25-DCYF-EL-005 RFQQ Crisis Respite Coaches.pdf

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 1 of 31

COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND QUOTATIONS

RFQQ NO. 25-DCYF-EL-005

Project Title: Crisis Respite Coaching, Technical Assistance, and

Training

Estimated Contract

Performance Period: July 5, 2024 through September 30, 2025. Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of Department of Children, Youth &

Families (DCYF).

Response Due Date: All responses must be received in their entirety by 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time set forth in Section C.1 of this Solicitation

Document unless an Amendment is issued modifying the

Solicitation Schedule.

Submit Response To: Responses must be submitted to:

Name: Kris Gorgas

Email: dcyf.contracts@dcyf.wa.gov

Solicitation and Amendments

Will Be Posted on WEBS: WEBS Website: https://fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/

Applicable WEBS

Commodity Codes: 918-27 Community Development Consulting

952-43 Family and Social Services

952-67 Parenting Intervention

Additional Resource: Washington APEX Accelerator (formerly Washington

PTAC) website: www.washingtonapex.org mailto:dcyf.contracts@dcyf.wa.gov http://www.washingtonapex.org/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 2 of 31

TABLE OF CONTENT

A. OVERVIEW, BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS, AND CONTRACT TERM

1. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

2. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE

3. QUALIFICATIONS

4. PERIOD OF CONTRACT PERFORMANCE

5. FUNDING

B. DEFINITIONS

C. EXPLANATION OF SOLICITATION PROCESS

1. SOLICITATION SCHEDULE

2. SOLICITATION COORDINATOR

3. POSTING OF SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS

4. AMENDMENT, CANCELLATION AND REISSUANCE OF SOLICITATION

5. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

6. COMPLAINTS

7. MINORITY & WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (MWBE), SMALL BUSINESS, AND VETERAN-OWNED

BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

8. COST TO PREPARE RESPONSE

9. JOINT PROPOSALS

10. WITHDRAWAL OF RESPONSES

11. WAGE THEFT PREVENTION

12. WAGE VIOLATIONS

13. PAY EQUALITY

14. WORKER’S RIGHTS

15. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

16. ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUCCESSFUL BIDDER(S)

17. ETHICS, POLICIES AND LAW

D. PROPOSAL CONTENT, FORMAT AND SUBMISSION

1. ATTACHMENT B - CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES (REQUIRED)

2. ATTACHMENT C - BIDDER RESPONSE FORM (REQUIRED; PORTIONS SCORED)

3. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

4. PREBID CONFERENCE (OPTIONAL)

5. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

6. ACCEPTABLE ELECTRONIC FORMATS FOR SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

7. ALTERNATIVE SUBMISSION METHODS

E. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

1. BID RESPONSIVENESS; ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

2. ERRORS IN BIDDER RESPONSE

3. EVALUATION FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER 18-03 (CONTRACTORS WITHOUT MANDATORY INDIVIDUAL

ARBITRATION FOR EMPLOYEES)

4. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SCORING OF RESPONSES

5. WRITTEN EVALUATION PROCEDURE

6. ORAL PRESENTATIONS MAY BE REQUIRED

7. LETTERS OF REFERENCE (REQUIRED)

8. SELECTION OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

F. DEBRIEFING AND PROTEST PROCEDURE

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 3 of 31

1. DEBRIEFING CONFERENCES

2. PROTEST PROCEDURE

G. CONTRACTING PROCEDURES

1. CONTRACT EXECUTION

2. BIDDER ISSUES, CONCERNS, EXCEPTIONS OR OBJECTIONS

3. INSURANCE

4. NON-ENDORSEMENT

5. BACKGROUND CHECKS ..................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

6. ELECTRONIC PAYMENT

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 4 of 31

A. OVERVIEW, BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS, AND CONTRACT TERM

1. Purpose and Background

This Competitive Solicitation is issued to assist the Washington State Department of

Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) in seeking a qualified Contractor to provide coaching, technical assistance, and training to community or Tribal projects that are building prevention crisis respite capacity.

The Contractor that is selected as a result of this RFQQ will be responsible for providing coaching, technical assistance, and training to up to 4 community and/or Tribal projects to help them achieve project milestones. The Contractor will also be responsible for preparing a final report analyzing project data and compiling lessons learned and recommendations. The Contractor will work closely with the DCYF Contract manager.

The community and/or Tribal crisis respite projects the selected Contractor works with will be decided by a separate Request for Proposals (RFP), which is running concurrently to this RFQQ and is expected to result in up to four contracts. These four projects will each do one of the following:

• Option 1: Crisis Respite Exploration and Planning: Convene and lead a coalition of community members and leaders, families, family support, and early learning providers, and other relevant partners to explore crisis-respite-related needs and assets in the community, Tribal Nation, RAIO, or Native Serving

Organization, and develop a plan to meet the identified needs.

• Option 2: Crisis Respite Implementation: Implement prevention crisis respite services in a community or Tribal Nation with the intention of sustaining services beyond the period that would be supported by a contract that results from this

RFP.

The outcomes of these efforts will vary, depending on the context in each community or

Tribe, their status of when they start, and what they learn. Outcomes for funded communities and Tribes may include increased understanding of community or Tribe needs and assets, development of plans for providing crisis respite services, and piloting services. Outcomes for the state will include increased understanding of the need for crisis respite services and what it will take to address that need.

See Exhibit A, DCYF RFP no. 25-DCYF-EL-004 Crisis Respite Exploration and Planning or Implementation in a community, Tribal Nation, Recognized American Indian

Organization, or Native Serving Organization, for more information.

DCYF is also conducting listening sessions to learn more about the need for crisis respite. Lessons from the listening session will supplement the lessons from the contracted initiatives.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 5 of 31

Strengthening Families Washington (SFWA), a team within DCYF, will administer and support this project. SFWA manages and supports programs that work towards building community and family strengths and promotes optimal child and youth development to prevent child abuse and neglect. SFWA’s work is grounded in the Strengthening

Families Protective Factors framework, which was developed by the Center for the

Study of Social Policy. (See definition of Protective Factors in Section B Definitions).

Crisis Respite: Need, Description and Terminology

Parenting is a difficult job. All families experience bumps in the road. Sometimes life circumstances can undermine parents’ and caregivers’ good intentions and get in the way of their ability to provide safe and nurturing environments for their children. Having someone they trust to care for their children and keep them safe while they tend to their own needs can help families navigate challenges and have a positive impact on children, their parents and caregivers, and their communities.

Programs that provide short-term care or respite on short notice can alleviate family stressors, reduce the risk of harm to children, and may help prevent otherwise unnecessary child welfare systems involvements and out of home placements. Through managing stress and other difficult life circumstances, parents are afforded greater opportunities to create and strengthen bonds with their children that can last generations.

In this project, we are calling this service “Crisis Respite.” Crisis Respite is short-term care for children for when parents/caregivers need a break for any reason, whether they are exhausted and worn-out from the demands of parenting or when they experience difficult life circumstances or other unexpected events, and have no safe alternatives for care. Crisis Respite is typically available on short notice, often at any time of day or night, and is usually free of charge. Many Crisis Respite providers offer additional family supports such as concrete goods, support groups, referrals to benefit programs, and other services to further strengthen families and build resilience. Crisis Respite is welcoming and nonjudgmental; it is inclusive and Culturally Responsive to the families it serves. It understands that families are not defined by their circumstances.

Not everyone calls this service “Crisis Respite.” Other terms that are used to describe it include urgent, immediate, and emergency respite or care. Facility-based providers are sometimes called crisis nurseries. Providers should consider what terms resonate with their community and delivery model as well as licensure when deciding how to name and describe their program.

Crisis Respite is defined by the function it fulfills, not how or where it is delivered. It may be provided in designated facilities, private homes, and other community based settings.

This contract is open to any model that is a good fit in the community and can meet applicable licensure/certification requirements.

For more information on crisis respite, see Crisis Nurseries: Respite for Children at Risk of Abuse or Neglect, ARCH National Respite Network and Annotated Bibliography of

Respite and Crisis Care Studies, ARCH National Respite Network.

https://archrespite.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Crisis_Nurseries_01-20.pdf https://archrespite.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Crisis_Nurseries_01-20.pdf https://archrespite.org/library/arch-annotated-bibliography-of-respite-and-crisis-care-studies-6th-edition-2022/ https://archrespite.org/library/arch-annotated-bibliography-of-respite-and-crisis-care-studies-6th-edition-2022/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 6 of 31

Funding Availability and Focus

This project is supported by one-time federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

DCYF received these funds as a supplement to our Community Based Child Abuse

Prevention (CBCAP) grant to support child abuse and neglect prevention activities during the pandemic.

CBCAP focuses only on primary and secondary prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Primary prevention activities are directed toward the community at large to prevent child abuse and neglect prior to it occurring. Secondary prevention activities are offered to families experiencing one or more risk factors for child abuse or neglect.1 These funds cannot support direct services to child-welfare-involved families or to foster parents.

DCYF has not identified funds to support crisis respite exploration or implementation beyond 2025. One intended outcome of this project is to identify community interest and additional resources to support this service in the future.

2. Objective and Scope

The Contractor will provide services, staff, and perform the duties outlined below:

(1) Engage in on-going coordination and communication with DCYF. This communication includes but is not limited to regular meetings with the DCYF contract manager and other designated DCYF staff, ongoing phone and email coordination with DCYF staff, and submission of monthly reports.

(2) Collaborate with DCYF contract manager to develop guidance and requirements for the community or Tribal crisis respite project contractor deliverables.

(3) Develop a toolkit of tools and resources for planning and implementing crisis respite programs to support the community or Tribal crisis respite projects.

(4) Develop and implement a project management plan. The project management plan should include at least the following:

(a) Project goals, objectives, milestones, assumptions, and risks.

(b) A timeline of key activities to achieve project milestones, identifying who will be responsible for each activity.

(c) Individual plan for each working with each community or Tribal crisis respite project outlining the technical assistance and coaching that the Contractor will provide to each.

(5) Provide coaching, technical assistance, and training to the Community and/or Tribal Crisis Respite projects, including:

(a) Lead up to 6 one-on-one meetings with each project to provide customized guidance and assistance to support them in achieving project goals and deliverables. The DCYF contract manager will participate in some of these meetings and will lead discussions related to contract management.

The expectation is these meetings will be over a web-based platform such as

Zoom or Teams, unless all parties agree on a different format.

1 See What is prevention of child abuse and neglect for information on CBCAP’s approach to prevention.

https://friendsnrc.org/prevention/what-is-prevention-of-child-abuse-and-neglect/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 7 of 31

(b) Plan and lead up to 4 group peer learning opportunities for the Crisis

Respite projects. The Coaching and Technical Assistance Contractor will be responsible for scheduling these sessions and providing content that is responsive to the crisis respite contractors. Contractor will coordinate closely with the DCYF contract manager in planning and scheduling these peer learning sessions, and the DCYF contract manager must approve of session plans. Most peer learnings will be virtual and hosted by the contractor. We will consider holding one in-person session. The decision to hold an in-person session will be made by the Contractor and DCYF.

(c) The focus of coaching, technical assistance and training could include but is not limited to assisting community and/or Tribal crisis respite projects in:

i. developing project work plans,

ii. visioning and planning,

iii. community engagement, including engaging culturally and linguistically diverse communities

iv. recruiting and leading coalitions and community meetings,

v. developing community needs and assets assessments,

vi. developing community crisis respite plans and logic models,

vii. creating business plans,

viii. program implementation,

ix. providing culturally and linguistically responsive services, and

x. data collection and evaluation.

(d) Respond to ad hoc questions from the Crisis Respite contractors.

(6) Assist the DCYF contract manager in reviewing and providing feedback on

Community and/or Tribal Crisis Respite Contractors’ deliverables.

(7) Prepare a final report that analyzes data from the Community and/or Tribal

Crisis Respite projects along with data from the listening sessions that DCYF is holding. Include recommendations for future investment and action related to crisis respite.

Bidder shall identify the key personnel it will utilize in performing this Contract, and their experience and qualifications, as part of its proposal. If awarded a Contract, Bidder shall not make changes to such key personnel during the term of the Contract except as requested or approved by DCYF.

3. Qualifications

Bidders submitting a proposal must complete and submit Bidder Response forms C.1 and C.2 for evaluation purposes. Bidder must respond to each requirement as noted in the instructions below.

• Mandatory Pass/Fail (M): Minimum requirement; Bidder that does not meet this requirement will not be considered any further.

• Mandatory Scored (MS): Critical requirement; Bidders will score based on the degree to which Bidder's response meets the requirements.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 8 of 31

• Desirable Scored (DS): Desirable requirement; evaluators will score based on the degree to which Bidder's response meets the requirement.

a. Mandatory Pass/Fail (M):

(1) Must be licensed to do business in the state of Washington or provide a commitment that it will become licenses in Washington within thirty (30) days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB).

(2) Must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number or provide a commitment that it will acquire a UEI number within thirty (30) days of being selected as the

Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB).

• Information on how to obtain a UEI number can be found at the following location: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

(3) Bidder must certify that they have not been debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in transactions by any federal department or agency. Bidders failing to demonstrate in their Bids that they meet these minimum qualifications will be considered non-responsive and will therefore be disqualified from further consideration.

b. Desirable Scored (DS):

(1) Experience in providing coaching support in planning or program implementation.

(2) Experience facilitating coalitions and group projects which includes bringing together people with different backgrounds and experience to work together.

(3) Experience conducting needs and assets assessments.

(4) Experience engaging culturally and linguistically diverse partners and providing culturally and linguistically responsive services.

(5) Experience in the field of respite/emergency respite/crisis nurseries.

(6) Experience in the field of family strengthening and child abuse and neglect prevention with families of children 0-12 (or a subset of those ages).

4. Period of Contract Performance

DCYF intends to award up to one (1) Contract to provide the services described in this

RFQQ.

The period of performance for the Contract shall start July 5, 2024 and run through

September 30, 2025. The term of the Contract may be extended by Amendment up six

(6) months and will not exceed the date of March 31, 2026.

Additional services that are appropriate to the scope of this RFQQ, as determined by

DCYF, may be added to the resulting Contract(s) by a written Amendment mutually agreed to and executed by both parties.

5. Funding https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 9 of 31

DCYF’s initial total amount for the Contract(s) shall not exceed $100,000. DCYF may reject any proposal in excess of that amount.

In the event additional funds are available, DCYF may add funds to the contracts by amendment.

6. Auxiliary Aids and Services for American with Disabilities Act (ADA)

DCYF will provide access to this Solicitation Document to individuals with disabilities.

Please contact the Coordinator to request auxiliary aids and services.

If an individual believes that the Department has discriminated on the basis of a disability, please contact the DCYF Solicitation Coordinator.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 10 of 31

B. DEFINITIONS

Additional definitions for Contract-specific terms are found in the Sample Contract set forth as

Attachment A to this Solicitation and shall apply to those terms as they are used in this

Solicitation. The following terms have the meanings set forth below:

1. DCYF – The Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families.

2. Amendment – A unilateral change to the Solicitation that is issued by DCYF at its sole discretion and posted on WEBS.

3. American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 (P.L.117-2) -- Signed into Law by President

Biden on March 11 2021. This law provides relief to address the continued impact of

COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.

4. Apparent Successful Bidder or ASB – The Bidder selected as the entity to perform the anticipated services, subject to completion of Contract negotiations and execution of a written Contract.

5. Authorized Representative – An individual designated by the Bidder to act on its behalf who has the authority to legally bind the Bidder concerning the terms and conditions set forth in this Solicitation and related documents.

6. Bid - An offer, proposal or quote for goods or services and all related materials prepared and submitted by a Bidder in response to this Solicitation. The terms Bid, quotation, response and proposal are all intended to mean the same thing.

7. Bidder– An individual or entity who submits a Bid, quotation, or proposal in response to a Solicitation issued for such goods or services by DCYF per RCW 39.26.010(3).

8. Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP): CBCAP programs were established through federal legislation under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment

Act (CAPTA).

9. Complaint – Is a process that may be followed by a Bidder prior to the deadline for Bid submission to alert DCYF of certain types of asserted deficiencies in the Solicitation per

RCW 39.26.170.

10. Crisis Respite/Crisis Nursery/Emergency Respite - Crisis Respite is short-term care for children for when parents/caregivers need a break for any reason, whether they are exhausted and worn-out from the demands of parenting or when they experience difficult life circumstances or other unexpected events and have no safe alternatives for care.

Crisis Respite is typically available on short notice, often at any time of day or night, and is usually free of charge. Many Crisis Respite providers offer additional family supports such as concrete goods, support groups, referrals to benefit programs, and other services to further strengthen families and build resilience. Crisis Respite is welcoming and nonjudgmental; it is inclusive and Culturally Responsive to the families it serves. It https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22HR+1319%22%5D%7D&s=2&r=1

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 11 of 31 understands that families are not defined by their circumstances. Not everyone calls this service “Crisis Respite.” Other terms that are used to describe it include urgent, immediate, and emergency respite or care. Facility-based providers are sometimes called crisis nurseries. Crisis Respite is defined by the function it fulfills, not how or where it is delivered. It may be provided in designated facilities, private homes, and other community based settings. Different types of licensure or certification may be required, depending on how the service is provided.

11. Contract – A written agreement entered into between an Apparent Successful Bidder and DCYF as a result of this Solicitation.

12. Contractor – An individual or entity whose Bid has been accepted by the DCYF and is awarded a fully executed, written Contract.

13. Coordinator or Solicitation Coordinator – An individual or designee who is employed by DCYF within the DCYF Contracts Unit Office and who is responsible for conducting this Solicitation.

14. Culturally Responsive -- Culture includes the shared social behaviors and norms within a society. This can include shared knowledge, beliefs, laws, arts, customs, habits, priorities, expectations, and many other shared practices. Being Culturally Responsive would involve proactively engaging with people in ways that are appropriate within their cultural values, behaviors, and norms.

15. Debriefing – a short meeting an Unsuccessful Bidder may request with the Coordinator following the announcement of the ASB for the purpose of receiving information regarding the review and evaluation of that Bidder’s Response.

16. Evaluator – Is a person designated by DCYF to evaluate proposals received in response to a Competitive Solicitation Document.

17. Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) Certified

Business – Means business or the status of a business that has been examined by the

Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) and deemed to be a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), a Women’s Business Enterprise

(WBE), a Minority Women’s Business Enterprise (MWBE), a Combination Business

Enterprise (CBE), or a Socially and Economically Disadvantage Business Enterprise

(SEDBE) per chapter 39.19 RCW.

OMWBE Certification. The Bidder must have provided certification documentation to the

OMWBE and be certified by OMWBE and listed as such on OMWBE’s website

(OMWBE’s Directory of Certified Businesses).

18. Protective Factors - Characteristics or conditions that reduce or buffer the effects of risk, stress, or trauma. A protective factor is an asset of some kind. DCYF utilizes the

Protective Factors Framework developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy.

These five protective factors contribute to the health and well-being of families and https://omwbe.wa.gov/directory-certified-businesses https://cssp.org/resource/understanding-the-protective-factors/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 12 of 31 children and are associated with reduced incidence of child abuse and neglect. These protective factors are:

• Knowledge of parenting and child development

• Social connections

• Parental resiliency

• Concrete support in times of need

• Social and emotional competence of children/nurturing and attachment

19. Protest – A process that may be followed by a Bidder after the announcement of the

ASB to alert DCYF to certain types of alleged errors in the evaluation of the Solicitation.

20. RCW – The Revised Code of Washington. All references to RCW chapters or sections shall include any successor, amended, or replacement statute.

21. RFQQ – The Request for Qualification and Quotations set forth in this Solicitation document.

22. Small Business - An in-state business, including a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity, that: (a) certifies, under penalty of perjury, that it is owned and operated independently from all other businesses and has either: (i) fifty (50) or fewer employees; or (ii) a gross revenue of less than seven (7) million dollars annually as reported on its federal income tax return or its return filed with the department of revenue over the previous three (3) consecutive years; or (b) Is certified with the Office of Women and Minority Business Enterprises under Chapter 39.19 RCW.

23. Solicitation or Competitive Solicitation – A formal process providing and equal and open opportunity for Bidders culminating in a selection based upon predetermined criteria. A Competitive Solicitation requests the submission of Bids, quotations or proposals for the consideration of DCYF in contracting to meet its needs. This RFQQ is a Solicitation.

24. Solicitation Document – Is a document that outlines the requirements and process for submitting a proposal or Bid to acquire services or goods that DCYF desires, and is released to prospective Bidders or other interested persons. Competitive Solicitation documents include Request for Proposal (RFP’s), Request for Qualifications and

Quotation (RFQQs), Request for Qualifications (RFQs), Request of Quotation(s) (RFQs), and Request for Applications (RFAs).

25. Statement of Work – The detailed description services to be performed by the

Contractor and set forth in the Contract.

26. Subcontractor – An individual or other entity contracted by Bidder to perform part of the services or to provide goods under the Contract resulting from this Solicitation.

Subcontractors, if allowed, are subject to the advance approval of DCYF.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 13 of 31

27. Veteran-Owned Business – means businesses certified by the Department of Veterans

Affairs (DVA) as a Certified Veteran-Owned Business. See RCW 43.60A.010(7) & RCW

43.60A.190. Such firms must meet three requirements:

a. 51% Ownership. The firm must be at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by:

(1) A veteran as defined as every person who at the time he or she seeks certification has received a discharge with an honorable characterization or received a discharge for medical reasons with an honorable record, where applicable, and who has served in at least one of the capacities listed in RCW

41.04.007;

(2) A person who is in receipt of disability compensation or pension from the department of veterans’ affairs; or

(3) An active or reserve member in any branch of the armed forces of the United

States, including the national guard, coast guard, and armed forces reserves.

b. Washington Incorporation/Location. The firm must be either an entity that is incorporated in the state of Washington as a Washington domestic corporation or, if not incorporated, an entity whose principal place of business is located within the

State of Washington.

DVA Certification. The firm must have provided certification documentation to the DVA and be certified by DVA and listed as such on DVA’s website (WDVA – Veteran-Owned

Businesses).

28. Washington APEX Accelerator - formerly Washington Procurement Technical

Assistance Center (PTAC) – Works to give businesses the opportunity to thrive in the government-contracting marketplace. Their website can be found at www.washingtonapex.org

29. Washington Electronic Business Solution or WEBS – Washington’s Electronic

Business Solution, the Bidder notification system found at https://fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/ and maintained by the Washington State

Department of Enterprise Services.

http://www.washingtonapex.org/ https://fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 14 of 31

C. EXPLANATION OF SOLICITATION PROCESS

1. Solicitation Schedule

The Solicitation Schedule set forth below outlines the tentative schedule for important events relating to this Solicitation. Except as modified in an Amendment issued by the

Coordinator, the dates and times listed through the date of response submission are mandatory deadlines. The remaining dates are estimates and may change without the posting of an Amendment. Failure to meet the response deadline will result in Bidder disqualification.

Action Date

Posts Competitive Solicitation May 14,2024

Prebid Conference May 17, 2024

Bidder may submit written questions until 4 p.m.

Pacific Time.

May 27, 2024

DCYF will post responses to written questions as an Amendment.

May 30 2024

Bidders may submit written Complaints by 5 p.m.

Pacific Time

May 31, 2024

Issue an additional Amendment(s) to RFQQ (if applicable)

June 7, 2024

Bidder must submit Response by 4 p.m. Pacific Time June 7, 2024

Evaluation of written Responses June 10-13, 2024

Announce ASB(s) and notify unsuccessful Bidders June 14, 2024

Unsuccessful Bidders may request a Debriefing conference until 4 p.m. Pacific Time

June 20, 2024

Holds Debriefing conferences, if requested June 25, 2024

Negotiate Contract

June 10-25, 2024

Contract start date (DCYF will postpone signing a Contract with the ASB until all Protests have been resolved.)

July 5, 2024

2. Solicitation Coordinator

The Solicitation Coordinator is the sole point of contact for DCYF for this Solicitation. All communications concerning this Solicitation must be directed to the Coordinator listed on the cover page and below of this subsection of this Solicitation Document.

With the exception of the response which shall be submitted as provided in Section D, Proposal Content, Format and Submission, communications with the Coordinator should be sent via email. DCYF may disqualify any Bidder who communicates with anyone in

DCYF other than the Coordinator regarding this Solicitation.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 15 of 31

Name: Kris Gorgas

Email: dcyf.contracts@dcyf.wa.gov

a. DCYF considers all oral communications unofficial and non-binding. Bidder are to rely only on written statements issued by the Coordinator.

b. Any communications directed to parties other than the Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Bidder.

3. Posting of Solicitation Documents

DCYF shall post this Solicitation, and all Amendments and announcements relating to this Solicitation, on WEBS. WEBS can be accessed at https://fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/.

All Bidders must register as a vendor on WEBS, using an appropriate commodities code listed on the front page of this Solicitation, and must download this Solicitation from

WEBS. This should be done as soon as possible in order for Bidder to receive notifications automatically generated on WEBS, but no later than the date set forth on

Section C.1., Solicitation Schedule for Announcement of the Apparent Successful

Bidder(s).

4. Amendment, Cancellation and Reissuance of Solicitation

a. DCYF may amend or cancel or reissue this Solicitation at any time, in whole or in part, prior to execution of a Contract.

b. DCYF may reject all Bids and cancel or rebid this Solicitation. In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this Solicitation, Amendment(s) shall be posted on WEBS.

c. DCYF may reject all Bids and cancel or rebid this Solicitation. In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFQQ, an Amendment will be provided to all who receive the RFQQ. All Amendments and notifications of cancellation shall be posted on WEBS. In the event of a conflict between Amendments or between an

Amendment and this Solicitation Document, the document issued latest shall control.

d. For this purpose, the published questions and answers from the prebid conference and any other pertinent information shall be provided as an Amendment to the

RFQQ.

5. Questions and Answers

Bidders may send written questions concerning this Solicitation to the Coordinator by the date and time set forth on the Solicitation Schedule in Section C.1. for submission of

Questions. Questions should be sent via email and should include the number and title of this Solicitation in the subject line.

https://fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 16 of 31

DCYF will document all questions received in writing by posting an Amendment to the

Solicitation on WEBS. Only Bidders who have properly registered and downloaded the original Solicitation directly via the WEBS system at https://fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/

/ will receive notification of Amendments and other correspondence pertaining to this

Solicitation.

6. Complaints

a. DCYF provides prospective Bidders a period of time to voice Complaints about this

Solicitation in order to promote a transparent, fair, and competitive process.

Prospective Bidder must provide the Coordinator the Complaint in written form no later than five (5) business days prior to when the Bids are due. The Complaint must clearly articulate the basis for the Complaint and should include a proposed remedy.

Complaint topics are inclusive of:

(1) Unnecessary restricts competition;

(2) Contains an unfair or flawed evaluation/scoring process; or

(3) Inadequate or insufficient requirements so a response is difficult to prepare.

b. Complaint raised in communication with the Coordinator will be documented and responded to in written form. A copy of the Complaint and response will be posted on

WEBS. The DCYF decision regarding a Complaint is final and no further administrative appeal is available. The Complaint may not be raised again during the Protest period.

7. Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises (MWBE), Small Business, and Veteran-

Owned Business Enterprises

a. In accordance with the legislative findings and policies set forth in RCW 39.19, 43.60A.200, 39.26.240 and 39.26.245, the State of Washington encourages participation by Small Business, by veteran-owned business enterprises and by the

Office of Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (OMWBE).

Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this Solicitation or on a

Subcontractor basis. While the state does not give preferential treatment, it does seek equitable representation from the small, veterans, minority and women’s business communities.

DCYF will be included in the evaluation of Bids, no minimum level of MWBE participation shall be required as a condition for receiving an award and Bids will not be rejected or considered non-responsive on that basis.

b. Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises Participation

Bidders may contact the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises

(OMWBE) at http://omwbe.wa.gov/ to obtain information on certified firms for potential subcontracting arrangements or for information on how to become certified.

file:///C:/Users/goffas/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/WBRI7JQJ/:/fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/%20/ file:///C:/Users/goffas/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/WBRI7JQJ/:/fortress.wa.gov/es/webscust/%20/ http://omwbe.wa.gov/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 17 of 31

Nothing in this section is intended to prevent or discourage participation from non-

MWBE businesses.

The established annual Solicitation participation goals for MBE is 10% and for WBE, 4%, for this type of project. These goals are voluntary. Bidders may contact

OMWBE at 360/753-9693 or http://www.omwbe.wa.gov to obtain information on certified firms.

c. Small Business Participation

In accordance with the legislative findings and policies set forth in Chapter 39.26

RCW, the state of Washington encourages participation in all of its Contracts by

Bidders defined as a Small Business. Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this Solicitation or on a Subcontractor basis. However, no preference will be included in the evaluation of Bids.

d. Veteran-Owned Business Participation

In accordance with the legislative findings and policies set forth in Chapter

43.60A.200 RCW, the state of Washington encourages participation in all of its

Contracts by firms certified by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).

For questions regarding the above go to: http://www.dva.wa/gov/.

8. Cost to Prepare Response

DCYF will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Bidder in preparing of a Bid submitted in response to this Solicitation, conducting a site assessment and/or presentation, any other activities related to responding to this Solicitation, and/or submitting a response to this Solicitation.

9. Joint Proposals

If Bidders submit a joint response with one or more other persons or entities, these persons or entities must designate a prime Bidder. The prime Bidder will be DCYF sole point of contact through the Solicitation process. If selected as the ASB, the prime

Bidder shall sign the Contract and any Amendments and will be liable and responsible to

DCYF for all performance under the Contract.

10. Withdrawal of Responses

After a response has been submitted, Bidders may withdraw their response at any time up to the response due date and time as specified in Section C.1, Solicitation Schedule.

A written request to withdraw the response, signed by an Authorized Representative of the Bidder, must be submitted to the Coordinator. After withdrawing a response, the

Bidder may submit another response at any time up to the response submission date and time.

11. Wage Theft Prevention http://www.omwbe.wa.gov/ http://www.dva.wa/gov/

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 18 of 31

Bidder certifies that Bidder has not, within the three (3) year period immediately preceding the date of release of this Competitive Solicitation, been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the state of Washington

Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment to have willfully violated state minimum wage laws (RCW 49.38.082; Chapters 49.46 RCW, 49.48 RCW, or 49.52

RCW). Bidder attests under penalty of perjury that the foregoing statement is true and correct. Bidder must submit, Attachment B, attached hereto and incorporated herein as though set forth in full.

12. Wage Violations

Contractor represents and warrants that, during the term of this Contract and the three

(3) year period immediately preceding the effective date of this Contract, it is not determined, by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the

Washington Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or general jurisdiction, to be in willful violation of any provision of

Washington State wage laws set forth in RCW Chapters 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52. For purposes of this Section 12 and pursuant to RCW 49.48.082 as now or hereafter amended, “willful” shall mean a knowing and intentional action that is neither accidental nor the result of a bona fide dispute, as evaluated under the standards applicable to wage payment violations under RCW 49.52.050(2).

13. Pay Equality

Contractor represents and warrants that, as required by Washington State law (Laws of

2019,Chap. 415, §225(4)(f)), during the term of this Contract the Contractor agrees to equality among its workers by ensuring similarly employed individuals are compensated as equals.

a. For purposes of this Section 13, employees are similarly employed if the individuals work for the same employer, the performance of the job requires comparable skill, effort, and responsibility, and the jobs are performed under similar working conditions. Job titles alone are not determinative of whether employees are similarly employed.

b. For purposes of this Section 13, the Contractor may allow differentials in compensation for its workers based in good faith on any of the following: a seniority system; a merit system; a system that measures earnings by quantity or quality of production; a bona fide job-related factor or factors; or a bona fide regional difference in compensation levels.

(1) A bona fide job-related factor or factors may include, but not be limited to, education, training, or experience, that is: consistent with business necessity; not based on or derived from a gender-based differential; and accounts for the entire differential.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 19 of 31

(2) A bona fide regional difference in compensation level must be consistent with business necessity; not based on or derived from a gender-based differential;

and account for the entire differential.

14. Worker’s Rights

Pursuant to the Washington State Governor’s Executive Order 18-03 (dated June 12, 2018), DCYF is seeking to contract with qualified entities and business owners who certify that their employees are not, as a condition of employment, subject to mandatory individual arbitration clauses and class or collective action waivers.

15. Most Favorable Terms

DCYF reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the Bid submitted. Therefore, the Bid should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the Bidder can propose. DCYF does reserve the right to contact a Bidder for clarification of its Bid.

The Bidder should be prepared to accept this RFQQ for incorporation into a Contract resulting from this RFQQ. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or all of the

Bidder’s Bid. It is understood that the Bid will become a part of the official Solicitation file on this matter without obligation to DCYF.

16. Announcement of Successful Bidder(s)

DCYF shall announce the ASB(s) via email on the date indicated in Section C.1., Solicitation Schedule. All announcements of ASB(s) are subject to the negotiation of a

Contract satisfactory to DCYF.

17. Ethics, Policies and Law

This Solicitation, the evaluation of responses, and any resulting Contract will be made in conformance with applicable Washington State laws and policies.

Specific restrictions apply to contracting with current or former state employees pursuant to RCW 42.52. Bidders should familiarize themselves with the requirements prior to submitting a Response. Bidders must include information regarding any current or former state employees who are employed by, or subcontracted with Bidder in

Attachment C-1, Administrative Requirements Response.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 20 of 31

D. PROPOSAL CONTENT, FORMAT AND SUBMISSION

Bidders shall submit their responses utilizing the forms set forth on Attachments B and

C1, C2 and C3 to this Competitive Solicitation. Each attachment represents a separate section of the response. Failure to complete and submit all required attachments, and to sign them, if applicable, may result in Bidder disqualification. Responses should be neatly typed in 12-point font, using proper grammar, spelling and punctuation and should be submitted in the following order with each section of the response clearly labeled.

1. Attachment B - Certifications and Assurances (Required)

All Bidders must submit a completed Certifications and Assurances in the form and with the minimum contents set forth on Attachment B, which must include all of the required acknowledgments and information. The Certifications and Assurances must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the Bidder contractually.

2. Attachment C - Bidder Response Form (Required; Portions Scored)

Using Attachment C1, C2 and C3, Bidders must provide answers to the questions set forth on the Bidder Response Form to demonstrate satisfaction of administrative requirements and, as applicable to this Solicitation, their qualifications, approach and proposed pricing to provide the services as outlined in this Solicitation, including the sample Contract set forth on Attachment A.

The Bidder Response Form is posted separately from this Solicitation Document in

Microsoft Word and Excel format. Except for limits that are noted on the Bidder

Response Form, Bidders may utilize as much space as is reasonably required to respond to each question, provided all questions are repeated and remain numbered and ordered as set forth in Attachment C2. If additional pages are needed, they should be attached to the page containing the initial portion of the response to a question and should be marked clearly to indicate that they provide a continuation of Bidder’s answer to a specific numbered question. Bidders should not submit product brochures, white papers, and customer testimonials, cut sheets, or other pre-prepared materials in response to any of the questions.

Bidders must submit complete, well-organized explanatory answers that address all of the specific questions asked in the Bidder Response Form. Bidders should not assume that Evaluators will be familiar with their businesses before conducting the evaluation.

Use of Attachment C1, C2 and C3 assures that Bidder responds to specific questions in space immediately below those questions and helps to avoid confusion among

Evaluators about the question that is being responded to. Failure to use the form set forth on Attachment C1, C2 and C3, and failure to respond to all questions and/or failure to submit any documents requested in the Bidder Response Form may result in Bidder’s disqualification.

If Bidder is awarded a Contract, DCYF will require the Bidder Response Form to be incorporated, in whole, into the Contract.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 21 of 31

If Bidder is awarded a Contract, DCYF will require the Bidder Response Form to be incorporated, in whole, into the Contract.

3. Proprietary Information/Public Disclosure

Materials submitted in response to this Solicitation shall be deemed public records as defined by RCW 42.56. All responses and accompanying documentation shall become the property of DCYF upon receipt, and will not be returned.

The Bidder’s response must include, on Attachment C, a statement identifying the pages of its response, if any, which contain information the Bidder considers proprietary. Each page claimed to be proprietary must be clearly marked by stating the word

“Proprietary” printed on the lower right hand corner of the page. Bidders must be reasonable in designating information as proprietary or confidential. Bidders may not mark their entire Response proprietary. Doing so will not be honored and will disqualify your Response from further consideration.

If DCYF receives a request to view or copy a Bidder’s response, DCYF will respond according to applicable law and DCYF’s policy governing public disclosure. DCYF will not disclose any information marked “Proprietary” in a response without giving the

Bidder ten (10) calendar days’ notice to seek relief in superior court per RCW 42.56.540.

Bid submissions and Bid evaluations are exempt from disclosure until DCYF announces the ASB

a. DCYF will consider a Bidder’s request for exemption from disclosure; however, the

DCYF will make a decision predicated upon Chapter 42.17 RCW and Chapter 136-

06 of the Washington Administrative Code. Marking the entire Bid exempt from disclosure will not be honored. The Bidder must be reasonable in designating information as confidential. If any information is marked as proprietary in the Bid, such information will not be made available until the affected proposer has been given an opportunity to seek a court injunction against the requested disclosure.

b. Bidders may not include any DCYF client information in their responses. Doing so will result in disqualification of the Response from further consideration. If you wish to include examples of any forms or processes, use a blank form or ensure that all client information is completely redacted.

c. A charge may be made for copying and shipping, as outlined in RCW 42.17.300. No fee shall be charged for inspection of Contract files, but twenty-four (24) hours’ notice to the Coordinator is required. All requests for information should be directed to the

DCYF Public Records Office at https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/public-records.

4. Prebid Conference (Optional)

A Zoom prebid conference is scheduled to be held on May 17, 2024 at 1:00 pm, Pacific

Daylight Time. Bidder should participate; however, participate is not mandatory.

Competitive Solicitation RFQQ # 25-DCYF-EL-005 Page 22 of 31

Zoom link:

https://dcyf.zoom.us/j/84026173423?pwd=d3o1bHBLUTNydzNKVThINkNwMlpYdz09

Meeting ID: 840 2617 3423

Passcode: 901934

DCYF will be bound only to DCYF’S written answers to questions. Questions arising at the prebid conference or in subsequent communication with the Coordinator will be documented and answered in written form. A copy of the questions and answers will be posted in WEBS.

5. Submission of Responses

Bid responses must be stored in an acceptable electronic format as set forth in Section

5, below. Bid responses must be emailed directly to the Coordinator at the email address provided on the cover sheet of this Solicitation. Bid responses must be received by the Coordinator in their entirety on or before the due date and time set forth in Section

C.1., Solicitation Schedule, unless a posted Amendment to this Competitive Solicitation changes this due date and time. Bidder’s completed version of each of the Attachments

B and C to this Solicitation shall be included as a separate attachment to the Bidder’s email(s).

Bidders assume all risks for the timely submission of the response. Bidders are responsible for allowing sufficient time to ensure timely electronic receipt of their response by DCYF.