Loaner Wheelchair delivery, Pick-up, maintenance (including performing Simple Repairs or providing to DME Providers for Complex Repairs) and storage; and Conducting Loaner Wheelchair fleet inventory management and supporting coordination across MassHealth-enrolled DME providers and Community Providers when Loaner Wheelchairs are needed for delivery or Pick-up;

Cross-Initiative Administrative Tasks: The Contractor shall perform various tasks to support the administration of both programs, as further specified in Section 2.1.C of Attachment A, including, but not limited to:

Performing Customer Service in accordance with Section 2.5 of Attachment A, including receiving, tracking and responding to Customer inquiries, including individuals/Members, DME Providers and Community Providers;

Supporting issue management through proactively resolving or escalating operational issues;

Provide billing support through submitting invoices and other required documentation to DME Providers for billing and auditing;

Purchasing necessary items to support the Wheelchair Programs, including but not limited to purchasing Loaner Wheelchairs and parts and tool stocks to perform Simple Repairs;

Developing and conducting trainings for staff and Community Providers’ staff, including trainings on program policies and procedures and technical trainings on Simple Repairs;

Performing quality improvement and monitoring activities to track performance and develop strategies for continuous improvement in program operations;

Supporting stakeholder collaboration activities as part of ongoing program implementation; and Entering into an agreement with MassHealth-contracted DME Providers who execute a Special Conditions Contract with EOHHS to develop policies and procedures for the Wheelchair Programs in accordance with Sections 2.1.C.9 and 3.1 of Attachment A. See Attachment C, MassHealth DME Providers for details on potential DME Provider partners.

Phased Implementation for Community Provider Wheelchair Repair Program There will be two phases of implementation for the Community Provider Wheelchair Programs, as follows:

Each phase will have a start-up period in which Start-up Activities set forth in Section 2.6 of Attachment A, will be conducted, followed by implementation activities where requirements set forth in Section 2.1 of Attachment A, will be fully implemented.

For implementation of Phase 1: Home-based Simple Repairs by Operations Manager Staff and the Loaner Wheelchair Program, the Operations Manager shall:

Establish collaborative processes with the Operations Manager, MassHealth-contracted DME Provider(s) who have executed a Special Conditions Contract, and EOHHS;

Develop and execute critical policies and procedures, including development and execution of trainings for Operations Manager staff and technicians, purchasing and stocking/restocking needs parts and tools for Simple Repairs, and establish billing processes between the Operations Manager and DME Providers; and Complete implementation by 18 months from when the Operations Manager Contract is executed, inclusive of the time spent performing initial Start-up Activities.

For implementation of Phase 2: Simple Repairs by Community Providers in Community-based Locations and related updates to the Loaner Wheelchair Program, the Operations Manager shall:

Build on phase 1 collaborative processes with the Operations Manager, MassHealth-contracted DME Provider(s) who have executed a Special Conditions Contract, and EOHHS to establish additional processes specific to phase 2;

Develop and execute critical policies and procedures to integrate Community Providers into the Wheelchair programs, including development and execution of trainings for Community Provider staff and technicians, purchasing and stocking/restocking needed parts and tools for Simple Repairs for Community Providers, and establishing billing processes between the Community Providers and the Operations Manager; and Initiate phase 2 Start-up Activities in Section 2.6. of Attachment A, during Contract Year Two and complete implementation by the end of Contract Year Three.

Figure 1 below illustrates the phased implementation of the Community Provider Wheelchair Repair Program for the first three Contract Years (CY).

Figure 1. Phased Implementation of Community Provider Wheelchair Repair Program Initial Start-up Phase 1 Implementation

Phase 2 Start-up Phase 2 Implementation

CY 1

CY 3

CY 2

Potential Service Volumes The Wheelchair Programs are designed to serve MassHealth Members who are wheelchair users who require wheelchair repair and may also need a loaner wheelchair while their wheelchair is being serviced. Table 1 below reflects EOHHS’s best estimates of potential utilization of Operations Manager services during a 12-month period.

Table 1. Operations Manager Service Potential Utilization Estimates

Number

* The estimated potential utilization in Table 1 includes members who are determined by the MassHealth agency to be eligible for MassHealth with a coverage type that includes a DME benefit in accordance with MassHealth regulations at 130 CMR 450.105, which includes individuals enrolled with managed care entities (MCEs) and fee-for-service (FFS). FFS claims include, but are not limited to, claims submitted on behalf of members enrolled in the MassHealth Primary Care Clinician (PCC) Plan or a MassHealth Primary Care Accountable Care Organization (Primary Care ACO). FFS claims do not include claims submitted on behalf of members enrolled in MassHealth Accountable Care Partnership Plans (ACPPs), Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), Senior Care Organizations (SCOs), or One Care Plans (collectively, for the purposes of this RFR, managed care entities or MCEs). MassHealth does not require MCEs to engage with the Operations Manager.

Nothing in this RFR shall be construed as an expressed or implied guarantee of any number of Members to be served by a Bidder awarded a Contract under this procurement.

Bidder Qualifications To be considered for the Contract award pursuant to this RFR, the bidder, in addition to all other requirements specified herein, must meet the minimum qualifications in Section 1.3.A. In addition, EOHHS has a strong preference for the preferred qualifications outlined in Section 1.3.B.

Minimum Qualifications Demonstrated successful past implementations of programs providing services to persons with disabilities;

Prior experience purchasing devices or equipment from providers and vendors/manufacturers; and Prior experience operating a loaner program.

Preferred Qualifications Experience providing maintenance and repair of assistive technology;

Experience collaborating with other organizations and providers to develop processes and workflows to smoothly deliver services to persons with disabilities;

Ability to effectively outreach to the disability community and to people with disabilities from diverse cultures;

Experience serving individuals with different types of disabilities, of varying ages, and from diverse cultures; and Experience serving individuals across Massachusetts.

The Bidder shall provide further information regarding its qualifications as set forth in Section 4.3 as part of the Programmatic Response.

DEFINITIONS

Unless otherwise noted, capitalized terms in this RFR and its Attachments are defined in Attachment A, Section 1.

MODEL CONTRACT

Any Bidder that becomes the Contractor shall provide the services requested in this RFR and in Attachment A. Attachment A contains provisions that may be incorporated into any Contract to be executed between EOHHS and the selected Contractor. The term of any Contract award made pursuant to this RFR will be through August 31, 2025, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 6.26 of Attachment A. The Contractor shall be paid for its performance of its obligations under the Contract in accordance with Section 4 of Attachment A. EOHHS may modify Attachment A as it deems necessary prior to the execution of the Contract. Changes to the Contract after its execution by the parties shall be made only by written amendment.

RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

Submission Instructions All Responses to this RFR must be submitted in accordance with the submission instructions in this section.

All procurements posted on COMMBUYS, known as Bids, require the submission of electronic responses, known as Quotes. To submit an electronic Quote, Bidders must register and maintain an active COMMBUYS Seller subscription account. Questions regarding COMMBUYS should be directed to the OSD Help Desk at osdhelpdesk@mass.gov . Instructions for creating a Quote can be found in the document title “Create a Quote in COMMBUYS” in the list of File Attachments for this RFR. See Section 6.4 of this RFR for further information about COMMBUYS.

Bidders must submit electronic Quotes on COMMBUYS by the date and time specified in Section 7. COMMBUYS will not accept submissions after the specified deadline. The Bidder shall comply with all COMMBUYS electronic submission requirements and file size limits. Electronic media submissions, other than the required electronic files submitted via COMMBUYS, such as videotapes, audiotapes, and diskettes will not be accepted. Facsimile and e-mailed responses will not be accepted.

Bidders shall respond to this RFR with the documents specified below (collectively, “the Response”) by the date and time specified in Section 7.

A Business Response as described in Section 4.2;

A Programmatic Response as described in Section 4.3; and A Cost Response as described in Section 4.4.

The Mandatory Response Forms Checklist and Acknowledgements as described in Attachment D.

Response Format Requirements Each document comprising the Response must be clearly labeled and state on the cover page and within the file name:

The title of the RFR;

The Bidder’s legal name; and The title of the document contained in the file (e.g., Business Response, Programmatic Response, Cost Response).

The Response shall be formatted as follows:

Typewritten/word processed;

Single-spaced with a line between each paragraph;

One-inch margins;

12-point Times New Roman font or similar; and Include the Bidder’s name and page number in the footer.

The Response shall be organized as follows:

The Response shall contain a Table of Contents;

The Bidder must respond to each item in the order in which it appears in the RFR;

Each section of a document that is part of the Response shall be separated by a header that includes reference to the RFR section number and heading (e.g., Section 4.2.A. Organizational Overview); and Each attachment of the document shall be separated by a page that includes the attachment number and heading (for example, “Attachment A: Organizational Chart”). The required documentation and forms listed in Section 4.2.F of this RFR must be included as attachments separate from the narrative response.

EOHHS assumes no responsibility for knowledge of any material that is not presented in accordance with EOHHS’s instructions and may not consider any such material in evaluating the Bidder’s response to the RFR.

Cover Letter The Bidder must include with its Business Response a cover letter that must:

Clearly state the name of the Bidder and the Bidder’s principal address;

Clearly state the name, address, email, and telephone number of the individual who should be contacted for the purpose of discussing any aspect of the Bidder’s response;

Include a statement that: (1) clearly articulates that the Bidder accepts the terms of this RFR and of the Model Contract provided in Attachment A, without substantive change and (2) acknowledges the Bidder has read and understood the Standard Contract Form Instructions and the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions (see Section 4.2.F);

Be signed by an individual authorized to bind the Bidder; and Include a statement that the Bidder’s proposal will remain in effect until the Bidder withdraws its proposal or a Contract resulting from his RFR is executed, whichever is later.

Responsiveness Bidders shall not submit unnecessary samples, attachments, or other documents not specified in this RFR. Each response document should contain only relevant information that is specific to the topic of that response document in accordance with Section 4 of this RFR. Superfluous information may be disregarded.

Business Response Requirements The Bidder shall meet all standards and must comply with all business submission requirements in this section.

Organizational Overview (not to exceed 1 page) The Bidder shall submit the following information:

The Bidder organization’s legal name, trade name, and any other name under which the bidding organization does or has done business;

The Bidder’s ownership status (whether the bidding organization is publicly traded or privately held). If privately held, identify the owner(s) with 5 percent or more financial interest in the organization;

The Bidder’s principal address, e-mail address, telephone number, and website URL, if applicable;

A listing of the Board of Directors, if any, of the Bidder’s organization and of the Bidder’s parent organization, if any;

The type of legal entity the Bidder is (for example, corporation (profit or not for profit), limited partnership, general partnership, or trust), and the state or foreign country where the entity is organized. The Bidder shall also include such information for any parent organization; and The Bidder’s organizational chart. The Bidder’s organizational chart shall include the names, titles, and reporting relationships of all key organization officers, (for example, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officers) as well as any subsidiary relationships and subcontractors. If this requirement is not applicable because the Bidder is an individual or sole proprietor, please indicate as much in the response.

Interests (not to exceed 1 page) Neither the Bidder nor any Subcontractor shall have any interest that will conflict, as determined by EOHHS in its sole discretion, with the performance of services required under this RFR. To demonstrate freedom from conflicting interests, the Bidder must submit the following:

A description of how the Bidder will assure that no interest will conflict with the performance of services required under the Contract;

A statement of any and all of the financial, legal, contractual, and other business interests of the Bidder and any material subcontractor, its affiliates, partners, parent(s), subsidiaries, and related organizations, if any, that may affect or impact its performance under the Contract;

A statement describing whether the Bidder or any employee or Subcontractor who shall perform work under the Contract has a possible conflict of interest and, if so, the nature of that conflict and proposal to eliminate or mitigate such conflicting interest;

The names, addresses, and website URLs, if applicable, of any person or entity, if any, with which the Bidder has any direct or indirect financial, legal, contractual or other business relationship, including any Subcontractor(s), and such Subcontractors’ partners, parent(s), subsidiaries, and any other entity directly or indirectly related to any such Subcontractor, that may create a conflict of interest or the appearance of such a conflict, and a description explaining the exact nature of each such relationship and the possible conflict;

A signed EOHHS-Required Bidder’s Certification (see Section 4.2.F below); and Any other information requested by EOHHS that, in EOHHS’s judgment, is relevant to the Bidder’s or any of the Bidder’s Material Subcontractor’s financial, legal, contractual, or other business interests.

If EOHHS determines that a Bidder possesses a conflicting interest, EOHHS reserves the right to propose or consider any proposal of the Bidder of any measures that would eliminate or mitigate such conflicting interest to EOHHS’ satisfaction.

Financial Condition The Bidder shall submit documentation to demonstrate to the satisfaction of EOHHS that the Bidder’s organization (and the Bidder’s parent organization, if any) is in sound financial condition and that any significant financial problems are being addressed with appropriate corrective measures. The Bidder shall submit documents that include the following information regarding the Bidder and any parent organization (if applicable):

A completed EOHHS-Required Bidders’ Certification (see Section 4.2.F);

A disclosure of any financial audit of the Bidder that is ongoing or concluded in the last two years and a copy of the auditor’s report. The Bidder shall also submit such a disclosure from the Bidder’s parent organization and material subcontractors, if any;

A statement as to whether, in the last 10 years, the Bidder has filed (or had filed against it) any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, whether voluntary or involuntary, or undergone the appointment of a receiver, trustee, or assignee for the benefit of creditors; and if so, a detailed explanation regarding said proceeding or appointment; and A certificate from the taxing authority of the state in which the Bidder has its principal office, attesting that the Bidder is not in default of any obligation under its tax laws. Corporations with principal offices in Massachusetts may satisfy this requirement may be satisfied by submitting a “Certificate of Good Standing” issued by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR). For instructions on obtaining the DOR certificate, visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dor-certificate-of-good-standing-andor-corporate-tax-lien-waiver-faqs EOHHS may disqualify a Bidder if the Bidder fails to submit the documents required by this section, or if these documents, or other information obtained by EOHHS relating to the Bidder’s and any Material Subcontractor’s financial condition, indicate to EOHHS, in its reasonable discretion, that the Bidder’s or any Material Subcontractor’s financial condition is unsatisfactory. EOHHS reserves the right to request additional financial information from proposed Material Subcontractors. The Bidder shall inform proposed Material Subcontractors of their obligation to provide such information at the request of EOHHS. Failure of a Material Subcontractor to provide such information may be grounds for rejection of the Bidder’s proposal.

References The Bidder shall provide a list of three customer references from among those entities with which the Bidder has had business experience within the last five years, preferably involving the types of services requested in this RFR, using the Business Reference Form listed in Section 4.2.F.

EOHHS may, at its option, contact these references and any other individual or organization whether or not identified by the Bidder.

Disclosure of Litigation The Bidder shall disclose any material litigation affecting its organization, if any. The Bidder shall describe any past or pending litigation related to the duties, responsibilities and roles that are described in this RFR and Attachment A.

Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Form The Bidder shall complete and submit a Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Form (see Section 4.2.F and Section 6.17).

Required Forms The Bidder shall complete, sign and submit the following forms which may be downloaded from COMMBUYS:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts – Standard Contract Form;

Standard Contract Form Instructions, Contractor Certifications and Commonwealth Terms and Conditions: Please note that Bidders do not need to complete the Standard Contract Form Instructions and the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, but must acknowledge that they have read and understood these forms in their cover letter (see Section 4.1.D.3) Massachusetts Substitute W-9 Form – Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification;

Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing;

Prompt Payment Discount Form (see Section 6.23);

SDP Plan Form as described in Section 6.17;

EOHHS-Required Bidder Certifications Form; and Business Reference Form.

Programmatic Response Requirements The Bidder shall demonstrate to EOHHS in its Programmatic Response Submission its ability to assume all programmatic responsibilities of the Contract. The Bidder shall submit all required materials, including narrative and attachments as specified in this Section 4.3.

For each applicable Programmatic Response requirement in the subsections below, the Bidder must specify whether the Bidder plans to provide all services or perform all functions described in its response to each subsection internally or whether it plans to utilize a material subcontractor for all or part of the services or functions;

If the Bidder plans to utilize a material subcontractor, the Bidder shall provide, in addition to the information requested in each subsection, a description of the Bidder’s role and the material subcontractor’s role; an explanation as to why the Bidder is using a material subcontractor; the process the Bidder is using to select a material subcontractor; the name of any material subcontractor already selected or under consideration; and any processes the Bidder will implement to monitor and evaluate the material subcontractor’s performance; and When asked to describe current or prior experience, the Bidder shall include the experience of any proposed material subcontractor and indicate whether the experience described was that of the Bidder or of the material subcontractor.

Bidder History (not to exceed 5 pages) The Bidder shall describe its organization in terms of its historical and present operations that are related to the provision of Operations Manager services as described in Attachment A, including the following:

Indicate the number of years that the Bidder has been in business, highlighting specific years in which the Bidder was engaged in providing services similar to Operations Manager services and, if applicable, how many years the Bidder has provided these services for programs in Massachusetts.

Describe the Bidder’s experience in providing administrative services similar to the Operations Manager services. In describing the Bidder’s experience services, describe the types of programs for which the Bidder provided similar services and the Bidder’s role and experiences in those programs, and if applicable, highlighting the services that were provided for Medicaid programs and programs in Massachusetts.

Describe how it meets the qualification specified under Section 1.3 of this RFR.

A list of the Bidder’s contracts with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts over the last five years. EOHHS reserves the right to contact the individual(s) the Bidders identify as part of their list. The list must include:

The contract name;

The contract term;

The name of the procuring state agency; and The name, title, e-mail address, and telephone number of a person who can respond to inquiries about the Bidder’s involvement with the project.

A statement as to whether, in the last five years, any subcontractors, vendors or providers have cancelled contracts with the Bidder or implemented sanctions based on performance, and if so, an explanation providing relevant details.

Staffing Plan (not to exceed 5 pages) The Bidder shall describe a staffing plan consistent with Section 2.4 of Attachment A, including:

A list of the Key Personnel as described in Attachment A and other staffing that will be assigned to the Contract, including an estimated number of full-time equivalent hours (FTEs) for each individual. The Bidder shall also include the number of FTEs for supervision, administration, customer service, and Simple Repair technician positions. The Bidder shall, as an attachment, provide the resumes of the proposed Key Personnel (removing any personal information, such as addresses).

The titles, job responsibilities, and qualifications for staff directly responsible for ensuring compliance with all billing and payment requirements.

A list of any material subcontractors the Bidder will use or is considering to use to satisfy the responsibilities set forth in Attachment A, if known at the time of submission. The Bidder shall describe in detail the responsibilities the Bidder will be delegating to the material subcontractor. The Bidder shall indicate whether it has a current contract or other commitment (such as letter of support or memorandum of understanding) with such material subcontractor for the work the Bidder describes in its response. If the bidder expects to use a material subcontractor but has not yet identified a specific material subcontractor, the Bidder shall describe the responsibilities intended for the material subcontractor and the process the Bidder intends to follow to identify an appropriate material subcontractor.

An organization chart identifying where Key Personnel are in the Bidder’s organization and identifying any and all Material Subcontractors the Bidder will use to satisfy the responsibilities required under the Contract and who will oversee them. The Bidder shall include function and names, where available.

Training (not to exceed 2 pages) The Bidder shall describe its approach to initial and ongoing training for staff involved in the Contract, including subcontractors. The Bidder shall describe:

Its plan for ensuring all staff and subcontractors are aware of the policies and procedures specific to the Contract in Attachment A; and A description of what documentation will be maintained to record participation in training.

Information Systems and Reporting Capacity (not to exceed 2 pages) The Bidder shall describe its capacity to perform the information management and reporting functions specified in the Contract, including maintaining data and producing the required reports described in Section 2.3 of Attachment A, and any other reports requested by EOHHS, by describing its current and proposed information systems and software to be used. The description should include, but not be limited to:

The name and description of core software used to perform the functions described in Section 2 of Attachment A. The Bidder must specify whether such software is currently used by the Bidder and in what capacity or whether it needs to be purchased.

A description of how the Bidder’s software will satisfy all payment, inventory management and reporting requirements noted in Sections 2.1, 2.8 and 2.9 of Attachment A.

Implementation and Operations (not to exceed 6 pages) The Bidder shall describe how it intends to provide Operations Manager services in the manner specified in Attachment A. The description must address the following elements:

The start-up process, including timeline and collaboration with MassHealth-contracted DME Providers to develop the processes required to establish the Wheelchair Programs, and any factors affecting program start-up time (such as hiring of new staff);

How the Bidder proposes to conduct outreach strategies for informing individuals, families and service providers of their Operations Manager services for the Wheelchair Programs in collaboration with DME Providers in accordance with Section 2.1.C.8 of Attachment A.

How the Bidder will ensure timely delivery, pick-up and storage of loaner wheelchairs statewide;

A description of the Bidder’s experience training technicians and a proposed approach to training Community Providers on Simple Repairs, including Operations Manager staff and other Community Provider organizations, when applicable;

A description of the internal controls the Bidder will have in place to ensure that the billing and payment tasks are being performed accurately and within the timeframes required by Attachment A; and How the Bidder will obtain performance measures and consumer satisfaction responses from Members who receive Simple Repairs for their wheelchairs or Loaner Wheelchairs.

The description may contain additional information about the responsibilities described in Attachment A.

Customer Service (not to exceed 3 pages) The Bidder shall describe how it will meet the Customer Service requirements in Section 2.5 of Attachment A. As part of its response, the Bidder shall include the following:

How the Bidder will ensure compliance with the responsibilities listed at Section 2.5 of Attachment A;

A description of the specific customer service metrics it will track, along with how it intends to use these metrics to gauge the success of its customer service efforts and execute ongoing programmatic improvement efforts;

A description of its quality assurance plan as directly related to reasonable customer service response times, including timeliness of Simple Repairs or delivery/Pick-up of Loaner Wheelchairs, and a description of its methodology for regularly reviewing and interpreting Complaint and Grievance data in order to continually improve applicable policies and procedures;

A description of how the Bidder will ensure that its customer service resources are made accessible for a wide range of linguistically, culturally, and geographically diverse individuals with varying abilities, needs, and communication methods; and A copy of its most recent Consumer Satisfaction Survey, or any other related document intended to obtain customer satisfaction information, distributed to individuals it has served and the results of such survey, including any action the Bidder took in response to the survey to improve or change its business practices.

Cost Response The Bidder shall submit a Cost Response in accordance with the instructions and worksheets presented in Attachment B.

The Bidder shall submit a narrative explaining its cost proposal. The description should include a discussion of how the Bidder ensures transparency and fairness of its costs.

Bidders must not include any costs or cost information for this project in any portion of their response except in this Cost Response.

RESPONSE EVALUATION PROCESS

The EOHHS Evaluation Committee (hereinafter, “the Committee”) will evaluate all Responses of qualified Bidders that comply with the requirements of Sections 4.1 and 4.2.

Evaluation Criteria The Committee will determine whether the Bidder has satisfied all Business requirements and will evaluate each element of the Bidder’s Programmatic Response for comprehensiveness, appropriateness, feasibility, clarity, effectiveness, and responsiveness to the needs of EOHHS. EOHHS will favorably consider Bidders with higher Supplier Diversity Commitments (See Section 6.17). EOHHS may also consider any relevant information about the Bidder known to EOHHS.

Responses will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below:

· Proposed approach and ability to meet the programmatic requirements;

· Quality of consumer experience in the Bidder’s past projects;

· Ability to support statewide programs for the Wheelchair Initiatives;

· Experience of the Bidder in similar, successful projects;

· Experience effectively outreaching to the disability community and to people with disabilities from diverse cultures; and

· Staffing plan, skill level and experience of the project team, including any subcontractor relationships identified.

The Bidder’s Cost Response will be evaluated based on reasonableness of cost, competitiveness of cost, and value to EOHHS. EOHHS is not required to choose the Bidder that proposes the lowest cost to EOHHS.

EOHHS will select the Response which, in its sole discretion, it determines demonstrates best overall value to EOHHS and the Commonwealth.

Response Rating The Committee will: (1) evaluate Programmatic Responses in accordance with the criteria described in Section 5.1.A; (2) give a composite rating of “Excellent”, “Very Good”, “Good”, “Fair”, “Poor”, or “Non-Responsive” for each section evaluated; (3) assign an overall composite rating to each response; (4) compare the responses to one another; and (5) rank the responses in order of preference.

The Bidder’s proposed cost will be one factor, but not the sole factor, considered in the Committee’s evaluation.

Oral Presentation/Staff Interview The 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 proposal may be discussed and clarified, but not changed in any way.

The Committee reserves the right to apply restrictions to the structure and content of the Oral Presentation, and to instruct the Bidder regarding attendees.

Oral Presentations shall 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.

Site Visit/Inspection EOHHS may, in its sole discretion and at its convenience, elect to visit or inspect any of a Bidder’s offices, facilities or resources prior to executing a Contract under this RFR. Such a visit or inspection could include a detailed review of the Bidder’s operations and systems relevant to this RFR. Failure to agree to such an inspection may result in rejection of the Bidder’s response.

References EOHHS, in its sole discretion, may verify or contact any references provided by the Bidder pursuant to Sections 4.2.D at any time during the evaluation process. In addition, EOHHS reserves the right to request, verify and contact additional references from any Bidder at any time prior to executing a Contract under this RFR.

Best and Final Offer EOHHS reserves the right to request a best and final offer (BAFO) from any Bidder.

Recommendation to Enter Into Contract Negotiations After the Committee completes its evaluation, comparison, and ranking of all proposals, and, if applicable, oral presentation(s), site visit(s), reference check(s) and BAFO, the Committee may recommend to the Secretary of EOHHS, or her designee, a Bidder with which to enter into Contract negotiations. The Secretary’s decision shall consider the Committee’s recommendation and the best interests of the Commonwealth. EOHHS is under no obligation to award a Contract pursuant to this RFR.

Best Value Selection and Negotiation EOHHS will select the response which, in its sole discretion, it determines demonstrates the best value overall to EOHHS and the Commonwealth. EOHHS and a selected Bidder may negotiate a change in any element of Contract performance or cost identified in the original RFR or the selected Bidder’s response which results in lower costs or a more cost-effective or better value than was presented in the selected Bidder’s response.

Contract Award The award of a Contract under this RFR shall be subject to sufficient appropriation, availability of state and federal funds, all necessary state and federal approvals, and successful negotiation of Contract terms.

Non-Qualifying Proposals Rejection of Responses EOHHS reserves the right to reject a Bidder’s proposal at any time during the evaluation process if the Bidder:

Fails to demonstrate to EOHHS’s satisfaction that it meets all RFR requirements;

Fails to satisfy all Response Submission instructions described in Section 4.1, to submit a response organized in accordance with all instructions, or to submit a response that is complete in all respects;

Fails to submit all required information and to otherwise comply with all requirements of the Business Response described in Section 4.2, to submit all required information and to otherwise comply with all requirements of the Programmatic Response described in Section 4.3, or to meet any Cost Response requirement described in Section 4.4;

Receives a rating of “Non-Responsive” or “Poor” in the evaluation of one or more sections of the Bidder’s Programmatic Response;

Has any interest that may, in EOHHS’s sole determination, conflict with performance of services for the Commonwealth or is anti-competitive;

Fails to demonstrate to EOHHS’s satisfaction that it and all material subcontractors are in sound financial condition;

Fails to make an oral presentation/demonstration pursuant to Section 5.3 or allow for a site visit/inspection pursuant to Section 5.4 requested by EOHHS at a time, place, and manner satisfactory to EOHHS;

Has a reference, oral presentation/demonstration or site visit/inspection that, in EOHHS’s sole determination, indicates the inability of the Bidder to adequately perform the services sought under the RFR;

Rejects or qualifies its agreement to any of the mandatory provisions of the RFR; or Fails to reach an agreement with EOHHS on all Contract terms, including, but not limited to, payment provisions.

Other Actions EOHHS may, in its sole discretion, determine that non-compliance with any RFR requirement is not material. In such cases, the Committee may seek clarification from a Bidder, allow the Bidder to make technical corrections, apply appropriate adjustments to scoring in the evaluation, or utilize any other remedial action EOHHS deems appropriate.

RFR INFORMATION

Issuing Office Executive Office of Health and Human Services One Ashburton Place, 11th Floor Boston, MA 02108

Requirements of 801 CMR 21.00 The terms of 801 CMR 21.00: Procurement of Commodities and Services are incorporated by reference into this RFR. Words used in this RFR shall have the meanings defined in 801 CMR 21.00. Additional definitions may also be identified in this RFR. Unless otherwise specified in this RFR, all communications, responses, and documentation must be in English, all measurements must be provided in feet, inches, and pounds and all cost proposals or figures in U.S. currency. All responses must be submitted in accordance with the specific terms of this RFR.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standard Contract Form and Terms and Conditions Any Bidder selected as the Contractor shall agree to and abide by the terms of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standard Contract and Terms and Conditions (See Section 4.2.F). EOHHS is prohibited from amending these documents or agreeing to any change in the language. Any Bidder suggestion or requirement altering these documents will be disregarded.

COMMBUYS Market Center COMMBUYS is the official source of information for this procurement (known as a Bid in COMMBUYS terminology) and is publicly accessible at no charge at www.commbuys.com. Information contained in this RFR document and in COMMBUYS, including file attachments, and information contained in the related Questions and Answers (Q&A), if any, are all components of the procurement.

Bidders are solely responsible for obtaining all information distributed for this procurement via COMMBUYS.

It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for:

Any amendments, addenda or modifications to this procurement, and Any Q&A records related to this procurement.

The Commonwealth accepts no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Response to this RFR (known as a Quote in COMMBUYS terminology) based on an out-of-date information received from any source other than COMMBUYS.

COMMBUYS Registration: Bidders may elect to obtain a free COMMBUYS Vendor registration which provides value-added features, including automated e-mail 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 Vendor account.

All Bidders submitting a Quote (also referred to as Response) in response to this Bid (also referred to as the RFR) agree that, if awarded a contract: (1) they will maintain an active vendor account in COMMBUYS; (2) they will comply with all requests by the procuring entity to utilize COMMBUYS for the purposes of conducting all aspects of purchasing and invoicing with the Commonwealth, as added functionality for the COMMBUYS system is activated; and (3) in the event the Commonwealth adopts an alternate market center system, successful Bidders will be required to utilize such system, as directed by the procuring entity.

The COMMBUYS system introduces new terminology, which Bidders must be familiar with in order to conduct business with the Commonwealth.