Request for Proposal Print Apply for this Grant

Specifications

Inquiries

**UPDATED: 07/30/2018**

Below, we have included questions that we have received about the RFP and their corresponding responses.

Q1. Concerning equipment reimbursement, does that section mean that the grantee will not be able to use the funds to purchase remote support equipment for individuals to try?

R1. Grant funds should not be used to supplant waiver funds. All remote support equipment to be used by an individual served by the County should be purchased through that individual's waiver funds. Project funds may be used to purchase remote support equipment only in cases where that equipment will be used by the county as part of a demonstration site or “mock home” used by the county as a remote support experiential learning site.

Q2. Can refreshments be purchased as a part of the informational sessions and/or outreach sessions for both providers and individuals with disabilities and their families?

R2. Yes, refreshments may be purchased with the grant funds.

Q3. Can the grant funds be used for monetary incentives in an effort to recruit providers to use remote supports?

R3. No, grant funds CANNOT be used to incentivize providers to provide remote support.

Q4. Is this grant focused on solely Remote Support and not assistive technology? Or is the grant in support of all supportive technology services?

R4. That's a good question. The purpose section says the following:
DODD and Nisonger are seeking proposals from County Boards of Developmental Disabilities (CBDD) that are interested in making a commitment to expand remote support (also known as remote monitoring) availability in their county. The ongoing workforce crisis often leaves CBDDs and providers without sufficient staff to fill vacant positions. Ohio is now a "Technology First" state and the grants are offering to advance this mandate. DODD and Nisonger intend to provide funds for CBDDs or COGs to identify and develop a CBDD technology expert. This person would assist individuals, SSAs, and provider agencies in setting up Remote Support services.

Q5. How specific does the cost and spending/ budget portion have to be? For example, continuing education and travel expenses for training may vary. How do we account for this in the grant? (ie. Within $10, $100, $500?)

R5. We understand that expenses may change throughout the project. The budget is for the grantor and the grant applicants to have a reasonable idea about how the grant funding will be used. Actual costs should not exceed 10% of the estimated amount. We will not provide funds beyond the grant amounts. Amendments can be made as long as they are agreed upon by the grantor.

Q6. We are considering having one of our individuals receive a stipend for presenting/ advocating for Remote support. How do we account for this if there are personnel changes, or the individual loses interest?

R6. It’s expected that some things will change throughout the course of the grant. If there is a change that the grantor needs to be aware of, the grantor can be notified by the method decided upon between the grantee and the grantor once the grant has been awarded.

Q7. Is there any flexibility for changes during the year? For example, with rapid changes of technology, something new comes up in 6 months from now that would benefit the project, is there a way to adjust the grant spending either through written approval? Or some other method.

R7. There will be an option to make amendments to the grant. The amendment must be agreed upon by the grantor.

Q8. We would like to use grant funds to play a part in setting up a smart home for the purpose of advancing technologies for people with developmental disabilities. These technology include remote support, - but may include other technologies also. Are we able to use grant funds to assist with completion of a smart home? For example, we would like to have carpeting to decrease noise and demonstrate robotic vacuum system.

R8. It would be alright to use grant funding to pay for a mock home. Grant funding should be used for purchases that are specifically related to the purpose of the grant.

Q9: Question 9 asks for measurable technology-related goals.
County boards have a process for development and board approval of Strategic plan goals. Given this, is it acceptable to outline the current technology related goals, and state how the counties will use this project to inform the development of future goals?
Will reviewers recognize that some proposal writers cannot commit to any specific goals as part of the proposal development?

R9: If your county cannot commit to any specific goals as part of the proposal development, it would be acceptable to outline the current technology goals and state how counties will use this project to inform the development of future tech goals

Instructions

Before submitting an application, applicants must create a DD Suite account and sign into their account. Please, take the time to create an account before continuing.

Applicants must answer all questions within this application. When a question refers to the applicant, this refers to the County Board or COG that is applying for the 2018 Remote Support Grant. If a response references an illustration (table, chart, diagram, etc.), please attach a file that contains the illustration and identify where to find the illustration from within the attached documents.

If there are questions about the RFP or the questions in this application, please contact the Technology Project Coordinator, Jordan Wagner. He can be reached at the following email address: Jordan.Wagner@osumc.edu.

Introduction

The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities - Mission & Guiding Principles

The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) is responsible for overseeing a
statewide system of services and supports for people with developmental disabilities and their families. The mission of DODD is continuous improvement of the quality of life for Ohio’s citizens with developmental disabilities and their families.

The Ohio State University Nisonger Center - Mission & Guiding Principles

The mission of The Ohio State University Nisonger Center is to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families. The vision of the Nisonger Center is to develop and provide the highest quality interdisciplinary care, education, and research to support the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of community life.

Purpose

DODD and Nisonger are seeking proposals from County Boards of Developmental Disabilities (CBDD) that are interested in making a commitment to expand remote support (also known as remote monitoring) availability in their county. The ongoing workforce crisis often leaves CBDDs and providers without sufficient staff to fill vacant positions. Ohio is now a "Technology First" state and the grants are offering to advance this mandate. DODD and Nisonger intend to provide funds for CBDDs or COGs to identify and develop a CBDD technology expert. This person would assist individuals, SSAs, and provider agencies in setting up Remote Support services.

Project Background

The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and The Ohio State University Nisonger Center have partnered on a technology project to grow the use of remote support, identify gaps in technology services, identify emerging technologies, and make recommendations to increase technology use/access for Ohioans with developmental disabilities.

DODD will

DODD will:

- Provide general technical assistance to county boards on how to implement technology services.

- Share feedback provided by county boards technology specialists with stakeholder workgroups

Minimum Qualifications

Each CBDD, group of CBDD, or COG selected to receive grant funds through this RFP shall designate at least one person to serve as the technology expert (or a technology resource) for their CBDD or COG. This person must have at least 2 years of experience in the developmental disability field and general knowledge about currently available technology.

The technology expert must commit to developing a comprehensive plan for how to expand and sustain remote/technology support within their county or region, including a targeted number of individuals using remote support per year.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

The grantee will develop a county or regional plan to increase the use of remote support services by individuals receiving CBDD services/supports. The plan should include:

- A description of the process used by county board(s) to identify and engage eligible adults who would benefit from Remote Support.

- A description of the process used by county board(s) to identify and engage provider agencies willing and able to provide Remote Support.

- A description of the process by which the county board(s) will build technical knowledge at the local level.

- Measurable technology – related service goals that will be added to the county or COG’s strategic plan.

- The anticipated number of new individuals who will be brought onto Remote Support services during the grant period.

- Timelines for completion of each action step identified in the plan.

- Attend periodic review meetings with other grantees.

- The CBDD/COG will be required to submit a report at the end of the one-year grant describing accomplishments, barriers, and lessons learned.

The following areas/topics must be addressed in the report. All Information should be gathered from the technology expert or team:

1. Total number of individuals using Remote Support services since the start of the grant.

2. Why did individuals adopt Remote Support services?

3. Why did individuals reject Remote Support services?

4. Describe the problems that arose during the process of starting Remote Support services.

5. Questions/concerns that arose.

6. Number of outreach sessions that were completed.

7. Number of training sessions that were completed.

8. Number of individuals who participated in training sessions.

Grant fund use

Grant funds may also be used for the following proposed activities to support the grantee in completing the deliverables:

1. Recruit or retain a technology expert to work with the CBDD or COG, or to expand the duties of an existing staff to include technology services.

2. Attend training sessions hosted by DODD or approved by DODD that pertain to Remote Support services.

3. Host training sessions for families and professionals including,

a. Informational sessions with adults with developmental disabilities and their family members about Remote Support services.

b. Informational sessions with provider agencies to talk about Remote Support services.

4. Create materials for information dissemination about Remote Support services.

5. Support the time/efforts of a “Remote Support Ambassador” (i.e., self-advocate or parent who currently uses remote support).

6. Conduct outreach sessions to potentially interested parties

7. Other reasonable, miscellaneous costs associated with the project clearly identified and outlined in budget and budget narrative.

8. DODD welcomes applications that outline creative, innovative service delivery efforts not listed above.

Funding

Amount of funding available: The OSU Nisonger Center has a pool of $160,000 for grant allocation. The maximum award amount for a proposal serving one county is $20,000. Proposals involving multiple counties may apply for additional funding. DODD and Nisonger Center reserve the right to negotiate the terms and amount of any proposal received.

- Funding Methodology: Grant awards will be based on scoring of the submitted proposal.

- Project Period: The anticipated award period is September 1, 2018-June 30,2019.

- Reimbursement Basis of Payment: Grants will be funded on a reimbursement basis for deliverables and activities completed.

The grant agreement between DODD, Nisonger Center and the grantee will further specify the timelines for completion of each deliverable & payment structure. Grantees will be required to track progress throughout the grant period and submit data as requested by DODD. Additionally, grantees may be asked to attend and participate in meetings, training sessions and/or conferences related to the project.

Acts of the grantee while working within the scope of the grant shall not be billed to Targeted Case Management.

Submission Process

Applications and all related documentation must be submitted electronically to Jordan Wagner at Jordan.Wagner@osumc.edu no later than 5:00 PM August 1, 2018.

Important Dates

RFP Posted - June 15, 2018.

Proposals due to Nisonger Center - August 1, 2018.

Notification of Award - August 31, 2018.

Inquiries

To ensure an open bid process is maintained, all inquiries regarding this RFP must be provided in writing only via email to Jordan Wagner at jordan.wagner@osumc.edu. Inquiries may be submitted through July 27th, 2018 - 5:00PM. DODD and Nisonger Center will respond to inquiries electronically no later than July 31st.

Selection Process

Proposals will be selected using a competitive process, based on the quality of the proposal and responses to required questions. DODD and Nisonger Center reserve the right to immediately reject grant proposals that are incomplete, proposals received after the submission deadline, or for any other unmet requirement identified in this RFP. All proposals will be reviewed and scored by a Proposal Review Committee, comprised of stakeholders who have actively participated in the state’s technology efforts. The proposal review committee shall include representatives from DODD and Nisonger Center.

Scoring that will be used in the evaluation process:

1. POINT RANGE: 0-10. Provide a one paragraph abstract that clearly states the goal and major activities of the proposed project.

2. POINT RANGE: 0-10. Applicants have been asked to describe their qualifications to complete the project. Reviewers are also encouraged to incorporate any supplemental materials provided (i.e.: letters of support, resume, etc.)

3. POINT RANGE: 0-60. This section is the heart of the proposal. Tell us how you plan to accomplish the goals of the project and meet each measurable outcome in the Project Description. Explain your strategy to increase the number of Remote Support users. Describe what impact your activities will have on people with developmental disabilities.

4. POINT RANGE: 0-20. The applicant has been asked to complete and submit a County plan that describes the activities to promote Remote Support services to be executing during the grant period.

Reviewers should consider the following:

- Does the application adequately describe who will be responsible for each activity and a time frame for completion?

- Does the application include activities with an appropriate scope of work for the applicant?

5. BONUS POINTS: 0-5. Multi-county collaboration.

Other requirements

Communications Prohibited

From the issuance date of this RFP, until a grant is awarded, there may not be communications concerning the RFP between any applicant who expects to submit a proposal and any employee of DODD or Nisonger involved in the issuing of the RFP or other state employee who is in any way involved in DODD’s design and implementation of this project. The only exceptions to this prohibition are communications provided through the submission of written requests for clarification/interpretation as specified above.

Interview

Applicants may be requested to participate in an interview as part of the evaluation process. DODD and Nisonger reserves the right to select from responding applicants for interviews and may not interview all applicants submitting proposals. The applicant shall bear the cost of travel to any scheduled interview

Proposal Costs

Costs incurred in the preparation of this proposal and any subsequent grant agreements are to be borne by the applicant. DODD and/or Nisonger will not contribute in any way to the costs of preparation. Any costs associated with proposal review interviews will not be DODD or Nisonger responsibility.

Proprietary Information

All proposals submitted shall become the property of DODD. All information submitted by the applicant will be considered to be public information unless the applicant specifically demonstrates, in writing, which information it considers to be proprietary. "Proprietary information" is information which, if made public, would put the applicant at a disadvantage in the market place and trade in which the bidder is a part. Consequently, any assertion of "proprietary" information must be clearly identified and the basis of the assertion must be included. It is not adequate for the applicant to simply state that disclosure of the information will put it at a disadvantage in the market place. DODD will make the final decision as to whether information is "public" or "proprietary."

Contractual Requirements

1. Any agreements resulting from the issuance of this RFP are subject to the terms and conditions as provided in the grant agreement. The information contained in the RFP and in the proposal submitted by the selected applicant shall be considered part of the grant agreement.
2. Payments for any and all services provided pursuant to the grant agreement are contingent upon the availability of state and federal funds.
3. All aspects of the grant agreement apply equally to work performed by any and all subcontractors.
4. The subrecipient, and any subcontractor, will not use or disclose any information made available to them for any purpose other than to fulfill the contractual duties specified in the RFP. The subrecipient, and any subcontractor, agrees to be bound by the same 8 standards of confidentiality, including federal and state statutory and regulatory requirements that apply to the employees of DODD and the State of Ohio.

Travel Reimbursement

Travel cost should be encompassed within the cost of the deliverables. Travel is not to be listed separately. For the purposes of this RFP, travel includes all modes of transportation (airfare, taxi, car rentals, etc.), lodging expenses, the cost of communications (by phone, mail, e-mail or fax), and meals.

Equipment Reimbursement

Equipment costs should not be included in grant proposals. DODD and/or Nisonger will not contribute to the cost of equipment purchases. Equipment is defined as any item (e.g. furnishing, IT device, machine, vehicle) with a per unit cost greater than $1,000.

State of Ohio Supplier ID

DODD cannot issue a grant agreement to any organization that does not have a State of Ohio Supplier ID. Please visit the Ohio Office of Shared Services website for the information necessary to complete this process.
If a Supplier ID is not available prior to the submission of this grant application, the organization must include proof with the submitted proposal that demonstrates the request to retrieve a Supplier ID was submitted to the Office of Shared Services. It is the organization’s responsibility to inform DODD of the Supplier ID as soon as one is provided by the Ohio Office of Shared Services by emailing Kyle Corbin. In the event that a Supplier ID is not provided in a timely manner, DODD reserves the right to withdraw the organization’s grant application from consideration or rescind a notice of award.

Ethical and Conflict of Interest Requirements

1. No subrecipient or individual, company, or organization seeking a grant shall promise or give to any DODD or Nisonger employee any item of value that is of such character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the employee with respect to his or her duties.
2. No subrecipient or individual, company, or organization seeking a grant shall solicit any DODD or Nisonger employee to violate any of the conduct requirements for employees.
3. Any subrecipient acting on behalf of DODD or Nisonger shall refrain from activities that could result in violations of ethics and/or conflicts of interest. Any subrecipient or potential subrecipient who violates the requirements and prohibitions defined here or of Section 102.03 or of Section 102.04 of the Ohio Revised Code is subject to termination of the grant or refusal by DODD to enter into a grant.

Obligation

Neither this RFP nor any applications received in response to this RFP shall create any obligation on the part of DODD or Nisonger to enter into an agreement with any applicant. The award of any agreement as a result of this RFP shall be at the sole discretion of DODD and Nisonger. DODD and Nisonger may amend, modify, withdraw, or terminate this RFP at any time.

Assurances

Compliance with Federal, State, and Local Laws

The Subrecipient shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations in the conduct of the work hereunder.

Drug-Free Workplace

The Subrecipient agrees to comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding a drugfree workplace. The Subrecipient shall make a good faith effort to ensure that all of its employees, while working on state property, will not purchase, transfer, use or possess illegal drugs or alcohol or abuse prescription drugs in any way.

Equal Employment

Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 125.111, the Subrecipient and any subcontractor, and any person acting on its behalf, will not discriminate, by reason of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status or ancestry against any person qualified and available to perform the work under this Agreement.

Ethics Laws

The Subrecipient, and any subcontractor, is currently in compliance and will continue to comply with the requirements of Ohio Ethics law as provided in Chapter 102 of the Ohio Revised Code and Executive Order 2011-03K.

Election Laws

The Subrecipient, and any subcontractor, is currently in compliance and will continue to comply with Ohio Elections law, Divisions (I) and (J) of Section 3517.13 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Findings for Recovery

The Subrecipient, and any subcontractor, is not subject to an "unresolved" finding for recovery under Section 9.24 of the Ohio Revised Code. If this warranty is deemed to be false, this Agreement is void and the party who is subject to the finding must immediately repay to the other party any funds paid under this Agreement.

Health Care Laws

Neither the Subrecipient nor its employees are excluded from participation under any federal health care programs. The Subrecipient shall notify the Department of any exclusions or other adverse action within five (5) business days of learning of such exclusion or adverse action.

Location of Services Performed

The Subrecipient shall comply with Executive Order 2011-12K and will perform no services required under this Agreement outside of the United States. No services shall be changed or shifted to a location(s) that is outside of the United States. The Department is not obligated and shall not pay for any services provided under this Agreement that are performed outside of the United States. If services are performed outside of the United States, this will be treated as a material breach of the Agreement and the Subrecipient shall immediately return to the Department all funds paid for those services. In addition, if the Subrecipient or any of its contractors perform any such services outside of the United States, the Department may, at any time after the breach, terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the Subrecipient. The Department may purchase substitute services from a third party, and the Department may recover the additional costs associated with acquiring the substitute services. The Subrecipient affirms, understands, and agrees to immediately notify the Department of any change or shift in the location(s) of services performed by the Subrecipient or its subcontractors under this Agreement.