Question: My organization has a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate. Why can’t I use that rate instead of the 12% limit on administrative costs?
Answer: The Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate applies to federal funds only. This RFP/RFPQ includes a mix of federal, state, and County funds. The actual rate for each service will be negotiated with the successful applicants.
If an organization applies to provide OPI services as a culturally specific provider and as a district center, will the caseload be split from only that DC or from other DC’s too?
Response: It has not been completely decided how caseloads will be split. It will likely depend on funding, zip code and cultural affiliation/participant choice. There will be many factors, including what agencies apply and qualify for this service from the Culturally Specific side, current makeup of the caseloads at time of awards, and current funding levels from State budget etc.
How will volunteer services be captured? Is it focal point? How will it be reported?
Response: Volunteer services will be a part of Focal Point. There is a focal point report that will be posted on the ADVSD RFPQ page under Contract Reporting and Expectations.
Will programs serving cultural minority groups like LGBT-serving organizations qualify for Culturally Specific or does this only apply to racial and ethnic minorities?
Response: Yes, LGBT is included in our culturally specific groups. The organization will need to meet the qualifications as a Culturally Specific agency to apply for Culturally Specific funding.
Does my organization need to have sub-contractors to apply as culturally specific or can we apply alone?
Response: As long as your organization qualifies under the Culturally Specific guidelines, it can apply as a culturally specific provider and can apply alone.
Can we (IRCO) be flexible regarding the population we are serving or do we have to be specific?
Response: Immigrants and refugees are included as a culturally specific population, so no need to be more specific. Please refer to the Target Populations outlined in the Program Model.
Can an organization apply to the RFP/RFPQ to receive funds as both a District Center and Culturally Specific provider?
Response: Yes, as long as you meet the qualifications for both.
Will Tai Chi move to EBHP?
Response: Yes.
How will the focal point percentage be determined for EE providers?
Response: Focal point for EE providers will be no more than 20% of the TOTAL EE funding combined and not per agency. Therefore agencies can apply for the Focal Point funding they want and the final allocation will be determined during contract negotiation. The allocation will vary from agency to agency and will not be a set amount.
Can recreation be charged as a rate per participant and not per event?
Response: Recreation will be a part of focal point. You will determine how to cost it out and then ask for that amount of focal point funding based on your projections. Since you will not be billing in a rate or units, you can factor your costs how you want and then justify it in your budget.
What are the funding estimates for each of the programs and service areas?
Response: Please refer to the "Funding Estimates for RFP/RFPQ" uploaded on 3/21/17.
Are the demographic expectations changing for serving culturally specific populations in the geographic areas of the County?
Response: Any expectations for contractors to serve a certain percentage of culturally specific populations in geographic areas of the county will be determined based on the pool of qualified contractors selected in the RFP/RFPQ process. These expectations will be laid out in the negotiated scope of work for each contractor to best serve the needs of the region and its people.
Does the County have a risk assessment tool to share with agencies (sub) who will be working with a partner agency?
Response: These factors are used by Multnomah County Fiscal Compliance when assessing risk. These include, but are not limited to:
- Amount of funding provided, both Federal and County
- Overall reliance on Multco funding
- Number of contracts with Multco
- Prior history with Organization
- Financial analysis
- Internal factors, ex. changes in management, types of programs, number of locations
- External factors, ex. media exposure, political pressure, safety concerns
- Board of Directors involvement
- Completeness of internal policies and procedures
Why does the County want agencies to calculate and report the actual cost of service? Is it because the County actually wants/intends to pay that rate, or because they just want to know the actual cost?
Response: For these services, the County pays on a fee-for-service basis. We do not necessarily pay the full cost of the service -- we are limiting administrative costs and we are requiring a match. For some services, we may set a rate range that we will accept - this will be in the RFP/RFPQ. We need assurance that the applicant agency understands the cost of providing the service and has considered how to leverage our funds to cover the full cost. We want contractors to report the full cost because we are expected to report the contributions of the community that are leveraged by our funds.
When does the blackout period begin?
Response: The blackout period will begin when the RFP/RFPQ is released. Currently this is planned for April 28, 2017.
Must match be even over the whole year, month by month? Or can it be in by the end of the year?
Response: Match does not have to be evenly spread over the whole year. However, we do expect that contractors report match throughout the year, not all of it at the end.
How will the budget form look? Will the contract be for six months up front? Are they going to do a six month agreement or an 18 month agreement?
Response: ADVSD staff are in the process of developing the budget form, but it will likely be similar to the form used in the last RFP for District Centers. We expect that the contract will be for five (5) years, but the amount that can be spent each Fiscal Year (July-June) will be allocated each year, based on available funding and the County budget. Since the contract will start in the middle of FY2017-2018, the initial allocation will be for six months. The next four allocations will be for a full Fiscal Year, and the last allocation will be for six months.
Is there a % of low income clients we are expected to serve?
Response: No, programs and services are targeted to vulnerable populations and the priority populations and eligibility criteria vary by program. Please refer to the various program standards and eligibility criteria contained in the program model, because these do differ by program. For example, OAA program funds are targeted to people living at 185% of Federal Poverty Level, Oregon project Independence serves folks at all income levels, and I & A does not have income criteria, etc.
Will letters of support be required?
Response: Letters of support will not be required.
How much will prior performance weigh?
Response: Prior experience will be part of the RFP/RFPQ criteria, but the weighting has not yet been determined.
Does the County ever allow federal funds to be part of a partner's funding source?
Response: Federal rules do not allow federal funds to be used as a match for Older Americans Act funds.
Where do I find the standards for the cultural competency (equity) plan our agency must submit?
Response: This is the Department of County Human Services requirement, included in all contracts:
Cultural Competence. Contractor agrees to maintain and update annually a written Cultural Competency Plan. This plan must contain measurable objectives, timelines, and persons responsible for all elements. The plan will outline policies and activities that promote culturally competent services and must address, at a minimum, the following topics:
- Non-discrimination in Service Delivery
- Accessibility to Services
- Training
- Culturally Specific Programs and Services
- Community Outreach
- Plan Evaluation
Contractor's plan shall be evaluated annually by Contractor's Board of Director's or other governing body. If plan revisions are necessary, the Contractor's governing body shall develop and implement revisions to the plan. The Plan shall be available to the County upon request.
What happens if no culturally specific organization qualifies (for a given cultural group)?
Response: We are not setting aside money for specific cultural groups. If no culturally specific organization applies, or qualifies, to serve a specific cultural group, we would expect all agencies funded under this RFP/RFPQ to serve the members of that cultural group. All agencies contracted to provide services under this RFP/RFPQ are required to be culturally responsive, meaning that they are qualified to provide services to people of any cultural group.
District Centers used to use a productivity standard of 75%, but productivity has dropped. What is the current productivity % for case management?
Response: ADVSD does not set a productivity % for case management, although standards and expectations are laid out for the various types of case management in the Program Model. Refer to Program Model pages 40-54 approximately.
A list of billable and non-billable tasks would be helpful. Please provide clarity in the RFP\RFPQ as to when I am engaged in delivering case management services, and when I am not.
Response: The definitions for services are standardized and set by NAPIS (National Aging Program Information System) and can be reviewed here. AIRS also has standards for information and assistance units and can be found here. From these definitions and standards we determine what is "billable" for services provided. You can also refer to pages 40-54 of the Program Model.
Can fees be charged for services, or must everything be free? Can sliding scales be built into our model? May we have a separate fee-based service? Does this conflict with OAA rules?
Response: The State Unit on Aging's OAA Fiscal Guide says:
(2) SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS:
(A) Each service provider under the Older Americans Act may develop a suggested contribution schedule. However, means tests may not be used for any services supported with funds under the act. No older person regardless of their level of income and/or assets may be excluded from participation. See Sec. 315(b)(3) and AOA Regulations, 45 CFR Part 1321.67(c).
(B) Opportunity for voluntary contribution - there can be no charge for services. However, as set forth in 45 CFR Part 1321.67(a)(1) and Sec. 315(b)(1), every service provider must offer the older person an opportunity to voluntarily contribute to the cost of the service. Sec. 315(b)(4)(A).
(C) Denial, as stated in 45 CFR Part 1321.67(d) and Sec. 315(b)(3), a service provider, may not deny any older person a service because the older person will not or cannot contribute to the cost of the service.
Under ADVSD rules, an agency can have separate fee-based services, but must have a plan and procedure to avoid either the appearance of conflict of interest or actual conflict of interest. For example, using Options Counseling (or any of the services funded under this RFP\RFPQ) to steer people towards the agency's fee-based services would be a conflict of interest. See page 73 of the Program Model.
We are primarily interested in sub-contracting in the area of community focal points. We would not qualify to submit an RFP/RFPQ directly. Is there a way to identify and distinguish between potential sub-contractors and those who qualify?
Response: At this point, we have no way of knowing how organizations will choose to align themselves for these contracts - i.e. as a District Center or as an Enhancing Equity contractor. We will be setting up some additional opportunities for collaboration early 2017 and will keep folks posted as they are scheduled. In the meantime, if you don't want to wait, you can send an email out to the list of folks also interested in focal point with info about who you are and what you're interested in providing and where.
Is my organization required to work with a culturally specific agency in order to apply as a Community Focal Point?
Response: Community Focal Point services can be provided by District Centers or by organizations providing culturally specific services. If your agency is not applying as an organization providing culturally specific services and is not applying to be a District Center (which requires providing a larger range of services), the only way to receive funding for Community Focal Point services would be as a sub-contractor of an organization providing culturally specific services.
Who are current providers and what are their current budgets?
FY17 Contractors & Allocations (78.74 KB)
What are the trends in demographic changes expected in Multnomah County?
Response: The following maps show population density of older adults living in Multnomah County, by race and ethnicity.
Area Distribution - African American (1.86 MB)
Area Distribution - Asian (1.86 MB)
Area Distribution - Hispanic (1.86 MB)
Area Distribution - Native American (1.98 MB)
Area Distribution - Overview (1.86 MB)
Can an organization provide Options Counseling as a stand alone service?
Response: Only Enhancing Equity Partners providing culturally-specific services may apply to provide Options Counseling as a stand-alone service under this RFP/RFPQ. Options Counseling is a required part of a complete menu of services provided through District Senior Centers. We encourage organizations to review the draft Program Model for more information. The answer to this question can be found on pages 19-20.
What are the sources of funding for this RFP/RFPQ?
Response:
Which of the services under this RFP/RFPQ can be used to serve people age 18-59 with physical disabilities?
Response: Because of the complex nature of funding for services under this RFP/RFPQ, it is difficult to give a definitive answer. Generally speaking, MOST of the services under this RFP/RFPQ are focused on adults age 60+. Organizations that cater primarily to adults with disabilities would still be encouraged to apply, in order to improve capacity to serve older adults with disabilities. The answer is dependent on the eligibility of each service. We encourage interested organizations to schedule time with one of our team members by sending an email request to advsd.rfp@multco.us.
What does a partnership between a culturally specific and culturally responsive organization look-like? What are the nuts and bolts of this type of relationship?
Response: In a situation where the partnership is applying for funds from the culturally specific allocation the culturally specific organization would be the lead agency in the consortium, and would sub-contract with the culturally responsive organization to provide specific services *(see updated response below). The lead agency would pay the sub-contractor and would bill ADVSD for the combined services of the two agencies. The lead agency will be responsible for the performance of the sub-contractor and generally will pass down the ADVSD requirements in their sub-contract contract. The specifics of the relationship (meetings, QA activities, etc.) would need to be worked out by the two organizations, based on the services to be provided.In a situation where the partnership is applying for funds from the regional (District Center) allocation, the lead organization can be either culturally specific or culturally responsive, and the same sub-contracting relationships described above would apply.
Note that contractors under the Community Services for Older Adults and the Nutrition sections of this RFP/RFPQ will be sub-recipients of federal funds under the Older Americans Act. The lead agency in any consortium will be responsible for determining whether their sub-contractor is "sub-recipient" or a "contractor" (previously called "vendor") according to the federal rules. The form of the sub-contract will be a little different based on this distinction. For more information about this, see 2 CFR 200.330 Sub-recipient and Contractor Determinations.
*Updated Response: Guidance for subcontracting for culturally specific services.- Both the lead and any subcontractor seeking to provide culturally specific services must meet the culturally specific criteria, for the following services: Information & Assistance/Referral, including Transportation Services and Coordination and for the entire Case Management suite of services, including Options Counseling, OAA Case Management, Family Caregiver Case Management, and Oregon Project Independence Case Management.
- The lead organization seeking to provide culturally specific Focal Point or Nutrition Services may subcontract with an organization meeting the culturally responsive criteria. For Nutrition Services, the lead must show that both the menu and associated activities are designed to meet the needs and preferences of the specific cultural group(s) to be served.
For questions please email advsd.rfp@multco.us.
Our organization already does quite a lot of IR&A, and we're interested in working with/contributing to the ADRC database. What type of database is it - CRM? And if we participated, would our organization be able to access/mine the data?
Response: GetCare, the database used by the ADRC, is not a CRM. It doesn't have all of the bells and whistles that a CRM has because the ADRC is not based on sales or marketing. We would likely not permit a contracted organization to mine the data recorded in the ADRC to use for their own purposes, especially if that meant reaching out to ADRC consumers directly. However, we are open to hearing ideas and suggestions about using the data contained in the ADRC.
Also re IR&A: Is there anything we need to "bring to the table"- e.g., additional funding?
Response: All contractors under this RFP/RFPQ are required to provide an 11.12% match. There are specific technology requirements for the phone system and equipment used to perform these services. Please see pg. 69 of the Program Model, under Technology Requirements.
What are the insurance requirements for contractors funded under this RFP/RFPQ?
Response: Attached is a document showing the current insurance requirements for contractors providing services funded under the Older Americans Act. Note that Multnomah County Rick Management will make the final decision on insurance requirements when the RFP/RFPQ has been drafted, so be sure to review the insurance requirements shown in the RFP/RFPQ when it comes out.
Current Insurance Requirements Example (1.06 MB)
What do I need to know about being compliant with HIPAA regulations and protecting client information?
Response: The county is not responsible for training third parties, including business associates, network providers, other Counties, community partners, etc. Although the County does not endorse any specific trainings, these publicly available resources may be of interest. Understanding HIPAA (13.48 KB)
If an applicant is applying for Culturally Specific funding, must the applicant limit Focal Point services to 20% of the overall funding they are requesting?
Response: No, ADVSD Community Services is limiting total spending on Focal Point services to 20% of the total amount of money allocated for Culturally Specific Services; there is more funding available for services like Information & Assistance, Case Management and Options Counseling. An individual applicant can ask for funding for Focal Point services only, or for any combination of services on the service menu.