VRS_P/T Contract Amendment Requests Spring 2019

Vocational Rehabilitation Services header

Memo

To: VRS Community Rehabilitation Providers and Limited Use Vendors

From: Kim Babine, Director of Community Partnerships

Re: P/T Contract Amendment Requests Spring 2019

Date: April 16, 2019

DEED purchases vocational services on behalf of Minnesotans with disabilities in the VR program so that they may achieve their goals for competitive, integrated employment and career development. The P/T Contracts facilitate the purchase of these services. Twice per year, community partners have the opportunity to adjust their service offerings in accordance with their business needs, the needs of individuals they work with, and the needs of the state VR program. If you have questions please contact Anne Paulson, DEED-VRS Rehabilitation Program Specialist at Anne.Paulson@state.mn.us, 651-259-7135.

Timing

  • DEED-VRS will accept requests for amendments to P/T contracts now through Friday, May 31, 2019.
  • After the amendment request period is closed, DEED-VRS will evaluate the proposals based on the criteria below. DEED-VRS believes it is prudent to evaluate all the amendment requests at the same time in order to have a fair and consistent review and evaluation.
  • If approved, DEED-VRS will draft and process amendment documents, and obtain approvals and signatures. Depending on the volume, this process is likely to take about 2 months.

Pre-Employment Transition Services

WIOA requires DEED-VRS to reserve 15% of its funding (approximately $6.5 million per year) to provide Pre-Employment Services to students with disabilities. Since this mandate took effect, current activities have proven insufficient to meet this federal requirement. For that reason, DEED-VRS will be significantly increasing the referrals for Pre-ETS services to Community Partners. Those services fall into the following five required activities:

  • Job Exploration Counseling
  • Work-Based Learning Experiences
  • Post-Secondary Education Counseling
  • Workplace Readiness Training
  • Instruction in Self Advocacy

DEED-VRS invites our Community Partners consider providing these services. To do so, we are inviting Community Partners to amend your P/T contracts in the coming weeks. The attachment linked at the bottom of this email is a list of the service titles and definitions we’d like Community Partners to consider offering.

To learn more about offering Pre-ETS services, please see the guidebook for Community Partners linked below.

If you have questions about the services, please contact Anne Paulson, DEED-VRS Rehabilitation Program Specialist at Anne.Paulson@state.mn.us, 651-259-7135.

Amendment Request Evaluation

  • DEED evaluates amendments based on an assessment of the need for a particular service, an assessment of the provider to deliver the service, and an assessment of the proposed rate for the service.
  • “Service need” may include the needs of VR individuals, the needs of the state VR program, and/or the business needs of community partner organizations.
  • Rate Increases: If a community partner organization is requesting to increase the rate for a service already on their contract, the community partner organization will need to provide a rationale for the rate increase. The requested rate increase must be acceptable to DEED’s Administrative and Financial Services and the Minnesota Department of Administration’s Office of State Procurement. Some questions to consider are: Is there a change in the external cost of the service? Is there a change in the regulatory environment? Is the provider changing or enhancing the service that makes the rate increase necessary?

Amendment Request Instructions

  • Please refer to your current P/T contract in developing your amendment request. Contracts can be found online at mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/disabilities/partners
  • If you have questions as you develop your amendment, please contact Anne Paulson, DEED-VRS Rehabilitation Program Specialist at Anne.Paulson@state.mn.us, 651-259-7135.
  • Complete Amendment Request Form per the instructions on the form. The form can be found online at https://mn.gov/deed/assets/pt-contract-amendment-request_tcm1045-362561.docx.
  • Submit Amendment Request Form to Anne Paulson at Anne.Paulson@state.mn.us by 4:00 pm, Friday, May 31, 2019. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Tentative Future Amendment Request Periods

  • DEED-VRS has committed to opening submissions for amendment requests twice per year. This is the first round of 2019.
    The tentative dates for 2019 and 2020 are:
  • 2019 “Round 2” (Tentative)
    • Request Submission Period: September - October
    • Contract Evaluation, Development, Reviews, and Approvals: November - December
  • 2020 “Round 1” (Tentative)
    • Request Submission Period: January - February
    • Contract Evaluation, Development, Reviews, and Approvals: March - April
  • 2020 “Round 2” (Tentative)
    • Request Submission Period: August - September
    • Contract Evaluation, Development, Reviews, and Approvals: October – November

New LUVs and CRPs

Review of new providers includes an assessment of service need, an assessment of provider to deliver the service, and an assessment of proposed rate for the service. New LUVs will undergo the same assessment as new CRPs, with some additional scrutiny because they are not CARF accredited. Applications for new LUVs and CRPs are accepted at any time.

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