This Request for Proposals (the “RFP”) is an invitation by the Coordinating Entity to prospective proponents to submit proposals for Integrated Nurse Triage Software, Telephony, Call Trunking, and Call Recording Solution including Software Licensing, Software Support and Maintenance, implementation and Professional Services as further described in Section A of the RFP Particulars (Appendix D) (the “Deliverables”).
The Coordinating Entity, as identified on the cover page, is issuing this RFP and administering the RFP process on behalf of the Purchaser(s) identified in Section B – Material Disclosures of the RFP Particulars (Appendix D).
Request:
Coordinating Entity is seeking proposals from proponents for an Integrated Nurse Triage Software, Call Trunking, Telephony and Call Recording Solution for an externally hosted – managed service. The expectation will be for the implementation to commence following the effective date of the Agreement (the “Project”). The words “solution” and “system” may be used interchangeably throughout the RFP.
Background:
The Provincial Health Contact Centre (PHCC) delivers 20 programs and services to Manitobans. The PHCC’s flagship program is Health Links – Info Santé: a bilingual phone-based nurse-supported triage, assessment and education program available to all Manitobans, operating 24/7, 365 days of the year. A team of registered nurses follow assessment guidelines to triage health issues and provide care advice. Health Links – Info Santé is at the forefront of provincial public health crises, most recently COVID-19.
Other programs and services at the PHCC include:
- Breastfeeding hotline
- High/low acuity EMS transfer
- Public health and agency linkage including reportables such as animal bites, abuse, etc.
- TeleCARE TéléSOINS, supported by registered nurses providing chronic disease education, assessment and support
- Dial-a-Dietitian, supported by registered dietitians providing dietary education
- After-hours/Central Intake providing Home Care program support
As Manitoba’s leader in virtual care, along with the continued provincial pandemic response and provincial health-care transformation, PHCC’s role in care delivery is evolving. It is critical that integration capabilities meet not only present programmatic demands with internal software applications and telephony solutions, but equally be capable to integrate and/or link with external programs provincially.
More than ever, virtual care is an integral and integrated source of primary care for patients provincially. As new models of care continue to evolve, PHCC’s role must continue meeting the increased reliance on digital modalities supporting multifaceted complex healthcare needs provincially.
Objectives:
- Replace an existing nurse triage, symptom assessment and referral software solution with comparable software product and include all telephony requirements now referred to as the “Integrated Nurse Triage Software and Telephony Solution”;
- Improve access to information and services to a broader population over time by offering patient access to the health system via additional methods, including:
- Web self service – the ability for patients to search and obtain health information directly via the Internet;
- Texting and web-chat – provide improved, interactive and personalized access to nurses/agents by patients across the Province.
- Support nurse and agent access via multiple venues, phone, web-chat, texting, email, etc. while maintaining the ability to triage, provide health information and document the interaction.
The term is for ten (10) years with an option in favour of the Purchaser to extend the Agreement on the same terms and conditions for up to one (1), two (2) year option year term. The option year term will be exercised at the sole discretion of the Coordinating Entity.
If the proponent who proceeds to contract negotiations had responded “No” to any particular question in this “Annex J – Revisions to the Agreement – Annex A” therefore indicating no changes for that particular section were required (with the exception of non-substantive changes as explained below), but later determines during the negotiation process that substantive changes are required to such section, that proponent will then have their scores readjusted for Step 1 – Proposal Evaluation.
- If readjusted score(s) result in a proponent no longer being the highest scoring proponent from their combined scores from Step 1 – Proposal Evaluation and Step 2 – Proponent Presentation, they will be re-ranked based on their readjusted score(s) from the RFP process.
As per Appendix E – Additional Evaluation Steps: “At the conclusion of Step 1 – Proposal Evaluation, the highest scoring proponent will proceed to Step 2 – Proponent Demonstration and Presentation, along with up to two (2) of the next highest scoring proponents, provided they are within ten (10) points (rounded to two decimal places) of the highest scoring proponent”. The proponent(s) with the highest combined aggregate score from Step 1 – Proposal Evaluation and Step 2 – Proponent Presentation will proceed to Step 3 – References, along with any other proponents who proceeded to Step 2 – Proponent Presentation, provided their combined aggregate score from Step 1 – Proposal Evaluation and Step 2 – Proponent Presentation are within three (3) points or less (rounded to two decimals) of the proponent(s) highest combined aggregate score.
It is the responsibility of the proponent to ensure that any response to this Annex J is made and provided by an individual with sufficient authority to bind the proponent, or on behalf of such individual, who can agree to the terms and conditions indicated herein and contained in the Agreement at Annex A.
Non-substantive changes: Typographical, spelling and grammar corrections will be allowed and are not deemed to be changes to the sections of the agreement indicated herein. Proponents should only indicate “YES” to sections that they will require substantive changes to be made to before they are able to enter into the agreement.
