RFP_72779_Q_A_Summary_2nd_Round_-_Final.pdf

Respondent Questions Answers

A. 1. In response to question M, No. 7, you state that payments will be made on completion of the deliverable as detailed in the Cost matrix. No interim payments will be made. If this is true, EDD expects the contractor potentially to pay $2 million in media and not be reimbursed for a year. The media campaign will, most likely run ten out of the twelve months of the contract. The state has never required this type of advance payment to the state in any other RFP. If EDD will not allow monthly payments in arrears, but only payment on completion of each deliverable, it makes it almost impossible to respond to this bid. Is this what EDD is requiring of their contractor?

The payment terms have been revised to allow for the invoicing for individual media advertisements as they are purchased by the Contractor. EDD must approve the content of any such advertisement before invoices can be submitted.

See Attachment 6 and Section IV. P. of the RFP for the new language.

2. Question B, 12 regarding staff resumes. It states that resumes are to be from Key staff and that resumes are not needed from ALL staff. Then Question I-11, it states resumes will be required from each individual staff member, not just the two mandatory roles. Please clarify: Are resumes required for all proposed staff and subcontractors or are resumes required for all Key staff and key subcontractors, but not all staff who will work on the account.

The requirements for staff resumes and reference have been revised in the RFP.

We are no longer requiring any references for individual staff members, and we are only requiring individual staff resumes from the two mandatory classifications.

3. Under section 2, Attachment 5 Staff Resumes and Qualifications Matrices in the Q&A Summary, you are requesting that 3 references must be provided for each of the two mandatory roles listed in section 3, attachment 5.

a. What type of references is EDD seeking? Personal or Professional? The requirements for staff resumes and reference have been revised in the RFP.

We are no longer requiring any references for individual staff members.

b. Should we use the same Reference Form, Attachment 4, to submit these additional six references? If not, how do you want these references to be delivered, i.e. letters, just names and phone numbers?

See answer to Q3 a above.

c. If the references are professional references, they would be the same as the Company references since the team has worked on the same clients. Can references be duplicated, i.e.same reference for both the Project Director and the Project Manager?

See answer to Q3 a above.

d. Finally, do you want the reference to identify the person and speak to their professional abilities as it pertains to their role on the client’s account?

See answer to Q3 a above.

B. 1. Is there a chance that the due date for this RFP will be moved again if you are unable to respond to the Q&A by 3/24?

Yes, if needed.

2. You indicated that you would give bidders the same amount of time to submit their proposals after the Q&A session was complete as indicated in the first RFP – which would have allowed for 31 days (2/16 -3/18), however because of the long delay in responding to the questions, you have now shorted bidders by almost one full week of time to prepare their proposals – 3/24-4/19. Is this new due date an error? It would seem the proposal should be due on 4/25 to allow bidders equal time as originally determined by EDD. Please clarify and issue an amended due date ASAP.

When the estimation of 31 days was made, we had not yet determined that a 2nd Q&A period would be necessary. We have determined that the revised timeline in Addendum 1 of the RFP will best ensure a timely execution of the final contract while still providing enough time for proposers.

3. Why require separate rates for each deliverable rather than one set of hourly rates for all deliverables? This seems complicated both in scoring and project management.

The assumption is that the cost (staffing, equipment, etc.) for each deliverable would vary, thus hourly rates for each deliverable would not be the same. The vendor should be able to identify the total costs for each individual deliverable and use those as the total costs for each deliverable in the Deliverable/Cost Matrix.

4. Is it possible there will be impacts to this campaign given the pending legislative changes to the PFL program? If so, what could they be?

EDD does not anticipate any major changes. Slight changes may need to be made to the informational materials, but there should be no major impacts to the campaign. If passed, Assembly Bill 908 would change PFL benefit amounts and remove the waiting period effective January 1, 2018

5. EDD should consider that campaigns that are similar in size and scale to this are likely to be multi-year projects.

To ensure that you’re obtaining references from similar/like projects for bidders, may a bidder submit more than one reference for a current project, if it is a multi-year project, and at least one full year of the project has been completed?

Additional references will be accepted from multi-year projects if they are from two separate customers. Multiple references from one customer will not be accepted.

6. May references be provided for projects completed by the key project team members while working for another firm, assuming they are similar in size and scope?

We are no longer requiring any references for individual staff members in the revised RFP.

7. There are no dates for interviews in the new timeline of the revised RFP (page 8/62). Will EDD forego interviews for this RFP because of tight timelines, or was that a mistake? If a mistake, when will interviews occur?

We anticipate the interviews to occur during the first week of May, though this is tentative.

8. If conducted, how will oral interviews be scored? Can you please provide what will make up the 100 points that are available so bidders fully understand what is needed to be successful should they be selected for an interview?

The scoring criteria for the Oral Interview are laid out in Section II. D. 7. of the RFP. There are not any additional scoring criteria for this element.

9. You are asking for and scoring costs associated with developing a detailed work plan and implementation plan, but because you are asking for proposals to cover those things, you are effectively getting that work plan/implementation plan as part of the proposal. Would the costs associated with this task be to finalize/refine our proposals into a final scope of work, or for some other purpose?

EDD views the proposal as a draft work plan. The chosen vendor will then collaborate with EDD to further refine, develop and finalize this draft into a final plan. The costs associated with the Detailed Work and Implementation Plan are the total costs to produce the plan.

10. There are items listed in IV. Exhibit A – Scope of Work that are not identified on Attachment 3 – Narrative Statement of Work Response, specifically, B. “earned media” and “other recommended communication vehicles as identified in PFL market research” and H: digital, social media and search strategy and communications. How do we address this discrepancy? Do you expect bidders to include info on these items on Attachment 3, and if so, how will rates/costs be evaluated for these items?

As described in section two of the matrix appearing in both the scoring section and Section J of the SOW, the second bullet includes the Section H desirables of the SOW. It states: "Paid Media Strategy and Placement, including, but not limited to ethnic-cultural media, social media, search engine marketing, radio, and print. Advertising and materials are developed and produced to strengthen public understanding of the PFL program, its benefits, and how it interacts with FMLA and employee leave programs." Under section #2 of the Attachment 6 Deliverable/Cost Matrix, item "b" lists the summary title for description above of the" Paid Media Strategy and Placement."

The contractor will utilize the PFL market research report to determine if earned media is an appropriate communication vehicle for target populations/areas. The campaign may include earned media, but it is not required.

11. QB15 from the first round of questions asked about social media, which is referenced in multiple locations in the SOW and RFP. Is EDD asking bidders to conduct PAID social media efforts only, or per H: Digital Social Media and Search Strategy (page 56/62) are you also looking for organic social media content development, as indicated in the RFP later? If it’s the latter, where do we account for this in Attachment 3 and in rates/costs?

See answer to Q10 above.

12. QC2 refers to research, the EDD response indicates you have a research team conducting awareness research.

Should bidders assume that they do not need to cover the costs to determine changes in awareness as part of their submission – meaning, we do NOT need to include any additional qualitative or quantitative research costs with our bid?

EDD expects the bidder to indicate how they will measure the success of their campaign. This measurement may require additional qualitative or quantitiative research on the part of the bidder.

13. It is still not clear how bidders will be paid for their work and services. Item P of IV: Exhibit A Scope of Work indicates “Deliverables are paid at the fixed price specified in the matrix” and yet you are no longer asking for fixed prices for deliverables as part of the revised RFP, and instead requested hourly rates for bidders. Is it assumed that EDD will pay bidders on a time and materials basis at the end of each month for the work completed from the SOW the prior month? It seems unreasonable, especially for small businesses, to not be paid until deliverables are complete because some of the deliverables may be ongoing and not fully “complete” until the end of the contract (media buys, partner outreach, etc.). Small businesses cannot be expected to wait a full year or more to be paid by the state and this goes against the state’s prompt payment clause. Please advise as this will likely significantly impact who will bid for this contract.

Covered in Respondent A, Q1.

14. Why can’t EDD encumber the additional $3m and extend the contract beyond June 2017 to get a more comprehensive and effective program rather than trying to rush to spend $5.5m in one year?

The legislature has not yet confirmed the availability of these additional funds, so EDD is unable to encumber them at this point.

15. QF3 addresses references. Are the references to be provided for the firm submitting the proposal, or are the two key roles supposed to provide references for their individual work, or both? If both, can the references for the key staff be different than that of the firm?

We are only requiring company references from the bidder (as well as from any subcontractor that will receive at least 10% of the value of the agreement). We are no longer requiring any references for individual staff members.

16. EDD is giving the same score for media buy mark up for 0-2 percent commissions? Shouldn’t someone offering a zero percent commission get the highest score, and a sliding scale from there? How would it make sense that a bidder offering a no cost media buy for a $1m buy to the state would be scored the same as someone charging a 2 percent commission, which would result in a $20k cost to the state?

The mark-up percentage table has been broken into smaller increments in the revised RFP. See Section II. D. 6. for the revised table.

Please also note that the mark-up percentage must also cover all media production costs.

17. The Oral interviews state that only the top three finalists based on the four previous scoring categories will be interviewed, please confirm what the four previous scoring categories are?

These categories are Narrative Scope of Work Response, Company References, Staff Résumés and Qualifications Matrices, and Deliverable/Cost Matrix.

C. 1. Regarding EDD’s Survey and Applied Research Unit, will the pre and post campaign research conducted (per answer C-2) be specific to this campaign only, and the identified target audiences of this campaign? Also, will the findings be shared with the 2. winning contractor to help inform campaign development (in addition to the Andrew Chang & Co. research) and the post-advertising marketing campaign results?

This survey effort is to provide us with an additional measuring tool to assess general awareness before and after the campaign. The pre-campaign survey results will be shared with the winning contractor. The EDD has not determined when the post-campaign survey will be conducted.

2. What is the anticipated timing of the EDD Survey and Applied Research Unit’s pre campaign survey? Can you share any additional information about this research tool at this time, including:

o Will the survey be executed by phone or online?

o What is the sample size?

o Who is the audience? Will it include the target audiences outlined in Andrew Chang & Co. research?

o Will the research break out all of the target audiences separately?

o Has the survey instrument already been designed?

o Regarding the scale of the survey, how many questions are included in the survey? Or how much time is allotted to the survey response?

Survey details and results will be shared with the winning bidder.

3. Will the selected contractor be able to collaborate with EDD and provide input on the pre and post research survey instrument that EDD will be conducting to ensure questions align with the strategy / activities that are implemented?

No, this contract will commence after release of the pre-research survey. The post-marketing survey population and sampling method will be the same as for the pre-campaign survey.

4. Does EDD expect the selected contractor will conduct new primary research, in addition to the Andrew Chang & Co. research (revised December 14, 2015) and the upcoming Applied Research Unit pre and post campaign survey?

See Respondent B, Q12.

5. When will firms be notified if they made it into the oral presentation round? Oral interviews are tentatively scheduled for the first week of May. Firms participating in the interviews will be notified approximately one week before.

6. As part of the contract, EDD states it can determine a deliverable is not satisfactory, and then not pay the contractor for it, after it has been completed. Is it possible to work with EDD to develop a multi-step approval process, in order to prevent last minute changes of direction that could result in rejection of a deliverable, and avoid a last-minute non-payment decision?

EDD will be working very closely with the selected contractor throughout each step of the project to prevent this from occurring. Also, the payment provisions regarding advertisements have changed, see Respondent A, Q1 for details.

7. The Link to Attachment 8: Payee Data on page 45 is not live. Can this be fixed since it is a required document.

Link provided: http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/osp/pdf/std204.pdf

The following updated link can be used for the form:

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std204.pdf

D. 1. According to the RFP, as part of the contractor’s Post-Advertising/Marketing Campaign Results Report, the contractor should show outcome measures demonstrating an increase in campaign awareness. The report should also include process-related and digital measures as well as impact measures (claims data).

a. What method and sampling frame is being used and what questions are being asked by EDD’s Survey and Applied Research Unit for pre/post tracking evaluation (data collection which begin min March 2016 before a contractor is chosen)? Will you share this information so the contractor can assess the degree to which it needs to supplement this research in order to secure high-quality outcome measures?

See Respondent C, Q2.

b. Setting aside digital and process-related metrics and impact metrics associated with claims data, is it EDD’s opinion that the contractor will also need to collect original benchmark and follow-up opinion research specifically designed around and using the branding and language ultimately agreed-upon and deployed in the campaign? Or is it EDD’s opinion that the data being collected by the Survey and Applied Research Unit will meet this need, and budget should not be allocated for this aspect of the evaluation, thus not duplicating efforts and maximizing available budget for outreach activities?

This is a separate measuring tool. EDD will be sharing results with the selected vendor. However, the bidder is expected to identify how they will assess the success of their campaign.

c. Can the EDD share existing desktop and/or mobile site metrics to establish KPI benchmarks for improvement? Ex:

How many times does a potential applicant visit the site before formally applying? (Conversion rates, etc.)

Available data metrics can be shared with the selected vendor.

d. Will the agency and digital vendors be allowed to place pixels on the various pages to follow the user? Available data metrics and tracking potential can be shared with the selected vendor.

e. EDD shared plans on developing an online UI/UX experience study. Would this study be initiated once the full marketing campaign is active and live? Or would it be implemented before the campaign is active?

This is a separate effort and has a timeline that is separate and apart from the campaign. If study is completed and data becomes available, results will be shared with the selected vendor in contract.

2. The Market Research Study cites the CPUC on page 80 as having a well implemented outreach approach. Are there any other statewide campaigns that the EDD looks to as a best practice in implementation and results?

There are no other campaigns EDD looks to as best practice.

3. Related to requirements to submit full team resumes, there appears to be some inconsistency in the first round of the Q & A between B12 and I11. Can you clarify you need full resumes for key staff only, or all staff?

See Respondent A, Q2.

E. 1. The paid family leave research report recommends simplifying the application process (both online and on paper) as that has been cited as a barrier to PFL usage across all most populations. In addition, it also recommends enhancing and clarifying the information of PFL on the EDD website. How likely will the winning vendor be able to work with EDD on making the necessary revisions to the EDD website? Are there opportunities to revise the application process to make it easier for customers to apply?

EDD is looking for recommendations from both the vendor and the separate usability study to improve the customer experience with the website. There will be opportunities for the vendor to discuss/work with the EDD to make recommendations on improving customer access to information via the website and application process. Changes to the application process may depend on the EDD's information technology resources/budget.

2. In addition to raising awareness of the PFL campaign, would EDD be interested in measuring the number of completed online claims as a success metric? If so, are there opportunities for vendor to add conversion tags to the EDD website for reporting and optimization purposes?

The focus of the campaign is PFL awareness. The EDD encourages online services.

Usage may be a metric for measuring success, but one method of filing (online or by mail) would not be differentiated as more successful than the other.

3. We notice that the paid family leave research report did not include African Americans. Is this a segment of interest for EDD. Can the vendor recommend additional research to include the African American segment? If so, are we expected to include this research data in our proposal?

Yes, this segment is of interest to the EDD and the vendor should include data and outreach strategies for this segment, in addition to outreach activities that target all potential claimants as set forth in Section IV, Exhibit A - Scope of Work (p. 51).

4. Are your in-language call centers staffed by EDD employees? Individuals calling a non-English PFL toll-free number will hear the recording, menu options, and program information in the specified language. To speak to a representative, the caller must leave a voice message and an EDD representative will return their call.

F. 1. See RFP page 53 of 57… Will you require your selected contractor to automatically obtain all rights to images for “unlimited and future usage” or can these arrangements be considered/discussed case-by-case?

The EDD shall have all rights to images for unlimited and future usage, in accordance with Section IV. D. 6. of the RFP.

2. Will the selected contractor work directly with one person from EDD or a committee? The contractor will work with an EDD committee/workgroup led by the DI Branch project manager, and will have direct access to Public Affairs and Marketing personnel as well.

3. What is the average amount of time we should anticipate for approval of advertising, public relations/outreach materials?

EDD considers this project a priority and will strive to provide approvals within 1-2 weeks.

4. On page 8 of the re-issued RFP, there is no mention of an Orals/Interview date. However, in the Q&A, B.7 it states that “interviews to occur during the first week of May, depending on the overall response to the RFP.” Are there any circumstances under which you envision not having oral presentations?

We do not anticipate removing the oral interview component of this RFP.

5. If we are selected to participate in the orals, to how many people will we be presenting? Four to five individuals from the EDD will participate in the oral interviews.

6. Are there existing talent agreements/contracts that have to be accounted for in the budget? No.

7. On pages 42-43 of 57 the revised Cost Matrix uses the same job titles/classifications for each Deliverable (1-3).

In some cases the job titles/classifications does not accurately reflect the staff doing the work. Are we allowed to change the job titles/classifications in the Cost Matrix?

The EDD recognizes that job titles/classifications within a proposer’s/subcontractor’s organization may vary from the job titles/classification that follow. However, the Proposer shall use the listed job titles/classifications for the purposes of establishing the hourly labor rates for evaluating the Deliverable/Cost Matrix for each of the deliverables. The vendor shall list the costs under the job title/classification that is most appropriate/fitting.

8. In the Q&A Response, I.8 states in the answer “The three work samples must be from the primary contractor and the subcontractor(s) may submit work samples.” Does this answer mean that three samples must come from the prime but subcontractors can also submit samples above and beyond the three requested?

Yes, three samples must come from the prime. Subcontractor samples may be submitted, but these would be separate from the required three samples from the prime.

9. On Page 9, the RFP talks about various outreach activities that are carried out by the DI Branch’s Education and Outreach Unit, (Question I,1, also refers to this issue). Regarding outreach to California employers, will the employer database be made available to the Contractor, either directly or indirectly, to facilitate additional communication to this audience on behalf of PFL?

The EDD Tax Branch's employer database may be available for facilitating PFL communication. However, the vendor will not have direct access.

10. Of the outreach and partnership activities discussed in the Q&A document (D. 1.b. and B. 5.), will EDD staff continue these efforts or should it be assumed that the contractor will take over the responsibilities as part of the awareness campaign?

EDD staff will continue the outreach efforts with the vendor's assistance of developing new partnerships, and guiding and supporting EDD staff efforts. EDD staff will build in approved vendor recommendations as they become available and as resources allow.

11. In response to question M.5., can you please clarify what is meant by “managing.” Does that mean the communications staff will provide direction and oversight of media relations and social media activities or will that staff do the actual work resulting from the contractor’s recommended strategies and tactics?

EDD staff will build in approved recommendations as they become available and depending upon available resources.

12. In the Q+A, Section M, 7. – it states that contractor can only invoice at conclusion of deliverable, no interim billing – can an exception be made for net media costs?

See Respondent A, Q1.

13. From Page 25 of 62, A. Scoring Hourly Labor Rates:

Note: The EDD recognizes that job titles/classifications within a proposer’s/subcontractor’s organization may vary from the job titles/classification that follow. However, the Proposer shall use the following job titles/classifications for the purposes of establishing the hourly labor rates for evaluating the Deliverable/Cost Matrix for each of the deliverables:

• Project Manager or equivalent

• Account Manager/Marketing Specialist or equivalent

• Account Assistant

• Creative Manager

• Creative Designer

• Support Staff Question: Are we to assume that all personnel identified in our response must fit within one of these classifications?

For example, Deliverable #2 b. is the Paid Media Strategy and Placement but the Labor Cost classifications do not include Media Planner or Media Buyer.

The EDD recognizes that job titles/classifications within a proposer’s/subcontractor’s organization may vary from the job titles/classification that follow. However, we ask that the Proposer, to the best of their ability, use the listed job titles/classifications for the purposes of establishing the hourly labor rates for evaluating the Deliverable/Cost Matrix for each of the deliverables. In the instance for deliverable 2B, Media Planner/Buyer was mistakenly omitted and has been corrected accordingly.

14. Pages 41-43, Attachment 6 Deliverable/Cost Matrix does not provide for any vendor costs, only for labor costs and paid media costs. How do we account for those vendor costs?

Mark-up percentage must also cover all costs associated with production of advertising materials such as graphics, video and/or audio recording.

G. 1. Are there specific awareness metrics that will be tracked? Baseline awareness is provided in the market research report. The vendor should provide an assessment of the campaign as compared to that baseline. The vendor will determine the metrics in collaboration with the EDD.

2. How is the EDD tracking ethnicity? The DI Branch currently does not track ethnicity. Language preference is captured. However, this is voluntary.

3. Do all of the ethnicities have to addressed or just priority ethnicities? The specified ethnicities and non-English speakers referenced in the RFP and PFL market research report should be targeted in the campaign.

4. Will the contractor have the ability to place tracking pixels on EDD website ? Yes, but there will be limitations to this. EDD will finalize what is possible with the winning bidder.

5. Will we have access to EDD website traffic metrics? EDD will provide what is available to the selected vendor.

6. Will the EDD be making website updates during this time to improve the application process? The EDD continually makes website updates to improve customer access to information, including ways to file for PFL. We are looking for recommendations from both the vendor and the results of the separate usability study.

7. Will measurement of the program continue after 6/30/17? Yes, EDD will continue to measure PFL awareness and usage after 6/30/17.

8. Will the contractor have access to EDD social media channels? The contractor will be working with the EDD Public Affairs Branch team to develop posts for EDD social media channels.

9. Can we make EDD website update recommendations? Yes, the vendor shall make recommendations to improve website usability and navigational ease to PFL information.

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