HIV Education and Training Program

1.1 This document constitutes a request for competitive, sealed applications for the provision of an Education and Training Program on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) medical care services for HIV Case Managers as set forth herein. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Division of Community and Public Health, Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis (Department/state agency) provides the oversight for this Request for Application (RFA). 1.2 Applicant means the person or organization who responds to the RFA by submitting an application with prices to provide services as required in the RFA document. 1.3 Contractor means an Applicant (either a person or organization) who is selected for a contract as a result of the RFA and who enters into a contract. 1.4 Shall or must identify components, deliverables, or actions that are mandatory. Failure to comply with this RFA will result in an application being considered non-responsive. 2. ORGANIZATION 2.1 This document, referred to

as a RFA, is divided into the following parts: a) Application and Contractual Requirements b) Attachments A - E c) Exhibits 1 - 11 (Items which may need to be returned with the application) d) Terms and Conditions 3. COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE RFA 3.1 It is the Applicant’s responsibility to ask questions, request changes or clarifications, or otherwise advise the Department if the Applicant believes that any language, specifications, or requirements are: (1) ambiguous, (2) contradictory or arbitrary, or both, (3) violate any state or federal law or regulation, (4) restrict or limit the requirements to a single source, or (5) restrict or limit the Applicant’s ability to submit an application. 3.1.1 Except as may be otherwise stated herein, the Applicant and the Applicant’s agents (including subcontractors, employees, consultants, or anyone else acting on their behalf) must direct all of their questions or comments regarding the RFA, the application process, the evaluation, etc., to the procurement officer of record indicated on the first page of this RFA. Inappropriate contacts to other personnel are grounds for exclusion from being considered for an award. Applicants and their agents who have questions regarding this RFA should contact the procurement officer. a. The Applicant may contact the Office of Administration, Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) regarding Minority Owned Business Enterprise RFA 1922 Page 2 of 33 (MBE)/Woman Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) certification or subcontracting with MBE/WBE companies. 3.1.2 The Applicant should submit all questions and issues at least ten (10) working days prior to the due date of the application. If not received prior to ten (10) working days before the application due date, the Department may not be able to fully research and consider the respective questions or issues before the RFA due date. Questions and issues relating to the RFA, including questions related to the competitive application process, must be directed to the procurement officer. It is preferred that questions be e- mailed to the procurement officer at Christina.Russell@health.mo.gov. 3.1.3 The Department will attempt to ensure that an Applicant receives an adequate and prompt response to questions, if applicable. Upon the Department’s consideration of questions and issues, if the Department determines that changes are necessary, the resulting changes will be included in a subsequently issued RFA amendment(s); absence of such response indicates that the questions and issues were considered but deemed unnecessary for RFA amendment as the questions and issues did not provide further clarity to the RFA. All Applicants will be advised of any change to the RFA’s language, specifications, or requirements by a formal amendment to the RFA. 3.1.4 The official RFA can be viewed at the Department Internet site, http://health.mo.gov/information/publicnotices/invitations/index.php. a. The Department reserves the right to officially amend or cancel a RFA after issuance. It shall be the sole responsibility of the applicant to monitor the website daily. 3.1.5 The Applicant is advised that the only official position of the Department is the position that is stated in writing and issued by the Department as a RFA and any amendments thereto. No other means of communication, whether oral or written, shall be construed as a formal or official response or statement on behalf of the Department. 4. GENERAL