Appendix B Solicitation Response Requirements and Submission Checklist.pdf

APPENDIX B

SOLICITATION RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

A. General

This Invitation for Bid (IFB) is a procurement for actuarial services. Bidders shall submit the required information and documentation identified in the IFB and through the Commonwealth's SRM solicitation.

This is an Invitation for Bid (IFB) and not a Request for Proposal (RFP). Bidders are not required to submit a technical proposal, business proposal, or other proposal narrative in response to this IFB.

Bidders shall provide the documentation required by the IFB and Statement of Work (SOW), together with the required bid pricing and forms.

Submission of a bid constitutes the Bidder's acknowledgment of and agreement to the requirements of the IFB and SOW.

B. Required Bid Submission Documentation

The Bidder shall submit the following documentation with its SRM bid response.

1. Pricing o Pricing for the initial one-year contract term.

o Pricing for each of the four (4) optional one-year renewal terms.

o Pricing shall be entered directly into the applicable pricing fields and item lines in the Commonwealth's SRM solicitation in accordance with the solicitation instructions and the quantities identified for each item line.

o Each of the five (5) contract-year item lines—Initial Term and Renewal Years 1 through 4—is established at a quantity of two (2) to correspond to the two semi-annual billing periods within each contract year. The quantity of two (2) represents the applicable billing periods and does not constitute two separate actuarial service engagements.

o The Bidder shall enter the applicable semi-annual unit price for each of the five (5) SRM item lines. The two (2) semi-annual unit prices for each contract year shall represent the full amount for the actuarial services required for that contract year, with invoicing occurring on a semi-annual basis in accordance with the Statement of Work and applicable Purchase Order.

o Pricing shall include all costs necessary to perform the services required by the SOW.

o The contract is a fixed-price contract, and option-year pricing shall comply with the three percent (3%) escalation provision set forth in the SOW.

2. Minimum Actuarial Experience o Documentation demonstrating at least two (2) years of experience providing actuarial services.

3. Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation, Commonwealth, and SWIF Experience o Documentation demonstrating experience performing actuarial work involving Workers' Compensation matters in Pennsylvania, including experience performing actuarial services for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State Workers' Insurance Fund (SWIF).

4. Lead Consultant o Identification of the proposed lead consultant.

5. Professional Actuarial Membership o Identification of the professional actuarial organization(s) of which the lead consultant is a member.

o Documentation verifying the lead consultant's membership in at least one (1) of the following professional actuarial organizations, as applicable to the services to be performed under the contract:

American Academy of Actuaries (AAA);

Society of Actuaries (SOA); or

Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS).

6. Relevant Insurance and Actuarial Experience o The Bidder shall acknowledge its familiarity with standard and typical insurance policies, coverages, rate and rule manuals, classification plans, and ratemaking principles applicable to the following:

Workers' Compensation;

Medical Professional Liability;

General Liability;

Business Owners; and

Umbrella/Excess.

7. Subcontractor Information o The Bidder shall complete and submit Appendix C – Subcontractor Information Form with its IFB response. The Bidder shall indicate in Appendix C whether subcontractors are proposed.

o Subcontracting shall not exceed forty-nine percent (49%) of the services under the contract and is subject to the prior written approval of SWIF in accordance with the Statement of Work.

o The Contractor shall remain fully responsible for the performance of all contract requirements, including services performed by approved subcontractors.

C. Statement of Work and Appendix A Acknowledgment

The Bidder shall review the complete Statement of Work, including Appendix A – Required Exhibits in Support of SWIF Loss Reserve Analysis.

Appendix A identifies exhibits that the awarded Contractor shall provide as part of the services required under the SOW. The exhibits identified in Appendix A are post-award contract performance requirements and are not required to be prepared or submitted with the Bidder's IFB response.

The Bidder is responsible for reviewing and understanding the post-award services and deliverables described in the SOW and Appendix A.

D. SRM Notes and Attachments

The Bidder shall review all documents contained in the SRM solicitation's Notes and Attachments section before submitting its bid.

The Notes and Attachments section contains solicitation documents, forms, instructions, notes, and attachments applicable to this IFB. Any document contained in the Notes and Attachments section that specifically identifies a required Bidder response, completed form, certification, acknowledgment, or other submission shall be completed and submitted by the Bidder in accordance with the instructions provided with that document.

The Bidder is responsible for reviewing all SRM Notes and Attachments and submitting all documentation required therein.

The inclusion of a document in the SRM Notes and Attachments section does not, in itself, require the Bidder to return the document. The Bidder shall follow the specific instructions associated with each document to determine whether a response or submission is required.

E. No Technical Proposal Required

This solicitation is an Invitation for Bid (IFB), not a Request for Proposal (RFP). The Bidder is not required to submit a technical proposal, business proposal, or other proposal narrative in response to this IFB.

The Bidder shall submit the documentation required by this Appendix B, together with any documents contained in the SRM solicitation’s Notes and Attachments section that specifically require completion and submission with the bid.

The Bidder shall not submit any additional proposal materials or other unsolicited documentation.

The Commonwealth will evaluate bids in accordance with the requirements applicable to this IFB, including responsiveness to the solicitation requirements and responsibility of the Bidder.

F. Contract Performance Requirements

If awarded the contract, the Contractor shall perform all services and provide all deliverables required by the SOW, including the post-award requirements and exhibits identified in Appendix A.

G. Bidder Certification

By submitting a bid through SRM, the Bidder certifies that:

1. The Bidder has reviewed the IFB, Statement of Work (SOW), Terms & Conditions, and applicable Appendices.

2. The Bidder meets the minimum qualifications identified in SOW Section I-5.D.

3. The Bidder has submitted the pricing and documentation specifically required with the bid and understands that the requirements identified in Appendix A are post-award contract performance requirements and are not required to be submitted with the bid.

4. The proposed lead consultant meets the professional membership requirements identified in Sections I-5.D.3 and I-5.D.4 of the SOW.

5. The Bidder understands that submission of a bid constitutes acknowledgment of and agreement to the requirements of the IFB, SOW, Terms & Conditions, and applicable Appendices.

H. Solicitation Response Checklist

The following checklist is provided as a guide to assist the Bidder in confirming that its SRM submission is complete. The checklist does not create additional submission requirements.

Requirement Bidder Action

SOW Acceptance & Acknowledgment

Complete and submit as requested; failure to complete or sign, in and of itself, will not preclude consideration of an otherwise responsive and responsible bid

Required SRM bid/pricing submission

Submit through SRM

Initial contract year pricing Submit through SRM

Four option-year pricing Submit through SRM

Semi-annual billing periods

SRM item lines are established at a quantity of two (2) for each contract year to correspond to the two semi-annual billing periods. The quantity represents billing periods and does not constitute two separate actuarial service engagements.

Semi-annual pricing

Enter the applicable semi-annual unit price for each of the five (5) SRM item lines. The two (2) semi-annual unit prices for each contract year shall represent the full amount for the actuarial services required for that contract year.

Option-year pricing Shall comply with the three percent (3%) escalation provision set forth in the SOW

Requirement Bidder Action

SRM Notes and Attachments Review all; submit responses/documents where specifically required

Appendix A – Required Exhibits in Support of SWIF Loss Reserve Analysis

Post-award contract performance requirement; do not submit with bid

Appendix C – Subcontractor Information Form

Complete and submit with bid

Minimum two years' actuarial experience

Submit documentation

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation, Commonwealth, and State Workers' Insurance Fund (SWIF) experience

Submit documentation

Lead consultant identification and professional actuarial membership

Identify lead consultant and submit required professional membership documentation

Relevant insurance and actuarial experience

Acknowledge familiarity with the specified insurance policies, coverages, rate and rule manuals, classification plans, and ratemaking principles