ADPICS NUMBER: N00R3401301
Maryland’s Human Services Agency
STATE OF MARYLAND
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
OFFICE OF ADULT SERVICES
311 W. Saratoga Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
REQUEST FOR GRANT PROPOSALS (RFGP)
FOR
RESPITE CARE SEVICES
DHR AGENCY CONTROL NUMBER: SSA/RCP/14-001-S
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Applicants who have received this document electronically via the DHR Web Page should immediately contact the Issuing Office and provide their name, mailing address, and e-mail address in order that communications regarding this RFGP can be sent to them. Any applicant who fails to notify the Issuing Office with this information assumes complete responsibility in the event that they do not receive communications from the Issuing Office prior to the closing date.
The State of Maryland encourages Minority Business Enterprises to participate in this grant process.
NOTICE TO APPLICANTS: Questions or concerns regarding the MBE requirements of this solicitation must be raised before the receipt of initial proposals.
Issued: April 18, 2013
RFGP Rev. 9/2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DESCRIPTION
Key Information Sheet
Notice to Applicants / Grantees (refer to Section 1.7, No Offer Statement)
Section I Objective of Request for Proposals
1.1 Summary Statement
1.2 Procurement Officer
1.3 Pre-Proposal Conference
1.4 Electronic Grant Authorization
1.5 Questions and Inquiries
1.6 Closing Date
1.7 No Offer Statement
1.8 Duration of Proposal Offer
1.9 State Project Manager
1.10 Glossary of Terms
Section II General Information
2.1 Purpose
2.2 Revisions to the RFGP
2.3 Cancellation of the RFGP
2.4 Acceptance of Proposal and Terms and Conditions
2.5 Additional Information
2.6 Incurred Expenses
2.7 Economy of Preparation
2.8 Alternate Proposals
2.9 Multiple Proposals
2.10 Proposal Opening
2.11 Grant Term
2.12 Multi-Year Grant
2.13 Bid/Proposal Affidavit
2.14 Corporate Registration
2.15 Public Information Act Notice
2.16 Grantee’s Responsibilities
2.17 Grant Retention
2.18 General Grant Conditions
2.19 Payment Terms/Billing
2.20 Electronic Funds Transfer
2.21 Grant Award
2.22 Discussions
2.23 Compliance with Law
2.24 Minority Business Enterprises
2.25 Minority Business Enterprise Participation Goal(s) and Sub-Goal(s)
2.26 Insurance Requirements
2.27 Certification Regarding Lobbying
2.28 Oral Presentations
2.29 Confidentiality
2.30 False Statements
Section III Specifications
3.1 Background
3.2 Objectives
3.3 Scope of the Project
3.4 Requirements
3.5 Grant Monitoring
3.6 Problem Escalation Procedure
3.7 Grant Reporting Requirements
3.8 Grantee's Project Manager
3.9 Post Award Orientation Conference
Section IV Requirements for Proposal Preparation
4.1 Two Volume Submission
4.2 Volume I-Technical
4.3 Volume II-Financial
Section V Evaluation Procedures
5.1 Evaluation Committee
5.2 Qualifying Proposals
5.3 Technical Evaluation
5.4 Criteria for Technical Evaluation
5.5 Financial Evaluation
5.6 Best and Final Offers
5.7 Debriefing of Unsuccessful Applicants
5.8 Final Evaluation and Recommendation for Award
Section VI Appendices
Attachment A Pricing Proposal
Attachment A-1 Monthly Invoice
Attachment B Bid/Proposal Affidavit
Attachment B-1 Bid/Proposal Instructions
Attachment C Grant Agreement Sample
Attachment D Electronic Funds Transfer Form
Attachment E Certification Regarding Lobbying
Attachment F Grant Compliance Checklist
Attachment G Blank Monthly Client Service Report
Attachment H Grantee DSS Agreement
Attachment I Program Regulations (COMAR 07.02.18)
THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
iii
RFGP Rev. 9/2012
Maryland’s Human Services Agency
KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET
STATE OF MARYLAND
Request for Grant Proposals
Respite Care Services
AGENCY CONTROL NUMBER: SSA/RSP/14-001-S
RFGP Issue Date: DHR Webpage – April 18, 2013
RFGP Issuing Office: Department of Human Resources
Social Services Administration
Office of Adult Services
Procurement Officer: Katharine M. Kamieniecki
Phone: 410-767-7044
Fax: (410) 333-0258 e-Mail:
Proposals are to be sent to: Department of Human Resources
Procurement Division
311 W. Saratoga Street, Room 946
Baltimore, MD 21201-3521
Pre-Proposal Conference: April 30, 2013
Department of Human Resources
Procurement Division
311 W. Saratoga Street, Room 508 B&C
Baltimore, MD 21201-3521
Closing Date/Time: May 10, 2013; 4:00 p.m.
STATE OF MARYLAND
NOTICE TO APPLICANTS / GRANTEES
To help us improve the quality of State solicitations, and make our grant process more responsive and “business friendly,” we ask that you take a few minutes to complete this form. Please return your comments via fax or e-mail to the Procurement Officer (Section 1.2) with your proposal or “no offer,” as the case may be. Thank you for your assistance.
Proposal Number entitled ______
I. If you are not responding, please indicate why:
[ ] Other commitments preclude our participation at this time.
[ ] The subject of the Grant is not in our business line.
[ ] We lack experience in the work / commodities required.
[ ] The scope of work is beyond our current capacity.
[ ] We cannot be competitive. (Please explain below.)
[ ] The specifications are either unclear or too restrictive. (Please explain below.)
[ ] Proposal requirements, other than the specifications, are unreasonable or too risky. (Please explain below.)
[ ] Time for completion is insufficient.
[ ] Bonding/Insurance requirements are prohibitive. (Please explain below.)
[ ] Doing business with Government is simply too complicated.
[ ] Prior experience with State of Maryland Grants was unprofitable or otherwise unsatisfactory. (Please explain in the Remarks section below.)
[ ] Other: ______
______
______
II. Please explain your response further, offer suggestions, or express concerns. (Use the back for additional information.)
REMARKS:______
______
______
OPTIONAL
Vendor Name: ______Date: ______
Contact : ______Phone: ______
Address or email:______
THANK YOU!
SECTION I. OBJECTIVE OF REQUEST FOR GRANT PROPOSALS
1.1 Summary Statement
The Department of Human Resources (DHR), Social Services Administration (SSA), Office of Adult Services (OAS) intends to award Grants to private, non-profit agencies for the purpose of providing respite care services to individuals with functional and/or developmental disabilities. Respite care is provided at planned intervals, in a time of crisis, or on an as-needed basis. The services will be performed in or out of the customer’s home by qualified care workers in order to relieve the family or informal caregiver. This temporary care of the adult or child with a developmental or functional disability provides a period of rest and renewal for the family while contributing to maintaining the individual in the community, enabling the individual to live in a family or family-like environment, or assisting the individual in achieving a greater level of independence.
The Department anticipates awarding multiple Grants, but no more than two (2) Grants in each of the seven (7) regions of Maryland listed below, for a 5-year term beginning July 1, 2013 and ending June 30, 2018. Regions not listed below are served by Local Departments of Social Services (See Section 3.3 D).
Five Developmental Disability Regions / Two Functional Disability RegionsCentral
(Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, and Howard Counties) / Eastern Shore
(Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, and Talbot Counties)
Eastern Shore
(Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties) / Central
(Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, and Howard Counties)
Anne Arundel County
Baltimore City
Southern Maryland
(Calvert and Charles Counties)
Applicants may submit individual Proposals for more than one (1) region and disability type. Each individual Proposal shall be bound separately and clearly labeled indicating the region and disability type.
Note: Applicants submitting Proposals to be considered for award in more than one (1)region and disability type are not required to submit multiple Proposals.
1.2 Procurement Officer
The sole point of contact in the State for purposes of this RFGP is the Procurement Officer presented below:
Katharine M. Kamieniecki
Procurement Officer
Maryland Department of Human Resources
Procurement Division
311 West Saratoga Street, Room 946
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Phone: (410)767-7044
TTY: (800) 925-4434
Fax: (410) 333-0258
E-mail:
1.3 Pre-Proposal Conference
A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on April 30, 2013 beginning at 10:00 a.m. in Maryland Department of Human Resources, 311 West Saratoga Street, Room 508 B/C, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.
In order to assure adequate seating and other accommodations at the Pre-Proposal Conference, it is requested that by April 26, 2013, all potential Applicants planning to attend call the Procurement Officer (ref. Section 1.2) or send an e-mail with such notice. In addition, if there is a need for sign language interpretation and/or other special accommodations due to a disability, provide at least 5 days notice of such need and DHR will make reasonable efforts to provide such special accommodation.
The Conference will be transcribed. As promptly as is feasible subsequent to the Conference, a copy of the transcript of the Pre-Proposal Conference, and all questions and answers known at that time will be distributed on the DHR website to all prospective Applicants known to have received a copy of this RFGP.
1.4 Electronic Grant Authorization
A. The following transactions are authorized to be conducted by electronic means on the terms described. “Electronic means” refers to exchanges or communications using electronic, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or other means of electronically conducting transactions. Electronic means includes facsimile, electronic mail, internet-based communications, electronic funds transfer, specific electronic bidding platforms (e.g. DHR’s website), and electronic data interchange.
1. The Procurement Officer may conduct the RFGP using the DHR website, e-mail or facsimile to issue:
a. the solicitation (e.g. the RFGP);
b. any amendments;
c. Pre-Proposal Conference documents;
d. questions and responses;
e. communications regarding the solicitation or proposal to any Applicant including requests for clarification, explanation, or removal of elements of an Applicant's Proposal deemed not acceptable; and
f. notices of award selection or non-selection.
2. An Applicant or potential Applicant may use e-mail or facsimile to:
a. ask questions regarding the solicitation; and
b. reply to any material received from the Procurement Officer by electronic means that includes a Procurement Officer's request or direction to reply by e-mail or facsimile, but only on the terms specifically approved and directed by the Procurement Officer.
3. The Procurement Officer, the State Project Manager and the Grantee may conduct day-to-day Grant administration, except as outlined in section B of this subsection utilizing e-mail, facsimile or other electronic means if authorized by the Procurement Officer or State Project Manager.
B. The following transactions related to this Grant and any Grant awarded pursuant to it are not authorized to be conducted by electronic means:
1. submission of initial Proposals;
2. submission of documents determined by DHR to require original signatures (e.g. Grant execution, Grant modifications, etc.); or
5. any transaction, submission, or communication where the Procurement Officer has specifically directed that a response from the Grantee or Applicant be provided in writing or hard copy.
C. Any facsimile or electronic mail transmission is only authorized to the facsimile numbers or electronic mail addresses for the identified person(s) as provided in the RFGP, the Grant, or at the direction from the Procurement Officer or State Project Manager.
1.5 Questions and Inquiries
Written questions from prospective Applicants will be accepted by the Procurement Officer (ref. Section 1.2) prior to the Pre-Proposal Conference. As practical and appropriate, the answers to these pre-submitted questions will be provided at the Pre-Proposal Conference. No substantive question will be answered prior to the Pre-Proposal Conference. Additionally questions, both written and oral, will be accepted from the prospective Applicants at the Pre-Proposal Conference and will be answered at this conference or in a subsequent transmittal, which will be posted on the Department’s website.
Questions will also be accepted subsequent to the Pre-Proposal Conference. All post-Conference questions shall be submitted in a timely manner to the Procurement Officer only. The Procurement Officer will, based on the availability of time to research and communicate an answer, decide whether an answer can be provided before the Proposal due date. Answers to all substantive questions that have not previously been answered, and are not clearly specific only to the requestor will be distributed to all prospective Applicants who are known to have received a copy of the RFGP.
Subsequent to the Conference, additional pre-proposal questions may be submitted by mail, facsimile, or preferably, by e-mail to the Procurement Officer.
Should a potential Applicant identify alleged ambiguities in the specifications or Grant provisions included in the RFGP, or should there be doubt as to the meaning or intent of any section or subsection herein, the potential Applicant must request clarification from the Procurement Officer prior to the Proposal due date.
1.6 Closing Date
An original, to be so identified, and three (3) copies of each Proposal (Technical and Financial, See Section IV) must be received by the Procurement Officer by May 10, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. in order to be considered. Applicants mailing Proposals should allow sufficient mail delivery time to insure timely receipt by the Procurement Officer. Proposals or unsolicited amendments to Proposals arriving after the closing time and date will not be considered. Oral, electronic mail or facsimile Proposals will not be accepted.
1.7 No Offer Statement
Applicants not responding to this solicitation are requested to complete and submit the Notice to Applicants/Grantees form that includes the organization information and the reason for not responding (i.e. too busy, cannot meet mandatory requirements, etc). This form is located immediately after the Key Information Summary Sheet.
1.8 Duration of Proposal Offer
The content of this RFGP and the Proposals (Technical and Financial) of the successful Applicants will be included by reference in any resulting Grant. All prices, terms and conditions in the Proposal shall remain fixed and valid for 120 days after the closing date for receipt of Proposals or the closing date for receipt of Best and Final Offers, if any, are submitted. This period may be extended by written mutual agreement between the Applicant and the requesting State organization.
1.9 State Project Manager
The State Project Manager for the Grants resulting from this RFGP is:
Kathleen P. Ward
Program Specialist
Social Service Administration
Office of Adult Services
State of Maryland Department of Human Resources
311 West Saratoga Street, Room 597
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410) 767-7422
Fax: (410) 333-0127
E-mail:
After Grant award, this person will serve as the primary point of contact for the Grantees in regards to the Grants resulting from this RFGP. However, for certain Grant related actions, the Procurement Officer may communicate with Grantees.