Medicaid Related Consultants

Agency:	State Government of Arkansas
State:	Arkansas
Type of Government:	State & Local
Posted Date:	Mar 1, 2024
Due Date:	Mar 20, 2024
Solicitation No:	710-24-037
Bid Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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STATE OF ARKANSAS

Department of Human Services

Office of Procurement

700 Main Street

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

Solicitation Number:

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION

SOLICITATION DOCUMENT

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

710-24-037

Solicitation

Issued:

February 20, 2024

Description:

Medicaid Related Consultants

Division:

Department of Human Services

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Response Submission

Date and Tune

March 20, 2024

1:00 p.m., Central Time

Response Opening

Date and Time:

March 20, 2024

2:00 p.m., Central Time

Proposals shall not be accepted after the designated bid opening date and time. In accordance with Arkansas Procurement Law and

Rules, it is the responsibility of Contractors to submit proposals at the designated location on or before the bid opening date and time.

Proposals received after the designated bid opening date and time shall be considered late and shall be returned to the Contractor

without further review. It is not necessary to return “no bids” to the Office of Procurement (OP).

Drop off Address:

United States mail

(USPS):

Commercial Carrier

(UPS, FedEx or

USPS Exp):

DELIVERY OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

Arkansas Department of Human Services

Attn: Office of Procurement

700 Main Street

Little Rock, AR 72201

Note: Hand delivered responses must be delivered directly to the security desk otherwise these

deliveries will not be accepted and may be grounds for disqualification.

Arkansas Department of Human Services

Attn: Office of Procurement

P.O. Box 1437 Slot W345

Little Rock, AR 72203-1437

Arkansas Department of Human Services

Attn: Office of Procurement

112 West 8th Street, Slot W345

Little Rock, AR 72201

Proposal’s Outer

Packaging:

OP Buyer:

Email Address:

DHS Website:

OSP Website:

Delivery providers, USPS, UPS, and FedEx deliver mail to OP’s street address on a schedule determined by

each individual provider. These providers will deliver to OP based solely on the street address. Prospective

Contractors assume all risk for timely, properly submitted deliveries.

Seal outer packaging and properly mark with the following information. If outer packaging of proposal

submission is not properly marked, the package may be opened for proposal identification purposes.

 Solicitation number  Date and time of proposal opening  Vendor’s name and return address

OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

Arnetia Dean

Buyer’s Direct Phone Number:

DHS.OP.Solicitations@dhs.arkansas.gov DHS’s Main Number:

https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/do-business-with-dhs

http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa/procurement/bids/index.php

501-683-5969

501-396-6045

20160104

Bid Solicitation Document

Solicitation No. 710-24-037

SECTION 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

• Do not provide responses to items in this section unless specifically and expressly required.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This Request for Qualification (RFQ) is issued by the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of

Procurement (OP), to establish a Qualified Vendor List (QVL) comprised of consultants for services related to

Medicaid. The resultant QVL shall be non-mandatory. The QVL may be used by DHS as a means for eliminating

the preliminary step of agreement to standard terms and conditions in future bid solicitations which utilize this

vendor pool. At the time of this solicitation, specific requirements are not available for potential scopes of work

(SOW).

1.2 VENDOR LISTING

A. As a result of this RFQ, DHS intends to establish a QVL of multiple Qualified Contractors that divisions may elect

to provide services.

B. The anticipated starting date for the resulting QVL is April 1, 2024. The initial term of a resulting QVL will be for

one (1) year. Upon mutual agreement by DHS and the vendor, DHS shall have the option to extend the QVL on a

year-to-year basis, for up to six (6) additional one-year terms or a portion thereof. The total term of the QVL shall

not exceed seven (7) years. The State shall have the right to terminate the QVL, or any parts thereof, prior to

exercising any renewal option, if it is in the best interest of the State to do so.

C. The resultant QVL shall be comprised only of those vendors meeting the requirements of this RFQ and whose

responses were received at the designated location (see Response Opening Location) prior to the designated

response opening date and time as established on page one (1) of this solicitation. This RFQ will be closed after

the date specified on page one (1) of this solicitation. The RFQ will reopen for additional vendors to submit their

qualifications to DHS for each extended year on the following schedule:

QVL Effective Date

April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025

April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026

April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027

April 1, 2027 through March 31, 2028

April 1, 2028 through March 31, 2029

April 1, 2029 through March 31, 2030

April 1, 2030 through March 31, 2031

Qualifications Submission Allowed

October 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024

October 1, 2025 through October 31, 2025

October 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026

October 1, 2027 through October 31, 2027

October 1, 2028 through October 31, 2028

October 1, 2029 through October 31, 2029

D. DHS shall be responsible for maintaining and administering the resulting QVL and any resulting contracts. Each

year prior to DHS renewing the QVL for an additional term or portion thereof, DHS will send a renewal notice to

the listed vendors. The renewal notice will detail information and/or documents required from the vendor in order

to continue inclusion on the QVL. Contractors, who do not provide the information and/or documents as specified

in the renewal notice, shall not be included on the renewed QVL. Contractors, who have been removed from the

QVL, shall not have the right to submit a new response for consideration.

E. Throughout any validity period of the QVL, the Contractor shall be responsible for notifying DHS of changes to

their contact information, as well as sending DHS written notification requesting they no longer be listed under a

specific area of expertise. DHS shall not be held responsible for a vendor not receiving communications (i.e.,

renewal information, agency solicitations, etc.) due to a Contractor neglecting to notify the agency’s designated

buyer with updated contact information.

F. A submittal of qualifications and placement on the QVL does not guarantee that the Contractor will be contracted

to perform any services but only serves notice as a desire to be considered.

1.3 INTERGOVERNMENTAL/COOPERATIVE USE OF PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT

In accordance with Arkansas Code §19-11-249, this proposal and resulting contract is available to any State

Agency or Institution of Higher Education that wishes to utilize the services of the selected proposer, and the

proposer agrees, they may enter into an agreement as provided in this solicitation.

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Bid Solicitation Document

Solicitation No. 710-24-037

1.4 ISSUING AGENCY

The OP, as the issuing office, is the sole point of contact throughout this solicitation process. Vendor may contact

the OP buyer with procurement-related questions at any time prior to the bid opening. Answers to verbal questions

may be given as a matter of courtesy and must be evaluated at the vendor’s risk.

1.5 RESPONSE OPENING LOCATION

Responses submitted by the opening date and time will be opened via video conference. DHS will publish a link to

the live response opening on the DHS website for public access. Individuals will not be permitted to attend in-

person. If the response opening cannot be held as scheduled due to technical or other issues, DHS will publish an

updated schedule and video conference link on the DHS website.

1.6 ACCEPTANCE OF REQUIREMENTS

A. The words “must” and “shall” signify a Requirement of this solicitation and that the Contractor’s agreement to

and compliance with that item is mandatory.

B. A Contractor’s proposal will be disqualified if a Contractor takes exceptions to any Requirements named in this

RFQ.

C. Contractor may request exceptions to NON-mandatory items. Any such request must be declared on, or as an

attachment to, the appropriate section’s Agreement and Compliance Page. Contractor must clearly explain the

requested exception and should reference the specific solicitation item number to which the exception applies.

(See Agreement and Compliance Page.)

D. DHS must not be required to accept any requested exceptions. Only exceptions expressly accepted by DHS

will become part of the resulting contract.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

A. Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms defined in Arkansas Procurement Law and used herein have the

same definitions herein as specified therein.

B. “Prospective Contractor,” means a responsible offeror who submits a proposal in response to this solicitation.

“Prospective Contractor,” “Contractor,” “bidder,” “vendor,” and “respondent” are used synonymously in this

document.

C. The terms “buyer” and “Issuing Officer” are used synonymously in this document.

D. The terms “Request for Qualification,” “RFQ,” “RFQ Solicitation,” “Bid Solicitation,” and “Solicitation” are used

synonymously in this document.

E. “Responsive” means a proposal submitted in response to this solicitation that conforms in all material

respects to this RFQ.

F. “Submission Requirement” means a task a Prospective Contractor shall complete when submitting a

response. These requirements will be distinguished by using the term “shall” or “must” in the requirement.

G. “Requirement” means a specification that a Contractor’s commodity and/or service must meet or exceed in the

performance of its contractual duties under any contract awarded as a result of this RFQ. These specifications

will be distinguished by using the terms “shall” or “must” in the requirement.

H. “State” means the State of Arkansas. When the term “State” is used herein to reference any obligation of the

State under a contract that results from this solicitation, that obligation is limited to the State Department using

such a contract.

1.8 RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

A. Original Response Packet

The following items are submission requirements and must be submitted in the original Response Packet.

1. A hard copy of the original Response Packet must be received on or before the bid submittal date and

time. Copy should not be two sided.

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Bid Solicitation Document

Solicitation No. 710-24-037

2. The Response Packet should be clearly marked “Original” and must include the following:

a. Original signed Response Signature Page. Signature may be ink or digital (See Response Signature

Page.)

b. Original signed Agreement and Compliance Page. (See Response Packet.)

c. Original Proposed Subcontractors Form. (See Subcontractors.)

d. Other documents and/or information as may be expressly required in this Solicitation.

3. The following items should be submitted in the original Response Packet.

a. Copy of Contractor’s Equal Opportunity Policy. (See Equal Opportunity Policy.)

b. EO 98-04 Disclosure Form, Attachment A. (See Standard Terms and Conditions.)

c. Signed addenda to this RFQ, if applicable. (See Requirement of Addendum.)

4. DO NOT include any other documents or ancillary information, such as a cover letter or

promotional/marketing information.

5. Pricing is not requested for this solicitation and must not be submitted with the response.

B. Pricing

Prospective Contractor shall not include any pricing in their response. Should the Prospective Contractor

response contain any pricing, the response may be rejected.

C. Additional Copies and Redacted Copy of the Response Packet

In addition to the original Response Packet, the following items should be submitted:

1. Additional Copies of the Response Packet

a. One (1) electronic copy of the Response Packet, preferably on flash drive and in PDF format. CDs will

also be acceptable. All items on flash drive or CD should be in PDF format. Do not send electronic

copies via email or fax.

b. All additional hard copies and electronic copies must be identical to the original hard copy. In case of a

discrepancy, the original hard copy shall govern.

c. One (1) redacted copy, in PDF format, if applicable, (marked “REDACTED”) of the original Response

Packet, preferably on a flash drive. A CD will also be acceptable. (See Proprietary Information.)

d. If OP requests additional copies of the proposal, the copies must be delivered within twenty-four (24)

hours of request.

1.9 ORGANIZATION OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

A. It is strongly recommended that Contractors adhere to the following format and suggestions when preparing

their Response.

B. The original Response Packet and all copies should be arranged in the following order:

• Response Signature Page.

• Agreement and Compliance Page.

• Signed Addenda, if applicable.

• E.O. 98-04 – Contract Grant and Disclosure Form.

• Equal Opportunity Policy.

• Proposed Subcontractors Form.

• Other documents and/or information as may be expressly required in this Bid Solicitation. Label

documents and/or information so as to reference the Bid Solicitation’s item number.

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Bid Solicitation Document

Solicitation No. 710-24-037

1.10 RESPONSE SIGNATURE PAGE

A. An official authorized to bind the Contractor(s) to a resultant contract must sign the Signature Page included in

the Response Packet.

B. Contractor’s signature on this page shall signify contractor’s agreement that either of the following shall cause

the contractor’s proposal to be disqualified:

1. Additional terms or conditions submitted intentionally or inadvertently.

2. Any exception that conflicts with a Requirement of this Bid Solicitation.

1.11 AGREEMENT AND COMPLIANCE PAGE

A. Contractor must sign the Agreement and Compliance Page relevant to each section of the Bid Solicitation

Document. The Agreement and Compliance Page is included in the Response Packet.

B. Contractor’s signature on this page shall signify agreement to and compliance with all Requirements within the

designated section.

1.12 SUBCONTRACTORS

A. Contractor must complete and submit the Proposed Subcontractors Form included in the Response Packet to

indicate contractor’s intent to utilize, or to not utilize, subcontractors.

B. Additional subcontractor information may be required or requested in this Solicitation. Do not attach any

additional information to the Proposed Subcontractors Form.

C. The utilization of any proposed subcontractor is subject to approval by the State agency.

1.13 PRIME CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY

A. A single contractor must be identified as the prime contractor and shall be the sole point of contact.

B. The prime Contractor shall be held responsible for the contract and jointly and severally liable with any of its

subcontractors, affiliates, or agents to the State for the performance thereof.

1.14 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

A. Submission documents pertaining to this Bid Solicitation become the property of the State and are subject to

the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

B. In accordance with FOIA and to promote maximum competition in the State competitive bidding process, the

State may maintain the confidentiality of certain types of information described in FOIA. Such information may

include trade secrets defined by FOIA and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to

FOIA.

C. Contractor may designate appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent

permitted under the Statutes and Rules set forth above, by submitting a redacted copy of the response.

D. By so redacting any information contained in the response, the Contractor warrants that it has formed a good

faith opinion having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors

that the portions redacted meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above.

E. Under no circumstances will pricing information be designated as confidential.

F. One (1) complete copy of the submission documents from which any proprietary information has been redacted

should be submitted on a flash drive in the Response Packet. A CD is also acceptable. Do not submit

documents via e-mail or fax.

G. Except for the redacted information, the redacted copy must be identical to the original hard copy, reflecting the

same pagination as the original and showing the space from which information was redacted.

H. The Contractor is responsible for identifying all proprietary information and for ensuring the electronic copy is

protected against restoration of redacted data.

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description	agency	opening date/time	bid number	buyer
Medicaid Related Consultants	Department of Human Services	03/20/2024 02:00 PM CDT	710-24-037 03/01/2024 CST

Medicaid Related Consultants

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