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Treatment Services FAQ

Q:
What are RFP's
Answer

Request for proposal

Q:
What are EMQ's
Answer

Estimated Monthly Quantities and you are seeing a combination of our agency’s EMQ’s.

Q:
Is there some specific way the RFPs are to be put together - i.e. stapled, clipped, in a notebook, font size, etc? I have been through the RFP several times and can't find any set requirements regarding this.
Answer

The RFPs do not need to be bound or clipped. We do encourage you to be careful to keep the RFP packets separate, if you are responding to more than one RFP.

Q:
We are considering “teaming” with an agency. The other agency is also bidding on the RFP. Can we share our intended prices for services with each other?
Answer

Whether a vendor wants to “team up” with another vendor/subcontractor to provide services listed in the RFP is your decision. If that includes the sharing of prices that is also your choice.

Our concern is that all the codes are addressed in your response as well as an explanation of how they will be provided.  The third party will also need to meet the RFP requirements for those codes.

Q:
Will you have more explicit instructions to the successful bidder on tamper and what to do about that?
Answer

We will have a full training on how the samples are to be collected, tested and so forth. This training will include use of the refractometer and collection devices.

Q:
Is there only going to be one vendor for each BPA?
Answer

The Request for Proposal indicates the possibility of more than one. We like the flexibility if the numbers support same, but if not then there will only be one award.

Q:
Is there a preference for the variety of services for a vendor that can provide the most services?
Answer

There are not going to be any preferences. 

Q:
The client or probationer would be coming into the office versus us going to them?
Answer

Yes. We don’t expect any of your services to be off your sites. You would not be doing anything in their home or outside your site.

Q:
If given sample medications, would sufficient verification be the prescription pad/note?
Answer

Yes, that would be sufficient.

Q:
If you are doing individual therapy and patient/probationer no shows, how many no shows do we have to take before we decline further services?
Answer

The only person that can make the decision to terminate counseling, according to the RFP is the referring agency in consultation with the supervising officer.

Q:
Is service 1401 Contractor Local Travel to be responded to in the RFP?
Answer

The 1401 Contractor Local Travel code does not need to be responded to in the RFP.

Q:
Do we only address the service marked in Section B?
Answer

Yes. You only need to address the services marked with an “X” in Section B. These should be addressed in your narrative statement with a price form.

Q:
Do you only need to specifically address the services you are planning to provide?
Answer

No. All services checked in the RFP must be addressed. You can’t pick and choose. If you cannot or are unable to provide all the services outlined in the RFP, it will be construed as technically unacceptable.

Q:
In reference to J.1(5) are you asking for all clients we serve for all offenders that participate for that service whether they are federal clients or not?
Answer

We are asking for all clients whether they are federal or not and the outcomes of services which we are specifically inquiring about in the RFP.

Q:
Do we need to send back all pages of the RFP or do we only send back the sections which are pertinent to the us?
Answer

TThat is your choice. You do not need to send all pages which do not involve the services pertaining to your RFP, and you do not need to send back sections L and M. Go ahead and send all sections in that you are not sure about. Too much is better than too little, and if you are missing a part you could be found to be technically unacceptable.

Q:
When you are doing the narrative section is it alright for us to reference the offenders/defendants as clients?
Answer

Yes.

Q:
When you have multiple vendors, what is the selection process for choosing the lowest price proposal which is technically acceptable?
Answer

We look at all vendors who are technically acceptable and then make our decision based on who is lowest priced on EMQ's (estimated monthly quantities) over the lifetime of the agreement.

Q:
The next question pertains to credentialing for project codes on 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040, and intensive outpatient 2080 I believe. When looking at the credentialing of a person in the State of Nebraska who has a license as a drug and alcohol counselor without a 4 year degree, is that acceptable?
Answer

Section C is the minimum standard which needs to be met on behalf of the vendor to  perform these services outlined in the RFP. If the minimum standards are not met, the RFP is technically unacceptable.

Q:
In reference to the RFP for short term residential, you indicate a number of people per month in the program which is the same as a full treatment program. How soon do you plan on that program being up and running before referrals are received?
Answer

The number of units per month does not reference the number of people, but number of days per month.

Q:
How many units are there per month for Intensive Outpatient (IOP)?
Answer

Section C references a requirement of 3 units of 2080 a week and 1 unit of 2010 per month. Example: In a typical 4 week month you would have a total of 12 units of 2080 and 1 unit of 2010.

Q:
A question was posed about how 2080 was defined as a unit.
Answer

1 Unit for 2080 is 1 day of counseling. This counseling shall meet the requirements as described in Section C. 

Q:
Must all of the services be provided in the catchment area for which they are defined?
Answer

Yes All of the services listed in a specific catchment area must be provided by the vendor within the catchment area.

Q:
Can you have more than one provider in a catchment area providing the same services?
Answer

Yes, we can. It does not mean that we will split the EMQs as much as that we will split the financial cost, so they are equitable for both vendors. An example would be one vendor charging $10 for a service while another charges $20 for the same service, and we contract with both in the same catchment area. We would send twice as many referrals to the $10 vendor so that every month the amount spent would be equal between the two vendors.

Q:
How many individual or group sessions are you projecting per month?
Answer

Those are the estimated monthly quantities which are shown for each RFP in Section B for that catchment area for that RFP.

Q:
Can a vendor team with another agency?
Answer

A vendor can team with another agency to fulfill the obligations outlined in the RFP. However, the teaming agency is subject to the same requirements as outlined in the RFP. (There is an explanation of this process on Page 1 of Section I (Section I.2)).

Q:
Please clarify how to respond to the question in Section B regarding the “area and state”?
Answer

In some areas of the country there are different districts within a state, such as the Southern District of Iowa or Northern District of Iowa. In the District of Nebraska, there is only one District and therefore the area will remain blank.

Q:
In reference to 1010 and 1011 you indicate that the facility must be open on the collection day during certain times. What if we wanted to be open later or be closed for a portion of the day? Would that make us technically unacceptable?
Answer

It could make you technically unacceptable.

Q:
Clarify the monitoring reports and who should complete them for us?
Answer

The report should be completed by anybody that could speak to the performance of your agency. Monitoring reports are nice because they rate the agency. If there are areas of deficiency, that doesn’t automatically eliminate your agency, but we need that information to follow up what those deficiencies are and whether they were addressed. The agency who completed these reports could also serve as a reference.

Q:
Can the vendor bill for sample medications, if there is no cost to the facilities and the medication is distributed?
Answer

If there is no cost to you, then there should be no cost to us.

Q:
How do we bill you?
Answer

We would like to have that billing submitted by the 10th of the following month. We provide an electronic spreadsheet as well as training and support to complete the invoice process.

Q:
What if we are interested in more than one RFP?
Answer

You will have to submit for each one separately. Upon completion of the RFP every project code must be addressed. Each RFP is mutually exclusive. The thing to pay attention to is the solicitation number in the upper left-hand corner of Section A of the RFP.