1.01Introduction and Program Description

Through the Division of Public Health, the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS or Department) Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention is requesting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Positive Youth Development Afterschool Program services for the State of Alaska in FY2020 through FY2022. Program services are authorized under 7 AAC 78 Grant Programs, and AS 44.29.020(a)(17), Duties of the Department. State of Alaska statutes and regulations are accessible 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).

Important public health and safety concerns are raised by the legalization of personal use marijuana under AS 17.38 (http://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#17.38). Concerns specifically related to adolescent health include youth access and initiation, youth and adult marijuana impaired driving, and health problems associated with heavy marijuana use. It is illegal for anyone under 21 years to possess, use, or distribute marijuana, and youth caught having marijuana may be referred to the juvenile justice system, which can carry stiff penalties.

In this new era of legalized marijuana, the Department will increase the capacity of afterschool program providers to support youth in learning to think critically about the choices they make in their lives. Adolescent use of marijuana has been associated with a range of developmental and social problems. Early and continued use of marijuana can affect memory, attention, and ability, which can make learning and decision-making difficult. Adolescent marijuana use is also associated with poorer school performance, increased school absence, and greater risk of dropping out without graduating.

Research increasingly shows an individual’s social conditions and life experiences are associated with, and influence, different types of behaviors. These social and personal influences are identified as risk factors or protective factors. The more risk factors present at the individual, family, school, and community levels, the more likely adolescents are to engage in risk behaviors such as substance use and delinquency. Protective factors perform a preventive function for youth risk behaviors. The more protective factors present in an adolescent's life, the more likely they are to engage in prosocial and developmentally healthy behaviors.

According to the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) of traditional high school students in Alaska, approximately 42% had tried marijuana, 22% reported marijuana use in the past 30 days, and 16% reported driving a car or other vehicle when they had been using marijuana. Of those students who reported having ever used marijuana, 11% had tried marijuana before the age of 13. Alaska Native youth report higher rates of having ever used marijuana and having used it in the past 30 days. The same survey also indicated that only 19% of students think there is great risk of harm in using marijuana 1-2 times per week.

Data from alternative schools highlights a disparity related to marijuana use among youth. In 2017, 73% of students enrolled in alternative schools reported having tried marijuana, 27% reported marijuana use in the past 30 days, and 29% of student drivers had done so while using marijuana. Of those students who reported having ever used marijuana, 32% tried marijuana before the age of 13.

The 2017 Alaska YRBS data also indicated that youth participating in activities after school are 29% less likely to have used marijuana in the past month, a connection supported by national research regarding protective factors and behavioral outcomes. Studies have found that adult supervision and afterschool activities for youth can mitigate juvenile crime during after school hours. Youth are off the streets, engaged in positive activities with their peers and with positive role models.

Other research has found associations between unstructured time after school and delinquent behavior, substance use, high-risk sexual behavior, risk-taking behaviors, and risk of victimization. By providing a safe place and supervised time, afterschool programs that teach and promote new skills and offer opportunities for positive adult and peer interaction have the potential to curb juvenile crime and positively impact youth developmental outcomes, both short and long term.

The Positive Youth Development Afterschool Program will support projects increasing youth protective factors and reducing youth risk factors through services provided outside of school hours, i.e., evenings, weekends, and school breaks for youth entering grades 5 through 8. Preventing or delaying the initiation of adolescent marijuana use, and other substance use, during this crucial period helps to ensure healthy brain development and reduce the likelihood of future substance misuse.

To learn more, please see the following research:

• Youth Marijuana Prevention Strategies, available at http://www.mcdowellgroup.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/thrive-youth-marijuana-prevention-june-2018.pdf
• Protective Factors for Youth Substance Abuse and Delinquency:  The Role of Afterschool Programs, available at http://www.mcdowellgroup.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/act-protective-factors-and-afterschool-programs-1-30-2018-final.pdf)

1.02Program Goals and Anticipated Outcomes

The proposed project must demonstrate a thorough understanding and support of the grant program goals and the outcomes anticipated by the Department.

The goals of the Positive Youth Development Afterschool Program are the reduction of risk factors and the enhancement of protective factors among participating youth and families.

Projects must meet or exceed anticipated minimum outcomes described in this RFP. The program anticipates a number of minimum outcomes:

• Increase the availability of recreational, educational, and character-building programs for youth outside school hours;
• Enhance individual, family, school, and community protective factors while reducing risk factors related to marijuana use; and
• Reduce initiation and promote cessation of marijuana use by youth, reduce youth access to marijuana products, and reduce exposure of youth to impaired driving dangers related to marijuana use.

1.03Program Services/Activities

Afterschool programs (ASPs) are regular structured or semi-structured activities for school-age youth that occur before or after school, between school terms, or during the summer. In this solicitation, out-of-school time, extracurricular activities, organized activities, and expanded learning time are synonymous and used interchangeably.

ASPs can vary in structure, content, and student demographics. Some ASPs are sponsored within schools, others are hosted by private organizations, faith-based entities, community organizations, youth service agencies, health agencies, libraries, and museums. The frequency, duration, and quality of ASP participation yield different outcomes. Except for summer programs, most ASPs operate 2 to 3 hours a day, 3 to 5 days a week. Proposed projects are expected to meet a minimum of 3 to 5 times per week, for an average of 2 to 3 hours per day.

Quality project activities are vital in achieving the program goals and outcomes, and more likely when project services are well matched with participant needs. As best practice, proposed projects must embrace SAFE qualities as defined below:

1. Sequenced: The proposed project employs a connected and coordinated set of activities to achieve skill development objectives.
2. Active:  The project uses active learning to help youth learn.
3. Focused:  The project proposes at least one component that addresses personal and social skills.
4. Explicit: The proposed project activities target specific personal and/or social skills.

The program's anticipated goals and outcomes can be realized through a broad array of projects that mitigate risk factors, enhance protective factors, and advance youth achievement. Projects are encouraged to engage students in active experiential learning.

To strengthen project quality, funded ASPs will work closely with State of Alaska staff and contractors to implement Youth Program Quality Initiatives and foster professional development. Direct services staff will be change agents, actively participating in a continuous cycle to assess, plan and improve. This approach is based in positive youth development research and emphasizes the creation of safe, supportive, productive environments for youth.

Funded projects will also use outcome-based curricula to address marijuana use prevention, engage youth in mentoring relationships with supportive adults, and provide opportunities for positive, prosocial leisure and recreational activities.

Allowable ASP activities include, but are not limited to:

• Well-rounded education activities including academic enrichment, mentoring, remedial education, tutoring services, and local curricula designed to improve student academic achievement
• Literacy education activities, including financial, health, and/or environmental literacy
• Organized, structured, regular physical activities supporting a healthy and active lifestyle, including nutrition education
• Activities that emphasize language skills and academic achievement for students learning English
• Activities emphasizing cultural and traditional practices
• Performance or fine arts activities, including participation in band, drama, art, or dance
• Prosocial and character building community activities, such as volunteering and/or service clubs
• STEM activities, including those using technology creatively to design, develop, and program games and/or web sites
• Activities providing assistance to students who have been truant, suspended, or expelled  to allow the students to improve their academic achievement

Successful proposers will identify and describe the following project components in the solicitation response.

ENGAGING AND RELEVANT ACTIVITIES

• Identify the time and type of out of school time project proposed
• Describe typical daily/weekly activities
• Distinguish between project services delivered at multiple centers if offered at more than one site, e.g., elementary and high school
• Identify specific curricula and intentionally embedded activities designed to improve students’ social, emotional, and non-cognitive skills, such as the ability to self-regulate, work collaboratively, and persevere through challenges
• Describe the outcome-based curricula and the structure of learning activities designed to address marijuana and substance misuse prevention and build protective factors (i.e., life skills curriculum)
• Describe the structure and design of learning activities to which ensure student opportunities to collaborate, communicate, problem solve, and create real-world projects, as well as student opportunities to reflect upon their learning and related behaviors

POSITIVE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

• Describe the ways in which the routines and procedures of engagement in small and large groups will intentionally build a sense of program community, belongingness, responsibility, and ownership.
• Relate the ways in which the project establishes and maintains a positive learning environment marked by clear expectations, positive relationships, pride in accomplishment, hearing of student voices, and appropriate response to positive and negative behaviors.
• Indicate the ways in which the project meets the nutritional and dietary needs of youth during program hours, such as participation in United State Department of Agriculture’s afterschool snack or meal program.
• Describe the frequency and duration of healthy physical activities and the ways in which the proposed project couples social/emotional skill building while meeting the National Afterschool Association's Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Guidelines (30 minutes for a 3-hour ASP session and 20% of longer sessions).

ATTRACTIVE TO STUDENTS, REGULAR ATTENDANCE

• Describe the proposed project plan to inform the targeted student group(s), and/or those most in need of the afterschool services, and their families about the program. Include the project plan to encourage enrollment while primarily enrolling the population targeted for services.
• Describe the ways in which regular program attendance is encouraged, and project incentives for voluntary attendance.
• Describe the ways in which the project’s scheduled activities and transportation policy will facilitate and encourage full and regular attendance by targeted students, and support working families. Address student safety in arriving and leaving from the service delivery site.

SUPPORTING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

• Describe the ways in which the program will support and build capacity for its parents and families to engage in the development of the students served. This will include description of the means and frequency of family activities, events, and communications. This will also include description of activities such as trainings in the important role parents play in substance misuse and prevention.
• Describe the ways in which the proposed project will ensure the families of the students served have input and investment in the program, as well as the ways in which the project will reflect and respect the culture of the community it serves.

Applicants should describe the ways in which the proposed project activities will address needs of the specifically targeted population and community in regards to substance misuse and addiction prevention, as well as the ways in which the applicant organization addresses protective factors in its community.

As part of the proposal, each proposer will complete and submit a draft Work Plan that clearly outlines project activities for the initial period of award. Proposers are strongly encouraged to review the Work Plan Instructions, provided as an attachment to the RFP. The Work Plan will identify the ASP’s:

• outcome-based curricula
• structure of learning activities designed to address marijuana and substance misuse prevention
• evidence-based and/or evidence-informed strategies most appropriate for the project

The Work Plan also gathers the proposed timeline for the initiation of services and project activities. Timelines will differ for new and existing programs. For existing ASPs, project services are expected to be in place at the time any award is offered. For new ASPs, the proposed startup period is subject to negotiation and Department approval should an award be offered.

In the first year of the program, each awarded grantee will work with program staff and state contractors to assess, in a culturally responsive manner, the resources and needs of the organization, staff, youth, and community, as well as the level readiness for substance misuse resources. Through this collaborative process, grantees will gain a better understanding of substance misuse and the role of protective factors in addressing substance misuse in their communities. Grantees must engage representative members of their communities, youth, staff, and parents in the assessment process. Assessments for established projects are likely to be completed more quickly than those for startup projects. During the first year, all assessments will be completed and refined. The assessment process will neither interrupt nor delay the delivery of proposed program services.

Following completion of the assessment, each grantee will refine the draft Work Plan to reflect the assessment findings. The finalized Work Plan for the initial period of award will be uploaded for review and approval by the Department. Upon approval, the Work Plan's identified activities and strategies will be implemented within sixty (60) days. Work Plans will be updated and submitted for any subsequent years of the project.

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 are required to align with program objectives expressing Department priorities and core services. Projects will 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

• 1 Health & Wellness Across the Life Span
• 3 Safe & Responsible Individuals, Families & Communities

Department Core Services

• 1.1 Protect and Promote the Health of Alaskans
• 3.3 Promote Personal Responsibility and Accountable Decisions by Alaskans 

Department Objectives

• 1.1.3  Decrease substance abuse and dependency
• 3.3.2  Increase the number of juveniles who remain crime free

Performance Measures of Effectiveness, gathered from quarterly reporting

• Unduplicated number of youth engaged in the project
• Unduplicated number of parents and adult family members engaged in the project
• Number of staff trained in positive youth development program initiatives

Performance Measures of Efficiency, calculated by DHSS based on quarterly program and fiscal reports

• Average cost per youth engaged in the project
• Average training cost per staff member trained in positive youth development program initiatives

An outcomes assessment tool will be provided in the first year of the grant. The Department will determine the appropriate time for each grantee to implement the assessment of project participants. Technical assistance will be provided by DHSS staff and contractors in order for each awarded project to gather age-appropriate pre- and post-assessments from participating students. Student participation in the assessments will require consent of a parent or guardian.

Each proposer will submit a plan addressing goals, measures of performance, data collection and management, and the ways in which evaluation results will be used to improve the project and shared with stakeholders.

Grant Reporting

Required quarterly reporting will include:

1. Cumulative Fiscal Reports recording overall grant and Additional Project Support expenditures by budget line; and
2. Program Reports in the format prescribed by the program, including, but not limited to, enrollment information, daily program attendance, and project activities provided. Work Plans will serve as the basis for program reports.

1.05Target Population and Service Area

Applicants 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 program’s intended target population identified in this solicitation.

Target Population: The target population for the solicited services is Alaska students entering or enrolled in grades 5-8. Exceptions will be made by the ASP to allow participation by youth outside the target population to ensure the target population attends, i.e. students taking care of younger family members. Proposers will identify the student subpopulation(s) targeted for project services.

Service Areas and Communities: Services are sought across the state.

The target population and service areas narrative must describe the following:

• Population size and demographic characteristics of the specifically targeted youth population(s)
• Locale in which services will be offered and the geographic area to be served
• Historical, political, economic and socio-cultural influences of the community as related to substance misuse
• Burden of substance misuse within the population, community, region, or proposed service area
• Known risk and protective factors based on data from the YRBS or the Alaska School Climate and Connectedness Survey

The narrative will detail other out-of-school time resources, programs, and services currently available in the proposed service area, and the reasons the existing opportunities are insufficient to meet the needs of the project’s targeted subpopulation(s). The narrative will also describe the ways in which the proposed project will avoid supplanting, duplicating, or reducing services already offered in the community.

Award amounts will consider numbers of youth eligible for services and specific population and community needs. If continuation awards are offered in subsequent years, amounts may change based upon DHSS evaluations of demonstrated results and the success of each project.

1.06Program Funding

Funds available for this program are anticipated at $1,250,000 per fiscal year. The source of funds is the Marijuana Education and Treatment Fund. No more than one proposal will be accepted from each applicant organization.

Applicant budget proposals should adhere to the following budget maximums:

• $100,000 for service delivery at one or two individual sites
• $200,000 for ASPs delivering services to three or four sites
• $350,000 for ASPs serving five or six sites with a statewide reach

Proposed Budget: The applicant must submit a budget proposal for the first fiscal year of the project. The proposed budget detail and substantiating narrative will support the program’s results-based service delivery and staffing requirements stated in this RFP.

In general, budget proposals should strongly support wages and benefits for administrative and direct services staff, contracts with partner organizations, student transportation from the project's service delivery site or sites, travel for attending the required Alaska Afterschool Conference, and supplies such as curriculum, technology tools, project materials, and office supplies. 

In-kind contributions demonstrate community support for the project and the budget proposal must reflect the project’s committed in-kind contributions such as staff, training, supplies, transportation, etc. In-kind contributions are recorded as Additional Project Support in the Match Fund Source table and budget detail, and are included in the budget’s substantiating narrative by amount and source.

Grantees are required to budget for and participate in the following capacity-building activities:

• The director and a team (approximately 3 people per ASP) must attend the 2019 Alaska Afterschool Conference, host location to be determined
• ASP-related training for every staff person working 0.25 FTE (10 hours per week) or more, with need to be determined by project type, project objectives, and the year one assessment
• ASP must organize an annual Lights On Afterschool event, and register the event on http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/loaHostEvent.cfm

The proposed budget will be fully compliant with the limitations described in this RFP, and those detailed 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 formatting guidance about budget lines, cost detail groupings, and narrative requirements. In the chapter "Responding to a Solicitation," Grantee User Manual Part I provides detailed instructions for entering a budget proposal in GEMS.

Other Agency Funding: Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are required to list all other agency funding budgeted, applied for, and/or received during the proposed budget period. This includes a record for anticipated Grant Income if project participation fees will be charged, and includes a record for each source of budgeted Additional Project Support. This task must be completed by an Agency Power User in the Other Funding section of the Agency Administration tab, and is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

Note: Staff and organizations associated with this project are not permitted to accept tobacco, marijuana, or alcohol industry funds or other resources in support of this project.

Indirect Costs: If the proposed budget includes indirect costs, 7 AAC 78.160(p) requires a copy of the agency’s current federally approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. The agreement is to be uploaded in the Agency Administration tab. Lapsed agreements can be used if uploaded with the negotiating federal agency’s written approval to continue using the rate until a new agreement is negotiated.

Proposing school districts may use the district's Indirect Rate Agreement authorized by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED). The agreement is to be uploaded in the Agency Administration tab.

Payment for Services/Grant Income: The collection of fees from participants is permitted. Projects proposing to collect participant fees must establish a sliding fee scale that takes into account the relative poverty of the students and families targeted for services. The proposal will include the fee structure, as well as narrative detailing the plan for administration and management of the Grant Income. 

In the applicant’s proposed budget, all anticipated Grant Income receipts and expenditures must be evident in the detail (Additional Project Support) and narrative. Grant Income can only be used to fund activities of the proposed ASP. Fiscal reports for awarded income-generating projects will include the receipts and expenditure of all Grant Income.

If applicable to the services proposed in response to this solicitation, awarded grantees will have a Medicaid Provider Number or apply to obtain one, and will make reasonable effort to bill all eligible services to Medicaid and any other available sources of payment before seeking grant support for delivery of the proposed services. DHSS funds are the payer of last resort.

2.01Agency 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.

2.02Project Staffing

Project staffing must be sufficient to implement the proposed activities in order to meet program goals and the anticipated outcomes.

As part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200, resumes, position descriptions, and professional credentials for key project personnel must be uploaded as part of the response. At minimum, this includes the Project Director and the center-level Site Coordinator(s) responsible for delivering project services on a daily basis. If any key project position is less than 1.0 FTE, explain why a part time position is adequate and appropriate to achieving project goals.

Proposers will identify the agency and project strategies for attracting and retaining part time staff and volunteers with the skills to plan and lead hands-on enrichment activities, teach academic content, and engage students having behavioral challenges. Further, proposals will identify the management of time and resources throughout the year to ensure staff can plan project activities having a clear structure and purpose, and can engage in professional development and collaborative reflection in order to increase program quality and professional skills related to the delivery of quality out-of-school time services. Proposers will identify any challenges to staff retention and the ways in which those challenges will be addressed.

Applicants must describe the agency’s employee orientation process and the staff training plan, including positive youth development trainings. Successful proposers will be required to provide documentation showing ASP-related training each year for every staff person working 0.25 FTE (10 hours per week) or more, with need to be determined by project type, project objectives, and the year one assessment.

All projects must be in compliance with AS 47.05.300-390 and 7 AAC 10.900-990. Compliance includes ensuring each individual associated with the grantee in a manner described under 7 AAC 10.900(b) has a valid criminal history check from the DHSS Division of Health Care Services Background Check Program before employment or other service, unless a provisional valid criminal history check has been granted under 7 AAC 10.920 or a variance granted under 7 AAC 10.935. Visit http://dhss.alaska.gov/dhcs/Pages/cl/bgcheck/default.aspx for specific information, or call (907) 334-4475 or (888) 362-4228 (intra-state toll free).

2.03Administrative, Management, and Facility Requirements

As part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200, 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 should describe ease of client accessibility to services and the way in which that will enhance regular attendance by students and project success.
3. All applicants for DHSS grants should 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 demonstrate the proposed project has the necessary support and coordination for the successful delivery of services. The proposal must address community support and the partnerships and collaborations specific to the proposed project.

Project partnerships and collaborations will be described, including all partnerships that will contribute staffing, expertise, and other forms of project support. Collaboration with the host school(s) will be described, including the level of staff support for the proposed project. Proposers will describe the consultation process used to identify the sites targeted for services, the subsets of students targeted for services, and the determination of types of services to be offered. The narrative will identify the key community stakeholders consulted, including any school officials.

Applicants are encouraged to partner with a variety of community organizations having the resources and expertise to enhance the variety and quality of activities offered. This may include working with local school resource, public safety, and/or juvenile justice agencies for the purposes of strengthening relationships and building trust. It might also include certified teachers and school paraprofessionals working after the school day ends, or other out of school time.

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. Grants and Contracts will verify eligibility as follows.

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 that 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 addresses 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 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 RFP cover page. Questions that cannot be answered by directing an applicant to a specific section of the RFP may be declared substantive. 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.

Applicants are responsible for monitoring GEMS or the State’s Online Public Notices website (http://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/) for any clarifications or amendments that may be issued regarding this solicitation. Proposing agencies providing Notice of Intent to Apply in the proposal response will receive email notification of any issued clarifications or amendments.

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

3.04Proposal Costs and Content

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

The applicant is responsible for the content of the proposal.

3.05Duration

This RFP is for a three-year period, July 01, 2019 through June 30, 2022. The initial period of award is July 01, 2019 through June 30, 2020. At the discretion of the Department, a project funded under this RFP may be considered for continued funding in subsequent program years. The annual decision to continue funding for the subsequent years of the 3-year grant cycle will be based on the following general conditions:

1. the Department’s judgment that there is a continued need for the grant project service;
2. the grantee’s satisfactory performance during the previous grant year;
3. the availability of sufficient grant program funds, and whether continuation of the financing is consistent with public health and welfare; and
4. the ability of the grantee and the Department to agree on any adjustments in payments or service.

Applicants will submit a budget proposal for year one of the grant only. Funding in each subsequent year will require submission and approval of documents needed to update service plans, evaluation measures, and budgets. Grants and Contracts will notify grantees of specific submission requirements necessary to qualify for consideration of continued funding.

3.06Proposal Review

Following the deadline for receipt of proposals, no revisions will be accepted unless provided in response to a request from the contact person named in this RFP. Proposals will be reviewed as follows:

1. Proposals will be evaluated in a manner that will avoid disclosure of contents before notices of grant award have been issued.
2. DHSS staff will evaluate each proposal for minimum responsiveness and other technical requirements, and eliminate nonresponsive proposals from consideration.
3. Using the criteria set out in this RFP and 7 AAC 78.100 (Criteria for Review of Proposals), DHSS staff will evaluate each responsive proposal. Scores for each criterion will be based solely on the response to the associated question. Points will not be earned if the information was provided in response to another question in Section 4. DHSS staff will also review relevant departmental documentation regarding the applicant. Staff recommendations regarding awards and levels of funding will include consideration of the following:
   1. a history of the applicant’s compliance with grant requirements, to include records of program performance, on-site program reviews, and prior year audits;
   2. priorities in applicable State health and social services plans;
   3. requirements of applicable State and federal statutes; and
   4. municipal ordinances or regulations applicable to the grant program.

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 proposed services, the Department may appoint a Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) as an additional advisory body. PEC members will initially evaluate proposals, independently of other committee members. The PEC will then meet in closed session (7 AAC 78.090 Review of Proposals) to further review proposals and develop recommendations. Scores will be assigned based on the applicant's response to each individual question and the associated criteria. Applicants will not earn points for a given question based on a response to another question in the RFP. The PEC review will include discussion of each proposal’s merits. PEC recommendations will rank proposals in priority order and include approval or disapproval for award, modifications to the proposed project, and special compliance conditions.

All staff advisory recommendations and, if applicable, those of the PEC, and all review materials will be submitted for consideration by the Division Director, who will make recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Social Services or the Commissioner’s designee.

3.07Final Decision Authority

Recommendations are advisory only, including those from any PEC that may be held. The final decision to approve or disapprove award, the amount of each award, and whether to impose special conditions or modifications rests with the Commissioner or Commissioner’s designee.

NOTE: The final decision may include additional considerations, such as a lack or duplication of services in certain locations, or alternative services that may be available; a critical need for services by vulnerable populations; and matters of health, life and safety. The Department has the responsibility to ensure public funds are utilized in a manner that protects the interests of the people of the State, and retains the right to make final awards that ensure responsible distribution of grant funds.

3.08Notification of Grant Award and Appeals

Within fifteen (15) days after the decision regarding grant awards, applicants will be notified of the final funding decisions, and, if awarded, any conditions of award or modifications. Following any necessary negotiations for revisions to the proposed budget and scope of services, successful 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.

With a copy to the contact identified on the solicitation cover page, send appeal to:

Commissioner Adam Crum
Department of Health and Social Services
3601 C Street, Ste 902
Anchorage, AK 99503-5923

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 RFP 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 State 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 to be in the best interest of the State.

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

Proposals that fail to meet the minimum responsiveness requirement 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