Sol_15-233-SOL-00237_Amendment_1.pdf

(x)

15-233-SOL-00237

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1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT

THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

DAM

Rockville MD 20857 12501 Ardennes Avenue Twinbrook Place, Suite 400

DHHS/PSC/AMS/DAM

06/19/2015000001

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

05/21/2015

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1.Provide responses to the questions submitted

2.Revise Section B.4 CONSIDERATION AND PAYMENT (CPFF) to correct the periods of performance.

3.Revise Section L.2 INQUIRIES/SUBMISSION to change the contract specialist from Ian Young to Isaac Bellamy. Isaac Bellamy can be reached at (301) 443-0150 or

Isaac.Bellamy@psc.hhs.gov.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

ROSANNA BROWNING

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

Solicitation: 15-233-SOL-00237 Amendment: 1

Questions and Responses

General:

1. Question: There is a discrepancy between some of the dates of the period of performance on page 3 of the RFP and those on page 22. Please confirm the period of performance.

Response: The dates in Section B.4 of the original solicitation are incorrect.

Amendment 1 has corrected the dates in Section B.4.

Task 2:

2. Question: Can those supporting individual state reviews be independent consultants or does the Children’s Bureau prefer they all be contractor staff?

Response: The government does not have a preference.

3. Question: Must contractor staff supporting individual state reviews meet the following requirements?:

- Minimum of 2 years of direct field experience and/or supervisory, administrative, or management experience in a public (federal, state, or local) or private child welfare agency. Such experience includes providing services or supervising, administering, or managing programs in any of the following: (1) child protective services; (2) foster care; (3) adoption; (4) family preservation; (5) family support;

(6) independent living services; or (7) licensure/approval of foster and adoptive families.

- BA/BS or MA/MS/MSW in social work, human services, public administration, counseling, or a related field; or a Juris Doctor with experience working for a state Court Improvement Program or juvenile or family court dealing with child welfare cases.

Response: The government imposes no such requirement on the contractor.

4. Question: Is there a set number of trainings that should be planned each year for the staff supporting individual reviews, or is the number of trainings intended to be determined as needed?

Response: Determined as needed.

5. Question: If training is provided on an “as-needed” basis, is need determined by the

Children’s Bureau or the contractor?

Response: By the Children’s Bureau in collaboration with the contractor.

6. Question: For budgeting purposes, please provide the number of staff needed to participate as review team members in each traditional review.

Response: Federal conducted reviews will require up to 4 note-taker consultants for stakeholder interviews, 9 QA consultants, and up to 25 consultant reviewers.

7. Question: For budgeting purposes, please provide the number of staff needed to participate as review team members in each state conducted case review.

Response: State conducted reviewers will require 4 note-taker consultants and 4 QA consultants as needed.

8. Question: Will staff be needed to provide onsite technical assistance in traditional reviews? If so, how many?

Response: Up to 4.

9. Question: Will staff be needed to provide onsite technical assistance in state conducted case reviews? If so, how many?

Response: No more than 2.

10. Question: For budgeting purposes, please provide the number of traditional reviews anticipated in each contract year.

Response: Approximately 3.

Task 3:

11. Question: For budgeting purposes, what is the approximate number of trips the 16 Child

Welfare Specialists will make each year and the approximate duration of each?

Response: The Children’s Bureau cannot specify the number of trips per year or the duration of each.

12. Question: Will the contractor be able to reimburse the Child Welfare Specialist for all allowable out-of-pocket expenses for training-related travel as well as for monitoring-related travel?

Response: Yes.

Task 4:

13. Question: Does the Children’s Bureau anticipate any change in the security posture of the existing data management system?

Response: The Children’s Bureau is not in a position to opine as security is governed by HHS and governmental rules.

14. Question: Which databases and types of information need to be cross-interfacing?

Response: Please refer to task 4.1 and 4.3.

15. Question: Can the Children’s Bureau provide examples of extensible and cross-interfacing within the system?

Response: Please refer to task 4.1 and 4.3.

16. Question: The RFP states that the database must include “[o]ther contextual State information pertaining to the reviews and/or state’s ongoing CQI system and performance, as requested by CB.” Will CQI data only be collected as requested by the

Children’s Bureau or will the contractor work directly with states?

Response: Only by The Children’s Bureau.

17. Question: The RFP requires that “[t]he portal will be built or transitioned and then maintained on a .gov website consistent with government rules for agency’s public facing presence”:

Can the government provide any agency-specific rules?

Will the government provide the necessary technical resources to switch to a

.gov website?

Portions of the RFP imply that the system will reside at or within ACF facilities.

Please clarify if that is required.

Response: HHS link, http://www.hhs.gov/web/policies/index.html has information on web policies, standards, Section 508 compliance, etc. It will be a 2nd or 3rd

“.gov site” or a sub-site. It would be preferable to have the site hosted within

ACF AWS cloud infrastructure – FISMA compliant.

18. Question: Regarding the technical assistance needed by and offered to defined users and CB as it relates to the instrument or document, is there technical assistance requested in addition to that for onsite reviews and the OMS Help Desk?

Response: Yes.

19. Question: Does the Children’s Bureau intend to take all existing data management systems to be hosted and managed directly by ACF IT?

Response: No.

20. Question: When does the Children’s Bureau want to migrate the data management systems to the ACF platform?

Response: During base year of the contract.

21. Question: Does the Children’s Bureau have any concerns or issues with specific software platforms used by the current contractor?

Response: The evaluation of software is the responsibility of HHS and ACF IT and not The Children’s Bureau.

22. Question: What hours will be required for OMS Help Desk support operation?

http://www.hhs.gov/web/policies/index.html

Response: The offeror shall propose an approach with Children’s Bureau input.

23. Question: Will the OMS Help Desk support the CFSR Data Dashboard?

Response: No.

24. Question: Regarding the transition of the CFSR Data Warehouse and Performance

Dashboard, can the Children’s Bureau provide technical architecture, feature, and function information on the dashboard?

Response: The solution is being developed to match this task in Tableau and Drupal. Additional details are provided below.

Data Warehouse and Performance Dashboard Development, Implementation, and Maintenance This task details the requirements associated with developing and implementing the data warehouse and performance dashboard. The subtasks listed reflect traditional life cycle phases associated with developing an information technology solution and correspond to both the warehouse and dashboard.

Data Warehouse The Contractor shall develop and complete the initial design for a Data Warehouse in accordance with the approved plan. The Warehouse is designed to store, link, and maintain the data needed to populate the Dashboard and support ad-hoc requests. The Data Warehouse must integrate, link, and process data from four primary sources – the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), state and county child population estimates released annually by the U.S. Census, and select data points (e.g., baselines and targets) associated with states’ program improvement plans (PIPs). Necessary data from NCANDS, AFCARS, and states’ PIPs will be made available to the Contractor to support this project; the Census data are available publicly. The Contractor must develop and implement streamlined, efficient, and to the extent practicable, automated processes to:

Acquire and integrate into the data warehouse necessary data from the data sources described earlier (e.g., data from NCANDS, AFCARS, U.S. Census, and state program improvement plans). In addition, the Data Warehouse will need to incorporate textual data that will be accessible in the Dashboard to assist users in understanding and interpreting terms, outcomes, and other data points. Examples of textual data include footnotes states sometimes submit with their data to explain certain findings, and descriptions of indicators, numerators, denominators, and data quality checks. Creating the Warehouse may require working directly with contractors and other data stewards responsible for maintaining the original data. To the extent necessary, the CB and ACF, in conjunction with existing contractors, will provide the Contractor with capabilities and system details of the existing data environments for NCANDS, AFCARS, and PIP data to facilitate the development of a solution. This solution must incorporate at least three years of historical data, as well as anticipate and handle ongoing submissions, resubmissions, and updates to the source data that will occur.

Allow users with appropriate permissions to extract or otherwise obtain raw or aggregate data to support additional analysis or respond to ad-hoc requests. The process must support extracts of data into commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) applications, such as

Excel and SPSS. Support for this feature may be included in the Dashboard or through a separate process. For example, a state user should have an easy way of obtaining encrypted AFCARS IDs related to cases with data quality issues shown in the Dashboard; or, an ODARE staff member may need to obtain, for further analysis, the case-level data on all children that were included in the calculation of a given indicator for a given period of time. Screen the data and calculate data quality metrics according to data quality checks, thresholds, and other parameters specified by the CB for CFSR purposes. Data checks include validating data both across and within files. Examples of data quality calculations include the percent of cases with missing or invalid data, the percent of non-matching AFCARS IDs across submissions, and the number of states and cases that fail specific data quality thresholds. The solution envisioned would make the data quality results available via the Dashboard, so that states and other CSFR stakeholders can quickly investigate the causes for further action. ODARE will make available to the Contractor syntax already developed to perform the required data quality checks, and the Contractor shall be responsible for building, implementing, and maintaining this syntax going forward.

Calculate or incorporate performance related to CFSR indicators, create derived variables, and produce other calculated fields that populate the Dashboard. ODARE will make available to the Contractor SPSS and STATA syntax, logic, and documentation needed to calculate performance on the statewide indicators, calculate other data points, and create derived variables. The Contractor shall be responsible for building on and maintaining this syntax going forward, and conducting the necessary statistical analyses.

Calculating performance on statewide indicators requires advanced, multi-level statistical analyses that must be done in statistical software (e.g., STATA), so the processes put in place should also include an efficient way to prepare the necessary files for use in such programs and a review process wherein ODARE analysts review and approve the results of the analyses before merging them into the warehouse and publishing them to the dashboard.

Performance Dashboard The Contractor shall design, develop, and implement a Performance Dashboard solution to support the intended target audience of the dashboard will primarily be the CB staff, contractors involved in supporting CFSR initiatives and providing related TA, and select state employees from each state. The Performance Dashboard should be a web-based system that provides users with timely and relevant data in at least three areas: data quality, CFSR performance, and child welfare context data. Data for these areas may include state and national data quality metrics related to CFSR measurement (point-in-time and longitudinal), state and national performance on CFSR outcomes (point-in-time and longitudinal), metrics related to past and present performance improvement plans (e.g., baselines, improvement goals and thresholds, and progress toward goals/thresholds), and contextual information on states’ child welfare populations and other indicators of interest. The Dashboard interface should be intuitive, make effective use of data visualizations, leverage features associated with modern self-service business intelligence platforms, and support interactive features and real-time data exploration (ad-hoc analyses), including the ability to filter and group data to show results at varying units of analysis (e.g., by year, by county, by age, by race). Depending on the users’ role, the user may have access to all or only a subset of the data, visualizations, and features. The Dashboard should support various use cases such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Federal staff use the dashboard to quickly identify states in need of technical assistance, such as states with declining CFSR performance, states with poor performance across multiple CFSR indicators, or states with significant data quality problems.

• A state representative views her state’s data quality page, sees that that state has a large percentage of dropped cases relative to other states or the nation, and easily obtains a list of record numbers associated with those cases so she can investigate the cause.

• A contractor or regional specialist preparing to assist a state with CFSR-related concerns uses the dashboard to summarize and explore key metrics for the state, and to identify trends and patterns, such as the state’s CFSR performance relative to the nation, over time, and whether performance differs substantially for certain populations (e.g., older youth) or counties which might benefit from targeted TA. The individual uses data, tables, and visualizations from the dashboard to prepare a CFSR profile report that summarizes the major findings.

• A federal CFSR team member views a dashboard to quickly identify which states are currently engaged in a PIP, the number of indicators currently being monitored, and states’ progress toward meeting their targets (e.g., percentage difference between most recent performance and the target).

• The Dashboard should be developed so that it can be scalable to a public access version, as well.

Requirements Specification and Validation This subtask ensures that the warehouse and dashboard, data elements,, and processes needed to acquire, process, present, and make use of the data are developed and implemented according to users’ needs and technical requirements.

The Contractor shall provide the following tasks and activities:

• Validate functional and data requirements to create Data Requirement Definition. This will involve joint sessions with the Steering Committee members to review all system, technical, and functional requirements and ensure that the Contractor’s understanding of the requirement conforms to that of CB and ACF.

• Modify, clarify, and add detail to system, as necessary.

• Review and validate business process workflows.

• Maintain a mapping and traceability of requirements as they are allocated to design units. This requirements traceability matrix will link the functional requirements to the system design and, ultimately, to the software codes and through to system and acceptance testing. This process facilitates ongoing visibility into how the implemented solution supports all user and technical requirements.

25. Question: Regarding the CFSR Data Warehouse and Performance Dashboard, can the

Children’s Bureau provide any information on estimated staffing or current staffing?

Response: The Children’s Bureau anticipates the following labor mix:

Project Manager – (1 position)

Systems Architect – (3 positions) Database Management Specialist – (2 positions) Business Analyst – (2 positions) Program Analyst – (2 positions) Application Programmer – (2 positions) Web Designer – (3 positions) Quality Assurance Analyst – (1 position) Operations Manager – (1 position)

26. Question: The RFP indicates that the transfer of the database, software, computer code, documentation, and related materials for all system applications will occur. Does the transfer of software include the transfer of any or all necessary application software licenses or associated agreements to either the contractor or the government?

Response: Yes.

27. Question: Would the agency approve a FedRAMP-compliant cloud provider that would meet the agency security requirements?

Response: It would be preferable to have the site hosted within ACF AWS cloud infrastructure – FISMA compliant.

Task 5:

28. Question: Please provide an estimate of the number of people who will require tablet

PCs/laptops and related equipment during traditional CFSRs.

Response: Federal conducted reviews will require up to 4 note-taker consultants for stakeholder interviews, 9 QA consultants, and up to 25 consultant reviewers.

29. Question: Please provide an estimate of the number of people who will require tablet

PCs/laptops and related equipment during case review path CFSRs.

Response: State conducted reviewers will require 4 note-taker consultants and 4 QA consultants as needed.

30. Question: Will any traditional reviews occur simultaneously or in consecutive weeks, requiring additional inventory of tablet PCs/laptops and equipment?

Response: Yes, this is possible.

Task 6:

31. Question: Will states conducting their own case reviews be able to request and receive training on the automation (OMS) before their onsite review period?

Response: Yes.

32. Question: If states conducting their own case reviews are able to receive training on the

OMS, will the training be presented remotely or in person?

Response: The offeror shall propose an approach with Children’s Bureau input.

33. Question: How many additional, new Web-based training modules are needed each year?

Response: This will be dependent upon identified needs by the Children’s

Bureau.

Task 8:

34. Question: Will the level of need for “ongoing analysis of quantitative and qualitative data…as requested by the Children’s Bureau” be similar to that in the Round 2 CFSRs?

If not, how is the need for such ongoing analysis expected to change?

Response: Yes.

Task 10:

35. Question: The RFP notes that “[t]he Contractor shall develop a periodic reports component and work with the Children’s Bureau to determine the need for collecting additional data or providing additional automated reports.” What types of periodic reports and automated reports does the Children’s Bureau anticipate needing?

Response: The offeror shall propose an approach with Children’s Bureau input.

Section G:

36. Question: In addition to the Child Welfare Specialists identified as key personnel in Task

3, are there any other staff designated as key personnel?

Response: No.

37. Question: Is the current inventory of laptops sufficient to meet the need for all years of the contract? If not, what is the estimated number of additional laptops and peripherals that will need to be purchased?

38. Question: Will tablet PCs/laptops and related equipment be used only for traditional

CFSRs or also for CFSRs using state conducted case reviews?

Response: Tablet PCs/laptops and related equipment will be used for both.

Section K:

39. Question: Does K.8 apply to subcontractors?

Response: No.

Section L:

40. Question: Can resumes and bios be included in the Technical Appendix?

41. Question: Can the HHS Section 508 Evaluation Template be included in the Technical

Appendix?

B.4 CONSIDERATION AND PAYMENT (CPFF)

This is a cost-plus fixed-fee contract/order. In consideration of the satisfactory performance of the work as described in Section C the contractor shall be compensated in accordance with the following schedule below. The period of performance is for: a base period of twelve (12) months with four (4) option periods with a period of performance of twelve (12) months.

Base Period: September 30, 2014 2015 to September 29, 20152016

Estimated Cost $

Fixed Fee $

Cost Plus Fixed Fee $

Option Period 1: September 30, 2015 2016 to September 29, 20162017

Option Period 2: September 30, 2016 2017 to September 29, 20172018

Option Period 3: September 30, 2017 2018 to September 29, 20182019

Option Period 4: September 30, 2019 to September 29, 2020

L.2 INQUIRIES/SUBMISSION

All questions/inquiries concerning the solicitation document must be submitted by e-mail (no faxes or telephone calls please) to the Contract Specialist, no later than June 4, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.

EST. Questions should be e-mailed to the following address: Rosanna.Browning@psc.hhs.gov.

The Government's response to the inquiries will be posted on FedBizOpps. Any resulting additions, deletions or changes to the RFP will be made by issuance of a formal amendment.

Offerors are instructed specifically to contact only the issuing contract office in connection with any aspect of this requirement prior to contract award. The Government does not intend to extend the due date for proposals.

The proposal must be submitted no later than July 13, 2015 at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. The

Offeror shall submit (1) original and the Offeror shall provide an electronic version of each proposal on separate CDs. The proposal shall be delivered to the Contract Specialist at the following address:

Department of Health and Human Services

Program Support Center, Acquisition Management Services

Twinbrook Place, Suite 400

12501 Ardennes Ave.

Rockville, MD 20852*

Attn: Ian YoungIsaac Bellamy

*Zip Code is for UPS/FedEx & Courier services, please use 20857 for US Postal Services.

NOTE: Because Twinbrook Place is a secure building, offerors that send proposals by UPS, FedEx, or other courier will have to call 301-443-6557 from the first floor lobby to arrange for pick up. Isaac Bellamy can be reached at 301- 443-0150 or Isaac.Bellamy@psc.hhs.gov. Please allow extra time for your proposal to be delivered to the contracting office. Failure to use the specified address or arrange for pick up in sufficient time could result in your proposal being delivered late.