RFP_FAMLI Accounting and Financial Management Advisory and Support Services.pdf

FAMLI Accounting and Financial Management Advisory and

Support Services

Solicitation #: BPM054837

RFP Document

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 1 of 63

STATE OF MARYLAND

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

(MD LABOR)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

FAMLI ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

ADVISORY AND SUPPORT SERVICES

RFP NUMBER: BPM054837

ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 12, 2026

A Prospective Offeror that has received this document from a source other than eMarylandMarketplace

Advantage (eMMA) https://procurement.maryland.gov should register on eMMA https://emma.maryland.gov/

NOTICE TO OFFERORS

SMALL BUSINESS RESERVE PROCUREMENT

This is a Small Business Reserve Procurement for which the award will be limited to certified small businesses. Only businesses that meet the statutory requirements set forth in State Finance and

Procurement Article, §§14-501—14-505, Annotated Code of Maryland, and that are certified by the

Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs (GOSBA) Small Business Reserve

Program are eligible for award of a contract. Before awarding a contract under a procurement designated as a small business reserve procurement, the Procurement Officer shall verify that the apparent awardee is certified by the GOSBA as a small business through eMMA. However, if small businesses do not show interest in this solicitation, the Procurement Officer has the right to remove the SBR designation via an

Amendment on eMMA.

https://procurement.maryland.gov/ https://emma.maryland.gov/ https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/sbr-program.aspx https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/sbr-program.aspx

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 2 of 63

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ARE ENCOURAGED TO RESPOND TO THIS

SOLICITATION.

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 3 of 63

STATE OF MARYLAND

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals Services Contract, FAMLI Accounting and Financial Management

Advisory and Support Services

Solicitation Number: BPM054837

RFP Issue Date: JANUARY 12, 2026

RFP Issuing Office: Maryland Department of Labor, Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI)

Procurement Officer: Kennedy Iyare

100 S. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 kennedy.iyare1@maryland.gov

410-767-2874

Email:

Phone Number:

Proposals are to be sent to:

Submit to emma.maryland.gov under Solicitation Number BPM054837.

Proposals will only be accepted through the State's eMaryland

Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) e-Procurement system.

Instructions on how to submit proposals electronically can be found at:

https://mdprocurement.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/70000592

967-responding-to-solicitations-rfp-vendor-

To submit a proposal, offerors must first register on emma.maryland.gov.

We recommend registering in advance to become acquainted with the site.

Contract Monitors:

Email:

Phone Number:

Lilly Liu

100 S Charles St, Tower I

Baltimore, MD 21201 lilly.liu1@maryland.gov

410-902-3775

No Bid/Proposal Notice

Feedback Form

*If you are not submitting a proposal for this solicitation, submit

Attachment 1 with your reasons why.

mailto:kennedy.iyare1@maryland.gov https://mdprocurement.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/70000592967-responding-to-solicitations-rfp-vendor-https://mdprocurement.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/70000592967-responding-to-solicitations-rfp-vendor-mailto:lilly.liu1@maryland.gov

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 4 of 63

Pre-Proposal

Conference:

Pre-Proposal Conference: Famli Accounting & Financial Management

Advisory & Support Services

Tuesday, January 20, 2026. 10:00 – 11:00 am

Time zone: America/New York

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/amm-ngnq-uox

Or dial: (US) +1 224-650-6929 PIN: 315 894 083#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/amm-ngnq-uox?pin=2477255152303

See Attachment 2 to RSVP by JANUARY 16, 2026, to Attend

Scheduled Site Visit N/A

Questions Due Date and

Time:

JANUARY 16, 2026, 4:00 PM EST.

Proposal Due (Closing)

Date and Time:

FEBRUARY 13, 2026, 4:00 PM EST.

Offerors are reminded that a completed Feedback Form is requested if a no-bid/proposal decision is made (see Attachment 1 - No Bid

Notice/Feedback Form).

MBE Subcontracting

Goal:

An overall Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) subcontract participation goal of 17% of the total contract dollar amount, including all renewal option terms, if any, has been established for this procurement. The overall

MBE subcontract participation goal includes the following subgoals, which have been established for this procurement:

_____% for African-American MBEs;

__3__% for Asian-American MBEs;

__2__% for Hispanic-American MBEs; and

__10__% for Woman-Owned MBEs.

Refer to Exhibit 1 for information on how goal setting was determined.

Also, refer to Appendix 4 for information about the MBE program and goals.

VSBE Subcontracting

Goal:

This solicitation includes a VSBE participation Goal of 2%

Refer to Exhibit 1 for information on how goal setting was determined.

Also, refer to Appendix 5 for information about the VSBE program and goals.

Procurement Method: A Contract will be awarded in accordance with the Competitive Sealed

Proposals method under COMAR 21.05.03.

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 5 of 63

Multiple or Alternate

Bids:

Multiple or alternate Proposals will not be accepted.

Contract Type: Firm Fixed-Price plus Time and Material

Contract Duration: Three (3) year base period with one (1) one-year option period.

Primary Place of

Performance:

The work will be done remotely.

SBR Designation: Yes

Federal Funding: No

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 6 of 63

TABLE OF CONTENTS – RFP

1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.2 Contractor Responsibilities and Workstreams

2.3 Deliverables

2.4 Experience and Personnel

2.5 Substitution of Personnel

3 Standard Terms and Conditions

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

3.2 End of Contract Transition

3.3 Invoicing

3.4 Liquidated Damages

3.5 Problem Escalation Procedure

3.6 Work Orders

3.7 Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer

3.8 Prompt Payment Policy

3.9 Federal Funding Acknowledgement

3.10 Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

3.11 Non-Disclosure Agreement

3.12 Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Requirements

3.13 The State of Maryland’s Commitment to Purchasing Environmentally Preferred Products and

Services (EPPs)

3.14 Insurance Requirements

3.15 Non-Compete Clause Prohibition

4 Proposal Submission Information and Instructions

4.1 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA)

4.2 Electronic Means

4.3 Pre-Proposal Conference

4.4 Questions

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 7 of 63

4.5 Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time

4.6 Economy of Preparation

4.7 Public Information Act Notice

4.8 Oral Presentation

4.9 Duration of Proposals

4.10 Revisions to the RFP

4.11 Cancellations

4.12 Incurred Expenses

4.13 Protest/Disputes

4.14 Offeror Responsibilities

4.15 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

4.16 Compliance with Laws/Arrearages

4.17 Verification of Registration and Tax Payment

4.18 False Statements

5 Proposal Format

5.1 Two Part Submission

5.2 Proposal Delivery and Packaging

5.3 Volume I – Technical Proposal

5.4 Volume II – Financial Proposal

6 Evaluation and Selection Process

6.1 Evaluation Committee

6.2 Technical Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.3 Financial Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.4 Reciprocal Preference

6.5 Selection Procedures

6.6 Documents Required upon Notice of Recommendation for Contract Award RFP Attachments

(Table B)

7 RFP Appendices and Exhibits

7.1 Appendices (Table C)

7.2 Exhibits (Table D)

8 Attachment 1 – No Bid/Proposal Notice

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9 Attachment 2 – Pre-Bid/Proposal Conference

10 Attachment B. Financial Proposal Instructions & Form

B-1 Financial Proposal Instructions

B-2 Financial Proposal Form

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1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

The Offeror must provide proof with its Proposal that the following Minimum Qualifications have been met:

A. The Offeror shall have at least seven (7) years’ experience providing financial management / accounting advisory and support services to large organizations (those with more than 500 employees or more than $50 million in annual revenue), at least five (5) years of which must have been services specifically to public sector organizations.

B. Included with the experience of at least seven (7) years, the Offeror must also have at least three (3) years’ experience specifically in supporting clients in the development and implementation of new sub-organizations focusing on financial management / accounting functions.

C. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting these requirements, the Offeror shall provide with its Technical Proposal at least three (3) references from the past five (5) years able to attest to the Offeror’s experience in providing relevant services.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 10 of 63

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

The Maryland Department of Labor (MD Labor) Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI)

Division is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to secure financial management and accounting advisory and support services.

The State of Maryland (State) intends to obtain services, as specified in this RFP, from a Contract between the successful Offeror and the State.

There will be a single award resulting from this RFP. The duration of the Contract will be a three (3) year base period with one (1) one-year option period. The Contract type will be Firm Fixed-Price, plus

Time and Materials for additional as-needed advisory support from Subject Matter Experts. Total value for the life of the Contract, including option year and maximum allowable use of Subject Matter

Expert hours, is not to exceed $4.5 million.

Offerors, either directly or through their subcontractor(s), must be able to provide all services and meet all the requirements requested in this solicitation. The successful Offeror (the Contractor) shall remain responsible for Contract performance regardless of the subcontractor’s participation in the work.

A Contract award does not ensure a Contractor will receive all or any State business under the Contract.

The FAMLI Division encourages Offerors to consider establishing strong partnerships with subcontractors who are experts and have experience in specialized areas, ensuring that project goals, objectives, and deliverables are achieved. While certain services may be provided by the subcontractor(s), the awarded Prime Contractor ultimately will be responsible for ensuring that all project goals, objectives, and deliverables are met. The FAMLI Division will hold the Prime Contractor responsible for managing, overseeing, and providing all negotiated services and deliverables.

Please note, there is no transition-in period contemplated for this contract. The Contractor shall be prepared to start work under this contract on or around the contract start date.

2.1.1 Background and Purpose

MD Labor connects Marylanders to good jobs, protects workers and consumers, and supports

Maryland businesses, fostering economic growth and competitiveness. MD Labor strives to create an equitable and inclusive Maryland, where all residents have the opportunities and resources to attain financial stability, reach their career potential, and contribute to their communities; where businesses have access to capital and the skilled workforce they need to succeed; where workplaces are safe and well-regulated; and where the economy is resilient and growing.

FAMLI is preparing to launch the state’s paid family and medical leave program. Starting January

2028, employees working in Maryland will receive job protection and be able to take time away from work to care for themselves or a family member, while still receiving up to $1,000 per week for up to

12 weeks.

FAMLI is an insurance program. Employers and employees will make contributions to a fund administered by the State. Alternatively, an employer may apply to use a private plan that provides benefits equivalent to or greater than the FAMLI program. When an employee needs to take leave, either the State or the private plan will pay the employee a portion of their salary.

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Nine states plus the District of Columbia have similar active paid leave programs. Three additional programs — those in Delaware, Maine, and Minnesota — are in the process of implementation.

Additional information about FAMLI is available at paidleave.maryland.gov.

2.1.2 FAMLI Implementation Timeline and Scale of Financial Operations

FAMLI will be funded through mandatory contributions to the State Plan from approximately 180,000

Maryland employers. Employers have the option to obtain alternative paid family and medical leave insurance coverage through self-insurance or equivalent commercially available plans. Securing alternative coverage exempts employers from the requirement to remit contributions to the State Plan.

The current published contribution rate is 0.9% of covered wages up to the Social Security Wage Base.

Employers are permitted to withhold up to half of this amount (0.45%) from the pay of their employees.

On January 1, 2027, employers who choose the State Plan as their FAMLI coverage provider will begin mandatory payroll deductions from their employees. By the end of April 2027, employers will remit the first quarter of mandatory premium contributions to FAMLI. It is anticipated that annual revenue from mandatory contributions will approach or exceed $2 billion. Therefore, FAMLI must have the financial procedures and accounting controls in place by April 2027 to receive $500 million in contributions from employers each quarter, beginning with the quarter ending March 31, 2027.

Starting in January 2028, FAMLI will begin to pay benefits to eligible employees. Approximately 2.6 million employees are covered by the FAMLI program. It is expected that in the first year, 170,000 employees may file FAMLI claims. Annual benefit payments from FAMLI may exceed $1.6 billion.

Therefore, FAMLI must have the financial procedures and accounting controls in place by January 2028 to distribute $500 million in benefit payments to qualified employees each quarter.

2.1.3 The Need for Strong Financial Management and Accounting Processes and

Controls

The primary financial mechanism facilitating the FAMLI benefit program consists of a revolving, non-lapsing trust fund into which mandatory contributions from employers are deposited and from which payments to employees are debited. To uphold public trust in the program, it is imperative that MD Labor and FAMLI establish strong financial and accounting controls in order to process, track, and report on inflows and outflows of these funds, as well as to prevent potential misappropriation and fraud, both internal and external.

FAMLI’s Financial Services Directorate will oversee most of FAMLI’s accounting procedures. Important related functions will also be performed by the Employer Services and Claims & Benefits Directorates.

Accounts receivable will come in primarily from quarterly payments submitted by or on behalf of employers through a front-end customer website coded in Ruby on Rails (RoR). Incoming payments will be processed by a third-party banking vendor. Amounts owed and paid to FAMLI will be tracked in

Oracle NetSuite and displayed to staff in Salesforce, as well as to customers in the RoR app. FAMLI accounting staff will interact with employer accounts through Salesforce and Oracle NetSuite.

Accounts payable will be initiated through customer requests for benefits through FAMLI’s RoR frontend website. Payable amounts will be authorized by staff in Salesforce. Amounts payable and paid by FAMLI will be tracked in Oracle NetSuite and displayed to staff in Salesforce and back to customers in FAMLI’s

RoR app. Outgoing payments will be delivered to customers by FAMLI’s banking vendor.

2.1.4 Contract Purpose

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 12 of 63

FAMLI is soliciting qualified Offerors’ proposals to be the Prime Contractor on the FAMLI Division’s

Accounting and Financial Management Advisory and Support contract. The purpose of this procurement is to provide accounting and financial management consulting and support services to MD Labor’s

FAMLI Division in the development and implementation of the paid family and medical leave insurance program.

2.1.5 State Staff and Roles

The sole point of contact for the State, for purposes of this RFP, prior to the award, is the Procurement

Officer listed in the Key Information Summary Sheet. In addition, the State project team consists of the following:

A. Contract Monitor.

1. The Contract Monitor is responsible for ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract.

2. Reviewing contract performance and tracking deliverables.

B. State Project Manager

1. The State Project Manager will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the completion of specific tasks for MD Labor, ensuring milestones are completed on time, within budget, and according to the defined scope.

2. The State Project Manager will also work with the Contractor’s Project Manager to lead and coordinate teams, manage resources, and communicate with stakeholders throughout the term of the contract.

2.1.6 Other State Responsibilities

A. The State will provide access to systems reasonably necessary for Contractor performance under the Contract. It is assumed the work will be performed 100% remotely.

2.2 Contractor Responsibilities and Workstreams

The contractor shall complete the following five (5) principal workstreams:

A. Workstream 1: Project Management and Communication

B. Workstream 2: Support for Foundational Program-Building and General Accounting

C. Workstream 3: Support for the Collection of Employer Contributions

D. Workstream 4: Support the Payment of Benefits

E. Workstream 5: Additional and Ad Hoc Support

2.2.1 Workstream 1: Project Management and Communication includes overall contract management requirements.

A. The Contractor shall host a virtual kick-off meeting within 21 days of the Notice to Proceed

(NTP) Date.

B. The Contractor shall manage the work and spending under the Contract in a responsible fashion to ensure that all assigned tasks are completed in a timely and efficient manner. The

Contractor shall provide on a monthly basis updates on the Contract progress to the Contract

Monitor and meet with the Contract Monitor as needed to effectively manage the Contract.

C. On a quarterly basis, the Contractor shall hold a meeting with FAMLI leadership and discuss progress to date, the upcoming quarter’s activities, and the quarterly programmatic assessments described below in Sections 2.2.2, 2.2.3, and 2.2.4.

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 13 of 63

2.2.2 Workstream 2: Support for Foundational Program-Building and General

Accounting includes the advisory and support services needed to assist

FAMLI in building the necessary foundational aspects of its financial management and accounting system.

A. Workstream 2 shall begin after the Contract Kickoff Meeting is held and continue for the duration of the Contract.

B. Examples of the type of work that may be included in Workstream 2 include:

1. Recommend best practices for general accounting and financial management, and support

FAMLI staff in developing, implementing, testing, and documenting these best practices.

2. Support FAMLI staff in developing, implementing, testing, and documenting the internal controls needed to be compliant with Maryland statutes, regulations, and Generally

Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

3. Support FAMLI staff in the development, implementation, testing, and documentation of recordkeeping and reporting capabilities, processes, and procedures.

4. Support FAMLI staff in the development, implementation, testing, and documentation of quality and performance management capabilities, processes, and procedures.

5. Support FAMLI staff in the development, implementation, testing, and documentation of internal audit capabilities, processes, and procedures.

6. Support FAMLI staff in the development of training materials for the general accounting team.

7. Provide ongoing recommendations and support to FAMLI staff on general accounting system and process improvements.

8. Active participation in all relevant meetings and working sessions as required by FAMLI staff.

9. On a quarterly basis, the Contractor will submit an assessment of the current state of

FAMLI’s General Accounting program, with specific attention to (1) areas of greatest risk; (2) any aspects of the program that are not in line with GAAP and/or accounting best practices; and (3) priority areas for improvement.

2.2.3 Workstream 3: Support for the Collection of Employer Contributions includes the advisory and support services needed to ensure FAMLI’s financial management teams, accounting systems, and processes are capable of, and prepared to, collect employer contributions starting in April 2027, in accordance with all relevant FAMLI, MD Labor, and State of Maryland

Government policies, regulations, and statutes.

A. Workstream 3 shall begin after the Contract Kickoff Meeting is held and continue for the duration of the Contract.

B. Examples of the type of work that may be included in Workstream 3 include:

1. Support FAMLI staff in the implementation, integration, testing, and documentation of the Division’s accounting system’s accounts receivable functionality, capabilities, workflows, processes, and procedures.

2. Support FAMLI staff in the development, implementation, testing, and documentation of risk management capabilities, processes, and procedures for collecting employer contributions.

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3. Support FAMLI staff in the development of training materials for the accounts receivable team.

4. Provide ongoing recommendations and support to FAMLI staff on system and process improvements once collection contributions are underway.

5. Active participation in all relevant meetings and working sessions as required by

FAMLI staff.

6. On a quarterly basis, the Contractor will submit an assessment of the current state of

FAMLI’s Collection of Employer Contributions program, with specific attention to

(1) areas of greatest risk; (2) any aspects of the program that are not in line with

GAAP and/or accounting best practices; and (3) priority areas for improvement.

2.2.4 Workstream 4: Support the Payment of Benefits includes the advisory and support services needed to ensure FAMLI’s financial management teams, accounting systems, and processes are capable of, and prepared to, pay benefits starting in January 2028, in accordance with all relevant FAMLI, MD

Labor, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and State of Maryland Government policies, regulations, and statutes.

A. Workstream 4 shall begin after the Contract Kickoff Meeting is held and continue for the duration of the Contract.

B. Examples of the type of work that may be included in this workstream include:

1. Support FAMLI staff in the implementation, integration, testing, and documentation of the Division’s accounting system’s accounts payable functionality, capabilities, workflows, processes, and procedures.

2. Support FAMLI staff in the development, implementation, testing, and documentation of risk management capabilities, processes, and procedures for paying worker benefits.

3. Support FAMLI staff in the development of training materials for the accounts payable team.

4. Provide ongoing recommendations and support to FAMLI staff on system and process improvements once benefit payments are underway.

5. Active participation in all relevant meetings and working sessions as required by

FAMLI staff.

6. On a quarterly basis, the Contractor will submit an assessment of the current state of

FAMLI’s Payment of Benefits program, with specific attention to (1) areas of greatest risk; (2) any aspects of the program that are not in line with GAAP and/or accounting best practices; and (3) priority areas for improvement.

2.2.5 Workstream 5: Additional and Ad Hoc Support includes related advisory and staff support for financial management and accounting requirements that may emerge during the Contract but fall outside of Workstreams 1 – 4.

A. This workstream shall begin after the Contract Kickoff Meeting is held and continue for the duration of the Contract.

2.3 Deliverables

2.3.1 Deliverable Submission

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Although the primary focus of this Contract is for the delivery of advisory and support services to FAMLI staff and not formally submitted deliverables, some individual deliverables as described in Section 2.3 will be required, and additional deliverables in support of the workstreams described in Section 2.2 may be identified and agreed upon by FAMLI and the Contractor. Unless specified otherwise, formal written deliverables shall be compatible with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, or Microsoft Visio within two

(2) versions of the current version. At the Contract Monitor’s discretion, the Contract Monitor may request one hard copy of a written deliverable.

A standard deliverable review cycle will be elaborated and agreed upon by FAMLI and the Contractor.

This review process is entered into when the Contractor completes a deliverable.

For any written deliverable, the Contract Monitor may request a draft version of the deliverable to comply with the minimum deliverable quality criteria listed in Section 2.3.3 Minimum Deliverable Quality.

Drafts of each final deliverable, except status reports, are required at least two weeks in advance of when the final deliverables are due (with the exception of deliverables due at the beginning of the project, where this lead time is not possible, or where the draft delivery date is explicitly specified). Draft versions of a deliverable shall comply with the minimum deliverable quality criteria listed in Section 2.3.3

Minimum Deliverable Quality.

2.3.2 Deliverable Acceptance

A final deliverable shall satisfy the scope and requirements of this RFP for that deliverable, including the quality and acceptance criteria for a final deliverable as defined in Section 2.3.4 Deliverable

Descriptions/Acceptance Criteria.

When necessary, the Contract Monitor shall review a final deliverable to determine compliance with the acceptance criteria as defined for that deliverable. The Contract Monitor is responsible for coordinating comments and input from various team members and stakeholders. The Contract Monitor is responsible for providing clear guidance and direction to the Contractor in the event of divergent feedback from various team members.

In the event of rejection, the Contract Monitor will formally communicate in writing any deliverable deficiencies or non-conformities to the Contractor, describing in those deficiencies what shall be corrected prior to acceptance of the deliverable in sufficient detail for the Contractor to address the deficiencies. The Contractor shall correct deficiencies and resubmit the corrected deliverable for acceptance within the agreed-upon time period for correction.

2.3.3 Minimum Deliverable Quality

The Contractor shall subject each deliverable to its internal quality control process prior to submitting it to

FAMLI. Each deliverable shall meet the following minimum acceptance criteria:

A. Be presented in a format appropriate for the subject matter and depth of discussion.

B. Be organized in a manner that presents a logical flow of the deliverable’s content.

C. Represent factual information reasonably expected to have been known at the time of submittal.

D. In each section of the deliverable, include only information relevant to that section of the deliverable.

E. Contain content and presentation consistent with industry best practices in terms of deliverable completeness, clarity, and quality.

F. Meets the acceptance criteria applicable to that deliverable, including any State policies, functional or non-functional requirements, or industry standards.

G. Contains no structural errors such as poor grammar, misspellings, or incorrect punctuation.

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H. Must contain the date, author, and page numbers.

I. When applicable for a deliverable, a revision table must be included.

J. A draft written deliverable may contain limited structural errors, such as incorrect punctuation, and shall represent a significant level of completeness toward the associated final written deliverable. The draft written deliverable shall otherwise comply with the minimum deliverable quality criteria above.

2.3.4 Deliverable Descriptions/Acceptance Criteria

The Contractor may suggest other supplemental approaches, artifacts, or deliverables to improve the quality and success of the assigned work orders. Offerors must read the RFP thoroughly for all Contract requirements and deliverables.

Table 1: Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria

ID # Deliverable Description Acceptance Criteria Due Date / Frequency

2.2.1.A Host Kick-off Meeting and

Present Plans

Contractor hosts the kick-off meeting

Within 21 days from the Notice to Proceed

(NTP)

2.2.1.C Annual meeting with FAMLI leadership

An annual meeting with designated FAMLI Division leaders is held to discuss progress to date and the upcoming year’s activities

Annually

2.2.2.B.9 Annual assessment of

General Accounting program

A detailed written assessment of the current state of

FAMLI’s General

Accounting program, with specific attention to (1) areas of greatest risk; (2) any aspects of the program that are not in line with GAAP and/or accounting best practices; and (3) priority areas for improvement

Annually

2.2.3.B.6 Annual assessment of

Collection of Employer

Contributions program

A detailed written assessment of the current state of

FAMLI’s Collection of

Employer Contributions program, with specific attention to (1) areas of greatest risk; (2) any aspects of the program that are not in line with GAAP and/or accounting best practices; and

Annually

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ID # Deliverable Description Acceptance Criteria Due Date / Frequency

(3) priority areas for improvement

2.2.4.B.6 Annual assessment of

Payment of Benefits program

A detailed written assessment of the current state of

FAMLI’s Payment of

Benefits program, with specific attention to (1) areas of greatest risk; (2) any aspects of the program that are not in line with GAAP and/or accounting best practices; and (3) priority areas for improvement

Annually

2.4 Experience and Personnel

2.4.1 Preferred Offeror Experience

2.4.1.1 Project Experience

The Offeror should present and briefly describe relevant project experience for the applicable categories of work as described below, with the performing personnel or organization clearly being noted for each project description.

2.4.1.2 Providing Advisory and Support Services for General Accounting in Government

Organizations

The Offeror's response should describe the Offeror’s experience relevant to this category and should describe how the Offeror would tailor such experience to this category. For this category, FAMLI expects the Offeror to organize materials in a particular manner as described below:

A. Development and implementation of internal controls in government organizations

B. Development and implementation of recordkeeping and reporting workflows, policies, and procedures in government organizations

C. Development and implementation of quality management and performance management workflows, policies, and procedures in government organizations

D. Development and implementation of internal auditing workflows, policies, and procedures in government organizations

E. Development and implementation of staff training for accounting and financial management teams in government organizations

F. Development and implementation of risk management workflows, policies, and procedures in government organizations

G. Adoption and integration of new accounting technical systems and tools in government organizations

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2.4.1.3 Providing Advisory and Support Services for Government Tax Collections

The Offeror's response should describe the Offeror’s experience relevant to this category and should describe how the Offeror would tailor such experience to this category. For this category, FAMLI expects the Offeror to organize materials in a particular manner as described below:

A. Accounts receivable functions, capabilities, workflows, processes, policies, and procedures in government organizations

B. Risk management for tax collections in government organizations

C. Staff training for government teams responsible for tax collections

2.4.1.4 Providing Advisory and Support Services for Government Benefit Payments

The Offeror's response should describe the Offeror’s experience relevant to this category and should describe how the Offeror would tailor such experience to this category. For this category, FAMLI expects the Offeror to organize materials in a particular manner as described below:

A. Accounts payable functions, capabilities, workflows, processes, policies, and procedures in government organizations

B. Risk management for benefit payments in government organizations

C. Staff training for government teams responsible for benefit payments

D. Tax withholding, filing, and remittance processes associated with benefit payments

2.4.1.5 Providing Advisory and Support Services for the Creation of New Government

Programs

The Offeror's response should describe the Offeror’s experience relevant to this category and should describe how the Offeror would tailor such experience to this category.

2.4.1.6 Providing Subject Matter Expertise in Government Financial Management and

Accounting

The Offeror's response to this category should describe the Offeror’s experience and ability to provide specific subject matter expertise on an as-needed basis in support of financial management and accounting advisory and support engagements and should describe how the Offeror would tailor its relevant experience to this category.

2.4.1.7 Past Maryland State Government Experience

As part of its offer, each Offeror is to provide a list of all contracts with any entity of the

State of Maryland that it is currently performing, or which have been completed within the last five (5) years. For each identified contract, the Offeror is to provide:

A. The State contracting entity

B. A brief description of the services/goods provided

C. The dollar value of the contract

D. The term of the contract

E. The State employee contact person (name, title, telephone number, and if possible, e-mail address)

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F. Whether the contract was terminated before the end of the term specified in the original contract, including whether any available renewal option was not exercised.

G. Information obtained regarding the Offeror’s level of performance on State contracts will be considered as part of the experience and past performance evaluation criteria of the RFP.

2.4.2 Personnel Experience

To complete the Workstreams described in Section 2.2, the Contractor will staff a Core Team consisting of one (1) Project Lead & Lead Accounting Consultant, one (1) Senior Accounting Consultant, and one

(1) Management Analyst, as described in Section 2.4.3.2 and Section 2.4.3.2. The Contractor will also provide supporting Subject Matter Experts on an hourly basis as described in Section 2.4.3.3.B.

2.4.3 Key Personnel and Staff Requirements

FAMLI reserves the right to approve or reject proposed personnel, personnel changes, and/or proposed

Subcontractors. In this instance, said Key Staff personnel positions are listed below and must be named in the Technical Proposal response to this RFP. The Contractor will follow the requirements and processes listed in Section 2.5, Substitution of Personnel. Key Staff personnel shall be assigned as follows:

2.4.3.1 Project Lead & Lead Accounting Consultant – One (1) Individual (Full-Time

Support)

A. The Project Lead & Lead Accounting Consultant is the Contractor’s manager for overall Contract delivery and shall serve as FAMLI’s key point of contact.

B. The Project Lead & Lead Accounting Consultant is a senior subject matter expert in financial management and accounting and demonstrates deep expertise in supporting complex financial and accounting projects in large organizations. The Project Lead

& Lead Accounting Consultant has significant experience leading projects of similar scope and complexity. They are responsible for overall management of contract operations, organizing, directing, and coordinating these efforts. They are responsible for performing overall management for Contract operations; organizing, directing, and coordinating the planning and production of all Contract activities, projects, and support activities, including reach-back coordination with Contractor subject matter experts.

C. The Project Lead & Lead Accounting Consultant will provide full-time support

(2,080 hours annually) in each of the three base years of the Contract, and part-time support (520 hours) in the Contract’s option year.

2.4.3.2 Senior Accounting Consultant – One (1) Individual (Full-Time Support)

A. The Contractor shall provide one (1) individual to serve as Senior Accounting

Consultant to support the workstreams described in Section 2.2.

B. The Senior Accounting Consultant must possess significant experience implementing and operating financial management and accounting programs in large organizations.

C. It is preferred but not required that the Senior Accounting Consultant be a Certified

Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in accordance with Title 2 of the Business

Opportunities and Professions Article of the Maryland Annotated Code.

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D. The Senior Accounting Consultant will provide full-time support (2,080 hours annually) in each of the three base years of the Contract.

2.4.3.3 Additional Staff Requirement

A. Management Analyst – One (1) Individual (Full-Time Support)

1. The Contractor shall provide one (1) individual to serve as a Management

Analyst to support the workstreams described in Section 2.2.

2. The Management Analyst provides operational and administrative support for tasks, such as gathering, organizing, and analyzing data; recommending, developing, and documenting solutions and procedures; writing and presenting recommendations and project deliverables.

3. The Management Analyst possesses relevant experience supporting advisory and support projects of similar scope and complexity.

4. The Management Analyst will provide full-time support (2,080 hours annually) in each of the three base years of the Contract, and part-time support (520 hours) in the Contract’s option year.

B. Supporting Subject Matter Experts (Targeted As-Needed Support)

1. The Contractor shall identify resources to serve as definitive sources of knowledge, technique, or expertise in specific accounting or financial management areas to support the FAMLI build. Experts should have a unique blend of relevant government and industry financial management and accounting experience and knowledge, with a strong understanding of the challenges facing FAMLI.

2. Subject Matter Experts will provide as-needed advisory support on a Time

& Materials hourly basis to augment FAMLI and the full-time Contractor team in solving particularly challenging problems, answering questions that require deep and specific technical expertise, and validating the work of the full-time Contractor team in accomplishing the workstreams described in

Section 2.2.

3. Engagement of Subject Matter Experts is anticipated to be no more than 520 hours in each of the Contract’s three base years, and no more than 130 hours in the Contract’s option year.

2.5 Substitution of Personnel

2.5.1 Continuous Performance of Key Personnel

When Key Personnel are identified for the Contract, the following apply:

A. Key Personnel shall be available to perform Contract requirements as of the NTP Date.

Unless explicitly authorized by the Contract Monitor or specified in the Contract, Key

Personnel shall be assigned to the State of Maryland as a dedicated resource.

B. Key Personnel shall perform continuously for the duration of the Contract, or such lesser duration as specified in the Technical Proposal. Key Personnel may not be removed by the Contractor from working under the Contract without the prior written approval of the

Contract Monitor.

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C. The provisions of this section apply to Key Personnel identified in any Task Order proposal and agreement, if issued, and any Work Order Request and Work Order, if issued.

2.5.2 Definitions

For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

A. Extraordinary Personal Event – means any of the following: leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act; an Incapacitating injury or Incapacitating illness; or other circumstances that in the sole discretion of the State warrant an extended leave of absence, such as extended jury duty or extended military service that precludes the individual from performing his/her job duties under the Contract.

B. Incapacitating – means any health circumstance that substantially impairs the ability of an individual to perform the job duties described for that individual’s position in the RFP or the Contractor’s Technical Proposal.

2.5.3 Contractor Personnel General Substitution Provisions

The following provisions apply to all of the circumstances of Contractor Personnel substitution described in Section 2.5.3.

A. The Contractor shall demonstrate to the Contract Monitor’s satisfaction that the proposed substitute has at least qualifications equal to those of the Contractor Personnel proposed to be replaced.

B. The Contractor shall provide the Contract Monitor with a substitution request that shall include:

1. A detailed explanation of the reason(s) for the substitution request;

2. The resume of the proposed substitute, signed by the substituting individual and his/her formal supervisor;

3. The official resume of the current personnel for comparison purposes; and

4. Evidence of any required credentials.

C. The Contract Monitor may request additional information concerning the proposed substitution and may interview the proposed substitute personnel prior to deciding whether to approve the substitution request.

D. The Contract Monitor will notify the Contractor in writing of: (i) the acceptance or denial, or (ii) contingent or temporary approval for a specified time limit, of the requested substitution. The Contract Monitor will not unreasonably withhold approval of a proposed Contractor Personnel replacement.

2.5.4 Replacement Circumstances

A. Directed Personnel Replacement

1. The Contract Monitor may direct the Contractor to replace any Contractor Personnel who, in the sole discretion of the Contract Monitor, are perceived as being unqualified, non-productive, unable to fully perform the job duties, disruptive, or known, or reasonably believed, to have committed a major infraction(s) of law, “Department’s” policies, or Contract requirements. Normally, a directed personnel replacement will occur only after prior notification of problems with requested remediation, as described in paragraph 2.5.4.A.2.

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2. If deemed appropriate in the discretion of the Contract Monitor, the Contract

Monitor may give written notice of any Contractor Personnel performance issues to the Contractor, describing the problem and delineating the remediation requirement(s). The Contractor shall provide a written response to the remediation requirements in a Remediation Plan within ten (10) days of the date of the notice and shall immediately implement the Remediation Plan upon written acceptance by the

Contract Monitor. If the Contract Monitor rejects the Remediation Plan, the

Contractor shall revise and resubmit the plan to the Contract Monitor within five (5) days, or in the timeframe set forth by the Contract Monitor in writing.

3. Should performance issues persist despite an approved Remediation Plan, the

Contract Monitor may give written notice of the continuing performance issues and either request a new Remediation Plan within a specified time limit or direct the substitution of Contractor Personnel whose performance is at issue with a qualified substitute, including requiring the immediate removal of the Contractor Personnel at issue.

4. Replacement or substitution of Contractor Personnel under this section shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the State’s remedies under the Contract or which otherwise may be available at law or in equity.

5. If the Contract Monitor determines to direct substitution under 2.5.4.A.1, if at all possible, at least fifteen (15) days advance notice shall be given to the Contractor.

However, if the Contract Monitor deems it necessary and in the State’s best interests to remove the Contractor Personnel with less than fifteen (15) days’ notice, the

Contract Monitor may direct the removal in a timeframe of less than fifteen (15) days, including immediate removal.

6. In circumstances of directed removal, the Contractor shall, in accordance with paragraph 2.5.4.A.1 of this section, provide a suitable replacement for approval within fifteen (15) days of the notification of the need for removal, or the actual removal, whichever occurs first.

B. Key Personnel Replacement

To replace any Key Personnel in a circumstance other than as described in 2.5.4.C, including transfers and promotions, the Contractor shall submit a substitution request as described in Section 2.5.4 to the Contract Monitor at least fifteen (15) days prior to the intended date of change. A substitution may not occur unless and until the Contract Monitor approves the substitution in writing.

C. Key Personnel Replacement Due to Sudden Vacancy

1. The Contractor shall replace Key Personnel whenever a sudden vacancy occurs

(e.g., Extraordinary Personal Event, death, resignation, termination). A termination or resignation with thirty (30) days or more advance notice shall be treated as a replacement under Section 2.5.4.B.

2. Under any of the circumstances set forth in this paragraph B, the Contractor shall identify a suitable replacement and provide the same information and items required under Section 2.5.3 within fifteen (15) days of the actual vacancy occurrence or from when the Contractor first knew or should have known that the vacancy would be occurring, whichever is earlier.

D. Key Personnel Replacement Due to an Indeterminate Absence

1. If any Key Personnel has been absent from his/her job for a period of ten (10) days and it is not known or reasonably anticipated that the individual will be returning to

RFP for Maryland Department of Labor Page 23 of 63 work within the next twenty (20) days to fully resume all job duties, before the 25th day of continuous absence, the Contractor shall identify a suitable replacement and provide the same information and items to the Contract Monitor as required under

Section 2.5.3.

2. However, if this person is available to return to work and fully perform all job duties before a replacement has been authorized by the Contract Monitor the Contract

Monitor may, at his/her sole discretion, authorize the original personnel to continue to work under the Contract, or authorize the replacement personnel to replace the original personnel, notwithstanding the original personnel’s ability to return.

2.5.5 Substitution Prior to and Within 30 Days After Contract Execution

Prior to Contract execution or within thirty (30) days after Contract execution, the Offeror may not substitute proposed Key Personnel except under the following circumstances (a) for actual full-time personnel employed directly by the Offeror: the vacancy occurs due to the sudden termination, resignation, or approved leave of absence due to an Extraordinary Personal Event, or the death of such personnel; and (b) for any temporary staff, subcontractors or 1099 contractors:

the vacancy occurs due to an Incapacitating event or the death of such personnel. To qualify for such substitution, the Offeror must demonstrate to the State's satisfaction the event necessitating substitution. Proposed substitutions shall be of equal caliber or higher, in the State's sole discretion. Proposed substitutes deemed by the State to be less qualified than the originally proposed individual may be grounds for pre-award disqualification or post-award termination.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

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3 Standard Terms and Conditions

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

Once all approvals have been obtained and the Contract is fully executed, the Procurement Officer may schedule a kickoff meeting to be held prior to commencement of Contract performance.

3.2 End of Contract Transition

The Contractor shall cooperate in the orderly transition of services from it to a subsequent contractor at the end of the contract term or upon receipt of a Notice of Termination from the State. Transition shall be provided in a prompt and timely manner and shall proceed in accordance with the schedule provided to the Contractor by the State in the Notice of Transition. Additional instructions regarding transition services may be provided in the event of a Notice of Termination issued by the State.

3.3 Invoicing

Submission of an invoice constitutes the Contractor’s verification that the information in the invoice is accurate as of the time of submission.

An invoice not satisfying the requirements of a Proper Invoice (as defined in COMAR 21.06.09) will not be processed for payment. To be considered a Proper Invoice, invoices must include the following information, without error:

A. Contractor name and address;

B. Remittance address;

C. Federal taxpayer identification (FEIN) number, social security number, as appropriate;

D. Invoice period (i.e. time period during which services covered by invoice were performed);

E.…