Final 24-RFP-001-JT proposal.docx

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ELDER AFFAIRS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Solicitation Acknowledgement Form

SUBMIT PROPOSAL TO:

Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) Bureau of Contract Administration & Purchasing

Solicitations@elderaffairs.org

AGENCY RELEASE DATE:

January 29, 2025

24-RFP-001-JT

I certify that this Proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a proposal for the same materials, supplies or equipment, and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. I agree to abide by all conditions of this proposal and certify that I am authorized to sign this proposal for the Respondent and that the Respondent complies with all requirements of the Request for Proposal (RFP), including but not limited to, certification requirements. In submitting a proposal to an agency for the State of Florida, the Respondent offers and agrees that if the proposal is accepted, the Respondent will convey, sell, assign or transfer to the State of Florida all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of action it may now or hereafter acquire under the Anti-trust laws of the United States and the State of Florida for price fixing relating to the particular commodities or services purchased or acquired by the State of Florida. At the State’s discretion, such assignment shall be made and become effective at the time the purchasing agency tenders final payment to the Respondent. By affixing my signature on this reply, I hereby state that I have read the entire RFP terms, conditions, provisions and specifications and all its attachments, including the PUR1000 and 1001.

RESPONDENT NAME:

RESPONDENT MAILING ADDRESS:

CITY – STATE – ZIP:

* Authorized Representative’s Signature

PHONE NUMBER:

TOLL FREE NUMBER:

FAX NUMBER:

* Name and Title of Authorized Representative

EMAIL ADDRESS:

FEID NO.:

*This individual must have the authority to bind the Respondent.

TYPE OF BUSINESS ENTITY (Corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.):

RESPONDENT CONTACTS: Please provide the name, title, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the official contact and an alternate, if available. These individuals shall be available to be contacted by telephone or attend meetings as may be appropriate regarding the solicitation schedule.

PRIMARY CONTACT:

SECONDARY CONTACT:

NAME, TITLE:

NAME, TITLE:

ADDRESS:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

PHONE NUMBER:

FAX NUMBER:

FAX NUMBER:

EMAIL ADDRESS:

EMAIL ADDRESS:

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE: Solicitation Acknowledgement Form

SECTION A: Introduction SECTION B: Solicitation Process and Special Instructions

SECTION C: Scope of Work ATTACHMENT A: Contact Information ATTACHMENT B: Reference Form ATTACHMENT C: Line-Item Budget ATTACHMENT D: Cost Proposal ATTACHMENT E: Certifications and Assurances ATTACHMENT F: Disclosure Statement ATTACHMENT G: Evaluation of Past Performance ATTACHMENT H: Evaluation Criteria ATTACHMENT I: State of Florida Anticipated Authorized Positions ATTACHMENT J: Non-Collusion Affidavit ATTACHMENT K: Statement of No Involvement ATTACHMENT L: Addendum Acknowledge Form ATTACHMENT M: Responsive Requirements Checklist ATTACHMENT N: Certified Minority Business Subrecipient Expenditures (CMBE Form) ATTACHMENT O: Standard Contract ATTACHMENT P: Drug-Free Workplace Program – Respondent Certification ATTACHMENT Q: Programmatic Assurances for PY 2025 Funds

Introduction Solicitation Objective The Florida Department of Elder Affairs (Department or DOEA) is issuing this solicitation to establish a contract(s) for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). This solicitation will be administered through the Vendor Information Portal (VIP). Organizations interested in submitting a Proposal must comply with all terms and conditions described in this solicitation.

This solicitation anticipates having an estimated annual spend of $4,694,249.90 in federal funds, for a total anticipated federal funding amount of $14,115,021.00 for the three-year term of the contract, subject to the availability of funds. This project is funded 90 percent by the federal government through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). Pursuant to 20 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 641.809, matching funds of 10 percent of the total cost of activities must be provided by the awarded subrecipient(s). The CFR may be found at the following link: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2019-title20-vol3/xml/CFR-2019-title20-vol3-part641.xml#seqnum641.585 . The matching funds may be in cash, in-kind, or a combination of the two, but shall not be derived from other federal funds and must be used for SCSEP purposes. This is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as representing actual, guaranteed or minimum spend under any new contract.

The awarded subrecipient must be financially in good standing to sustain the contract for a minimum of three months as Cost Reimbursement contracts are reimbursed after services have been provided and paid for in advance, by the awarded Subrecipient.

The Department intends to make multiple awards. However, the Department reserves the right to make a single award or to make no awards. Any contracts resulting from this RFP will be cost reimbursement contracts.

Acronyms Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.)

Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) Florida Statutes (F.S.)

Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.)

Planning and Service Area (PSA) Program Year (PY) Request for Proposal (RFP) Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Grantee Performance Management System (GPMS)GPMS File Management System (FMS) Training and Employment Guidance Letters (TEGL) U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Vendor Information Portal (VIP) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Definitions The following definitions apply to this solicitation, in addition to the definitions in the PUR 1000 and PUR 1001. Additional definitions may be found in the Statement of Work and in the DOEA Standard Contract, which are incorporated as Section C Statement of Work and Attachment O – Standard Contract:

Authorized Participant Position: An enrollment opportunity for eligible individuals to receive SCSEP services.

Confidential Information: Any information contained within any documents, data or records a Respondent discloses to the Department relating to its Proposal that the Respondent claims is protected from disclosure as a public record by law, including information which is deemed “confidential” or “confidential and exempt” from disclosure as a public record under Florida Statutes.

Community Service Assignment: Non-profit or governmental organization where participants are placed to receive job training assistance.

Contract (contract or agreement): Any mutually binding written agreement, duly executed by and between DOEA and the Subrecipient, including all documents, exhibits, and attachments, specifying services to be performed or provided by the Subrecipient, billing rates for these services, and the manner in which the Subrecipient shall be compensated for these services.

Subrecipient: The person or entity that enters into a contract to sell commodities or contractual services to DOEA.

Subrecipient Personnel: Persons directly employed by the Subrecipient.

Contract Manager: An individual designated by the Department to be responsible for the monitoring and management of the Contract.

Department (Department or DOEA): Florida Department of Elder Affairs.

Department Observed Holidays: The following holidays are currently observed by DOEA. If any of these holidays fall on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed. If any fall on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed.

New Year’s Day Martin Luther King Day Memorial Day Juneteenth National Independence Day Independence Day Labor Day Veteran’s Day Thanksgiving Day and the following day Christmas Day Durational Rejects: Errors that are reported by USDOL in the SCSEP Grantee Performance Management System (GPMS) Data Quality Report and are listed on the Durational Rejects Report. These records are rejected by the Data Quality Report only if they contain serious errors affecting eligibility, performance, or essential program requirements.

Host Agency: A public agency or private nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, which provides a training work site and supervision for one or more SCSEP participants.

Individual Employment Plan (IEP): A plan for a SCSEP participant that is based on an assessment of that participant conducted by the Subrecipient, or a recent assessment of a plan developed by another employment and training program, and a related service strategy. The IEP must include an appropriate employment goal (except that after the first IEP, subsequent IEPs need not contain an employment goal if such a goal is not feasible), objectives that lead to the goal, a timeline for the achievement of the objectives, and be jointly agreed upon with the participant.

Procurement Officer: The Department’s contracting personnel, as identified in the procurement.

Participant Staff: Participants who are enrolled in SCSEP and are assigned to receive job training at the Subrecipient’s local program office. These participants receive job training related to SCSEP administrative functions, such as employment coordination.

Participants: Senior clients who are eligible for services under the SCSEP.

Planning and Service Area (PSA): The Department has designated 11 PSAs to serve all counties of the state. This solicitation is for services in PSAs 2-11. The State of Florida does not have authorized positions in PSA 1.

Program Year (PY): SCSEP services are provided during the Program Year, which is July 1 through June 30 of the following year (i.e. July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026).

Respondent: The entity that submits materials to the Department in accordance with these Instructions.

Background Information The Department seeks the services of a Subrecipient or Subrecipients with the experience, resources, and expertise to support the SCSEP throughout the state in accordance with 20 C.F.R. Part 641. Services are to be provided in counties where state SCSEP Anticipated Authorized Participant Positions are located, as listed in Attachment I. Prospective Subrecipients must be a public agency or a private nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Prospective Subrecipients must have at least two (2) years of experience administering the SCSEP (either as a grantee of the USDOL or as a sub-grantee through a National or State sponsor) or a similar program.

Supporting Documentation Please click on the following links for information relevant to this solicitation: https://elderaffairs.org/programs-services/senior-community-service-employment-program-scsep/ DOEA’s SCSEP webpage has copies of the Federal Regulations (20 CFR §641), SCSEP Data Validation Handbook, GPMS Data Collection Handbook, DOEA SCSEP Handbook and Appendix.

Special Accommodations Any person requiring a special accommodation due to a disability should contact the Department’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator at (850) 488-0439. Requests for accommodation for meetings must be made at least five (5) working days prior to the meeting. A person who is hearing or speech impaired can contact the ADA Coordinator by using the Florida Relay Service at (800) 955-8771 (TDD).

PUR 1001 – GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

This section explains the General Instructions to Respondents (PUR 1001) of the solicitation process, and is a downloadable document incorporated into this solicitation by reference. This document should not be returned with the Response:

http://dms.myflorida.com/content/download/2934/11780 In the event of a conflict between the terms of the PUR 1001 and the terms of this solicitation, the terms of this solicitation control. The following sections of the PUR 1001 (General Instructions) are inapplicable:

Section 3. Electronic Submission of Proposals Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms of this solicitation.

Section 4. Terms and Conditions Terms and Conditions will be in accordance with the terms of this solicitation.

Section 5. Questions Questions shall be submitted in accordance with the terms of this solicitation.

PUR 1000 – GENERAL CONTRACT CONDITIONS

The General Contract Conditions (PUR 1000) is a downloadable document incorporated in this solicitation by reference, which contains general contract terms and conditions that must apply to any contract resulting from this RFP to the extent they are not otherwise modified herein. This document should not be returned with the Response: http://dms.myflorida.com/content/download/2933/11777 Failure to comply with terms and conditions found in this solicitation, including those specifying information that must be submitted with a proposal, shall be grounds for rejecting a proposal.

SOLICITATION PROCESS AND SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

***ALL EMAILS TO PROCUREMENT OFFICER SHALL CONTAIN THE SOLICITATION NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EMAIL. *** General Overview The RFP is a method of competitively soliciting a commodity or contractual service under Chapter 287, Florida Statutes (F.S.). Respondents may submit formal questions in writing to the Procurement Officer by the deadline listed in the Section B.7. Proposals must be submitted by the deadline listed in Section B.7.

The Department will hold a public opening of the Proposals at the date, time and location listed in the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events, below. Once the Department has reviewed and evaluated the Proposals, the Department will post its decision on the VIP.

Restrictions on Communication with DOEA Staff Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of this solicitation and the end of the seventy-two (72) hour period following DOEA posting the notice of intended award, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the procurement officer named above. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a proposal. Section 287.057(23), F.S.

Contract Term The original contract term is anticipated to begin upon execution and remain in effect for a period of thirty-six (36) months. The Contract resulting from this RFP is contingent upon the availability of funds. DOEA reserves the right to renew the contract, as identified in the Standard Contract, Section 5, Attachment O resulting from this solicitation. Renewal of this contract shall be in writing and shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the existing contract. Renewal shall be limited to an additional term not to exceed three (3) years. All renewals are contingent upon satisfactory performance by the Subrecipient.

DOEA’s performance and obligation to pay under this contract, and any renewals, are contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature and grants from the USDOL.

Newly selected Subrecipients must be ready to assume responsibility of current program participants on July 1, 2025. These participants must receive SCSEP services where they reside. If they are already assigned to a community service position, the new Subrecipient must work with the current organization to allow the participants to continue in their community service assignment until a new assignment is developed, they enter unsubsidized employment, or they terminate from the program.

Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events The RFP is a method of competitively soliciting a commodity or contractual service under Chapter 287, F.S. Respondents may submit formal questions in writing to the Procurement Officer by the deadline listed in the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events. Proposals must be submitted by the deadline listed in the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events.

The Department will hold a public opening of the Proposals at the date, time, and location listed in the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events below. Once the Department has reviewed and evaluated the Proposals, the Department will post its decision on the VIP.

The table below contains the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events for this solicitation. Respondents shall become familiar with the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events. The dates and times within the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events are subject to change. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to check for any changes. All changes to the Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events will be made through an addendum to the solicitation. Respondents are responsible for submitting all required documentation by the dates and times specified below (Tallahassee, Florida local time). The Department will not consider late submittals.

1.

2/11/2025 12:00 PM

Must be received prior to:

2/25/2025 10:00 AM

4040 Esplanade Way Tallahassee, Florida 32308

2/25/2025 10:00 AM

3/3/2025

Addendum to this Solicitation The Department reserves the right to modify this solicitation by issuing an addendum posted on the VIP. Addenda or clarifications to this RFP along with corresponding Addendum Acknowledgement Forms will be posted on the VIP. The Addendum Acknowledgement Form that is issued with each posting shall be signed and dated by an individual authorized to bind the Respondent and submitted with the proposal.

***It is the Respondent’s responsibility to monitor the VIP for any solicitation updates.*** Notice of Potential Federal Funding All or some portion of this procurement may be funded with federal funds. The exact amount of federal funding used will be based on DOEA’s federally approved cost allocation plan.

Who May Respond Respondents must provide proof of the ability to meet the Responsive Requirements listed in the RFP in order to be considered for award.

Questions (This section supersedes PUR 1001, Instruction #5, Questions) Any questions from Respondents concerning this RFP shall be submitted in writing, identifying the submitter, to Procurement Officer at the email address specified in Section B.3, by the date and time specified in Section B.7, Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events. Only e-mail inquiries will be accepted. DOEA’s answers to written inquiries/questions and/or changes to the solicitation will be posted on the VIP as an addendum. It is the prospective Respondent’s responsibility to periodically check the VIP for any solicitation updates. DOEA bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with a prospective Respondent’s failure to obtain the information made available through the VIP. Questions are requested to be submitted in the following format:

All questions must have the solicitation number in the subject line of the email. Questions will not constitute formal protest of the specifications of the solicitation.

Each Respondent shall be responsible for any and all services required under this solicitation. The Respondent is required to carefully examine the specifications set forth and to be knowledgeable of any and all conditions and requirements that may in any manner affect the work to be performed as described in this solicitation. No allowances will be made to the selected Respondent because of lack of knowledge of conditions or requirements, and the selected Respondent will not be relieved of any liabilities or obligations.

INFORMATION WILL NOT BE PROVIDED BY TELEPHONE. Any information received through oral communication shall not be binding on the Department and shall not be relied upon by any Respondent.

Pursuant to Section 287.057(23), F.S., Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays, any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the procurement officer or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response.

Submission of Proposal (This section supersedes PUR 1001, Instruction #3, Electronic Submission of Responses) Proposals must be submitted electronically via read receipt email to solicitations@elderaffairs.org with the solicitation number and opening date and time identified in the title of the email. PROPOSALS SUBMITTED PHYSICALLY WILL BE REJECTED.

Each proposal shall be prepared simply and economically, following the instructions contained herein.

PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER THE EXACT TIME SPECIFIED WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDENT UNOPENED.

Withdrawal of Proposal A submitted response may be withdrawn if, within seventy-two (72) hours (Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays excluded) after the response due date and time indicated in Section B.7, Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events, the Respondent submits a signed written request for its withdrawal to solicitations@elderaffairs.org.

Response Opening The proposal opening will be held at the time and date specified in Section B.7, Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events.

Any person with a qualified disability shall not be denied equal access and effective communication regarding any proposal documents or the attendance at any related meeting or proposal opening.

Sealed proposals received by DOEA in response to this solicitation are subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying, in accordance with Chapter 119, F.S, once DOEA posts its decision or intended decision pursuant to Section 120.57(3)(a), F.S., or thirty (30) days after the proposal opening, whichever is earlier.

Solicitation Requirements The following requirements must be met by the Respondent in order for its Proposal to be considered responsive to this solicitation; however, this is not an exhaustive list of mandatory requirements. Timely proposals that do not meet all mandatory requirements of this solicitation, including providing all required information, documents or materials, will be rejected as non-responsive. Mandatory requirements of the proposal are those set forth as mandatory, or without which an adequate analysis and comparison of proposals is impossible, or those which affect the competitiveness of proposals or the cost to DOEA.

Proposals may be rejected as non-responsible if past performance or current status do not reflect the capability, integrity or reliability to perform fully and in good faith the requirements of the contract.

REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR EVALUATION

A. It is MANDATORY that the Respondent submits its proposal in the format prescribed and within the time frame specified in Section B.7, Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events.

B. It is MANDATORY that the Respondent return, in accordance with the requirements of Sections B.34 and B.35, one (1) original, signed and sealed Technical Proposal in accordance with requirements in sections B.36, B.39, B.40, B.41, which include the following required attachments:

1. Contact Information (Attachment A);

2. Reference Form (Attachment B);

3. Line-Item Budget (Attachment C) and separate Budget Narrative;

4. Certification and Assurances Attachment (Attachment E);

5. Disclosure Statement/Conflict of Interest Disclosure (Attachment F);

6. Non-Collusion Affidavit (Attachment J);

7. Statement of No Involvement (Attachment K);

8. Addendum Acknowledgement Form (Attachment L);

9. Responsive Requirements Checklist (Attachment M);

10. CMBE Certification; if applicable (Attachment N). Attach a copy of your Certified Minority Business Enterprise (CMBE) Certification; if certified with the Florida Department of Management Services;

11. Standard Contract (Attachment O);

12. Drug-Free Workplace Program – Respondent Certification (Attachment P); and

13. Programmatic Assurances for FY 2024 Funds (Attachment Q).

The use of the terms “shall”, “must”, or “will” within these solicitation documents indicate a MANDATORY requirement or condition.

Cost of Preparing Respondent’s Proposal DOEA is not liable for any costs incurred by a Respondent in responding to this RFP, including those for oral presentations, if applicable.

B.16 Disclosure and Ownership of Proposals by DOEA A Respondent’s proposal shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, F.S. A Respondent’s proposal, upon submission, and any resulting contract shall be the property of DOEA except those parts asserted to be confidential or exempt pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S., and DOEA, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to use, reproduce, and disseminate the proposal and contract.

B.17 Respondent’s Duties to Assert Exemption from Disclosure as a Public Record

a. Any proposal content submitted to DOEA which is asserted to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record shall be set forth on a page or pages separate from the rest of the proposal and clearly marked “exempt,” “confidential,” or “trade secret,” as applicable, with the statutory basis for each claimed exemption specifically identified in writing on each such page. Failure to segregate and so identify any such content shall constitute a waiver of any claim of exemption as applied to the portion of the proposal or other document in which the content is set forth.

b. Pursuant to Section 215.985(14), F.S., the Department of Financial Services (DFS) has developed a web-based system that provides information and documentation about government contracts called the “Florida Accountability Contract Tracking System” or “FACTS.” An important aspect of this system is the posting of contract images on the Internet, including contract attachments, which may include all or part of your proposal to this solicitation.

c. Any claim of exemption from public disclosure is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth above. DOEA will attempt to afford protection from disclosure of any trade secret as defined in Section 812.081(1)(c), F.S., or Section 688.002, F.S., where identified as such in the reply, to the extent permitted under Section 815.045, F.S., or Section 288.075, F.S., and Chapter 119, F.S. Each Respondent acknowledges that the protection afforded by Section 815.045, F.S., is incomplete and hereby agrees that no remedy for damages may arise from any disclosure by DOEA.

d. DOEA takes its public records responsibilities under Chapter 119, F.S., and Article I, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution, very seriously. If a Respondent considers any portion of the documents, data, or records submitted in response to this solicitation to be exempted by law from disclosure as a public record, the Respondent must also provide DOEA with a separate Redacted Copy of its proposal, in read-only specifying in the title of the documents, both Technical and cost, “redacted”, at the time the proposal is submitted.

e. This Redacted Copy shall contain DOEA’s solicitation name, number, and the name of the Respondent on the cover, and shall be clearly titled “Redacted Copy.” The Redacted Copy shall be provided to DOEA at the same time the Respondent submits its proposal to the solicitation and shall only exclude or obliterate those exact portions which are exempted by law from public disclosure. Each individual portion of the Redacted Copy that Respondent asserts is confidential must contain a citation to the specific law making the content of the redacted portion confidential.

f. If Respondent has determined that the proposal does not contain any information which is exempted by law from public disclosure, Respondent shall provide as part of the proposal a written statement to that effect which is executed by an authorized representative of the Respondent’s company with legal authority to make this determination on behalf of the Respondent.

g. Respondent shall protect, defend, and indemnify, save and hold harmless DOEA from any and all claims, demands, liabilities, and suits of any nature arising out of, because of, or due to the failure of DOEA to release information redacted by the Respondent, and to further indemnify DOEA for any other loss DOEA incurs due to any claim being made against DOEA regarding portions of its Redacted Copy being confidential, exempt, proprietary, trade secret, or otherwise not subject to disclosure.

h. If Respondent fails to submit a Redacted Copy with its proposal, DOEA is authorized to produce the entire document(s), data, or records submitted by Respondent in answer to a public records request.

B.18 Posting of Recommended Award The Proposal Tabulation, with recommended award, will be posted for review by interested parties at the location identified in Section B.7, Estimated Timeline/Calendar of Events, above and on the VIP for a period of seventy-two (72) hours, excluding weekends and State observed holidays. Any Respondent who desires to protest the recommended award must file a protest with the Office of General Counsel, Florida Department of Elder Affairs, 4040 Esplanade Way, Suite 315, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), F.S., and Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).

B.19 Number of Awards DOEA anticipates the issuance of multiple contracts for services under this solicitation. DOEA reserves the right to issue one (1) contract if doing so is believed to be advantageous to DOEA and the State of Florida. DOEA, at its sole discretion, shall determine whether multiple contracts will be issued. DOEA reserves the right to make no awards.

B.20 Type of Contract Contemplated

a. A cost reimbursement contract is proposed; however, DOEA reserves the right to award another type of contract if doing so is believed to be advantageous to DOEA and the State of Florida, considering price and other factors. The Subrecipient shall be paid for the services rendered under the contract upon satisfactory completion of these services. The awarded Subrecipient is expected to sustain the contract for three (3) months as Cost Reimbursement contracts are reimbursed after services have been provided and paid for in advance by the awarded Subrecipient.

b. A copy of the proposed contract is included as Attachment O, “Standard Contract”. The requirements contained in the proposed Contract should be closely reviewed by the Respondent since modifications proposed by the Respondent may not be considered.

B.21 Proposal Acceptance Period DOEA intends to execute the contract(s) as soon as possible after the posting of DOEA’s decision. DOEA, at its discretion, may terminate discussions with the highest ranked Respondent if an agreement is not executed within thirty (30) days after the announcement of an award and may proceed to award the contract to the second ranked Respondent.

B.22 Firm Response Any submitted proposal shall remain firm and valid for one hundred eighty (180) days after the proposal submission due date, or until a contract is fully executed, whichever occurs first. The Respondent shall not withdraw any proposal within this time period except as described in paragraph B.13. Any proposal that expresses a shorter duration of validity may, in DOEA’s sole discretion, be accepted or rejected.

B.23 Disclosure Information will be disclosed to Respondents in accordance with Florida Statutes and rules applicable to this solicitation.

B.24 Certifications, Licenses, Permits, Taxes, and Equipment For the duration of the contract that results from this solicitation, Respondent must pay for and maintain all licenses, permits, certificates and taxes, required to operate in the State of Florida. Respondent must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, ordinances, codes, regulations, action transmittals, program instructions, and other requirements whenever work is being performed under the contract that results from this solicitation, at no cost to DOEA. Respondent shall supply all necessary equipment to perform the contract.

B.25 Insurance

a. The Subrecipient selected under this RFP shall maintain, during the life of the Contract, flood insurance as stipulated in the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended, 42 USC 4001 et seq. This provides that no Federal financial assistance to acquire, modernize, or construct property may be provided in identified flood-prone communities in the United States, unless the community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and flood insurance is purchased within 1 year of the identification. The flood insurance purchase requirement applies to both public and private applicants for USDOL support. Lists of flood-prone areas that are eligible for flood insurance are published in the Federal Register by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

b. The Subrecipient selected under this RFP shall maintain, during the life of the Contract, Workers’ Compensation Insurance for all of its employees connected with this Contract. Such insurance shall comply fully with the Florida Workers’ Compensation Law. In case any class of employee engaged in hazardous work under the contract is not protected under the Workers’ Compensation statute, Subrecipient shall provide adequate insurance, satisfactory to DOEA, for the protection of its employees not otherwise protected. In addition, when participants are not covered by the Florida Workers’ Compensation Law, the Subrecipient selected under this RFP must provide participants with workers’ compensation benefits equal to those provided by law for covered employment. 20 C.F.R. § 641.565(b)(1)(iii).

c. The Subrecipient selected under this RFP shall maintain, during the life of the Contract, comprehensive general liability coverage with limits of not less than $100,000 per occurrence and $500,000 general aggregate coverage for bodily injury and property damage; and comprehensive automobile liability coverage with no less than a $100,000 combined single limit.

d. The selected Subrecipient’s current certificate of insurance shall contain a provision that the insurance will not be canceled or modified for any reason except after thirty (30) days written notice to DOEA’s Contract Manager, with the exception of ten (10) days’ notice for non-payment of premium by the insured.

e. The selected Subrecipient shall be required to submit insurance certificates evidencing such insurance coverage prior to the execution of a contract with DOEA. The insurance certificate must name DOEA as an additional insured and identify DOEA’s Contract Number. Copies of new insurance certificates must be provided to DOEA’s Contract Manager on an annual basis. Subrecipient’s failure to maintain required insurance may result in the cancellation of the contract.

B.26 MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Registration

a. Prior to entering into a contract with DOEA, the selected Subrecipient must be registered with DMS’ MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Registration System located at the following website: http://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/myfloridamarketplace/mfmp_vendors/requirements_for_vendor_registration.

b. The awarded Respondent(s) will be required to pay the required MFMP transaction fee(s) as specified in Section 14 of the PUR 1000, unless an exemption has been requested and approved prior to the award of the contract pursuant to Rule 60A-1.031, F.A.C.

c. Respondents who do not have Internet access may request assistance from MyFloridaMarketPlace Customer Services at (866) 352-3776.

d. The following DMS Class/Group codes are provided to assist you in your registration efforts:

B.27 Florida Substitute Form W-9 Process

a. State of Florida vendors must register and complete an electronic Florida Substitute Form W-9. The Internal Revenue Service receives and validates the information vendors provide on the Form W-9. For instructions on how to complete the Florida Substitute Form W-9, please visit: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/AA/StateAgencies/W-9Instructions022212.pdf

b. The awarded Respondent(s), if any, must have completed this process prior to execution of the contract.

B.28 Florida Department of State Registration Requirements All entities identified under Chapters 607, 608, 617, 620, 621 and 865, F.S., seeking to do business with DOEA shall, prior to entering into a Contract, be appropriately registered with the Florida Department of State.

B.29 Subrecipients and subcontracts The resulting contract does not allow the Subrecipient to subcontract for any of the services provided in the resulting contract.

B.30 Conflict of Interest

a. The Respondent covenants that it presently has no interest in and shall not acquire any direct or indirect interest in the future which conflicts or would conflict in any manner of degree with the performance of the services required to be performed under the contract resulting from this solicitation. The selected subrecipient shall be required to provide written notification to DOEA within five (5) working days of the discovery of a potential conflict of interest. DOEA shall have the authority to determine whether or not a conflict of interest exists.

b. Subrecipient shall not knowingly engage on a full or part-time basis, any personnel who are in the employment of DOEA without prior written approval from DOEA.

c. Further, the Subrecipient shall not knowingly engage any former employee of DOEA where such employment conflicts with the requirements of Section 112.3185, F.S.

B.31 Rights to Data and Copyright Writings, publications, films, videos, technical reports, equipment, computer hardware and software, recordings, computer programs, computerized databases, data processing programs, pictorial reproductions, maps, drawings, specifications, graphical representations, and works of similar nature (whether copyrighted or not copyrighted) which are submitted with a proposal or specified to be delivered under a project contract shall be maintained by DOEA and may be released as public records. Additionally, any writings, publications, films, videos, technical reports, equipment, computer hardware and software, recordings, computer programs, computerized databases, data processing programs, pictorial reproductions, maps, drawings, specifications, graphical representations, and works of similar nature (whether copyrighted or not copyrighted) which are developed or produced and paid for, in whole or in part, by contract funds become the property of DOEA except as may otherwise be provided in the contract.

B.32 RFP Process

a. The RFP process is conducted in two sequential phases: (1) the Proposal Preparation Phase, and (2) the Evaluation Phase.

b. In the Proposal Preparation Phase, Respondents will prepare and submit proposals to the Procurement Officer based on the requirements identified previously in B.15 of this RFP and any addenda to the RFP.

c. In the Evaluation Phase, an evaluation team will evaluate and score the proposals according to the evaluation criteria contained in the RFP and DOEA will then post DOEA’s decision, as set out in Section B.18.

B.33 Elaborate Proposals It is not necessary to prepare your proposal using elaborate brochures and artwork, expensive paper and bindings, or other expensive visual presentation aids. Your proposal shall be prepared in accordance with the instructions herein.

B.34 Submittal Requirements Comment by Krysta Carter: This section needs to be updated. The submittal is now electronic, no disc required, etc. How are they allowed to submit and what does it look like ? Can we choose to not award all areas in a proposal, etc. Comment by Simone McDaniel: Justin, are we changing this section

a. A complete Technical Proposal per PSA.

b. A complete Cost Proposal per PSA.

c. If a Respondent fails to submit any of the items required by this section, DOEA reserves the right to contact the Respondent by email for submission of the document(s) via mail. This right may be exercised when the proposal has met all other requirements of the solicitation.

d. The Respondent’s Technical Proposal shall be attached separately from its Cost Proposal or the proposal package will be rejected and deemed “non-responsive.”

e. If Respondent considers any portion of its Technical Proposal or Cost Proposal to be confidential, the Respondent shall submit a read-only attachment of the signed, original proposal with the confidential information redacted. This redacted attachment shall be titled “Redacted Copy.”

B.35 Instructions for Preparation of the Proposal The instructions for this solicitation have been designed to help ensure that all responses are reviewed and evaluated in a consistent manner, as well as to minimize costs and response time.

a. Contents of Proposal-Technical Proposal Format

i. Using the description of work outlined in Section C, Scope of Work, Respondents shall prepare their technical proposal package in the order outlined below, with the sections tabbed for ease of identification and review.

ii. The Respondent’s Technical Proposal must be for services to be provided for all state anticipated Authorized Participant Positions within a Planning and Service Area (PSA), as identified in Appendix I. A separate Technical Proposal and Cost Proposal must be submitted for each PSA where services are being proposed. The Department has the option to group multiple areas together or to develop separate contracts for each area.

iii. The Respondent’s Technical Proposal shall be attached separately from its Cost Proposal. Failure of the Respondent to provide any of the information required in the Technical Proposal portion of the proposal package shall result in a score of zero (0) for that element of the evaluation which will result in the proposal being deemed non-responsive and rejected.

iv. When submitting your proposals, each PSA must be considered an individual response. If a vendor can provide services to every PSA within the state the vendor must provide 10 separate proposals, both technical and cost. If a vendor can only provide services to some of the PSAs within the state the vendor must provide separate proposals, both technical and cost, for each PSA they can serve. This will allow the Department the ability to select the best vendor per PSA throughout the state (MANDATORY).

B.36 Proposal Organization Proposals are to be organized in sections as directed below. Respondents shall complete each section entirely or the Respondent may be deemed non-responsive. The following sections of the Proposal shall be submitted in one sealed package to the Procurement Officer.

a. Cover Sheet DOEA Solicitation Acknowledgement Form.

b. DOEA’s Solicitation Acknowledgement Form shall be completed as instructed. Respondents are required to complete, sign, and return the DOEA Solicitation Acknowledgment Form with its proposal submittal. This form must be completed and signed by a representative who is authorized to contractually bind the Respondent (MANDATORY).

c. If a Respondent fails to submit a signed DOEA Solicitation Acknowledgement Form with its proposal, DOEA reserves the right to contact the Respondent by email for submission of this document via email with follow-up via mail. This right may be exercised when the proposal has met all other requirements of the solicitation.

d. In the event that Respondents submit a proposal as a joint venture, each member of the joint venture must complete and sign a separate DOEA Solicitation Acknowledgement Form.

Tab 1 –Cover Letter on the Respondent’s letterhead with the following information:

1. Company name and physical address

2. Primary location where the work will be performed

3. Contact information for primary point of contact

4. Federal Employer Identification (FEID) Number

5. Dunn and Bradstreet Number Tab 2 – Respondent’s Management Plan, Transition Plan, and Technical Approach The Respondent shall provide a Management Plan which describes the administration, management, key personnel and responsible office that will be used to oversee and execute the contract.

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 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 from the incumbent subrecipient to the Respondent, if transition is required. Transition plans may require implementation at the beginning of the contract period, at the end of the contract period, or in the event that the State’s authorized positions change at any point during the contract period. The Transition Plan shall detail steps the Respondent will take to transition existing participants into community service assignments, specialized training, or unsubsidized employment. The plan shall include how Respondent will work with DOEA SCSEP staff and incumbent grantees to ensure an orderly and seamless transition of existing program participants.

The Department anticipates the transition from incumbent subrecipients to new subrecipients (if necessary) to take place between April 1 – June 30, 2025, with an effective date of July 1, 2025, for all transfers. Only incumbent subrecipients will receive funding and provide services during this transition period. The transfer of participants will start with the new program year on July 1, 2025. DOEA SCSEP staff, incumbent subrecipients, and new subrecipients will work together to ensure an orderly and seamless transition of participants.

As participants are transferred from one subrecipient to another as a result of this procurement, the enrolled participants must be given the opportunity to continue in the program. Therefore, by submitting a response to this procurement, the selected Subrecipient(s) agree to assume responsibility for all incumbent SCSEP participants, must offer incumbent SCSEP participants service in the same county in which they currently enrolled, and offer incumbent SCSEP participants the opportunity to remain in the same host agency until new host agency agreements are in place.

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…