Q&A
Discussion on changes in contract structure during the pandemic
0:18:15
·
102 sec
Council Member Ayala inquires about the current contract structure for career services providers, and Scott French explains the changes made during the pandemic.
- During the pandemic, performance-based contracts were replaced with cost-based reimbursement
- Mandatory engagement requirements were waived by state and federal government
- HRA is in the process of gradually reinstating some aspects of performance-based payments
- Currently, providers are still on a cost reimbursement basis
Diana I. Ayala
0:18:15
But I'll start my questioning with the RFP.
0:18:19
So the original RFP for the career services contracts included a performance based contract structure in which contractors were paid based on client outcomes.
0:18:27
Do you know the current contractors the the current contracts in place to keep providers from working only no.
0:18:34
I'm sorry.
0:18:35
I I read that wrong.
0:18:37
Do the current contracts use a performance based contracting structure, and Were there any safeguards in place to keep providers from working only with clients with fewer barriers to work who were more likely to reach a higher value of outcomes?
Scott French
0:18:53
Sure.
0:18:53
Thank you for the question.
0:18:55
So during the pandemic, we did not do performance based contracts.
0:18:59
We did cost based reimbursement, so we did not hold providers to the performance based measures that were in the contracts because at that point also all in engagement in career services was completely voluntary because the mandatory engagement requirements were waived at that point by the state and federal government.
0:19:20
So while we encourage the providers to engage as many clients as possible, We did not institute the performance based payments at that point and reimburse them for their actual costs.
0:19:32
We are in the process during this last sort of year of the contracts of reinstituting some aspects of the performance based.
0:19:40
We're still finalizing that plan.
0:19:42
It's not something that we're just gonna resume 100% of what it was.
0:19:47
Right?
0:19:47
We're very close to having a sort of ramp up ramp down plan for that.
0:19:52
But until that's instituted as well, all providers will be on a cost reimbursement basis.