B-31995 JPMC EVSE Questions and Answers .docx

STATE OF ILLINOIS

Central Management Services

JPMC Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Request for Proposal Questions and Answers

23-416CMS-BOPM4-B-31995

PLEASE NOTE: The Request for Proposal (RFP) document has been updated based upon some of the questions and responses. Those include Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) and Energy Star criteria, namely Section D.5.1 M3 and M6, rate adjustments being allowed for Preliminary Site Analysis Consulting and Project Manager for Years 4-7.

The revised RFP is available in the BidBuy solicitation and titled “B-31995 JPMC Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Requestion for Proposal version 2”.

Q11. When are written questions due?

A11. See response to Q8.

Q12. Do you plan to post a link for the pre-bid conference recording on the BidBuy RFP posting page, once the pre-bid conference is complete? According to the documentation on BidBuy, the pre-bid conference will be recorded.

A.12. The Pre-Submission Conference is recorded only to ensure that all questions are transcribed as asked and enable the State to provide an accurate response.

Q13. Will this meeting be recorded and shared?

A13. See response to Q12.

Q14. Will this meeting be recorded and shared?

A14. See response to Q12.

A18. See response to Q17.

Q33. Visiting Sites: Is there contact info for each site to set up a site visit?

A33. Site visits are not necessary to respond to this RFP. Exhibit A is not the basis for the pricing line items in BidBuy. See responses to Q31 and Q32.

Q34. Are we allowed to make site visits?

A34. See responses to Q31, Q32, and Q33.

Q37. If a subcontractor is a federally registered BEP firm, does that qualify with the State?

A37. See response to Q36. An Offeror may use a federally registered BEP firm as a subcontractor, but would not count towards the BEP participation goal.

Q39. Would you please provide the estimated annual contract value? It is not possible to calculate a BEP Utilization percentage, without knowing the estimated annual contract value.

A39. See response to Q38.

Q43. Can we use other NIGP codes other than those listed in the solicitation, like construction or civil/site work?

A43. An Offeror may use NIGP Codes other than those listed in the solicitation to locate subcontractors. Only subcontractors BEP-certified by the Commission on Equity and Inclusion in the solicitation’s NIGP Codes can be counted toward the participation goal. See response Q36.

Q44. Is an out-of-state Offeror required to register with the State of Illinois Business Services to submit a response for this RFP.

A44. Per Section A.22.1.4 of the RFP and Section 20-43 of the Illinois Procurement Code, an Offeror must be authorized to transact business through the Illinois Secretary of State Business Services.

Q45. Is an out-of-state Offeror required to register with the IDHR to submit a response for this RFP?

A45. If an Offeror employed fifteen or more full-time employees at the time of submission of their response to this solicitation or any time during the previous 365-day period leading up to submission, it must have a current IDHR Public Contract Number or have proof of having submitted a completed application prior to contract award.

Q46. Is an out-of-state Offeror required to register with the Board of Elections to submit a response for this RFP?

A46. Generally, if an Offeror is an entity doing business for profit (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or partnership, or otherwise) and has contracts with State agencies that annually total more than $50,000 or whose aggregate pending proposals that total more than $50,000, the Offeror is prohibited from making political contributions and must register with the State Board of Elections (BOE). 30 ILCS 500/20-160. Registration with BOE must occur prior to the bid opening.

Q47. Is IPG and BEP required for the offeror and the sub?

A47. BEP certification is only for those Offerors and subcontractors being counted toward the 7% participation goal.

BEP certification and IPG registration are not the same and Offerors and subcontractors are cautioned not to confuse the two.

Q48. Being registered with IPG is NOT a requirement for subcontractors, only the offeror, correct?

A48. Registration in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) is not required for any Offeror or subcontractor.

The Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) is a clearinghouse for companies to provide their standard certifications, financial disclosures, and conflicts of interest on an annual basis.

When responding to bid opportunities, those companies in the IPG may submit the “IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure”, which is a 3-page document.

A49. The contract length is anticipated to be nine (9) years with no renewal option. As this is a new initiative for the State of Illinois, there is no previous cost data for reference.

Q50. If we win, how long is the contract good for?

A50. See response to Q49.

Q51. For clarification, if selected, how long is the approved status for the state in place?

A51. See response to Q49.

Q52. What is the expected number of EV Charging Stations to be purchased daily or weekly or monthly, throughout the contract award duration including all annual renewals?

A52. The number of EVSE purchased is at the discretion of each entity according to a location’s needs; there is no set number. There are no renewals available for the resulting contract.

Q53. Will State Agencies be required to purchase a specific number of EV Charging Stations through this contract, or will this contract simply be available for potential purchase as desired intermittently from State Agencies?

A53. See response to Q52.

Q57. What is the duration for Phase I?

A57. Phase I could extend from one to several years. As noted in the RFP, phases may overlap and run concurrently provided the awarded Offeror has the capacity and qualified resources to do so.

Q64. How can we provide accurate pricing if we can’t visit the sites and they may change. Costs are dependent on-site conditions, number of chargers required and availability of utilities.

A64. Exhibit A is not the basis for the pricing line items in BidBuy. Each entity that uses the resulting contract will have its own unique characteristics for an EVSE project and there is no way to predict those costs.

The line items in BidBuy are set up for a generic overview that could be applied to any EVSE project.

Q65. Will you provide standard assumptions to be provided so we can provide costs that are apples to apples for categories that are not known?

A65. See response to Q64.

Q66. Like distance to chargers. Will you allow Standard Assumptions so we can provide costs that are apple to apples for categories that are unknown.

A66. See response to Q64.

Q72. Section E.6.6 Under Site Preparation, Installation and Validation Services, please clarify/confirm the following:

1. Assumed, the minimum service hours will be eight (8) regular hours per day.

2. Mobilization of the personnel will be charged as per the agreed regular hourly rate.

3. Assumed the blended hourly rate does not include the per-diem and travel. Per-diem and travel will be invoiced at cost plus fee with verifiable documents receipts.

4. Site Preparation, installation and validation services hourly rate shall not include any materials such as wiring, transformer, conduit, receptables, panels, equipment, concrete works etc. please confirm.

5. The bidder/contractor allowed to invoice the material cost at cost plus fee with verifiable documents and receipts, please confirm.

6. Construction equipment such as trucks, excavators, forklift etc. will be invoiced at cost plus fee with verifiable documents receipts, please confirm.

Q78. What are the State’s expectations with regard to the level of detail included in the current Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) listing? Does the MSRP include accessories and services, such as warranties or will this be handled separately? Please clarify.

A78. Any accessories ordered as well as the five-year warranty noted under D.5.7 would be included with the MSRP. .

Q79. Section E.6.2 With regard to Clause b: The percentage discounts will remain firm during the resulting contract, although the MSRP may change. Do the discounts apply to the accessories and services?

A79. See response to Q78.

Q80. Section E.6.6 Is Project Management rate only for the PM or for a team (PM, engineer, procurement, financial, etc.) to manage all the office or Office/Field activities?

A80. The Project Management is intended to cover the Project Manager.

Q81. Section E.6.7 Regarding the blended hourly rates covering any prevailing wage trade blended "rate" for all the potential trades or a blended rate for a specific trade.

A81. The blended hourly rate would need to cover any potential trade.

Q82. Where are design costs to be included?

A82. Section E.6.7 is to cover all service components associated with site preparation, installation, and validation services.

Q83. Section E.6.7 Per the RFP, Statements of Work must have the detailed breakdown of all wage be calculated /presented?

A83. Statements of Work (SOW) are anticipated to be used as each individual EVSE project arises based on the needs of the entity, the location, and the Preliminary Site Analysis.

Q98. Section E.6.7 The RFP states that Statements of Work must have the detailed breakdown of all services, hourly rates, prevailing wage labor rates, hours, etc. that would be invoiced. The details on what we are to install and therefore to include in the Pricing are not provided. As a result, we are concerned that you may not be getting comparable offers. One approach worthy of considering is to provide a Sample Statement of Work (for the purpose of proposing) that you would like all bidders to respond to when preparing the Price. Please clarify.

Regardless, please confirm that we can add an attachment to the Pricing that explains the basis for Pricing.

A84. The State is not asking for any Statement of Work with the RFP pricing. The SOW is a contractual element. See response to Q83.

Q85. Section E.6.7 The RFP states that hourly rates are to be firm for Years 1-3 of the resulting contract and have built in increases for Years 4-6 and for Years 7-9.

However prevailing wages are adjusted at least on an annual basis. Assuming those adjustments occur, should the offeror reflect potential adjustments in our blended hourly rate?

A85. Yes.

A91. The line items in BidBuy take increase of labor, supplies, etc into consideration.

Q92. Is the State also looking to leverage grant funding (e.g., CFI) for the deployment of this charging equipment?

A92. The State is not currently seeking grant funding for its State-owned and leased locations. However, other governmental units and qualified not-for-profit agencies may utilize grant funding for purchasing and deployment of their EVSE programs.

Q93. What is the estimated turnaround time for contract payments (15-days, 30-days, other)?

A93. For State Agencies, per Section F.2.1 of the RFP, payments, including late payment charges, will be paid in accordance with the State Prompt Payment Act and rules when applicable. 30 ILCS 540; 74 ILL. ADM. CODE 900. This shall be Vendor’s sole remedy for late payments by the State. Payment terms contained in Vendor’s invoices shall have no force or effect. Other governmental units and qualified not-for-profit agencies may have their own policies for payment terms.