HomeMy WebLinkAboutC21-249 Colorado Office of Economic Security1575 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203 P 303.866.5700 www.colorado.gov/CDHS Jared Polis, Governor | Michelle Barnes, Executive Director OPERATION MEMO Title: Statewide Contract with Goodwill for Administration of LEAP Office/Division: Office of Economic Security/Division of Food & Energy Assistance Memo number: OM-FEAD-2021-0001 Program area: LEAP Outcome: Counties who wish to contract with Goodwill to administer the LEAP program will submit a signed MOU to the State LEAP Office by July 1, 2021. Pertinent statute/rule: 9 CCR 2503-7 – Low-Income Energy Assistance Program; Colorado Procurement Code at C.R.S. §§ 24-101-101 through 402; State Procurement Rules at 1 CCR 101-9; State Fiscal Rules at 1 CCR 101-1 Keywords: Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, LEAP, Goodwill, MOU, heating, assistance, administration Issue date: June 14, 2021 Effective: June 11, 2021 Expires: September 30, 2022 Intended recipients This communication has been sent to all county human service directors. Please forward pertinent information to staff members as you deem necessary. Purpose This Operation Memorandum establishes mutually agreed-upon procedures among the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), Goodwill Colorado (Goodwill), and counties who wish to use the statewide contract to operate the program. By signing the attached Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and returning it to the State LEAP Office, the county confirms its intent to use the contracted vendor through September 30, 2022 in lieu of self-administering the LEAP program. Any county that signs the MOU will have an opportunity once per year to withdraw from the statewide contract. ALL COUNTIES WHO WISH TO CONTINUE TO ADMINISTER LEAP THROUGH GOODWILL AND WHO WISH TO JOIN THE STATEWIDE CONTRACT MUST SIGN AND RETURN THE MOU. Action Counties that wish to contract with Goodwill to administer LEAP in lieu of self-administration must sign and return the attached MOU to Amy Harris at amy.harris@state.co.us by July 1, 2021. DocuSign Envelope ID: 3BE03D4D-E096-40C9-9DBE-89148D703332 C21-249 1575 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203 P 303.866.5700 www.colorado.gov/CDHS Jared Polis, Governor | Michelle Barnes, Executive Director Counties currently participating in the statewide LEAP contract: ● Counties currently participating in the statewide contract MUST SUBMIT A NEW MOU. ● If the county wishes to discontinue its contract with Goodwill and assume local administration of LEAP, it must inform the State LEAP Office by July 1, 2021. Counties self-administering LEAP: Counties that are self-administering LEAP and would like to opt in to the statewide LEAP contract beginning on October 1, 2021 must sign and return the MOU by July 1, 2021. Counties who return the MOU will begin to be served under the terms of the statewide contract on October 1, 2021. Background The State LEAP Office procured through a competitive process a statewide contract with Goodwill to administer LEAP on behalf of counties, effective October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. The contract includes the option to renew for four additional years (i.e. through September 30, 2026). October 1, 2021 will begin the first year of the contract. Attachments Memorandum of Understanding Supersedes OM-FEA-2020-0002 Contact For more information about this memo, please contact State LEAP Manager Theresa Kullen at theresa.kullen@state.co.us or 303.861.0337. Operation memos are active for three years; then they are archived and re -issued if necessary. Access the CDHS Memo Series at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdhs/cdhs-memo-series DocuSign Envelope ID: 3BE03D4D-E096-40C9-9DBE-89148D703332 1575 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203 P 303.866.5700 www.colorado.gov/CDHS Jared Polis, Governor | Michelle Barnes, Executive Director Memorandum of Understanding CDHS/LEAP Responsibilities: 1. Elicit county commitment to participate in the statewide contract via this Memorandum of Understanding. 2. Contract negotiation with Goodwill throughout the contract period. 3. Oversee and monitor Goodwill’s performance in the administration of LEAP. 4. Make all payments to Goodwill for providing services, as defined in the contract. 5. Coordinate with all stakeholders, including the Office of Information Technology, HEAT HELP, the Crisis Intervention Program, the LEAP advertising campaign, and CDHS Settlement Accounting, to transition from county administration to the statewide contract. 6. Provide all necessary training and materials to Goodwill to administer LEAP. 7. Assign and manage county access to the LEAP eligibility system. 8. Provide training on system log-in and access to information and reports. 9. Be available to answer all contractor questions and assist with matters that may arise. Goodwill Responsibilities: 1. Work closely with CDHS and LEAP staff in implementing the contract. 2. Submit detailed monthly invoices to LEAP for payment for services delivered under this contract. 3. Coordinate with other CDHS and LEAP contractors. 4. Process all LEAP applications in a timely manner to meet the State’s performance goals. 5. Ensure a team is available to assist clients, as needed, and answer their questions. 6. Provide appropriate equipment required to process LEAP applications. 7. Provide technicians access to the LEAP system. 8. Train staff beyond the pre-season training offered by CDHS and LEAP. 9. Follow all rules, policies and procedures outlined by CDHS and LEAP and adhere to any other state or federal laws applicable to LEAP. 10. Coordinate with vendors on behalf of LEAP clients, as necessary. County Responsibilities: 1. Inform the State LEAP Office of the intention to use services procured with Goodwill by signing the Memorandum of Understanding. 2. If intending to discontinue use of Goodwill and assume local administration of LEAP, inform the State LEAP Office by April 30th of each year. 3. Maintain a county presence for LEAP services. This may be accomplished by using Outreach funds to increase awareness about LEAP in the community, faxing applications received to Goodwill, making copies, providing applications to customers, assisting in emergencies, and more. 4. Provide the State LEAP Office with the name and contact information for the individual who will serve as the county contact for all LEAP-related communication throughout the contract period by August 31st of each year. 5. Assign one individual who will be responsible for accessing county LEAP reports through the LEAP web- based eligibility system. 6. Communicate to the CDHS Settlement Accounting unit its election to leave any expenditures distributed via the Random Moment Sampling cost allocation process as LEAP expenditures within the County Administration allocation, so as to avoid any expenditures being reclassified to the LEAP Administration allocation. Counties will not enter any LEAP Administrative charges in the Colorado Financial Management System (CFMS). _________________________________________________ Printed Name & Signature On behalf of the Colorado Department of Human Services __________________________________________________ Printed Name & Signature On behalf of ________________________________ County DocuSign Envelope ID: 3BE03D4D-E096-40C9-9DBE-89148D703332 Eagle Matt Scherr