ESBD_File_295149_644-22-022322 Youth Phones-Add A-005.pdf

ADDENDUM OF SOLICITATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.

Juvenile Offender Telephone and Table System (JOTTS)

RFP # 644-22-022322

2. ADDENDUM NO.

A-005

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

September 6, 2022

4. ISSUED BY

Texas Juvenile Justice Department Contracts Group – William Walk, Contract Specialist 1711 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 120 Austin, Texas 78701

5. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

6. The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 7. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this addendum prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 5 and 8, and returning 1 copy of the addendum; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this addendum on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter which includes a reference to the solicitation and addendum numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this addendum you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter, provided each letter makes reference to the solicitation and this addendum, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

7. DESCRIPTION OF ADDENDUM

The language below revises and modifies RFP # 644-22-022322. Acknowledgement of receipt of this addendum should be indicated by enclosing a signed copy of the Addendum with your proposal.

A. The attached Question and Answer document contains questions and Answers that are added and hereby made a part of this Addendum.

8b. OFFEROR

(Signature of Person Authorized to Sign) Date Signed

RFP 644-22-022322 – Question and Answer Document

1. Question: In order to provide our best possible offer, it is very important to have historical usage data for all revenue streams. This data is necessary to estimate costs as well as potential revenues. The current vendor has access to this information, so distributing the information to other vendors in a timely fashion will ensure a level playing field for all bidders. Please provide as much data as possible from the following table:

Answer: Youth are awarded 220 minutes per month that are paid for by TJJD at a flat rate charged by the current vendor. Any additional minutes used by youth are pre-paid to the vendor by family and friends of the youth.

TJJD has approximately 600 youth in its secure and halfway facilities that utilize the youth phone system. TJJD does not receive revenue or commission on used minutes.

2. Question: Please provide several recent commission reports for each facility, showing calls, minutes and revenue (or at minimum calls and minutes).

Answer: See the response to question #1

3. Question: In order to help us evaluate call volumes and recognize additional revenue potential, it is very helpful to have the rates currently being charged to called parties under the current contract. Please provide the following information:

Answer: See the response to question #1

4. Question: Does the current vendor offer any alternate calling types, such as Advance Pay, PayNow or Text-to-Connect? If so, what are the rates and fees charged for these calls?

Answer: No, the current vendor does not provide alternate calling types.

5. Question: Please outline the fees that are being charged to end-users:

a. Bill Statement Fee

b. PrePaid Account Funding Fee via Web

c. PrePaid Account Funding Fee via IVR

d. PrePaid Account Funding Fee via Live Operator

e. Fees for Instant Pay Calls Answer: No fees are being charged to end users.

6. Question: Please provide a copy of all current contracts and amendments pertaining to all services under this RFP.

Answer: Click on the following link to access these documents while holding down the “Ctrl key”. Scroll down to the bottom and click on “Utility Contracts” and then click on “Consolidated Telecom.”

https://www2.tjjd.texas.gov/procurement/

7. A. Question: Please provide the commission percentage currently received on offender telephone revenue.

Answer: TJJD does not receive any commission on revenue generated by any calls.

https://www2.tjjd.texas.gov/procurement/

B. Question: Please provide an average of monthly commissions received over the past year from the current vendor.

Answer: See the response to question#7.

8. Question: Does the TJJD receive commissions on revenue generated by interstate calls today?

Answer: See the response to question#7.

9. Question: Does the TJJD require that proposals include commissions on interstate calls?

Answer: See the response to question#7.

10. Question: Will the TJJD allow for a proposal to present multiple pricing options for the TJJD consideration?

Answer: Multiple pricing options is allowed and highly encouraged.

11. Question: Please provide a breakdown of the Youth population, in percentages or actual numbers, by local, DOC, or other agency.

Answer: See page # of the solicitation.

12. Question: Is the trust account managed through the commissary system or the Offender Management System or other system? If other, please specify.

Answer: The account system is managed by the current vendor. TJJD requires the account system to be managed by the awarded vendor.

13. Question: Commissary Integration – Please provide the name and contact information for the current commissary vendor.

Answer: TJJD does not use a commissary vendor or operate a commissary.

14. Question: Offender Management Integration – Please provide the name and contact information for the current OMS vendor.

Answer: The current vendor is Consolidated Telecom, Inc. and they manage all youth accounts.

15. Question: Please provide the name and contact information for the current deposits services vendor.

Answer: The current vendor is Consolidated Telecom, Inc. and they manage all youth accounts.

16. Question: In order to ensure a level playing field for all bidders, please confirm that the successful vendor must provide new equipment. Also, please verify that this applies to both new potential bidders and the incumbent provider.

Answer: New equipment must be provided that integrates seamlessly with the awarded vendor’s proposed solution.

17. Question: Please provide the schedule in which the Youth have access to the offender phones.

Answer: See page 14 of the statement of work.

18. Question: How is commissary ordered today?

Answer: See the response to question #13

19. Question: Does the current vendor provide debit calling? If so, how are debit accounts funded – e.g., through an offender’s trust account, lobby kiosk, phone / website payments, etc.? Please list all available methods.

Answer: No, the current vendor does not provide debit calling.

20. Question: Are calling cards being used today? If so, how are they purchased and given to the offenders? What denominations are available?

Answer: Calling cards are not being used today.

21.Question: Are any staffing positions required to be based onsite at a TJJD facility? If so, which positions? Do you have a preference for which facility this individual(s) is based? Which one?

Answer: Vendor staff positions are not required to be based onsite.

22. Question: What limits does the TJJD place, if any, on use of the services in this RFP – maximum number of onsite visits allowed per week (or other interval), remote visits per week, calls per week, minutes per call/visit, etc?

Answer: There are not restrictions on the number of calls and/or visits a youth can have in during the calling/visitation hours.

23. Question: Do you have a preference for video visitation to be provided by tablets or by kiosks?

Answer: The preference is for kiosks, but the capability must exist for the tablets.

24. Question: Do you currently have a video visitation system installed? If so:

a. How many Youth kiosks are installed?

b. How many visitor kiosks are installed?

c. Do you have any portable kiosks?

d. Do you require the same equipment counts as those described above? If not, please explain.

e. What kind of wiring connects the kiosks to the equipment room?

Answer: There is currently no video visitation systems installed.

25. Question: Does the Facility currently offer remote video visitation? If so, please provide recent usage information. Approximately how many remote visits take place each month?

Answer: TJJD currently allow youth to conduct supervised video visitations using facility tablets.

26. Question: Do you currently have an offender tablets program? If so:

a. How many tablets does the TJJD have today?

b. Who is the tablet manufacturer?

c. Do Youth share the tablets? How do they check them out?

d. Exactly what services and applications are offered on the tablets?

e. Are the tablets interfaced with the JMS and for what purpose?

f. Please provide all the rates and fees associated with the tablets.

g. Please provide tablet usage reports for the past several months.

Answer: TJJD does not have a tablet program currently.

27. Question: Please provide average monthly revenue data for any additional services offered under the current contract, such as voicemail, messaging, etc.

Answer: See the response to question #1. No other additional services are being provided by the current vendor.

28. Question: Please provide the weighted values for all criteria to be considered in the evaluation of proposals.

Answer: This was included in Addendum A-001 which was issued on 8/5/2022.

29. Question: Some vendors provide alternate payment options, such as the ability to purchase a one-time phone call using a credit or debit card, without the necessity of setting up a prepaid account, and typically pay little to no commission on these calls.

Will the TJJD please confirm that vendors are required to pay the same commission amount for all calls, including premium, prepaid, debit and collect?

Answer: See the response to question #1.

30. Question: After the first round of questions is answered, will the TJJD accept additional questions if clarification is needed for any of the TJJD’s responses?

Answer: No.

31. Question: What certifications or licensing requirements are you seeking?

Tab 1 Section 1-2; “Certifications, What specific certifications is TJJD requesting?

Tab 1 Section 2-3; “Copies of certification and all licensing information”, What specific certification and licensing is TJJD requesting?

Answer: Any certification that demonstrates the vendor’s key personnel/staff knowledge in delivering the vendor’s proposed solution in accordance the requirements of the statement of work.

33. Question: How can a complete narrative be done absent a complete site survey of the grounds?

Tab 2 Section 1; How long should the narrative be?

Answer: As long as necessary to describe the solution you are proposing.

Tab 2 Section 3; How long should the narrative be?

Answer: As long as needed to describe the deliverables.

34. Question: Please explain E 1-9 in more detail as to what information is required.

Tab 5 section 7; “Organization demographics,” Can TJJD please elaborate on what demographic information they are requesting from our references.

Answer: This is a list of required information needed for reference checks and the information provided shall have correct contact information.

The term “organization demographics” is referring to the type of entity they are: state agency, county, city, non-profit or for-profit corporation, LLC, individual, etc.

35. Question: Where does TJJD require HUB forms in the vendor’s response (i.e., in Tab 1, or 2, etc.)?

Answer: These will go into the new TAB 7.

36. Question: Does TJJD require a comply and/or response to every requirement in Section 3 Scope of work on pages 5-35 of RFP? If so, where does TJJD want the responses to Section 3 Scope of work in the vendor’s response (i.e., in Tab 1 or Tab 2)?

Answer: The vendor’s response must indicate that it proposed solution meets all requirements outlined in Section 3 and any requirements it does not meet. Responses to Section 3 should be in TAB 2 – Technical Approach.

37. Question: Is there a size limit for the email RFP response submission?

Answer: There is no limit; however, respondents should not include sales brochure material with photos and graphics that typically make the files too large.

38. Question: TJJD requires Vendor to include a list of all legal actions pending, will a 5-year legal action history fulfill this requirement (Section 3 #4, Page 4 of Addendum 1)?

Answer: Yes, five years of litigation history will suffice.