1.01Introduction and Program Description

The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS or Department), Finance and Management Services (FMS) and the Mental Health Trust Authority (Trust), is requesting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Mental Health Deferred Maintenance and Accessibility Improvements services for the State of Alaska in FY2020 through FY2022. These services are meant to provide resources to renovate and/or repair eligible buildings serving Trust beneficiaries.

Program Services are authorized under 7 AAC 78, and Mental Health Deferred Maintenance and Accessibility Improvement. Access State of Alaska statutes and regulations at http://www.law.state.ak.us/doclibrary/doclib.html or through the contact person identified on the cover page of this Request for Proposals (RFP).

The ongoing need for deferred maintenance and accessibility improvements projects has been well documented by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and is a continual problem for providers serving Trust beneficiaries. With the continuing decline in operating funds, a vast majority of the agencies which serve Trust beneficiaries must place all of their available resources into providing care for their client population(s) and are unable to set aside repair and replacement funds for their buildings. Currently, allowing the deterioration of their facilities is the only option left for many service providers. Providing funds for the repair and maintenance of these facilities is a good investment in the health and well-being of Trust beneficiaries.

1.02Program Goals and Anticipated Outcomes

The primary goal of this RFP is to reduce the deferred maintenance and accessibility needs and alleviate some of the financial burden of eligible agencies in Alaska who provide services to Trust beneficiaries. This program will provide Capital funds for deferred maintenance, repair and renovation, and ADA compliant improvement projects to existing structures. These eligible building structures may include treatment offices, residential housing buildings and administrative offices, allowing eligible agencies to concentrate their already scarce resources on providing services for their client population(s).

The proposal must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the grant program goals and outcomes anticipated by the Department; and proposed projects must meet or exceed anticipated minimums described in this RFP. All projects proposed under this grant opportunity must recognize and operate within existing Alaska statutes and regulations.

Successful applicants will be awarded a maximum of $50,000. It is expected that these funds will provide agencies with the resources to make critical, long-awaited facility improvements without the need to reduce a program's operating budget.  Only ONE proposal per applicant agency will be accepted.

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Reduce the deferred maintenance needs on public access buildings serving Trust beneficiaries and staff
• Reduce jeopardizing the well being of Trust beneficiaries and office staff
• Provide an efficient, accessible and safe building environment for all concerned. 

1.03Program Services/Activities

The proposal must include a description of proposed activities that support the goals and outcomes to be employed in the project. The applicant must also include a timeline for activities as an attachment to their proposal.

Deferred maintenance projects include renovation, repairs or rehabilitation of facilities with an emphasis on projects involving health and safety issues, documented emergency needs or ADA compliance issues. For accessibility projects, the focus will be on improving access where programmatic alternatives have been exhausted or are not possible and on projects which maximize accessibility to facilities using cost-effective approaches. The proposal must describe the proposed project. 

Eligible capital projects through this program are typically defined as deferred maintenance projects and have a useful life of over one year. Funds available through this RFP are for direct costs only. 

Eligible projects include but are not limited to:

• Plumbing repairs
• Fire suppression systems
• Fire alarm systems
• Electrical upgrades
• Roof repair or replacement
• Floor repair or replacement
• Accessible entrance ramps
• Accessible parking spaces
• Facility signage
• Replacement of door and cabinet hardware with accessible hardware
• Restroom accessibility improvements
• Accessible path of travel to program space
• Reconfiguration to utilize existing space

1.04Program Evaluation Requirements and Reporting

Results Based Budgeting Framework

Results based budgeting provides a framework in which allocated resources support and are justified by a set of outputs and expected results. Within this framework, actual performance and achieved outcomes are measured by objective performance measures.

Projects must required to align with program objectives expressing Department priorities and core services. Projects must use performance measures to evaluate progress toward meaningful outcomes, and to initiate data collection and reporting consistent with Department priorities.

The Department Priorities, Core Services, Objectives, and Performance Measures of Effectiveness and Efficiency for this program are:

Department Priorities

• Safe and Responsible Individuals, Families and Communities

Department Core Services

• Protect Vulnerable Alaskans

Department Objective

• Provide deferred maintenance assistance to eligible trust beneficiaries agencies

Outcomes: Improve, renovate and/or repair structures

Grant Reporting

Required reporting for this grant will include:

1. Cumulative Fiscal Report (CFR) recording overall grant and match expenditures by budget line submitted in GEMS quarterly or on as as-needed basis; and
2. Program Report (must use the Program Financial and Narrative Form) to record overall project process must be submitted simultaneously with any Cumulative Fiscal Report.

1.05Target Population and Service Area

Proposals must clearly describe the population targeted by the project, including the area or communities that will be served.  Proposals will be evaluated for compatibility with the intended target population identified in this solicitation.

Service Area:

This is a statewide program.

Target Population:

The project must function as part of an overall operating program which provides services for eligible Mental Health Trust beneficiary group(s). Beneficiaries include persons experiencing mental illness, developmental disabilities, Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, chronic alcoholism, and special needs.

1.06Program Funding

Estimated funds available for this program are anticipated to total $470,000 for Fiscal Year 2020.

Match Requirements: The budget must include matching funds equal to 20% of the proposed DHSS funds.

             Calculate required match with the following formula:

             The Requested Grant Award x Required Match Percentage = Required Match

                         Example: $50,000 x 20% = $10,000

Federal grant funds may not be used to match federal funds awarded through this grant program, and State grant funds may not be used to match State funds awarded through this grant program:

Eligible sources of matching funds include:

• Local Cash: local sources, including local tax receipts, municipal revenue sharing, cash donations
• Local In-Kind: donated items of value for which the applicant incurs no cost, including volunteer labor and donations of supplies, equipment, space
• Other Sources: government and non-government grant awards, third party receipts, direct receipts such as gaming or sale of goods
• Grant Income: earnings anticipated as a result of this project proposal receiving award, and Medicaid reimbursements if award of this grant is required for the applicant to bill Medicaid for awarded services
• Medicaid: includes Medicaid which is not Grant Income, as well as other third party receipts

Proposed Budget:  The proposal must contain both a detailed and narrative budget for the duration of the grant, including any match, which is fully compliant with the limitations described in 7 AAC 78.160 (Costs). Regulations are provided under the GEMS Documents tab.

Resources specific to budgeting are also available under the GEMS Documents tab. DHSS Grant Budget Preparation Guidelines provide information and guidance about budget lines, cost detail groupings, and narrative requirements. Grantee User Manual Part I provides detailed instructions for entering a budget proposal in the chapter "Responding to a Solicitation."

Other Agency Funding: Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants must list all other agency funding received and applied for. This task must be completed by an Agency Power User in the Other Funding section of the Agency Administration tab. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

Administrative and Indirect Costs: These funds are available for direct costs only.

2.01Required Experience

Proposal evaluation will include consideration of the applicant’s history of compliance with service and grant requirements and previous experience in providing the same or similar services. Evaluation may include DHSS site reviews, program audits, and confirmation of the successful resolution of any findings. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

The applicant must describe previous experience providing services the same or similar to those proposed. The description must clearly identify the time period over which services were provided and the target population served.

2.02Program Staffing Experience

Program staffing levels must be commensurate with meeting the program goals, anticipated outcomes, and activities/strategies for service delivery appropriate to the proposed project. 

Resumes (and/or position descriptions) and professional credentials for key project personnel must be uploaded as part of the response. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

Applicants awarded grants must adhere to regulations in 7 AAC 78 for Grant Programs including Section 7 AAC 78.260 (c) If the person designated by the grantee as director of a grant project relinquishes or expects to relinquish active direction of the grant project, the grantee shall immediately notify the department in writing. If the grantee wishes to continue the grant project, the grantee must select a replacement for the director, and must obtain department approval of the replacement.

2.03Administrative, Management, and Facility Requirements

The applicant must demonstrate the agency's sustainable fiscal and administrative capacity. Executive, administrative, and financial staff must be qualified, as indicated by the resumes of position holders uploaded as an element of the proposal.

1. The applicant must ensure procedures are in place to protect client confidentiality compliant with State and Federal standards.
2. The applicant must ensure its most recent financial audit was submitted to the appropriate State office (see Audit Requirements below), and any findings identified have been resolved.

Awarded proposers will be required to submit additional agency information if the agency GEMS record is not current.

Audit Requirements:

Federal Requirements: Agencies spending $750,000 or more total Federal Financial Assistance in the agency fiscal year may be required to comply with conditions of the Single Audit Act of 1984, P.L. 98-502, as amended by the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996, P.L. 104-156, and as defined in 2 CFR 200.

State Requirements: Agencies spending $750,000 or more total State Financial Assistance in the agency fiscal year are required to comply with the conditions of 2 AAC 45.010-090.  The current regulations may be viewed at the State of Alaska, Department of Law website, http://www.law.state.ak.us/doclibrary/doclib.html, or copies may be obtained from the contact identified on the cover page of the RFP.

Information on State and Federal Single Audit Acts compliance may be obtained from:

State Single Audit Coordinator
Department of Administration
Division of Finance
PO Box 110204
Juneau, AK 99811-0204
Telephone: (907) 465-4666
Fax: (907) 465-2169

DHSS Program Audit Requirements: All DHSS grantees are subject to the requirements of 7 AAC 78.230. If awarded, agencies which are not required to file State Single Audits under 2 AAC 45.010 must ensure a fiscal audit of the agency operations under the grant program is performed by an independent, licensed, certified public accountant at least once every two years and submitted to:

State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
Finance and Management Services
Audit Section
PO Box 110602
Juneau, AK  99811-0602
Telephone:  (907) 465-3120

Facility, Service Access, and Safety:

1. The applicant must address potential safety concerns for clients and staff in the management of services proposed in response to this RFP.
2. The applicant must describe client accessibility to services and the way in which that will enhance project success.
3. All applicants for DHSS grants must have a written plan for emergency response and recovery that provides for potential safety concerns and the safe evacuation of clients and staff. This plan is mandatory for agencies providing residential and/or critical care services as noted in the State Grant Assurances.

2.04Support/Coordination of Services

Applicants must provide evidence of support for this specific program and the proposed project with at least one current support document. The support document may be in the form of current partnerships, letters of support, community networks, memorandum of agreements, and/or referral agreements.

3.01Eligibility

Applicants must be eligible to apply under 7 AAC 78.030 (Eligible Applicants). Eligible applicants are state agencies; political subdivisions of the state such as cities, organized boroughs, and Regional Educational Attendance Areas; nonprofit organizations and consortia of nonprofits; and Alaska Native entities. As follows, eligibility will be verified by Grants and Contracts.

1. Political subdivisions of the State and Regional Educational Attendance Areas will be verified by State records.
2. Eligible nonprofits are listed in the State’s database of registered nonprofit entities or the US Internal Revenue Service’s register of tax exempt organizations. Nonprofit subsidiaries of nonprofit corporations must also provide a letter from the parent organization confirming nonprofit status.
3. Alaska Native entities as defined in 7 AAC 78.950(1) must submit, with the application, a legally binding resolution waiving the entity’s sovereign immunity to suit through the duration of the program, identified in RFP Subsection 3.05. The resolution must be authorized in compliance with the tribe’s constitution, either by the tribal council or by majority vote of the tribal membership. The required template is provided at Subsection 4.02, Other Technical Requirements.

Applicant agency GEMS records must contain the agency’s current State of Alaska Business License number, and a current governing board roster which includes titles, contact information, and terms of office for each seat. The roster must include emergency contact information outside the applicant agency for one or more officers.

Grants and Contracts will verify neither the applicant agency nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from receiving grant assistance from any State or Federal department or agency. If an agency or its principals are excluded from receiving grant assistance, the proposal may not be considered.

Applicants who have had a contract or grant to help produce this RFP are not eligible to apply and any submitted proposal will not be considered.

3.02Acceptance of Terms

By submitting a proposal, an applicant accepts all terms and conditions of this RFP including all identified attachments and guidelines, 7 AAC 78, and any other applicable statutes and regulations. Copies of these may be accessed through the contact person identified on the cover page or through the web address(es) identified in this RFP.

If a grant is awarded, this RFP and the applicant’s proposal become part of the grant agreement. The applicant will be bound by the provisions contained in the awarded proposal unless the Department agrees that specific parts of the proposal are not part of the agreement.

Proposals and other materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the State and may be returned only if the State allows. Proposals are public documents and may be inspected or copied by anyone after grants have been awarded.

3.03Inquiries

Applicants should immediately review this RFP for defects and questionable or confusing content. Questions about the RFP that can be answered by directing the applicant to a specific section in the RFP may be answered verbally by the contact person identified on the front page of this RFP. Questions that cannot be answered by directing an applicant to a specific section of the RFP may be declared to be of a substantive nature. The applicant will be directed to submit the question in writing to the contact person at the email address on the cover page no later than the Deadline for Written Inquiries, also identified on the cover page. This will allow issuance of any necessary amendments and/or clarifications to all prospective applicants.

A pre-proposal teleconference will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 beginning at 9:00 AM prevailing local time. Participants can join the teleconference at 800-315-6338 using access code 08216. Questions and answers from the teleconference will be published as an amendment to the solicitation.

Applicants are responsible for monitoring the State’s Online Public Notice website located at: http://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/ for any subsequent clarifications or amendments that may be issued regarding this solicitation.

Proposals will not be accepted after 3:59 p.m. prevailing local time on the due date identified on the cover page.

3.04Proposal Costs and Content

DHSS will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by the grantee prior to the authorized grant performance period. All costs of responding to this RFP are the responsibility of the applicant.

3.05Duration of Grant

This RFP is for a 3-year period beginning January 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.

3.06Proposal Review

Procedures – Following the deadline for receipt of proposals, Department staff will verify that all submission requirements have been met. No amendments or corrections will be accepted after the deadline unless they are in response to the State’s request. Proposals will be reviewed as follows:

1. In accordance with 7 AAC 78.090, Department staff will evaluate each grant proposal for minimum responsiveness and other technical requirements, and eliminate nonresponsive proposals from consideration. Using the criteria set out in this RFP and 7 AAC 78.100 (Criteria for Review of Proposals), other applicable statutes, regulations, and guidelines; staff will conduct a written evaluation of each responsive proposal based on the contents of the proposal as well as relevant documentation and information regarding the applicant that is available to the Department. Recommendations for funding will include consideration of on-site program reviews, histories of compliance with grant requirements, prior year audits and the appropriate allocation of resources.

2. If there are multiple responsive proposals for which there is insufficient money to fully fund, or supplementary expertise is deemed necessary to the review of requested services, the Department may appoint a Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) as an additional advisory body. Using the criteria set out in the RFP and 7 AAC 78.100, members of the PEC will evaluate proposals, independently of other committee members. Then as a committee they will meet to further review proposals and develop recommendations. The PEC will include in their review, consideration of staff recommendations and discussion of each proposal’s merits. Recommendations will include approval or disapproval for award, modifications to the proposed project, special compliance conditions, and ranking proposals in priority order. This meeting is closed to the public and public testimony is not allowed.

   All advisory recommendations, including staff recommendations, and the recommendations of the Proposal Evaluation Committee, if applicable; and all other review materials will be submitted for consideration by the Director of the Division, who will make recommendations to the Commissioner of DHSS or designee.

3.07Final Decision Authority

The Commissioner or designee will make the final decision on grant awards, taking into consideration all advisory recommendations, the criteria established in 7 AAC 78.100, priorities in related state health and social services plans, the requirements of applicable state and federal statutes and regulations, relevant municipal ordinances or regulations, the distribution of services and the availability of funds. The Commissioner or designee will decide to approve or disapprove award, the amount of each award and whether modifications or special conditions are necessary.

3.08Notification of Grant Award and Appeals

Within fifteen (15) days after the decision regarding grant awards, the applicant will be notified of the final funding decision, and any conditions of award or modifications. Following any necessary negotiations for revisions to the proposed budget and scope of services, applicants will be issued a Grant Agreement. This formal agreement will contain specific performance and reporting requirements consistent with Department policy and procedure and 7 AAC 78.

Per 7 AAC 78.305 (Request for Appeal), an applicant may appeal a final grant award decision. Requests for hearing must be addressed to the Commissioner, and received in writing at the address below, within 15 days after the applicant receives notification of the decision. The request must contain the reasons for the appeal and must cite the law, regulation, or terms of the grant upon which the appeal is based.

Send appeal to:

Commissioner, Adam Crum 
Department of Health & Social Services
3601 C Street, Suite 902
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5923

with a copy to the Grants Administrator named on the cover page.

3.09Cancellation of the RFP/Termination of Award

Contingent upon funding appropriations and the Governor’s approval, the Department may fund proposals from eligible applicants. DHSS may withdraw this competitive Request for Proposals at any time and reserves the right to refrain from making an award when such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. Funds awarded for a grant as a result of this RFP may be withheld and the grant terminated by written notice from the grantor to the grantee at any time for violation by the grantee of any terms or conditions of the grant award, or when such action is deemed by the grantor to be in the best interest of the State.

4.01Minimum Responsiveness Criteria per 78.100(2)(A)

Proposals that fail to meet the minimum responsiveness requirements below will be eliminated from consideration per 7 AAC 78.090(b)(2).

4.02Other Technical Requirements per 7 AAC 78.060, 78.090(b) and 78.100

Response & Organizational Documentation

4.03History of Compliance with Grant Requirements per 7 AAC 78.100(2)(B).

4.04Questions and Criteria Related to Program Policy, Goals, Outcomes, and Activities

4.05Applicant Qualifications- Criteria Relating to Personnel, Management and Facilities

4.06Demonstration of Support/Coordination of Service