Amendment 1.docx

State of South Carolina

Request for Proposal

AMENDMENT #1

QUESTIONS and RESPONSES

DATE OF PUBLICATION: 11/14/2024

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400027585 10/18//2024

GEORGE ROZES

(803) 737-5769 grozes@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services 1201 Main Street, Suite 601 Columbia SC 29201

DESCRIPTION: Property Management Platform for Housing Choice Voucher Program

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: South Carolina Housing, Finance & Development Authority

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

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time) 12/03/2024 11:00 AM (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 11/01/2024 11:00 AM (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: 1. If a redacted copy is not necessary, initial here __________

CONFERENCE TYPE: Virtual

DATE & TIME: 10/29/2024 11:00:00

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions)

LOCATION: TEAMS

Contact the Procurement Officer to attend.

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 ninety (90) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) 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)

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 to Request for Proposals per SC Consolidated Procurement Code Section 11-35-1524, e (5)\

PREFERENCES - ADDRESS AND PHONE OF IN-STATE OFFICE: Preferences do not apply to Request for Proposals per SC Consolidated Procurement Code Section 11-35-1524, e (5)

____In-State Office Address same as Home Office Address ____In-State Office Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

PAGE TWO (SEP 2009)

End of PAGE TWO

Offerors: Below, please find your questions and the State’s binding responses. Please review the responses carefully as you prepare your Offer submissions! You have until Tuesday, December 3 to upload to SCEIS a COMPLETE Offer.

Unless modified by the following responses, the entire content in Request for Proposals #5400027585 remains EXACTLY the same.

Questions/Responses

1. Could you please explain the reasons behind the initial emergency contract with Yardi?

States Response: Under Section 11-35-1570 of the South Carolina Procurement Code, state agencies are permitted to enter into emergency contracts under specific conditions. SC Housing utilized this provision to establish an emergency contract with Yardi to ensure the continued operation of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, which we identified as critical economy and efficiency.

1. Can you provide a departmental breakdown of the 35 users?

States Response: The staffing estimates for the new system include 23 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) personnel (including managers and supervisors), 3 Information Technology staff, 5 Finance staff, 2 Internal Audit (QA/QC), and 2 vacant positions.

1. Will we receive copies of the questions submitted by other vendors?

States Response: All questions received during the question period have been addressed in this amendment. (Mr. Rozes, please confirm and modify if necessary)

1. Could you provide more details on the required HUD audit standards, and any specific report formats SC Housing uses?

States Response: There are no specific audit standards set by HUD; however, South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing) will undergo audits by HUD in accordance with the standards established by the HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG).

1. Are there existing reports you would like to streamline, or specific compliance risks you want the system to address?

States Response: No. Please describe your system's capabilities for generating both ad-hoc and pre-built ('canned') reports.

1. Can you clarify the current state of data in the Yardi system, particularly with regard to duplicates, incomplete entries, and inconsistencies?

States Response: Refer to Section III, Implementation and/or Service Upgrade Requirements, item 7.3.

1. Would SC Housing be interested in data cleansing as part of the migration process?

States Response: Yes, SC Housing will depend on the selected vendor to collaborate with its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) staff to cleanse any required data. The selected vendor will also be responsible for the data migration process.

1. Is SC Housing looking for real-time data integration with the SCEIS system, or would periodic batch updates meet your needs?

States Response: SC Housing does not require a solution that directly integrates with SCEIS.

1. Are there specific data fields or reports required by the Comptroller General’s Office and State Treasurer’s Office?

States Response: No

1. What key feedback have you received from tenants and landlords about the current system?

States Response: The current software system does not support single sign-on across multiple sites.

1. Are there any particular features or processes SC Housing would like to prioritize to improve user satisfaction?

States Response: A more thorough and detailed employment and gig verification process for tenants and other household members.

1. Could you specify the frequency and timing of high-traffic periods, like waitlist openings, and the type of support you find most helpful during these times (e.g., remote vs. onsite)?

States Response: SC Housing opens its waitlist up to four times per year. This calendar year, SC Housing registered over 6,000 tenants and may choose not to open the waitlist for at least one year. Onsite support would be highly beneficial for SC Housing due to challenges related to single sign-on functionality.

1. Would you value having a dedicated support team familiar with SC Housing’s specific processes?

States Response: Yes

1. Does SC Housing have any projections for growth in voucher numbers or system users over the contract term?

States Response: SC Housing’s HCVP program functions under HUD directives. SC Housing cannot predict potential changes HUD may implement or the need for additional system users over the duration of this contract.

1. Would you prefer a system that can scale rapidly in case of unexpected increases in demand?

States Response: Yes, SC Housing may require scalability, either upward or downward, in accordance with HUD's directives.

1. Are there specific HUD or internal reports that SC Housing would like to customize beyond what is provided in standard reporting? How critical is ad hoc reporting, and would SC Housing benefit from a report template library or dashboard visualization options?

States Response: Yes. Please describe your system's capabilities for generating both ad-hoc and pre-configured ('canned') reports.

1. SC Housing emphasizes the need for custom workflows and task reassignment capabilities. Could you provide examples of workflows that currently require manual intervention, and how would you prioritize automation of these processes?

States Response: SC Housing would like the ability to launch interim workflows. An example of this would be rent increases.

1. Is SC Housing open to innovative features like predictive analytics for voucher allocation or enhanced tenant communications that could improve efficiency or satisfaction beyond the specified requirements?

States Response: Yes.

1. Can you confirm if SC Housing would accept offshore development for this project, provided that data remains stored in the U.S., with U.S.-based Business Analysts and secure transmission protocols to ensure data security?

States Response: See Section 4 (Information for Offerors to Submit) Section 3, Part B-2

1. Could you describe the main limitations and challenges SC Housing faces with the current system? Are there specific pain points that this new solution should address as a priority?

States Response: Refer to Section III, Training Preferences, item 8.2.

1. Are there any specific features or functionalities missing in the current system that SC Housing views as critical for the new solution?

States Response: No

1. Could you provide guidance on the budget range allocated for this project? Are there specific cost considerations SC Housing prioritizes, such as long-term maintenance or scalability?

States Response: (answered as a two-part question)

A. Could you provide guidance on the budget range allocated for this project? To promote maximum competition, SC Housing will not disclose its budget. As stated in Section VI, Award Criteria—Proposals: “Award will be made to the highest ranked, responsive, and responsible offeror whose proposal is most advantageous to the State.” Refer also to Section VI, Evaluation Factors—Proposals (MODIFIED).

B. Are there specific cost considerations SC Housing prioritizes, such as long-term maintenance or scalability? Refer to Section IV., Admin/ Development, number 17.

1. Could you provide an overview of SC Housing’s current system landscape, including key applications and integrations in use?

States Response: Refer to Section III., Current Technical Environment

1. Are there specific systems that the new solution will need to communicate or integrate with?

States Response: Refer to Section III., DESIRED OUTCOME, number 2.17.

1. What platforms and tools does SC Housing currently use to support the Housing Choice Voucher Program?

States Response: Refer to Section I, ACQUIRE SERVICES (MODIFIED).

1. Are there specific dependencies or legacy systems that the new solution must accommodate?

States Response: No.

1. Is there a preferred technology stack or compatibility requirement with other SC Housing systems that the new solution should meet to ensure a smooth transition?

States Response: Refer to Section III., Current Technical Environment.

1. Can you confirm if current vendors working with SC Housing are eligible to participate in this bidding process?

States Response: Vendors who can fulfill the requirements outlined in the RFP are encouraged to participate by submitting a proposal.

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