Response to Offeror Questions document.pdf

RFP 19577 Parenting Education Fiscal Management Page 1 of 3

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT

523 EAST CAPITOL AVENUE

PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA 57501-3182

Parenting Education Fiscal Agent

Questions and Responses

PROPOSALS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN April 3, 2026, BY 5:00 PM CDT

RFP #19577 BUYER: Department of Social Services

POC: Kirsten Blachford Kirsten.Blachford@state.sd.us

Q1: What is the annual total allocation of the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) grant funding supporting this work, and what portion of that funding is designated for fiscal agent and data monitoring activities?

A1: For current federal fiscal year, the CBCAP Grant dollars awarded to DSS totaled $176,165.00. There is a 20% match to the federal funds; overall dollars available for prevention services totals $211,398.00. No set amount has been established for the fiscal agent and data monitoring. At this time recommended parenting education service delivery amounts for state fiscal year 2027 are estimated around $140,000.00 based on current delivery levels.

Q2: Attachment A is written as a sub-recipient agreement. Will the funds be considered federal funds for the awardee?

A2: *Will be published at a later date.

Q3: Please clarify what is expected in terms of data collection and reporting. Section 3.3.4 references annual statewide analysis in preparation for federal reporting. Can the State clarify which federal report(s) the vendor will support and differentiate between the State’s responsibilities and the vendor’s responsibilities?

A3: At this time the parenting education data is stored in a DSS CPS-owned Survey Monkey account. Proposals are sought including strategy recommendations on data collection and reporting.

Federal reporting includes the CBCAP Grantee Annual Report due to the Administration on Children and Families in January of each year for the federal fiscal year prior. The state will continue to compile the report and analyze the data collected through the parenting education data collection process. If a vendor is interested in proposing deliverables related to this, however, the state may consider additional avenues.

The annual data reported in January 2026 to federal partners as an attachment to the annual CBCAP federal report is included as an exhibit to the issued RFP. The federal report itself is still in the review stage with federal partners and has not been finalized yet at this time.

Q4: Section 3.3.1 indicates the offeror will provide options and recommendations related to data collection for parent input and demographics. Does the State expect the vendor to design or select the survey instruments, or will CPS provide the existing survey tools and required measures?

What data systems does the State currently use, and what access will be provided to the Fiscal Agent for both existing and newly collected data?

RFP 19577 Parenting Education Fiscal Management Page 2 of 3

a. Will the Fiscal Agent be expected to use State’s existing data system(s), or will they need to implement and manage their own data management platform?

b. If separate systems are used, what technical, security, and data-transfer requirements must be met to ensure compatibility and proper submission of data to the State?

A4: Proposals are sought incorporating recommendations. Currently Survey Monkey is utilized.

The existing survey tool and guidance on compliance with data reporting can be replicated in a non CPS-owned Survey Monkey account which can be accessed by both the vendor and DSS CPS ongoing, alternatively, a proposal may contain recommendations on platforms or additional options.

Data can be submitted to the state via Excel or PDF ongoing.

Existing data can be provided as Excel or PDF, as well.

Q5: Will the selected vendor be required to implement or maintain a centralized data system, or only monitor data submitted by sites?

A5: DSS CPS is open to proposals detailing this information, but the required aspects are to monitor compliance with data collection as aligned with invoicing by sites.

Q6: Can the State clarify the expected level of data analysis for instructor/site reviews and statewide reporting (e.g., descriptive summaries, performance dashboards, trend analysis, or formal evaluation reporting)?

A6: The state is open to proposals on these aspects. Cost/pricing can be outlined separately in the proposal related to different tiers of offerings related to proposed strategies.

Q7: Section 3.4 requires quarterly summaries to CPS. Does the State have a defined reporting template or required performance indicators that should be included in these summaries?

A7: A reporting template is in development. Quarterly summaries will emphasize the number of classes delivered, the amounts claimed by each site for parenting education services, and any challenges related to compliance with data collection requirements as they align with invoicing.

Q8: If an entity has an approved indirect cost rate agreement, are we required to use the restricted rate for this proposal?

A8: *Will be published at a later date.

Q9: Will the billing and data collection processes for InsideOut Dad and Positive Indian Parenting be the same as Common Sense Parenting?

A9: Yes.

Q10: As fiscal agent, will the contractor be required to advance payments to instructors/sites and then seek reimbursement from the State, or will the State provide funds in advance for disbursement? If reimbursement-based, what is the typical payment turnaround time?

A10: An invoice is sent monthly for all trainings and fiscal management costs for the prior month. There is no set payment turnaround time, but most reimbursements take an average of four weeks, though once established and with maintaining accuracy and integrating routine invoice submission dates, reimbursements can be seen early as two weeks after submission.

Q11: How many total classes are completed annually? Does the State expect this number to remain stable?

A11: There has been a higher volume of requests for virtual class delivery and two additional sites have requested to deliver parenting education classes in the state next year. Overall, the volume should remain fairly steady, though a slight increase may be experienced.

RFP 19577 Parenting Education Fiscal Management Page 3 of 3

Information on the numbers of classes is not immediately available, however, in State Fiscal Year 2025, 650 attendees participated in the survey data collection process going through parenting education classes across nineteen different sites.

There were 548 attendees who reported on participation so far in SFY26.

Thus far in SFY26 there have been 53 vouchers processed for parenting education classes, however, vouchers may contain information on more than one class. In SFY25 there were 77 vouchers processed.

Q12: Will the vendor have a role in providing training and/or technical assistance to sites regarding data and payment submission?

A12: Initial collaboration with DSS CPS will occur to determine processes, and DSS CPS will provide training and technical assistance to sites, outreaching the fiscal management entity if needed.

Ongoing technical assistance related to invoicing accuracy will be the fiscal management entity’s responsibility.

Q13: Should the Cost Proposal include all parenting education site contract allocations?

a. If so, what is the total amount is projected for allocation to the nineteen parenting education sites for FY2027?

b. If not, will the State add those funds into the agreement after a Fiscal Agent is selected to subcontract and manage?

A13: The cost proposal should include only the costs related to the fiscal management aspects. The dollars for parenting education sites will be added to the subrecipient agreement total when written when final projections are determined.

Q14: Can DSS provide historical or an average per-participant curriculum material costs for the four evidence-based programs currently in use?

a. If new trainers are needing a train the trainer, what costs are currently associated with that, and should they be included in this response to this RFP?

A14: The contract with Boys Town will remain directly between DSS CPS and the vendor at this time. Other training program costs will be handled in a similar fashion. DSS CPS will purchase materials ongoing and provide these to instructors and sites when needed and when current stock which individuals or sites may have purchased are depleted.

Q15: Could you further define the performance benchmarks (e.g., completion rates, fidelity measures) that the Fiscal Agent must meet?

A15: A template has not yet been developed, but data expectations will focus primarily on the number of classes and dollars claimed by sites for delivery of parenting education classes, and outlining any challenges with compliance with the data collection requirements by sites as aligns with invoicing.