WEST CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS’ AREA AGENCY ON AGING
FISCAL YEAR 2015 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
TITLE III-C NUTRITION SERVICES
OVERVIEW
The West Central Texas Area Agency on Aging (WCTAAA), as a program of the WEST CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (WCTCOG), is a regional organization that plans, coordinates and delivers services for persons age 60 and over and their family caregivers. The WCTAAA serves residents of the following 19 counties of West Central Texas:
Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Fisher, Haskell, Jones, Kent, Knox, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor and Throckmorton. Part of a national network created by the 1973 amendments to the Older Americans Act, it is one of 28 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in the State of Texas.Its primary funding source is the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), which monitors the AAA for compliance with the Older Americans Act, the Texas Administrative Code, and other governing documents.
GENERAL INFORMATION
WCTCOG is seeking proposals from qualified entities to provide Title III C Nutrition Services, congregate meals and home-delivered meals, to eligible seniors residing in the 19 county WCTCOG service area.Proposers may submit proposals for providing either or both of the services covered under this RFP for any or all of the 19 counties making up the WCTCOG service area. This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued under the authority of the Texas Government Code, Chapter2254, Subchapter B, which delineates the statutory requirements governing invitations for proposalsand request for offers by state Proposers.
SCHEDULE
Milestones / Date (s)Request for Proposals (RFP) Issued / May 21, 2014
Request to be added to mailing list / May 29, 2014
Bidders’ Conference / May 29, 2014
Proposals Due: / June 16, 2014 3:00 pm (CDT)
Evaluation of Proposals: / June16 to 24, 2014
Anticipated Award Date
(Requires Executive Committee Action) / June 25, 2014
Anticipated Start Date: / October 1, 2014
RFP SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Proposal responses must be received in the WEST CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS’offices no later than Monday, June 16, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. (CDT) Responses must be received at theaddress below, marked as “Confidential,” and identified as “WCTAAA 2015 Title III-C Nutrition Services RFP” in the bottom left-hand cornerof each envelope.
Submit to:
Physical AddressMailing Address
Michelle ParkerMichelle Parker
WCTCOGAAA WCTCOGAAA
3702 Loop 322 3702 Loop 322
Abilene, TX 79602 Abilene, TX 79602
The WCTCOG reserves the right to reject electronic mail and late responses.Proposal information is restricted and not publicly available until after award of a contract.All documents associated with the RFP, unless Proposers indicate a portion of the proposal is proprietary, will be subject to public inspection in accordance with the Open Records Act.All information obtained during the course of this RFP will become the property of the WCTCOG.
All proposals must be signed by a person who is authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the entity submitting the proposal.
QUESTIONS
All questions concerning this request for proposals must be in writing, and be received byWCTCOG via fax or email no later than Wednesday, May 28, 2014. Submit questions to:
Ami Polston
WCTCOG
Fax: (325) 675-5214
Email:
WCTCOG will issue written replies to all known prospective proposers, without identifying those who submit questions.
PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT
Submit one original and two copies of the proposal by the date and time indicated in the submission instructions. Do not bind the original and use Arial 12 fontwith 1 inch margins.
BIDDERS’ CONFERENCE
WCTCOG will conduct a Title III C Nutrition Services, congregate meals and home-delivered mealsBidders Conference Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm in the WCTCOG Main Conference Room, located at 3702 Loop 322, Abilene. Potential respondents are encouraged, but not required, to attend the bidders conference.
MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS
A proposal that is in the possession of WCTCOG may be modified by letter or fax transmission bearing the signature of the person authorized for bidding, provided it is received prior to the submission deadline.
A proposal that is in the possession of WCTCOG may be withdrawn by the person authorized for bidding, either in person or by written request, up to the time of the submission deadline.
SCOPE OF WORK/SERVICE DEFINITIONS
The successful entity shall agree to contract with WCTCOG to provide either congregate and/or home delivered meals to eligible seniors in one or more of the WCTCOG 19 counties. Congregate and home delivered meals shall be defined as:
CONGREGATE MEALS: A hot or other appropriate meal served to an eligible person that meets one third (1/3) of the recommended daily allowances (RDA), as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and complies with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture, and which is served in a congregate setting. There are two types of congregate meals:
- Standard meal: a regular meal from the standard menu that is served to the majority of all of the participants.
- Therapeutic meal or liquid supplement: a special meal or liquid supplement that has been prescribed by a physician and is planned specifically for the participant by a dietician (e.g., diabetic diet, renal diet, pureed diet, tube feeding).
Eligible individuals include those age 60 and over, their spouses, individuals providing volunteer services during the meal hours, individuals with disabilities who are not older individuals but who reside in housing facilities occupied primarily by older individuals at which congregate nutrition services are provided, and individuals with disabilities who reside at home with and accompany older individuals eligible under Section 339(H) of the Older Americans Act.
For specific program standards, please refer to Texas Administrative Code 85.302
By submitting a proposal for Congregate Meals, the proposing entity certifies that it is capable of meeting the service standards contained therein.
UNIT OF SERVICE: One meal.
HOME-DELIVERED MEALS:Hot, cold, frozen, dried, canned or supplemental food (with a satisfactory storage life) which provides a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the daily recommended dietary allowances (RDA), as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and complies with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture, and is delivered to an eligible person in the place of residence. The objective is to help the recipient sustain independent living in a safe and healthful environment. There are two types of home-delivered meals:
- Standard meal: a regular meal from the standard menu that is served to the majority of all of the participants.
- Therapeutic meal or liquid supplement: a special meal or liquid supplement that has been prescribed by a physician and is planned specifically for the participant by a dietician (e.g., diabetic diet, renal diet, pureed diet, tube feeding).
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, as primary funding source, has established a standard of five hot meals per client per week, unless the provider submits a waiver request that is approved by DADS.
Eligible individuals include homebound individuals age 60 and over and a spouse of an older individual, if receipt of the meal is in the best interest of the homebound older individual.
For specific program standards, please refer to Texas Administrative Code85.302
By submitting a proposal for Home-Delivered Meals, the proposing entity certifies that it is capable of meeting the service standards contained therein.
UNIT OF SERVICE: One meal.
CONSUMERS:Services must be available to all eligible persons age 60 and over who live in the county to be served. Priority should be given to older persons with greatest economic need, greatest social need, severe disabilities, limited English proficiency, Alzheimer’s and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction, and/or risk of institutional placement.
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
Contracts awarded for all programs included in this RFP will begin on October 1, 2014, and terminate on September 30, 2015, subject to a one-year extension. WCTCOG has a two-year planning and contracting cycle for Title III-C Nutrition Services, with funds allocated annually by DADS. All proposals must reflect operating plans and budgets for the period of October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015. It is the intent of WCTCOG to extend the one-year contract for one subsequent year to those Proposers that are operating within the terms of said Contract. Prior to October 1, 2015, the Contractor will request a Fiscal Year 2016 budget for services under this contract, and negotiate Fiscal Year 2016 unit rates at that time.
REMUNERATION
WCTCOG shall establish maximum funding levels for contractors. Contractors for nutrition services shall be reimbursed on a unit-rate basis, after reported to the WCTCOG through monthly program reports. The contractor will operate services under this contract on an “at-risk” basis, through which it delivers service units at the unit rate negotiated by WCTCOG. The contractor must be able to operate the program with non-Federal funding until Title III funds become available from DADS. At the beginning of the contract period, there may be a delay of several months until Title III funds become available from DADS.
This contract requires acash match of no more than 10% of the maximum funding level.Such match must come from a non-federal local source.
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Contractors will be required to install and fully implement the DADS “HARMONY/SAMS” computer software system to track and report services and participant information.Senior nutrition program contractors will be responsible for all data entry to be entered into the DADS “HARMONY/SAMS” reporting system. WCTCOG will not perform data entry functions on behalf of the Contractors.
Monthly reports will be generated from the SAMS system by WCTCOG on the 8th day of each month, and shall include all data for the previous month. In the event that the 8th falls on a weekend or holiday, monthly reports shall be due by close of business on the prior workday. Late, incomplete, and/or incorrect data may result in delayed payments, sanctions and/or penalties.
Reports to be submitted include, but are not limited to:
- Monthly program income received.
- Monthly ineligible meal count.
- Other reports as may be required.
Contractors must submit various reports to DADS and WCTCOG, using one or all of the following formats: email, fax and mail.
As a contractor, senior nutrition providers are responsible for obtaining, monitoring and storing all records pertaining to the Senior Nutrition Program. Contractors will no longer be required to submit the intake and assessment/re-assessment forms they currently send in to WCTCOG each month. Those forms would remain at the senior nutrition site. As a contractor, it would no longer be required to authorize meals by individual consumer. The WCTCOG will contract with a provider for a specific number of meals. The Contractor determines which eligible consumers are authorized. Since data will be entered by the Contractor, all eligibility documentation would be maintained at the Contractor location. WCTCOG will monitor providers to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Failure to submit timely and correct reports may result in appropriate administrative action, including sanctions.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Responsiveness to Solicitation RFP (Weight = 33%)
The Proposal will be rated in terms of the degree to which all required narrative and forms are included in the proposal and are technically correct. In evaluating proposals, the WCTCOG will consider such things as: Were all questions answered? Were responses complete? Were responses consistent?
2. Potential Program Effectiveness (Weight - 33%)
The proposal will be rated in terms of the potential it demonstrates for providing effective and timely services. In evaluating proposals, the WCTCOG will consider the Proposer’s prior history of providing home delivered meals or similar services to seniors.In evaluating proposals, the WCTCOG will consider such things as: Does the Proposer’s application narrativeadequately summarize the applicant’s past history of providing these services? Does the application narrative include an assurance that, if selected for a service agreement, its services will be targeted to low-income, rural, and minority populations?
3. Administrative Capability (Weight = 34%)
In evaluating proposals, the WCTCOG will consider such things as: does the proposal reflect assurances that the Proposer is capable of administering these programs in an effective, efficient, and fiscally responsible manner? Does the Proposer application narrative adequately describe how it will assure and maintain a cash reserve sufficient to cover operating expenses for up to 90 days and meet the cash match requirement?Does the Proposer assure it will reassess the eligibility of seniors for home delivered meals every 365 days? Does the Proposer assure that required data collection and retention responsibilities will be adhered to?
REVIEW PROCESS
Should the WCTCOG receive competing proposals, it will conduct a competitive review process.Members of the WCTCOG Proposal Review Subcommittee, appointed by the WCTCOG President, will score competing proposals and make funding recommendations to WCTCOG’s Executive Committee.WCTCOG shall have the ability to conduct negotiations, as directed by the Proposal Review Subcommittee, regarding certain elements of the program, including scope of services, type of services, and funding levels.
CONTRACT AWARD
The award of any contract based on proposals received in response to this RFP is contingent upon the WCTCOG Area Agency on Aging receiving adequate Title III funds from the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. The WCTCOG Agency on Aging also reserves the right to award a contract without further negotiations of proposal content or budget. The WCTCOG also reserves the right to issue multi-year contracts. Therefore, proposals must be complete and technically correct at the time of submission. This RFP does not obligate the WCTCOG Area Agency on Aging to award a contract or to procure or contract for services or supplies.
The WCTCOG Area Agency on Aging reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received in response to this RFP.
APPEAL PROCESS
AnyProposers may request in writing,reconsideration of the proposal score determined by theProposal Review Subcommittee.The request should be directed to the Director of WCTCOGAAA who will present the request to the Proposal Review Subcommittee.
If reconsideration by the Proposal Review Subcommitteedoes not result in a resolution of the concern, the Executive Director of the WCTCOG will review the appeal to determine if the appeal will be carried to the WCTCOG Executive Committee for further consideration.
PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT
The proposal should include:
1.Proposal Cover Sheet
2.Applicant’s Notice of Certification
3.Narrative for each proposed program, as described in the Proposal Outline
4.Assurance of compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
5.Assurance of compliance with Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973
6.Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibilityand Voluntary exclusion for covered contracts and grants
7.Non-conflict of interest certification
8.WCTCOG AAA audit information sheet
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
A.WCTCOG reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all proposals or to cancel this notice at any time. WCTCOG reserves the right to award more than one contract per county and/or award a contract for a portion of a proposed county.
B.A response to this Request for Proposal (RFP) does not commit WCTCOG to a purchase agreement or contract, or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of such response.
WCTCOG reserves the right to negotiate the final terms of any and all contracts with bidders selected; and such agreements negotiated as a result of this RFP may be re-negotiated and/or amended in order to successfully meet the WCTCOG’s needs.
C.WCTCOG reserves the right to waive any defect in this procurement process or to make changes to this solicitation as it deems necessary. WCTCOG will provide notification of such changes to all bidders recorded in the official record as having received or requested an RFP.
D.WCTCOG reserves the right to contact any individual, or employer listed in a proposal, and others who may have experience and/or knowledge of the proposer’s relevant performance and/or qualifications. WCTCOG reserves the right to request additional information from any and all Proposers.
E.WCTCOG reserves the right to conduct a review of records, systems, procedures, etc., of any entity selected for funding.This may occur prior or subsequent to the award of a purchase agreement. Misrepresentation of the Proposer's ability to perform as stated in the proposal may result in cancellation of the purchase agreement award.
F.WCTCOG reserves the right to withdraw or reduce the amount of an award, or to cancel any contract resulting from this procurement if adequate funding is not available. Contract negotiation with selected Proposers will take place upon the WCTCOG’s receipt of program funds from DADS.
1.Contracts will be awarded in amounts as determined appropriate for the service area in which the Proposer intends to provide services. The amounts are subject to funding by TDADS and may vary depending on the availability of state and federal funds. Potential Contractors must provide a cash match for funds received through any contract with the WCTCOG. Potential Contractors are encouraged to maintain at least 90 days of operating revenue.
2. WCTCOG reserves the right to de-obligate awarded funds if theContractor fails to perform as set forth in the proposal and contract agreement. A variance of 15% between scheduled expenditure rate vs. actual spending rate shall serve as a basis for fund re-allocation.
3.WCTCOG reserves the right to re-obligate funds which have been recaptured as a result of contract default or reduction in service delivery based on procedures which are established in state and federal regulations.
G.Proposers shall not, under penalty of law, offer or provide any gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value to any officer, member, employee or agent of WCTCOG for the purpose of or having the effect of influencing favorable disposition toward their own proposal or any other proposal submitted hereunder.