RFP_Amended Wills Questions and Answers.pdf

Questions for Wills RFP

1. Appendixes A and C were referenced in the RFP but were not attached to the RFP document. Please provide Appendix A – General Provisions and Appendix C – DHCD

Guidelines for Legal Counsel Representing Third Parties if you deem them necessary.

a. Appendix A and Appendix C have been added.

2. What business entity forms are permitted to submit a proposal under this RFP? i.e.

are LLCs permitted?

a. Applicants may apply as any legally recognized business entity, including corporations, partnerships, nonprofits, and LLCs. The RFP explicitly asks applicants to identify their business organization type, confirming that LLCs are permitted to submit proposals.

3. Would any employees hired by the successful applicant be on city or private payroll? Would employees of the successful applicant be eligible for city benefits?

a. Employees hired by the successful applicant will remain employees of the provider, not the City of Philadelphia. Providers are independent contractors and are responsible for their own staffing, payroll, and compliance with the

City’s minimum wage and benefits ordinances. Provider staff are not eligible for City employee benefits.

4. Is the successful applicant permitted to conduct direct marketing of services provided under the RFP to eligible city residents?

a. Yes. The RFP requires the provider to conduct community outreach and education, including workshops, clinics, and one-on-one consultations.

Providers may engage in direct outreach to eligible residents, in consultation with City staff, as part of fulfilling the Scope of Work.

5. After receiving proper documentation and invoices, how soon can the applicant expect payment? i.e. are accounts payable cleared within 30 days of invoicing?

a. The City will issue payment monthly upon approval of deliverables. Providers must submit invoices within 30 days of the end of the billing period, with required supporting documentation. While the RFP does not guarantee payment within 30 days, payments follow the City’s standard reimbursement schedule.

6. Will the successful applicant be required to invoice expenses separately from direct legal services and document preparation, or would a per will (or client served) cost that included all fees and related expenses be acceptable?

a. This contract is a fixed-price agreement that includes all expenses under the annual cap. Providers may propose a per-will or per-client cost that includes all related fees and expenses, if it fits within the fixed-price structure.

Separate line-item invoicing of individual expenses is not required unless requested during contract negotiations

7. Can the successful applicant use subcontractors who were not identified at the time of the RFP application submission?

a. Applicants must list all proposed subcontractors in their initial submission, including each subcontractor’s EIN, scope of work, and percentage of total work. Adding subcontractors after award is not permitted without City approval and may be restricted under RFP rules.

8. I noticed that the City of Philadelphia released the RFP for the Wills Program. I noticed that it specifies the request for legal services and we are unable to apply to this RFP to conduct community outreach/education and one-on-one consultations, correct?

a. Yes. In addition to direct legal services, the RFP requires providers to conduct community outreach, legal education workshops, and one-on-one consultations. Applicants need to meet all requirements of the RFP. If there is a section of the RFP that is not provided by an organization, we encourage you to join a larger proposal to apply.

9. Would eligibility be limited to clients who are referred to us through the NACs, housing counselors, and/or H.O.M.E programs, or can we count clients who come to us directly and whom we refer into a H.O.M.E program towards our will preparation deliverables?

a. Clients may come directly to providers for will preparation services.

10. Because this is a fixed price agreement, should we just plan on billing 1/12 of our total project cost each month, or is there a different formula you'd prefer we use?

a. The selected consultant must invoice each month based on time and deliverables, and supporting documentation should accompany the monthly invoices.