8366_RFI_CRM System_FAQv.3.docx

Oregon Housing and Community Services Department 725 Summer Street NE, Suite B Salem, OR 97301 Telephone: 971-433-7914 Email: amanda.king@hcs.oregon.gov

Date: October 17, 2024

To: RFI # S-91400-00011654 (OHCS #8366) Respondents

From: Amanda King, Procurement Specialist

Re: RFI # S-91400-00011654, FAQ No. 1 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System

This document is not an Addendum to the subject RFI and does not change the requirements of the RFI. Answers given to the below questions that were submitted by prospective Respondents are for clarification purposes only.

Questions Received:

1. Regarding the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department RFI Bid #S-91400-00011654 that was issued this morning, does the department intend to invite vendor for discussions/presentations or demonstrations for their solution?

Response: The RFI does not include a demonstration portion; however, if this RFI results in an RFP, demonstrations will be included in that process. At this time, the project is being prepared for legislative approval.

2. What is the number of internal and external users for this system?

Response: OHCS anticipates15 to 30 initial users and will have additional users added over time. If available, a per-user price tier included in Attachment A-1 would be beneficial so we can assess initial and long-term costs for the system.

3. There is no deadline for submitting questions/clarifications listed in the RFI documents. Does this mean that they can be submitted until the RFI due date of October 18, 2024?

Response: Yes, we are accepting questions until the Opening date of October 18, 2024, and will upload answers intermittently to OregonBuys.

4. If this RFI greenlights a solicitation, what is the estimated timeframe for procurement?

Response: We anticipate a timeframe of 12 months or less.

5. What is the anticipated contract value?

Response: Unknown at this time. This RFI will assist in assessing contract value.

6. Is there a current vendor providing these services? If so, how may I obtain copies of any incumbent contract documents?

Response: No, OHCS does not currently have a vendor providing these services.

7. Can you provide examples of the types of workflows you would be looking to foundationally implement via this new CRM? We understand that a comprehensive list is likely unachievable at this time however a ballpark cost estimate will be dependent on understanding what administrative and end user facing activities OHCS is hoping to support. For example, “Someone submitting an application for supportive housing” or “a case manager at a nonprofit documenting case notes for a client”.

Response: When an OHCS staff member has a conversation with a partner in community or contractual, they will enter the details of the conversation and follow-up in the CRM. When staff are planning engagement with partners or community, they will review the notes in the CRM to better prepare for the conversation, make sure they are aware of any issues or important content prior, and to see who else from the agency has had interactions with that community member or partner.

When the agency needs information to inform decision making, or to inform reporting requirements, ARB, or other information they can pull reports from the CRM system.

8. In the existing [Q&A] you stated that there would be 15 to 30 initial users of this platform. Could you provide any additional details about the types of user profiles you anticipate needing? Specifically, what do “staff” and “customer” mean in the context of this RFI- and do you anticipate that program applicants/recipients of services will have profiles in the system that they are able to access?

Response: Staff would be those who are responsible for managing relationships with our external partners. This would include our Government Relations team, our engagement team and members of agency divisions.

Partners – anyone that has a contract with OHCS to deploy resources to community, develop properties, or is seeking homeowner assistance support, community-based organizations, legislators, general public seeking information and others who are directly impacted by OHCS resources.

9. Would OHCS be interested in administering direct or third-party payments or doing direct benefits (ie. housing voucher) allocations through the CRM?

Response: Not at this time.

10. What third party data sources (including in-house developed applications) does OHCS currently use, and would integrations with these data sources be desired in this new CRM system?

Response: No additional data sources or systems are currently involved. The processes this system would support are currently manual.

11. Could you please provide an estimated user count for this opportunity?

Response: 15 – 30 users.

12. Could you also please clarify the following in the 3.1 Capability section: Create a long form report for a third-party security audit. What type of information would need to be gathered for this reporting?

Response: We would like to know if this is a component of the CRM System on any level, specific data not applicable at this moment.

13. Could you also please clarify the following in the 3.1 Capability section: Workflow management. Could you please provide additional information on the workflows required?

Response: There would need to be clarity and coordination for those who are responsible for relationship management and support, and community engagement to use the system. They would be required to enter information when engaging with our partners.

14. Are you currently using a grant solution today, and if so which solution?

Response: No, we currently do not have a system in place.

15. How many employees are in the agency?

Response: Total employee count would not be applicable. There will be an estimated 15-30 users interacting with the system.

16. Would Oregon consider extending the proposal submission deadline to ensure sufficient time to prepare a comprehensive RFI bid?

Response: No, this RFI is to gain preliminary knowledge on CRM Systems and pricing. An RFP will be available in 2025 that will provide and request more details.

17. In RFI Request For Infomation.pdf, page 2, section 4, Responder Submission, is this a comprehensive checklist of content that needs to be included so that we can submit a responsive bid? If not, could you specify? I also see attachment B, but it’s not listed anywhere that it should be included in the response.

Response: Attachment A, Respondent Information Sheet, and Attachment A-1, Pricing Estimate, should be completed and submitted as the response to the RFI. The checklist provides items we are looking for in a system, as well as open-ended boxes at the end of each category to provide more detail, if needed. Attachment B, Affidavit of Trade Secrets, should be completed if the Respondent wishes to keep portions of their response confidential but is not mandatory to submit. Please also provide a redacted version of the response with the Affidavit, if applicable.

18. Can you tell me more about the email, Business Intelligence, applications, etc. this CRM will be integrating with?

Response: Please refer to Section 3.2 of Attachment A, Respondent Information Sheet, for a general list of compatibility we are looking for.

19. What vendor/solution are you using for your current CRM?

Response: We currently do not have a vendor/solution.

20. What timeline would you be potentially looking at for getting this new CRM evaluated/implemented?

Response: After completion of an RFP, we expect implementation in 2026.

21. What are the main considerations you’re looking for in a new CRM to help your organization?

Response: Please refer to Attachment A, Respondent Information Sheet, for details on considerations we are looking for in a potential CRM System.

22. Could you also please clarify the following in the 3.1 Capability section: Autofill forms. Could you please provide clarification on what type of data would need to be autofilled? Ex. Zip codes, addresses, etc.

Response: Exact data types have not been assessed yet. We are hoping to have this information provided to educate our requirements for the RFP next year.

23. Does OHCS get involved in Case Management of individual beneficiaries or is it limited to interact with community based?

Response: For the purpose of this RFI, it would be limited to interact with community-based partners.

24. What areas within housing stabilization ex.: homelessness, affordable housing, disaster relief, etc. does OHCS provide Grants and Programs for?

Response: OHCS oversees over 35 federal and state programs within our divisions. More information on individual programs and the divisions administering them can be found on the OHCS Agency Program website.

25. Will other stakeholders such as other agencies, non-profits, beneficiaries need to have Portals built for them to transact with OHCS?

Response: No, only OHCS staff will be interacting with the system.

26. Are current non-CRM solutions mostly built custom?

Response: There is currently no system in place. This is a net new installation.

27. Is there a middleware in place for integration between systems?

Response: No interfaces exist at this time. The need for a future interface must be supported by API’s in this product.

28. Are there compliance related reporting requirements that OHCS will need to comply with and do those reports have to be run out of the new CRM system?

Response: Thorough details of compliance and reporting will be provided in the resulting RFP. At this time, we are gathering preliminary information on CRM systems. Please refer to Attachment A, Respondent Information Sheet, Section 2.3 on the compliance measures we are currently inquiring about. If Respondent would like to provide more information, please utilize the open-ended box below the category to expand.

29. Will there be a need for data migration from any legacy systems into the new CRM? If so, what volume and types of data should we expect to migrate (e.g., constituent records, case management details)?

Response: There will be some contacts and possible case information to be uploaded. Specifics are unknown at this stage. Please consider using an average or best estimate in this case.

30. How many users will the new CRM solution have to support?

Response: 15-30 users.

31. Could you provide details about the different user roles within OHCS that will need access to the CRM? Will these roles require specific permissions and access levels (e.g., staff, grantees, community service providers)?

Response: OHCS staff who are responsible for managing relationships with our external partners will be the users interacting with the CRM system. This would include our Government Relations team, our engagement team and members of agency divisions.

32. How much customization flexibility is required for user interfaces? Are there specific workflows or case management or Grant Management processes that need to be built into the CRM's UI?

Response: Unknown at this time. The information gathered in this RFI will help OHCS determine more details.

33. Would you consider a Salesforce based 3rd party solution that fits your requirement better than the plain Salesforce Public Sector Cloud solution?

Response: We are primarily concerned with the information provided in Attachment A, Respondent Information Sheet, for the current RFI. However, we would be interested to learn more to inform our requirements for the resulting RFP.

34. Do you have a target implementation timeline for deploying the CRM? Are there any key milestones (e.g., new fiscal year, grant cycles) that should guide the project timeline?

Response: After completion of an RFP, we expect implementation in 2026.

35. Please provide a list of the specific databases or data management systems currently in use at OHCS.

Response: No current databases, all transactions are handled manually in Excel at this time.

36. What are the primary data exchange methods (e.g., APIs, file transfer) that OHCS uses between its systems?

Response: No interfaces exist or will be part of this initial installation. The capability to support interfaces is required.

37. What are the main user roles that will interact with the CRM, and what permissions will they require?

Response: Please see Question #8 and Question #31.

38. Are there any specific reporting or analytics capabilities that are critical for OHCS’s decision-making process?

Response: No.

39. What are the main challenges OHCS faces with its current customer relationship management processes?

Response: OHCS current processes are manual. A system would help staff better serve our partners. More information can be found in Sections 1.0-3.0 of the RFI.

40. What specific outcomes would define a successful CRM implementation for OHCS?

Response: Some anticipated outcomes are increased efficiency in issue resolution, increased score on surveyed opinions on process effectiveness from staff and a decrease in overall organization response time.

41. Does OHCS have a preferred timeline for transitioning to the new CRM system?

Response: After completion of an RFP, we expect implementation in 2026.

42. Are there key milestones or deadlines that are critical for OHCS’s implementation of a new CRM?

Response: OHCS will assess milestones and deliverables when developing an RFP next year. The information gathered from this RFI will help determine such details.

43. What compliance frameworks does OHCS currently adhere to for data handling and security (e.g., HIPAA, state-specific regulations)?

Response: Please see Attachment A, Section 2.4 for a general list of compliance we are concerned with currently. If Respondent would like to provide more information, please utilize the open-ended box below the category to expand.

44. Are there existing data encryption standards that the CRM must align with?

Response: Published security standards for the State of Oregon can be found under the Statewide Information Technology (IT) Control Standards and the link provided under Section 2.4, Item 1.

45. Do we have to submit our response as Attachment A only, or do we need to submit the capability statement as a separate document?

Response: We are requesting that Attachment A and Attachment A-1 are submitted as the Response. No separate documents are necessary, unless applicable.

46. As Attachment A mentions, we can expand any of the points if needed. Is there a page limit for Attachment A that can be considered?

Response: There is not a mandatory page limit, but we ask the Respondent to please limit the number of pages submitted to a reasonable amount considering the information provided.

47. How many external systems, besides email and business intelligence tools, does the CRM need to integrate with?

Response: Please see Section 3.2 for a list of compatibility that we are primarily concerned with for this RFI. If Respondent would like to provide more information, please utilize the open-ended box below the category to expand.

48. Does OHCS currently have a Microsoft 365 (M365) license, and if so, which tier of licensing is in place? This will help us understand how the CRM can integrate with your existing email and business intelligence tools such as Outlook and Power BI.

Response: Yes, M365 GCC G5.

49. Is there any anticipation of migrating existing data from any system to this new system? If so, what is the expected volume of data?

Response: Excel level information will need to be migrated, but volume is unknown at this time. Please consider using an average or best estimate in this case.

50. Are there any specific technical requirements we need to consider when integrating with OHCS’s existing applications?

Response: Please refer to Questions #27, #35, and #36.

51. How many different types of reports does OHCS anticipate needing, and will the system require customization of report views at the department or user level to accommodate specific workflows?

Response: Unknown at this time. The information gathered in this RFI will help OHCS determine more details.

52. Are there any specific custom features or workflows that are unique to OHCS?

Response: Customization may be needed, but specialized workflows will be limited as best possible.

53. Can you provide more details on the specific business processes and workflows that the CRM system needs to support?

Response: Please refer to Question #7.

54. To what extent is OHCS expecting automation within the CRM system for case processing? Are there specific tasks or workflows where you anticipate higher levels of automation versus those requiring manual intervention?

Response: Some automation would be of value to the goals of the participating organization. Specifics are to be determined.

55. Are there any constraints or guidelines regarding the budget, particularly concerning licensing costs for future growth in users?

Response: Not at this time.

56. We know you don't currently have a CRM but what are you currently using for customer management and how do you currently track data?

Response: We are currently tracking manually with Excel spreadsheets.

57. What are the existing data sets that need to be migrated to the CRM?

Response: No migration anticipated at this time since this data is tracked through Excel.

58. What is the desired timeline for implementation? Meaning, after the contract is signed, do you have a desired timeline for implementation?

Response: After completion of an RFP, a Vendor has been awarded, and negotiations have concluded, we would expect implementation as soon as feasible.

59. Are there any key milestones or deadlines we should be aware of?

Response: Not at this time.

60. What key performance indicators do you want to track?

Response: This information will be assessed and provided during the RFP phase. However, we are willing to accept any information provided as a Response to this RFI to help inform our requirements for the RFP.

61. How many people from OHCS will be involved in providing support for the transfer of information and processes into the CRM?

Response: We are unsure of that number at this time. We anticipate having minor details such as this worked out during the RFP phase.

62. After Implementation and training, how long would you like the maintenance contract to be? 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 36 months?

Response: Details such as maintenance periods are anticipated to be built into the resulting Contract and would be assessed based on Vendor business processes. OHCS is open to assessing different maintenance solutions, if Respondent provides that information in their Response.

63. Will you be doing marketing and/or outreach? If so, what is the number of people that you will send marketing or outreach emails to?

Response: Marketing and outreach can vary depending on current Programs and program needs. We will have this information readily available during the RFP phase next year.

64. About how many community members will you need to be in contact with?

Response: This number can vary greatly and might change over the period of a resulting Contract. If a CRM System is limited to the number of partners able to be reached, we would like to know that information in the Response to better inform our requirements of the RFP.

65. What functionalities are important to you in the customer portal?

Response: Please refer to Attachment A, Respondent Information Sheet, for applicable functionalities we are gathering information on. This is not a comprehensive list of functionalities, but a high-level summary.

66. Will you be sending out invoices or accepting payments using the CRM?

Response: No, OHCS has a separate invoicing and payment process. This is not a function of the CRM system we are currently interested in.

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