Addendum 2 WSU RFP EMR-01072025FA.pdf

Date: January 17, 2025

WSU RFP# EMR-01072025FA Economic Impact Assessment

ADDENDUM #2: The purpose of this Addendum 2 is to provide the answers to questions received prior to the deadline for such along with providing clarification as to how to respond to language in the RFP regarding remote locations. Please incorporate the below questions, answers and additional clarification into your response.

NOTE!! Clarification on Remote Facilities for all interested parties, reference RFP Section 1.4 Optional Add-Ons: WSU understands that until the ultimate scope of work or inclusion of remote facilities is decided upon, it would not be possible to provide a firm fixed price for such work. WSU is asking respondents to show any experience, qualifications, work samples or any other relevant information regarding taking such remote locations, facilities or activities into account for the purposes of the study, however, such scope and costs shall be negotiated with the apparent successful respondent and will be included (or not) in the final contract at WSU’s sole discretion.

1. What is the anticipated budget for the project?

a. Answer 1: WSU is interested in pursuing the most value for its investment in this project and as such, will be a good steward of public funding. WSU is looking to the industry experts responding to this RFP to inform of current market rates for such work and will work with the apparent successful respondent on finalizing the scope of work, which will ultimately inform the budget for this project.

2. When is the deadline for the final report?

a. Answer 2: WSU would like to have this report as soon as reasonably possible to inform its stakeholders and supporters at the local, state, and federal levels. WSU needs to work with a respondent that can immediately start work upon execution of the awarded contract and that has the resources, experience and qualifications needed to turn this around as quickly as possible. WSU anticipates this project to be completed no later than the end of May 2025.

3. Can you share the 2015 study?

a. Answer 3: As stated in the RFP, WSU will provide the previous study to the successful respondent.

4. Who will serve as the primary point of contact for this project? Will communication (including data facilitation) be centralized through one individual from WSU, or will it involve multiple individuals across different campuses and departments?

a. Answer 4: WSU will inform the apparent successful respondent as to the primary contact at WSU and we understand the efficiencies gained for the respondents of having one individual to be on point for this project. A project team on WSU’s part will be assembled and a primary point of contact for the awarded contractor to work with will be provided. Information needed from various campus, departments, or other areas for the analysis will be provided via this team and contact.

5. What datasets in addition to the 2014 economic impact assessment (e.g., other relevant historical reports, financial records, and employment data ) will WSU provide to the awarded contractor to ensure an accurate impact analysis?

a. Answer 5: WSU expects the respondents to inform WSU as to the data needed for the most accurate impact analysis possible and will provide the previous impact assessment and all relevant data requested that is reasonably possible or available at WSU.

6. Are there any anticipated challenges or limitations in the data collection process from remote campuses or external partners that the contractor should be prepared to address?

a. Answer 6: WSU will endeavor to provide all requested data in a timely manner. If situations arise in which requested data is not readily available or too laborious to collect, the project team will work with the awarded respondent to identify alternatives or potentially decide to forego that portion of the analysis. WSU anticipates the ability to produce data related to regular institutional reporting (i.e.

IPEDS) without significant limitation. It is important to note, however, that WSU reports to IPEDS as a single institution rather than by individual campuses. WSU will collaborate with the successful respondent to segment institutional data to a level of granularity that aligns with the agreed-upon outcomes of the assessment. The six campuses (including Global) share common financial/employee and student information systems.

Some limitations should be considered, including WSU’s ability to track the current residence or employment locations of former students. While WSU conducts a placement survey of undergraduate students, which may serve as a proxy for post-graduation outcomes, comprehensive migration data is not available. Additionally, as a system, WSU has administrative functions that may require division or estimation based on the service region defined in the assessment. Similar limitations may apply to research-related expenditures.

7. Can WSU clarify what it seeking in “F. The economic impact of out-of-state research funding” listed under “Most Important” in Section 1.4? Is the ask to determine the impact of funds originating from out-of-state sources on research conducted in Washington State? Or is goal to measure the impact of WSU-funded research on projects conducted out-of-state?

a. Answer 7: As an R1 research institution, WSU receives direct and competitive funding from various non-state of WA entities including but not limited to the federal government, philanthropic donors, other state entities, private research foundations, individuals, industry supporters, and many others. It is important that WSU show the economic impact for such external funding sources and related stakeholders involved with these sources to highlight the impact on the state of Washington. Of particular importance is the economic impact that funding originating out-of-state has on the overall economy of the state of Washington.

8. Are there any hard deadlines to consider for the deliverables mentioned in the RFP (draft, final analysis, etc.)? Are there any other concurrent workflows, timelines, or milestones on WSU’s end that the consultant should be aware of?

a. Answer 8: WSU would like to have this report as soon as reasonably possible to inform its stakeholders and supporters at the local, state, and federal levels. WSU needs to work with a respondent that can immediately start work upon execution of the awarded contract and that has the resources, experience and qualifications needed to turn this around as quickly as possible. WSU anticipates this project to be completed no later than the end of May 2025.

9. For scope planning purposes, can WSU share how much funding is allocated to this engagement (not counting the optional add-on components)?

a. Answer 9: See Answer #1.

10. For the add-on for remote facilities, can you provide the number of facilities to be considered and their locations to help the consultant determine the appropriate level of effort?

a. Answer 10: See also Answer 12. A final determination on the number of, locations of, and types of remote facilities is yet to be made and will be informed by the initial conversations with the apparent successful responder. WSU is asking respondents to show any experience or qualifications in taking such locations, facilities or activities into account for the purposes of the study, however, such scope and costs shall be negotiated with the apparent successful respondent and will be included (or not) in the final contract at WSU’s sole discretion.

11. Do you have data on attendance at WSU Athletics, or data on ticket and branded apparel sales?

a. Answer 11: WSU does have data on attendance for WSU Athletic events, tickets and branded apparel sales. This information will be provided to the apparent successful respondent.

12. Can you define what you mean by remote facilities?

a. Answer 12: WSU is located in all thirty-nine counties of Washington state through extension. In addition, the institution has research and academic activities that occur in locations and facilities outside of the state of Washington including some that occur outside the United States. Some examples would include research work occurring at Argonne National Labs in Chicago, IL, Global Animal Health and other research and academic activities occurring in Africa, Carson College of Business Hospitality Management collaborations in Switzerland, and regular field research and other collaborative research and academic activity in many other states in the US. WSU is asking respondents to show any experience or qualifications in taking such locations, facilities or activities into account for the purposes of the study, however, such scope and costs shall be negotiated with the apparent successful respondent and will be included (or not) in the final contract at WSU’s sole discretion.

13. Do you expect to have the regional campus impacts embedded in the larger report, or do you want some sort of Executive Summary or one page summary for each of the six regional campuses?

a. Answer 13: WSU is interested in clear statements of the statewide impacts of the entire WSU System, as well as regional impacts of each of the physical campuses.

An executive summary (one page fact sheet) for each campus or other similar approaches from responders would be helpful.

14. Is there an individual or committee that has sign-off on the final deliverables?

a. Answer 14: While there will be an internal WSU team engaged in the oversight of the project, final sign-off on the project and its deliverables will be made by the Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration.

15. Are the insurance requirements listed in WSUs General Terms and Conditions (linked in Exhibit D 9.1) the requirements that are applicable to this engagement, and if so, what is your openness to waiving the "owned" autos requirement related to Automobile Insurance (as our current coverage is "non-owned only”)?

a. This is reasonable and we would work with WSU Risk Management to review the activities being performed and can adjust insurance requirements accordingly.

16. Based on prior experience, we would expect a budget in the range of $75,000 to $175,000. Are you able to provide more guidance on your expectations?

a. See answer to #1

END OF ADDENDUM 2