2000000001297 - Q&A.docx

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Attached to
Request to bid Prisoner Store Services
Solicitation number
RFP 171 200000001297 2
Issued by
Michigan

About this file

This is a Bidder Questions & Answers document issued by the State of Michigan Department of Technology Management and Budget for Request for Proposal 200000001297, addressing Prisoner Store Friends and Family Care Package Services for the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). The RFP solicits a comprehensive solution for managing commissary orders and care packages for prisoners, with services including kiosk systems, online portals, order processing, packaging, and shipping to multiple MDOC facilities. Key operational requirements include delivery Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST (excluding state holidays), ADA compliance accommodations at eight designated hearing and visually impaired facilities with potential expansion, and contractor responsibility for handling prisoner transfers and damaged order resolution. The contractor must designate a Contractor Representative and Contractor Services Manager, provide training solutions for prisoners, staff, and the public, and manage prisoner correspondence related to orders.

Critical requirements addressed in the Q&A include contractor accountability for system uptime and downtime reporting for all hosted services, with "breakdown" defined as any functionality below 100 percent; data security compliance including SOC 2 Type 2 audits, FISMA and NIST standards, and SSO/SAML authentication as the contractor will handle sensitive information; monthly reporting on returns by facility type, prisoner correspondences, and system performance metrics; and monthly average estimates for transferred and damaged orders, which MDOC currently does not track. The State will not permit pre-paid shipping labels or boxes for transfers and has clarified that damaged items require account credits to prisoners while fully damaged orders receive full reimbursement. The contract services are designated as non-exclusive, permitting the State discretion to source alternative services, and all proposed solutions require MDOC approval prior to implementation.

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STATE OF MICHIGAN PROCUREMENT

Department of Technology Management and Budget
525 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48913
P.O. POX 30026 Lansing, MI 48913

Bidder Questions & Answers Request for Proposal: 200000001297 – Prisoner Store Friends and Family Care Package Services – Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC)

Q #
Document and Section
Page #
Bidder Question
Answer (to be completed by the State)
1
3.A
21
Can you please identify how individuals that are impaired are currently ordering commissary [items]?
Currently Prisoners use the assistance of others to submit orders. The State prefers proposals that include potential solutions to ADA issues (i.e. talk to text, accessories, etc.). State must have full discretion on whether a proposed solution is applicable and if the Contractor should implement any proposed solution.
2
3.A – ADA Compliance
21
Can you provide the number of facilities that would require ADA compliance for requested items beyond wheelchairs accessibility; and number of such kiosks at each of these facilities?
Currently the MDOC has 8 designated hearing and visually impaired facilities. Additional facilities and housing units may be designated at any time. The contractor must provide ADA accommodations at the request of MDOC.
3
3.A – ADA Compliance
21
Can you describe how individuals that may require Braille currently place commissary or self-funded family packages?
Currently prisoners use the assistance of others to submit their orders. The State prefers proposals that include potential solutions to ADA issues (i.e. talk to text, accessories, etc.). MDOC must have full discretion on whether a proposed solution is applicable and if the Contractor should implement any solution.
4
4.6 – Key Personnel
24
Can you further define what is to be expected from the following Roles: Contractor Representative & Contractor Services Manager?
Contractor Representative – is the individual authorized to act on behalf of the Contractor. This person will be responsible for overseeing and answering to the daily operations of the Contract.

Contractor Service Manager – is the individual authorized to act on behalf of the Contractor. This person will be responsible for matters pertaining to the Software and Support Services for the daily operations of the Contract.

5
4.12B – Training
30
Please describe how video instruction would be delivered to prisoners?
This would be in regard to MDOC staff training. Please provide in your bid response all possible solutions for training prisoners, Staff, and friends and family on any of the services provided or offered to them.
6
5.2C
31
Inmate identification prior to packaging orders may result in compromise of security during a blind pull of orders.

Will supplying pre-printed envelopes with an identification line for Name/Prisoner ID/Facility to be later filled-in be a suitable alternative?

Supplying pre-printed envelopes with an identification line for Name/Prisoner ID/Facility is a suitable alternative.

7
5.7C
33
Many instances will require a copy of a signed prisoner receipt. Will that be provided?
The State is unaware of any need for a signed prisoner receipt. Contractor should be able to provide proof a response was issued. Please provide clarification of process or any concerns the Contractor has in your bid response.
8
5.7C
33
Can you provide an estimate monthly average of the number of prisoner correspondences that may require response by the vendor?
Currently this is not something that MDOC is tracking and is unable to provide an estimate of these correspondences. If there is an alternative proposal for questions to be filtered through facility staff before going to Contractor, MDOC would be open to consider any such proposed solution.
9
8.C
36
Please confirm if this request only refers to fully damaged orders and not individual items
Yes, State confirms that this refers to fully damaged orders and not individual items; however, the cost of damaged individual items shall be credited back to the prisoner’s Trust account.
10
8.1A – Returns
36
Would the agency allow for the vendor to provide pre-paid shipping labels and boxes so as to avoid delays in transfer of product to the inmates’ new location?
No, State will not allow for vendor to provide pre-paid shipping labels and boxes.
11
8.1A – Returns
36
Can you provide an estimate monthly average of the number of transferred orders that would require re-ship?
This is not information that the MDOC tracks directly without input from the current contractor.
12
8.1A – Standard Order Delivery
36
States delivery to facility would be Mon-Thurs 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Current schedule is 5 days per week, is this change required?
The State hereby amends 8.1 A- Delivery Hours section to read: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. EST excluding State Holidays.
13
10.B – Reports
38
How will the vendor know whether the purchaser is a friend or relative?
This information should be gathered by the Contractor during the Securepak purchasing process.
14
10.B – Reports
38
Will the type of relative – spouse, sister, etc. also be required to report? If so, who will provide that information to the vendor?
This information should be self-reported by the public during the Securepak purchasing process.
15
10.D – Returns
39
Can you please specify what information is needed to fill the request of: Number of returns received by facility?
This requirement should be: “number of returns from each facility and return type i.e. damaged, prisoner transfer, etc.”
16
10.J
40
Can you please provide examples of what is specifically required for this report?
Uptime and downtime for hosted services including, but not limited to kiosks (and supporting infrastructure), portal, or public facing websites. If any of these are down during anytime of a given month during contract activities it should be reported.
17
Metric 4 – Technical Issue SLA
64
Can you further define Kiosk “Breakdowns”?
A “breakdown” is defined as less than 100% functionality.
18
Schedule G – Hosted Software and Services
71
Can this section be removed from the RFP as the vendor protects its intellectual property and generally does not grant any right beyond a term license to use the software?
The State is unable to remove section in its entirety. Please redline any language that is not applicable for performing services required under the RFP and provide justification for the suggested redlines, redlines are subject to approval.
19
Schedule H – Data Security Requirements
78
Section 3 – Since vendor system will have zero non-public PII information from MDOC, implementing this will be an unnecessary expense that will be baked into the cost proposal.

Above is specifically true for Section 3.1, (SOC 2 Type 2 audits), 3.3 (FISMA & NIST), 3.8 (SSO & SAML), 3.10 (State Security plan).

The State believes that PII/sensitive information will be needed for this system, so the data security requirements are required. Contractor must identify what data it will require or collect from the State or the public through your system in your response to this RFP. Depending on the data you require, sections/compliance redlines will be assessed during bid evaluation and negotiations.

20
45 – Non- Exclusivity
91
Can you provide examples of additional services under this services agreement that call for non-exclusivity clause?
This clause deems all services provided under this Contact as non-exclusive. This means, that at the State’s discretion, the State reserves the right to source services from an alternate means.

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