From: MPetrelis@aol.com Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 20:31:48 EST Subject: SF AIDS Office/Ryan White programs to be audited [The following proposal is from Tom Calvanese, an HIV positive co-chair of the SF CARE Council.--MP] SAN FRANCISCO HIV HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING COUNCIL Open Solicitation for Proposals to Conduct 1999 Grantee Assessment The San Francisco HIV Health Services Planning Council is making available up to $50,000 to conduct an assessment of the designated grantee for CARE Act Title I funds dispersed by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services to the San Francisco Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA). The Chief Elected Official of the San Francisco Eligible Metropolitan Area, the Mayor of San Francisco, has designated the San Francisco Department of Public Health as the grantee for the Ryan White CARE Act funds. The grantee is responsible for administration of the CARE Act funds according to the priorities set by the San Francisco HIV Health Service Planning Council. The CARE Act specifies one of the responsibilities of the Planning Council as follows: `…assess the efficiency of the administrative mechanism in rapidly allocating the funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area, and assess the effectiveness of the services offered in meeting identified needs.' See attached scope of work for details. Bidders may propose to provide any or all components, as outlined in the scope of work. Joint proposals are encouraged. Interested bidders should submit a letter of intent by March 5, 1999, with final proposals due by March 26, 1999. Respondents should submit ten (10) copies of final proposals. The Council's Grantee Assessment Task Force will recommend Contractors to the Steering Committee on April 12, and the Steering Committee will make the final selection at its April 12th meeting. The contractor will begin work on April 15, 1999, after completion of negotiation of an acceptable Memorandum of Understanding. Letters of intent and proposals should be submitted to: SF HIV Health Services Planning Council Grantee Assessment Task Force c/o SF DPH AIDS Office 25 Van Ness Ave., 5th Floor San Francisco, CA 94102 Att'n: Eric Sorensen FAX: (Letters of Intent only) 415-431-7547 Please call Tom Calvanese at 415-431-7476, or 415-621-7712; or Allen Meyer at 415-292-0335, ext: 35, for questions or additional information. SAN FRANCISCO HIV HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING COUNCIL 1999 GRANTEE ASSESSMENT Overview: The HIV Health Services Planning Council is required by the Ryan White CARE Act to `assess the efficiency of the administrative mechanism in rapidly allocating the funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area and , at the discretion of the planning council, assess the effectiveness of the services offered in meeting the identified needs.' The Council has not performed such an assessment before and is seeking to contract with an independent evaluator to perform this assessment. The funds to conduct this assessment will be drawn either from the funds used to administer the CARE grant or from the Planning Council Support Budget. The Council has formed a Grantee Assessment Task Force to oversee the process. The Council is interested in quantitative and qualitative data, as well as recommendations for improvement of the grantee's functions. The Council is seeking bids from organizations which can demonstrate experience in fiscal and operational auditing, organizational analysis, and formulation of recommendations for improvement. A knowledge of the Planning Council and Department of Public Health, as well as the functioning of the CARE funded AIDS services delivery system is also desirable. To the extent possible, the Council is also interested in creating employment opportunities for people living with HIV/AIDS through this initiative. Goals: 1. To evaluate the current structure and function of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and to determine its effectiveness in carrying out its responsibility to rapidly disburse the funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area, and make recommendations for improvement in structure and function. 2. To evaluate and analyze the current structure and functioning of the accounting unit of the HIV Health Services Division, and to determine its effectiveness in carrying out its responsibility to rapidly disburse the funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area, and make recommendations for improvement in structure and function. 3. To evaluate and analyze the current structure and functioning of the contracts unit of the HIV Health Services Division, and to determine its effectiveness in carrying out its responsibility to rapidly disburse the funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area, and make recommendations for improvement in structure and function. 4. To evaluate and analyze the current structure and function of the program management component of the HIV Health Services Division, and to determine its effectiveness in carrying out its responsibility to rapidly disburse the funds to the areas of greatest need in the eligible area, as well as assessing the effectiveness of the services offered in meeting the identified needs, and make recommendations for improvement in structure and function. 5. To evaluate and analyze the current structure and function of the personnel management component of the HIV Health Services Division, and to determine its effectiveness in carrying out its responsibility to support the rapid disbursement of the funds to areas of greatest need in the eligible area, and make recommendations for improvement in structure and function. 6. To compile the results of these analyses, and to formulate recommendations for improvement in the structure and function of the grantee (administrative mechanism), in order to improve the grantee's ability to rapidly disburse the funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area, and the effectiveness of the services offered in meeting the identified needs, and to report these findings and recommendations to the Grantee Assessment Task Force, and to the Council. 7. To provide employment opportunities for people living with HIV/AIDS within the scope of work outlined below. Funds Available: $30,000 - $50,000 through either grantee administrative funds, or Planning Council Support budget. Selection of Contractor(s): The Grantee Assessment Task Force (GATF) will be responsible for review of proposals and a recommendation to the Steering Committee for final selection of contractor(s), and contract negotiations with chosen contractor(s). The GATF will use the following selection criteria: Experience in proposed area of scope of work, 10 points. Plan for conducting analysis of organizational structure, 15 points. Plan for conducting financial audit, 15 points. Plan for conducting analysis of contracts unit, 15 points. Plan for conducting analysis of program management and monitoring, 15 points. Plan for conducting analysis of personnel policies and practices, 15 points. Plan for recruiting and hiring people living with HIV, 10 points. Budget, 5 points. Total, 100 points Scope of Work 1. Project Management and Analysis Task: Coordination and oversight of the initiatives outlined below, comprehensive analysis of results and presentation to Council on or before July 26, 1999 (draft report to the GATF at its June meeting). 2. Analysis of Organizational Structure: Task: A comprehensive analysis of the organizational structure and function of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and the formulation of recommendations for improvements in structure and function. Questions: What is the current structure of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and what is the rationale for this structure? Where within this structure are decisions made concerning the disbursement of CARE funds, and what is the rationale for this decision making process? How does this structure support the accurate interpretation of the priorities set by the HIV Health Services Planning Council? How does the creation and management of HIV Health Services contracts compare to the creation and management of Department of Public Health Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with its own Health Services Divisions to provide HIV Health Services? Is there a difference? If so, what is the rationale for this difference? Methods: The information concerning these questions will be made available from the San Francisco Department of Public Health administration. Information concerning the Council's priorities is currently available, and analysis of this information may include interviews with Planning Council members. Analysis of the grantee's interpretation of these priorities may include interviews with employees of the grantee, as well as analysis of the grantee's implementation plan. To the extent possible, people living with HIV/AIDS should be provided employment opportunities. Scope: The grantee receives 5% of the San Francisco EMA's Title I CARE funds annually to administer the funds. For fiscal year 1998 - 1999, the CARE grant was $36,394,914, and the administrative budget was $1,819,746. These funds provided support for 45 staff positions (28.75 Full Time Equivalent) within the SF Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and pay for staff travel, equipment, materials and supplies. Experience needed: Experience in conducting organizational and functional analysis of management and decision making structures, analysis of results, formulation of recommendations for improvements to management structure and function, and presentation of recommendations in usable format required. Familiarity with HIV Health Services and government contracting is preferred. Resources: The Administrative staff of the AIDS Office will provide information as needed. The Grantee Assessment Task Force (GATF) will provide input on the research methods and assist with communication between the Assessor and the HIV Health Services Division. If Planning Council Support funds are used, fiscal management will be provided through the Planning Council Support Contract with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management. Timeline: A draft report will be delivered to the Grantee Assessment Task Force at its June meeting, with a final report to the Council on or before July 26, 1999. The information will be used to improve the functioning of the administrative mechanism responsible for disbursing Title I funds in future fiscal years. Other issues: The consultant is expected to work closely with the Grantee Assessment Task Force (GATF), a task force composed of members of the HIV Health Service Planning Council, which is overseeing the grantee assessment process. Interviewers and other staff hired for this project should be people living with HIV/AIDS to the greatest extent possible. Data and information gathered will remain the property of the HIV Health Services Planning Council. This analysis is one component of the grantee assessment being conducted by the Council. 3. Accounting Audit: Task: Conduct an audit of the accounting function of the HIV Health Service Division to determine the rate and accuracy of reimbursement procedures. A comprehensive analysis of the structure and function of the Accounting Unit, and the formulation of recommendations for improvements in structure and function. Questions: To what extent are CARE funds being rapidly disbursed to the areas of greatest need? Are CARE funds being used as the funding of last resort? Methods: Audit current accounting and reimbursement procedures to determine the rate of reimbursement, and the accuracy of accounting for CARE funds, as well as the extent to which CARE funds are being used as the funding of last resort. Scope: See above Experience needed: Experience in conducting financial audits, especially of federal grant funds, including analysis of results , formulation of recommendations, and presentation of results and recommendations in a usable format. Familiarity with HIV Health Services and government contracting is preferred. Resources: See above Timeline: See above Other Issues: See Above 4. Analysis of Contracts Unit: Task: A comprehensive analysis of the organizational structure and function of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division's Contracts Unit, and the formulation of recommendations for improvements in structure and function. Questions: What is the current structure of the HIV Health Services Division of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and the process for contracting for HIV Health Services? What is the rationale for this structure and process? To what extent does this structure and process support the rapid disbursement of CARE funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area? How does the Contracts Unit support the accurate interpretation of the priorities set by the HIV Health Services Planning Council? What is the process for ensuring that CARE funds are used as the funding of last resort? Methods: The information concerning these questions will be made available from the San Francisco Department of Public Health administration. Information concerning the Council's priorities is currently available, and analysis of this information may include interviews with Planning Council members. Analysis of the grantee's interpretation of these priorities may include interviews with employees of the grantee, as well as analysis of the grantee's implementation plan. To the extent possible, people living with HIV/AIDS should be provided employment opportunities. Scope: See above Experience needed: Experience in conducting structural and functional analysis of contracting processes, analysis of results, formulation of recommendations for improvements to contracting processes, and presentation of recommendations in usable format required. Familiarity with government contracting processes required. Familiarity with HIV Health Services is preferred. Resources: See above Timeline: See above Other issues: See above 5. Analysis of Program Management and Monitoring Process: Task: A comprehensive analysis of the organizational structure and function of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division's Program Management and Monitoring, and the formulation of recommendations for improvements in structure and function. Questions: What is the current structure of the HIV Health Services Division of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and the process for managing and monitoring HIV Health Services programs? What is the rationale for this structure and process? To what extent does this structure and process support the rapid disbursement of CARE funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area, and the effectiveness of the services offered in meeting the needs identified by the Planning Council? How does Program Management Staff support the accurate interpretation of the priorities set by the HIV Health Services Planning Council? What is the process for determining which programs are monitored? What is the rationale for this process? How effective is this process in identifying programs in need of further attention, including technical assistance. What is the process for providing technical assistance, and what types of assistance are available? Methods: The information concerning these questions will be made available from the San Francisco Department of Public Health administration. Information concerning the Council's priorities is currently available, and analysis of this information may include interviews with Planning Council members. Analysis of the grantee's interpretation of these priorities may include interviews with employees of the grantee, as well as analysis of the grantee's implementation plan. To the extent possible, people living with HIV/AIDS should be provided employment opportunities. Scope: The grantee receives 5% of the SF EMA's Title I CARE funds annually to administer the funds. For fiscal year 1998 - 1999, the CARE grant was $36,394,914, and the administrative budget was $1,819,746. These funds provided support for 45 staff positions (28.75 Full Time Equivalent) within the SF Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and pay for staff travel, equipment, materials and supplies. There are currently 5 staff positions charged with programmatic oversight and monitoring of CARE funded services. Experience needed: Experience in conducting organizational and functional analysis of programmatic oversight, evaluation and monitoring, analysis of results, formulation of recommendations for improvements to oversight and monitoring processes, and presentation of recommendations in usable format required. Familiarity with HIV Health Services is preferred. Resources: See above Timeline: See above Other issues: See above 6. Analysis of Personnel Policies and Practices: Task: A comprehensive analysis of the structure and function of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division's Personnel Management, and the formulation of recommendations for improvements in structure and function. Questions: What is the current structure of the HIV Health Services Division of the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division's Personnel Staff, and the process for coordinating grantee related personnel issues? What is the rationale for this structure and process? To what extent does this structure and process support the rapid disbursement of CARE funds to the areas of greatest need within the eligible area? What is the process for hiring of grantee personnel? What is the rationale for this process? How effective is this process in rapidly filling vacant staff positions? Methods: The information concerning these questions will be made available from the San Francisco Department of Public Health administration. Information concerning the Council's priorities is currently available, and analysis of this information may include interviews with Planning Council members. Analysis of the grantee's interpretation of these priorities may include interviews with employees of the grantee, as well as analysis of the grantee's implementation plan. To the extent possible, people living with HIV/AIDS should be provided employment opportunities. Scope: The grantee receives 5% of the CARE funds annually to administer the funds. For fiscal year 1998 - 1999, the CARE grant was $36,394,914, and the administrative budget was $1,819,746. These funds provided support for 45 staff positions (28.75 Full Time Equivalent) within the SF Department of Public Health HIV Health Services Division, and pay for staff travel, equipment, materials and supplies. There are currently 3 staff positions charged with personnel coordination, classification and hiring of CARE Title I funded positions, and processing grantee payroll and benefits. Experience needed: Experience in conducting structural and functional analysis of personnel policies and procedures, analysis of results, formulation of recommendations for improvements, and presentation of recommendations in usable format required. Familiarity with civil service personnel policies and procedures is preferred. Resources: See above Timeline: See above Other issues: See above TIMELINE: ACTIVITY DATE Solicitation Available February 12, 1999 Letter of Intent Requested by March 5, 1999 Proposals Due March 26, 1999 Review of Applications March 29-31, 1999 Recommendation to Steering Committee & Final Selection April 12, 1999 Negotiation of Agreement April 12-15, 1999 Begin Assessment April 15, 1999