RFP 21-1793 Bidder QA.docx
DOCX document 92 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Economic study on the cost of raising children
- Solicitation number
- RFP 491 210000001793 2
- Issued by
- Grand Traverse County, Lansing City, Michigan
About this file
This is a Bidder Questions & Answers document issued by the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Enterprise Procurement for RFP 21-1793 regarding the Economic Cost of Raising Children project. The RFP solicits proposals to conduct economic research and analysis to inform updates to Michigan's Child Support Formula (MCSF), with six primary objectives: conducting an economic study of child-rearing costs with methodology recommendations for updating general care tables; analyzing self-support reserves and the impact of subsidies on subsistence-level income; examining tax treatment and child-related deductions; assessing health care costs on both gross and net bases; evaluating work-related and dependent care expenses; and ensuring compliance with federal data element requirements. Bidders may propose to address multiple objectives individually or in combination, with consolidated reporting preferred when multiple objectives are awarded to a single contractor. Monthly status reports, interim progress benchmarks at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% completion thresholds, and final written objective reports are required deliverables. No in-person travel to Michigan is anticipated, as all meetings and presentations will be conducted virtually.
Pricing proposals must include estimated units, per-unit rates, and total costs for each objective, with bundled rates and economies of scale explanations required for bidders pursuing multiple objectives. Bidders should separately itemize line items with different hourly rates for tasks such as summarizing existing research versus conducting original research. Monthly invoicing based on Schedule B rates is anticipated, with price adjustments requiring written documentation of cost changes. Bidders requiring access to confidential IV-D (child support) information must complete computer-based security and confidentiality training through the Office of Child Support's Learning Management System and execute required user agreements prior to information disclosure. The OCSE Security Agreement, included as Attachment A, governs the handling of federal child support enforcement data and tax information that may be linked to Michigan child support cases.
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
ENTERPRISE PROCUREMENT
Department of Health and Human Services
235 South Grand Avenue, Lansing, MI 48913
P.O. Box 30037, Lansing, MI 48909
Bidder Questions & Answers
RFP # 210000001793
Economic Cost of Raising Children
| Q # |
| Document and Section |
| Page # |
| Bidder Question |
| Answer |
| 1 |
| Proposal Instructions, Section 5. DELIVERY OF PROPOSAL |
| 3-4 |
| Does SIGMA VSS set up an account immediately or does it take a few days or weeks? |
| Questions on how to submit information or how to navigate in the SIGMA VSS system can be answered by calling (517) 284-0540 or (888) 734-9749. |
| 2 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, SCOPE |
| 17 |
| Will the successful bidder be working with the Friend of the Court Bureau (FOCB) review committee? If so, is it an on-going committee (continues to meet rather only convenes for quadrennial guidelines review) and who serves on the committee? Specifically, what are their affiliations (e.g., work for the agency or court, private attorney, or a parent obligated to pay child support). Alternatively, is the successful bidder(s) expected to prepare a report(s) to fulfill an objective before the next FOCB review committee meets? If so, how will committee questions be addressed? |
| No. This will be a report to the FOCB, which will be used in preparing for/sharing with the Committee. Some deliverables may be shared with the Committee during its deliberations. If there are questions in the interim, the FOCB would be the conduit for that. |
| 3 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, SCOPE (Deliverables) |
| 17 |
| What is the expected deliverable for each objective? Is it written report of the findings? Would there be one report for each of the six objectives (i.e., six different reports)? If not, please clarify. |
| The State expects the deliverable for each objective to be a written report. If a Bidder is awarded multiple objectives, the State expects a report with a separate section for each awarded objective. A consolidated report with an executive summary is preferred. Where a finding in one area informs other objectives, cross-references are acceptable. |
| 4 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 1. Objective 1 Economic Study |
| 18 |
| Is the task limited to reviewing extant studies or can the bidder propose a new study, particularly since there is no current or recent study that uses the same methodology underlying Michigan's current general care tables? |
| No, the task is not limited to extant studies and Bidders may propose a new study. First, the task is to review extant studies to determine how to advise the State. To the extent the studies are lacking, the State expects the Bidder to provide ways to fill in the gaps. If the Bidder recommends a new study that cannot be completed within the time allowed, the State expects the Bidder to recommend an approach to address the issues identified as needing additional study until such a study can be bid and conducted. |
To the extent the Bidder can complete the study to provide information on the methodology underlying the State’s General Care Tables, the State expects the Bidder to conduct the study and to compare and contrast the study to existing methodologies to recommend the best way to update Michigan's Child Support Formula (MCSF). The Bidder should state whether the bid includes conducting the study and what portion of the bid cost is allocated to the study.
| 5 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section, 1.c Objective 1 Economic Study |
| 18 |
| The RFP states the successful bidder will "recommend a method to update Michigan’s general care tables." Please clarify whether the recommendation is a "method," an "actual update of the general care table" or an actual update of the general care table and a method that MI can use in the future to update? If something other, please explain. |
| The State expects Bidders to recommend actual updates to the general care tables in the MCSF-S 2.03(C) and provide explanations related to the methodology to be used for continued updates. |
| 6 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 2.b Objective 2: Self Support reserve |
| 19 |
| What is meant by a "subsidy" in this sentence: "The bidder must study the degree to which subsidies are able to raise the subsistence level income." Does this mean the Earned Income Tax Credit or some sort of public assistance or something other? |
| Use of the term "subsidy" is meant to help identify the full picture surrounding an individual's need for self-support reserves. Therefore, credits, grants, subsidies and assistance all may impact an individual's true economic picture. A successful Bidder will provide research on findings on this impact. |
| 7 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 1 Objective 4: Health Care Costs |
| 20 |
| What is meant by "gross" and "net" cost? Does it mean adjusted for taxes? Does it mean out-of-pocket, unreimbursed medical expenses compared to total cost (i.e., covered by insurance or Medicaid)? |
| The request is to study the differences in gross costs for health care related expenses with an individual's net cost after factoring in things like tax credits, state and federal subsidies (i.e., the Marketplace), employer provided benefits, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, etc. The scope of this is to better assess the actual cost of a child's health care to more fairly account for it as part of the formula. |
| 8 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 1 Objective 6.B Federal Data Elements |
| 20 |
| Please clarify whether the successful vendor should just recommend how to meet these federal requirements or actually conduct the analysis as well. |
| The Bidder should provide costs for recommendations on how to meet the requirements and to conduct the analysis. |
| 9 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 2.4 Security |
| 26 |
| How does a bidder complete the security and confidentiality training and applicable user agreements? For example, is it computer-based training that takes less than 30 minutes to complete? |
| Confidentiality and security training is only required if bidders will be granted access to IV-D information. Prior to granting access to IV-D information and systems, an initial confidentiality and security training is required to be completed. This training is computer-based and is completed on the Office of Child Support’s Learning Management System (LMS). This training takes about an hour to complete. Access to the LMS is obtained through a system access form. This form includes a user agreement that must be completed and signed if IV-D confidential information will be disclosed during the bidding process. Additional user agreements/required forms are provided during the training. Only upon completion of the training and required user agreements and forms will the user be granted access to IV-D systems. |
| 10 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 3.1 Access to Tax Information |
| 27 |
| Can tax data be linked to parties with Michigan child support cases; specifically, income of a party and information about health Savings accounts and other health-related accounts? |
| For past MCSF queries, the number of dependents, filing status, (now) child tax credit dependents claimed (and whether alternating), child and dependent care tax credit information, and whether taxes were system generated or entered manually by the user (either as actual taxes or whether system-generated amounts were overridden) have been used. |
| 11 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 3.2 OCSE Security Agreement |
| 27 |
| What is the OCSE Security Agreement? |
| The Office of Child Support Enforcement Security Agreement. It is included as Attachment A to this RFP. |
| 12 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 4.3.1 Reporting (Monthly Huddle Report.) |
| 28 |
| Are "monthly huddle reports" essentially monthly management/progress reports including findings to date, barriers and needs and status of progress? If not, please clarify. |
| The "monthly huddle reports" are status reports including the findings to date, barriers and needs, and status of progress to ensure that the project is moving along toward completion in a timely manner and to ensure the Bidder has access to information and staff who are necessary to complete the study. |
| 13 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 4.3.2 Reporting (Objective Report.) |
| 28 |
| Is an objective report a written report that fulfills an objective? If not, please clarify? Also, does the 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% thresholds just mean reporting when 25% written, then again when 50% written and so forth? If not please clarify? |
| Objective Reports are benchmarks for each objective so that the program manager can assess the progress and anticipate deliverable and/or delays. |
| 14 |
| Schedule B Pricing |
| 32 |
| Is the successful bidder expected to travel to Michigan for on-site presentations or meetings? If so, how many? |
| It is not anticipated that travel will be necessary. Monthly meetings, ad-hoc meetings, and final presentations can be provided virtually. |
| 15 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 5.2 Price Change and Schedule B Pricing |
| 29 |
and 32
| Is pricing expected to be a blended rate of all proposed personnel adjusted for multiple years? If not, please explain. Also, please explain how this relates to Section 5.2 on price changes on page 29? For example, maybe the intention is a blended rate of staff for the base year with Section 5.2 used to adjust for annual changes. |
| In Schedule B Pricing proposals submitted, Bidders are expected to provide the estimated number of units, per unit rate, and total cost for objective on which they are bidding. If Bidders’ proposals include all objectives, the Bidder’s should provide bundled per unit rates and bundled total costs for all objectives if awarded one Contract for all objectives. |
Unit rates inclusive of all costs need to be provided in submitted price proposals. As indicated in Section 5.2, any adjustments to pricing must be supported by written evidence documenting the change in costs. Section 5.2 also indicates the contractor remains responsible for contract activities at the contract’s current price for all orders received before the mutual executive of a Contract Change Notice indicating the start date of the new Pricing Period.
| 16 |
| Schedule B Pricing |
| 32 |
| Is the "bundled per unit rate" column a cap on that particular objective? |
It is not a cap. Bidders are asked to submit a unit rate for each objective separately. As stated in the Bidder question box, Bidders must explain any cost efficiencies or economies of scale if Bidder is awarded more than one objective. The Bundled Per Unit Rate column is meant for Bidders to include the rate for that objective if multiple objectives are awarded.
The State anticipates if a Bidder is awarded more than one objective, they will be able to use work from one objective to complete work on other objectives creating economies of scale.
| 17 |
| Schedule A Statement of Work, Section 7. Invoicing and Section 8. Service Delivery Contract |
| 30 |
| Is the expectation for monthly billing based on the rates in Schedule B? If not, please clarify. |
| See Section 7. Invoice and Payment |
| 18 |
| Schedule B Pricing |
| 32 |
| During the pre-bidders’ conference, it was suggested that bidders separate the cost of summarizing existing research and doing original research? If the hourly rate is different for those two tasks, should they be separate line items on the cost matrix? |
| Yes, if Bidders have different hourly rates for the costs of summarizing existing research and doing original research, then the different rates need to be separate line items on the pricing matrix. |
Revised 07/18/2018
Revised 07/18/2018 image1.jpeg
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