Question_and_Answer.pdf

RFO 25-1042

Question and Answer

RFO 25-1042 Business Solutions Analyst Consulting Services

# Question # Answer

Q1

For the Application Security Testing and QA responsibilities identified in the SOW, can Energy Safety clarify the testing tools currently used, whether automated testing frameworks exist, whether the Business Solutions Analyst is expected to perform hands-on testing activities, and the level of coordination expected with cybersecurity or infrastructure teams?

A1

This information will be provided to the Contractor post award.

Q2 Is there an incumbent consultant currently performing similar services?

A2 No

Q3

Would the State please provide the forms to be completed as MS Word documents? If not, will they allow us to convert the PDFs to Word for completion purposes?

A3

Acceptable electronic file formats include MS Word, MS Excel 2010, and Adobe DC.

Q4

Please confirm this is a new project.

If not, is there an incumbent in place today? And if so, who is the company?

A4

This is new work and therefore, there is no incumbent.

Q5

DQ1 – would the State accept Agile/Scrum project experience from the Financial or Health Care industries in addition to prior State of California experience?

A5

No

Q6

DQ1 – This requirement states “Two

(2) or more consecutive years of experience…” would the State consider accepting, non-consecutive years within the past 10 years to be compliant with the spirit of this requirement?

A6

No

Q7

Is there a current incumbent contractor performing Business Solutions Analyst services for Energy Safety? If so, is the incumbent eligible to bid on this RFO?

A7

No

Q8

The Cost Worksheet reflects 1,920 estimated hours per year per consultant. Please confirm whether these hours represent a guaranteed commitment upon contract award, or an estimate contingent on Energy Safety issuing Work Authorizations on a task-by-task basis. If the latter, is there a minimum guaranteed utilization per period the contractor can rely on for staffing and resource planning purposes?

A8

The consultant is expected to work 1,920 hours annually.

Q9

Will interviews be conducted in-person in Sacramento or remotely?

Will the proposed consultant be required to participate, or only the Respondent's firm representative?

A9

Interviews, if held, will be conducted remotely; the proposed consultant will be required to participate.

Q10

Will the Business Solutions Analyst be required to work on-site at Energy Safety's Sacramento office, remotely, or a hybrid arrangement? If hybrid, what is the expected minimum on-site presence?

A10

The work is expected to be conducted remotely.

Q11

The Sample Agreement, Exhibit B states a total cost ceiling of $600,000. Please confirm whether this amount covers the base term of 24 months only, or whether it encompasses the full potential contract duration including the optional 12-month extension period (totaling 36 months).

A11

The $600,000.00 is budgeted for the base term of 24 months.

Q12

Is there an incumbent currently providing Business Solutions Analyst services under this or a similar engagement for Energy Safety? If yes, please identify the incumbent vendor name.

A12

No

Q13

If an incumbent exists, please confirm whether the incumbent is permitted to submit a proposal for this RFO.

A13

There is no incumbent.

Q14

Attachment 4 references the consultant reference requirement. If a proposed consultant is unable to obtain the required signed reference due to client internal policies, will Energy Safety consider reducing the number of required signed consultant references, provided the consultant clearly meets all Minimum Qualifications?

A14

No

Q15

The Sample Agreement (Attachment 1), Exhibit B – Budget Detail and Payment Provisions, states: “Cost must not exceed $600,000.00.”

Please confirm whether this budget applies to:

a) the Base Term only, or

b) the combined total of the Base Term and the Optional Term, if exercised.

A15

The $600,000.00 is budgeted for the base term of 24 months.

Q16

While the RFO allows for remote work with potential on site requirements, can Energy Safety clarify whether there is an expected minimum on site presence (e.g., days per month or per milestone), or will on site work be strictly task driven and approved on an as needed basis?

A16

The work is expected to be conducted remotely.

Q17

Attachment 6 emphasizes the Proposed Consultant’s approach and capabilities. Please confirm whether evaluation will focus solely on the individual consultant’s experience and methodology, rather than the Respondent firm’s corporate background.

A17

Please refer to Attachment 6 and respond as instructed.

Q18

We request that the Office to consider extending the offer submission deadline by two (2) weeks

A18

No

Q19 Is there an incumbent for this project? A19 No

Q20 Are there any specific tools, platforms, or technologies mandated for this engagement?

A20 No

Q21

Please confirm the relative weighting between technical evaluation, interview scoring, and cost evaluation in determining the final award.

A21

Please see Attachment 7 – Assessment Plan for details.

Q22

Are there any background check, security clearance, or onboarding requirements that could impact the consultant start date after award?

A22

No, Energy Safety does not conduct background or security checks on consultants.

Q23

Are respondents expected to provide project-specific methodologies and sample deliverables, or is a high-level narrative response sufficient for evaluation purposes?

A23

Please refer to Attachments 6 and 7 regarding proposal responses.

Q24 Is there a preference for on-site, remote, or hybrid resource engagement?

A24 The work is expected to be conducted remotely.

Q25

Could Energy Safety provide a list of the applications/systems that the BSA will support (e.g., enforcement management systems, data platforms)?

A25

This information will be provided to the Contractor post award.

Q26

Are these systems primarily custom-developed, COTS, or hybrid solutions, and are they hosted on-premise or in a cloud environment?

A26

This information will be provided to the Contractor post award.

Q27 Which systems or initiatives are considered highest priority during the initial 90 days?

A27 This information will be provided to the Contractor post award.

Q28

What is the expected weekly hour commitment for the BSA — full-time (40 hrs/week) or part-time? If part-time, what percentage of availability is expected?

A28

The consultant is expected to work 1,920 hours annually.

Q29

Who will the BSA report to at Energy Safety, and will they be embedded within an existing project team or working independently across multiple program areas?

A29

The BSA will report to the IT Section manager and be expected to work with IT Section staff.