The Format of This RFP Has Been Simplified

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

§  The format of this RFP has been simplified.

§  Only the following pages require signatures:

1.  Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet, Bidder Information and Acceptance page

a.  Must be signed by Bidder

2.  Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet, SLEB Partnering Information Sheet

a.  Must be signed by Bidder

b.  Must be signed by SLEB Partner if subcontracting to a SLEB

Please read EXHIBIT A – Bid Response Packet carefully, INCOMPLETE BIDS WILL BE REJECTED. Alameda County will not accept submissions or documentation after the bid response due date.

COUNTY OF ALAMEDA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL No. 901004

for

Behavioral Health Management Information System

For complete information regarding this project, see RFP posted at http://www.acgov.org/gsa_app/gsa/purchasing/bid_content/contractopportunities.jsp or contact the County representative listed below. Thank you for your interest!
Contact Person: Ryan DeCoud, Contracts Specialist I
Phone Number: (510) 208-9619
E-mail Address:

RESPONSE DUE

by

2:00 p.m.

on

May 2, 2013

at

Alameda County, GSA–Purchasing

1401 Lakeside Drive, Suite 907

Oakland, CA 94612

Alameda County is committed to reducing environmental impacts across our entire supply chain.

If printing this document, please print only what you need, print double-sided, and use recycled-content paper.

COUNTY OF ALAMEDA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL No. 901004

SPECIFICATIONS, TERMS & CONDITIONS

for

Behavioral Health Management Information System

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

I. STATEMENT OF WORK 4

A. INTENT 4

B. SCOPE 4

C. BACKGROUND 5

D. VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS 7

E. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS 8

F. DELIVERABLES/REPORTS 12

II. CALENDAR OF EVENTS 13

G. NETWORKING / BIDDERS CONFERENCES 13

III. COUNTY PROCEDURES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS 14

H. EVALUATION CRITERIA / SELECTION COMMITTEE 14

I. CONTRACT EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT 20

J. NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD 20

K. TERM / TERMINATION / RENEWAL 21

L. BRAND NAMES AND APPROVED EQUIVALENTS 21

M. QUANTITIES 22

N. PRICING 22

O. AWARD 23

P. METHOD OF ORDERING 24

Q. WARRANTY 25

R. INVOICING 25

S. ACCOUNT MANAGER / SUPPORT STAFF 26

IV. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS 26

T. COUNTY CONTACTS 26

U. SUBMITTAL OF BIDS 27

V. RESPONSE FORMAT 29

ATTACHMENTS

Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet

Exhibit B – Insurance Requirements

Exhibit C – Functional / Technical Requirements Detail

Specifications, Terms & Conditions

for Behavioral Health Management Information System

I.  STATEMENT OF WORK

A.  INTENT

It is the intent of these specifications, terms and conditions to describe the Behavioral Health Management Information System (BHMIS) including a certified Electronic Health Record (EHR) module required by the County of Alameda Department of Behavioral Health Care Services (ACBHCS).

The County intends to award a three-year contract with option to renew to the bidder selected as the most responsible bidder whose response conforms to the RFP and meets the County’s requirements.

B.  SCOPE

ACBHCS is seeking a modern state-of-the-art integrated BHMIS through acquisition of the necessary software, hardware, and implementation services. This system will support all mental health and substance abuse programs and related clinical, financial, management, and reporting activities at Alameda County.

The Contractor will be responsible for the enhancement, customization, configuration, and maintenance of all system components for the BHMIS and EHR.

Any proposed solution must fully comply with all Federal and State laws concerning the operational requirements with which all California counties are obligated to comply. The complexity of the various laws is reflected in the many subordinate behavioral/mental health business processes that California counties support. The Specific Requirements section below outlines the functional, technical, and business requirements that the system must be able to support, and specific services to be provided, under this Request for Proposal. Exhibit C provides the Functional Requirements detail.

The selected vendor must bring the entire range of necessary corporate and key staff capabilities and experience, either as a single Contractor or in conjunction with complementary subcontractors or partners. A single organizational entity must assume responsibility for all work and services performed under the executed contract regardless of whether any subcontractors or partners are involved. As such, the successful respondent may be a BHMIS Contractor, the supplier of other Behavioral Health systems, or a systems integrator.

C.  BACKGROUND

ACBHCS provides direct care to adults, adolescents and children who are mentally ill and/or substance abusers through its own outpatient clinics and through contracted providers. ACBHCS is also responsible for administration of other County Behavioral Health programs including Medi-Cal mental health managed care, vocational rehabilitation, and employment services.

ACBHCS currently uses a 16 year-old system to track patients as they progress through treatment, the system is primarily a billing system but has been modified over time to track patient information. The system is called InSyst and is maintained by the vendor (Echo Group).

The County currently relies on a wide variety of legacy and ad hoc data source systems to track data of all types: billing and financial, client services, and mandated state and other government reporting. It is ACBHCS’s intent to eliminate the disparate information systems and/or databases that are identified in this RFP by having the Contractor assist in completing a needs assessment for each disparate system that includes, but is not limited to, business process and system functionality review and data analysis for the purpose of transitioning the data, functionality and reporting requirements into the proposed BHCMIS.

For purposes of vendor awareness, following is a list of some of the processes for which California Counties are accountable per California law, in the delivery of behavioral health services:

1.  Managed Care

a.  ACBHCS is both an intermediary for a subcontracted managed care provider network and a direct provider of services. ACBHCS participates in capitated managed care and contracts for services on that basis. ACBHCS requires that the BHMIS system have a robust managed care module. This module must be capable of supporting ACBHCS role as a managed care administrator (with contracted sub-capitated or otherwise reimbursed providers) and as a network provider.

2.  Uniform Method of Determining Ability to Pay (UMDAP)

a.  The UMDAP process is a sliding scale based on the client’s or responsible party’s ability to pay for the costs of mental health services provided. Other required activities inherent in the UMDAP process include billing, accounts receivable maintenance and reporting, and collections and write off.

3.  Client and Service Information (CSI)

a.  The CSI System is the State data system that collects, edits, and reports client demographic, diagnostic service, and outcome information on the entire California public mental health population. Each California County is responsible for ongoing data collection and monthly transmission of that data electronically via the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Information Technology Web Services (ITWS) system.

4.  Alcohol / Drug Medi-Cal Reimbursement

a.  Certain alcohol and drug services are covered for Medi-Cal eligible clients. Unlike other services provided by counties, Drug Medi-Cal (DMC) is a statewide entitlement program.

b.  There are four different treatment services that can be billed to DMC:

(1)  Narcotic Treatment Programs (NTP)

(a)  Methadone Dosing

(b)  LAAM Dosing

(c)  Individual Counseling

(d)  Group Counseling

(2)  Day Care Habilitative (DCH)

(3)  Perinatal Residential (RES)

(4)  Outpatient Drug Free (ODF)

(a)  Individual Counseling

(b)  Group Counseling

5.  California Outcomes Measurement System (CalOMS)

a.  CalOMS is a centralized alcohol and other drug (AOD) data collection system. Reporting participant data to CalOMS involves collecting of information each time a participant is enrolled for AOD treatment services at a reporting facility and subsequent transfers or changes in service. Providers submit CalOMS data (to include “Private Pay” clients) to their county throughout each month. The data, submitted by the county to Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP), is processed through an electronic computerized data system for inclusion in the statewide CalOMS data repository.

6.  Prevention Services

a.  Preventative services are considered the first level of healthcare and are designed to prevent disease and promote health. The system will be required to capture de-identified, aggregate demographic data as related to prevention services. System must also have the capability of tracking people that do not have a mental health diagnosis.

D.  VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS

1.  Vendor Minimum Qualifications

a.  Bidder shall be regularly and continuously engaged in the business of providing a fully functional behavioral health client record management, electronic health record, billing, claiming and managed care system software, maintenance and support for at least three (3) years, to a California County.

b.  Bidder shall be a certified Electronic Health Records System software provider, according to the electronic health record certification standards established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

c.  Bidder shall possess all permits, licenses and professional credentials necessary to supply product and perform services as specified under this RFP.

E.  SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Contractor must provide all elements required to install a BHMIS and EHR, including software, a complete list of hardware including price quotations required for system operability, and implementation, including data migration, and training as required.

See Exhibit C for the Specific Requirements detail.

1.  Overall services and components to be acquired through this RFP encompass the following:

a.  A “state-of-the-art” integrated BHMIS that includes support for:

(1)  practice management;

(2)  electronic clinical records;

(3)  call management;

(4)  managed care;

(5)  eligibility verification;

(6)  claims processing;

(7)  Coordination of Benefits (COB)/Third Party Liability (TPL);

(8)  financial reporting;

(9)  electronic prescriptions;

(10)  data warehouse; and

(11)  report writing.

b.  Automated verification with the California Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System (MEDS).

c.  Electronic digital signature (client and clinical staff) functionality supporting the electronic clinical record.

d.  Imaging and document management capabilities.

e.  Interoperability and external system interface capabilities.

f.  Project management, training, data conversion and system documentation.

g.  Ongoing system support and maintenance.

h.  A distributive data process achieved by sharing data bi-directionally including but not limited to:

(1)  report repository;

(2)  web services;

(3)  data mining services; and

(4)  analytical modeling services.

2.  Software must support the following functional areas (see Exhibit C, pages 1 - 56, for detail):

1. Appointment Scheduling;
2. Authorizations;
3. Benefits and Eligibility Administration and Management;
4. Billing;
5. Claims Administration;
6. Client Registration;
7. Online Order Entry; and
8. Service Delivery Management.

3.  Software must support the following technical areas (see Exhibit C, pages 56 – 72, for detail):

1. System Architecture;
2. Database;
3. Reporting;
4. Security;
5. EDI;
6. Ease of use;
7. System Reliability;
8. Production Scheduling and Control;
9. Other Environments;
10. Systems Standards; and
11. Interfaces.

1. Hardware

1. Bidders must provide a complete list including price quotations of all hardware and software required to implement and operate the proposed system and be prepared to provide those items as the price stated.

1. Implementation

1. Integration of past data into the new system.
2. Training.
3. Bidders must provide a proposed 18-24 month implementation plan with optimum timeline, steps, and phases.

1. Testing

1. Contractor must perform tests required to verify the system performs all functions described above.

7.  Vendor solution must provide the necessary functionality to replace ACBHCS’s existing disparate systems which include:

a.  INSYST:

(1)  The County’s current client data and billing system, INSYST, contains over twenty years of historical client demographic and episodic data. The new system must be able to import to its database all current client and episodic data.

b.  eCURA Historical Data:

(1)  The County’s current managed care system, eCURA, contains over twelve years of client data, billing and physician payment history. The new system must be able to import to the database all current client and physician data or an interface must be provided.

c.  Clinician’s Gateway:

(1)  The County’s current electronic health records and other data sets are called Clinician’s Gateway. The new system must be able to import/export client, episodic and service data with Clinician’s Gateway or an interface must be provided.

d.  Contractor Client Data and Billing Systems:

(1)  Eighty-five percent of the services delivered by ACBHCS are provided through contracts with community based organizations (CBO). Currently these organizations utilize commercial and in-house developed client data and billing systems. The new BHMIS system must have automated processes to import administrative and service level data directly from CBO systems (e.g. Netsmart).

e.  Primary Care Health Center (PCHC) Client Data and Billing Systems:

(1)  ACBHCS has integrated services with PCHCs that require a capacity to exchange client and service data. The new system must be able to import/export data with PCHC systems (e.g. NextGen, Epic, etc.).

f.  Medi-Cal and DCR (Denied Correction Report) Database:

(1)  Currently the County utilizes a SQL database, developed by in house staff, to manage and monitor the current status of the Medi-Cal 837/835 claiming processes. The new system must include this functionality for the purpose of reconciling 837 claim lines to receipt of 835 and the warrant; as well as the ability to allow providers to correct denials via user screens. This functionality can be provided through the use of a module that is fully integrated with the main database.

F.  DELIVERABLES/REPORTS

1.  Provide a Gap Analysis.

2.  Provide a list of software, applications, training materials, etc. to be delivered. Include estimated due dates and the responsible member of the vendor’s implementation team for each.

3.  Before work begins, provide a final Implementation Schedule and timeline.

4.  Conduct weekly status meetings during implementation via conference call with County Project staff and bidder’s implementation team.

5.  Maintain an issues log and provide view access via the Internet.

6.  Provide a training schedule and training materials including updates and revisions as required throughout the life of the system.

7.  Upon completion of implementation, vendor is to provide a complete listing and comprehensive description of all system documentation regarding system setup, modifications and/or other changes made to the rudimentary product during implementation.