REQUEST FOR INTEREST (RFI) and STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATION

Older Americans Act Services

2025-2030
 

Dear Prospective Bidder:
 

The Northeast Florida Area Agency on Aging, Inc., dba ElderSource, is mandated to establish a comprehensive, coordinated system of services for persons aged 60 and older in its planning and service area.  The primary goal is to enable older adults to remain within their homes and community environments for as long as possible and to avoid premature or unnecessary institutionalization through the provision of cost effective, high quality services. 

ElderSource is requesting Letters of Intent including Statements of Qualification and proof of ability to provide required match from established organizations experienced in the provision of supportive and nutrition services to meet identified needs within Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns and Volusia Counties. The provision of these services shall be for the period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2030. Contracts may be renewed on a yearly basis, not to exceed five (5) consecutive years beyond the initial contract period.  Renewals shall be contingent upon the availability of funds and satisfactory performance evaluations as determined by ElderSource.

The primary goal held in common by all the services identified through this solicitation is to support aging in place by helping older persons maintain an optimal degree of independent living, with a corresponding quality of life, in a manner that preserves dignity and human connectedness. The common primary objective, therefore, is to offer older persons and their caregivers’ access to programs and activities that will prevent unnecessary physical, emotional, health and financial dependence. In order to assist you in determining those programs and activities most needed, ElderSource developed its 2024- 2027 Area Plan, which can be accessed at:
 

https://myeldersource.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Area-Plan-2024-27-PSA-4-Approved.pdf

The Older Americans Act (OAA) is divided into Titles.  Applicants may submit a proposal for a specific service or set of services within one or more Titles.  

• OAA Title IIIB  Supportive Services
• OAA Title IIIB  Supportive Services - Legal Services
• OAA Title IIIC-1 Congregate Nutrition
• OAA Title IIIC-2  Home-delivered Nutrition
• OAA Title IIID  Preventive Health Services
• OAA Title IIIE  Family Caregiver Support Program
• OAA Title IIIE  Family Caregiver Support Program - Legal Services

The current year client numbers and specific funding levels for each county are briefly described on the following pages. This information is illustrative and is not intended to represent the full scope of all regulations, standards, definitions and guidelines that govern the activities conducted under this program. Detailed information on services and programs is contained in the Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) 2023 DOEA Programs and Services Handbook, which can be accessed at:  

https://elderaffairs.org/publications-reports/programs-services-handbook/

Notice of Intent, Statements of Qualification and proof of being able to provide a 10% minimum match will provide ElderSource with information concerning the availability of qualified bidders for OAA services within the Planning and Service Area (PSA).  The information received from qualified bidders will be used to determine if a full Request for Proposal (RFP) is necessary (due to interest from two or more qualified service contractors) or if a sole source procurement process will be used.
 

In addition to meeting standards, ElderSource will require each bidder to address, at a minimum, the following issues in their response to the RFP:
 

Prioritized populations - guided by the requirements of the Older Americans Act, providers are required to target the following:

• Older individuals with greatest economic need
• Older individuals with greatest social need
• Low-income minority older individuals
• Older individuals with limited English proficiency
• Older individuals residing in rural areas
   

Outreach interventions initiated by the provider for the purpose of identifying potential clients or caregivers and encouraging their use of existing and available resources - the DOEA requires targeted outreach to the following: 

• Older individuals with greatest economic need (with particular attention to low-income older individuals, including low-income minority older individuals, older individuals with limited English proficiency, and older individuals residing in rural areas); 
• Older individuals with greatest social need (with particular attention to low-income older individuals, including low-income minority older individuals, older individuals with limited English proficiency, and older individuals residing in rural areas); 
• Older individuals residing in rural areas; 
• Older individuals with severe disabilities; 
• Older individuals with limited English-speaking ability; 
• Older individual with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction (and the caretakers of such individuals); 
• Older individuals at risk for institutional placement; 
• Caregivers

Outreach interventions to Caregivers include:   

• Caregivers of older individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction;  
• Grandparents or older individuals who are relative caregivers who provide care for children with severe disabilities;  
• Target caregivers who are older individuals with greatest social need;
• Caregivers who are older individuals with the greatest economic need (with particular attention to low-income individuals); 
• Caregivers who are older individuals who provide care to individuals with severe disabilities, including children with severe disabilities.
   

Plans to address problem areas/issues faced by older adults within our seven-county service area – these areas were identified in the 2022 ElderSource Needs Assessment, ElderSource’s strategic planning process and in ElderSource’s 2024-2027 Area Plan:

• Limited finances/economic stability: The likelihood of older adults being poor increases with age, and they are often dependent on a fixed income and have limited earning ability.
• Housing, including affordability of housing, as well as issues related to home maintenance/modification/accessibility: Older adults are often faced with spending a disproportionate share of their income on housing and utilities, which reduces what they can spend on food, medicine, health care, transportation, etc. Rising costs are leaving them at risk of poverty and homelessness. Many older adults state they have a lack of sufficient resources to assist with routine house cleaning and yard maintenance, as well as not being able to get reliable and affordable home repair and home rehabilitation. 
• Social isolation and loneliness as well as mental health issues: Many older adults are homebound and live on their own. Feelings of being socially isolated often include lack of social stimulation, and lack of trust in asking for assistance / pride. In older adults, declining health and isolation are risks for mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
• Caregiver burnout and limited supports for caregivers: Caregivers can often have similar experiences, including isolation, burnout, lack of sleep, sacrifice, financial cost, and limited support while caring for another person. Caregivers express challenges with navigating the healthcare social and legal systems. The most beneficial support that caregivers would like to have is respite care. However, they would also like more assistance with improving access to services and resources available to caregivers.  
• Health care concerns: Older adults can often face an inability to afford the uncovered costs of medical care. Food insecure individuals have overall higher health costs, as they often have higher rates of chronic disease, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and depression.  Inadequate medical care can result in an increase in the need for home-care based services as well as the possibility of premature nursing home placement. Lack of medical care may result in increased rates of chronic illnesses and deterioration of an individual’s health.
• Limited transportation options and other transportation-related issues: When asked about challenges, concerns, older adults are worried about safe driving and public transportation limitations. Public transportation barriers include the reliability of the service, the long commute time due to the number of stops, and the large geographic areas of their communities. The lack of wheelchair-accessible transportation is also a concern.
• A gap in knowledge of available services or resources: Lack of awareness of resources makes it difficult to find out what services are available. There are too many rules, and it is difficult to navigate through social service systems. The inability to navigate the social service system prevents these populations from gaining access to services. It is important to consider different means of relaying information to older adults and their caregivers based on preferences, changes/challenges in technology, and the most efficient use of available resources.
• Efforts and support related to community emergency- disaster preparedness, response, and recovery: Older adults and those with special needs, who have not registered for the special needs shelter, will be the most vulnerable in case of a disaster. Services may not be available to fit their needs and working to meet those needs will put a strain on already limited funding sources. Some PSA4 community members are electricity-dependent, using medical equipment necessary for mobility and survival.
• Provide culturally appropriate services to diverse populations: Address the needs of ethnically diverse populations; and at a minimum, nutrition providers must address the provision of menus that meet the diverse needs of their clients, and commitment to consumer choice.
   

Other key pieces of information for bidders:
 

• Provision of services are to be in coordination with and in support of the ElderSource Aging and Disability Resource Center.
• If applying to perform services utilizing Title IIID funds, a statement detailing which Evidenced Based Programs the bidder intends to provide and stating which geographic area the bidder will be serving with these programs.
• If applying to perform legal services utilizing Title IIIB funds, a statement detailing the bidder’s responsibility for ensuring compliance with DOEA legal services delivery standards. These standards seek to provide a clear definition, program standards and program qualifications for the legal services.  Requirements include detailed descriptions for targeting and prioritizing consumers based on local community needs and working with the Senior Legal Helpline.
• Estimated active/wait listed caseloads for the current contracts are shown in Table A of the RFI. 
• Funding levels for 2025 will be determined at a later date. For reference, current funding levels by county and anticipated allocations are shown in Table B.
• The type of contract required for delivery of OAA services shall be a fixed rate (unit cost) contract.  Contracts may be amended during the course of the fiscal year to respond to any surplus/deficit to ensure that all funding is fully utilized.
   

Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal must be submitted as follows:

• All Notices of Intent must be submitted via the Submittable platform. Notices of Intent received via mail, fax and e-mail will not be accepted.
• This Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal must be submitted by 11:59 P.M. (E.D.T) on August 15, 2024.
   

An intentional misrepresentation or falsification may result in the rejection of the Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal
 

ElderSource reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses, and to waive any minor irregularity in what it believes to be in the best interest of the Area Agency on Aging, the public, and those persons age 60 years or older residing in the Planning and Service Area. ElderSource does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request for information or otherwise pay for the information solicited.
 

                     All questions or inquiries must be submitted via OAARFP2024@myeldersource.org. 

Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal must be submitted as follows:

•  All Notices of Intent must be submitted via the Submittable platform. Notices of Intent received via mail, fax and e-mail will not be accepted.
• This Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal must be submitted by 11:59 P.M. (E.D.T) on August 15, 2024.

An intentional misrepresentation or falsification may result in the rejection of the Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal

ElderSource reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses, and to waive any minor irregularity in what it believes to be in the best interest of the Area Agency on Aging, the public, and those persons age 60 years or older residing in the Planning and Service Area. ElderSource does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request for information or otherwise pay for the information solicited.

By submitting this Notice of Intent we understand and agree to the following:

• The following Older Americans Act Funded Programs require a match equal to, or greater than, 10%: OAA Title IIIB, OAA Title IIIC-1, OAA Title IIIC-2 and OAA Title IIIE.
• Only fixed rate (unit cost) contracts will be issued. Contracts may be amended during the course of the fiscal year to respond to any surplus/deficit to ensure that all funding is fully utilized.
• All Notices of Intent must be submitted via the Submittable platform. Notices of Intent received via mail, fax and e-mail will not be accepted.
• This Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal must be submitted by 11:59 P.M. (E.D.T) on August 15, 2024. Late submissions will be declined.
• No response by the deadline specified shall constitute a “not interested response.”
• By submitting this Notice of Intent we certify that: “The information submitted is true, accurate and complete.”
• All questions or inquiries related to this RFI must be submitted via email at OAARFP2024@myeldersource.org by 11:59 P.M. (E.D.T) on August 15, 2024.
• An intentional misrepresentation or falsification may result in the rejection of the Notice of Intent.
• ElderSource reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses, and to waive any minor irregularity in what it believes to be in the best interest of the Area
• Agency on Aging, the public, and those persons age 60 years or older residing in the Planning and Service Area. ElderSource does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request for information or otherwise pay for the information solicited.