RFO_5656231447__Test_Analysts.pdf

Our Mission: Securing the Financial Future and Sustaining the Trust of California’s Educators

CALIFORNIA STATE TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM

Technology Services California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) Agreement

Test Analysts

REQUEST FOR OFFER # 5656231447

OFFER DUE DATE

May 19, 2026, by 2:00 P.M., PT

Soyeb Hussein Pension Solution Procurement Specialist

California State Teachers’ Retirement Systems ITProcurement@CalSTRS.com

May 8, 2026 mailto:IT

Request for Offer 5656231447

REQUEST FOR OFFER

You are invited to review and respond to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), Request for Offer (RFO), entitled Test Analysts. Read this document carefully. In submitting your Offer, you must comply with the instructions, terms and conditions stated in this RFO and in your Information Technology CMAS contract.

Offers must be submitted to CalSTRS via email to ITProcurement@CalSTRS.com and must be received by CalSTRS no later than May 19, 2026, by 2:00 P.M., Pacific Time (PT). Offers received after the specified date and time may be rejected.

Respondents requiring clarification of the intent and content of this RFO, or on the competitive process, may request clarification only by submitting written questions to:

Soyeb Hussein Pension Solution Procurement Specialist

ITProcurement@CalSTRS.com

Refer to Attachment IV, Frequently Asked Questions, prior to submitting any written questions. Any additional questions must be received by May 15, 2026, by 2:00 P.M., PT. Questions received by this date will be answered in writing, without identifying the source of query.

Any attempt by a firm responding to this Offer to initiate contact with any member of the Teachers’ Retirement Board and/or CalSTRS staff, other than the CalSTRS contact listed above, regarding this RFO process may disqualify the firm from further consideration.

Please note that no verbal information given will be binding upon the California State Teachers’ Retirement System unless such information is incorporated into this RFO via an addendum.

mailto:ITProcurement@CalSTRS.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. INTRODUCTION

B. BACKGROUND

C. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

D. OFFER REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

E. ATTACHMENTS

I. Information and Offer Sheet II. Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet III. Proposed Project Person Business Reference Sheet IV. Frequently Asked Questions V. Statement of Work

F. SAMPLE AGREEMENT

1. Agreement Terms and Conditions

2. Exhibit A – Statement of Work

3. Exhibit B – <Contractor’s> Key Personnel

4. Exhibit C – Teachers’ Retirement Board Governance Manual – Third Party Economic Interest

Disclosure Policy

5. Exhibit D – Form 600-H Third Party Economic Interest Disclosure

6. Exhibit E – Contractor Background Investigation Policy

7. Exhibit F – Certification of Contractor’s Employee Background Investigation Form

8. Exhibit G – Personal History Statement

9. Exhibit H – CalSTRS Information Security and Privacy Addendum

10. Exhibit I – Confidentiality, Non-Disclosure and Acceptable Use Agreement

11. Exhibit J – CalSTRS Minimum Information Security Requirements

GENERAL INFORMATION

A. INTRODUCTION

CalSTRS is the largest educator-only pension fund in the world. CalSTRS administers a hybrid retirement system, consisting of traditional defined benefit, cash balance and voluntary defined contribution plans.

CalSTRS also provides disability and survivor benefits. CalSTRS serves California’s public school educators and their families from the state’s school districts, county offices of education and community college districts. For more information on CalSTRS and its various programs, please refer to the CalSTRS Website at: https://www.CalSTRS.com.

The purpose of this RFO is to select up to two (2) Test Analysts with detailed knowledge and experience of testing complex systems software projects, testing processes, testing tools and methodologies, to ensure that enterprise testing strategies and relevant quality assurance technologies are represented in CalSTRS Information Technology (IT) processes and standards. The Test Analysts will work on the complex systems software projects, and/or work independently as a high-level technical test specialist on the more complex assignments within the CalSTRS Data Quality and Pension Solution Projects.

CalSTRS will only accept one (1) offer per Vendor (Respondent) for this RFO. Each offer shall only include one (1) and no more than two (2) proposed project person(s). CalSTRS anticipates to select up to two (2) project personnel. CalSTRS may select project personnel from either one (1) proposing firm or up to two (2) proposing firms.

The total services period may be up to twenty-four (24) months, with an option to extend up to twelve (12) additional months, at an estimated average of 160 work hours per month at the rate negotiated at contract execution. Any contract resulting from this RFO may be amended to add time or funds, at the sole discretion of CalSTRS.

The Vendor/Contractor must be able to perform all work on-site at the CalSTRS headquarters facility in West Sacramento, CA. At CalSTRS’ discretion, a different approach (i.e., fully in-office, fully remote or different work hours) may be utilized based on CalSTRS business need and/or directive. Work must be performed during CalSTRS business hours and shall not be permitted on California State Holidays identified on the California Department of Human Resources website, unless pre-approved in writing by CalSTRS management. All work schedules must be pre-approved in writing by CalSTRS management and must adhere to all applicable CalSTRS policies and procedures. The Vendor/Contractor is responsible for any travel costs (including travel time) that they may incur while providing the services identified in the Statement of Work.

The proposed project person selected as a result of this RFO will be under the direction of the CalSTRS Data Quality Technical Project Manager or designee and may be assigned one or more teams/programs/projects during the services period.

B. BACKGROUND

CalSTRS has transitioned from multiple outdated legacy systems, including its previous pension administration system, START, to a modern, web-based solution called Benefit Connect. Benefit Connect is https://www.calstrs.com/ a Modified of the Shelf (MOTS) pension administration system built on the Sagitec Neospin framework. It is designed to manage and administer the State Teachers’ Retirement Plan for employers, members, participants, and their beneficiaries. Its functions include, but are not limited to contribution reporting and collections, maintaining member demographic information, crediting service, processing service credit purchases, handling benefit applications, performing benefit calculations, managing benefit payroll, administering third-party deductions and disbursements, conducting tax reporting, overseeing receivables and collections, and generating correspondence and statements. The system also tracks events and provides extracted data to a data mart used for actuarial purposes. Overall, Benefit Connect is a fully integrated, browser-based software system supported by the .Net framework.

The Test Analysts will:

• Participate in and assist the testing activities in various software development efforts

• Be responsible for helping CalSTRS to standardize its future-state software development and testing framework and align them with its enterprise architecture

• Propose, define, and establish additional quality assurance tools, standards, and best practices at the enterprise level, while leveraging and combining CalSTRS’ existing testing tools, processes, and practices into this future-state software testing framework.

For more information about the CalSTRS organization, mission, vision, and strategic and business plans, go to www.CalSTRS.com.

C. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

The proposed project person must meet all of the following minimum qualifications to CalSTRS’ satisfaction to be given further consideration. Failure to satisfy any of the minimum qualifications upon submittal of the Offer may result in the immediate rejection of the Offer.

Minimum Administrative Qualifications

As of the Offer Due Date:

1. The Respondent must hold a current Information Technology California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) agreement with the California Department of General Services and must comply with the instructions, terms and conditions stated in the Leveraged Procurement Agreement.

2. The Respondent must submit all data/information and attachments requested in the offer format described below under Section D, Subsection 2, Offer Requirements. Failure to submit Attachment I - Information and Offer Sheet and Attachment II - Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet, by the Offer Due Date, will be grounds for immediate rejection of the submission.

Minimum Technical Qualifications

As of the Offer Due Date, the proposed project person must have the following listed experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as evidenced by Attachment II, Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet and resume:

http://www.calstrs.com/

1. At least ten (10) years of working experience in Information Technology or Information System (IT or

IS) field with most experience in the areas of software testing and quality assurance, including knowledge and experience overseeing development and testing portions of the entire System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to ensure quality, timely defect resolution(s), and software performance.

2. At least five (5) years of experience producing the following documents: testing requirements, testing platform architecture, test plan and strategy, test specifications, test configuration for various tests such as integration testing, system testing, regression testing, stress and loading testing.

3. At least five (5) years of experience preparing (i.e., setting and resetting) data for testing to be used as a software testing harness including test tools, test environments, as well as formulating test data sets and test cases for various types of testing (e.g., system test, functional test, performance test, regression test and user acceptance test.).

4. At least five (5) years of experience using industry leading defect tracking tools (e.g., JIRA, Bugzilla, HP ALM, JAMA).

5. At least three (3) years of experience performing data quality activities.

6. SQL (Structured Query Language) Service database experience with queries using T-SQL (Transact-

SQL), stored procedures, triggers, user defined functions, and views.

7. At least five (5) years of experience demonstrating experience analyzing test results, generating test scripts, identifying defects and/or anomalies, and fine-tuning test data or test cases.

8. At least three (3) years of experience as a tester/analyst validating data converted from legacy systems.

Desirable Technical Qualifications

It is desirable for the proposed project person to have the following listed experience, knowledge, skills and abilities as evidenced by Attachment II, Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet and resume:

1. Three (3) or more years of experience assisting a business with their testing activities, by providing data meeting the requirements of their test cases, running batch jobs to set data up for the test cases and producing data reports.

2. Three (3) or more years of experience working in Microsoft Excel, including the use of formulas, pivot tables, and graphics.

3. Four-year college degree (Bachelor) or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related Engineering fields from a government accredited/sanctioned college or university as evidenced by a copy of the diploma.

4. The proposed project person will be able to adhere to the hybrid working model by working on-site 2-3 days per week at CalSTRS Headquarters, West Sacramento, CA. If no, provide a short explanation. (no points)

D. OFFER REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

1. Time Schedule

CalSTRS will use its best efforts to adhere to the time schedule. However, CalSTRS reserves the right to amend the time schedule, as it deems necessary or appropriate.

Event Date

Written Question Submittal Due Date May 15, 2026, by 2:00 P.M., PT

Offer Due Date May 19, 2026, by 2:00 P.M., PT

Estimated Start Work Date June 2026

2. Offer Requirements

To be eligible, an Offer must include all of the following listed attachments and information:

a. Attachment I, Information and Offer Sheet

b. Attachment II, Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet

c. Attachment III, Proposed Project Person Business Reference Sheet

d. Proposed Project Person’s Resume

e. Current California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) Agreement

One (1) copy of the Respondent’s current, completed and signed Information Technology CMAS agreement and all supplements issued by the Department of General Services.

f. Current General Services Administration (GSA) Agreement

One (1) copy of the Respondent’s current GSA agreement and pricing pages applicable to the Respondent’s Information Technology CMAS contract, which includes the personnel classifications, hourly rates, and minimum qualifications.

3. Submission of Offer

a. All offers must be submitted to CalSTRS via email to ITProcurement@CalSTRS.com. If

Respondents encounter any difficulties sending their offer, they must promptly notify CalSTRS Procurement.

b. Offers must be received no later than the offer due date and time. Offers received after the specified date and time may be rejected.

c. CalSTRS will only accept ONE offer submission per Respondent. Only ONE file attachment is allowed and must be in the form of .PDF (reduced file size) or a compressed zip file. The file title must not exceed thirty (30) characters and must include the Respondent Firm name and ten-digit RFO number (i.e. Vendor A, 5000001234). The file attachment must include all required documents as listed in section D.2. Offer Requirements of this RFO.

d. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to respond with all data/information requested; provide data/information that is deemed adequate for CalSTRS to determine/verify the proposed project person’s ability to perform the tasks/activities defined in Attachment V, Statement of Work; and submit all data/information in the Offer format described in Section D, Subsection 2, Offer Requirements.

e. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to check for and review any addenda and consider such modifications when preparing its submissions.

f. By submittal of an Offer, the Respondent declares that any proposed project person is in compliance with all experience, qualification, and education requirements stipulated in the Respondent’s applicable Leveraged Procurement Agreement.

g. If a Respondent has assigned contract person to CalSTRS under an existing agreement, the Respondent should not offer the same contract person for this RFO if the current term of the existing agreement and the estimated start of these RFO services will overlap. These Offers, if received, may be rejected at CalSTRS discretion.

h. This RFO and all Offers in response to this RFO will be made a part of the resulting contract file. All documents submitted in response to this RFO will become the property of the State of California and may be subject to review by or release to the public under the California Public Records Act, Government Code section 7920.000 et seq.

i. CalSTRS encourages Respondents to submit their Offers early.

j. CalSTRS accepts no responsibility for any technical difficulties associated with the electronic submission and transmission of any Offer.

k. CalSTRS will not disseminate the competitive processes and attachments hereto in any other format (i.e. Microsoft Word).

l. Costs for developing Offers and in anticipation of award of an agreement are entirely the responsibilities of the Respondents and shall not be charged to CalSTRS.

m. Respondents may modify their Offer, after its submission, by withdrawing their original Offer and resubmitting a new Offer prior to the Offer Due Date. Offer modifications submitted in any other manner, oral or written, or after the Offer Due Date will not be considered. Respondents may withdraw their own Offer by submitting a written withdrawal request to the CalSTRS Contact via email at ITProcurement@CalSTRS.com. Respondents may thereafter submit a new Offer prior to the Offer Due Date.

mailto:Procurement@CalSTRS.com

n. CalSTRS may modify the RFO prior to the Offer Due Date by issuing an addendum.

o. Respondents are cautioned to not rely on CalSTRS to discover and report to the Respondent any defects or errors in the submitted documents. Respondents, before submitting their documents, should carefully proofread for errors and ensure adherence to the RFO requirements.

p. CalSTRS reserves the right to cancel this RFO at any time and has the right to reject all Offers.

CalSTRS is not required to award an agreement.

4. Comparison Process

a. Upon receipt, Offers will be checked for the presence or absence of required content. Incomplete

Offers may be rejected. No assumptions will be made by CalSTRS regarding the intentions of the Respondent in submitting the Offer.

b. Offers and any subsequent presentations should be submitted with the most favorable terms the Respondent can offer.

c. If CalSTRS is unable to execute an agreement with the most qualified and responsible Respondent, CalSTRS reserves the right to award the agreement to the next qualified and responsible Respondent.

d. Offers will be reviewed to determine best value using the following phases:

PHASES

1 PREQUALIFICATION OF MINIMUM ADMINISTRATIVE

AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS

Pass/Fail

2 TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION REVIEW 70 points 3 COST COMPARISON 30 points

PHASE 2 + PHASE 3 SCORE 100 points

4 INTERVIEWS (OPTIONAL) 100 points REFERENCE CHECKS (OPTIONAL) Pass/Fail

5 COST NEGOTIATIONS Pass/Fail

1) In Phase 1, the Respondent’s offer will be reviewed for compliance with the minimum qualifications, content and format requirements of the RFO. Both the minimum administrative and technical qualifications must be met as specified in Section C, Qualifications Requirements.

Failure to satisfy any part of prequalification may result in the immediate disqualification of the offer and/or applicable proposed project person.

2) Proposed project personnel who meet the minimum qualifications will move to Phase 2, Technical Qualification Review. Each proposed project person’s expertise, experience, and education will be reviewed and scored based on the information provided in their Attachment II, Skill Summary Sheet (which also includes desirable qualifications), and resume.

3) In Phase 3, Cost Comparison, the hourly rate provided in the Respondent’s Attachment I, will be scored using the cost formula indicated below. The Respondent’s proposed project person with the lowest hourly rate will receive the full allotment of points. All other Respondents’ proposed project personnel will be scored as follows:

Lowest Hourly Rate x Maximum Number of Points (30) = Personnel’s Score

Personnel’s Proposed Hourly Rate

4) In Phase 4, highest scoring proposed project person(s) after Phase 2, Technical Qualification

Review and Phase 3, Cost Comparison may be invited for one or more rounds of interviews, at CalSTRS’ discretion. Reference checks may be conducted.

5) In Phase 5, if interviews are conducted, CalSTRS will negotiate rates with the Respondent whose proposed project person scored the highest points from Phase 4, subject to passing reference checks at the option of CalSTRS. If interviews are not conducted, CalSTRS will negotiate rates in Phase 5 with the Respondent(s) whose proposed project person(s) received the highest total points from Phase 2 and Phase 3, subject to passing reference checks at the option of CalSTRS.

5. Award

a. If CalSTRS enters into an agreement, it will be with the highest scoring responsible and responsive

Respondent(s)/Proposed Personnel, as detailed above, subject to optional reference checks including passing the cost negotiation phase, and satisfying all the requirements for this RFO.

Respondents should review the attached Sample Agreement for a sample of the agreement that will be awarded.

b. If CalSTRS is unable to execute an agreement with the highest scoring Respondent(s)/Proposed

Personnel, CalSTRS reserves the right to award to the next highest scoring responsive Respondent(s)/Proposed Personnel in line.

c. Multiple project personnel may be selected from this RFO.

d. The Respondent, if awarded an agreement, must register in the CalSTRS integrated financial system, the SAP Business Network. This portal provides direct access to administering product and service delivery with CalSTRS. Click on the hyperlink to register:

https://s1.ariba.com/Sourcing/Main/ad/selfRegistration?realm=calstrs.

e. If at any time during or at the conclusion of this RFO process CalSTRS determines that, in its opinion, the results of this process are unsatisfactory, CalSTRS reserves the right to cancel this RFO, discontinue this process and decline to award an agreement.

f. In the event of a tie, (i.e. two Respondent’s proposed project persons with the same highest score), the award shall be determined by a coin toss.

6. Payment Structure

The payment structure for activities performed under Attachment V, Statement of Work, is hourly.

Invoices shall be submitted in triplicate not more frequently than monthly in arrears.

https://s1.ariba.com/Sourcing/Main/ad/selfRegistration?realm=calstrs

Invoice(s) must include: 1) Purchase Order Number, 2) Contractor’s name, address and telephone number, 3) total amount of invoice, 4) copies of the Contractor’s weekly status reports that cover the invoice dates, and 5) a copy of the timesheet approved/signed by the CalSTRS Contract Manager that covers the invoice dates.

7. Services or Procurement Resulting from Agreement

No person, firm, or subsidiary thereof awarded an agreement resulting from this RFO may submit a bid for, nor be awarded a contract for, the provision of services, procurement of goods or supplies, or any other related action which is required, suggested, or otherwise deemed appropriate in the end product of an agreement resulting from this RFO. (Public Contract Code §10365.5).

8. Workers’ Compensation/Employer’s Liability Insurance

Contractor shall maintain statutory workers’ compensation and employer’s liability coverage for all its employees who will be engaged in the performance of the agreement, including special coverage extensions where applicable.

9. Security

Contractor shall perform a background investigation on all of Contractor’s employees, subcontractors and agents assigned to perform the services, or any part of the services, pursuant to the agreement (the “Contractor Personnel”), per the provisions of the attached Sample Purchasing Authority Purchase Order Agreement, Section G - Affirmative Covenants, Item 10 – Security, and must demonstrate compliance with Exhibit E, CalSTRS Contractor Background Investigation Policy. CalSTRS reserves the right to conduct a background investigation on the Contractor’s personnel, at its sole discretion.

ATTACHMENT I

Information and Offer Sheet

Respondent Firm Name Firm Address

Street Address City, State, Zip Code

Information Technology CMAS & Small Business / DVBE Certification

CMAS Number CMAS Term Dates Certified Small Business Enterprise (Yes or No) If Yes, provide DGS certification number

Certified Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (Yes or No) If Yes, provide DGS certification number

Administrative Contact

Name and Title Office Telephone # (Include area code) Cell Telephone # (Include area code) Email Address

Authorized Signer

Name and Title Office Telephone # (Include area code) Cell Telephone # (Include area code) Email Address

Proposed Project Personnel and Rate

Proposed Project Person #1 (mandatory) Name of Proposed Project Person CMAS Job Title (Must be a job title listed in the Available Products and/or Services of your CMAS)

CMAS (GSA) Hourly Rate Discount Hourly Rate Offered

Proposed Project Person #2 (optional) Name of Proposed Project Person CMAS Job Title (Must be a job title listed in the Available Products and/or Services of your CMAS)

CMAS (GSA) Hourly Rate Discount Hourly Rate Offered

ATTACHMENT II

Proposed Project Person Skill Summary Sheet

This sheet must be completed by each Proposed Project Person.

Proposed Project Person Name

The proposed project person’s expertise, experience, and education will be reviewed and scored based on the information including descriptions provided in this Attachment (which also includes desirable qualifications), and resume.

Follow the format prescribed below. The work experiences, skills and abilities listed in each description must be verifiable by proposed personnel references and resumes. A statement such as, Refer to Resume, is not acceptable. All fields must be completed.

MINIMUM TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS

1. At least ten (10) years of working experience in Information Technology or

Information System (IT or IS) field with most experience in the areas of software testing and quality assurance, including knowledge and experience overseeing development and testing portions of the entire System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to ensure quality, timely defect resolution(s), and software performance.

YES/

NO

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

Provide a detailed description of specific work experience that meets the minimum qualification.

Description

Employer and Work Location(s) Date Range(s) No. of Years From (MM/YYYY) To (MM/YYYY)

2. At least five (5) years of experience producing the following documents: testing requirements, testing platform architecture, test plan and strategy, test specifications, test configuration for various tests such as integration testing, system testing, regression testing, stress and loading testing.

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

3. At least five (5) years of experience preparing (i.e., setting and resetting) data for testing to be used as a software testing harness including test tools, test environments, as well as formulating test data sets and test cases for various types of testing (e.g., system test, functional test, performance test, regression test and user acceptance test.).

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

4. At least five (5) years of experience using industry leading defect tracking tools

(e.g., JIRA, Bugzilla, HP ALM, JAMA).

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

5. At least three (3) years of experience performing data quality activities. YES/

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

6. SQL (Structured Query Language) Service database experience with queries using

T-SQL (Transact-SQL), stored procedures, triggers, user defined functions, and views.

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

7. At least five (5) years of experience demonstrating experience analyzing test results, generating test scripts, identifying defects and/or anomalies, and fine-tuning test data or test cases.

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

8. At least three (3) years of experience as a tester/analyst validating data converted from legacy systems.

TOTAL

NO. OF

YEARS

Do you meet the above minimum qualification?

For each DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION, give a brief description of specific work experience that meets/exceeds the criteria and demonstrates the number of YEARS entered, as applicable.

Follow the format prescribed below. The work experiences, skills and abilities listed in each description must be verifiable by proposed personnel references and resumes. A statement such as, Refer to Resume, is not acceptable.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

1. Three (3) or more years of experience assisting a business with their testing activities, by providing data meeting the requirements of their test cases, running batch jobs to set data up for the test cases and producing data reports.

NO. OF

YEARS

2. Three (3) or more years of experience working in Microsoft Excel, including the use of formulas, pivot tables, and graphics.

NO. OF

YEARS

3. Four-year college degree (Bachelor) or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related Engineering fields from a government accredited/sanctioned college or university as evidenced by a copy of the diploma.

YES/

4. The proposed project person will be able to adhere to the hybrid working model by working on-site 2-3 days per week at CalSTRS Headquarters, West Sacramento, CA. If no, provide a short explanation. (no points)

YES/

ATTACHMENT III

Proposed Project Person Business Reference Sheet

One sheet must be completed for each Proposed Project Person.

Proposed Project Person Name

Business references should be able to verify the proposed project person’s experiences, within the last 10 years, and to verify the other information provided regarding such person.

REFERENCE 1

Name of Company/Agency Company Address City, State Contact Person (Name and Title) Contact Telephone # (Include area code) Contact Email Address Dates of Service (Include years and months)

REFERENCE 2

Company Address City, State Contact Person (Name and Title) Contact Telephone # (Include area code)

REFERENCE 3

Company Address City, State Contact Person (Name and Title) Contact Telephone # (Include area code)

ATTACHMENT IV

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are frequently asked questions as it pertains to this RFO. Respondents are responsible for reviewing these questions and responses. If this RFO accepts clarifications/questions, see instructions located on page 2 for how to submit written questions and the deadline to ensure a response.

Q.1. Is this a new position?

A.1. No.

Q.2. If there is an incumbent, are they eligible to be considered for this position?

A.2. Yes, however the services sought from this RFO can be proposed by any eligible Respondent who meets the qualifications to CalSTRS satisfaction. CalSTRS promotes open, fair and equal competition among prospective Respondents in a manner conducive to sound State fiscal practices.

CalSTRS reserves the right to reject any offer submission in the event CalSTRS determines that any conflict of interest exists.

Q.3. Will phone/webcam interviews be an option if interviews are conducted?

A.3. Yes, CalSTRS may consider interviews using online collaboration platforms. CalSTRS will determine the appropriate platform to use.

Q.4. What is the anticipated award and start dates for the contract?

A.4. See RFO Section D.1., Time Schedule.

Q.5. Is there a “remote working” option?

A.5. See RFO Section A., Introduction.

Q.6. Is the RFO available in a Word document format?

A.6. In order to maintain the format prescribed, CalSTRS will not disseminate the RFO in Microsoft

Word or any other format. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to develop and format a response, which may include the use of Microsoft Word, Adobe or other software and functions (i.e. prepare, convert, etc.), to provide all the required information and documents listed in the RFO.

Q.7. Is a CMAS required to respond to this RFO?

A.7. Yes.

Q.8. How do we become a CMAS vendor?

A.8. Business Entities interested in becoming a CMAS contractor may view the Department of General

Services site for additional information.

Q.9. Which classification do I list on Attachment I if it does not match the CalSTRS position title?

A.9. Respondents may submit a classification that has similar skills/experience and that is an available service listed on their CMAS as long as all Minimum Qualifications of this RFO are met.

Q.10. What if a proposed project person I submitted is no longer available at time of contract award, can I submit a new proposed project person?

A.10. Award is based on each individual proposed project person’s score. If any highest scoring proposed project person is no longer available at time of contract award, then CalSTRS reserves the right to award the next highest scoring Respondent/proposed project person in line.

Q.11. What is the estimated budget for this RFO?

A.11. In an effort to obtain competitive pricing, CalSTRS will not disclose this information.

Q.12. How to become a business partner with CalSTRS?

A.12. Business Entities may become a business partner with CalSTRS by registering in CalSTRS integration on-line financial system, the SAP Business Network. For more information about the portal and additional registration requirements please visit the link https://s1.ariba.com/Sourcing/Main/ad/selfRegistration?realm=calstrs.

Q.13. How do I update my business information (i.e. address, tax ID, entity name) with CalSTRS?

A.13. Business Entities will need to complete a Business Partner Form. To request the form please email

Partners@CalSTRS.com.

Q.14. Does CalSTRS Headquarters have onsite parking for independent Contractors?

A.14. Monthly parking privileges are available for CalSTRS employees only. Independent contractors are responsible for seeking alternative parking locations. One option may be the Ziggurat parking garage at 601 Third Street, West Sacramento, CA. Other parking options can be found at West Sacramento Parking Services.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD https://s1.ariba.com/Sourcing/Main/ad/selfRegistration?realm=calstrs https://www.cityofwestsacramento.org/business/parking https://www.cityofwestsacramento.org/business/parking

ATTACHMENT V

Statement of Work

The Contractor must be able to perform all work on-site at the CalSTRS headquarters facility in West Sacramento, CA. At CalSTRS’ discretion, a different approach (i.e., fully in-office, fully remote or different work hours) may be utilized based on CalSTRS business need and/or directive. Work must be performed during CalSTRS business hours and shall not be permitted on California State Holidays identified on the California Department of Human Resources website, unless pre-approved in writing by CalSTRS management. All work schedules must be pre-approved in writing by CalSTRS management and must adhere to all applicable CalSTRS policies and procedures. The Contractor is responsible for any travel costs (including travel time) that they may incur while providing the services identified in this Statement of Work.

A. Description of Services

The Test Analyst (Contractor), with knowledge of software testing processes, testing tools and methodologies, will:

1. Ensure that enterprise testing strategies and relevant quality assurance technologies are represented in CalSTRS Information Technology (IT) processes and standards.

2. Participate in and assist the testing activities in various software development efforts.

3. Be responsible for helping CalSTRS to standardize its future-state software testing framework and architecture and align them with its enterprise architecture.

The Contractor shall report directly to the CalSTRS Data Quality Technical Project Manager or designee and may be assigned to one or more teams/programs/projects during the total service period.

All work must be performed on-site at the CalSTRS headquarters facility in West Sacramento, CA, unless pre-approved by CalSTRS management.

B. Tasks/Deliverables

The Contractor’s tasks may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Software Testing Support

a. Review business requirements documentation to understand testing needs/requirements with respect to both functional and non-functional requirements of applications, application interfaces, and/or service-oriented architecture (SOA) services.

b. Collaborate with both business and information technology (IT) subject matter experts (SMEs) to collect, verify, develop, and document applicable test requirements.

c. Formulate test scenarios and develop test cases, test scripts, test data for various types of testing, e.g., user acceptance testing, system integration testing, performance testing, automated regression testing, load testing and stress testing.

d. Analyze, evaluate, make changes, and keep up to date all test requirements and test specifications.

e. Lead as well as perform testing related activities including User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and other testing (automated and non-automated) needs.

f. Assist in UAT and other testing activities by providing data suitable for the testing, running batch and online functionality as needed and providing data reports. Develop data manipulation scripts to modify data.

g. Review, update, and provide written comments on all testing related documentation, e.g., test results and reports.

h. Examples of anticipated deliverables include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

1) Test plans

2) Test scripts

3) Test data

4) Defect reports

5) Test results

6) Testing status reports

7) Data manipulation reports

2. Status Reporting

a. Update Monthly Engagement Status.

b. Develop and present technical findings for schedule, resources, issues, risks and mitigations during the monthly status review.

c. Provide weekly status reports.

d. Examples of anticipated deliverables include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

1) Weekly status reports, including, but not limited to, the following:

a) Meetings attended, presentations delivered, and completed assignments.

b) Activities planned for the coming week; and

c) Observations and recommendations.

3. Final Report

Upon completion of the contract, Contractor shall submit a Final Report to CalSTRS including, but not limited to, project activities, accomplishments, lessons learned, and suggestions/ recommendations for developing and/or improving ongoing maintenance and support. The Final Report shall summarize all activities, tasks, results, anomalies, and dispositions.

4. In addition, other job functions and responsibilities include design of test data to support the test strategy and test approach; continuous improvement of test efficiency, through the implementation of new methods, techniques, and test tools across the organization/projects; monitoring and assuring compliance to the test strategy (per release/project); implementation of post-execution test strategy/framework improvements based on feedback received from other test analysts and testers;

provide periodic status of milestones and checkpoints to management and participating product teams thus allowing assessment of the progress against plan; maintains expert level product knowledge with test management tools such as JAMA.

5. Provide training, coaching and knowledge transfer to CalSTRS staff. Transfer of knowledge to appropriate CalSTRS employees is required, along with any requested materials and content for transfer of knowledge.

6. Such other tasks and related services to provide the deliverables hereunder, as requested by

CalSTRS.

Transfer of knowledge to appropriate CalSTRS employees is required, along with any requested materials and content for transfer of knowledge.

Completion Criteria

Deliverables/tasks will include all work assignments identified to be completed. Deliverables/tasks are considered complete after CalSTRS’ quality assurance process is completed and approval is granted by designated CalSTRS’ reviewers.

Performance and timeliness of all deliverables/tasks will be monitored by CalSTRS via the submission of Contractor’s weekly status reports and through status meetings. Status and actual hours will be reported by Contractor on a weekly basis for the deliverables/tasks assigned. Each deliverable/task will be tracked via the appropriate program/project schedule and budget in order to monitor progress toward the completion of the deliverables/tasks and milestones.

Test Analysts

F. SAMPLE AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT NUMBER CWXXXXXXX

BETWEEN CALIFORNIA STATE TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM

AND <INSERT CONTRACTOR NAME>

A. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Contractor

The California State Teachers’ Retirement System, also known as CalSTRS, and <Insert Contractor Name>, also known as Contractor, agree to the following terms and conditions, in addition to those identified in the State of California, Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) No.

XXXX. See Exhibit A, Statement of Work (SOW).

B. AGREEMENT CONTACTS

1. Contractor

Contractor liaison for services shall be XXXX at telephone number (XXX) XXX-XXX and E-mail address XXXX.

2. CalSTRS

a) CalSTRS Business Contract Liaison for services shall be (Insert name) at E-mail address XXX@CalSTRS.com for questions related to the services.

b) CalSTRS Business Contract Manager for services shall be (Insert name) at telephone number (916) 414-XXXX, and E-mail address XXX@CalSTRS.com for questions related to the services.

C. TERM

The term of this Agreement shall be from <Month, Date, Year> through <Month, Date, Year> with the option to extend up to <insert #> additional months if the Contractor’s CMAS (identified above) is current prior to the term expiring.

D. FEES

The total amount of this Agreement shall not exceed $XXX.XX, unless amended in writing, approved by all required authorities, and additional funds are authorized. Fees shall be calculated as follows:

Hours Position Per Hour Amount X,XXX <Insert CalSTRS Working Title> $XXX.XX $XXX.XX

<Insert GSA Classification>

SAMPLE

mailto:XXX@CalSTRS.com mailto:XXX@CalSTRS.com

Request for Offer 5647921051

AI Delivery Lead

E. BUDGET DETAIL AND PAYMENT PROVISIONS

1. Invoicing and Payment

a) For services satisfactorily rendered, and upon receipt and approval of the invoices, CalSTRS agrees to compensate the Contractor for actual expenditures incurred in accordance with the rates specified herein and made a part of this Agreement.

b) Invoices shall be submitted not more frequently in monthly arrears through the following:

1. The supplier submits their invoices through the SAP Business Network.

2. If contractor/supplier has not registered, to do business with CalSTRS, on the

SAP Business Network:

a. Supplier must contact Partners to create an SAP Business Network account to facilitate invoicing and payment.

b. Supplier will contact their Business Area Liaison for assistance in submitting an invoice.

c) Invoice(s) must include: 1) Purchasing Authority Purchase Order Number, 2) Contractor’s name, address and telephone number, 3) total amount of invoice, 4) copies of the Contractor’s weekly status reports that cover the invoice dates, and

5) a copy of the timesheet approved/signed by a State Manager that covers the invoice dates.

2. Budget Contingency Clause

a) It is mutually agreed that if the Budget Act of the current year and/or any subsequent years covered under this Agreement does not appropriate sufficient funds for the program, this Agreement shall be of no further force and effect. In this event, CalSTRS shall have no liability to pay any funds whatsoever to Contractor or to furnish any other considerations under this Agreement and Contractor shall not be obligated to perform any provisions of this Agreement.

b) If funding for any fiscal year is reduced or deleted by the Budget Act for purposes of this program, CalSTRS shall have the option to either cancel this Agreement with no liability occurring to CalSTRS or offer an agreement amendment to Contractor to reflect the reduced amount.

c) Pursuant to the Teachers’ Retirement Board (board) Governance Manual, any

Agreement which exceeds $1,000,000 in cumulative value must be approved by the board. If the Agreement term spans multiple fiscal years and board approval of the cumulative fiscal year value is required, it is mutually agreed that if the board does not approve funding for current year and/or any subsequent years, this Agreement shall be of no further force and effect.

SAMPLE

https://service.ariba.com/Supplier.aw/109573047/aw?awh=r&awssk=3eo5bK9B&dard=1&ancdc=1 mailto:mailto:%20Partners@CalSTRS.com

3. Prompt Payment Clause

Payment will be made in accordance with, and within the time specified in, Government Code Chapter 4.5, commencing with section 927.

F. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Approval

This Agreement is of no force or effect until signed by both parties. Contractor may not commence performance until approval has been obtained.

2. Titles/Section Headings

Titles or headings are not part of this Agreement, they are for convenience of reference only, and shall have no effect on the construction or legal effect of this Agreement.

3. Choice of Law

This Agreement and any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof shall be administered, construed, governed and enforced according to the laws of the State of California (without regard to any conflict of laws provisions) to the extent such laws have not been preempted by applicable federal law. Any suit brought hereunder (including any action to compel arbitration or to enforce any award or judgment rendered thereby) shall be brought in the state or federal courts sitting in Sacramento, California, the parties hereby waiving any claim or defense that such forum is not convenient or proper. Each party agrees that any such court shall have in personam jurisdiction over it and consents to service of process in any manner authorized by California law.

4. Unenforceable Provision

In the event that any provision of this Agreement is unenforceable or held to be unenforceable, then the parties agree that all other provisions of this Agreement have full force and effect and shall not be affected thereby.

5. Amendment

No amendment or variation of the terms of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties. No oral understanding or agreement not incorporated in the Agreement is binding on any of the parties.

6. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable to the other for delay in or failure of performance, nor shall any such delay in or failure of performance constitute default, if such delay or failure is caused by “Force Majeure.” Such causes may include, but are not restricted to, Acts of

God or of the public enemy, acts of the State in its sovereign capacity, fires, floods, power failure, disabling strikes, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, and freight embargoes.

Contractor confirms that the goods/services to be provided to CalSTRS are not affected by the current COVID-19 Pandemic and that Contractor is able to perform under the Agreement.

7. Signatures & Counterparts

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

The parties agree to the terms of this Agreement and have caused this Agreement and its exhibits to be signed by their duly authorized representatives. Any manually executed signature page to this Agreement and its exhibits delivered by a party by facsimile or electronic mail in .PDF form shall be deemed to be an original signature hereto. Additionally, CalSTRS may provide the option for the parties to electronically sign this Agreement and exhibits via DocuSign or by other electronic means prescribed by CalSTRS. Any counterpart delivered using any of foregoing methods shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered with the same force and effect as original signatures, which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

8. Intellectual Property

Contractor expressly acknowledges and agrees that all discoveries, inventions, processes, designs, plans, works of authorship, and trade secrets, whether of a technical nature or not, made or developed by Contractor alone or in conjunction with any other person or entity while accomplishing the Agreement (Intellectual Property), shall be the sole and exclusive property of CalSTRS and CalSTRS may use or reuse the Intellectual Property, in whole or in part, in all media, whether now or later existing, throughout the universe in perpetuity, including but not limited to the exclusive right to reproduce, perform and exploit the Intellectual Property, and all information regarding the Intellectual Property, concurrent with the discovery or development of the Intellectual Property. If the Intellectual Property or the results and proceeds thereof constitute “works of authorship” within the scope of U.S. Copyright Law, the foregoing shall be deemed “works made for hire” and CalSTRS shall be considered the sole author and owner of all rights comprised in the copyright and/or patent thereof and shall have the exclusive right to seek patent and/or copyright protection in CalSTRS name. In the event that any Intellectual Property does not constitute “works made for hire,” Contractor hereby assigns all rights thereto exclusively to CalSTRS for any and all purposes of CalSTRS. At all times during its term and after the termination of the Agreement, Contractor shall assist CalSTRS in obtaining and maintaining, for CalSTRS benefit, protection of the Intellectual Property and Contractor shall execute and cause its subcontractors to execute such further instruments as CalSTRS may reasonably require as evidence of ownership of such rights. Contractor agrees that he/she will not use or disclose any Intellectual Property owned by CalSTRS without the express written permission of CalSTRS.

G. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

1. Reports and/or Meetings

a) Contractor shall provide oral or written progress reports as requested by CalSTRS to determine if Contractor is performing to expectations or is on schedule, to provide communication of interim findings, and shall afford occasions for discussing and resolving problems encountered.

b) Contractor shall meet with CalSTRS staff and/or the board upon request to discuss progress on the Agreement or to present findings, conclusions and recommendations.

2. Additional Documents

Contractor and CalSTRS agree to execute such additional documents, and perform such further acts, as may be reasonable and necessary to carry out the provisions of this

3. Reportable Interests

Contractor shall not directly or indirectly receive any benefit from recommendations made to CalSTRS and shall disclose to CalSTRS any personal investment or economic interest of Contractor which may be enhanced by the recommendations made to CalSTRS.

Contractor acknowledges that CalSTRS is subject to provisions of the Fair Political Practices laws of California (Government Code section 81000, et seq., and all regulations adopted thereunder, including, but not limited to, Title 2, California Code of Regulations, section 18700) and Contractor…