State Grant for Assistive Technology Program - Exempt from Grant Application, Notice of Funding Opportunity, Merit Based Review, Uniform Agreement (444-30-0192)

Summary Information

Awarding Agency Name Illinois Department of Human Services
Awarding Division Name Division of Rehabilitation Services
Agency Contact Sarah McCoy Sarah.McCoy@illinois.gov
Announcement Type Non-Competitive
Funding Opportunity Title State Grant for Assistive Technology Program - Exempt from Grant Application, Notice of Funding Opportunity, Merit Based Review, Uniform Grant Agreement
Funding Opportunity Number N/A
Application Posting Date N/A
Application Closing Date N/A
Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) Number 444-30-0192
Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) Popular Name Assistive Technology Program
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s) 84.126

Applicant Eligibility

1.Project Description

The Division of Rehabilitation Services requires the timely execution of all initial and amended contractual agreements. Vendors will have 14 business days to sign and return the required contract documents issued by the State, which may include one or more of the following: initial contract signature page, amendment page, Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest, and the Taxpayer Identification Page. Non-compliance may result in a modified start date of the contract to align with the vendor's submission of the required execution documents. Vendors will not be reimbursed for services provided in advance of the modified start date. When a contract amendment is issued to reduce the value of the contract, non-compliance may result in the full de-obligation of the contract balance regardless of the amended amount.

The Final Reconciliation of a contractual agreement will follow prescribed timeframes communicated annually to community providers.

Under this contract, the Illinois Assistive Technology Program (IATP) will provide Assistive Technology (AT) Services directly to Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) customers with the goal of enabling these individuals to meet their vocational or independent living goals. As defined in the Assistive Technology Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-364), Assistive Technology Service is a service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device, and Assistive Technology Devices are any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Services will be provided by professionals with extensive knowledge and expertise in assistive technology, including RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America) Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification. Services will be provided statewide, but primarily outside the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, DeKalb, Lake, McHenry, Boone, Winnebago, Will, Kankakee, Kendall, Grundy, and LaSalle.

Vendors are required to comply with all provisions outlined in 2 CFR 200.327 Contract Provisions, Appendix II to Part 200 - Contract Provisions for Non-Federal Entity Contracts Under Federal Awards.

2. Deliverables

Under this contract, IATP will provide the following assistive technology services:

  1. AT Evaluation the identification of assistive technology devices and services required to enable a DRS customer to meet the vocational or independent living goals specified by DRS. Evaluations will usually be performed in the customers workplace, school, or home, but may be performed at other locations if approved by DRS. Each evaluation will result in a written report that summarizes the customers disability, functional needs, vocational or independent living goals, physical/technical environment, assistive technology devices considered, and specific assistive technology devices and services recommended to meet the identified goals. Reports recommending the purchase of devices or services will include a specification sheet that can be used by DRS staff to request bids; such reports will also include a separate list of possible vendors and estimated prices when available. Reports recommending home/building modifications will include plans with sufficient detail for building contractors to provide cost estimates and will comply with all applicable building codes. Evaluation reports will be provided in accessible electronic format to the requesting DRS staff; evaluation reports will not be provided directly to any other individual unless specifically authorized by DRS. Evaluation services will be provided by RESNA-certified ATPs.
  2. AT Implementation - the delivery, installation, and configuration of assistive technology devices recommended through an AT evaluation. Implementation should include confirmation that all devices are operational and that the customer has a basic understanding of how to operate them. Implementation may also include the fabrication of custom devices or customization of existing devices.
  3. AT Training - individualized, hands-on training to ensure that a customer can successfully operate assistive technology devices to meet the vocational or independent living goals identified by DRS. Training will usually be provided in the customers workplace, school, or home, but may be performed at other locations if approved by DRS. Training may be provided in multiple sessions but must include progress checks at least every 10 training hours. Results of progress checks will be reported to the requesting DRS staff, and additional training must be approved by DRS.
  4. AT Technical Assistance - services such as troubleshooting, minor customization or repair, confirmation that implementations were performed correctly, etc. Specific technical assistance services required will be identified by DRS.

For all the above, a unit of service is expected to take, on average, a total of approximately 10 person-hours, including planning, preparation, travel, service delivery, report writing, follow-up, and related activities, whether performed consecutively or in multiple sessions. Services that take significantly less than 10 person-hours should be combined with related services for the same customer to count as a unit of service.

Each service will be initiated by a request submitted by the DRS Rehabilitation Technology Section; requests submitted directly by other parties are not authorized under this contract. DRS will provide adequate information to initiate each service, including at least:

  1. DRS request number
  2. Requester name and contact information
  3. Recipient name, DRS case number, and contact information
  4. Recipient disability
  5. Vocational or independent living goal
  6. Expected location of the service

After receiving a request for service, the requester and/or recipient will be contacted and service delivery scheduled. If a service or report cannot be provided in a timely manner, DRS Rehabilitation Technology Section will be notified of the reason for the delay.

3. Performance Measures

IATP will provide the DRS Rehabilitation Technology Section with monthly and annual reports that will include the following information for each service provided during the reporting period:

  1. DRS request number
  2. Recipient DRS case number
  3. Date of request
  4. Date of service
  5. Date of report (if applicable)
  6. Type(s) of service (Evaluation, Implementation, Training, Technical Assistance)
  7. Categories of service (Aids for Daily Living, Communication, Computer Access, Ergonomics, Environmental Controls, Home/Building Modification, Hearing Aids & Alerting Devices, Magnification, Speech & Braille Devices, Prosthetics & Orthotics, Vehicle Modification, Wheeled Mobility & Seating)
  8. Approximate total person-hours of service.

Performance will be measured based on:

  1. Number of services provided to Vocational Rehabilitation customers
  2. Number of services provided to Home Services customers
  3. Time from request to start of service delivery
  4. Time from service delivery to report

4. Performance Standards

  1. Number of services provided to Vocational Rehabilitation customers - at least 400
  2. Number of services provided to Home Services customers - at least 45
  3. Time from request to start of service delivery - median of 3 weeks or less
  4. Time from service delivery to report - median of 3 weeks or less