FY12 NMW RFP Q A_final round.docx

New Mexico Works RFP # 11-630-9000-0010 Q & A – Final Round

1. Desirable Specifications section, number of pages, questions 62, 62, 67:

On page 8 of the Q&A, the Department responded as follows: under Organizational Management and Expertise #2 page 24 of the RFP items b and c did not have to be kept to (1) page:

· Under the same section, page 24, items ‘a’ and ‘d’: do these need to be kept to (1) page?

Yes.

2. SNAP Regulations, questions 39, 61: SNAP is currently a volunteer program until September 30, 2011:

· Will the SNAP participant work requirements that have been suspended from April 1, 2009 through September 30, 2011 revert back to previous requirements? If so, when?

SNAP continues to be a volunteer program.

3. Space Availability in ISD offices, questions 20, 39, 32:

· Will space be available to collocate in the Espanola ISD office?

No.

4. Subsidized employment, question 69:

· Will there be a SOW amendment for statement that timesheets for employment are required every 6 months? Page 76, transitional employment.

· In addition, “sheltered workshops” indicate that timesheets are required monthly. This is also paid subsidized employment; timesheets should only be required every 6 months, correct?

Timesheets are not required for subsidized or unsubsidized employment. The error in the SOW will be corrected prior to finalizing contract.

5. Q&A page 1 and RFP page 21: Is the Fidelity Bond discussed in this section required to provide coverage for losses that might be incurred because of employee fraudulent acts or dishonesty, or is it required to ensure performance on contractual SOW requirements?

The standard definition of a blanket fidelity bond should be applied. Further clarification to this question can be provided during contract negotiations.

6. Q&A page 3: In the Answers to Questions the State indicates “all NMW contractor staff is co-located in ISD offices, except the Espanola and Anthony locations, and that space is available for contractor staff in ISD offices.”

Can the State clarify what locations and the amount of space (square footage) available for co-located contract staff?

Attached to this Q & A document.

Note: On attachment, “USF” = usable square footage; “LSF” = leasable square footage The usable square footage is the office/conference room/file area only. Leasable includes circulation (hallways, restrooms, etc). When we are determining office space need, we work with management to develop the size of the office by identifying the usable square footage. Then the lessor designs the building adding in leasable.

7. Q&A page 3: Is there additional common space in the ISD offices that can be used for client trainings and group orientations?

Each ISD Regional Operations Manager (ROM) will be available to negotiate the use of common space in their regional offices for client trainings or group orientations.

8. Q&A page 3: Will space be made at the Espanola and Anthony locations by 9/1/11?

No.

9. Q&A page 3: Please clarify what furniture and equipment is available for contractor staff at the ISD offices. For contractor staff co-located in ISD offices, will the Department provide the following:

· Office furniture (desks, chairs, cubicles, etc) – all furniture and equipment currently being used by NMW staff that was purchased with TANF funds will remain

· PC workstations – most workers have their own offices

· Printers - all furniture and equipment currently being used by NMW staff that was purchased with TANF funds will remain; centrally located printers will be shared by ISD staff and NMW staff

· Access to copying and fax machines - all furniture and equipment currently being used by NMW staff that was purchased with TANF funds will remain

· Access to postage meter – NMW will pay for their own postage

· Shredding services – ISD office provides Should bidders assume some costs or shared costs for these items, and if yes, please specify what costs would be incurred?

See answers above.

10. Q&A page 3: For contractor staff co-located in ISD offices, will the Department provide telephones and voicemail service?

Yes.

11. Q&A page 3 and 4: In Answers to Questions, #32 (page 4), the response indicates: “All equipment and furnishings purchased with TANF funds will remain in those offices.” Assuming that the current contractors have both office and computer equipment, will the new contractor be required to use the existing equipment, or should vendors plan on purchasing PC workstations for contractor staff housed at the ISD offices?

HSD requires that funding allocation from the TANF Block grant is used for the specific purpose of providing services to TANF/NMW participants. Contractors must determine if purchases of equipment and/or furniture are necessary to provide these services. Purchases exceeding $300 will be reviewed by HSD.

1. Is the vendor responsible for updating/refreshing any equipment at existing sites?

Since the computers in use are purchased with TANF funds, the computers are State property and as such the vendor is not responsible for updating or refreshing.

12. Q&A page 3: Does HSD have quality of program or individualized services standards that vendors need to meet?

NMW Scope of Work attached as Exhibit to RFP.

Will those standards change based upon the funding available, per Question #23 from the Answers to Questions posted on 5/2/11.

No. Standards and quality of program are not based upon funding.

13. Q&A page 3 and 8: Please clarify exactly which HSD field offices have lobby computers available for job search for clients? What software for job search will be available for clients on these lobby computers (i.e., resume-writing software, CareerScope, etc.). Additionally, are vendors to assume that HSD will be providing computers in all ISD offices for job search for clients?

There will be no specialized software for job search on the lobby terminals; they provide access to the Internet to conduct job searches.

At this time, the only planned installation of terminals in field office lobbies for job search is in the following offices:

1. Tucumcari 1

1. Santa Rosa 1

1. Clovis 3

1. Portales 1

1. Hobbs 3

1. Carlsbad 2

1. Artesia 1

1. Roswell 3

1. Alamogordo 2

1. Ruidoso 1

Q&A page 5 and RFP page 58: The requirement in Scheduling Procedures C. is that appointment must be scheduled for parent to meet with CDS no later than 5 calendar days following approval of benefits Question #38 from the Answers to Questions posted on 5/2/11 outlined that Service Provider will have access to reports that list newly approved clients. Please confirm the timeframe that service providers will receive this report especially in light of meeting the 5 calendar day requirement for meeting with a CDS?

The method of notifying NMW staff is threefold:

1. Clients are walked over to NMW office after eligibility interview while determination is pending (not all offices)

1. Form DWP 022, internal communication form, is issued by ISD field staff to NMW upon client being approved for benefits

1. Daily approval report available on the HSD reports site for NMW staff to view/print

14. Q&A page 7: In the Answers to Questions the State indicates: “Binder 1 instructions include the requirement to answer each of the five desirable specification areas. The cost section is included as one of the five areas in the desirable specifications. Should that information be excluded from Binder 1 and provided only in Binder 2, so the desirable response will be limited to 4 pages? The Proposed Budget is to be presented on the template that is being provided by the Department and is not to be counted in the number of pages.”

To clarify the intent of the question, Binder 1 indicates to include all items in the “Desirable” specifications including:

1. Project Plan

2. Organizational Management and Expertise

3. Past Performance Serving Low-Income Populations

4. Cost Proposal/Budget

5. Staffing

The RFP states that all cost information should be placed in Binder 2.

In preparing Binder 1 with respect to the requirements of the “Desirable” Specifications section:

1) Does the State wish vendors to simply refer the reader to Binder 2 for inclusion of the “detailed description and line item budget”; or

2) Does the State want the detailed description under Binder 1: tab 4 above (minus exact pricing information) and the budget sheets included in Binder 2?

Please clarify.

Either option above is acceptable, option 1 is preferred.

15. Q&A page 7: The State requests vendors to include Appendix H in its submission. Can the State confirm that Appendices D, E, and H are the only Appendices to be included with our responses? Or should a vendor also provide copies of Appendix B in their final response (Binder 1)?

Provide Appendix B as an acknowledgement that RFP and amendment have been received.

Additionally, is it acceptable for a vendor to just include these Appendices under a “Forms” tab in Binder 1?

Yes.

16. Q&A page 7 and RFP page 86 and page 137: Vendors are instructed to include Appendix H in their proposal. In Appendix H and also in the RFP states in Section 11.I.A.7: “Unless otherwise directed by the Agency service provider’s works program computers will be managed by HSD for Anti-Virus and security and shall run continuously in monitor mode.” And in Appendix H.A.7: “Service provider’s works program computers will be managed by HSD for Anti-Virus and security and shall run continuously in monitor mode.”

Per Appendix H, A4, A8, B1, B2, vendors will be performing any work on systems consistent with HSD security standards already. Please confirm that all vendor purchased PC’s or computers will be on the HSD Network? Further, since our assumption is that PCs will be on the HSD Network, and HSD will be managing the Anti-Virus and security on these PC workstations, will HSD Helpdesk and IT also support the staff’s usage of these PC workstations? Providing ongoing IT support throughout the State to PC workstations on the HSD network may unnecessarily add costs to vendors’ proposals, unless HSD can commit to providing the helpdesk and IT support for the vendor-purchased PC workstations.

While the NMW program computers are on the HSD network they can be supported by the HSD IT help Desk since they will be providing Anti Virus and Windows Updates to the computers attached to the network. However, it is currently planned that these computers will be migrated to a “Guest” network with access to the mainframe and the Internet outside of the HSD network. If this happens, the PCs will become the responsibility of the NMW contractor to maintain.

This proposed plan is based upon current conditions where the contractors have had their own helpdesk to support the connected computers and HSD wants to ensure that its network is protected against any possible instability due to actions taken by that support group. This proposed plan may change depending on how the selected vendor chooses to deal with updates to their computers.

17. Q&A page 8 and RFP page 24: Under Organizational Management and Expertise, Item B, the RFP states: “b. Three (3) external letters of support and three (3) client references from clients who have received similar services to those specified in this RFP that have occurred within the past five (5) years.”

Can the State clarify the language? Is the intent:

Scenario one:

1. Three (3) external letters of support who have received similar services to those specified in this RFP; and

2. three (3) client references from clients who have received similar services to those specified in this RFP

Scenario two:

1. Three (3) external letters of support (i.e.: community support letters); and

2. three (3) client references from clients who have received similar services to those specified in this RFP

If the State’s intention is Scenario one, can the State affirm that the client reference letters can also be used to meet the requirement of a letter of support?

Scenario Two.

18. RFP page 12: Are any funds available for implementation/start-up costs?

Funding of the NMW contract is limited to legislative appropriation in House Bill 2. Offeror with the winning bid will be allowed to invoice for start-up costs negotiated as part of the contract which will include startup time frames and start date for full implementation by all parties.

19. RFP page 55: How would HSD administer the approval process for grandfathering incumbent career development specialists and supervisors who do not meet the vendor’s education and experience requirements?

Because of the short time period allowed for implementation, will there be a timeframe in which HSD will respond to grandfathering requests?

HSD will work with the NMW contractor to implement this process in such a manner as to expedite the hiring process.

20. RFP Pages 79-80: Will HSD provide vendors with an initial data extract containing demographic data on each client served and current status from the ISD2 system on all cases that are receiving services (both case management and retention) from the NM Works program to populate the vendor’s data tracking system?

HSD will make available to the NMW contractor, that data which pertains to the NMW client. This may be in the form of ISD2 reports, client case management files, case manager client spreadsheets (Excel format) and potentially raw data from the current database.

21. RFP Pages 79-80: Does the contractor have an ability to run reports from the ISD2 system on the five screens that it enters data into—assessment tracking, participant info, activity participation/history, attendance, and reimbursement?

No. The batch report production schedule is not available to the field office. The current NMW database has been a source for ad hoc reports to NMW staff.

22. Will the State release the names of the vendors that submitted an intent to propose / Appendix B: Acknowledgement of Receipt form?

Not at this time.

23. Can the State provide a list of what it considers to be a disallowed cost?

HSD uses OMB Circulars which apply to TANF and the vendor organization to determine allowed and disallowed costs.

24. Can the State provide a copy of the last audit of the NM Works contractors?

No. However, HSD is attaching several auditing tools that are currently used in the performance of a Management Evaluation.

25. Does the State have a financial management guide outlining preferred procedures for line item budgets, etc. which vendors should adhere to?

Yes, through the State’s Department of Finance and Administration.

26. Is there a cost for the NMW provider to rent space in the HSD locations? If so, what is that annual cost?

HSD does not invoice the NMW contractor for rent or utilities when co-located in ISD offices. Projected costs are taken out of the legislative appropriation prior to contract award.

27. The response to question 32 refers to space at HSD and clearly states the furniture and furnishings that are purchased with TANF funds will stay in those offices. Are these furnishings currently in place or should the proposer budget funds for furniture and furnishing for all HSD offices or just offices that don’t currently have contractor staff allocated?

Equipment and furniture that were purchased by current contractors (including in-house) with TANF funds will remain in the ISD field offices where co-located, but will need to be moved to new locations where NMW is not co-located (i.e., Anthony and Espanola).

28. What are the salary ranges for HSD employees that are currently working on this project?

Depending on position, salary ranges from $10/hour to $22.74. Average salary is approximately $13.06/hour.

29. We were not able to find the following data in the MSR. We navigated through the Monthly Statistical Report (MSR) through the link http://www.hsd.nm.us/isd/reports.html and could not find the data. Can you provide information on specifically where this data can be found on the MSR?

· 50% All Family participation rate

· 90% Two-parent family participation rate

· 60% employment rate

Attached to these Q & A are the most current Work Participation Rates by region. The employment rate is viewable in the MSR (see April 2011 issue). Divide the total number of mandatory (page 23 -- 12,048 for the month of March) by the number represented in each service delivery area (page 31), to obtain the percentage.

30. We understand in the response to Question 54 that there are 41 HSD employees providing NMW services in-house in the Eastern regions. Can you provide an estimate of the number of NMW contractor staff providing services (i.e. the number NMW contractor staff in place with NMSU and Commission on the Status of Women)?

At this time, there are approximately 165 NMW contract staff in place. Not all positions have been filled.

31. Does the $9.2M allocation include funding for support services? What is the amount currently spent on support services?

The $9.2M allocation does not include any support services. Childcare is funded separately through a contract between HSD and CYFD. Referrals to support services are to be made by partnering with community agencies.

32. To clarify the response to Question 71 – Gas cards are not provided as part of support services for clients? Are costs of transportation not included as support services?

While this may change in the future, transportation and other support services for NMW participants are currently not being funded.