Attachment_6_CFPB_Response_to_Additional_Questions.pdf

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ATTACHMENT #6

CFPB Response to Additional Questions Regarding RFP # CFP-14-R-00001

1. In accordance with the *Other Proposal Documents Submission Instructions on page

24/25, Past Performance Descriptions and Resumes are excluded from the page count.

Please confirm that Factors 1 and 3 are both excluded from the page count in their entireties.

In accordance with the Other Proposal Documents Submission Instructions set forth under the Non-Price Submission Instructions, Past Performance Questionnaires

(PPQ), past performance descriptions and Key Personnel resumes do not count toward the Non-Price Volume page limitation. Please note, however, any other narrative related to Factor 1 and Factor 3 is included in the Non-Price Volume twenty-five (25) page limitation.

2. Per the footnote on Page 27, is there a wish to include coaching locations outside of the continental US during the three-year pilot program?

Alaska and Hawaii have been included in the geographic regions for service sites.

The RFP was amended in Amendment 0001 to reflect this change. Please note that the CFPB is not currently anticipating the selection of service sites in the District of

Columbia or U.S. territories.

3. Per footnote on page 11, can you make the "Your Money, Your Goals" toolkit be available for the proposal responses?

As part of Amendment 0001 to the RFP, the Table of Contents from the Your

Money, Your Goals toolkit has been included in Attachment #5.

4. Is "outcome data" the results of the coaching relationships?

Yes, the purpose of outcome data is primarily to capture client goal accomplishment and issue categories. The vendor and host sites may choose to look at secondary data to understand if there are additional benefits to coaching. For example, if the host site provides job training/workforce development, it may be beneficial to see if participants working with coaches have positive outcomes related to their workforce of job attainment/retention goals as well.

5. What is the CFPB intended approval/review process for Task Area 2?

Work will be assigned to the contractor only by task order. Upon issuance of a Task

Order that includes work under Task Area 2, the CFPB will review the contractor’s

Request for Proposal Number CFP-14-R-00001 Integrating Financial Coaching into Service Delivery for Transitioning Veterans & Economically Vulnerable Consumers

2 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU, 1700 G STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20552

plans and provide feedback and/or approval as appropriate in accordance with the deliverable schedule provided for in the applicable task order. If the applicable task order does not specify a different timeframe, the CFPB will use best efforts to provide any feedback or approval required within ten (10) working days of receipt of information. In some cases the CFPB may need the contractor to present the approach before relevant Bureau officials.

6. In an effort to keep costs reasonable, can the vendors engage coaches with less than six months of experience with a high standard of related education?

No. In order to ensure the correct level of experience, six (6) months of experience will be the acceptable minimum. However, most certifications call for a practicum period and this period may be counted toward the minimum level of experience if it is with the applicable populations.

7. One criterion says: “Implement systems for effectively tracking outcomes and evaluating processes make needed adjustments in the processes, systems and approaches being used” Another criterion says: “Implement systems for effectively tracking outcomes and evaluating processes” This appears to be a duplication. Please clarify these Evaluation

Criteria.

This is a duplication and the RFP has been amended to reflect this change.

8. Would the government please provide additional information on the contents, tools, and expected application of the "Your Money, Your Goals" financial empowerment toolkit?

Please see the answer to Question #3.

9. Would the government please provide the criteria by which an offeror's Small Business

Subcontracting Plan will be evaluated as either acceptable or unacceptable? Are there any goals for small business participation? How will the level of small business participation affect the overall evaluation?

The CFPB does not have small business goals and subgoals to be applied to this specific procurement requirement, however, Offerors should propose to maximize the opportunity for small business participation. As stated in the RFP, the extent of an Offeror’s proposed small business participation “in consideration of the nature of the work required and the Offeror’s proposed approach to performing the work” will be evaluated for acceptability. See RFP Section II.

10. Task Area 1 hours seem to be very limited for such an important section of the program.

Would the government entertain increasing the hours to reflect the actions outlined in

Task Area 1?

The Government-estimated number of hours included in Task Area 1 of the IDIQ

Price Model has been included for evaluation purposes only. It will create a

Integrating Financial Coaching into Service Delivery for Transitioning Veterans & Economically Vulnerable Consumers

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consistent assumption on which Offerors may develop proposals and will inform the

Government's price evaluation. The Offeror shall reflect in its price proposal how they plan to allocate the 2,331 hours among the Offeror’s proposed labor categories based on the assumption that 2,331 total hours will be expended.

11. The travel figures seem low for the breadth and scope of the requirement. Should our approach assume very limited travel?

The Government estimated amount for travel in Task Areas 1 and 3 of the IDIQ consistent assumption on which Offerors may develop proposals and will inform the

Government’s price evaluation. Actual travel will vary depending on the location of, and the technical approach proposed by, the awardee.

12. Would the government please clarify how adjustments to the program funding and contract award will reflect changes in scope? In multiple locations in the document, the government indicates that increases in scope will be accomplished through a contract modification and associated pricing. This presents little risk. However, if the government decides to reduce the scope of the program, how will the government compensate for fixed costs that have to be reallocated to fewer sites than the number used for pricing

Task Area 2?

For Task Area 2, the CFPB is using a fixed unit pricing structure by geographic region. The fixed unit price by geographic region shall remain the same regardless of whether the number of service sites selected is scaled upward by any number or downward by fewer than ten (10) sites. However, in the event that the number of sites selected is to be scaled downward by ten (10) or more, whether by a single contract action or through a series of contract actions, the Contractor will be provided an opportunity to revise its Task Area 2 fixed unit pricing for the affected geographic region(s) as an accommodation for such change(s). Additional opportunities for the Contractor to revise relevant portions of its Task Area 2 fixed unit pricing would not be triggered unless and until the cumulative total site reduction reached at least another ten (10) sites. The RFP has been amended to reflect this change.

13. Will the government evaluate responses more favorably that commit to AFC certification than those that include a provision for alternative certifications of comparable rigor, practicum, depth, and breadth?

A proposed certification of comparable rigor, practicum, depth and breadth to the

AFC certification will be evaluated equally.

14. Does the government anticipate a need for non-English speaking coaches or interpreters? If so, when will this be determined and how might it affect staffing and pricing for locations where there may be dozens of languages spoken (e.g., New York

City)?

Integrating Financial Coaching into Service Delivery for Transitioning Veterans & Economically Vulnerable Consumers

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Pg. 14 of the RFP indicates that “in order to achieve successful performance, selected host organizations must have the ability to provide the services in a way that meets the needs of their client base (e.g., in the appropriate language, with the cultural competency, and when/where they need it to be provided)”. Therefore, the contractor will need to ensure that each coach is reasonably capable of meeting the needs of most of the clients at the service sites.

15. Where in the pricing template is CFPB expecting PMO support services to be placed? Or are we expected to include these services in the FFP?

All costs associated with developing and managing the program should be reflected in the Offeror’s fully burdened labor rates and fixed unit prices in its IDIQ Price

Model.

16. Pricing for Task Area 3 is very limited. Would the CFPB entertain expanding the funding for the Evaluation Task Area to allow for more robust analysis than standard program reporting, due to the changing demands/needs of the proposed clients?

The Government-estimated number of hours included in Task Area 1 of the IDIQ consistent assumption on which Offerors may develop proposals and will inform the

Government's price evaluation. The Offeror shall reflect in its price proposal how they plan to allocate the government-estimated hours among the Offeror’s proposed labor categories based on the assumption that the government-estimated total hours will be expended.

17. As a global professional services Firm, we can provide expanded financial services to clients with issues that exceed the capabilities of the standard financial coaches training as stated on page 14. Would CFPB accept additional pricing for supporting clients with needs that can be addressed using our technical experts?

No, additional pricing beyond the pricing information required in the IDIQ Price

Model will not be considered. The purpose of the program is to provide financial coaching services.

18. Will CFPB expect vendors to certify that their existing ethics and information security training meets current government standards?

No, certification is not required. However, Offerors are expected to comply with all contract requirements related to ethics and information security set forth in the

RFP.