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Solicitation 86615719R00011, A0001 Single Family (SF) Claims Processing Services Questions and Answers
| Q1 |
| We are interpreting Forward Mortgages to be exclusive of Reverse Mortgage activity. Can the Government please clarify if processing will involve Forward and Reverse Mortgages under this contract? If so, is this still reflected in the 3,500 per month volume estimate. |
| A1 |
| Forward Claims only. Yes, 3,500 is Forward Claim activity only. |
| Q2 |
| Is there an incumbent currently providing this support? If yes, can the government please disclose the name of the company, contract number and value? |
| A2 |
| There is no current incumbent. However, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. |
| Q3 |
| Will the Government accept in-process PMP certification for the Project Manager? |
| Q4 |
| Will all staff be required to attend HUD training? |
Is this formal training sessions? Or informal working alongside of HUD staff?
| A4 |
| Yes, all contractors that will be processing the requirement will have a formal training. |
| Q5 |
| How many training days are anticipated? |
| Q6 |
| Is the location of the training in Washington D.C. |
| A6 |
| Yes, HUD Headquarters. |
| Q7 |
| Is this formal training sessions? Or informal working alongside of HUD staff? |
| A7 |
| It is formal training by HUD staff. Yes, staff members will be present. |
| Q8 |
| What is the daily volume of paid claims and supporting documentation that have to be digitally archived? |
| A8 |
| The volume is 3,500 per month. There is no number paid per day volume estimate. |
| Q9 |
| Where is this data required to be stored? |
| A9 |
| Electronically, within the HUD firewall. |
| Q10 |
| What is the daily volume of manual claim payments? |
| A10 |
| The volume is 3,500 per month. There is no number paid per day volume estimate. |
| Q11 |
| What is the daily percentage of manual payments that are rejected and require additional action? |
| A11 |
| Manual payments do not reject; however, approximately 175 suspended claims are rejected daily and will require additional action. |
| Q12 |
| What is the daily volume of Claims/A43C paid claims source documents that have to be matched the payment schedule for all claim types? |
| A12 |
| The PWS does not require A43C paid claims matching with source documents. |
| Q13 |
| How many of the daily Claims/A43C claims require additional action to resolve discrepancies? |
| A13 |
| The volume for processing is 3,500 per month. |
| Q14 |
| What is the daily volume of paid vouchers and AOPs that require processing? |
| A14 |
| The volume is 3,500 per month. There is no number paid per day volume estimate. |
| Q15 |
| Are paid voucher and AOP remittances to Mortgagees done electronically or mail? |
| A15 |
| Yes, the manual vouchers along with AOP will be remitted electronically. |
| Q16 |
| What is the daily volume of claims documents and AOP that have to be archived? |
| A16 |
| The volume is 3,500 per month. There is no number paid per day volume estimate. |
| Q17 |
| Where is the archived data stored? |
| A17 |
| Within the HUD firewall. |
| Q18 |
| Are we allowed to use contract labor or do all project affiliates have to be W-2/fully vested employees? |
| A18 |
| This is the Contractor’s decision. |
| Q19 |
| Does the Government have any objection to the utilization of remote/non-centralized claims processors during the pendency of this contract? |
| Q20 |
| What is the minimum education and experience level required for the claim analysts? |
| A20 |
| No, the Contractor is responsible for all staff’s performance. |
| Q21 |
| Is there a substitution of experience for education for either the Project Manager or Senior Claims Analyst? |
| Q22 |
| Is this a new HUD requirement or is there an incumbent contractor? |
| A22 |
| This is a new HUD requirement. However, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. |
| Q23 |
| If there is an incumbent contractor, a, who is the incumbent contractor? b. Is the incumbent contractor eligible to bid on this solicitation? c. What is the annual and total dollar venue of the incumbent’s contract? |
| A23 |
| A. No. There is no incumbent contractor, however, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. |
B. No.
C. There is no current incumbent for this new requirement.
| Q24 |
| What is the size (e.g. number of processors) that HUD anticipates for this project? |
| A24 |
| The claim processing volume is 3,500 per month. The Contractor determines the number of processors required to successfully perform the requirement of the PWS. |
| Q25 |
| In the PWS, page 12 of 18, paragraph 5.1 (Transition In) The Government mentioned a 90-day transition in period to ensure a smooth transition with the incumbent contractor. (a) Is there an existing contract for Single Family Claims Processing Services? (b) Are the employees SCA? (c) Will the Government provide a list of all SCA employees, (Key and non-key personnel)? |
| A25 |
| No. b) Not applicable. This is a Professional Service requirement. c) Not applicable. |
| Q26 |
| As a Firm Fixed Price contract, could the Government provide a Basis of Estimate (BOE) of historical labor hours for data for File/Record Maintenance and Document Control (PWS 5.2.1)? |
| A26 |
| No. The Contractor shall determine the number of hours required to successfully perform the requirements of the PWS. |
| Q27 |
| As a Firm Fixed Price contract, could the Government provide a BOE of historical labor hours for Financial Operations (PWS 5.2.3)? |
| A27 |
| No. The Contractor shall determine the number of hours required to successfully perform the requirements of the PWS. |
| Q28 |
| Is there any restriction work site location (i.e. contractor site in proximity to Washington, DC)? |
| A28 |
| Must attend training in-person |
| Q29 |
| Is there any interaction with customer in person? |
| Q30 |
| If this is a new requirement and employees must be trained initially, how will training be accomplished (telephonically, or on Government site)? |
| A30 |
| On-site at the Government site |
| Q31 |
| Paragraph 5.2.3 (Financial Operations) requires Return electronic processed vouchers to FOCS by 8:00am for certification daily. Does the Government expect the employee performing this action to work an alternate work schedule, since the Hours of Operation (PWS, Paragraph 1.8) state; service shall be provided between the hours of 8:am and 5:00 pm? |
| A31 |
| It is the Contractor’s decision to determine it’s employee work hours. |
| Q32 |
| Good day, I’m writing regarding the SINGLE-FAMILY CLAIMS PROCESSING SERVICES. I was curious if this was a follow-on requirement. If so, would it be possible for you to provide the incumbent information (we need the contract number and contractor). |
| A32 |
| This not a follow-on requirement. It’s a new requirement. |
| Q33 |
| What is the name of current incumbent? |
| A33 |
| There is no current incumbent. However, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. |
| Q34 |
| What is the location of the current incumbent? |
| A34 |
| There is no current incumbent. However, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. |
| Q35 |
| What is the location where transition-in training will take place? |
| A35 |
| On-site at the Government site. |
| Q36 |
| Will incumbent’s facility be available for transfer to new contractor? |
| A36 |
| There is no current incumbent. |
| Q37 |
| Would incumbent’s personnel travel to new contractor’s facility for transition-in period? |
| A37 |
| There is no current incumbent. |
| Q38 |
| If transition-in period is conducted at incumbent’s facility, does new contractor assume overhead costs associated with the facility from day one of transition-in? |
| A38 |
| There is no current incumbent. |
| Q39 |
| Is there a current Incumbent for this RFP? |
| Q40 |
| Will this contract be subject to Service Contract Act (SCA) guidelines? |
| Q41 |
| As a firm Fixed price Contract that has volumes that can fluctuate, we assuming this should be based on fixed price per file? |
| A41 |
| The claim processing volume is 3,500 per month. |
| Q42 |
| What is the Average total monthly pipeline available to be processed? |
| A42 |
| 3,500 claims per month. |
| Q43 |
| What has been the largest volume of Claims processed in any given month? |
| A43 |
| 3,500 claims per month. |
| Q44 |
| Does the SFCR and Processing include supplemental claims submitted by the Mortgagee? |
| A44 |
| No, supplemental claims are not part of this PWS. |
| Q45 |
| Are all claims packages received in a digital format or will there be some hard copy paper Claims packages? |
| Q46 |
| If paper claims packages are received what is the volume of Paper Packages vs Packages received digitally? |
| A46 |
| There are zero paper packages. |
| Q47 |
| Are digital Claim Packages uploaded to a secure server environment provided and maintained by HUD like Yardi P260 that the Contractor will have access too, or does the contractor have to provided and support their own system for digital receipt and storage of claims packages. |
| A47 |
| The digital claim packages are uploaded to a HUD system. |
| Q48 |
| Are claim packages allowed to be submitted via a secured e-mail solution? |
| A48 |
| Only Manual Claims are submitted via email. |
| Q49 |
| Can you provide an example (or multiple examples) of a completed Claims Review Package? |
| A49 |
| No, claim packages include PII and banking information. |
| Q50 |
| Is there an incumbent contractor for this work? If so, please provide the contractor name and contract number of the incumbent. |
| A50 |
| No. However, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. |
| Q51 |
| Is the incumbent eligible to respond to this RFP? |
| A51 |
| There is no incumbent. Section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. They cannot respond as a small business. |
| Q52 |
| What is the average number of contractors currently supporting the Single-Family Claims Processing Contract? |
| A52 |
| There are no contractors currently supporting the Single Family Claims Processing requirement. |
| Q53 |
| For anticipated non-labor costs, can the contactor add an ODC CLIN across the period of performance? |
| Q54 |
| Are the estimated 3,500 monthly claims received evenly throughout the month, or are there surges within each month? |
| A54 |
| Claims are not received evenly throughout the month. |
| Q55 |
| PWS Section 4.6, Identification of Contractor Employees, will all contractor staff receive HUD PIV cards? |
| Q56 |
| PWS, Section 5.2.1, File/Record Maintenance and Document Control, please confirm all digital documentation will be stored in the HUD environment, accessed via a VPN. |
| Q57 |
| PWS, Section 5.2, are all documents maintained in electronic format? Are there any documents which are maintained in hard copy? |
| A57 |
| Yes, all documents are in an electronic format. |
| Q58 |
| Is there a current backlog of supplemental claims that need processing? If so, what is the volume? |
| A58 |
| The PWS does not include supplemental claim processing. |
| Q59 |
| How many contractors’ employees do HUD anticipate working on-site at HUD's facility? |
| Q60 |
| Transition-In. How long does HUD expect the PIV process to take once employees are hired by the Contractor? |
| A60 |
| After award of the contract, normally 45 – 90 days. |
| Q61 |
| Transition out: Is there an incumbent in place and if so, does their contract require they aid in development of successor’s plans, procedures and methods? |
| Q62 |
| How long does it take to complete the actual PIV process? |
| A62 |
| After award of the contract, normally 45 – 90 days. |
| Q63 |
| Those transition items being fully staffed, orderly transition of work acceptance/accomplishment, etc. with full performance to begin within 90 days. |
| Q63 |
| Yes, pending the PIV process. |
| Q64 |
| Is there a current backlog of supplemental claims that need processing? If so, what is the volume? |
| A64 |
| The PWS does not include supplemental claim processing. |
| Q65 |
| Does the transition period start with completion of the PIV process? |
| A65 |
| No, the PIV process is part of the transition period. |
| Q66 |
| What constitutes completion of the PIV process? |
| A66 |
| When you have a C number and is granted access to the system. |
| Q67 |
| Will staff at HUD’s Headquarter that will be conducting the training be on-site at the contractor’s place of business? If not, is the training for tasks 5.1 and 5.2 an online/webinar training? |
| A67 |
| No, training will be held on-site at HUD Headquarters. |
| Q68 |
| What percentages of claims currently fail Pre-Screening? |
| A68 |
| The volume is processing 3,500 claims per month. The requested data is unknown. |
| Q69 |
| What percentages of claims are returned to the Mortgagee for Missing Documents/additional information? |
| A69 |
| The volume is processing 3,500 claims per month. The requested data is unknown. |
| Q70 |
| What percentage of claims have Lender Appeals returned for correction? |
| A70 |
| The volume is processing 3,500 claims per month. The requested data is unknown. |
Q71
Will the programs (HERMIT, DEPCON, etc.) be installed by HUD IT staff for the onsite contractor?
| A71 |
| The contractors will have access to HUD systems; therefore, they will have access to the programs. |
| Q72 |
| Will the winning contractor be tasked to assist with this backlog? If so, what is the timeframe anticipated for resolving the backlog? |
| Q73 |
| What are the historical processing times for claims processing? |
| A73 |
| 15 minutes to an hour. |
| Q74 |
| Track digital single-family claim packages received daily, can HUD define what is digital single-family claim packages? |
| A74 |
| A claim package includes the application for insurance benefits and supporting documents for the expenses claimed. |
| Q75 |
| Considering the previous solicitation requirement of 2016 which was cancelled; it included Mail Processing, and File Maintenance, however, this new requirement excluded these supports; has the Government implemented the paperless reengineering? If so, what platform, software and cloud engineering. If so, what platform, software and cloud engineering? |
| A75 |
| The previous solicitation was for supplemental claim processing; this PWS does not include supplemental claims. |
| Q76 |
| Will the Government provide adequate training for awardee employees on the newly implemented paperless claims processing? |
| A76 |
| There is no newly implemented paperless claim processing; however, training will be provided. |
| Q77 |
| How is the newly implemented system affects the entire supplemental claims processing including the claims processing time and when contrast with the manual systems, what is the variance of time in percentage? |
| A77 |
| This PWS does not include supplemental claims. |
| Q78 |
| Was the incumbent contractor part of the implementation team, if so, HUD should provide to Offerors adequate documentation that will illustrate step-by-step processes of the supplemental claims which will allow for unbiased competition? |
| A78 |
| This PWS does not include supplemental claims. |
| Q79 |
| Representation and Certification Section - Will the Government please clarify in which proposal volume/section should Offerors include the following required items? If its Volume 1, please confirm that they are excluded from page count in Volume I, and may be included as an attachment? |
| A79 |
| The Representation and Certification Section shall be submitted in the Price Proposal – Volume 2 – Business Proposal. |
| Q80 |
| Will the govt be assessing all Past Performance references submitted? Or just those that show a high degree of relevance to the PWS |
Q81
Can the government extend the date for submitting the proposal responses to 10 days after the answers to Q & A have been released, so bidders can address the new info provided?
| A81 |
| Yes. The Proposal Due Date is changed from July 8, 2019 to July 19, 2019. |
| Q82 |
| Please describe the extent to which HUD has a backlog of claims to be processed. |
| A82 |
| There is no backlog of unprocessed claims. |
| Q83 |
| Regarding the incumbent contractor(s) and the claims processing system that is currently used: a. Please provide the names of the incumbent contractors who have supported this claims processing area in the last 3 years. b. Do the incumbent contractor(s) have any proprietary IT or document management systems that have developed for processing these claims, and that are integral to claims processing operations? Please advise if the government will accept a CPARs report for a past performance reference, in lieu of the specified Past Performance Questionnaire. |
| A83 |
| A. There is no incumbent. However, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. |
B. No, the claim processing is completed by HUD employees.
C. The Past Performance Questionnaire is required.
| Q84 |
| PWS page 18 (5.2.2.) – Incentive/Remedy – states that there will be a 1% withholding for each standard per unit not met for invoice monthly. Could the government please explain how it intends to apply this, with numerical examples if possible. |
| A84 |
| For example, if you process 3,499 claims for a month instead of the 3,500, then there is a 1% deduction from the month CLIN for claim processing. If you process 3,498 claims for a month instead of the 3,500, then there is a 2% deduction from the month CLIN for claim processing. |
| Q85 |
| Will the contractor be processing all type of single-family claims being handled by SFCB or just certain category or types of claims, such as Supplemental Claims or Suspended claims? Please clarify the nature and type of claims to be processed under this SOW. The PWS does suggest just suspended claims but we want confirmation. |
| A85 |
| The contractor will be processing suspended claims NOT supplemental claims. |
| Q86 |
| Please describe how the claims analyst/contractor would be receiving claims to process. Would the claims need to be picked up? Daily/weekly/monthly and hard copy or soft copy? |
| A86 |
| Digitally, on a weekly basis. |
| Q87 |
| Please provide an estimated start date for the contract so Offerors can accurately estimate contract year labor rates. |
| Q88 |
| CLIN 0005-0007 Option Period 1 lists the date 6/30/2020; CLIN 0008-0010 list 6/30/2021; CLIN 0011-0013 list 6/30/22 and CLINS 0014-0017 list 6/30/2023. What do these dates represent? |
| A88 |
| Estimated date to Exercise the Option Period were based on a June 2019 award. The dates will be updated based on the actual award date. |
| Q89 |
| Key Personnel positions are identified as Project Manager and Senior Claims Administrator. |
There is currently no requirement to include a resume for either position as part of proposal submission. Does HUD require resumes for key personnel to be submitted as part of our response? If so, is there a resume page limit and will the resume pages count against the Management Plan 10-page limit?
| A89 |
| There is no requirement to submit Key Personnel Resumes. |
| Q90 |
| The RFP on Page 36 states that the offers are to be valid for 30 days and the section on Page 40 states the offers are to be valid for 120 days. Please clarify the intended offer validity period. |
| A90 |
| Offers are to be valid for 120 days. |
| Q91 |
| Questions to HUD are due on Friday June 14th no later than 11 AM EST. For planning purposes and inclusion of HUD responses to questions asked by vendors will HUD please provide a date when vendors will receive answers to questions? |
| A91 |
| When the Amendment is posted to provide Answers to the Questions received. |
| Q92 |
| Proposals are currently due by 11AM EST on July 8, 2019. Will HUD grant a one-week extension to change due date to July 15th to permit vendors enough time to incorporate changes to proposal submittals which may be necessary as a result of HUD responses to questions presented by Vendors? |
| Q93 |
| Please clarify that the required number of copies is one hard copy and one CD for each volume proposed. |
| Q94 |
| This section state that a CD copy” shall contain copies of the proposal in two formats: pdf…and in the original format, for example: word (2007), excel (2007) or other applicable formats. However, Office 2007 is no longer supported by Microsoft. Please allow the use of Excel and Word 2016 files. |
| A94 |
| Excel and Word 2016 files are authorized. No later versions than Microsoft 2016 is authorized. |
| Q95 |
| Item (2) In the referenced section states that the Price Proposal include a discussion of cost and historical data for each task outlined in the PWS. The contract type is FFP based on commercial Pricing FAR part 12 along with FAR part 15 Contract by Negotiation. As such Cost data and / or historical data does not pertain to an FFP contract. Please remove this requirement. |
| A95 |
| Requirement to provide the requested information remains. |
| Q96 |
| Is there a page limit for Past Performance section of the response? |
| A96 |
| Yes, one (1) page per narrative with a maximum of 5. |
| Q97 |
| Can we get information on what systems the files will be on, HUD or contractor (i.e. “files of claim source document forms”) |
| Q98 |
| Will Reverse Mortgages/HECM claims be included? |
| A98 |
| No, not HECM claim processing; only disbursing HECM Claims. |
| Q99 |
| The 3rd bullet point under Description of Services states “Single Family Claims Review and Processing for Forward Mortgages” does this include review and processing of the following forward claim types: |
01 = Conveyance 02 = Assignment 03 = Automatic Assignment 04 = Coinsurance 05 = Supplemental 06 = Non-Conveyance 07 = Pre-Foreclosure Sale 31 = Special Forbearance 32 = Loan Modification 33 = Partial Claim
| A99 |
| The task does not include 03, 04, or 05 claim types. |
| Q100 |
| Section 1.11 states that periodic Status meeting are required and that they may be conducted via teleconference and shall include meeting minutes and that the meetings will be at no cost to the Government. Section 1.12 of the PWS states that no contractor travel is anticipated for the period of performance of this contract. Please provide an estimate of how many “periodic meetings” and the expected duration of the meetings that Offerors can expect per year. |
| A100 |
| At least one per month and meetings shouldn’t last more than 1 hour depending on the number of topics and whether there are any issues. |
| Q101 |
| This section states that HUD Headquarters staff will perform training. Will this training be provided at the Contractor’s facility? If the training is at a Hud location, Travel to the location should be allowable and billable. If travel is required for training, we recommend adding a cost reimbursable travel CLIN and modifying the clause in the PWS stating that no travel is anticipated. |
| A101 |
| Training will be held at the HUD location. Attending training is considered the cost of doing business with HUD and not considered travel. |
| Q102 |
| What will the VPN be used for? |
| A102 |
| To access HUD systems remotely. |
| Q103 |
| When is transition in expected to occur? After post award conference? |
| A103 |
| Beginning on the Effective Date of Award. |
| Q104 |
| The first paragraph states “shall have sufficient personnel on board during the (90) day transition in period to ensure a smooth transition with the incumbent Contractor” |
| A. | Is there an incumbent contractor? If there is, please advise what company is currently doing this work |
| B. | If there is an incumbent contractor, will the successor contractor have access and the ability to hire incumbent staff as required per the SCA? |
If there is an incumbent contractor where are they located?
| A104 |
| A. No. However, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. B. Not Applicable. |
B. Not applicable.
| Q105 |
| Will the incumbent contractor maintain all work during transition in period until successor contractors’ staff is properly credentialed via the PIV process? |
| A.) | On our existing HUD contractors state the PIV process takes ~120 to 150 days, Will the PIV process be fast tracked so a smooth transition in/start up can occur? |
If fast tracking credentialing is possible, what is the expected turnaround time?
| A105 |
| There is no incumbent, however, section 5.2.3 under the PWS is being performed by Kearney & Company. Fast tracking is not possible, the PIV process can take 45 to 90 days. |
Q106
What is HUD’s contingency plan if the successor contractors’ staff isn’t credentialed/PIV’d timely and can’t gain necessary system accesses to process work prior to the expiration of the transition in? This is under the assumption all PIV paperwork is submitted timely by the successor contractor. If the incumbent contractor doesn’t have system access due to credentialing/PIV delays, what is HUD expectation of the contractor during the transition in period?
| Q106 |
| The contractor will attend training and become familiar with HUD claim processing. |
| Q107 |
| Where will the Archive claims be located? |
| A107 |
| Within the HUD firewall. |
| Q108 |
| 5.2.1 references archiving supporting documentation, and this section states review. Is a full audit of the claim type being submitted to be completed, including verifying P&P items claimed on the 27011 Part C? |
| A108 |
| The review is based on the error code the claim suspends for only, not a full audit on all expenses. |
| Q109 |
| 3,500 minimum claims monthly are being stated as the expectation. What is the average to date volume that is being completed by the incumbent? |
A.) Please provide an average breakdown of each of the types of claims being submitted/completed
| A109 |
| There is no incumbent for claim processing. The data requested is not available. The 3,500 claims are a mix of the claim types. |
| Q110 |
| The 3rd bullet states “Train with HUD Headquarters staff on processes and systems” |
| A. | When will this occur within the transition in period and where? |
| B. | Is the training just for Key Personnel or is additional management staff able to join? |
What all systems will the successor contractor have to utilize for this contract? Example P260, SFIS, SAMS, FHA Connection, EDI etc.
| A110 |
| Training will be held at HUD Headquarters within the transition period. Anyone on the contractor team is welcome to attend training. The Contractor will have access to all HUD systems necessary to process single family claims. |
| Q111 |
| 4th Bullet 2nd Sub Bullet “Project Report” Is there a specific report format or template HUD wants the contractor to use? |
| A111 |
| No, there is no specific format, the report must address all the required elements. |
| Q112 |
| Deliverable A001 Transition – Is the Transition In weekly Status Report due Every Friday by COB? Or the following Monday by COB? |
| A112 |
| Due Monday COB based on the claim activity from the previous week. |
| Q113 |
| Deliverable – A003 Comprehensive Monthly Report – Is there an established format or template that HUD would like the contractor to use? |
| A113 |
| No, there is no specific format, the report must address all the required elements. |
| Q114 |
| Performance Standard – A & B |
How are these standards going to be monitored by HUD, via Contractor score cards?
Or is the strictly the responsibility of the contractor to self-report?
| A114 |
| HUD will run reports to compare the information reported by the Contractor. |
| Q115 |
| Performance Standard: States “Process single family claims within (90) days of receipt: and to follow first-in and first-out method, and priority process conveyance and reconveyance claim types. |
| A.) | Is this referring to claim type -01? |
| B.) | Please define priority process Conveyance and Reconveyance Claims – exampled within 15, 30, 45, 60 days. |
| C.) | It’s our understanding reconveyance claims are currently being submitted as hard copy paper claims. Are reconveyance claims going to be electronically submitted or via mail as hard copies (Paper) |
Are there any claim processing backlogs that will need to be addressed by the contractor?
b. Priority as review them as soon as they are received each week.
c. Reconveyance Claims are received electronically via email.
d. No, there are no backlogs needing to be addressed.
Q116
Per Section 1.2 Background states “Claims that fail the system edit checks are automatically placed into suspension by claims/A43c, which notifies the mortgagee of the applicable edit code. A then A claims analyst must review the supporting documentation for each applicable edit code prior to processing for payment.
Is the performance standard of 3500 claim per month, just the suspension claims that require the resolution of edit codes or all FHA single family forward claims?
| A116 |
| The 3,500 claims are only the suspension claims that require resolution of edit codes. |
| Q117 |
| Standard: Communicate returns and denials to mortgagees within one business day of completing the claim review. |
| A.) | Please define communicate returns and denial to the mortgagee. |
Is this simply an email notification to the mortgagee? Or will updating of the system of record suffice?
| A117 |
| Return is a request for additional information and denial is no documentation can clear the edit check. Communication is updating the system of record for suspended claims and email for manual claims. |
| Q118 |
| 1st Bullet: Process all manual claim payments daily by 11:00am, outside of CLAIMS/A43c |
| A.) | Is this referring to paper claims that are currently being mailed in by the mortgagees? |
| B.) | Is this primarily reconveyance claims? |
If this is paper claims (hard copies), what is the anticipated volume?
| A118 |
| A. No, the claims are received via email. The claims are not paper (hard copies). |
B. Yes, Reconveyance Claims are primarily the volume of manual claims.
| Q119 |
| 7th bullet: Extract payment data from HERMIT by 9:30 am daily and remit payment the same day by 12:00pm. |
| A.) | Please define this function or scope. This RFP reads as all pertaining to Single Family Forward Claims. |
| B.) | Why is Single Family Reverse Mortgage Claims functions/scopes being included? |
| A119 |
| A. The function is obtaining a report from HERMIT, performing a reconciliation, and submitting the disbursement for payments. |
B. The reverse claim disbursement function is included as it is a function of the Single Family Claims Branch.
Q120
Performance Standard A & B: The state process manual vouchers by 11:00am Daily and retrieve manual vouchers by 2pm daily.
Does this mean all manual vouchers collected by 2pm previous business day have to be processed by 11:00am following business day?
| Q121 |
| The timing on all deliverables needs to be better defined. |
| A121 |
| Deliverable timing is identified as either weekly or monthly. |
| Q122 |
| Deliverables A002 and A003- Is there a standard format or template HUD would like the contractor to utilize? |
| Q122 |
| No, there is no specific format, the report must address all the required elements. |
| Q123 |
| Performance Summary Requirements - Does the next to last paragraph mean a QASP is not required, just the contractors QCP, correct? |
| A123 |
| No. It is a sample of how the Government may monitor the contract. |
| Q124 |
| Please confirm Arial or Times New Roman are acceptable font types. |
| Q125 |
| Please confirm the term “pitch” as it pertains to font size requirements is equivalent to the term “point,” as pitch does not apply to variable width fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman. |
| A125 |
| Pitch means to measure the width of a character. |
| Q126 |
| The instructions state “… This shall include a discussion of the associated cost and historical data for each task outlined in the PWS.” Can the government please clarify what information would be requested on historical data from a new bidder on this program? |
| A126 |
| The Contractor shall provide a narrative on how you came up with the total cost for each task. This may include labor categories, labor rates, labor hours or percentage of effort. Any historical data compare to the same or similar requirement. See Amendment 0001, Attachment B Sample Price Breakdown Worksheet. |
| Q127 |
| The instructions state “… This shall include a discussion of the associated cost and historical data for each task outlined in the PWS.” Can the government please identify historical data? |
| Q128 |
| The instructions state “… This shall include a discussion of the associated cost and historical data for each task outlined in the PWS.”. Can the government please clarify what information would be considered historical data in PWS 5.2.1? |
| Q129 |
| The instructions state “… This shall include a discussion of the associated cost and historical data for each task outlined in the PWS.” Can the government please clarify what information would be considered historical data in PWS 5.2.3? |
| Q130 |
| How many Contractor paid claims are processed monthly? |
| A130 |
| Currently, there is no Contractor processing claims. |
| Q131 |
| What is the total number of claims that are currently within the 90-day processing window? |
| A131 |
| 3,500 per month = 10,500 claims for 3 months |
| Q132 |
| How many claims are currently outside the 90-day window (in terms of backlog) |
| Q133 |
| How many manual claim payments are processed monthly? |
| A133 |
| The volume is 3,500 per month and it includes both manual and suspended claims. |
| Q134 |
| 3.1 Government Services – Please describe the Asset Disposition and Management System and the purpose of this system in the Claims Processing |
| A134 |
| ADAMS is used to organize and obtain the suspended claim packages. |
| Q135 |
| Section 5.2.1 – Can you please provide a more detailed description to include systems and who and where the archiving is to be conducted? The statement that it must comply with FEDRAMP requirements suggest a Contractor System is to be used |
| A135 |
| A system within the HUD firewall. A contractor system will not be used. |
| Q136 |
| Section 5.2.2 - Does the scope of this contract include both electronic claims and supplemental claims? |
| A136 |
| No, this PWS does not include supplemental claims. |
| Q137 |
| Section 5.2.2 - What volume of claims is being processed currently by Kearney & Co? |
| A137 |
| Kearney & Co are processing supplemental claims, which are not part of this PWS. |
| Q138 |
| Section 5.2.2 – In the Digital Claim Package please specify what data is available via digital form, PDF form, and document images and can HUD provide a sample package of all files and documents received? |
| A138 |
| The application for insurance benefits and support documentations. No, claim packages include PII and banking information. |
| Q139 |
| Section 5.2.2 – How will the Digital Claim Packages be delivered to the contractor? |
| A139 |
| System access will be given to obtain the claims. The contractor will retrieve the claims from the site. |
| Q140 |
| Section 5.2.2 - Does HUD maintain a Claim review checklist and/or system, and can you provide a copy to prospective bidders? |
| A140 |
| No, there is no claim review checklist. |
| Q141 |
| Section 5.2.2 - Will the contract have access to validate claim data to digital database information stored in HUD systems, such as SFIS, EVARS and others? |
| A141 |
| Yes, access will be granted to all systems necessary to process Single Family Forward Claims. |
| Q142 |
| Section 5.2.2 - What review steps are performed in Post Claims review process? |
| A142 |
| Post-Claim Reviews are not part of this PWS. |
| Q143 |
| Section 5 - Can HUD provide a more detailed description of the dot points in Section 5 Specific Tasks? |
| A143 |
| The dot points are fully described. |
| Q144 |
| Section 5.2.2 Claims Review and Processing – Is the contractor required to provide all technology for the intake, recording, tracking, review and reporting of review results to HUD? Does the incumbent have a system or does HUD provide a system |
| A144 |
| No, HUD has a claim system. The Contractor is required to track their work. |
| Q145 |
| Section 5.2.2 – Is the SCOR responsible for evaluating review results and determining which claims to accept and those to reject? |
| A145 |
| No, the PWS is for a Contractor to evaluate, review, and either pay or reject. The SCOR will monitor the Contractor’s work for accuracy. |
| Q146 |
| Section 5.2.3 – Please clarify what is meant by the term “manual claim payments”? |
| A146 |
| Claims that are processed outside of CLAIMS/A43c system. |
Q147
Section 5.2.3 – Please provide a description of the process and systems utilized in the processing of Claim Payments and how the payments are input?
| Q147 |
| CLAIMS/A43C is used to process claims and payments are prepared within the same system. |
| Q148 |
| Section 5.2.3 – Is the Disbursement Reconciliation a fully manual process using hardcopy reports? |
| A148 |
| It is a manual process, but the reports are soft copy. |
| Q149 |
| Section 5.2.3 – How is the Advice of Payment delivered to the Mortgagee? |
| A149 |
| Automatically for claims process in CLAIMS/A43C and via email for manual claims |
| Q150 |
| Section 5.2.3 – What is included in the “Claim Documents” prepared for archive if the Claims are in digital form? |
| A150 |
| The disbursement sheet and AOP for manual claims. |
| Q151 |
| 4th Bullet 2nd Sub Bullet “Project Report” Is there a specific report format or template HUD wants the contractor to use? |
| A151 |
| No, there is no specific format, the report must address all the required elements. |
| Q152 |
| Does “administrative closing, or similar Government directed facility closings” refer only to Federal Government closing, or will State Closings due, to emergencies, affect hours of operation be allowed? |
| A152 |
| Federal Government Closings. |
| Q153 |
| 4.2 Equipment: States the Contractor is to provide all equipment and maintenance and the list includes Software. Will HUD be providing the appropriate software programs to complete the required tasks? Are communications regarding returns and denials automatically generated from a system? Are they paper communications or electronic to the person or institutions? Does the claims software system have a process of assigning claims to individual reviewers? Will claims that require additional documentation remain with the same reviewer, or are they queued? Does HUD follow SPOC (i.e. the reviewer is the only contact) for Single Family Borrower claims or are communications allowed through multiple people? |
| Q153 |
| HUD will provide access to the HUD systems. No, returns and denial are made via the system, but they are not automatically generated. There is no paper communication – communication may occur via email. Yes, CLAIMS/A43C does have the capability to assign claims to an induvial reviewer. It is up to the Contractor how to management the claim queue. Each Mortgagee should have one HUD/Contractor point of contact. |
| Q154 |
| 4.6 Identification of Contractor Employees. What is the average turnaround time on completion and approval of the required background checks and systems access? Given economic conditions, the number of monthly claims may rise significantly. If additional Contractor FTE are required to accommodate increases, does the Contracting Officer (HUD) have the authority to revise the original RBOA? |
| A154 |
| PIV can take 45 to 90 days. 3,500 claims per month is the contract term. |
| Q155 |
| 5.1 Transition In: Is there a current incumbent Contractor, or are the Claims Processing Services currently being performed by HUD? If yes, will the incumbent be held to the same transition out standards that the new Contractor will be held to found in section 5.3 of PWS? |
| A155 |
| There is no incumbent - the processing is being performed by HUD staff. |
| Q156 |
| 5.2 Single Family Claims Processing Support and Financial Operations: |
1. Do the HUD systems track statistics required to complete the Comprehensive Weekly and Monthly Reports, or is the Contractor responsible to complete tracking of the data? 2. The Performance Work Statement (PWS) references three thousand and five hundred (3,500) single family insurance claims to be submitted at a minimum each month. a. In order estimate required FTE, what is the highest number of claims submitted in one month, and what is the frequency of claim spikes?
b. Of the claims submitted monthly, what are the average percentage of claims that fail the system edit check?
| A156 |
| For the Comprehensive Weekly and Monthly reports, the Contractor is responsible for tracking the data. 3,500 claims fail system edit checks each month and require processing. |
| Q157 |
| Is it the Mortgagee’s responsibility to fix issues and resubmit directly to HUD, or does the Contractor get involved at that time or is it a joint effort determined by the circumstances? |
| A157 |
| It is the Mortgagee’s responsibility to fix issues with the claim form or supporting documentation. |
| Q158 |
| Does the twenty (20) minutes to one (1) hour per claim single claim review process include the tasks in section 5.2.3 Financial Operation of the PWS. If not, to adequately staff the Financial Operations team what is the average amount of time to process these tasks (i.e., manual claim payments, etc.)? |
| A158 |
| No, one manual claim payment is estimated to take 10 – 20 minutes. |
| Q159 |
| Will the Contractor receive manual claims directly, or will they be received through HUD and input into the system? |
| A159 |
| Received through HUD and provided for review. |
| Q160 |
| The processing of Special Claims (Vacancies during rent-up, Vacancies after rent-up, Debt Service Claims, and Unpaid rent damages) is not noted in the PWS. Is this part of the claims review process for whom the Contractor will be responsible? |
| Q161 |
| Have there been Single Family Insurance System (SFIS) and/or CLAIMS/ARS Subsystem (A43C) issues in the past and is the Contractor required to make up the lost time? |
| A161 |
| Yes, systems are periodically down for a short period of time. The contractor is responsible for meeting the monthly processing goal. Depending on when the system is down, the Contractor or may not meet the daily disbursement deadline; communication with the SCOR as soon as the system issues are identified. |
| Q162 |
| 5.2.3 Financial Operations: Who conducts the reconciliation of the General Ledger accounts associated with the claim payments? Are there dual controls between HUD and the Contractor for validation or QA purposes? The PWS requires that the future Contractor extract payment data from Home Equity Reverse Mortgage Information Technology (HERMIT) by 9:30am daily, and then remit payment the same day by 12:00pm. (Financial Operations). However, in Section 5.2.1 it references archiving all data digitally. Is the digital archive a means to create back-up support? If not, is it a redundancy? |
| A162 |
| The Contractor is responsible for reconciling the claim payments against the disbursement confirmation reports. No, there is not dual controls within the Single Family Claims Branch, the Cash Management Branch has their own controls. |
Data is received digitally to the SFCB from another HUD system, the SFCB must archive the data as it pertains to the claim payments processed.
| Q163 |
| 3.1 Government Services – Please describe the Asset Disposition and Management System and the purpose of this system in the Claims Processing? |
| A163 |
| ADAMS is used to organize and obtain the suspended claim packages. |
| Q164 |
| Section 5.2.1 – Can you please provide a more detailed description to include systems and who and where the archiving is to be conducted? The statement that it must comply with FEDRAMP requirements suggest a Contractor System is to be used. |
| A164 |
| The system is within the HUD firewall. |
| Q165 |
| Section 5.2.2 - Does the scope of this contract include both electronic claims and supplemental claims? |
| A165 |
| No, this PWS does not include supplemental claims. |
| Q166 |
| Section 5.2.2 - What volume of claims is being processed currently by Kearney & Co? |
| A166 |
| Kearney & Co are processing supplemental claims, which are not part of this PWS. |
| Q167 |
| Section 5.2.2 – In the Digital Claim Package please specify what data is available via digital form, PDF form, and document images and can HUD provide a sample package of all files and documents received? |
| A167 |
| The application for insurance benefits and support documentations. No, claim packages include PII and banking information. |
| Q168 |
| Section 5.2.2 – How will the Digital Claim Packages be delivered to the contractor? |
| A168 |
| System access will be given to obtain the claims |
| Q169 |
| Section 5.2.2 - Does HUD maintain a Claim review checklist and/or system, and can you provide a copy to prospective bidders? |
| Q169 |
| No, there is no claim review checklist. |
| Q170 |
| Section 5.2.2 - Will the contract have access to validate claim data to digital database information stored in HUD systems, such as SFIS, EVARS and others |
| A170 |
| Yes, access will be granted to all systems necessary to process Single Family Forward Claims. |
| Q171 |
| Section 5.2.2 - What review steps are performed in Post Claims review process? |
| A171 |
| Post-Claim Reviews are not part of this PWS. |
| Q172 |
| Section 5 - Can HUD provide a more detailed description of the dot points in Section 5 Specific Tasks? |
| Q172 |
| The dot points are fully described. |
| Q173 |
| Section 5.2.2 Claims Review and Processing – Is the contractor required to provide all technology for the intake, recording, tracking, review and reporting of review results to HUD? Does the incumbent |
| A173 |
| No, HUD has a claim system. The Contractor is required to track their work. |
| Q174 |
| Do we need to have a system or does HUD provide a system? |
| A174 |
| HUD has a claim system. |
| Q175 |
| Section 5.2.3 – Please clarify what is meant by the term “manual claim payments”? |
| A175 |
| Claims that are processed outside of CLAIMS/A43c system. |
| Q176 |
| Section 5.2.3 – Please clarify what is meant by the term “manual claim payments”? |
| A176 |
| Claims that are processed outside of CLAIMS/A43c system. |
| Q177 |
| Section 5.2.3 – Please provide a description of the process and systems utilized in the processing of Claim Payments and how the payments are input? |
| A177 |
| CLAIMS/A43C is used to process claims and payments are prepared within the same system. |
| Q178 |
| Section 5.2.3 – Is the Disbursement Reconciliation a fully manual process using hardcopy reports? |
| A178 |
| It is a manual process, but the reports are soft copy. |
| Q179 |
| Section 5.2.3 – How is the Advice of Payment delivered to the Mortgagee? |
| A179 |
| Automatically for claims process in CLAIMS/A43C and via email for manually processed claims. |
| Q180 |
| Section 5.2.3 – What is included in the “Claim Documents” prepared for archive if the Claims are in digital form? |
| A180 |
| The disbursement sheet and AOP for manual claims. |
| Q181 |
| How many full-time equivalents (FTEs) are currently on the contract? Based on the number of FTEs, what are the labor categories and does the Government expect the same level of effort (LOE) for this Solicitation? |
| A181 |
| The FTEs are HUD employees. The Contractor determines the level of Effort it requires to successfully perform the requirement in the PWS. |
| Q182 |
| For the labor mix/level of effort matrix to be included in the Technical Approach, as described on Page 43 of the Solicitation, is the information contained expected to cover only key personnel, or additional labor categories> |
| A182 |
| All labor categories. |
| Q183 |
| Please confirm that the Technical Proposal is to be made up of the following four parts, with the separate page counts listed: |
0. Technical Approach - 20 page maximum
0. Past Performance - page maximum as defined on pg. 43 of the Solicitation
0. Management Plan - 10 page maximum
0. Quality Control Plan (QCP) - 15 page maximum
| A183 |
| Correct, Past performance is limited to 6 pages (1 page chart and 5 references and each narrative has a maximum of 1 page.) |
| Q184 |
| The RFP States that HUD's "primary emphasis is to assess the past performance of the proposed prime contractor (or in the case of joint ventures or some other teaming arrangement, the primary member of the team) or that of substituted key personnel". Can the offeror use its past performance and that of substituted key personnel? |
| Q185 |
| Per Page 43 of the Solicitation, a project schedule is required to be included within the Technical Approach section. Per Page 44 of the Solicitation, a project schedule is required to be included within the Management Plan section. Please confirm that a schedule may be included in the Management Plan and excluded from the Technical Approach. |
| A185 |
| No. Submit as instructed. |
| Q186 |
| Per Page 44 of the Solicitation, a Quality Control Plan (QCP) is required as a part of the Management Plan section. The QCP is also listed as a separate section on Page 44 of the Solicitation. Please confirm that all information related to the QCP may appear with the QCP section and can be excluded from the Management Plan. |
| A186 |
| QCP is a standalone document, it should be excluded from the Management Plan. |
Q187
Per Page 13 of the PWS (Attachment 1), the Management Plan should contain the Contractor's methodology for identifying, recruiting, and retaining qualified personnel. Also, per Page 13 of the PWS, the QCP should contain the Contractor's methodology for identifying and recruiting personnel. Please confirm that the recruitment and retention strategy may be included in the Management Plan section and excluded from the QCP.
| Q188 |
| Per Page 13 of the PWS (Attachment 1), the Management Plan shall provide the Contractor's methodology for resolving internal and external problems including those identified by the Government during reviews conducted in accordance with its QASP. Also, per Page 13 of the PWS, this information is required to be included within the QCP. Please confirm that this information may be included in the QCP and excluded from the Management Plan. |
| Q189 |
| Is there any backlog of Claims? If yes, what is the time limit that HUD expects the Contractor to process the backlog? |
| A189 |
| No, there is no backlog. |
| Q190 |
| Is there a limit to Contractors’ team to work on weekends or Holidays to perform the processing and analysis? |
| A190 |
| No. However, the CLAIMS/A43C system is down at 9pm on Fridays to run batch jobs. Holiday schedules will be provided. |
| Q191 |
| Page 43 of 75 – PAST PERFORMANCE – If the offeror is proposing to subcontract more than 20% of the contract value, how many references are allowed for the subcontractor? In other words, are the subcontractor’s references required to be included in the 5 references allowed for the prime contractor, or can the subcontractor submit 5 separate references of its own? |
| A191 |
| Both the Prime and Subcontractor shall submit references of their own. |
| Q192 |
| Page 43 of 75 - Please confirm that we are only required to send a past performance survey to a reference when past performance information is not already provided in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System. |
| A192 |
| No. The Past Performance Survey is required to be sent to all references. |
| Q193 |
| Page 43 of 75 - Please confirm that the maximum page numbers allowed for PAST PERFORMANCE section is 6 pages (1 page for the chart and 1 page for each of the past performance narratives) assuming the offeror is submitting 5 references. |
| Q194 |
| Page 44 of 75 - MANAGEMENT PLAN - the very last bullet in the listing of what is required to be included in the Management Plan says, “Quality Control Plan”. Please confirm that this is a typo since there is a required QUALITY CONTROL PLAN with a page limitation of 15 pages. |
| Q195 |
| Page 11 of 18 – Project Manager – please explain the reasoning for the Minimum Experience requirement that the Project Manager have “5 years of progressive experience simultaneously managing multiple projects or task orders…” if the Project Manager is required to be dedicated to the SF Claim Processing contract 100% of the time. In other words, would someone who managed one large project or task at a time (meaning his/her primary assignment for 100% of the time) be qualified for this position? And if not, why not? |
| A195 |
| Due to the various tasks involved in this program and the high visibility to HUD leadership and the Mortgage Industry, a project manager with depth experience and the ability to effectively manage is imperative. The program office also did a comparison of various PM’s descriptions and experience levels using GSA position description of various companies within this field. |
No, the…
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