AmeriCorps Substance Abuse Prevention Program RFP 58818012

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Register to iowagrants.gov  -226504-AmeriCorps Substance Abuse Prevention Program RFP 58818012 Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Application Deadline: 10/05/2017 4:00 PM  

Award Amount Range:$0.00 - $30,000.00Project Start Date:11/01/2017Project End Date:10/31/2018Award Announcement Date:10/26/2017Eligible Applicant:Please See Section 1.03 Eligibility Requirements in the RFP 58818012
Program Officer:John McMullenPhone:515-281-6646 xEmail:john.mcmullen@idph.iowa.govCategorical Area:Substance Abuse  Description  
It is the responsibility of the Applicant to review all attachments listed in the section below, including the Request for Proposal (RFP) Document.
The issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a committment by IDPH to award a contract.
Excerpts from the RFP:
1.01     Purpose
The purpose of this Request for

Proposal (RFP) # 58818012is to solicit applications that will enable the Iowa Department of Public Health (referred to as Department) to select the most qualified applicantsto serve as host sites for AmeriCorps members to help combat Iowa’s opioid and prescription drug epidemic. The host site will support AmeriCorps members in enhancing the capacity and sustainability of programs focusing on substance abuse prevention, increasing community and professional education on substance use, and building community engagement.
 
AmeriCorps is a national service program funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).  CNCS is a federal agency established in 1993 to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in intensive community-based service. Successful programs utilize service as a strategy to meet community needs, while supporting the development and growth of the AmeriCorps members serving with the organization.
 
The purpose of the IDPH AmeriCorps Substance Abuse Prevention Program is to engage AmeriCorps members in direct service and capacity-building activities to address the opioid and prescription drug epidemic within their respective communities.
 
As a general rule, CNCS considers capacity building activities to beindirect services(support infrastructure services)that enable CNCS-supported organizations to provide more, better and sustaineddirect services. To determine whether assigned national service participants’ activities qualify as capacity building, think about the intended results of those activities. Applicants must understand and distinguish activities that build capacity.
 
Capacity building activities cannot be solely intended to support the administration or operations of the organization. Capacity building activities must:
1) Be intended to support or enhance the program services in their community.
2) Respond to the organization’s goal of increasing, expanding or enhancing services in order to address the priority needs regarding opioid and prescription drug misuse identified in the community, and
3) Enable the organization to provide a sustained level of more or better direct services after the national service participant’s term of service has ended.
 
Additional information on the CNCS definition of capacity building can be accessed via the weblink provided in Section 7.
 
The organizations that receive grants are responsible for recruiting, selecting, and supervising AmeriCorps members to serve in their programs.
 
1.02     Project Period/Contract Term
 
The project period shall be from November 1, 2017 to October 31, 2018.  
 
The Department expects the contract period to be a twelve (12) month term from November 1, 2017 to October 31, 2018.  
 
The issuance of this RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the Department to award a contract.
 
1.03     Eligibility Requirements
 
Applicants must meet each of the following eligibility requirements for consideration.
 
Eligible Applicants
Non-profit, 501(c)3 organizations, schools, or government agencies operating youth mentoring or substance abuse prevention programs for one year or longer in Iowa are eligible to submit an application in accordance with this RFP.
 
Applicants must adhere to at least one of the two the following eligibility expectations in order to apply:
 
●An Iowa non-profit organization that has continuously provided substance abuse prevention services in Iowa since July 1, 2014 including:


Community utilization and implementation of evidence-based programs, practices and policies with a variety of populations

Community utilization of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) model

At least one staff member who is a Certified Prevention Specialist through the Iowa Board of Certification.

 

● Mentoring youth individually or in groups (utilizing the Elements of Effective Practice, and Certified or will be certified through the Iowa Mentoring Partnership within the contract year) (refer to weblink provided in Section 7)
 
ANDapplicants must adhere to both of the following eligibility expectations:
 
● Promoting positive community norms
● Connecting coalitions, schools, and communities
 
Electronic Communication Requirements
Applicant is required to maintain and provide to the Department, upon application, a current and valid email account for electronic communications with the Department.
 
Official email communication from the Department regarding this application will be issued from
iowa.grants@webgrantsmail.com.  Applicants arerequired to assure these communications are received and responded to accordingly.
 
1.04    Service Delivery Area
 
The service areas must be located within the state of Iowa.  
 
1.05 Available Funds
 
The source of funding isfederal (CFDA#:94.006) and state Sunday Sales Liquor License fees.
 
Applicants may apply for up to$30,000for the totalone yearperiodper programif requesting to host 2.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) AmeriCorps members.Applicants can request any combination of half-time and full-time positions but no more than two members per host site. Applicants requesting 1.0 FTE member will receive $15,000 per full time member.  Applicants requesting to host one .50 FTE AmeriCorps member can apply for up to $8,000 per half-time member in a one-year period per program. Applicants requesting 1.5 FTE members may apply for $23,000.
 
A full-time member agrees to serve a minimum of 1,700 hours within one full year.  This will take an average of 40 hours/week over a 42.5 week period. A half-time member agrees to serve a minimum of 900 hours within one full year.  This will take an average of 20 hours/week over a 45 week period  A half-time calendar year member agrees to serve a minimum of 900 hours between January 1-June 30.  This will take an average of 35 hours/week over a 26 week period.  Members will need to be recruited and identified by the funded applicant with required paperworkcompleted by November 30, 2018 or the contract with IDPH will be null and void.
 
Funding within this RFP will help support the mentoring program in meeting AmeriCorps expectations including site supervisor time to oversee the member, office supplies and space, travel and registration expenses to attend required meetings or optional trainings, AmeriCorps member uniforms, AmeriCorps signage and banners, etc.  IDPH will separately fund a living stipend and other benefits to support each AmeriCorps member.  AmeriCorps members who complete all requirements during their term of service will then be eligible for an Education Award.
 
The Department anticipates up
to$310,000available for approximately25ofawards. Actual total awards and individual contract funding levels may vary from that listed or funding may be withdrawn completely, depending on availability of fundingor any other grounds determined by the Department to be in the Department’s best interests.
 
There is a 2:1 match required (two parts IDPH to one part contractor), e.g., a $15,000 award will require $7,500 in match.  In-kind match is acceptable with documentation (refer to the Federal Regulations 215.23(d) weblink provided in Section 7).  No state or federal funds may be utilized as match.
 
1.06     Schedule of Important Dates (All times and dates listed are local Iowa time.)
 
The following dates are set forth for informational purposes.  The Department reserves the right to change them.
 


EVENT
DATE
RFP Issued
September 6, 2017
Written Questions and Responses 
Round 1 Questions Due:
Responses Posted By:
September 13, 2017
September 18, 2017
Round 2 Questions Due:
Responses Posted By:
September 20, 2017
September 25, 2017
Final Questions Due:
Responses Posted By:
September 27, 2017
October 3, 2017
Applications Due
October 5, 2017by 4:00 PM Local Iowa Time
Post Notice of Intent to Award
October 26, 2017    Attachments  Click on the File Name to open attachment 
DescriptionFile NameFile SizeA. AmeriCorps Substance Abuse Prevention Program RFP58818012A. AmeriCorps Substance Abuse Prevention Program RFP58818012.docx.pdf453 KBB. IowaGrants Registration InstructionsB. IowaGrants Registration Instructions Updated 2016.pdf873 KBC. IDPH Application Instruction GuidanceC. IDPH Application Instruction Guidance 2016.pdf1.9 MBD. Americorps Substance Abuse Prevention Draft ContractD. Americorps Substance Abuse Prevention Draft Contract.docx.pdf276 KBE. Americorps Substance Abuse Prevention Draft Scoring ToolE. Americorps Substance Abuse Prevention Draft Scoring Tool.pdf185 KBF. AmeriCorps Member Generic Position Description TEMPLATEF. AmeriCorps Member Generic Position Description TEMPLATE..pdf86 KB   Website Links  Click on the URL to go to website 
Website LinkGrant Program Informationhttp://www.idph.state.ia.us/IdphGBP/IdphGBP.aspx1. IDPH General Conditionshttp://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2015-AmeriCorps-Branding-Messaging-Guidance_0.pdf2. AmeriCorps Branding and Messaging Guidancehttp://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1990_serviceact_as%20amended%20through%20pl%20111-13.pdff3. AmeriCorps Regulationshttp://www.mentoring.org/downloads/mentoring_1222.pdf4. Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring - MENTORhttp://www.iowamentoring.org/for-programs/program-certification5. Iowa Mentoring Partnership Certification Processhttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2005-title2-vol1/pdf/CFR-2005-title2-vol1-sec215-23.pdf6. Federal Regulations 215.23(d) on In-Kind Matchhttp://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/nofa/13_1031_2013_NOFO_PM_Instructions_CAPACITY_BUILDING.pdf7. CNCS Definition of Capacity Building:  Questions  
Submitted DateQuestionAnswer09/08/2017Under 2.01 Goals and Objectives, are applicants required to work on each of the identified goals/focus areas, or just one?Members and Host Sites should be working towards all of the goals listed in section 2.01. The AmeriCorps Program Director will be connecting the host sites and members with resource and tool kits throughout the service year to help meet these goals.09/08/2017Can the AmeriCorps member assist with case management for medication assisted treatment as part of this project?AmeriCorps members can only participate in case management as long as this is new to agency, expands program capacity, AND is not something an employee or potential employee would be doing. The service activities would need to be specific to the member’s term of service and would need to be sustainable after the member is done with their term of service. For example, the member could set up a volunteer program to do the case management to keep the program sustainable after they complete their term of service. If the case management is something that should be done by an employee, then this would not be an acceptable service activity.09/08/2017On page 21, it states the following:
Applicants must have a full-time mentoring program
supervisor (1.0 FTE) to be designated to oversee the AmeriCorps member(s). Is there a way for this to be fulfilled by a full time supervisor that does not oversee a mentoring program, or is this opportunity only open to mentoring programs?Any employee can do host site supervision, as long as the person appointed as the AmeriCorps Host Site Supervisor can appropriately provide member support throughout the member’s term.
The opportunity is open to both mentoring programs and substance abuse prevention programs.09/08/2017Can you please provide clarification on the following requirement: Host Site Supervisors, Responsible for ongoing supervision and support, Ability to dedicate at least 3-7 hours per week, per member. Does the 3-7 hours need to be direct supervision, or is this stating 3-7 hours of availability in the office where the mentor works? What all could be included in the definition of supervision? 3-7 hours of weekly supervision per person is a significant barrier to most programs' ability to apply for this opportunity.Member supervision is critical to the overall success of an AmeriCorps program. Supervision for each member could look differently depending on the needs for each member. Overall, supervision means to be available in the office where the member is serving, though some time each week should be dedicated to face to face time with the member. Supervision responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Developing performance plans for each member in cooperation with Program Directors.
• Holding regularly scheduled check-ins with members to review their service
• Providing feedback to the members regularly, not only on the things in the performance plan, but on other activities the member participates in
• Conducting a written, formal evaluation process two times a year for half-time and fulltime members
• Communicating regularly with the program director regarding member supervision
Any time spent on any of these activities or similar supervising activities counts towards the 3-7 hours a week of supervision.