Amendment 1.doc

SAP

State of South Carolina Request for Proposal Amendment 1

Solicitation:

Amendment Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400023963 03/10/2023

KATHY SANTANDREU

803-896-5304 ksantandreu@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services 1201 Main St. Suite 600 Columbia SC 29201

DESCRIPTION: Foster Child Social Security Benefits

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: South Carolina Department of Social Services

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 3/30/2023, 11:00 AM ET (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 03/03/2023 10:00 AM ET (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: See page 3

CONFERENCE TYPE: Pre-Proposal

DATE & TIME: 03/02/2023 10:00 AM ET

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions) LOCATION: Virtual via Teams

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of 120 calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer – how it appears on tax documents) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________ ___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)

Initial here if NO redacted copy is necessary __________ See Section II A “Submitting Confidential Information” clause, and Section IV “Submitting Redacted Offers” clause.

SAP

SAP

PAGE TWO

(Return Page Two with Your Offer) HOME OFFICE ADDRESS (Address for offeror's home office / principal place of business)

NOTICE ADDRESS (Address to which all procurement and contract related notices should be sent.) (See "Notice" clause) _________________________________________________ Area Code - Number - Extension Facsimile _________________________________________________ E-mail Address

PAYMENT ADDRESS (Address to which payments will be sent.) (See "Payment" clause) ____Payment Address same as Home Office Address ____Payment Address same as Notice Address (check only one) ORDER ADDRESS (Address to which purchase orders will be sent) (See "Purchase Orders and "Contract Documents" clauses) ____Order Address same as Home Office Address ____Order Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

Offerors acknowledges receipt of amendments by indicating amendment number and its date of issue. (See "Amendments to Solicitation" Provision)

DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See "Discount for Prompt Payment" clause)

PREFERENCES - A NOTICE TO VENDORS (SEP. 2009): Preferences do not apply

PREFERENCES - ADDRESS AND PHONE OF IN-STATE OFFICE: Preferences do not apply ____In-State Office Address same as Home Office Address ____In-State Office Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JAN 2004) (modified): (a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov(b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two and returning with solicitation response (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged.

The solicitation is amended as provided herein. Information or changes resulting from questions will be shown in a question-and-answer format. All questions received have been reprinted below. The “state’s response” should be read without reference to the questions. The questions are included solely to provide a cross-reference to the potential Offeror that submitted the question. Questions do not form a part of the contract; the “state’s response” does.

Combined Vendor Questions The state will accept questions from amendment #1 (only) until March 15, 2023, 10AM ET.

1. Per RFP section II. Instructions to Offerors -- B. Special Instructions, Contents of Offer (c) "the contents of your offer must be divided into two parts, the technical proposal and the business proposal. Each part should be bound in a single volume. “ Please confirm if the Proof of Insurance Information, Minority Participation Form and Subcontractor form should be submitted with the technical proposal or the business proposal.

State’s Response: It must be included in a section at the end of your technical proposal.

2. Sections III.1 on pg. 5 (document pg. 24) and VIII on pg. 31 (document pg. 50), Benefit Type table: Please confirm the amount listed for the medical review is from a submission standpoint?

State’s Response: That is correct.

3. Sections III.1 on pg. 5 (document pg. 24) and VIII on pg. 31 (document pg. 50), Benefit Type table: Please confirm the amount listed for the Payee Change is from a submission standpoint?

State’s Response: That is correct.

4. Section III.E.2 on pg. 3 (document pg. 22) states “…The contractor must provide all office supplies…”: Please confirm the State will provide State-branded envelopes and postage to mail documentation to recipients and applicants.

State’s Response: That is correct.

5. Section IV Information for Offerors to Submit on pg. 7 (document pg. 26) states under Important Note, “…Submittals should be…print size should be 12-point font minimum…”: May bidders use a smaller, still readable font for headers/footer, RFP requirements language/cross reference, exhibits/figures captions, graphics & tables?

State’s Response: There will be no change to the instructions on the font size given.

6. Section IV.L.3.IV.b Qualifications and Experience on pg. 8 (document pg. 27) states, “b. The offeror shall submit resumes of the proposed staff.”: Please confirm that resumes may be included as an Appendix and not included in the 50-page limitation.

State’s Response: Page limit will be increased to 60 pages to include resumes.

7. Section IV.L under Information for Offerors to Submit – General (Mar 2015) on pg. 10 (document pg. 29) states, “If you submit your offer electronically, you must upload an image of a signed Cover Page and Page Two.”: Please confirm whether Offerors may submit a digitally signed Cover Page and Page Two for electronic submissions?

State’s Response: Digital signatures MUST be official signatures. They CANNOT be a simple cursive font. If in doubt print, sign and scan back to your computer.

8. Sections II.d under Contents of Offer (RFP) (Feb 2015) on pg. 17 states, “…Offers which include either modifications to any of the solicitation's contractual requirements or an offeror's standard terms and conditions may be deemed non-responsive and not considered for award.” However, the Note in red font in Section VI under Discussions and Negotiations – Optional (Feb 2015) states, “…The Offeror shall also submit the number and nature of exceptions…”: Please confirm that Offerors can submit exceptions based on the clause provided under VI—Discussions and Negotiations.

State’s Response:

You may submit items based on what is outlined the Assumptions and Risk Clause. Anything that is not specifically listed in the ASSUMPTIONS & RISK clause needs to be addressed as part of the questions you submit to the state during the question period. See also the duty to inquire clause.

DUTY TO INQUIRE (FEB 2015)

Offeror, by submitting an Offer, represents that it has read and understands the Solicitation and that its Offer is made in compliance with the Solicitation. Offerors are expected to examine the Solicitation thoroughly and should request an explanation of any ambiguities, discrepancies, errors, omissions, or conflicting statements in the Solicitation. Failure to do so will be at the Offeror's risk. All ambiguities, discrepancies, errors, omissions, or conflicting statements in the Solicitation shall be interpreted to require the better quality or greater quantity of work and/or materials, unless otherwise directed by amendment. Offeror assumes responsibility for any patent ambiguity in the Solicitation that Offeror does not bring to the State's attention. See clause entitled "Questions from Offerors." [02-2A070-2]

9. Who will be responsible for dispersing the funds to the children?

State’s Response: South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) will be responsible for disbursing all funds.

10. Will I be able to update in CAPSS or will I have to develop a system?

State’s Response: The contractor will not update information in CAPSS. We are unclear as to what you are referring to when you ask if you would have to develop a system.

11. If I have to develop a system, is there a specific system that DSS requires?

State’s Response: Please see response to #9.

12. How would I receive referrals from DSS (email)?

State’s Response: The contractor is responsible for developing a referral process for county staff to notify the contractor of potential SSI eligible children. See scope of work, Section III, page 1.

13. Will DSS offer any training on how they want services to be provided?

State’s Response: The contractor is responsible for the execution of the scope of work. DSS does not provide training.

14. Will there be a contact person for DSS as well as SSI.

State’s Response: There is a DSS contract manager who will oversee the contract. The contractor must work with all Social Security field offices in South Carolina and potentially other states.

15. During these times when all mail services including FedEx, UPS and USPS are experiencing adverse impacts to their normal delivery times which can result in unusually long delays and missed deadlines, would the State consider a timely submission if our proposal materials are shipped and post marked by 3/28/23, with proof of confirmation that an item is being shipped via overnight express delivery by FedEx? This indicates a clear expectation of delivery prior to the due date. Will that be accepted as a timely submission in the event FedEx is unable to meet the overnight delivery commitment?

State’s Response:

The original solicitation response (including cost/price) and a redacted copy (marked redacted) of the same proposal should be submitted on-line and is the official response.

All other copies must be received by the bid room no later than the “submit offer by” date and time to be considered a timely submission and considered if there is an issue with the official online response.

16. Is there a current vendor performing the scope of work outlined in this Solicitation? If there is could the State provide the name of the vendor?

State’s Response: Yes, Maximus.

17. If there is a current vendor, how many staff are currently working on this project?

State’s Response: The number of staff is not pertinent to an Offeror’s response to this solicitation. Number of employees should be based on information provided for required tasks and goals.

18. How many youth are currently in Foster Care?

State’s Response: As of January 31, 2023, there were 3711 children in foster care.

19. Per RFP section III. Scope of Work, page 27, I. Compensation- The "cost of benefits provided as a part of your price proposal must be all inclusive to fulfill all contract requirements and shall not exceed the amounts indicated" in the chart also included. However, per section IV. Information for offerors to submit, page 29, L. Proposal Content 4. Price Proposal: "The Offeror shall provide a detailed Price Proposal for each potential year of services. The Price Proposal shall include a detailed summary of all rates and fees for all services to complete specifications stated within the Scope." Because the fees are already established, is it necessary to complete the price proposal spreadsheet to include staff salaries etc.?

State’s Response: It isn’t necessary to provide staff salaries. SCDSS would like to know how many staff associated with this project to provide adequate space at a SCDSS location.

All other terms, condition, bidding instruction, and specifications remain unchanged. If there are any question or if any confusion or uncertainty arises as a result of this amendment, it is the sole responsibility of the Offeror to contact the procurement officer for clarification. Contact information can be found in the top right-hand corner of the cover page of this amendment reference the “Duty to Inquire” in the original Request for Proposal (RFP).

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