Amendment_01.pdf

October 22, 2018

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) 129814

AMENDMENT 01

Attention Offerors:

This serves to notify all Offerors that RFP 129814 is hereby amended to provide the following information to assist Offerors in the preparation of their proposals:

Amend:

Extend the proposal submission due date to 12:00 p.m. (EST) on November 7, 2018.

Questions and Answer:

1. Reference: Page 3; “Offerors are advised that the Board may be unable to receive other types of electronic files (e.g., .zip files) or files in excess of 20 megabytes.”

Does the Board have any form of page limits or document specifications regarding the technical proposals submission (1” inch margins, minimum size 10 font, spacing, etc…)? In addition, please confirm that the required submission will be in two (2) files: a PDF for the written proposal and excel sheet for the Cost requirement.

Answer: There are no page limit and the standard font size 12 is acceptable. The submission documents shall be in two (2) files/volume.

2. Reference: Page 4; “Currently, tasks are executed manually.” Please elaborate on the current method for creating job description. Also, does the Board want the Contractor to migrate current descriptions into the automated system upon contract award?

Answer: Yes, the Contractor will have to migrate current job descriptions into the automated system. Currently, the Board has a pdf template for job descriptions.

3. Reference: Page 4, Subsection 2.1.1: Integrate with the Board’s human resources system(s) (Peoplesoft, Taleo). Please specify the exact software currently used.

Also, please provide System specifications to better assess system integration capabilities with the Offeror’s proposed system.

Answer: The Board does not have a software for job descriptions. The System will pull job code/title and push back position summaries and minimum qualifications into PeopleSoft and Taleo. A daily feed to each system is desired.

4. In regards to the Board’s human resource system, what functionality from these enterprises systems are needed?

Answer: This question is not clear; therefore, cannot be answered.

5. Does the Board have a preference on the form of technical integration?

Answer: It shall be compatible to PeopleSoft and Taleo.

6. Will the appropriate api’s or HL7 call be provided by these providers and others or will this need to be custom integration by the Offeror?

Answer: This question is unclear; however, it may be discussed with IT to determine what is needed after award.

7. Reference: Page 4, Subsection 2.1.3. Is the Board looking for a smart suggest function for word completion or a more in-depth AI type of function based on position knowledge or relationship of job categories?

Answer: Either one of the functions is acceptable.

8. Reference: Page 5, Subsection 2.1.5. Can the Board share where Offerors can find information or development examples of the point factoring system?

Answer: The point factor system is on a work document and the idea is to be able to add the point factor system into the job description tool so that HR may grade positions within the tool.

9. Reference: Page 5, Subsection 2.1.12. For the employees accessing this system, can this be provided through the mention web service or does it have to be internal to an internal system?

Answer: Access through web service.

10. Reference: Page 7, Subsection 5. Because the Board may request in person meetings as needed, where will the meetings be held? If it is outside the Washington metropolitan area, is travel reimbursable?

Answer: If meetings are required, it will be in the Washington metropolitan area.

11. Reference: Page 6, Subsection 2.2.2. In regards to the two hour response support window, are there any parameters for this such as between “response team must be available between 7:00 EST and 18:00 EST?”

Answer: Response team shall be available between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

12. Reference: Page 5, Subsection 2.1.10. Does the System have the ability to set own security parameters for user accounts as outlined in 2.1.10 or is the requirement to use an active directory type of service?

Answer: The System shall meet the requirements outlined in subsection 2.1.10.

The Board is open to other available alternatives as well.

13. Reference: Page 7, Subsection 7. Please expand upon the period of performance.

Specifically, what does the Board expect to be delivered and in place between the date of contract award and completion on December 31, 2018? In addition, would an extension simply entail satisfaction with the system and accepted options for contract performance?

Answer: Procurement of the new System (tool) and licenses will be completed by December 31, 2018. Future options pertaining to implementation, annual license and support and may be exercise upon contract performance and availability of funding.

14. What is the expected user base size for internal users of this system?

Answer: See Section 3.2 of RFP.

15. Does the Board have a required web browser for web accessible products?

Answer: Yes

16. What has the Board done to gather requirements (Sources sought, RFIs, industry days, etc.)?

Answer: Worked with procurement and conducted RFI’s earlier in the year.

17. Could the Board provide any insight regarding the market research efforts?

Answer: No

18. Could the Board confirm that this is not a previous requirement and does not have an incumbent Contractor? If so, can the Board provide system or contract information?

Answer: This is a new requirement.

19. Please describe the workflow between Human Resources, hiring managers, and any other stakeholders in job description development, editorial, and maintenance process.

Answer: Managers will develop, HR reviews, edits and finalizes job descriptions and send to Managers for signature.

20. Are individuals responsible for the development and maintenance of job descriptions required to seek review from other parties?

Answer: Yes. Hiring Manager will develop and HR will review, edit and approve

21. The RFP references an end date for the first Period of Performance of 12/31/2018.

Does the initial release of a working system need to be completed by then or can the initial release occur during the next Period of Performance (post 12/31/2018)?

Answer: See response to question #13.

22. Does the Board have an existing database of position descriptions, related position descriptions, recommended position descriptions, etc.? Or does the selected vendor need to provide this information as part of the delivered solution?

Answer: The Contractor shall provide this information as part of the delivered solution.

23. How often will new job descriptions be added to the system?

Answer: That depends on the time of year, at least once a month at a minimum.

24. “Intergrade with the Board’s human resources system(s). Integrate in what way?

Is the Contractor expected to push data from the job description tool back into PeopleSoft and Taleo? If so, what specific data? What fields will be pushed or pulled at what specific times in the workflow?

Answer: The integration would consist of pulling job code/title and pushing back position summaries and minimum qualifications into PeopleSoft and Taleo. Daily feed to each system is desired.

25. “The System shall have the ability to suggest words/matches for job description titles, duties and responsibilities from database sources.” Will each title be unique? Or, will there be multiple jobs with the same title but different descriptions? What will be inputted and what will the system expected to output specifically? In what way should that output be presented to the user?

Answer: In some cases, some jobs will have the same job titles or unique titles.

Where it makes sense, HR will consolidate job descriptions. In addition, users will be able to view the entire job description.

26. “The System shall allow the ability to add material from the point factor system and perform job leveling within the tool.” What material is expected to be added from the point factor system, and at what point in the workflow will it be added?

Please expand on what functionality needs to be built into the application regarding job levelling.

Answer: See response to question #8.

27. “The System shall meet the Board’s recommended security guidelines for automation products/services which include: Compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Compliance with the Federal Information Security management Act (FISMA).” What impact rating level is assigned to this application? Based on the General Contract Provisions document, a C&A or ATO will not be required for this application. Can you please confirm?

Answer: It is not clear what the referenced abbreviations stand for. However, the System (tool/software/application, etc.) must be Section 508 compliant. Section 508 compliance is required for all Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.

28. “The System shall have the ability to flow changes down within a job family.

When changes are made to one level the information is flowed down to the other levels without touching each description.” Beyond job title and description/duties, what information will be stored that will be editable at the Job Family level?

Working hours? Building?

Answer: This will be the whole job description on all fields.

29. “The System shall have the ability to provide internal and external reference library.” What specific data will be stored in this external reference library? Will it be configurable, where the Board can add new entries, new categories, etc?

Answer: The internal library will be all of the Board’s current job descriptions.

The external will be the tool’s library where HR can add additional information.

30. “The System shall track a user’s progress through the development and editorial phase of a job description.” What is involved in the development and editorial phases? What constitutes a shift from one phase to the next?

Answer: All edits will be tracked from start to final sign off on the job description whether it is a new job description or edits on a current one.

31. “The System shall have the ability to restrict or un-restrict viewing capabilities by segmenting job descriptions by the Board’s divisions.” Users, as well as job descriptions, will be categorized by divisions? Should each user or job description be assigned to a specific division at the time of creation? If so, will you need the ability to add and edit divisions, are will they be static and never changing?

Answer: There are 15 divisions at the Board and responsible for different functions. Employee may be employed in one division and move to another. The tool will have the employee’s title and division from PeopleSoft feed.

32. “The System shall allow all employee access view of job descriptions. Print only versions of job descriptions available to all employees. Feature may be enabled or disabled based on master configuration.” How will employees access the System? Will job descriptions be available to anyone viewing the public website, or will each employee need their own username and password to access the system? Will employees be able to view all job descriptions, or only ones assigned to them?

Answer: Employees will have the ability to view all staff job descriptions in read only format. Job descriptions will not be available to anyone viewing the public website.

All other terms and conditions of the solicitation remain unchanged.

Sincerely, Helen Nguyen Contract Specialist

Procurement Section, DFM