QA Bid Amendment 1 T0946 030419.docx

PHILIP D. MURPHY

Governor State of New Jersey

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

DIVISION OF PURCHASE AND PROPERTY

PROCUREMENT BUREAU

33 WEST STATE STREET

P. O. BOX 230

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY 08625-0230

ELIZABETH MAHER MUOIO

State Treasurer

SHEILA Y. OLIVER

Lt. Governor

MAURICE A. GRIFFIN

Acting Director https://www.njstart.gov

March 4, 2019

To: All Interested Vendors {Bidders}

Re: Bid Solicitation # 19DPP00351 Bid Solicitation – New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

Quote Submission Due Date: April 4, 2019 (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Bid Amendment #1

The following constitutes Bid Amendment #1 to the above referenced Bid Solicitation:

· This Bid Amendment includes answers to questions.

It is the sole responsibility of the Vendor {Bidder} to be knowledgeable of all of the additions, deletions, clarifications, and modifications to the Bid Solicitation and/or the New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions relative to this Bid Solicitation as set forth in all Bid Amendments.

All other instructions, terms, and conditions of the Bid Solicitation shall remain the same.

Bid Solicitation #19DPP00351 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

Answers to Questions

Where applicable, each question references the appropriate Bid Solicitation section.

Section Reference Question (Bolded) and Answer

When trying to open a Portable Document Format (PDF) document I am receiving an error message and are unable to access the PDF document. How should I proceed?

It is recommended that users utilize Internet Explorer to view PDF documents. Certain PDF forms cannot be opened in the Chrome or Firefox built in PDF viewers that are enabled by default. If using Chrome or Firefox it is recommended that the file is downloaded instead by clicking the download button in the upper right-hand corner of the browser after an error message is received. An alternative option is to disable the built in PDF viewers in Chrome or Firefox.

Yes. Prior to the Quote Opening Deadline, a Vendor {Bidder} should review the documents comprising the submitted Quote to ensure that all of the required documents have been completed and attached. Oftentimes a Quote is deemed non-responsive because a Vendor {Bidder} fails to attach a required form or attaches a blank form. To review a submitted a Quote a Vendor {Bidder} should log into NJSTART and review each document attached to the Quote submission. Instructions on how to review a submitted Quote can be found in the Quick Reference Guide entitled How to Review a Submitted Quote which is available on the NJSTART Vendor Support Page under Vendor Reference Guides.

Will the State allow vendors to take exception to any of the Standards Terms and Conditions?

As stated in Bid Solicitation Section 1.3.1, Exceptions to The State of NJ Standard Terms and Conditions (SSTC): Questions regarding the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions (SSTC) and exceptions to mandatory requirements must be posed during this Electronic Question and Answer period and shall contain the Vendor's {Bidder's} suggested changes and the reason(s) for the suggested changes. Additionally, as stated in Section 4.1, General: Quotes including Vendor {Bidder} proposed terms and conditions may be accepted, but Vendor {Bidder} proposed terms or conditions that conflict with those contained in the Bid Solicitation as defined in Section 2.0 of this Bid Solicitation, or diminish the State's rights under any Blanket P.O. resulting from the Bid Solicitation, will be considered null and void.

Is there a possibility of conducting the survey online among the specified target audience?

No, the survey is currently designed to be administrated only via landline or cellular telephone calls.

Would the state consider a hybrid survey approach of telephone and online sampling?

No, the survey is currently designed to be administrated only via landline or cellular telephone calls.

1.2 I have not been able to access the current PO Blanket specifications and pricing on NJSTART following the instructions on page 6. Can you provide a copy of this document?

Please contact NJSTART Vendor phone support – (609) 341-3500 for assistance, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

3.3

The total sample size is 11,000 interviews per year. Are we to complete 11,000 interviews in each calendar year 2019, 2020, and 2021?

Yes, the sample size currently planned for each calendar year 2019, 2020 and 2021 is 11,000 (subject to availability of funding).

Were advance letters used in 2018? Would DOH consider utilizing advance letters in 2019?

No, advance letters were not used in 2018 and New Jersey does not plan to use them in 2019.

See the Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.3.3.2, Vendor’s {Bidder’s} mobilization plan should begin on the date of notification of award, which will occur prior to the start date of the actual Blanket P.O. The procurement process will determine all the actual dates referenced above.

A. What Company conducted the 2018 NJBRFS?

Abt Associates, Inc. served as the contractor from January through March of 2018.

B. How may LL/Cell interviews were conducted in 2018?

Completed interviews were conducted among 836 landline and 766 cell phone respondents.

C. What was the length of the LL and Cell interviews in 2018?

The average length of administration for a completed interview was 24.4 minutes for the landline and 23.1 minutes for the cell phone interviews.

D. What was the CPI (cost per interview) of LL and Cell interviews in 2018?

Cost per completed landline interview was $48.08 and the cost per completed cell phone interview was $102.34. Additionally, the cost for a completed Asthma Survey was $43.00 (These amounts do not include fixed charges for questionnaire programming, sample setup, supervision and monitoring, and file management and delivery, which were priced separately at that time).

E. What was the production (completes per hour) of LL and Cell interviews in 2018?

Information on the production completes per hour is not available.

F. What response rate was achieved for the LL and Cell interviews in 2018?

Response rate based upon the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Response Rate #4 for completed and partially completed interviews was 46.0% for landline interviews and 34.3% for cell phone interviews; AAPOR Response Rate #6 for completed and partially completed interviews was 61.8% for landlines and 72.0% for cell phones.

The Department of Health also contracted with the Rutgers University, Bloustein Center for Survey Research during the last quarter of 2018. Data has not been validated, therefore information with regards to completed interviews, response rate, completion time and cost per interview is not available.

3.7

Quality Control reports generated by the software provided by the CDC must be submitted to the NJDOH on a monthly basis approximately two (2) weeks after the last day of the interviewing period. What is the name of the specific software referred to in the above requirement?

The software developed by the CDC is OneEdits; for further information on OneEdits please see Appendix D of Attachment A (2019 BRFSS Data Collection Protocol).

See Bid Selection Section 5.2 for the related information. The State at this present time is unable to identify a guaranteed Blanket P.O. start date.

What is the funding source for this project? Federal or non-federal. If federal, please provide applicable CFDA #.

NJBRFS is funded through both Federal and State sources. The CFDA# is 93.336.

1.0

In this section it states that a contractor performing “qualifying services” shall comply with the reporting provision of the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act. Do the services described in the RFP fall under the category of “qualifying services”? We are a unit within the state funded university system. As such are we exempt from the reporting provision of the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act? Our unit has approximately 60 employees. We are part of a state university system with tens of thousands of employees. If we are not exempt from the reporting provision of the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act, can summary reports be provided as opposed to a listing of each employing

Any questions regarding the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act should be directed to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development via email at equalpayact@dol.nj.gov. Please refer to the following website for additional information: https://nj.gov/labor/equalpay/equalpay.html.

Survey Sampling Methodology 3.2

Approximately 20% of New Jersey residents identify as Hispanic. Is this demographic over sampled? Also, is sample from this demographic contained in a single stratum (for ease of identifying for Spanish interviewing purposes) or dispersed though New Jersey’s sampling stratums?

No, there is no deliberate oversampling of residents identifying as Hispanic and the sample from this demographic is dispersed throughout New Jersey’s sampling strata.

Is randomization noted in this section based on a CDC preprogrammed randomization module or will the Vendor (Contractor) be required to program this randomization module?

The Vendor {Contractor} is responsible for random assignment of questionnaire versions to respondents in years when multiple questionnaire versions are being implemented.

In addition to 10% unobtrusive monitoring this project requires 5% call back verification of completed interviews?

No, if the Vendor {Contractor} electronically monitors at least 10% of interviews on a monthly basis, then verification of 5% of completed interviews is recommended, but not required.

Reporting And Deliverable Products 3.7

This section mentions reports containing specific content and formats. Can you provide the format and an example of these reports?

A particular format for this reporting requirement is not specified, however, the statistics that should be included in such a report (at a minimum) are: (a) the monthly and cumulative distribution of all sample records for the current calendar year by final disposition; and (b) monthly and cumulative outcome statistics such as those presented in Appendix F of Attachment A (2019 BRFSS Data Collection Protocol).

4.4

Are the three sections A, B, and C content required for both an electronic and paper submission? Do responses addressing sections 4.4.1 through 4.4.5, and the applicable documentation mentioned in them, constitute a full and acceptable quote?

With regard to Bid Solicitation Section 4.4 Quote Content, all three Volumes (A, B, and C) are required to be submitted, regardless of whether a Vendor {Bidder} is submitting a Quote in electronic or paper form. Vendors {Bidders} are advised to read all of Bid Solicitation Section 4 carefully, to ensure that the Vendor {Bidder} is submitting all of the required information for this particular Bid Solicitation. Vendors’ {Bidders’} submitted Quotes will be reviewed by the Division to determine if the Quote is responsive to the requirements of the Bid Solicitation.

4.4 Subcontractor Utilization Plan 4.4.1.3

We intend to use a subcontractors for this project. These subcontractors will not be located in New Jersey. Do we need to submit a subcontractor utilization plan?

The Subcontractor Utilization Plan is required to be submitted by the Vendor {Bidder} with the Quote if the Vendor {Bidder} intends to utilize Subcontractors to perform any of the services required in the Scope of Work, regardless of the Subcontractor’s location.

3.3

With respect to specific data collection activities there is no mention of the use of pre-survey notification letters. Will pre-survey notification letters be part of the survey protocol for the NJ BRFSS?

No, the utilization of pre-survey notification letters is not part of the current NJBRFS protocol and there are currently no plans to implement it in the future.

3.5

The 2018 Self Certification Form states that data collectors must unobtrusively monitor at least 10% of interviews OR conduct verification calls for 5% of completed interviews. If the Vendor unobtrusively monitors at least 10% of interviews will the 5% verification call backs be waived by the state?

Yes, if the Vendor {Contractor} electronically monitors at least 10% of interviews on a monthly basis, then verification of 5% of completed interviews is recommended, but not required.

4.4

Should the three volumes be submitted as three separate documents?

The three (3) volumes do not have to be submitted as three separate documents or in separate binders, but should be labeled accordingly.

4.4.4.3 Do we need to include a reference they can contact for each project on the resumes? And that we need to do the same for subcontractors?

Please refer to Section 4.4.4.3 Resumes of the Bid Solicitation for Resume details. The more information and details provided by the Vendor {Bidder} will allow the Evaluation Committee to properly evaluate and score the Quote submitted.

4.4.4.4 Do we need to include resumes for these staff members?

Vendors {Bidders} are able to submit as many resumes and information to convey its ability to successfully complete the scope of work as specified in the Bid Solicitation.

4.4.4.5 We assume that if we only have one contact for a given contract that will be sufficient?

Yes, one point of contact would be acceptable.

New Jersey Asthma Call-Back Survey 3.8

Will the state be participating in the Asthma Call back Survey for both Adults and Children in 2019? - Does the state intend to mail pre-notification letters for landline or cell phone samples?

Yes, New Jersey will participate in the Asthma Call Back Survey for both Adults and Children in 2019. No, the state will not send pre-notification letters to the landline or cell phone samples.

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