DOL-ETA-16-R-00024_Amendment_8_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Shreveport JCC/OA/CTS DOL-ETA-16-R-00024 Amendment 8

Questions and Answers 1 Reference

Comment At unnumbered page 5 of amended Section L at Section A, Proposal Section Content, Subparagraph 1. Technical Approach, it states: “the Written Narrative for Technical Approach and Staffing Resources is due 14 calendar days from the Oral Presentation date and will be incorporated by reference into the contract.”

Question 1) Is any written proposal due prior to an offeror’s Oral Presentation? If so, exactly what written materials is an offeror required to submit and exactly when?

Government Response

Written narrative is due 14 calendar days from date of oral presentation. Also, see answer to comment 2 in Question 6, below.

2 Reference Comment Question 2) After the Oral Presentation, will an offeror be able to update or modify any written proposal materials submitted prior to the Oral Presentation? Please explain and specify.

Government Response Written Narrative must reflect your Oral Presentation.

3 Reference Comment Question 3) Given that Oral Presentations will not be on the same date, and given that according to Section L “Written Narrative for Technical Approach and Staffing Resources is due 14 calendar days from the Oral Presentation date,” does the government now intend to have varying proposal due dates for offerors’ Written Narrative and Technical Approach?

Government Response

Your written narrative is due 14 days after your oral presentation.

The Contracting Officer will schedule your Oral Presentation after the closing date of the RFP. You are to present your Technical Approach during Oral Presentation.

4 Reference Comment At unnumbered page 14 of amended Section L., subparagraph 6. Oral

Presentations, at e. Paper and Electronic Copies as specified in L.6.H.

Proposal Format - the RFP provides that “the offeror shall submit a final version of their planned Oral Presentation materials as part of their written submission. Four (4) printed color copies of the final presentation shall be provided to the Government. The offeror shall also provide an electronic copy of the final presentation.”

Question 1) What “written submission” is the government referring to in this ¶L.6.e?

Government Response

Presentation Slides

Questions and Answers 5 Reference

Comment Question 2) Please clarify what constitutes the “final version of their planned Oral Presentation materials.” What is the “final version?” What is the due date for submission of the “final version”?

Government Response

Presentation slides shall be in final. Alteration of the presentation slides is not permitted after closing of the RFP. The Contracting Officer will schedule your Oral Presentation after the closing date of the RFP.

6 Reference Comment Question 3) Does the “final version” consist of the slides and the narrative?

Government Response

Presentation slides only.

7 Reference Comment Question 4) Please define “written submission” as used in L.6.e.

Government Response

Presentation slides

8 Reference Comment Question 5) Are there two different due dates for submission of an offeror’s

“written submission”? If so, are those dates currently May 26th and 14 days following the Oral Presentation?

Government Response

Written narrative is due 14 days after your Oral Presentation.

9 Reference Comment Question 6) Please specify exactly what is due on what dates and whether or not any submissions are made twice, once before and then again after Oral Presentations.

Government Response

No submissions are made twice. The following are due at closing:

Business Management Proposal Past Performance Information Presentation Slides for Technical Approach Presentation Slides for Relevant Experience Presentation Slides for Staff Resources Written Narrative for Technical Approach and Staff Resources is due 14 days after your Oral Presentation.

Questions and Answers 10 Reference

Comment As currently drafted, Section M is vague and ambiguous with respect to the evaluation of proposals. This section simply repeats verbatim each of the seven questions posed in Section L rather than providing any actual evaluation criteria. In this regard, for example, Section M lists Technical Approach as the most important factor and, with respect to such factor, simply states that “the offeror’s response to the questions addressed below [the 7 questions in Section L] will be evaluated based on quality and likelihood of success,” but does not state how this evaluation will be performed – using adjectival ratings (with definitions of such ratings), color ratings (again with definitions) or numeric ratings, nor does it indicate how “quality” or “likelihood of success” will be determined or how strengths and weaknesses will be assessed or used in this process. ¶M.2.1

Question 1) Please identify the actual evaluation criteria and method of evaluation and the ratings to be used (e.g., adjectival (or other) ratings and the associated definitions of such ratings or other criteria).

Government Response

See Section M.4 Basis for Award (Best Value ) – Tradeoff. The Government shall use adjectival ratings in it’s evaluation. The Government does not disclose the adjectival definitions.

11 Reference Comment Section M provides that “To the extent that the Offeror’s approach deviates from requirements in WIOA or the PRH, DOL will evaluate if the Offeror explains how the proposed deviation still meets the core aspects of the requirement.”

Question 1) Please amend this provision to remove the statement that offerors may deviate from the statutory requirements of WIOA (as done with Section L).

Government Response

This Amendment corrects the RFP to direct that offerors shall be in full compliance with WIOA.

The following is removed:

Section M provides that “To the extent that the Offeror’s approach deviates from requirements in WIOA or the PRH, DOL will evaluate if the Offeror explains how the proposed deviation still meets the core aspects of the requirement.”

AND is replaced with:

“To the extent that the Offeror’s approach deviates from the PRH, DOL will evaluate if the Offeror explains how the proposed deviation still meets the core aspects of the requirement. However, offerors shall be in full compliance with WIOA.”

Questions and Answers 12 Reference

Comment Question eleven (11), Amendment #6, Questions and Answers, was as follows:

a. The Technical Approach (presentation slides and written narrative), Staff Resources (presentation slides and written narrative), and Relevant Experience (presentation slides) sections shall be bound together in a single volume in the following order:

i. Presentation Slides for Technical Approach;

ii. Written Narrative for Technical Approach;

iii. Presentation Slides for Staff Resources;

iv. Written Narrative for Staff Resources; and

v. Presentation Slides for Relevant Experience.

The government’s response is as follows:

“Yes, but written narrative is no longer due at the time of closing. See revised Section L.”

Question 1) Define “written narrative” as used in the government’s response above.

Government Response

The written narrative is a written document which shall reflect your oral presentation.

13 Reference Comment Question 2) Does the government’s response to Question 11 under

Amendment #6 above mean that the “written narrative” for technical approach and the “written narrative” for staff resources are not to be submitted on the current proposal due date of May 26th?

Government Response

Yes

14 Reference Comment Question 3) What does the Government expect to receive on the current proposal date of May 26th?

Government Response

See above

Questions and Answers 15 Reference

Comment Question 4) What does the Government expect to receive from an offeror fourteen days following their Oral Presentation?

Government Response The written narrative which reflects the Oral Presentation.

16 Reference Comment RFP Section M.2.1.B contains a bullet stating that offerors should provide “A description of how evidence-based, innovative strategies will be used to improve student outcomes.” The current PRH references the use of evidence-based instructional approaches only in connection with career technical trades offered by National Training Contractors.” The PRH also indicates that evidence-based instructional approaches are identified by Job Corps to support standards-based training to the extent funding is available.

Question Please identify describe any evidence-based instructional approaches that Job Corps has identified to support standards based training at Job Corps Centers or provide a citation to a reference or resource that contains such information so that all offerors have the necessary information to be responsive to the question.

Government Response

Offerors should list evidence based teaching and learning strategies they intend to use on the center. Evidence-based strategies are teaching and learning methods that come from a body of work from a researcher who quantifies their effectiveness (such as Marzano, Lemov, or Hattie). The offeror should explain the factors used to determine which strategies will be used. The offeror should also indicate how the staff will use the strategies and how their effectiveness will be evaluated.

17 Reference Comment

Question In response to Amendment No. 4, Question 54 (asking in part, “Are the criteria on pages 5-6 of Amendment Two from WIOA? If so, do these criteria include all of the required elements of WIOA? If not, please clarify what elements/consideration/criteria have been omitted.”), DOL states, “Yes, some of the criteria is from WIOA as it pertains to the education and training.” Similarly, in response to Amendment No. 4, Question 55 (asking in part, “Does the criteria on pages 5-6 of Amendment Two include any criteria/requirements/ specification from the PRH? If so, please identify.), DOL states, “Yes, and also from the goals established by the Employment Training Administration each year in the Outcome Measurement system.”

a. Please identify with specificity the evaluation criteria set forth in Amendment 2 that are based on WIOA.

Questions and Answers

b. Please identify with specificity the evaluation criteria set forth in Amendment 2 that are based on the PRH.

c. Please identify with specificity the evaluation criteria set forth in Amendment 2 that are based on the goals established by the ETA each year in the Outcome Measurement System.

d. For any evaluation criteria set forth in Amendment 2 that are not based on either WIOA, the PRH, or the ETA OMS goals, please explain on what they are based.

e. To the extent that any WIOA-required criteria have been omitted from the evaluation criteria set forth in Amendment 2, please explain which requirements have been omitted and the basis for such omission.

Administration each year in the Outcome Measurement system.”

Government Response

The evaluation criteria on page 5-6 of Amendment Two are based on WIOA, and on DOL’s programmatic priorities. Elements reflecting WIOA requirements are contained on pages 5-6, and also in the other sections of the RFP.

Job Corps is currently developing a reporting system for WIOA performance requirements. At this time, WIOA performance requirements have not been incorporated into the current OMS reports.

In the current OMS Report Card for this center, there are 15 measures with 15 distinctive goals established by Job Corps. Please go to http://www.jobcorps.gov/AboutJobCorps/performance_planning.aspx, Annual Center Performance Report (OMS-10) to see the specific goals for each of the measures.

http://www.jobcorps.gov/AboutJobCorps/performance_planning.aspx