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Q & A
(FAQ)
HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH A QRF*
(* Qualified Rehabilitation Facility)
I
know of no more encouraging fact than the
unquestionable ability of people to elevate
their lives by conscious endeavor. - Henry David Thoreau
What is a Qualified
Rehabilitation Facility "QRF" and what do they do?
A Qualified Rehabilitation Facility "QRF" is a non-profit
organization that puts Oregonians with disabilities to work. It is a place of
business and a training facility; with workshops, equipment, class and
meeting rooms, offices and other business necessities. Many QRFs have other
business locations as well, such as a downtown office, bakery or mailroom.
The mission of a QRF is to help disabled people achieve self-confidence and
self-sufficiency by working in the community in which they live and becoming
productive citizens. A QRF often has a variety of programs to help disabled
people achieve maximum economic and personal independence through vocational
development. It is "qualified" because its programs are registered
and reviewed on a regular basis by various state and federal agencies such as
the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS),
Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and the National
Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH). Disabled people are referred to a QRF from the Vocational Rehabilitation or Mental Health Divisions of the Oregon
Department of Human Services.
A QRF works to put its clients to work. Disabled people want to work just as
we all do; doing a good job at something satisfying, for a decent, living
wage. There are approximately 47 QRFs around the state of Oregon. Every QRF puts a lot of energy into finding and
creating opportunities that provide jobs for disabled people, as well as
quality products or services to their customers. Today, QRFs provide work for
nearly 6,000 Oregonians through their varied business enterprises.
What are the reasons
to do business with a QRF?
As a purchasing agent or buyer for a taxpayer-supported political
subdivision, such as a city, county, school district, or an agency of the
state of Oregon, there are several reasons to do business with a QRF:
1. It is the right thing to do. People who work in a QRF business
need your help; jobs depend on business orders. There are thousands of
Oregonians who are out of work because of a disability. As a public
purchasing agent, you can make a difference. Your cooperation and willingness
to buy goods and services from QRF businesses puts disabled people to work.
2. It is the smart thing to do. Oregonians with a disability who
earn a wage require less taxpayer money. Your participation makes a
difference to all Oregon taxpayers.
3. It puts you in the driver’s seat. A negotiated contract
process can allow you to tailor specifications to get exactly the
product/service or performance you want. The long-term relationship with a
QRF makes contract renewals a breeze. It also reduces the time to establish a
contract.
4. It is the necessary thing to do. In 1977, the Oregon legislature passed the "Products of Disabled Individuals" act.
This law obliges all state and local governments, school districts, and other
tax-supported political bodies in Oregon to purchase goods and services
from QRFs when the product or service is listed on the DAS Procurement List
and meets the agency’s requirements.
The details of this act are contained in Chapter 279.835-855 of the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS 279). This
Chapter, “Public Contracts and Purchasing,” spells out to all
tax-supported state and local agencies how they are to spend the taxpayers´
money on needed goods and services.
When should you do
business with a QRF?
Anytime you plan to make a purchase of the types of goods or services listed
in the DAS Directory of Qualified Rehabilitation Facilities (Procurement List), you are obliged to
procure it from the listed QRF if it meets your specifications and is
available when you need to have it.
Who’s in charge
of this program?
The State Procurement Office (SPO) of the Oregon Department of Administrative
Services (DAS) manages the Products of the Disabled program. SPO approves
each QRF in Oregon, and manages the list of those goods and services
determined suitable for procurement by state and local governments, school
districts and other taxpayer-supported agencies. It is the duty of SPO to
work cooperatively with the QRF and the agency.
Also, the Oregon Rehabilitation Association (ORA)
represents and supports community programs which assist people with
disabilities. ORA has a
marketing department that can also help you with negotiating contracts with
QRFs.
The Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the Oregon Rehabilitation
Association work together to build a cooperative working relationship, a
partnership, between public contracting agencies and Qualified Rehabilitation
Facilities around the state. These partnerships are a goal of the Products of
Disabled Individuals law: ORS 279.835
Why doesn’t a
QRF have to compete with other businesses for government contracts?
Taxpayer-supported state and local political subdivisions do business with
QRFs on a non-competitive basis. This means a QRF is not required to bid for
your purchases in competition with for-profit contractors. Some of the
reasons for this special treatment of QRF business enterprises are:
1.
QRFs are non-profit enterprises. They have a mission to provide employment
services to disabled members of the community.
2. QRFs provide special employment support to people with
disabilities that cost time and money. Workers with disabilities require
accommodations such as special training and job modifications that go far
beyond what a commercial business could be required to provide.
3. The investment in the disabled worker is high, but in terms of
public benefit it is returned many times over when long-term employment can
be provided. Stable employment is critical to the success of these programs.
4. QRF businesses are self-supporting. Their prices for goods and
services have to recover all the costs necessary to train, equip and
supervise their workers. They are required by law to pay the prevailing wage
in their area for the type and quality of work being done. Plus, the QRF pays
for liability and workers´ compensation insurance, and all the other overhead
expenses any business has.
The purpose of the state "Products of
Disabled Individuals" law is to encourage and assist disabled people to
work, and to achieve gainful employment. Employment enhances the ability to
be as self-supporting as they can be. They will be less dependent on welfare
and costly institutionalization.
Oregon’s "Products of Disabled Individuals"
law is modeled after federal legislation dating back to 1938. This
legislation is now known as the Javits-Wagner-O´Day
Act (JWOD). Over 20 other states have similar laws and more are being added
each year due to increased acceptance and success of these programs.
How to get started?
Once you have established the need to procure a product or service
go to the Procurement List, published on SPO’s
website, to see if the product or service is provided by a QRF. If there is a
QRF on the Procurement List, contact the QRF to see if they can meet your
specifications and delivery timelines. If they are able to meet your
specifications and timelines you may begin negotiating a contract with them.
When looking to procure a product, ask the QRF representative to provide you
with samples so you can make sure the products are right for you. Talk with
the QRF representative if you need some minor adjustment or changes to suit
your particular use of the product. You will find that QRFs have a can-do
attitude and are eager to meet your needs.
When looking to procure a service you may find
more than one QRF available. Contact as many of those QRFs as you wish.
Inquire which QRF is interested in servicing your needs. Invite those
interested QRFs to meet with you and tour your facility. Provide them with
your specification draft. You may narrow down your candidates through
references, training they provide their employees, and/or by an interview
process with the QRF representatives. Price may be used to determine your
choice but the final price is determined by DAS/SPO.
If no source is located on the Procurement List for your specific needs, you
may move forward with your agency’s procurement process.
How to negotiate the deal?
If you are purchasing a product, such as plastic bags or blankets, and you
are an ORCPP member you may simply make your purchase from the DAS Price
Agreement. Nothing could be simpler. If you are purchasing a product or
service from a QRF and DAS does not have an established contract for that
product or service you may work directly with the QRF to negotiate your own
contract. DAS must determine the price of that contract before the contract
is initiated.
If you are a state agency under DAS authority,
and the purchase is expected to be over $150,000 in a one time buy or over
$150,000 over the life of the contract, you need to contact DAS for
assistance.
If the initial price exceeds your budget estimate, let the QRF know and give
them a chance to work through the numbers with you a second time. There could
be a misunderstanding about your requirements or a mistake somewhere in the
figures. It could be that your specifications exceed your budget. DAS and ORA
are there to help in these situations; they will assist both sides to make
the deal. The goal of everyone involved is to establish a close, cooperative
working relationship with you and your agency. When the price submitted by
the QRF meets the agency’s budget the QRF and the Agency may submit
that price to DAS on an approved form for final determination.
Sometimes, after both sides have negotiated in good faith, the deal just
won’t work. Usually, it will be price or specification that will get in
the way. As the public purchasing agent, you should know what the limits of
the program budget or specification tolerance will be. The QRF can drop the
project or perhaps try again later. There have been cases where the agency
was able to split up the work into smaller pieces in order to have partial
QRF participation.
The point here is to act in good faith towards the QRF. Be open and fair in
your dealings with them. QRFs are looking for long-term business
partnerships, not advantages.
How to deal with
quality assurance and performance problems?
One of the biggest advantages of doing business with a QRF is that it is a
relationship, not just a one-time competitive bidding arrangement. QRF
businesses are there to provide permanent jobs for disabled Oregonians, not
to make money by cutting corners. They have a different outlook on your
business than the commercial sector. They are in for the long haul. You
should expect quality services and products.
As a purchasing agent, you have the capability to make your agency’s
QRF contract successful. It just takes communication and cooperation. Talk to
your QRF counterpart. Make sure your program people are introduced to the QRF
representative and that everyone involved in the contract administration process
knows what’s expected of them. For example, if you have a QRF doing
custodial services, plan a joint walk-through on a weekly basis from the
beginning of the contract. Spend time talking about performance expectations
at the beginning of your relationship and you will each get to know and
understand the other.
As your contract relationship settles into a routine, you can cut down on the
frequency with which you meet with the QRF contractor. But still plan on
regular meetings with the QRF representative to talk about their performance
and to make adjustments in the contract as needed. Together, write down any
changes you and the QRF agree to make. Amend your contract to reflect the
mutually agreed upon changes. This bit of routine "housekeeping"
will keep your mutual understanding of what’s to be done fresh and
current.
If a problem does surface, however, you must tell the QRF management
immediately. Don’t wait, hoping things will get better. They
can’t fix the problem if they don’t know about it. If you have
taken the time to get to know each other at the start of the contract, any
issue will be easier to solve.
You may want to contact the QRF Coordinator at DAS and/or ORA
and ask for their help and guidance. Again, document any needed changes or
complaints and share them with the QRF. Remember the old adage is true; take
care of the little things before they get to be big things!
If, after making these efforts, you cannot resolve your problems, remember
that you have authority to terminate the contract just as you would with any
commercial business. If there seems to be no other way, talk candidly with
the QRF about termination. It may be in the best interests of everyone
involved. Again, DAS and ORA will be supportive and helpful to you in this situation.
What is the process
for contract renewal with a QRF?
Here are a few points to consider when preparing for the renewal process:
A. Plan your annual
renewal process well in advance of the ending date of the contract period.
For a large custodial contract, for example, three or four months is not too early to start working with the QRF on the
renewal process.
B. Revise and update your
specifications to show any changes made during the contract period. At
renewal, the QRF will review its pricing structure, which is to your
advantage. Often, they are able to work with the agency to cut prices or costs
as they gain experience with you and understand the fine points of the work
to be performed.
C. A quality service or product
can potentially be provided to your agency for many years to come, resulting
in long-term benefits for disabled Oregonians and taxpayers alike.
D. Remember that DAS must approve
any price changes in the renewal process.
Who can you call for more
information or help?
Call Oregon
Rehabilitation Association (ORA);
Stephen Mock
Tel: 503-585-3337
smock@oregonrehabilitation.org
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Call DAS, State Procurement Office;
Patty Beans, (QRF Coordinator)
Tel: 503-373-0975 Fax: 503 373-1626
patty.beans@das.state.or.us
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