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FORENSIC CONSULTANT
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Request Date: 6/21/2021 7:29:21 AM
Open Date: 6/21/2021
Closing Date: 7/30/2021 4:30 PM
Intent To Bid Deadline: 7/30/2021
Est. Dollar Value: $25,000.00
RFQ Number: RFP69
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Department of Mental Health
280 State Drive
Waterbury,
VT
05671-2010
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Locations:
Keywords:
Health Care Services
Bid Description:
STATE OF VERMONT
AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
RFP 69
FOR A
FORENSIC CONSULTANT
ISSUE DATE: June 21, 2021
QUESTIONS DUE BY: July 6, 2021
RFP RESPONSES DUE BY: July 30, 2021
OVERVIEW
The Department of Mental Health (DMH) is soliciting competitive sealed, fixed proposals (Proposals) for a forensic expert to assist with the newly created Forensic Care Workgroup established by Act 57 (2021) from qualified offerors. If a suitable offer is made in response to this Request for Proposal (RFP), the State may enter into a contract (the Contract) to have the selected offer (the Contractor) perform all or part of the work.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION
Please provide both an electronic and hard copy of the proposal by July 30, 2021, to:
Jennifer Rowell, Administrator
Jennifer.rowell@vermont.gov
280 State Drive, NOB 2 North
Waterbury, Vermont 05671-2010
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANIZATION
DMH is the state mental health authority for public mental health policy, programs and services. DMH is responsible for providing services to adults who have a severe and persistent mental illness and children experiencing severe emotional disturbance. Additionally, DMH is statutorily responsible for the integration and coordination of these programs and services with those offered by other departments of the state, its political subdivisions, and private agencies to provide a flexible and comprehensive system of mental health services to those in need.
SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUESTED
The Contractor shall provide consultation on various issues related to a forensic system of care, provide co-facilitation the Forensic Care Workgroup established by Act 57 (2021), and assist on research and drafting related to the workgroup’s legislatively required reports.
A. Consultation
Contractor shall provide a consultation on a variety of issues as required to be considered by the Forensic Care Workgroup by Act 57 (2021), including:
• Any gaps in Vermont’s current mental health and criminal justice system structure related to individuals found incompetent to stand trial or who are adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity.
• Opportunities to:
o (i) improve public safety and address the treatment needs for individuals found incompetent to stand trial or who are adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity; and
o (ii) consider the importance of victims’ rights in the forensic care process.
• Competency restoration models used in other states, including both models that do not rely on involuntary medication to restore competency and how cases where competency is not restored are addressed.
• Models used in other states to determine public safety risks and the means used to address such risks, including guilty but mentally ill verdicts in criminal cases.
• Due process requirements for defendants held without adjudication of a crime and presumed innocent.
• Processes regarding other mental conditions affecting competence or sanity, including intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injury, and dementia.
• Models for forensic treatment, including the size, scope, and fiscal impact of any forensic treatment facility.
• Assess the necessity of notification to the prosecutor upon becoming aware that individuals on orders of nonhospitalization pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 7618 are not complying with the order or that the alternative treatment is not adequate to meet the individual’s treatment needs, including any recommendations:
o necessary to clarify the process;
o addressing what facts and circumstances should trigger the Commissioner’s duty to notify the prosecutor; and
o addressing steps that the prosecutor should take after receiving the notification.
• In conducting the work required by this section, including evaluations for forensic treatment facility models, help ensure:
o that social and racial equity issues are considered, including issues related to transgender and gender nonconforming persons; and
o consistency with the General Assembly’s policy in 18 V.S.A. § 7629(c) of working “toward a mental health system that does not require coercion or the use of involuntary medication.”
• Present on any national models of forensic care suggested by a workgroup member.
B. Co-Facilitation
Contractor shall work with a DMH employee in co-facilitating the Forensic Care Workgroup meetings. We anticipate 6 meetings, lasting up to 4 hours each. Number and duration subject to change.
C. Legislative Reports
Contractor shall assist in any research required by the workgroup’s charge and related analysis as well as assistance in drafting the three (3) legislative reports required by Act 57 (2021) related to the workgroup’s charge.
QUALIFICATIONS
Contractor shall have relevant experience/expertise in:
• Mental health systems of care
• Forensic systems of care
• Criminal justice system
COST:
The cost for these services must be limited to $25,000 or less.
EVALUATION CRITERIA:
DMH will review and evaluate the proposal based on the following criteria:
Criterion Maximum Possible Points
A. Experience/Qualifications 20
B. RFP requirements 20
C. Cost of Proposal 20
Maximum Points: 60
Each proposal will be independently evaluated on Criteria A through C by two or more qualified staff of DMH. A composite score will be computed based on those independent evaluations.
PROPOSAL FORMAT
Use standard 8.5” X 11” page size. Documents must be single-spaced and use not less than a twelve-point font. Pages must be numbered. The proposal should be comprehensive, yet concise. The proposal must follow the sequence of information requested in the “Bid Requirements” section below. State your organization’s name on each page of your program proposal/bid and on any other information you are submitting.
1. A brief description of the organization which includes its history, organization structure and size, and qualifications to provide the required services.
2. A statement and discussion of the Proposer’s analysis of the RFP requirements. This should include.
• How the staff and services needed will provided
• Statement and discussion of anticipated major difficulties and problem areas (if any), together with potential or recommended approaches to their solution.
3. Acknowledgement of agreement with customary State and Agency terms and conditions contained in Attachments C-F.
COVER LETTER
Please provide an introduction to your company and proposal via a cover letter. All bids submitted to the State are considered public records. Please note in your cover letter if any information in your proposal is considered proprietary and confidential.
a. Confidentiality. To the extent your bid contains information you consider to be proprietary and confidential, you must comply with the following requirements concerning the contents of your cover letter and the submission of a redacted copy of your bid (or affected portions thereof).
b. The successful response will become part of the contract file and will be a matter of public record, as will all other responses received. If the response includes material that is considered by the bidder to be proprietary and confidential under the State’s Public Records Act, 1 V.S.A. § 315 et seq., the bidder shall submit a cover letter that clearly identifies each page or section of the response that it believes is proprietary and confidential. The bidder shall also provide in their cover letter a written explanation for each marked section explaining why such material should be considered exempt from public disclosure in the event of a public records request, pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 317(c), including the prospective harm to the competitive position of the bidder if the identified material were to be released. Additionally, the bidder must include a redacted copy of its response for portions that are considered proprietary and confidential. Redactions must be limited so that the reviewer may understand the nature of the information being withheld. It is typically inappropriate to redact entire pages, or to redact the titles/captions of tables and figures. Under no circumstances can the entire response be marked confidential, and the State reserves the right to disqualify responses so marked.
QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD
Any vendor requiring clarification of any section of this RFP or wishing to comment or take exception to any requirements of the RFP must submit specific questions in writing no later than the deadline for questions indicated on the first page of this RFP. Questions may be emailed to Jennifer.rowell@vermont.gov, the point of contact. Any comments, questions, or exceptions not raised in writing on or before the last day of the question period are waived.
DELIVERY OF PROPOSALS
Proposals must be received no later than at 4:30 pm EST on July 6, 2021 at the following address:
Jennifer Rowell
280 State Drive, NOB 2 North
Waterbury, Vermont 05671-2010
Please provide both an electronic and hard copy of the proposal to: Jennifer.Rowell@vermont.gov
Please use MS Office and/or standard PDF files.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DMH reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. If a contractor is selected, representatives will be invited to negotiate a contract.
DMH will not pay any bidder costs associated with preparing or presenting any proposal in response to this RFP.
The contractor will agree to the State of Vermont usual contract and payment provisions. These specifications are posted with this RFP and include:
• Attachment C: Customary Provisions for Contracts and Grants
• Attachment E: Business Associate Agreement
• Attachment F: AHS Customary Contract Provision
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