Questions and Answers, Addendum No. 1.pdf

Management Consulting Services Request for Proposals (RFP)

No. 25-80101500-RFP-V2

Questions and Answers and

Addendum No. 1

Revisions to RFP and Scope of Work

Questions and Answers

The Department has received the following questions through the Business Network, and the Department’s answers are provided in the table listed below:

No. Question Answer

1. Can a consulting firm with extensive private sector experience but limited state-level experience qualify for award under multiple service categories?

Yes.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, sections:

• 3.3 Job Titles and Duties

• 3.5 Customer Preferences

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria, section B. Technical Proposal Evaluation Criteria 1. Experience.

Experience with state government may be contemplated in an applicable Customer Scope of Work (SOW) and if required will be included in the Request for Quote. Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section

3.5 Customer Preferences.

2. Will small or minority/women-owned businesses receive preference or be considered for set-aside opportunities within this contract?

Given the nature of this procurement as a vehicle to award a State Term Contract with many qualified contractors the Department anticipates awarding to multiple contractors.

Preference or set-aside opportunities will not be given to minority/women-owned businesses.

Refer to the RFP, section 2.7 Equal Proposals.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1 to the RFP, section 2.9 Basis of Award, attached hereto.

3. If awarded under one service category, can the vendor later be considered for additional categories via an amendment or refresh?

No.

Respondents shall submit Technical Proposals for the Service Categories for which they intend to provide Services through the Term of the Contract.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

4. Can you provide examples of prior projects under each service category to help us tailor our proposed solutions?

The Department does not have this information.

5. Can you provide volume of work given under 2023-2024 contract under each service category? Can you provide breakdown of type of work given and volume of work by month over the length of the contract?

The Department does not have this information.

6. Will vendors be expected to respond to multiple projects concurrently under different agencies? If so, what is the expected average volume or capacity?

The Department does not have this information.

Contractors will be eligible to respond to Customer RFQs pursuant to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.11 Request for Quotes (RFQ) Requirement.

The Customer will determine the volume or capacity of Services at the time of purchase and such information will be included in the customer’s RFQ.

7. Are there any upcoming statewide initiatives (e.g., major IT transformations, policy shifts, disaster recovery plans) that may increase demand under certain service categories?

The Department does not have this information.

8. Will vendors be required to deliver services onsite at Customer facilities, or is remote delivery acceptable under this contract?

Contractors are expected to perform work statewide at the Customer’s physical work location.

Off-site work performed by the Contractor may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.2 Contractor’s Performance of Off-Site Work.

9. If both are allowed, are there specific service categories (e.g., leadership development or systems alignment) where onsite presence is strongly preferred or required?

See answer to question #8 and #12.

10. Can you provide a historical breakdown of onsite hours vs. remote hours provided under previous contract.

The Department does not have this information.

11. Can the Department provide a list of anticipated agencies or eligible user types that may issue RFQs under this Term Contract?

The Department does not have this information.

All state agencies and eligible users are eligible to use this contract. Refer to 287.012(1) and 287.012(11), Florida Statutes.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 2 Definitions:

• Customer

• Eligible User

12. Additionally, will vendors be expected to perform work at Customer sites throughout Florida, and if so, are there specific regions or high-volume locations that vendors should be prepared to support onsite?

Yes, Contractors are expected to perform work statewide at the Customer’s physical work location.

Off-site work performed by the Contractor may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.2. Contractor’s Performance of Off-Site Work.

13. Can you provide historical spend by sub-agency under prior contract?

This question is unclear.

14. Will travel expenses be reimbursable? Travel expenses are not reimbursable unless specifically authorized by the Customer in writing and will be reimbursed only in accordance with section 112.061, F.S.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.3. Reimbursement for Travel Expenses.

15. What systems or platforms (e.g., project management tools, file sharing, or delivery portals) are vendors expected to use to deliver services to Customers under the Term Contract?

The Department does not have this information.

Use of any systems or platforms may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

16. Will the State provide access to required systems, or must vendors use their own secure platforms for collaboration and document exchange?

See answer to question #15.

17. What access rights or clearances will firm be required to have to access systems or transmit information to various customer sites.

The Department does not have this information.

System access or information transmittals may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

18. Can the Department clarify whether Service Category 5 may include compliance audits, internal controls consulting, or legislative interpretation services for operational policy alignment?

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.2 Service Categories.

19. Additionally, will there be standard templates or policy formats required for agency use?

The Department does not have this information.

Templates or formats may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

20. Can vendors include resumes or project reference summaries as appendices in the technical proposal, or should all content be embedded directly into Attachment L1–L9?

No. Respondents shall only use the corresponding Attachments L1 through L9 as provided to respond.

Refer to Attachments L1 through L9, Technical Proposal Response, Respondent Instructions.

The Respondent shall submit one PDF document for each Service Category it intends to respond to using the corresponding Attachment L, Technical Proposal.

Respondents shall not submit cover pages, cover letters, or table of contents.

Any additional files, tables, links, graphics or other information provided outside the character limits are not permitted and will not be considered for evaluation and will not be submitted to evaluators.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

21. Is there a specific format or template for presenting past performance examples and proposed solution approaches?

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and evaluation Criteria, sections 1. Experience and 2.

Proposed Solution.

22. Will evaluators be the same across all service categories or separate teams for each category?

All Proposals will be evaluated independently by the same evaluators.

23. Can a vendor propose blended or tiered rates (e.g., statewide vs. local delivery), or must the rates in Attachment C be flat across all regions and engagements?

Attachment C, Cost Proposal shall include the Contractor’s MAXIMUM Hourly Rates by job title for the initial and renewal terms of the Contract. The Customer and Contractor may negotiate a lower Hourly Rate in the Customer SOW.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6 Pricing.

Additionally, refer to Attachment C, Cost Proposal.

24. Will there be a separate negotiation phase for pricing under future task orders, or will

See answer to question #23.

Attachment C serve as the strict ceiling price for all RFQs?

25. Can vendors include project-based pricing models in addition to hourly rates under specific scenarios (e.g., fixed fee engagements)?

Customers may request Project-Based Pricing to accomplish tasks and deliverables that include more complex requirements.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.1. Project Based Pricing.

26. What is the anticipated turnaround time between award and first project/task order issuance?

The Department does not have this information.

All Contracts executed from this RFP will be for a statewide, State Term Contract.

Agencies and Eligible Users will request quotes for their specific needs within the scope of this Contract.

27. Will vendors be required to carry specific insurance coverage (e.g., professional liability, E&O) beyond standard state contract requirements?

Additional insurance coverage may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

28. Can subcontractors or teaming partners be proposed at the time of individual project bids, or must they be disclosed during this RFP response?

Subcontractors shall be submitted for approval to the Department after Contract execution.

The Contractor will not subcontract any work under the Term Contract without prior written consent of the Department. The Contractor shall obtain prior written consent using the process identified on the Department’s website.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 7.4.1 Subcontractors.

29. Is there a file size limit for each technical proposal PDF upload (per Attachment L submission)?

There is a character limit for experience and proposed solution per Proposal.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1 to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section #2, Definitions, attached hereto.

30. If submitting for all 9 service categories, can a combined table of contents or master binder-style format be used for navigation?

No. The Respondent shall submit one PDF document for each Service Category it intends to respond to using the corresponding Attachment L, Technical Proposal.

Respondents shall not submit cover pages, cover letters, or table of contents.

Any additional files, tables, links, graphics or other information provided outside the character limits are not permitted and will not be considered for evaluation and will not be submitted to evaluators.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

31. Are there any recent updates to Section 287 or 448, F.S., that vendors should be aware of for this solicitation?

Refer to the most current Chapters §287 and §448, Florida Statutes.

32. What qualities or differentiators were most valued by evaluators in the prior Management Consulting State Term Contract (No.

80101500-20-1)?

Evaluators’ values are subjective in nature and therefore the Department does not have this information.

33. What are the most common reasons vendors were disqualified or rejected in past iterations of this contract?

Respondents may have failed to submit Proposals in accordance with the RFP requirements, failed to monitor the Vendor Information Portal (VIP) for addendums or failed to submit revised documents as required.

Refer to the RFP, section 2.6 Mandatory Responsive Requirements.

34. 3.7, pg. 17-18 Attachment G is not listed under "required" or "optional" documents to provide with submission. Can you confirm that this is optional? Or should we not submit it at all?

Attachment G, PUR 7801, Vendor Certification Form is not required to be submitted by Respondent prior to Proposal opening.

Refer to the RFP, sections:

• 2.12.3 PUR 7801 Vendor Certification

Form

• 3.7 False or Erroneous Information, RFP Attachments

35. Attachment D, pg. 2 Can you confirm whether the same evaluators will evaluate Attachments L1-L9?

See answer to question #22.

36. Do we need to provide information from prior attachments in all attachments?

This question is unclear.

Refer to Management Consulting Services RFP V2 RFP No. 25-80101500-RFP-V2, Attachment B, Mandatory Responsive Requirements.

37. Attachment C, Cost Proposal The initial term of the Term Contract shall be for three years. The Term Contract may

The RFP requests rates for an Initial Term and a renewal term. If the contract is in place for a third year, should the submitter provide an hourly rate for the third and subsequent years?

be renewed in whole or in part. The Respondent is required to submit pricing for all job titles for both the initial term and renewal term.

Refer to Attachment C, Cost Proposal.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 4.1, Term.

Additionally, refer to Attachment H, Draft Term Contract.

38. Term of the Contract How many years does the Department expect the contract to remain in place?

The initial term of the Term Contract shall be for three years. The Term Contract may be renewed in whole or in part for up to another 3 years.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 4.1, Term.

Additionally, refer to Attachment H, Draft Term Contract.

39. In Attachment C, Cost Proposal, it states we must include pricing for the term of the contract. Are you asking for our Year 3 pricing or after Year 3 in Year 4, if renewed?

See answer to question #37.

40. In Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria:

Is there a page length restriction?

There is a character limit.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1, Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 2, Definitions, attached hereto.

41. In the Proposed Solution portion, are you also asking for details, including statistics of our past client successes?

The Respondent should fully describe its proposal for carrying out the applicable Service Category, including its ability to provide the services statewide and to utilize its diverse knowledge and skillsets.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

42. Are graphics permitted in Technical Proposal Attachments L1 through L9? If so, does the text within these graphics contribute to the character limit?

No. Respondents should only input text into the fields. Any additional files, links, or other information provided outside the response block will not be considered for evaluation, this includes résumés.

Refer to Attachments L1 through L9, Technical Proposal Response, Respondent Instructions.

Respondents shall not submit cover pages, cover letters, or table of contents.

Any additional files, tables, links, graphics or other information provided outside the character limits are not permitted and will not be considered for evaluation and will not be submitted to evaluators.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1, Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 2, Definitions, attached hereto.

43. In reviewing all the attachments, particularly the L# documents, it does not seem we are allowed to provide graphics. If we are not allowed to provide graphics in the L# document, can we do so in a separate file?

No.

See answer to question #42.

44. How many awards does the government anticipate making? Is there a ceiling limit? Is there a limit within each service category?

Refer to Addendum 1 to the RFP, section

2.9 Basis of Award, attached hereto.

45. Does the government anticipate some clients will accept a remote work approach? Or, is there a preference for onsite work?

See answer to question #8.

46. If the latter, can travel costs be included in customer RFP responses?

The Hourly Rates provided in the Contractor’s price sheet are contemplated for Management Consulting Services that are performed at the Customer’s physical work location.

Reimbursement for travel expenses may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW. See answer to question #51.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, sections:

• 3.6.2 Contractor’s Performance of Off-

Site Work

• 3.6.3 Reimbursement for Travel

Expenses

47. Can a company bring in a subcontractor to bid on a particular service category?

See answer to question #28.

48. Remote vs. On-Site Delivery Preferences Section 3.6.2 of Attachment A outlines that off-site work must be authorized in writing by the Customer. Can the Department clarify whether it has a general preference or evaluation consideration regarding remote versus on-site delivery models, or will this be determined by individual agency RFQs?

Contractors are expected to perform work statewide at the Customer’s physical work location.

Off-Site work performed by the Contractor may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW and included in the Customer RFQ.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.2 Contractor’s Performance of Off-Site Work.

49. Geographic Coverage Requirements Attachment A specifies a requirement for “statewide” delivery. Does meeting this requirement necessitate a physical presence in multiple Florida regions (e.g., North, Central, South), or is the ability to provide remote services with on-site capability as needed sufficient to fulfill the statewide requirement?

Contractors are expected to perform work statewide at the Customer’s physical work location.

Off-site work performed by the Contractor may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.2 Contractor’s Performance of Off-Site Work.

50. Project-Based Pricing in RFQs Section 3.6.1 of Attachment A describes the use of project-based pricing for complex engagements. Will agencies issuing RFQs under this Term Contract be encouraged to request both hourly rate and project-based pricing options for comparison purposes, or will this be left entirely to their discretion?

The Department does not have this information.

Customers may issue an RFQs for Project Based Pricing and/or Hourly Rates for Services in an applicable Customer SOW.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.1. Project Based Pricing.

51. Travel Reimbursement Guidance Section 3.6.3 of Attachment A states that travel expenses must follow section 112.061, F.S., when approved in advance. Are there any common Department guidelinesor ceilings typically used by agencies when authorizing travel costs, or will “reasonable” travel costs be defined individually within each Customer-specific SOW?

Travel expenses are not reimbursable unless specifically authorized by the Customer in writing and will be reimbursed only in accordance with section 112.061, F.S.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.3 Reimbursement for Travel Expenses.

Additionally, refer to 112.061, Florida Statutes.

52. Preferred Assessment Tools Are there any specific leadership or organizational assessment tools currently preferred or standardized across State

Leadership or organization assessment tools may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

agencies for use in Service Category 4 or related areas? Or should vendors propose tools based on demonstrated effectiveness and alignment with each agency’s needs?

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.2 Services Categories.

53. 1. Does "statewide" service coverage require physical office presence in all regions, or is virtual availability acceptable?

See answer to question #49.

54. 2. Does the Department encourage vendors to propose innovative methods or technologies in their approach, or is strict adherence to traditional methods preferred?

Innovative or traditional methods and technologies may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

55. 3. Other than the reduction in the number of service categories, are there any additional specific changes from the original RFP # 24- 80101500 to this RFP #24-80101500-RFP- V2?

Refer to the current Management Consulting Services RFP V2 RFP No. 25- 80101500-RFP-V2 solicitation documents, including all attachments.

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/se arch/bids/detail/12253

56. Per Attachment D, Section A1, the instructions state that respondents must submit one PDF document for each service category. Does each PDF need to include the additional required forms (Attachments G, I, J, and K)?

The Respondent shall use the corresponding Attachments L1 through L9 Technical Proposal Response as provided to submit its Technical Proposal.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria, section A. Technical Proposal Instructions.

Additionally, refer to the RFP, section RFP Attachments located on pages 17 and 18.

57. Given the character limitations on Attachment L, are there also font and size restrictions and/or page limitations (if graphical elements are included)?

Respondents shall not submit cover pages, cover letters, or table of contents.

Any additional files, tables, links, graphics or other information provided outside the character limits are not permitted and will not be considered for evaluation and will not be submitted to evaluators.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria, section A. Technical Proposal Instructions.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1, Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 2, Definitions, attached hereto.

58. Can the proposal include graphics or tables as part of the response content?

No.

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids/detail/12253 https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids/detail/12253

See answer to question #57.

59. Do the stated character limits include spaces, or are they calculated based on characters excluding spaces?

The character limits include spaces.

Refer to Attachments L1 through L9 Technical Proposal Response, Respondent Instructions and Section 1.

Refer to the Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1, Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 2, Definitions, attached hereto.

60. As discussed in Section B.1. of Attachment D, what criteria will the Department use to measure and evaluate “quality” of experience?

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria, section B. 1. Experience.

61. As discussed in Section B.1. of Attachment D, what criteria will the Department use to measure and evaluate “depth” of experience?

See answer to question #60.

62. As discussed in Section B.1. of Attachment D, what criteria will the Department use to measure and evaluate “relevance” of experience?

See answer to question #60.

63. Can you please confirm that, as discussed in Section 2.9 of the RFP, the Technical Proposal scores of the evaluators relating to the same Service Category will be averaged and not the scores from various Service Categories? As in, each evaluator’s Technical Proposal score for Service Category L1 will be averaged, but a respondent’s score for Service Category L1 will not be averaged with its score for Service Category L2, etc.?

This question is unclear.

The total final score for each Service Category will be determined by combining the Cost Proposal score and the average of the evaluator Technical Proposal scores for that specific Service Category.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1 to the RFP, section 2.9 Basis of Award, attached hereto.

64. Can you confirm that, pursuant to Section

2.8.2 of the RFP, every respondent that submits a fully completed cost proposal will receive the maximum 10 points?

The Respondent will receive 10 points for submitting a fully completed Cost Proposal using the Attachment C, Cost Proposal document.

Refer to Addendum 1 to the RFP, section

2.8.2 Cost Proposal, attached hereto.

65. If, pursuant to Section 2.8.2 of the RFP, every respondent that submits a fully completed cost proposal will receive the maximum 10 points, then how will the Department evaluate or consider any differences in proposed cost between the respondents?

Price is not the sole factor for the Department’s consideration of a possible award(s).

Price will be more of a consideration at the Customer level when awarding to a contractor after issuing and receiving quotes from RFQs.

66. For the character limit relating to the Technical Proposal response for each Service Category, do spaces and punctuation marks count as characters for purposes of the maximum character count?

Yes.

Additionally, see response to question #59.

67. How many evaluators will the Department utilize for each Technical Proposal (L1 through L9)?

The Department will appoint at least three people to independently evaluate proposals and replies.

Refer to 287.057(17)(a)1., Florida Statutes.

68. May the RFQ’s referenced in Sections 3.11,

3.12.1 and 3.12.2 of Attachment A be issued through the General Services Administration or through any other federal agency or federal procurement system?

This is a Florida specific statewide, State Term Contract. All Contracts executed from this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be for a statewide, State Term Contract and Agencies and Eligible Users will request quotes for their specific needs within the scope of this Contract.

69. Regarding Service Category 9, Comprehensive Grants Management Services for Federal Disaster and Emergency Assistance Programs; Is this solely inclusive of Stafford Act Grant Programs?

Service Category 9 provides expert support in grants management, including grant writing, application preparation, compliance, and financial reporting while ensuring full adherence to federal and state regulations.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.2 Service Categories.

70. What is the typical size, duration, and complexity of projects we would manage?

Size, duration, and complexity of projects may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

71. Are there specific project management tools/software we would be required to use?

Project management tools or software may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

72. What level of reporting frequency and detail is expected for managed projects?

Reporting frequency and detail may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

73. Will we be managing existing project management offices (PMOs) or establishing new ones?

Existing or new project management offices may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

74. Will we need to implement quality management systems that comply with specific standards (ISO 9001, etc.)?

Implementation of quality management systems may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

75. Are there legacy systems that need to be considered in process redesign efforts?

The Department does not have this information.

Legacy systems redesign efforts may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

76. What is the typical process for agencies to engage consultants under this contract?

Customers shall use a Request for Quotes in accordance with sections 287.056(2) and 287.0591, F. S., and Rule 60A-1.043, F.A.C., when making purchases off this State Term Contract (Term Contract).

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.11 Request for Quotes Requirement.

77. What is the expected level of on-site vs.

remote work for consulting engagements?

See answer to question #8.

78. Are any preferences applied to Florida-based, woman-owned, or veteran-owned firms (evaluation tie-breakers, for example)?

See answer to question #2.

79. Are there specific state-mandated initiatives that will drive consulting needs?

The Department does not have this information.

80. #2- Project Management Consulting Could you provide more detail on the typical budget ranges and timelines for the projects that will require consulting support?

The Department does not have this information.

Budgets and timelines may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

81. #2- Project Management Consulting Can you provide an estimate of the anticipated volume or frequency of project management consulting services that may be required on a monthly or annual basis?

The Department does not have this information.

Volume or frequency of project management consulting services may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

82. #2- Project Management Consulting Can you provide some insight into the current project management maturity level within your organization? Are there existing methodologies, tools, or processes in place?

The Department does not have this information.

Current project maturity levels, methodologies, or tools may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

83. #1 - Organizational Strategy Development Do you already have a North Star (long-term vision) and, if so, can you please share?

Long-term visions may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

84. #1 - Organizational Strategy Development What are the current pain points with your organization design?

The Department does not have this information.

Issues with organization design may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

85. #4 - Executive Leadership Development and Customized Training

Can you provide further information about your existing programs on leadership capabilities (skills/behaviors), employee skills and organizational/team performance?

a. What types/number of programs (in-house or vendor-provided) do you currently have?

Programs may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW

86. #4 - Executive Leadership Development and Customized Training Please specify which organizations/teams/individuals will be prioritized/targeted for the leadership development and training program.

a. What timeline are you considering (from design to implementation/evaluation phase) for each group?

The Department does not have this information.

Timelines, implementation, and evaluations may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

87. #4 - Executive Leadership Development and Customized Training Can you share top challenges faced by leaders and teams within your organization?

88. #3 - Program Research, Planning, Analyses, Scenarios, Reports, and Evaulations Consulting Could you please provide details of systems / data sources to be used for the data-driven evaluations?

The Department does not have this information.

Systems or data sources may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

89. Attachment E – Enterprise T&Cs, § 10.7, p. 12 Please confirm that the Contractor’s duty to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the State applies only to claims arising from the Contractor’s negligent or wrongful acts or omissions, and does not extend to claims in which the State or another third party is solely at fault.

See language of section which states in pertinent part:

“The above indemnity requirement does not apply to that portion of any loss or damages proximately caused by the negligent act or omission of the Department or the State.”

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 10.7 Indemnification.

90. Attachment E, §§ 12.5.1-12.5.3, p. 16 If work-product templates or methodologies (e.g., Stratex Ascend 7 framework and White Glove Experience worksheets ) are clearly labeled “Pre-existing IP – Licensed to Customer for internal use,” please confirm that ownership of those materials remains with the Contractor and the State receives only a non-exclusive license.

The State of Florida shall be the owner of all intellectual property rights to all new property created or developed in connection with the Customer’s contract. This shall not apply to intellectual property developed prior to the execution of the Term Contract.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 12.5 Intellectual Property.

91. Attachment F – PUR 1000, § 8.g, p. 16 Section 8.g caps liability at “the greater of $200,000 or the value of the Purchase Order.”

Please verify that (a) the $200,000 minimum

For all claims against the Contractor under the Contract, and regardless of the basis on which the claim is made, the Contractor’s aggregate liability for direct damages under applies even when a PO’s value is lower, and

(b) the cap is calculated per individual PO, not aggregated across multiple POs issued under the State Term Contract.

the Contract will be limited to the greater of $200,000 or the dollar value of the Contract (which is the higher of the total estimated value of the Contract or two times the charges for Products rendered by the Contractor under the Contract if no estimated value is determinable).

The terms of the Form PUR 1000, General Contract Conditions, incorporated in Rule 60A-1.002, F.A.C., and linked here http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.as p?No=Ref-16731, are hereby incorporated by reference herein and will apply to all purchases made by a Customer off the Term Contract.

92. Attachment E, § 6.5, p. 8 May the 1 % MFMP transaction fee be embedded within the hourly ceiling rates submitted in Attachment C, or must it be shown as a separate, non-billable line on each invoice?

No. Transaction Fees shall be submitted in accordance with Rule 60A-1.031, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 6.5 Transaction Fees.

Additionally, refer to Rule 60A-1.031, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.)

https://flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=6 0A-1.031

93. Attachment A – Scope, § 3.2 (Service Category 1), p. 3 (example) For statewide engagements that require on-site facilitation in multiple regions, will Customers reimburse pre-approved travel expenses under § 3.6.3, or must all travel costs be absorbed within the hourly ceiling rates?

See answer to question #14.

94. Attachment A, § 3.3 Job-Title Definitions, p. 5 (example) May a single individual be proposed under more than one labor category (e.g., serve as Principal Consultant on one PO and Senior Consultant on another) provided the billing rate used for each PO does not exceed the corresponding ceiling rate?

Yes, the necessary experience for a job title must be related to the Service Category(ies) sought by the Customer.

Qualifications and experience of the individuals or organization performing services may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

Attachment C, Cost Proposal shall include the Contractors maximum Hourly Rates by job title for the initial and renewal terms of the Contract.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, sections:

http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16731 http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16731 https://flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=60A-1.031

• 3.3 Job Titles and Duties

• 3.4 Customer-specific Scope of Work

• 3.6 Pricing

95. Attachment C – Cost Proposal instructions, Row 16 header (Rates table) Please confirm that the Renewal-Term hourly rates entered in Attachment C will apply unchanged to all renewal years (Years 4-6) and that no further escalation is permitted.

The Department will not allow for price increases throughout the life of the Contract unless specified in the renewal pricing submitted by the Contractor.

Refer Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.4. Price Adjustments.

96. Attachment E, § 6.2, p. 7 If the Contractor delivers a fixed-price project to a non-State commercial client at an effective hourly rate lower than the State ceiling, will that trigger the best-pricing obligation in § 6.2, or does that clause apply only to time-and-materials engagements on substantially the same terms?

This question is unclear.

See answer to question to #25.

97. RFP § 2.12.3, p. 10 The RFP states the PUR 7801 Vendor Certification Form must be provided “annually throughout the term.” Please confirm that an electronic PDF sent via email to the DMS Contract Manager satisfies this requirement, and no MFMP portal resubmission is necessary.

MFMP portal resubmission for the PUR 7801 Vendor Certification Form is not necessary.

98. RFP § 3.3 (Electronic Submission), p. 15 (example) What is the maximum individual file size allowed for each Technical Proposal PDF uploaded to the Business Network, and may optional redacted copies be submitted as a single ZIP archive if individual PDFs exceed that limit?

The maximum individual file size allowed for each file submission is 100 MB.

Individual PDFs will not exceed 100 MB if Respondent follows the instructions to this solicitation.

Refer to Revised Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria for Proposal submission instructions and character limits.

Additionally, refer to Attachments L1 through L9 Technical Proposal Response, Proposal Prompts 1 and 2.

99. Attachment E, Section 6.5, Transaction Fees Please confirm that Section 6.5 is the same fee as what is referenced as "MFMP fees"?

Yes.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 6.5 Transaction Fees.

100. Attachment E, Section 6.5, Transaction Fees Is this fee part of the fully burdened hourly rate the contractor proposes or is this additive and

See answer to question #92.

a separate line item as part of the price proposal under the Master Agreement?

101. Attachment E. Section 14.1.2, Term Contract Quarterly Reports If no transactions for the quarter, is the contractor still required to submit a report?

The Contractor shall submit Quarterly Sales Reports in the manner and format required by the Department.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 14.2 Contract Reporting.

102. Technical Proposal Responses Are the 8,000 and 13,000 maximum characters exclusive of spaces? Word counts maximum characters in two different ways:

one with spaces between words and one without spaces between words. Please clarify.

See answer to question #59.

103. Attachment C, Cost Proposal Based on the initial and renewal columns, is it correct to assume this master agreement is for two years?

See answer to question #37.

104. Will a bond or security be required to support this contract?

Not at the Term Contract level.

Performance bonds may be contemplated in the Customer SOW.

105. Who are the existing vendors supporting this effort?

The current Contractors can be accessed on the State Term Contract site:

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_o perations/state_purchasing/state_contracts _and_agreements/state_term_contract/man agement_consulting_services/contractors

106. Does the State anticipate specific work locations for this effort? If so, where?

Contractors are expected to perform work statewide at the Customer’s physical work location.

Off-site work performed by the Contractor may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.2. Contractor’s Performance of Off-Site Work.

107. Is it correct that vendors shall send the 1% transaction fee payment to the State of Florida upon receipt of payment?

Transaction Fees shall be submitted in accordance with Rule 60A-1.031, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.).

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 6.5 Transaction Fees.

Additionally, refer to Rule 60A-1.031, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.)

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_contracts_and_agreements/state_term_contract/management_consulting_services/contractors https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_contracts_and_agreements/state_term_contract/management_consulting_services/contractors https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_contracts_and_agreements/state_term_contract/management_consulting_services/contractors https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_contracts_and_agreements/state_term_contract/management_consulting_services/contractors https://flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=6 0A-1.031

108. Is the Grant support requested under Service Category 9 limited to Disaster and Emergency Assistance programs or will it potentially be extended to other areas?

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.2 Service Categories.

109. Are Term Contract Quarterly Sales Reports or MFMP Transaction Fee Reports required even if no work was performed or billed in that quarter or month respectively?

The Contractor shall submit complete monthly MFMP Transaction Fee Reports to the Department. The Contractor shall submit Quarterly Sales Reports in the manner and format required by the Department.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 14.2 Contract Reporting.

110. Puerto Rico Location: For the purpose of this contract/agreement, is work done in Puerto Rico considered "offshore"?

No, as Puerto Rico is a US territory it is considered inside the United States.

111. Responding to Categories: When we submit our proposal, do we need to respond to every service category listed? Or can the respondent just focus on the categories where they have strong experience? Will the respondent be marked down or penalized if they don't respond to all categories or lack skills in some?

If a Respondent would like to be considered for an award in multiple Service Categories, the Respondent must provide a Proposal for each Service Category for which it would like to be considered for an award. The Respondent is not required to respond to all Service Categories.

Refer to Addendum 1, to the RFP, section

2.9 Basis of Award attached hereto.

112. Project-Based Pricing Details: Can you give some examples of projects where it makes the most sense to use Project-Based (fixed) Pricing? When the respondent proposes a fixed price for a project, how much detail do the state of Florida need to see in the Statement of Work (SOW) we provide?

Customers may request Project-Based Pricing to accomplish tasks and deliverables that include more complex requirements.

Project based pricing requirements may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.1 Project Based Pricing.

113. Importance of Customer Preferences: When a customer evaluates quotes, how much importance do they place on the "Customer Preferences" listed? For example, how much does having previous experience with the Federal government or the State of Florida really matter in their decision?

114. Getting Enough Quotes for Specialized Work: What happens if a customer needs a very specific, specialized service, and only a

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.11 Request for Quotes Requirement.

few approved contractors (less than the usual minimum required number for quotes) actually have that skill? What instructions are given to the customer to handle this situation while still meeting the quote requirements?

115. Small Businesses: For this contract, does the state of Florida have a small-business set-aside or socioeconomic set-aside such as woman owned, minority owned, HUBZone, etc.?

No.

116. Could the Customer State agency or Eligible User provide an estimated volume of work or historical usage data for each Service Category?

The Department does not have this information.

Volume of work may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

117. What criteria will be used to evaluate vendor responses to Customer-issued Requests for Quotes (RFQs)?

The Department does not have this information.

118. Will the State or Customers use any particular method for distributing RFQs (e.g., rotational selection, past performance, best value)?

State agency customers will issue RQFs through MyFloridaMarketplace. Eligible Users will follow their own purchasing guidelines.

119. Is there a limit to the number of consultants or resumes vendors may propose per Service Category?

The Respondent may demonstrate experience by providing relevant information including, but not limited to, identifying clients, describing past projects, and describing staff experience. Résumés are not required to be included in the response.

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.3 Job Titles and Duties.

Additionally, refer to Attachment C, Cost Proposal.

Any additional files, links, or other information provided outside the response block will not be considered for evaluation, this includes résumés.

Refer to Attachments L1 through L9, Technical Proposal Response, Respondent Instructions.

Refer to Revised Attachment D, Technical Proposal Instructions and Evaluation Criteria, section 1. Experience.

120. Will each Customer SOW include technical details about current systems or platforms that require compatibility for service delivery?

System compatibility may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

121. Are subcontractors permitted under this Term Contract, and if so, are there any specific disclosure, approval, or reporting requirements?

See answer to question #28.

122. Are services expected to be delivered primarily on-site at Customer locations, or is remote/hybrid delivery permitted if agreed upon in the Customer SOW?

Can multiple Service Categories be bundled under a single RFQ, or must each be quoted independently?

See answer to question #49.

RFQs will be issued by the Customer;

therefore, the Department does not have this information.

123. If a Customer requires a consulting service that does not clearly fall under one of the (9) nine defined Service Categories, is there a mechanism for incorporating such needs under this Term Contract, or would that require a separate procurement vehicle?

Consulting services outside of the defined Services Categories are not appliable to this solicitation.

124. Section 3.2, RFP pages 2-3, Is there any estimate per service category of number of projects per year?

The Department does not have this information.

125. Section 3.2, RFP page 3, Are there any particular methodologies or frameworks preferred for process improvement and advisory assistance (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen)?

Methodologies or frameworks for process improvement and advisory assistance may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

126. Section 3.2, RFP page 3, Are there any particular methodologies or frameworks preferred for leadership development and training (e.g., situational leadership, transformational leadership)?

Methodologies or frameworks for leadership development and training may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

127. Section 3.2, RFP pages 2-3, Are there any particular methodologies or frameworks preferred for project management (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, PRINCE2)?

Methodologies or frameworks for project management may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

128. Section 3.2, RFP Page 2, Are there any particular methodologies or frameworks preferred for organizational strategy development (e.g., Balanced Scorecard, SWOT Analysis)?

Methodologies or frameworks for organization strategy development may be contemplated in an applicable Customer

SOW.

129. On Attachment C, Sheet 1, the costing sheet currently only has a table for one set of rates per role. If rates vary based on category of services, is it acceptable to create multiple rate tables to align to specific service categories?

No.

130. Do the resources need to be onsite and if so, what is the work address? Or can these resource be remote?

See answer to question #49.

Locations will be determined by the Customer in an applicable Customer SOW.

131. Attachment E S.6.4 Purchase Prerequisite:

1. Please confirm that standard payments in USD via electronic ACH or Wire Transfer will be acceptable?

Contractors can sign up to receive payments via electronic transfer.

132. Attachment E S.7.4.1 Subcontractors:

2. How much time does the Department need to provide approval for required subcontractor(s)?

The time required to review and approve subcontractors depends on the accuracy and timeliness of the Contractor’s request, as well as the volume of requests under the Contract.

Refer to Attachment E, Enterprise Standard Terms and Conditions, section 7.4.1 Subcontractors.

133. RFP Section 2.8.2, page 8. According to the RFP, DMS will award “10 points for submitting a fully completed Cost Proposal using the Attachment C, Cost Proposal document,” and will award 0 cost points for failing to fill out the cost proposal fully. This suggests that the specific amount of the cost will not be a factor in determining awards, as long as Attachment C is filled out completely. Is this correct?

Yes, assuming that Attachment C, Cost Proposal is filled out correctly per the instructions on the form.

Refer to Attachment C, Cost Proposal, Instructions.

134. General. The RFP does not have any instructions regarding subcontractors. Are bidders allowed to use subcontractor experience and qualifications in our Technical Proposals?

No.

See answer to question #28.

135. Attachment L: Technical Proposal, Page 1:

The instructions for the document comprising the Respondent’s Technical Proposal (Attachment L1 through L9) note that Prompt 1 has a character count of 8,000 and Prompt 2 has a character count of 13,000. Does the character count include spaces?

Yes.

See answer to question #59.

136. What is the size limit for electronic submission to the Business Network?

See answer to question #98.

137. Who are the incumbents on this project? There are no incumbents as no contractors have been awarded yet. See answer to question #105 for the contractors who are on the current State Term Contract.

138. What is the budget for this State Term Contract?

The Department does not have this information.

Budgets may be contemplated in an applicable Customer SOW.

139. Have these projects already started? The Department does not have this

140. Is remote work allowed? See answer to question #8.

141. What key personnel are to be provided for each Service Category?

Refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.3 Job Titles and Duties.

142. How is each category ranked and what is the scoring and criteria used to determine if a service category is approved?

Refer to the RFP, section 2.8 Scoring Methodology.

Additionally, refer to Addendum 1 to the RFP, section 2.9 Basis of Award, attached hereto.

143. Should we include travel pricing so that it is available if the client asks?

No.

Refer to Attachment C, Cost Proposal, Instructions.

See answer to question #51.

Additionally refer to Attachment A, Scope of Work, section 3.6.3 Reimbursement for…