Agency Human Services Dept

Contractor Mediation Center

SWIFT Contract Number 167230

Project Name CCAP Workgroup Facilitation

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: In 2019 Commissioner Lourey approved the proposal of a workgroup submitted by ISAIAH as a way to support DHS in getting direct feedback from providers and advocates regarding policies and practices related to CCAP, Investigations, and Licensing. As a way to support a transparent and equitable process, CCAP hired a facilitator to support conversations between DHS and external partners.

Project Duration

Start Date Tue, 10/01/2019 - 00:00

Original end date Thu, 12/31/2020 - 00:00

Actual end date Tue, 12/01/2020 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $16800

Amendments $33195

Contract total $49995

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? CCDF

Is this a sole source contract? Yes

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) Immediate need of work and specialty.

Evaluator Name Akemi Mechtel

Evaluator Email Address akemi.mechtel@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness The resource was timely for meetings, however was consistently late sending out draft agendas to the internal DHS team, official agendas to the full workgroup, and notes upon conclusion of our meetings. She would require consistent reminding to do these tasks.

Evaluate the contractor's quality The resource's facilitation amounted to being essentially worthless. She didn’t mitigate nor mediate conflict, she would rarely hear feedback, she didn’t ever develop consistent methods to getting feedback from stakeholders. This group always felt like it was on the back burner from my perspective. Additionally, her poor facilitation method fostered more tension and animosity between DHS and external partners leaving everyone in the group feeling frustrated and suspicious of one another. Also during our last meeting, she was on another call for the first 20 minutes, and didn’t mute them or us. So what was supposed to be a private meeting could be heard by others and any private information the other group might have been sharing could be heard by us. Moreover, her level of professionalism was appalling. She would consistently throw “fits” every time we provided feedback or direction. She more than once threatened to quit. She tokenized her work partner, and condescended not only DHS but other external partners in the group.

Evaluate the contractor's cost For the services we received she absolutely charged way too much.

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance She is by far the worst facilitator I have ever worked with in any context. Not only is she not culturally competent but she executed no discernable strategy to create forward momentum in any of our objectives. I would recommend her state contract not be renewed as she created a more hostile environment and potentially moved to hinder any sort of reconciliation between any state agency and external partners.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? No

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): We terminated her services and excused her from our final meeting in December.

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 1 - very dissatisfied