Nutrition Services - Questions and Answers No. 1

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	Shelby County					PRIVATE 
Tennessee                                             Lee Harris, Mayor



Questions and Answers No. 1
ISSUED: April 22, 2026
RFP 26-012-69A

Nutrition Services
(Aging Commission of the Mid-South)

TO ALL PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS:
The following questions were submitted by a potential bidder. Our answers are listed below in red:
 
1. What specific changes were made in RFP #26-012-69A compared to the previously issued RFP, and what issues prompted the reissuance?
A: 
Change to issuance date on cover page
II. Minimum Proposer Requirements changes made please compare to proposal issued on 1/2/26 for precise language changes
III. Deadline for submittal changed please compare to proposal issued on 1/2/26 for precise language changes
IV Proposal Submission and Deadline change please compare to proposal issued on 1/2/26 for precise language changes
V Proposal Timeline change please compare to proposal issued on 1/2/26 for precise language changes
IX Purpose/Scope or Work move Department Specific Requirements from back of section to front of section please compare to proposal issued on 1/2/26 for precise language changes
B Proposal Cost 1. Decrease number of hard copies required, please compare to proposal issued on 1/2/26 for precise language changes
Reissuance was prompted by a lack of competition in process.
2. For the Record of accurate and timely billing category, will non-incumbent vendors be evaluated based on comparable performance under other government or grant-funded contracts?
A: If not a current vendor, the proposer should provide record of accurate and timely billing and required data reports with a current contractor in this fiscal (other government or grant funded vendors are acceptable. 

3. For the Customer Satisfaction requirement, what forms of documentation are acceptable to demonstrate that 80% or more of consumers are satisfied with services?
A: Proposer should provide satisfaction survey and data collected (results) by the organization to demonstrate 80% or more of consumers are satisfied with service. 
4. For Capacity to provide services in multiple counties, what specific evidence or documentation is required to demonstrate readiness to serve each listed county?
A: The proposer should provide information that demonstrates they are able to deliver home delivered meals (approximately 1100 persons) and congregate meals (approximately 900 persons) on July 1, 2026 as well as add persons throughout the fiscal year in each county they are proposing to provide service. 

5. For Filling Gap in services, how does the County define a service gap, and will the County provide data identifying underserved geographic areas?
A: This is defined as a geographic area (county) the service may not currently be provided.

6. For the Service Delivery category, what level of detail is expected in the implementation timeline, operational rollout, and service delivery model?
A: A precise, highly detailed level of information is expected. 

7. For background check requirements, are vendors required to follow a specific state-approved protocol, or will internal policies that meet Tennessee statutory requirements be acceptable?
A: As stated in the RFP all providers shall comply with Tennessee Code Annotated 52-2-1002 on completing background checks for employees and volunteers. 

8. For the site agreement requirement, will a template be acceptable at the time of submission, or must fully executed agreements be in place?
A: The RFP request copies of current signed site agreements or site agreement template to be used for each location (congregate, satellite, and kitchen (s). It will be expected that the awardee have these in place with sites to assure meal are provided on July 1,2026. 

9. For staffing and supervision requirements, please clarify whether key personnel must be hired prior to award or may be contingent upon contract execution.
A: The proposer who is awarded will be expected to be fully operational and delivering services on July 1, 2026.

10. For nutrition program compliance, is a registered dietitian required to be on staff, or may this role be fulfilled through a contracted provider?
A: The proposer should submit the name of the RD/ICE that the program will utilize and submit a copy of the Licenses and Certification, which includes license and certification number. Compliance is determined by fulfilling task required of the service.

11. For monitoring and reporting, what specific data systems, formats, or platforms are required by the Aging Commission of the Mid-South?
A: ACMS does not share monitoring tools, the proposer should review the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging  Aging and Disability Program and Policy Manuel referenced in the RFP for information on all requirements of the Nutrition Service program.

12. For insurance requirements, will organizational self-insurance and internal risk reserve mechanisms be accepted as compliant where appropriate?
A: Self-insurance will beaccepted as compliant where appropriate and providing the vendor provides proof of self-insurance.

13. Please confirm whether proposal scoring is strictly objective based on submission of required items, or if evaluators retain discretion in awarding partial points within each category.
A: Partial points may be awarded in Organizational Information and Service Delivery. If the Proposer does not provide the record of billing, customer satisfaction, site agreements, describe ability to provide services in the counties proposer is proposing to provide service, If filling an existing service gap, or have cost to provide service equal to or less than the maximum allowable cost they will receive 0 points. 

14. For each scoring category (Organizational Information  24 points, Record of Billing  8 points, Service Delivery  30 points, Customer Satisfaction  10 points, Site Agreements  10 points, Capacity  4 points, Filling Gap  4 points, Cost  10 points), please provide the specific criteria used to award full versus partial points.
A: Organizational information , to receive full points all items must be clearly and thoroughly addressed- Record of Billing  a record of accurate, timely billing and data reporting to ACMS or a current contractor in this fiscal year must be provided, Service Delivery to receive full points all items must be clearly and thoroughly addressed, Customer Satisfaction- proposer must provide customer satisfaction survey and results of customer satisfaction rate measured and demonstrating that 80% or more of consumers are satisfied with services, site agreements - copy of most recent congregate meal site agreements or site agreement template, capacity-describe ability to provide services in counties proposer is proposing to provide service, filling gap- proposal would fill service gap in geographic area, cost- proposed cost is equal to or less than maximum allowed cost. 

15. Does submission of all required documentation under Organizational Information result in full points, or is a qualitative evaluation applied?
A: Partial points may be awarded in this area.

16. For the Service Delivery category (30 points), what rubric or scoring methodology is used to assign points?
A: Points are award for addressing each item, thoroughness and detail provided int the address of the item, and demonstration of service delivery meeting requirements as outlined in Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging-Aging and Disability Program and Policy Manuel referenced in the RFP. 

17. For Customer Satisfaction (10 points), is scoring binary (meeting the 80% threshold) or scaled based on performance levels?
A: Scoring is based on provision of customer satisfaction survey and results of customer satisfaction rate measured and demonstrating that 80% or more of consumers are satisfied with services. 

18. For Capacity and Filling Gap (4 points each), are points awarded strictly per county served, or is qualitative evaluation applied?
A: Yes

19. For the Cost category (10 points), please confirm:
a. Whether the lowest cost receives