Attachment H - Evaluation Criteria.docx

ATTACHMENT H

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Each proposal is ranked according to how the following criteria are addressed based on instructions in the RFP and adherence to 20 C.F.R. Part 641.

In all responses, clarity is necessary. Evaluators are not expected to decipher vague, ambiguous, overly complex, or otherwise difficult to understand responses. Any narrative description that is not clearly presented may be down-scored.

Each proposal will be reviewed by at least three (3) evaluators who will independently score the responsive Proposals using the following Scoring Guidelines when evaluating the Evaluation Criteria contained below:

Scoring Guidelines

Evaluation of the Respondent’s experience and ability to provide services will be based upon information contained in the entire Proposal, but primarily on the information contained in Tab 3 of the Proposal. Evaluators will use the Scoring Guidelines above when evaluating the following criteria:

A. Technical Proposal Submittal

1. Tab 1 – Cover Letter as defined in Section B.37

· The Respondent must include a Cover Letter on the Respondent’s letterhead with the following information:

· Company name and physical address

· Primary location where the work will be performed

· Contact information for primary point of contact

· Federal Employer Identification (FEID) Number

· Dunn and Bradstreet Number

2. Tab 2 – Respondent’s Management Plan, Transition Plan, and Technical Approach

1. Administration and Management (Company Profile) The Respondent shall include a description of the organizational structure and management style established and the methodology to be used to control cost, ensure reliable services and to maintain schedules, as well as the means of coordination and communication between the organization and DOEA. Information about the company’s experience shall be submitted including company profile, experience, years in business, and salary and benefits paid to employees. The proposal shall be written in non-technical language to summarize the Respondent’s overall capabilities and approaches for accomplishing the services specified herein.

2. Transition Plan The Respondent shall include a description of how it plans to transition participants, including how it will work with DOEA SCSEP staff and incumbent grantees to ensure an orderly and seamless transition of existing program participants.

3. Technical Approach The Respondent shall explain the approach, capabilities, and methods it proposes to use to accomplish the tasks in the Scope of Work outlining specific details as to how the work will be accomplished. The Respondent shall identify any safety concerns and how it will address those issues. Any specific techniques it will use shall also be provided. The Respondent shall describe how grant requirements will be communicated to program staff members and how systems will be evaluated to ensure timely and accurate implementation.

4. Identification of Key Personnel The Respondent must provide the names of key personnel on the Respondent’s team, as well as a resume for each individual proposed and a description of the functions and responsibilities of each key person relative to the tasks to be performed. The approximate percentage of time of each key person to be devoted exclusively for this project and to the assigned tasks should also be indicated. The Respondent shall also include this information for any vacant positions anticipated to be filled and used on this Contract, including the number of proposed SCSEP participant staff (if relevant).

5. Responsible Office The Respondent shall include a chart with the geographic area to be served, the Planning and Service Area (PSA), counties, and the number of SCSEP Anticipated Authorized Participant Positions (as listed in Appendix I). It is mandatory that the Respondent propose service to all counties within the PSA with SCSEP Anticipated Authorized Participant Positions, and to serve at least the number of SCSEP Anticipated Authorized Participant Positions within those counties. If the Respondent does not propose service to all counties listed in Attachment I or fewer than the SCSEP Anticipated Authorized Participant Positions within those counties, the proposal will not be evaluated. The Respondent may have more than one office location to serve the PSA, but the office assigned responsibility for the work shall be identified in the Technical Proposal. If different elements of the work will be performed at different locations, those locations shall be listed.

6. Narrative on Experience and Ability The Respondent shall furnish a narrative on their relevant experience, qualifications, and ability to administer the SCSEP. Identify the primary staff contact person(s) in the PSA and document their relevant experience in effectively managing a SCSEP or similar program. The narrative shall explain how the Respondent will achieve the goals of the program, which are to enroll eligible SCSEP participants in valuable community service assignments and to transition participants into unsubsidized employment so that they can achieve economic self-sufficiency.

3. Tab 3 – Response to the RFP Requirements / Respondent’s Proposed Technical Solution

· The Respondent shall fully describe their plan for carrying out the services requested in this solicitation. The Respondent shall describe in detail each activity and service listed below that will be performed and the staff position(s) assigned to provide each service or activity. Adequate descriptions must be provided for the reviewer to determine how the project will be implemented:

1. Recruitment and Selection of Participants

2. Eligibility, Recertification, and Job Ready Individuals

3. Priority Groups

4. Orientation

5. Assessment

6. Individual Employment Plan

7. Community Service Assignments

8. Training

9. Supportive Services and Counseling

10. Wages and Benefits

11. Safe and Healthy Working Conditions

12. Employment Assistance

13. Job Development

14. Maximum Duration and Terminations

15. Maintenance of Effort

16. Service to Minorities

17. Data Collection, Reporting, and Performance Measures

18. Internal Programmatic and Financial Monitoring Processes

19. Collaboration/Leveraged Resources

20. Past Performance – Monitoring Reports

21. Past Performance – Performance Measures

4. Tab 4 – Line-Item Budget, Renewal Line-Item Budget, and Budget Narrative

The Respondent must submit a completed Line-Item Budget, Renewal Line-Item Budget (Attachment C) and a separate Budget Narrative including the initial and renewal periods, if applicable. The Line-Item Budget and Renewal Line-Item Budget shall only contain allowable expenditures and the functions and activities must be properly allocated to programmatic activities, as directed in 20 C.F.R. § 641.856, § 641.859, and § 641.864. The SCSEP has legislated limitations on the expenditures of Title V funds. The administrative cost limitation for this RFP is 6.5 - 9 percent, dependent upon the approved budget from the USDOL. A minimum of 75% of the total budget must be allocated to participant wages and fringe benefits under the programmatic activity cost category and the balance must be allocated to other program costs under the programmatic activity cost category. The functions and activities listed in the budget must be properly allocated and the budget must be consistent with the activities presented in the proposal.

The Line-Item Budget and Renewal Line-Item Budget shall include costs for infrastructure funding of the One-Stop delivery system, in accordance with TEGL 17-16, which is available at the following link: https://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/html_docs/TechAssist.cfm.

The Line-Item Budget and Renewal Line-Item Budget shall include an allocation of time spent on the SCSEP for each staff member who will be paid with contract funds.

The Respondent shall provide a separate Budget Narrative. Failure to provide a response to any required components may deem the Respondent’s Budget Narrative non-responsive. The Budget Narrative must clearly explain why each line-item expense is necessary, how each line-item expense was calculated, and each expense must be sufficiently justified. The line-item expenses listed under the approved Object Class Categories i.e., personnel, fringe benefits, travel, supplies, indirect, and other operating costs must be allowable, reasonable, and necessary for the effective administration of the program. If indirect expenses are listed in the Line-Item Budget, a copy of the current approved indirect rate must be provided.

The Budget Narrative must identify the source(s) and methods of calculation for the 10% match, how the match will be captured, and how staff will ensure the accuracy of the match before reporting it to the Department. The Respondent shall describe the non-federal resources or in-kind services that are proposed.

The Budget Narrative shall describe in detail how documentation to support billed expenses will be collected and maintained for each reporting period and it must identify individual financial records that will be available to reconcile billed expenditures. The Budget Narrative must also identify the fiscal point of contact who will be responsible for submitting monthly invoices to the Department, and who may be called upon for budget updates and explanations of costs. Provide a description of the point of contact’s relative experience managing Federal funds, collecting and maintaining fiscal documentation, creating monthly expenditure reports, submitting complete and accurate invoices to a funding entity, and analyzing budgets to ensure full and accurate use of funds.

The Respondent shall describe their internal control system regarding how it accounts for cash, property, and other assets. The Respondent must show that it has sufficient internal controls to prevent fraud and misuse of funds and that the budget control system ensures that actual expenditures do not exceed the approved budget. Information must be provided that explains how all funds will be properly accounted for (separate bank accounts or project cost records). Explain how the accuracy and reliability of accounting data is checked on a routine basis, including segregation of duties, authorization, execution and payment, personnel, timely posting of debt, etc.

The Budget Narrative shall provide a Cost Allocation for any direct costs that will be shared with other funding sources.

· The Budget Narrative must identify all funding sources for each staff member listed in the Line-Item Budget, their percentage of time allocated to each funding source, how that percentage was calculated, and their total annual salary.

· For all other shared costs, a cost allocation methodology shall be provided in the Budget Narrative which identifies all other funding sources for that cost, how the cost will be proportionately allocated to the SCSEP budget and to the other funding sources, how that allocation was determined, and the total annual cost.

B. Cost Proposal – Attachment D

The score for the Cost Proposal will be based upon the lowest Total Proposed Funding Amount for the Initial and Renewal Funding Periods: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2025, as proposed on Attachment D, by all Respondents. The total maximum points for the Cost Proposal is 25 points. Therefore, the Respondent(s) who submits the lowest Total Proposed Funding Amount for the Initial and Renewal Funding Periods: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2025, shall receive 25 points. All other price proposals will receive points according to the following formula:

(N) x 25 = Z X

Where:

N = lowest verified Total Proposed Funding Amount for the Initial and Renewal Funding Periods: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2025, of all proposals submitted X = Respondent’s proposed Total Proposed Funding Amount for the Initial and Renewal Funding Periods: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2025, Z = Points awarded

C. Past Performance References – Attachment B

· The Respondent shall include with its response a completed Attachment B, Reference Form, for at least four (4) separate and verifiable references for which work similar to that specified in this solicitation has been performed for a period of at least two (2) years. DOEA will choose, at its own discretion, a minimum of three (3) the Respondent’s references to contact in order to complete an evaluation questionnaire as provided in Attachment G.

· DOEA will choose, at its own discretion, a minimum of three (3) of the Respondent’s references to contact in order to complete an evaluation questionnaire as provided in Attachment G.

· DOEA will choose, at its own discretion, a minimum of three (3) of the Respondent’s references to contact in order to complete an evaluation questionnaire as provided in Attachment G.

· DOEA will choose, at its own discretion, a minimum of three (3) of the Respondent’s references to contact in order to complete an evaluation questionnaire as provided in Attachment G.

D. Total Possible Points for the Proposal Submittal

DOEA Solicitation No.: 24-RFP-001-JT