- Title
- 45 CFR 155 Programmatic and Financial Audits RFP #03410-255-27
- Pdf Text
- Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 1 of 50
Department of Vermont Health Access
5 Pilgrim Park Waterbury, VT 05671-1010
802-879-5900
https://dvha.vermont.gov/
SEALED BID
Request For Proposal
45 CFR 155 Programmatic and Financial Audits
RFP #03410-255-27
ISSUE DATE October 20, 2026
QUESTIONS DUE October 30, 2026
RFP RESPONSES DUE BY November 6, 2026 – 4:30 PM (EST)
Please be advised that all notifications, releases, and addendums associated with this
RFP will be posted at:
https://www.vermontbusinessregistry.com/
The state will make no attempt to contact interested parties with updated information. It is the
responsibility of each bidder to periodically check the above webpage for any and all
notifications, releases and addendums associated with this RFP.
STATE CONTACT: Emily Weidman
E-MAIL: AHS.DVHAGrantsContracts@vermont.gov
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OVERVIEW:
1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) the Agency of
Human Services through the Department of Vermont Health Access (hereinafter the
“State”) is seeking to establish contracts with one or more companies that can provide
45 CFR 155 Programmatic and Financial Audits. The State is soliciting proposals to
contract a CPA firm independent of State Medicaid Agency and subject Vermont Health
Connect, a State Based Exchange (SBE), to perform Programmatic and Financial
audits for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026 through SFY2030 in accordance with
attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants and the standards applicable to attestation engagements contained in
Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States
and issue reports on the Department of Vermont Health Access (hereinafter “DVHA”)
Vermont Health Benefit Exchange’s compliance with the requirements in 45 CFR 155
Programmatic and Financial Audits.
1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Contracts arising from this RFP will be for a period of two (2)
years with an option to renew for up to two additional twelve-month periods. The State
anticipates the start date will be November 1, 2026.
1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be
addressed in writing to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or
attempted contact with any other individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly
prohibited and may result in disqualification.
1.4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any bidder requiring clarification of any section of
this RFP or wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific
questions in writing no later than the deadline for question indicated on the first page of
this RFP. Questions may be e-mailed to the point of contact on the front page of this
RFP. Questions or comments not raised in writing on or before the last day of the
question period are thereafter waived. At the close of the question period a copy of all
questions or comments and the State's responses will be posted on the State’s web site
http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Every effort will be made to post this
information as soon as possible after the question period ends, contingent on the
number and complexity of the questions.
1.5. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in writing by the
State through the issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online at
http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Modifications from any other source are
not to be considered.
2. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED OUTCOMES:
The Program Integrity Rule Part II (PI Reg), 45 CFR 155.1200(c) states; the State
[Marketplace] must engage an independent qualified auditing entity which follows generally
accepted governmental auditing standards (GAGAS) to perform an annual independent
external financial and programmatic audit and must make such information available to the
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for review by June 1 annually. The
regulation also states that the Marketplace will submit to CMS, concurrent with the annual
report, the results of the audit along with proposals on how it will remedy any material
weakness or significant deficiency conducted annually by an independent external audit firm.
The auditor chosen by the Marketplace must comply with 45 CFR 155.1200(c).
2.1. The independent audit must address the following areas:
2.1.1. Accurate accounting of Marketplace receipts and expenditures in accordance with
GAAP.
2.1.2. Compliance with 45 CFR Part 155.
2.1.3. Processes and procedures designed to prevent improper eligibility determinations and
enrollment transactions.
2.1.4. Identification of errors that resulted in incorrect eligibility determinations.
3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
3.1. PRICING: Bidders must price the terms of this solicitation at their best pricing. Any and
all costs that Bidder wishes the State to consider must be submitted for consideration. If
applicable, all equipment pricing is to include F.O.B. delivery to the ordering facility. No
request for extra delivery cost will be honored. All equipment shall be delivered
assembled, serviced, and ready for immediate use, unless otherwise requested by the
State.
3.1.1. Prices and/or rates shall remain firm for the initial term of the contract. The pricing
policy submitted by Bidder must (i) be clearly structured, accountable, and auditable
and (ii) cover the full spectrum of materials and/or services required.
3.1.2. Cooperative Agreements. Bidders that have been awarded similar contracts
through a competitive bidding process with another state and/or cooperative are
welcome to submit the pricing in response to this solicitation.
3.2. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS: The State shall have the authority to evaluate Responses
and select the Bidder(s) as may be determined to be in the best interest of the State and
consistent with the goals and performance requirements outlined in this RFP. The State
of Vermont reserves the right to obtain clarification or additional information necessary to
properly evaluate a proposal. Failure of bidder to respond to a request for additional
information or clarification could result in rejection of that bidder's proposal. To secure a
project that is deemed to be in the best interest of the State, the State reserves the right
to accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, with or without cause, and to
waive technicalities in submissions. The State also reserves the right to make purchases
outside of the awarded contracts where it is deemed in the best interest of the State.
3.2.1. Best and Final Offer (BAFO). At any time after submission of Responses and
prior to the final selection of Bidder(s) for Contract negotiation or execution, the State
may invite Bidder(s) to provide a BAFO. The state reserves the right to request
BAFOs from only those Bidders that meet the minimum qualification requirements
and/or have not been eliminated from consideration during the evaluation process.
3.2.2. Presentation. An in-person or webinar presentation by the Bidder may be
required by the State if it will help the State’s evaluation process. The State will
factor information presented during presentations into the evaluation. Bidders will be
responsible for all costs associated with providing the presentation.
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3.3. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:
3.3.1. Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCOI): An OCOI arises when a bidder as a
business entity has interests (for example, customers, partners, contracts) that could
undermine, or reasonably be perceived to undermine, its faithful and unbiased
performance of a contract with the State that may result from this solicitation.
3.3.2. Personal Conflict of Interest (PCOI): A PCOI arises when an interest held by an
individual, agent or employee of a bidder could undermine, or reasonably be
perceived to undermine, its faithful and unbiased performance of a contract with the
State that may result from this solicitation.
3.3.3. Requirements: The State does not seek to contract with any individual or
business entity having a conflict of interest which cannot be mitigated to the State’s
satisfaction. To ensure the State’s awareness of actual, potential, or reasonably
perceived PCOIs and OCOIs, bidders shall:
a) Prior to submitting a proposal, conduct an internal review of its current affiliations
and activities and identify actual, potential, or reasonably perceived PCOIs or
OCOIs relative to a contract with the State that may result from this solicitation.
b) Disclose in your proposal any actual or potential PCOI or OCOI or the existence of
any facts that may cause a reasonably prudent person to perceive a PCOI or
OCOI with respect to a contract with the State that may result from this solicitation.
Disclose, also, any actions proposed to mitigate the PCOI or OCOI.
3.3.4. The State shall have sole discretion to determine whether a PCOI or OCOI can be
mitigated to the State’s satisfaction and may discuss the conflict with the bidder if
and to the extent the State deems discussion necessary to its determination. The
State reserves the right to (a) reject from further consideration any proposal having a
PCOI or OCOI that cannot be mitigated to the State’s full satisfaction and (b)
terminate a contract upon discovery that a contractor failed to disclose facts
pertaining to a PCOI or OCOI in its proposal, or otherwise misrepresented relevant
information to the State.
3.4. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS: In accordance with
Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54),
Bidders must comply with the following provisions and requirements.
3.4.1. Self Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidder shall complete
the appropriate section in the attached Certificate of Compliance for purposes of
self-reporting information relating to past violations, convictions, suspensions, and
any other information related to past performance relative to coding and
classification of workers. The State is requiring information on any violations that
occurred in the previous 12 months.
3.4.2. Subcontractor Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidders are
hereby notified that upon award of contract, and prior to contract execution, the State
shall be provided with a list of all proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’
subcontractors, together with the identity of those subcontractors’ workers
compensation insurance providers, and additional required or requested information,
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as applicable, in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54). This requirement does not apply to
subcontractors providing supplies only and no labor to the overall contract or project.
This list MUST be updated and provided to the State as additional subcontractors
are hired. A sample form is available online at http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing-
contracting/forms. The subcontractor reporting form is not required to be
submitted with the bid response.
3.5. EXECUTIVE ORDER 05-16: CLIMATE CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS IN STATE
PROCUREMENTS:
For bid amounts exceeding $25,000.00 Bidders are requested to complete the Climate
Change Considerations in State Procurements Certification, which is included in the
Certificate of Compliance for this RFP.
After consideration of all relevant factors, a bidder that demonstrates business practices
that promote clean energy and address climate change as identified in the Certification,
shall be given favorable consideration in the competitive bidding process. Such
favorable consideration shall be consistent with and not supersede any preference given
to resident bidders of the State and/or products raised or manufactured in the State, as
explained in the Method of Award section. But, such favorable consideration shall not be
employed if prohibited by law or other relevant authority or agreement.
3.6. METHOD OF AWARD: Awards will be made in the best interest of the State. The State
may award one or more contracts and reserves the right to make additional awards to
other compliant bidders at any time if such award is deemed to be in the best interest of
the State. All other considerations being equal, preference will be given first to resident
bidders of the state and/or to products raised or manufactured in the state, and then to
bidders who have practices that promote clean energy and address climate change, as
identified in the applicable Certificate of Compliance.
3.6.1. Evaluation Criteria: Consideration shall be given to the Bidder’s project approach
and methodology, qualifications and experience, ability to provide the services within
the defined timeline, cost, and/or success in completing similar projects, as
applicable, and to the extent specified below.
CRITERIA FOR SCORING
Total
possible
points
1. INFORMATION FROM THE BIDDER
A. Quality of Bidder’s Experience 40
In this Section the bidder is telling the State about the related experience the bidder
has with these services, health information technology/exchange, related policy
activity, etc.; including details of experience in research and evaluations of this
nature; knowledge of health care reform and health information exchanges are
preferred
40
2. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL & EXAMINATION APPROACH /PROGRAM
SPECIFICATIONS
A. Responsiveness to Specifications 30
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In this Section the bidder is telling the State of their strategy for responding to the
evaluation and reporting requirements. The State prefers bidders who place an
emphasis on demonstrating the statistical validity of their research and sampling
methodology.
30
3. PROGRAM COST 30
In this Section the bidder is detailing how they will be funded to accomplish this work
and how they will bill the State for the work performed. 30
OVERALL TOTAL SCORE 100
3.7. CONTRACT NEGOTIATION: Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State may
select one or more bidders with which to negotiate a contract, based on the evaluation
findings and other criteria deemed relevant for ensuring that the decision made is in the
best interest of the State. In the event State is not successful in negotiating a contract
with a selected bidder, the State reserves the option of negotiating with another bidder,
or to end the proposal process entirely.
3.8. COST OF PREPARATION: Bidder shall be solely responsible for all expenses incurred
in the preparation of a response to this RFP and shall be responsible for all expenses
associated with any presentations or demonstrations associated with this request and/or
any proposals made.
3.9. CONTRACT TERMS: The selected bidder(s) will be expected to sign a contract with the
State, including the Standard Contract Form and Attachment C as attached to this RFP
for reference. If IT Attachment D is included in this RFP, terms may be modified based
upon the solution proposed by the Bidder, subject to approval by the Agency of Digital
Services.
3.9.1. Business Registration. To be awarded a contract by the State of Vermont a
bidder (except an individual doing business in his/her own name) must be registered
with the Vermont Secretary of State’s office
https://sos.vermont.gov/corporations/registration/ and must obtain a Contractor’s
Business Account Number issued by the Vermont Department of Taxes
http://tax.vermont.gov/ .
3.9.2. The contract will obligate the bidder to provide the services and/or products
identified in its bid, at the prices listed.
3.9.3. Payment Terms. Percentage discounts may be offered for prompt payments of
invoices; however, such discounts must be in effect for a period of 30 days or more
in order to be considered in making awards.
3.9.4. Retainage. In the discretion of the State, a contract resulting from this RFP may
provide that the State withhold a percentage of the total amount payable for some or
all deliverables, such retainage to be payable upon satisfactory completion and State
acceptance in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract.
3.9.5. Quality. If applicable, all products provided under a contract with the State will be
new and unused, unless otherwise stated. Factory seconds or remanufactured
products will not be accepted unless specifically requested by the purchasing
agency. All products provided by the contractor must meet all federal, state, and
local standards for quality and safety requirements. Products not meeting these
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standards will be deemed unacceptable and returned to the contractor for credit at
no charge to the State.
4. CONTENT AND FORMAT OF RESPONSES: The content and format requirements listed
below are the minimum requirements for State evaluation. These requirements are not
intended to limit the content of a Bidder’s proposal. Bidders may include additional
information or offer alternative solutions for the State’s consideration. However, the State
discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals, and Bidders are advised to include only
such information in their response as may be relevant to the requirements of this solicitation.
4.1. Unsolicited Bidder-Confidential Information Prohibited. Bidders are hereby
expressly directed not to include any confidential information in their proposal
submissions, except as specifically permitted below. By submitting a proposal in
response to this RFP, bidders acknowledge and agree to abide by the terms and
conditions outlined in this document, including the prohibition on submitting confidential
information. This prohibition reduces the burden on the State while preventing bidder-
confidential information from entering the public record.
4.2. Disclosure under Public Records Act. All information received by the State in
response to this solicitation will become part of the contract file and subject to public
disclosure in accordance with the State’s Public Records Act, 1 V.S.A. § 315 et seq. The
State may also choose to publicly post responses to this solicitation and the resulting
agreement(s), following conclusion of this procurement process.
4.3. Unsolicited Confidential Materials. This RFP does not solicit bidder confidential
information and bidders are expressly prohibited from providing confidential information in
response to this RFP. All materials furnished by bidders in response to this RFP,
including those marked as confidential by bidders, are subject to disclosure if requested
under the Public Records Act, or public posting.
4.4. State Not Responsible for Disclosure of Unmarked Bidder-Confidential
Information. It is the sole responsibility of the bidder to ensure that, other than where
specifically directed or permitted by this RFP and accordingly marked as described
below, no information that should not be publicly disclosed is included in their proposal
materials, including any 1) trade secrets or intellectual property, 2) proprietary financial or
business information, 3) personal information, or 4) any other information that should not
be disclosed to the public. For example, bidders should avoid including specific details of
their proprietary technologies or methodologies that they consider confidential, and any
references to previous client engagements should be presented in a manner that does
not disclose the client's confidential information.
4.5. The bid should include a Cover Letter and Technical Response and Price Schedule.
4.6. COVER LETTER:
4.6.1. Exceptions to Contract Terms and Conditions. If a bidder wishes to propose an
exception to any terms and conditions set forth in the Standard Contract Form and
its attachments, such exceptions must be included in the cover letter to the RFP
response. Failure to note exceptions when responding to the RFP will be deemed to
be acceptance of the State contract terms and conditions. If exceptions are not
noted in the response to this RFP but raised during contract negotiations, the State
reserves the right to cancel the negotiation if deemed to be in the best interests of
the State. Note that exceptions to contract terms may cause rejection of the
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proposal, and that the State’s non-rejection of a proposal on this basis does not
indicate acceptance of the exceptions.
4.7. TECHNICAL RESPONSE. In response to this RFP, a bidder shall:
4.7.1. Provide details concerning your form of business organization, company size and
resources.
4.7.2. Describe your capabilities and particular experience relevant to the RFP
requirements.
4.7.3. If you have experience working with the State of Vermont, identify all current or
past State projects. Provide the name of the Vermont department or agency and the
project title or a brief description of the work. Do not include references or
statements from State of Vermont agencies or employees.
4.7.4. Identify the names of all subcontractors you intend to use, the portions of the work
the subcontractors will perform, and address the background and experience of the
subcontractor(s), in response to the questions described above in this section.
4.8. REFERENCES. Provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three
companies with whom you have transacted similar business in the last 12 months. You
must include contact names who can talk knowledgeably about performance. Do not list
a State of Vermont agency or employee as a reference.
4.9. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Provide a sample of any reporting documentation that
may be applicable to the Detailed Requirements of this RFP.
4.10. PRICE SCHEDULE: Bidders shall submit their pricing information in the Price
Schedule attached to the RFP.
4.11. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE: This form must be completed and submitted
as part of the response for the proposal to be considered valid.
5. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
5.1. CLOSING DATE: Bids must be received by the State by the due date specified on the
front page of this RFP. Late bids will not be considered.
5.1.1. The State may, for cause, issue an addendum to change the date and/or time
when bids are due. If a change is made, the State will inform all bidders by posting
at the webpage indicated on the front page of this RFP.
5.1.2. There will not be a public bid opening. However, the State will record the name,
city and state for any and all bids received by the due date.
5.2. ELECTRONIC BIDS ONLY: All bids under this RFP must be submitted electronically in
accordance with the submission requirements herein.
5.2.1. Electronic bids will be accepted via email submission to
AHS.DVHAGrantsContracts@vermont.gov he subject line of the email submission
must reference the Project Title as indicated on the front page of this RFP.
5.2.1.1. Bids must consist of a single email with digitally searchable PDF attachments
containing all components of the bid. Multiple emails will not be accepted.
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5.2.1.2. There is an attachment size limit of 40 MB. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to
compress the PDF file containing its bid if necessary in order to meet this size
limitation. It is also the Bidder's responsibility to ensure that their own email
system can send and receive messages up to this size.
6. BID SUBMISSION CHECKLIST:
Cover Letter
Technical Response
Redacted Technical Response, if applicable
References
Signed Certificate of Compliance
7. ATTACHMENTS:
7.1. Certificate of Compliance
7.2. Worker Classification Compliance Requirement; Subcontractor Reporting Form
7.3. Standard State Contract with its associated attachments
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RFP/PROJECT:
DATE:
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
For your bid to be considered valid, this form must be completed in its entirety, executed
by a duly authorized representative of the bidder, and submitted as part of the response
to the proposal.
A. NON COLLUSION: Bidder hereby certifies that the prices quoted have been arrived at
without collusion and that no prior information concerning these prices has been received
from or given to a competitive company. If there is sufficient evidence to warrant
investigation of the bid/contract process by the Office of the Attorney General, bidder
understands that this paragraph might be used as a basis for litigation.
B. CONTRACT TERMS: Bidder hereby acknowledges that is has read, understands and
agrees to the terms of this RFP, including Attachment C: Standard State Contract
Provisions, and any other contract attachments included with this RFP.
C. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT: In accordance with
Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), the
following provisions and requirements apply to Bidder when the amount of its bid exceeds
$250,000.00.
Self-Reporting. Bidder hereby self-reports the following information relating to past
violations, convictions, suspensions, and any other information related to past
performance relative to coding and classification of workers, that occurred in the previous
12 months.
Summary of Detailed
Information
Date of
Notification
Outcome
Subcontractor Reporting. Bidder hereby acknowledges and agrees that if it is a
successful bidder, prior to execution of any contract resulting from this RFP, Bidder will
provide to the State a list of all proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’
subcontractors, together with the identity of those subcontractors’ workers compensation
insurance providers, and additional required or requested information, as applicable, in
accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act
No. 54), and Bidder will provide any update of such list to the State as additional
subcontractors are hired. Bidder further acknowledges and agrees that the failure to
submit subcontractor reporting in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery
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and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54) will constitute non-compliance and may result
in cancellation of contract and/or restriction from bidding on future state contracts.
D. Executive Order 05 – 16: Climate Change Considerations in State Procurements
Certification
Bidder certifies to the following (Bidder may attach any desired explanation or
substantiation. Please also note that Bidder may be asked to provide
documentation for any applicable claims):
1. Bidder owns, leases or utilizes, for business purposes, space that has received:
Energy Star® Certification
LEED®, Green Globes®, or Living Buildings Challenge℠ Certification
Other internationally recognized building certification:
_______________________________________________________________________
2. Bidder has received incentives or rebates from an Energy Efficiency Utility or Energy
Efficiency Program in the last five years for energy efficient improvements made at
bidder’s place of business. Please explain:
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Please Check all that apply:
Bidder can claim on-site renewable power or anaerobic-digester power (“cow-
power”). Or bidder consumes renewable electricity through voluntary purchase or
offset, provided no such claimed power can be double-claimed by another party.
Bidder uses renewable biomass or bio-fuel for the purposes of thermal (heat)
energy at its place of business.
Bidder’s heating system has modern, high-efficiency units (boilers, furnaces,
stoves, etc.), having reduced emissions of particulate matter and other air
pollutants.
Bidder tracks its energy consumption and harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
What tool is used to do this? _____________________
Bidder promotes the use of plug-in electric vehicles by providing electric vehicle
charging, electric fleet vehicles, preferred parking, designated parking, purchase or
lease incentives, etc..
Bidder offers employees an option for a fossil fuel divestment retirement account.
Bidder offers products or services that reduce waste, conserve water, or promote
energy efficiency and conservation. Please explain:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Please list any additional practices that promote clean energy and take action to
address climate change:
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_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
E. Executive Order 02 – 22: Solidarity with the Ukrainian People
By checking this box, Bidder certifies that none of the goods, products, or
materials offered in response to this solicitation are Russian-sourced goods or
produced by Russian entities. If Bidder is unable to check the box, it shall indicate
in the table below which of the applicable offerings are Russian-sourced goods
and/or which are produced by Russian entities. An additional column is provided
for any note or comment that you may have.
Provided
Equipment or
Product
Note or Comment
F. Certification Regarding Use of Contract Funds for Lobbying - Applicable to contracts
over $100,000.00 when federal monies are involved - this clause must be included in all
subcontracts over $100,000.00.
1. The prospective contractor certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, under
the penalties of perjury under the laws of the State of Vermont and the United States that
on behalf of the person, firm, association, or corporation he or she represents, that:
a. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the
undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or
employee of any Federal agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of
Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of
any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan,
the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal,
amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative
agreement.
b. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to
any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any
Federal agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan,
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or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-
LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.
2. This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed
when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a
prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by 31 U.S.C. 1352. Any
person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not
less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.
3. The prospective contractor also agrees that they shall require that the language of
this certification be included in all lower tier subcontracts, which exceed $100,000 and
that all such recipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.
Bidder Name: Contact Name:
Address: Fax Number:
Telephone:
E-Mail:
By: Name:
Signature of Bidder (or Representative) (Type or Print)
END OF CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
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SUBCONTRACTOR REPORTING FORM
This form must be completed in its entirety and submitted prior to contract execution and
updated as necessary and provided to the State as additional subcontractors are hired.
The Department of Buildings and General Services in accordance with Act 54, Section 32 of the
Acts of 2009 and for total project costs exceeding $250,000.00 requires bidders to comply with
the following provisions and requirements.
Contractor is required to provide a list of subcontractors on the job along with lists of
subcontractor’s subcontractors and by whom those subcontractors are insured for workers’
compensation purposes. Include additional pages if necessary. This is not a requirement for
subcontractor’s providing supplies only and no labor to the overall contract or project.
Subcontractor Insured By Subcontractor’s Sub Insured By
Date:
Name of Company: Contact Name:
Address: Title:
Phone Number:
E-mail: Fax Number:
By: Name:
Failure to adhere to Act 54, Section 32 of the Acts of 2009 and submit Subcontractor Reporting:
Worker Classification Compliance Requirement will constitute non-compliance and may result in
cancellation of contract and/or forfeiture of future bidding privileges until resolved.
Send Completed Form to: AHS.DVHAGrantsContracts@vermont.gov
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STANDARD CONTRACT FOR SERVICES
1. Parties. This is a contract for services between the State of Vermont, _____________
(hereinafter called “State”), and _____________, with a principal place of business in
_____________, (hereinafter called “Contractor”). Contractor’s form of business organization is
_____________. It is Contractor’s responsibility to contact the Vermont Department of Taxes to
determine if, by law, Contractor is required to have a Vermont Department of Taxes Business
Account Number.
2. Subject Matter. The subject matter of this contract is services generally on the subject of
_____________. Detailed services to be provided by Contractor are described in Attachment A.
3. Maximum Amount. In consideration of the services to be performed by Contractor, the State
agrees to pay Contractor, in accordance with the payment provisions specified in Attachment B,
a sum not to exceed $________.00.
4. Contract Term. The period of Contractor’s performance shall begin on November 1, 2026 and
end on October 31, 2029.
5. Prior Approvals. This Contract shall not be binding unless and until all requisite prior approvals
have been obtained in accordance with current State law, bulletins, and interpretations.
6. Amendment. No changes, modifications, or amendments in the terms and conditions of this
contract shall be effective unless reduced to writing, numbered and signed by the duly authorized
representative of the State and Contractor.
7. Termination for Convenience. This contract may be terminated by the State at any time by
giving written notice at least thirty (30) days in advance. In such event, Contractor shall be paid
under the terms of this contract for all services provided to and accepted by the State prior to the
effective date of termination.
8. Attachments. This contract consists of ___ pages including the following attachments which
are incorporated herein:
Attachment A – Specifications of Work to be Performed
Attachment B - Payment Provisions
Attachment C – “Standard State Provisions for Contracts and Grants” a preprinted form
(revision date 02/13/2026)
Attachment D – Other Provisions for IT Professional Services
Attachment E – Business Associate Agreement
Attachment F – Agency of Human Services’ Customary Contract-Grant Provisions
Attachment G - State of Vermont – Federal Terms Supplement - Non-Construction
(December 30, 2024)
Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 16 of 50
9. Order of Precedence. Any ambiguity, conflict or inconsistency between the documents
comprising this contract shall be resolved according to the following order of precedence:
(1) Standard Contract
(2) Attachment D
(3) Attachment C
(4) Attachment G
(5) Attachment A
(6) Attachment B
(7) Attachment E
(8) Attachment F
WE THE UNDERSIGNED PARTIES AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THIS CONTRACT
By the State of Vermont: By the Contractor:
Date: Date:
Signature: Signature:
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 17 of 50
ATTACHMENT A
SPECIFICATIONS OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED
Contractor will provide an independent examination of the State of Vermont’s compliance
with the federal government regulations for state health insurance exchanges (known as
State-Based Exchanges or SBE’s) and Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers for services
rendered in the initial reporting period. This examination and the related reports must
meet the requirements of the CMS final rule (9957-F) issued August 30, 2013, effective
October 1, 2013 (amended Dec. 27, 2019) and 45 CFR 155.1200, Exchange
Establishment Standards and Other Related Standards under the Affordable Care Act.
The Examination and accompanying Audit Reports are referred to herein as the
Examination. The Contractor’s Examination will result in a Financial Statement Audit
Report and a Programmatic Compliance Audit Report, to be issued by the Contractor in
writing, that details the methodology and outcome of the Examination. The Examination
and accompanying Audit Reports will comply with all regulatory requirements regardless
of whether those requirements are directly referenced within this agreement. No
Examination shall be considered complete without at least the following areas of
Oversight and Financial Integrity:
a. Financial Reporting: Accuracy for accounting of receipts and expenditures in
accordance with GAAP.
b. Control Framework: Assessment of design and implementation of processes for all
activities for effectiveness, efficiency, integrity, transparency, and accountability.
c. Monitoring: Assessment of financial and programmatic monitoring activities to
include the Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC), and Privacy and Security
Information Technology requirement safeguards.
d. Reporting: Assessment of reporting activities for APTC/CSR (Cost Sharing
Reductions) calculations, eligibilities and enrollment data, enrollee satisfaction,
and results of financial and programmatic audits.
e. Performance Information: Assessment of the selection of Quality Rating System
(QRS) health plan measures, the organization of these measures, the organization
of measures, and strategy for collecting, calculating and submitting QRS data.
The Examination shall include an analysis of Specific Exchange Compliance Focus Areas, and
shall comply with 45 CFR Part 155 and assess:
a. Processes and procedures designed to prevent improper eligibility
determinations and enrollment transactions.
b. Identification of errors that resulted in incorrect eligibility determinations.
Contractor shall inquire into and assess all relevant data sources, including, but not limited to,
those included in CMS-9957-F and 45 CFR Part 155 for the Examination. Contractor’s
Examination shall utilize at a minimum the following primary data sources:
A. Quarterly and annual Outcomes Metrics Reports
B. Performance Monitoring data under 45 CFR Subpart M, 155.200(a)(3)
Revised: February 13, 2026
Page 18 of 50
C. State-Blueprint Profiles through SERVIS
D. State of Vermont Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (ACFR)
E. State of Vermont A-133 Single Audit Report
The Contractor warrants that Contractor has reviewed the requirements set forth in 45 CFR 155,
Subparts C, D, E, and K and will assess SBE’s compliance with each subpart. Requirements
and documentation to review for each subpart are provided below:
PI Reg. Required Elements to Review
Subpart C—
General
Functions of the
Exchange
• Processes and procedures for privacy and security of
navigators.
• Processes and procedures for addressing complaints.
• Processes and procedures for providing assistance in
culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
• Training standards.
• Breaches of Security or Privacy by a navigator grantee.
• Standards designed to prevent and mitigate any conflicts
of interest, financial or otherwise.
• Confirmation that ensures funding for navigator grants does
not come from federal funds.
• Privacy and Security Safeguards.
• Call center information provided to applicants in plain language
and in a manner th
- Issue Date
- Oct 20, 2026
- Due Date Raw
- 11/06/2026 04:30PM
- Categorized By
- llm-nc
- Detail Fetched
- Yes
- Questions Due Raw
- 10/30/2026
Vermont Buildings & General ServicesIssuing agency·Vermont·via the Vermont BGS purchasing bid board