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d. LIHEAP Administrator to set date for submission of questions and deadline to respond. e. Get contact information for all participants attending pre-bid meeting. 13. Send written response to questions (if any), to all attendees at pre-bid meeting. 14. Select members for Panel Review meeting 15. Schedule Review of RFP’s received by Panel Review Committee 16. Pick up RFP’s received from Procurement (after bid opening) 17. Hold RFP Panel Review meeting. 18. Panel makes recommendations for contracts to be awarded to respondents to RFP. 19. LIHEAP Administrator to give the recommendations, with cover letter to OCS Senior Social Services Administrator. 20. Senior Social Services Administrator passes Panel Review recommendations to DSSC Director. 21. DSSC Director makes final decision concerning who to award contract(s) to. 22. Notify RFP respondents if they’ve won the contract. 23. Negotiate contract elements with agencies selected. 24. Notify agencies in writing that did not bid, 25. Prepare contract for Signatures. For additional information, see Section B, Contracts. B. Contracts 203. For contracts $50,000 and over, the RFP process explained in Section 200, Paragraph A, must be followed before a contract can be executed. The DHSS has a boilerplate contract that must be followed for contracting with any vendor or sub grantee. This boilerplate is usually part of the RFP so that the respondents to the RFP are already familiar with the contract when it is presented to them for signature. DHSS Contract boilerplate must be used. CONTRACT PROCEDURES 1. The contract process must begin at least 60 days prior to the new contract start date. 2. Program Managers discuss contract with Unit Administrator. 3. CATS number and contract number is obtained from Unit Administrative Assistant. (Admin.) 4. Contract is prepared for vendors’ signature. Allow vendor 2 weeks to review and return contract. 5. All contracts must be signed by all parties 30 days prior to the new contract start date. For contracts that require competitive bid, the Request for Proposal (RFP) process must be initiated at least 120 days prior to the proposed contract start date. (See Paragraph A, above)