serving Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington Counties
Non-Nutrition Program
Request for Proposals (RFP) for Fiscal Years 2014 – 2015
2nd Release
The Heritage Area Agency on Aging/Kirkwood Community College is seeking applications from any non-profit agency or private organization to provide and/or expand services to individuals, age 60 and older, for the following:
· Nutrition Counseling in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties,
· Transportation in Iowa County,
· Chore, Respite and Family Caregiver Respite in Johnson County.
This RFP announcement is a second release in a search for qualified applicants and is only for part of the seven county Heritage region.
Table of Contents
Section Topic Page #
I What is The Heritage Area Agency on Aging? 3
II What is the Mission of The Heritage Area Agency on Aging? 3
III The Vision of the Heritage Area Agency on Aging 4
IV The Vision for Heritage Non-Nutrition Programs 4
V Heritage Non-Nutrition Program Taxonomy Definitions 4-5
VI Request for Proposal (RFP) Overview 5-6
VII Letter of Intent 6
VIII RFP 2nd Release 6
IX Bidder’s Conference Details 7
X Due Date 7
XI General Instructions and Information 7-10
XII Narrative Instructions 10
XIII Budget Forms and Instructions 10-13
I. What is The Heritage Area Agency on Aging?
Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are agencies established under federal law, the Older Americans Act of 1965 (revised), to respond to the needs of Americans age 60 and over in every local community, with the goal of keeping seniors living independently in their own homes.
The Heritage Area Agency on Aging, a department of Kirkwood Community College, was designated by the Iowa Department on Aging to carry out these and other duties of an Area Agency on Aging in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.
Heritage plans, coordinates and funds a variety of human services programs that serve the 78,798 older adults who reside in the seven county region (2010 US Census).
Heritage serves people age 60 and above as well as their families, communities, and governments. In addition, Heritage serves as an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) serving adults 18 years of age and older with a disability through advocacy and options counseling.
Our staff is dedicated to educating professionals, employers, volunteers and community residents to meet the challenges that face older adults and their families in our ever-changing and aging world.
II. What is the Mission of The Heritage Area Agency on Aging?
The Heritage Area Agency on Aging serves the needs of older adults, caregivers, their families and people with disabilities in the following ways:
· Planning: Developing and implementing plans that identify and meet the needs of older adults in our service area.
· Funding: Obtaining federal, state, and other (ie; grants, etc.) funding for older-adult programs.
· Advocating: Standing strong for older adults’ needs at the national, state and local levels.
III. The Vision of The Heritage Area Agency on Aging is:
· to secure and maintain maximum independence and dignity in a home environment for older persons capable of self-care with appropriate supportive services; and,
· to remove individual and social barriers to economic and personal independence for older persons.
IV. The Vision for Heritage Non-Nutrition Programs:
The Heritage Area Agency on Aging’s Advisory Council approved the following vision for Heritage Non-Nutrition Programs:
· The program(s) will provide quality services provided by trained individuals who are able to support the needs of frail, at-risk seniors.
· The program(s) will provide services in a timely manner to meet the needs and empower individuals to remain safe and healthy in the home setting of their choice.
· The program(s) will be efficiently operated and administered with partners that work with Heritage in a cooperative spirit.
· The program(s) will demonstrate inclusivity and be free of intimidation and discrimination.
V. Heritage Non-Nutrition Program Taxonomy Definitions – open for 2nd Release RFP applications
Chore (one hour). Providing assistance to persons having difficulty with but not limited to one or more of the following instrumental activities of daily living: doing heavy housework, yard work, or sidewalk maintenance and home repair.
Nutrition Counseling (one session per consumer). Provision of individualized advice and guidance to individuals, who are at nutritional risk, because of their health or nutritional history, dietary intake, medications use or chronic illnesses, about options and methods for improving their nutritional status, performed by a health professional in accordance with State law and policy.
Respite Care (one hour). Service which offers temporary, substitute supports or living arrangements for older persons in order to provide a brief period of relief or rest for family members or other caregivers.
Transportation (one - one way trip). Provision of a means of transportation for a person who requires help in going from one location to another, using a vehicle. Does not include any other activity.
Title IIIE Family Caregiver and Grandparent and Other Elderly Caregivers of Children Services
Respite Care (one hour). Services which offer temporary, substitute supports or living arrangements for care recipients in order to provide a brief period of relief or rest for caregivers. Respite Care includes: (a) In-home respite (personal care, homemaker, and other in-home respite); (b) respite provided by attendance of the care recipient at a senior center or other nonresidential program; (c) institutional respite provided by placing the care recipient in an institutional setting such as a nursing home for a short period of time as a respite service to the caregiver; and (for grandparents caring for children) summer camps. If the specific service units purchased via a direct payment (cash or voucher) can be tracked or estimated, report those service unit hours. If not, a unit of service in a direct payment is one payment.
VI. Request for Proposal (RFP) Overview – 2nd Release
The Heritage Area Agency on Aging/Kirkwood Community College is seeking applications from any non-profit agency or private organization to provide and/or expand the following home and community based services to individuals, age 60 and older, in target areas. The original RFP for this area was announced on October 29, 2012, with the application released on December 3, 2012 and due on February 8, 2013. The Heritage Area Agency on Aging is reissuing the RFP for specific programs in certain areas of the seven county region served by Heritage for a variety of reasons which include: lack of RFPs submitted for certain services, incomplete applications, insufficient response to narrative questions, proposed budgeting errors and lack of demonstrated cost effectiveness.
Heritage is reissuing a request for proposal (RFP) to obtain a service provider(s) that can demonstrate the ability to provide quality services through the utilization of a cost effective and efficiently managed service delivery system. Proposals are being accepted only for the programs and areas identified below. Heritage will award two-year contracts. Applications are for the period of July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015.
· Heritage is reissuing a request for proposal (RFP) to obtain service provider(s) for Nutrition Counseling in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.
· Heritage is reissuing a request for proposal (RFP) to obtain service provider(s) for Transportation in Iowa County.
· Heritage is reissuing a request for proposal (RFP) to obtain service provider(s) for Chore, Respite and Family Caregiver Respite in Johnson County.
In fiscal year 2012, The Heritage Area Agency on Aging funded the following Non-Nutrition services through the RFP process: adult day health services, assisted and standard volunteer transportation, case management, chore, elder abuse intervention, information and assistance, legal services, mental health outreach, nutrition counseling, and respite services.
Organizations that apply for funding and are successful in being selected as a provider through the 2nd Release Non-Nutrition RFP process, will need to have the ability to do the following:
• Deliver services as described in the RFP
• Conduct outreach to seniors and their caregivers to inform eligible individuals about services and where additional information on community resources can be obtained
• Support the program by committing resources to fulfill program match requirements. This match requirement can be met in a variety of ways including other organizational funding sources and/or in-kind services and supports.
• Comply with all pertinent and pertaining laws and to work in a cooperative spirit to fulfill the guidelines as set in the Heritage contract, the Older Americans Act, and taxonomy definitions.
Services delivered through Heritage funding are required to meet all federal and state obligations of the proposed service, including the Older Americans Act of 1965 (revised), funding source(s) and Heritage contractual terms.
All previous applicants and potential new applicants are encouraged to apply. The 2nd Release RFP documents, including official taxonomy definitions of services open for proposals will be available from this website for download on April 15, 2013.
The 2nd Release RFP application and supporting documentation is due no later than Noon on May 10, 2013.
VII. Letter of Intent
A Letter of Intent is not requested or required for the 2nd release of RFPs.
VIII. RFP 2nd Release
The Non-Nutrition RFP (Request for Proposal) documents can be accessed from the Heritage website at www.heritageaaa.org after Monday, April 15, 2013.
IX. Bidders Conference Details
A Bidders Conference will not be held for the 2nd release of the RFP.
X. Due Date
Proposals, including required attachments and copies, must be delivered to the office of The Heritage Area Agency on Aging, West Building, Kirkwood Community College main campus, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406 (or mailed and received to The Heritage Area Agency on Aging, PO Box 2068, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406) by Noon on Friday, May 10, 2013. Electronic copies must also be sent and received to by Noon on Friday, May 10, 2013.
XI. General Instructions and Information
Submission
Incomplete RFPs or those with gross errors will not be considered. Applications may be returned for correction, possibly delaying or causing an Applicant to be ineligible for funding. HAAA staff will not make corrections or “guesses” on behalf of applicants.
Applicants must address all of the questions and topics using the format provided. Do not change headings or footers or delete any items. Applications that have had questions removed or altered will be returned.
It is allowed and expected that Applicants will adjust spacing between questions to accommodate responses. There is no minimum or maximum word limit in responding to questions. It is critical that responses answer the questions asked completely and demonstrate the complete proposal for the program.
Applications should not be printed in unique font styles or colors - Arial or Times New Roman font is preferred. 12 point, black colored print is requested. Handwritten submissions will be accepted if they are clearly printed, but type is strongly preferred.
When submitting the application, please provide Heritage with one original and six (6) copies, three hole punched. An electronic copy of all required forms must be emailed to by the due date and time.
Required Attachments with Application Submission – copy attached to each packet and the original – 7 total sets
Attachment #1: Board of Directors
Attachment #2: Organizational Chart
Attachment #3: Position Descriptions
Attachment #4A (if applicable)
Attachment #4B (if applicable)
Compliance document: Discrimination/Affirmative Action policy
Compliance document: Grievance Policy
Compliance document: Emergency/Disaster Plan
Compliance document: Conflict of Interest Statement
Compliance document: Confidentiality
Budget Form 1
Budget Form 2
Budget Form 2a
Budget Form 2b
Electronic copy emailed to
Timeline for the 2nd Release of the Non-Nutrition Program RFPs
April 2, 2013 RFP 2nd release announced
April 15, 2013 2nd Release RFP Application released through the Heritage website
May 6, 2013 Last day for questions
May 10, 2013 RFP Applications due
May 2013 Award notification letters issued
July 1, 2013 Anticipated contract start date
Review process
The contract(s) will be awarded to a responsible bidder(s) whose proposal is determined to be most advantageous to the program’s vision and cost effectiveness. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider Heritage’s mission and the vision for Heritage Non-Nutrition Program when responding to this 2nd release of the RFP.
Applications are first reviewed for accuracy and scored by staff. The Planning, Program and Budget committee of the Heritage Advisory Council review the Applications and make recommendations to the Heritage Advisory Council. Upon approval of the Heritage Advisory Council, Kirkwood Community College Board of Trustees or their Designee review with the Heritage Executive Director. Final judgment in determination rests within the legal relationship and structure of The Heritage Area Agency on Aging/Kirkwood Community College organizational oversight and departmental agreement.
Scoring
All significant evaluation factors and their relative importance are included in this packet. Proposals will be scored by Heritage staff and reviewed by volunteer leadership described through a point system. Reviewers will assign points to each section based on the quality of the answer. Total points available are 100 (See scoring framework below).
Proposals will be reviewed within the following framework:
Responsiveness to this Request for Proposal: this includes, but is not limited to, full completion of narrative, required attachments, and accuracy of requested information, both in terms of quantity and quality of information. (30 points)
Nature and extent of the Applicant's previous experience and demonstrated expertise in this or a related service (reflected in Narrative). (25 points)
Cost Effectiveness. (25 points)
Extent of Applicant's apparent understanding of the Proposed Non-Nutrition Program and the public service provided through its implementation. (10 points)
Extent to which the Applicant proposes to assist Heritage in achieving the vision for Heritage Non-Nutrition Program and implement services as prescribed under the Older Americans Act and its amendments. (10 points)
Method for additional questions
All questions regarding the Application or RFP process must be submitted through an email and a summary of questions and answers will be posted on the Heritage website, www.heritageaaa.org. Email questions to Kellie Elliott-Kapparos, Operations Director, at . The last opportunity for questions will be Monday, May 6, 2013.