HOMELESS YOUTH AND RUNAWAY - ITB HYR13-99001

CLARIFICATION AND CHANGES

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

CORRECTIONS/CHANGES:

The HYR13-99001 ITB has been updated with changes noted below:

  1. Attachment A Geographical Areas document has been revised (twice). See Bid4Michigan for latest updated document.
  2. All references to Attachment Bin the sample budget shall be disregarded. Program Data Worksheet may be found as a tab in the Budget that was attached to the ITB.
  3. Prevention/reunification services have been revised for all Program Areas. See pages 22 and 25 of the revised ITB.
  4. Credentials/Experience Section has been updated. See page 14 of the revised ITB.
  5. Group counselingunits have been corrected to state 3 units.
  6. Crisis Intervention includes any contacts made on behalf of youth whether directly with youth or any collateral contacts. See pages 16, 21, 22, 24, and 25 of the revised ITB.
  7. Basic Care Centers service plan development timeframes have been changed. See page 28 of the revised ITB.
  8. Specific assistance for Transitional Living Program/Graduated Housing Program will only be allowable for a one-time security deposit, first month’s rent and start-up household goods for youth who are transitioning into the Graduated Housing Program. Youth who are YIT eligible and have received funds from the local DHS office are not eligible to receive these funds through this Agreement. First month’s rent and security deposit has a combined (one time) lifetime limit of $1,000. Start-up goods have a one-time lifetime limit of $1,000.
  9. Under Basic Care, if youth are not old enough to attend high school, what do we do? Youth that are requesting services that are too young to attend high school must be referred to the appropriate authority (DHS and/or law enforcement).

CLARIFICATIONS:

The following are clarifications to the original ITB:

  1. Each Program Deliverable has its own unit definition. See Unit Definitions beginning on page 15.
  2. On page 23, #12, can you clarify the last sentence? “…Contractors should be in contact with other HYR contractors and work together….” It is the intent that HYR providers will work together to address the homeless and runaway population. Referrals to community homeless shelters should only be done as a last resort.
  3. On page 14 of the ITB, it states that referrals may come from DHS Child Protective Services;does that mean we are working with youth while CPS is involved? Referrals from CPS will only be allowable if DHS determines that the investigation is denied and/or closed. Youth who have an open CPS case are not eligible to be served under this Agreement.
  4. Are there any required trainings? There is no program specific training requirement, but independent living skills training will need to be provided to youth and depending on the geographic locations, lodging would be allowable.
  1. For specific assistance, are the maximum amounts under each Program Area per year or per youth? The amounts for specific assistance for Outreach, Drop-in Center, and Basic Care Center programs are an average per youth/family per year.
  2. The program requirements for Drop-in appear to be the same as outreach? Why is this?Because Drop-in Center facilities are optional, the programming requirements are still required and would otherwise fall under the Outreach Program Area.
  3. How do you define residential versus non-residential? Residential is defined as youth who are in a staffed facility and programming/supportive services are done in a group setting. For non-residential, youth are housed in family-based homes (i.e., host or foster homes, scattered sites) where supportive services are provided individually to a youth. Contractors do have the option to bring youth together into a group setting when youth are housed in family-based homes.
  4. The licensing laws for the State of Michigan allow youth ages 16 to 21 to be in unlicensed homes with parental consent.
  5. Only direct service staff and their supervisors should be reported on the salaries budget worksheet. Administrative salaries, such as financial staff, should be included in the indirect cost rate calculation. If a bidder does not have an indirect cost rate calculation, they may include administrative salaries on the “salaries” line item budget detail worksheet and spread the cost across the program deliverables.

BUDGET RELATED:

  1. Can we get an overall total budget amount for this program so it will help us figure out what to bid? How many contracts will there be?

A1. The maximum budget amount will be determined based on the contracts awarded. The intent is to award one contract for each geographical region as identified in Attachment A rev2.

  1. What happens if the bid proposals submitted are higher than the amount that can be awarded? How will DHS ensure geographic areas will be served under these circumstances?

A2.DHS will adjust awards accordingly based on programmatic needs.

  1. What Commodity code(s) does the HYR ITB fall under on Bid4Michigan?

A3. 95221 – Counseling

95237 – Emergency Shelter

95243 – Family and Social Services

95247 – Foster Home and Adoption Services

95255 – Homelessness Prevention Services

92292 – Transitional Living

  1. If minor alterations are needed to a building, such as a door, is that an allowable cost? If so, does it fall under start-up costs?

A4.Capital expenditures for improvements to land, building, or equipment which materially increase their value or useful life are unallowable as a direct cost except with the prior approval of DHS. Minor alterations that do not materially increase the value or useful life should be budgeted (with a detailed explanation in the narrative) as a start-up cost.

  1. Can you explain the Use charge?

A5.The use allowance is 2% of the purchase price. See Budget Workbook Instructions and Help tab under Occupancy number 2 for additional information.

  1. Where on the budget should IT costs be identified, including a staff person’s time?

A6.It depends. If the staff person is an employee, costs must be identified on the salary detail sheet and spread across each program deliverable and each Program Area that it would apply to. If the staff person is not an employee, cost should be listed on the Miscellaneous detail sheet and spread across each program deliverable and each Program Area that it would apply to.

  1. Do conference costs and registration fee fall under ‘other’ on the Travel worksheet?

A7.No conferences are required under this program; therefore, these costs are unallowable.

  1. Does unemployment pull forward: FTE * $9500?

A8.No.total FTEs are listed on the salary sheet on line 40. Unemployment cost must be entered on the Fringe Benefits detail sheet.

  1. Under occupancy, is that paid separately?

A9.Occupancy costs must be spread across each applicable program deliverable and program area. These costs are included in the individual unit rate calculation.

  1. Are the three existing options in the sample budget only things allowable under communication?

A10.Costs incurred for telephone services, local and long distance telephone calls, cable service, telegrams, postage, messenger, electronic or computer transmittal services and the like are allowable.

  1. Where in the budget would you reflect any additional specific assistance items if you have more than the 4 items identified in the 12 month budget?

A11.Contractor may either prepare a second budget to include the additional items and then carry the total amount of the second budget to the specific assistance detail sheet of the 12 month budget or they can broaden the categories that are identified on the 12 month budget.

  1. Where do we explain the details of specific assistance? Should it also be detailed in the Budget Detail sheet?

A12.In the Bidder’s Response section of the ITB, under Category B, there is a Workplan for each Program Area that asksa question relating to specific assistance. The details should be identified there. The Budget Detail sheet should only provide a broad explanation of the items.

  1. Do the written plans for outreach and specific assistance administration need to be submitted with this application?

A13.Yes

  1. Is food part of the specific assistance line item?

A14.No. Food must be reported on the Supplies detail sheet under the program specific consumable supplies item and must be spread out under the appropriate Program Area.

  1. Are match dollarsrequired?

A15.No

  1. Are inkind dollars allowable?

A16.No

  1. What if the HYR program does not support 100% of a salary?

A17.Only budget for salaries and wages for services of employees rendered for this program only. Do not include salary and wages budgeted and paid by other means.

  1. How are the billings submitted since this is now a unit rate contract? Should the billing include all units?

A18.AStatement of Expenditures form (3469) will be developed to comply with the changes. All units and actual cost components will need to be billed monthly.

  1. Is travel timean allowable cost? If so, how does it get billed?

A19.Travel time cannot be billed independent from a program deliverable. Travel time must be considered for each staff person and spread across the applicable program deliverable. It will become a part of the unit cost.

  1. If we project a unit rate cost and actual costs are different, what do we do, what do we do with the extra money? Are you looking to recoup those funds? What happens if actual costs are different than the project unit rates?

A20.If actual costs incurred are less than the amount billed for units of service and program income is generated as a result, a reconciliation will be required utilizing one of the following three methods (to be determined by DHS):

The contractor may provide additional units of service.

The unit rate may be reduced in the future.

The program income may be deducted from the final statement of expenditures submitted for the fiscal year.

If actual costs exceed the amount billed for units, no adjustment will be made.

  1. Are you requiring the name of the person under salary description?

A21.No. A position title should be provided.

  1. Are all units in hours?

A22.No. Each unit is defined in the ITB under unit definition beginning on page 15.

  1. Can time on the telephone be paid for during a crisis intervention?

A23.Yes. See updated ITB for Crisis Intervention on pages16, 21, 22, 24, and 25 of the revised ITB.

  1. Is there a maximum amount that can be billed under Subcontracts? Can you subcontract with more than 1 HYR provider? What if the subcontractor budget exceeds $25,000?

A24.There is no maximum amount for subcontracts. Yes, you can subcontract with more than one HYR providers. Bidders must use a CM-469 Small Dollar Contract Budget for each subcontract if $2,500 or more.

  1. What are the rules about using another contractor as a subcontractor?

A25.See page 5 of the original ITB, Number 8. Subcontracting. All pricing from subcontractors must be competitively bid for $2,500 or more. A budget must be provided for each subcontracted services if $2,500 or more.

  1. When subcontracting for services, how are units accounted for?

A26Units that are produced must be reported by the HYR Contractor regardless of who provided the service.

  1. Are subcontractor costs spread across each Program Deliverable and Program Area?

A27.Yes

  1. If an agency wanted to partner to develop a TLP, can this proposal included start-up goods for furniture in an apartment administered by another agency but specifically be paid for and utilized only for Homeless youth? Would this have to be put on a subcontract budget or could it just be put on the regular 12 month budget?

A28.Start-up goods would be allowable. Costs for start-up goods must be reported on either the bidder’s 12 month budget under start-up goods or the subcontractor budget if they are responsible for acquiring the furniture.

  1. Is the sample budget providing projected numbers?

A29.No. This is strictly a sample budget.

  1. How are the costs for the 24 hour crisis line accounted for?

A30.Telephone line costs are billed under communication line item. Phone equipment costs are billed for under supplies or equipment, whichever is applicable, and staff time is billed for under the Salary line item.

  1. For Per Diem, can you clarify how to bill for the overnight and supportive services?

A31.See page 15 through 17 of the revised ITB for Per Diem and Program Deliverable Unit Definitions. All supportive services must be costed out and billed separately for an allowable Program Deliverable.

  1. Is it possible to bill for partial units?

A32.Yes

  1. Where should the costs be listed on the budget for the financial staff who will be completing the monthly billings?

A33.Only direct service staff and their supervisors should be reported on the salaries budget worksheet. Administrative salaries, such as financial staff, should be included in the indirect cost rate calculation. If a bidder does not have an indirect cost rate calculation, they may include administrative salaries on the “salaries” line item budget detail worksheet and spread the cost across the program deliverables.

  1. Does occupancy roll up in the unit price?

34A.Yes

  1. How do you bill for the 18 and older youth for TLP?

A35.Regardless of age, all costs relating to TLP must be listed under each appropriate budget line item under the staff-based housing per diem or the family-based housing per diemcolumn. Supportive services must be costed out under a Program Deliverable and billed separately from the Per Diem Program Deliverable.

  1. Is there a timeframe for using start-up cost funds?

A36.It is intended that all start up goods would be purchased when the Program starts.

UNITS AND UNIT DEFINITIONS:

  1. An Intake and Assessment unit is one completed written assessment. How do you cost out the time?

A37.A Bidder must estimate the average number of hours it will take to complete an intake and the write up for the assessment.

  1. What if an intake for the youth occurred one day and the intake continued the following day with the youth’s parents?

A38.Only one intake and assessment unit can be billed for the completion of the intake process and a written assessment for both the youth and parents.

  1. Does the estimated number of youth to be served include drop in or cases that are not opened?

A39.The estimated number of youth to be served include all youth that the contractor will have contact with for each program area whether the case is opened or not.

PROGRAM RELATED:

  1. There are many different references to where people can live which includes the language use of shelters. Does this mean that there is a cultural shift from large shelters to small shelters for homeless youth?

A40.No. The intent is to move in the direction of stabilization of homes or residences and to prevent reoccurrences of youth in shelters.

  1. If we are serving a kid at the center and they are 17 and we are not able to re unite them with family, if they switch from Basic Care Center to TLP would they be unduplicated clients?

A41.Yes. Youth served must be tracked separately for each program area.

  1. What does a “documented risk of abuse and/or neglect” mean in the eligibility section?

A42.There is a record of a CPS investigation.

  1. Under Credentials, what does “an agency” mean? Can the experience be from working in a school or be a volunteer experience?

A43.An agency is an organization that works with children.

  1. For Crisis Intervention, the staff person who is trained, can it be a volunteer or a college/university intern who has been through rigorous training?

A44.Yes as long as the 30 hours of training is documented and was in Crisis Intervention, and the individual also possesses a minimum of two (2) years’ experience working with at-risk youth.

  1. Will your office also inform local DHS offices of the 25% requirement to service foster care youth in TLP?

A45.Yes

  1. Can Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care (YAVFC) youth choose TLP as opposed to voluntary foster care?

A46.Yes, but they cannot participate in both.

  1. How do we handle kids who voluntarily participate in Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care (YAVFC)? Are they eligible for TLP? What if a kid is AWOL, and we do not know, how do we handle it?

A47.Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care youth would have an open DHS foster care case, which makes them ineligible for this program. In regards to AWOL youth, contractors must contact the appropriate authority (i.e., law enforcement, DHS, etc.) if they become apprised of the circumstance.

  1. If contractors work with aged out youth, who decide to do Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care, can they be served or should their case be closed?

A48.If a youth decides to do Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care, theHYR case must be closed. They are no longer eligible for the services due to having an open DHS foster care case.