Addendum 1 Q&A Technical Assistance.pdf

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

SOLICITATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Solicitation #: RFP 2027000016 Solicitation Name: Technical Assistance to Reduce Health Disparities

Vendor Question #1: **(Section IV.B, Project Timeline)** The Project Timeline narrative states an “anticipated start date for the executed contract is 11/1/2026 with the initial contract period of 11/1/2027 to 6/30/2027.” Can CDPHE confirm the correct start date for work?

CDPHE Answer #1: The anticipated start date for the executed contract is 11/1/2026.The initial contract period is 11/1/2026-6/30/27 (8 months). Fiscal Year 2028 begins on 7/1/2027.

Vendor Question #2: **(Section IV.C.5)** Regarding the "Practicing Cultural Humility" online series: (a) Does existing content and infrastructure need to be transferred from a prior contractor, or will the awardee build the series from the ground up? (b) How many modules or sessions currently exist, and what volume of new content development is anticipated annually? (c) Which platform(s) has STEPP approved or prefers for hosting this series?

CDPHE Answer #2:

(a) This online series currently exists. The platform it was created in does not allow ownership transfer, so the awardee must upload the content files to a new platform to maintain them, run analytics reports for STEPP, and ensure certificates of completion are disseminated.

(b) Currently, the Practicing Cultural Humility online series has 6 (six) sections or lessons. STEPP does not anticipate developing new content at this time. The awardee will review the series and determine with STEPP if updates are necessary.

(c) STEPP is open to discussion on the platform to be used. The final decision will be made after STEPP’s consultation with the state’s Office of Business Technology.

Vendor Question #3: **(Section VI.B.3.b)** The RFP requires "strong existing partnerships" within each of the seven priority populations. Must these partnerships be fully established at the time of proposal submission, or may Offerors describe a plan to formalize or deepen partnerships during the performance period?

CDPHE Answer #3: Offerors may describe a plan to formalize or deepen partnerships with a priority population; however, these relationships are necessary to the project's work. Proposals with strong existing partnerships within each of the seven priority populations (including those identified as subcontractors) will be scored higher.

Vendor Question #4: **(Section IV.B)** Should the proposed budget and staffing plan assume only the initial base period, or the full potential five-year term?

CDPHE Answer #4: The budget template that is provided as an attachment is for a 12-month period.

The proposed budget and staffing plan should cover the same 12-month period and not exceed the annual budget of approximately $240,000.00.

Vendor Question #5: **(Section IV.C)** What is the expected balance between in-person site visits and virtual delivery across the 36 LPHAs and 5 CBOs? Is there a minimum number of in-person site visits expected per year? Are travel costs (mileage, lodging, per diem) reimbursable as direct costs, or must they be built into the $240,000 annual budget?

CDPHE Answer #5: Tailored 1:1 TA and group TA are most often delivered virtually. STEPP asks that a minimum of 3 regional, in-person group trainings or workshops be held annually, which can be conducted in collaboration with fellow existing STEPP TA providers. Travel costs must be built into the annual budget.

Vendor Question #6: **(Section IV.C.6 / Evaluation Plan)** Will the Contractor have access to existing STEPP grantee data, including the Tobacco-Focused Community Assessments and the coordinated TA Needs Assessment, to inform the evaluation plan, or should Offerors assume baseline data collection begins from scratch?

CDPHE Answer #6: The awardee will have access to the evaluation plan and end-of-year reporting from the previous contractor. The awardee will also receive the results of the coordinated TA Needs Assessment once the contract is executed. The Tobacco-Focused Community Assessment process will result in each grantee completing a community profile with their findings. Community Profiles will be submitted to STEPP by March 30, 2027, and subsequently shared with the awardee.

Vendor Question #7: **(Section I.C.2)** Is the "STEPP Subject Matter Expert" referenced as a partner in this work a specific CDPHE-designated individual, or a role/qualification the Contractor is expected to identify and propose?

CDPHE Answer #7: The STEPP Subject Matter Expert (SME) is a specific STEPP-designated individual on the STEPP team.

Vendor Question #8: **(Section V.B, Experience and Qualifications)** May the five-year experience requirements for tobacco control, health disparities, and training/TA delivery be met collectively across the proposed team, including subcontractors, or must the prime Offeror alone hold this experience?

CDPHE Answer #8: All personnel responsible for planning, developing, and delivering training and technical assistance under this solicitation must meet the five-year experience requirement as well as the additional experience and qualifications listed.

Vendor Question #9: (Section VI.B) Do staff resumes or letters of collaboration count toward the page limits for their respective sections, or are these submitted as separate attachments outside the page limits?

CDPHE Answer #9: Resumes are to be provided for each employee assigned to the project; the resumes do not count toward the Executive Summary’s 3-page maximum.

Vendor Question #10: (Attachment 2 - Budget) In the budget, is a fully loaded hourly rate acceptable in lieu of personnel, fringe, and overhead broken out?

CDPHE Answer #10: No.

Vendor Question #11: (Attachment 2 - Budget) Please clarify how this project will be paid from CDPHE to the contractor (deliverables-based, cost reimbursement, etc.).

CDPHE Answer #11: This contract will be a cost reimbursement.

Jennifer Schwartz - CDPHE @sherryl.garcia@state.co.us, what do you think a "fully loaded hourly rate" means? I know our budgets require a breakdown, so I answered no to this question. Please let me know if this is not correct. Thank you.

_Assigned to sherryl.garcia@state.co.us_

Sherryl Garcia - CDPHE Our budgets need to be broken out, so what you have answered is correct. Thank you!