Clarification Requests and Government Responses (Revised Solicitation for Wraparound Services).xlsx
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- Solicitation number
- 1605JW-23-R-00006
About this file
This document contains a solicitation for wraparound services at two New York City Job Corps Centers. The Contractor shall provide academic, career technical, career success skills, and career development training at the South Bronx and Brooklyn Job Corps Centers, serving a planned on-board strength of 250 students at South Bronx and 145 nonresidential students at Brooklyn. Outreach and admissions services shall be provided to enroll a minimum of 1,705 students annually. Career transition services shall be provided to all graduates and former enrollees. The Contractor shall undertake measures to ensure each center maintains an average monthly on-board strength of 100% of the planned level. The North American Industry Classification System code is 611519 and the small business size standard is $41.5M. The agency is the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.
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Questions & Responses
| Section of the Solicitation | Questions | Responses |
| C.2 | Does the Government expect the contractor to include methodologies and processes for the following requirements in the technical proposal, or is it expected the following will be planned and implemented after award: |
"To this end, the contractor shall
a. Develop a written agreement with Learning contractor detailing collaboration processes, tools, and timelines;
b. Develop or adopt a common assessment of employability skills;
c. Develop a data sharing protocol that allows for both parties to update and access student records easily and centrally; and
| d. Develop a consultation protocol for collaboration on matters of individual student behavior, progress, and needs." | The Wraparound contract provider is to coordinate with the Learning contract provider to submit the Wraparound Services contractor collaboration MOU after the contract award. The Learning contract provider will be required to report on collaboration activities with Wraparound Services contractor to support student educational outcomes. In addition, The Learning contract provider will be required to report on how data is used to improve program quality, student educational outcomes, and other information related to continuous improvement. The Wraparound contract provider is to collaborate with the Learning contract provider to develop a data sharing protocol that allows for both parties to update and access student records easily and centrally. | |
| C.2. / chart showing contractor responsibilities | What does the role of Work-based Learning (WBL) entail? Will the Wraparound Services contractor be responsible for the coordination, monitoring, and employing the WBL Specialist? |
The Learning contract provider is to facilitate and provide opportunities for Work-based learning in collaboration with the Wraparound contract provider.
The Wraparound contract provider is to provide logistics for work-based learnining according to the work-based learning schedule.
C.2 Please indicate which contractor (Wraparound or Learning) has primary responsibility & staffing for the following requirements:
--Evening and weekend studies programming -Driver’s License instruction & Behind the Wheel -Recreation and leisure time programming -Social Development services The Wraparound provider is responsible for the supervision of students' evening and weekend studies after the training day. The Learning contract provider is responsible for providing substantive tasks/work for students to complete during the time allocated to evening and weekend studies. In addition, the Wraparound and Learning contract providers must coordinate students' evening and weekend studies in accordance with PRH Chapter 3.1, R9 (a,2): Evening/Weekend Studies Program and Appendix 301: Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Requirements and Instructions, Requirements and Instructions, 3. Follow-up Testing.
The Wraparound provider is to coordinate support activities (e.g., transportation) with the Learning provider in delivery of driver education.
The Wraparound provider is responsible for provision of recreation and leisure time programming and social development services in coordination with the Learning provider.
| C.2 | Please clarify what is meant by “a common assessment of employability skills.” What type of assessment does the Government require? What benchmarks should be used to assess employability skills since Job Corps currently refers to these skills as the "Career Success Standards"? | The Wraparound contract provider should identify or develop a set of benchmarks or a common assessment for the purpose of measuring employability skills. The Wraparound contract provider should describe how this tool(s) would identify and measure skills critical for employability, which is also referred to in Job Corps as Career Success Standards. The provider should be specific to identify the tool(s) that will be utilized or developed, explain how it aligns to the standards and skills needed for employability, and how it would be an effective measurement tool. |
| C.2 | Please clarify the type of "written agreement" required by the Government between the Learning contractor and the Wraparound contractor. Does the Government expect a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and will this MOU be submitted to the Government for review and approval? | Yes, the Wraparound contract provider and Learning contract provider is responsible for developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on how they will coordinate services to meet the RFP/PRH requirements. This MOU must be submitted to the Regional Office within 60 days of contract award and updated annually within 30 days of contract renewal. |
| C.2 | Please clarify the “data sharing protocol” required. Will the contractors be required to establish a data system external to the Job Corps Data System? | The Job Corps Data System is the electronic data system used for the program. The Wraparound contract provider is to collaborate with the Learning contract provider to develop a data sharing protocol that allows for both parties to update and access student records easily and centrally. |
| C.2. / chart showing contractor responsibilities | Will the Wraparound Services contractor manage the Career Transition Readiness (CTR) program or work with the Learning contractor? | Per the RFP, both the Wraparound contract provider and the Learning contract provider are responsible for Career Transition Readiness. |
| C.3 / Staff Training, Procurement and Property Management, and Facilities | Will the Wraparound contractor provide training to the Learning contractor's employees? Will the Wraparound contractor manage uniforms, textbooks, tools, and supplies required for learning? Will the Wraparound contractor order these items and incur the cost? Will the Electronic Property Management System (EPMS) be solely under the Wraparound contractor? Will the Wraparound contractor be responsible for remodeling/decorating the Learning contractor's areas? Granted that the Learning contractor may have specific requirements to the appearance and functionality of a learning environment, who will incur the cost of these changes (if any)? | The Wraparound contract provider and the Learning contract provider is to coordinate staff training. The Wraparound contract provider will be responsible for the purchase and management of uniforms and it incur the costs. The education and training materials and supplies will be the responsibility of the Learning contract provider. The EPMS will be soley under the Wraparound contract provider's responsibility. Yes, the Wraparound contract provider will be responsible for the facilities maintenance and construction rehabilitation of the facility to include the Learning contract provider's areas. The Wraparound contract provider and the Learning contract provider are to collaborate when it comes to the learning environment. |
| C.3.1.A and F.5 | Section C.3.1.A states: “The center can expect to receive arrivals from other contractors performing Outreach and Admissions as follows: N/A" However, Section F.5 shows projected enrollees from centers other than South Bronx/Brooklyn. Will contractors at these other centers be sending enrollees to South Bronx/Brooklyn? If not, how is the South Bronx/Brooklyn Wraparound Services contractor responsible for these numbers? | Section F.5 (Deliverables) of the solicitation provided a chart for Annual Arrivals by Center (Enrollee Assignment Plan). The Wraparound contract provider is required to recruit applicants for their arrivals to other centers in accordance with the chart. (Please see revised chart in Amendment 1.) |
| C.3.1.D | Is the contractor expected to include specific methodologies and processes for the following administrative requirements: |
“The contractor shall provide direction, management, and administrative support to all functions and activities of the center. In collaboration with the Learning contractor, the Wraparound Services contractor shall establish systems that ensure:
->Effective program organization and management.
->Program integrity and accountability.
| ->Staff professionalism and development.” | Yes, the Wraparound contract provider is expected to include specific methodologies and processes for effective program organization and management, program integrity and accountability, and staff professionalism and development. | ||
| F.5 | The chart entitled "Annual Arrival by Center" specifies a total of 655 enrollees for Brooklyn/South Bronx. This total does not coincide with the subsequent chart entitled "Annual Arrivals by Month," which specifies a total of 665 enrollees. What is the correct total number of enrollees? | Please see revised charts in Amendment 1. |
| G.8 | The line item references in the first paragraph differ from the Pricing Schedule in Section B.2. Will the Government please fix this language? | Section G.8 will be corrected to show the following: CLIN XX05 (Construction, Rehabilitation, and Acquisition), XX06 (Equipment), and XX07 (Career Technical Skills Training). |
| G.8 | The last paragraph in this section refers to service orders as fixed price instead of cost reimbursable as stated in the first paragraph. Will the Government please fix this language? Will the Government please clarify that the "CR" in the last paragraph should be "CRA" (Construction, Rehabilitation, and Acquisition)? | The last paragraph in Section G.8 will be rephrased: "When a service order is placed, it will have a specified estimated amount to reflect a cost-reimbursable service order because the price cannot reasonably be determined prior to award. Cost-reimbursable service orders may include G&A and fee/profit. Equipment and CTST service orders shall not include G&A and fee/profit." |
| H.6 | Referring to Regulation 29 / Code of Federal Regulations 4.173. Concerning vacation accrual purposes, contractors are required to recognize previous hire dates for work performed on the contract regardless of which contractor operated the center. In addition, the Wage Determination stipulates 2 weeks paid vacation after 1 year of service with a contractor or successor. Is this regulation applicable and should the hire/vacation accrual date be when the employee originally was hired on the contract (regardless of which contractor operated the center)? Or should the hire/vacation accrual date be when the employee was hired with the current contractor? |
If this does apply, for contractors who did not recognize time with the contract during the transition, how should this date be obtained? If applicable, the proper date should be obtained so that employees could obtain a higher vacation amount. A service employee’s eligibility for vacation benefits is based on the total length of time the employee has been in the contractor’s service (commercial work and federal contract) and, where applicable, the total length of time the employee has been employed in any capacity in the continuous service of any predecessor contractor and has been carrying out similar contract functions at the same facility.
For the purpose of proposal development and submission only, offerors shall assume that all incumbent employees are entitled to two weeks of vacation.
| H.18 | In prior cost reimbursable contracts, there was additional language regarding the closeout package. Will U.S. Department of Labor please include the additional language applicable to cost-reimbursable type contracts? | This language is being incorproated in this amendment. |
| I.1 | Please confirm FAR 52.216-7 (Allowable Cost & Payment) is applicable to the solicitation. | |
| FAR 52.216-7 (Allowable Cost & Payment) will be added to Section I of the solicitation. | ||
| J.1 (Cost Detail Template) | Should a cost detail sheet (Attachment J-1) be submitted for each site (South Bronx and Brooklyn)? Or should one sheet be submitted with combined pricing for both sites? | Please submit separate cost detail sheets for each site and a summary sheet with combined pricing for both sites. |
| J.1 (Cost Detail Template) | The cost detail sheet has lines for technical and cost incentive fees. With this being a fixed fee contract, will the Government please correct this form? | Regarding the Cost Detail Template, references to technical and cost incentive fees will be replaced with language related to fixed fee. |
| J-16 (Service Contract Labor Standards) | Will wage determinations be provided for all counties in the National Enrollment Assignment Plan (NEAP) zone? | Job Corps Recruitment Zone NYRZ01 consists of New York City and Long Island. The current wage determination for the Service Contract Act includes the counties of New York City. The wage determinations for the counties of Nassau and Suffolk will also be incorporated. |
| L.1 / Factor 1 | Is the Wraparound contractor responsible for providing evening instruction, driver education, and the career enhancement opportunities? Or is the Wraparound contractor only responsible for providing an approach to coordinate other activities that the Wraparound contractor is explicitly stated to be responsible for (such as Career Preparation Period and development of My Pathway to Achieving Career Excellence) with the educational activities of the Learning contractor? | The Learning Contractor is responsible to provide substantive tasks/work for students to complete during the time allocated to evening and weekend studies. Generally, the supervision of students during evening and weekend hours is the responsibility of the Wraparound provider. However, the Wraparound and Learning contract providers must coordinate students' evening and weekend studies in accordance with PRH Chapter 3.1, R9 (a,2): Evening/Weekend Studies Program and Appendix 301: Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Requirements and Instructions, Requirements and Instructions, 3. Follow-up Testing. |
The Learning Contractor is responsible for providing driver education (classroom and behind the wheel) and may coordinate with the Wraparound provider for use of GSA vehicles. If driver eduction if offered offsite, the Wraparound provider may need to facilitate transportation to their site. Other scenarios will be considered. The Wraparound provider is responsible for provision of recreation and leisure time programming and social development services in coordination with the Learning provider.
| L.6.F (Proposal Format) | Due to the requirement to address two sites and the number of questions, would the Government consider increasing the page limitation? | Due to time constraint during proposal evaluation, the current page limitations will stand. |
| L.7 (Factor 1 / Technical Approach) | The subfactor “Outreach and Admissions” requires recruitment of “justice-involved youth.” Please provide a definition of “justice-involved youth.” Referring to the Eligibility Requirements in Exhibit 1-1 of the Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook (PRH), does Criterion 9 (Disqualifying Convictions) and Criterion 10 (Court Involvement and/or Agency Supervision) apply to this contract? | Yes, PRH Exhibit 1-1 Eligibility Requirement Details Criterion 9 Disqualifying Convictions and Criterion 10 Court Involvement and/or Agency Supervision apply to this contract. |
| L.7 (Factor 4 / Business Management Proposal) | “the offeror shall provide a supplemental Word document with additional cost detail…” Referring to the ETA 2110 (Financial Display by Year), is the detail at the line item level or down to the account structure? This will have a significant impact on the number of pages. Is there a limit of pages on the supplemental Word document (Attachment J-3)? | The additional cost detail must be provided down to the account structure. There is no page limit on the supplemental word document. |
| L.7 (Factor 4 / Business Management Proposal) | Instructions say to submit the Staff Compensation Plan (Attachment J-28). Please confirm that since this is a cost reimbursable contract, the Staff Compensation Plan will not be submitted. Furthermore, will the Government please remove this language from the solicitation? | References to the Staff Compensation Plan (Attachment J-28) is still required so that the U.S. Department of Labor can ascertain that the contractor intends to pay staff competitive wages. |
| L.7 (Factor 4 / Business Management Proposal) | The first paragraph states that CLIN XX05 is included in the evaluation. Will U.S. Department of Labor confirm that CLIN XX05 is not included in the evaluation and revise this language? Furthermore, will the line item numbers be updated for the not-to-exceed items? | Offerors shall not propose pricing for CLIN XX05 (Construction, Rehabilitation, and Acquisition). The Government will provide not-to-exceed ceiling amounts for the following line items: CLIN XX05 (Construction, Rehabilitation, and Acquisition), XX06 (Equipment), and XX07 (Career Technical Skills Training). |
| L.7 (Factor 4 / Business Management Proposal) | Statement says to include a Word document with additional cost detail. Can this be submitted as a PDF instead of a Word document? | PDF documents are acceptable if the data can be copied and pasted. |
| M.1 | Please clarify the criteria that will be used to evaluate evaluation Factor 6 (Linkages to Key Partners) and Factor 7 (Collaborative Planning and Program Implementation with Learning Contractor). These factors are included in Factor 1 (Technical Approach). Do the proposals need to include written responses to Factor 6 and Factor 7 in addition to responses included in Factor 1 (Technical Approach). | This amendment corrects this error. Linkages to Key Partners and Collaborative Planning are intended to be part of Factor 1, Technical Approach. |
| Will it be the responsibility of the Wraparound contractor to price and pay all utilities at both locations? | Yes, it is the responsibility of the Wraparound contractor to price and pay all utilities at both locations. | |
| Will it be the responsibility of the Wraparound contractor to submit all required Standard Operating Procedure and plans per Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook Exhibits 5-1 and 5-2? | Yes, the Wraparound contractor will be required to submit the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and plans in accordance with the PRH, Exhibits 5-1, and 5-2. Select SOPs shoud be developed in coordination with the Learning contract provider (e.g. Student Accountability Procedures or Career Development Services System Plan). | |
| Given there are two sites, should the staff resources submission include two organizational charts? | ||
| Yes, the staff resources submission should include two charts. |
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