RFP#2513-869_Employment_Services_Solicitation.doc

E

Solicitation Schedule

Pre-Bid Conference at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

Link: Join the meeting now March 17, 2025

June 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026

Responses must be submitted to Caleb Clark, Coordinator, Department of Social and Health Services; Facilities, Finance and Analytics Administration; Central Contracts and Legal Services Email: caleb.clark2@dshs.wa.gov Solicitation and Amendments will be posted on:

DSHS Procurement Website: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/procurements-and-contracting WEBS Website: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/ Applicable WEBS Commodity Codes: 952-43, 924-86, 924-35, 952-38, 952-39, 952-59, 952-60.

Auxiliary Aids and Limited English Proficient (LEP) Services:

DSHS will provide access to this Solicitation document to individuals with disabilities and Limited English Proficient individuals. Please contact the Coordinator to request auxiliary aids and services.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section A. Contract Requirements

Section B. Definitions

Section C. Explanation of Solicitation Process

Section D. Instructions Regarding Content, Format and Submission of Response…..

Section E. Evaluation of Responses

Section F. Debriefing and Protest Procedure

Section G. Contracting Procedures

Attachments:

Attachment A: Sample Contract

Attachment B: Sample Bid Submission Letter Attachment C: Bidder Certifications and Assurances Attachment D: Bidder Response Form Attachment E: Contractor Inclusion Plan Section A contract requirements

1. Purpose

This competitive Solicitation is issued to assist the Economic Services Administration (ESA), Division of Child Support (DCS), of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in seeking qualified Contractors who will provide employment services to qualified residents of Washington state. Such services will include but not be strictly limited to: job search assistance, job readiness training, job retention, job development and job placement. DCS will be utilizing federal grant funds to administer this Employment Services grant program.

2. Background DSHS, Washington’s largest state agency, provides some type of shelter, care, protection and/or support to 2.4 million of our state’s 7.2 million citizens. A single mission ties DSHS together: We partner with people to access support, care, and resources. DSHS is comprised of two support Administrations and six direct service Administrations. Each service Administration provides specialized services to Washington state citizens in need.

ESA works to build a Washington without poverty and injustice by helping children, adults, and families weather the storms of life so they can reach their full potential through various programs. A national leader in providing poverty reduction services to nearly 1.8 million people in our state, ESA provides tools and resources to build well-being including cash grants, food and medical assistance, employment-focused services, refugee assistance, disability determinations and child support collection.

DCS is responsible for the establishment, modification, enforcement, and disbursement of child support and serves more than 740,000 parents and children. The Employment Services Project (ESP) is an important part of ongoing efforts to connect families to resources they need so children can thrive. ESP is funded by the Next Generation Child Support Employment Services Demonstration: Next Generation Child Support Employment Services (NextGen) | The Administration for Children and Families. Through this grant program, DCS aims to provide effective and equitable employment and training services, including specialized case management, to 600 unemployed or underemployed non-custodial parents (NCPs) over the course of five years. DCS will utilize a combination of recruitment strategies for this project including referrals from case workers and community partners, and direct marketing initiatives. DCS will target NCPs living in King and Yakima counties who are behind in their child support payment or expect to have difficulty making regular payments due to unemployment or underemployment. Initial program intake may take place with DCS or the employment services provider. Program participants will receive specialized case management from a DCS Alternative Solutions Program Specialist while they are actively engaged in the program. This includes providing information and guidance on how to navigate the child support program, expedited review for potential order modification and arrears write off, as well as the development of individualized plans to help participants address barriers to economic stability. DCS will suspend discretionary enforcement actions while participants are actively engaged in the program in order to allow them to focus on completing employment, training, and barrier removal activities.

Through ESP, it is DCS’ goal to:

· Deliver Effective and Equitable Employment and Training Services. Child support and employment service partnerships are an effective strategy to increase child support and employment outcomes for NCPs. Objectives include:

· Contract with one or more employment service providers serving King and Yakima counties.

· Enroll 600 unemployed or underemployed NCPs living in King or Yakima counties by the end of the project.

· Secure employment for 75% of program participants by the end of the project.

· Improve Child Support Outcomes. Steady employment allows DCS the opportunity to secure consistent child support payments through income withholding. Objectives include:

· Increase the percentage of program participants making child support payments through income withholding to 50% one year after program enrollment.

· Increase the percentage of current support paid by program participants by 5% over the course of the demonstration.

· Improve NCP Engagement with the Child Support Program. DCS has identified ways in which it will foster improved communication with NCPs through specialized case management.

· Strengthen Understanding of Successful Employment Service Models. This project will strengthen the DCS’ knowledge of and experience implementing promising employment service models. Objectives include participating in cross-site evaluation activities organized by a third-party evaluator.

3. Project Scope Consultation. The successful Bidders will work with DCS Grants Project Manager from the first day of the contract through to September 30, 2025, to partner in developing a plan to implement this project and ensure services are available to NCPs beginning October 1, 2025.

Services. Successful Bidder(s) will use ESP grant funds to provide employment and training services in King and/or Yakima counties to support unemployed or underemployed NCPs in building skills for higher-paying jobs and to increase NCPs’ capacity to make reliable child support payments. Services will be offered to NCPs beginning on October 1, 2025. Successful Bidder(s) will provide the following employment services:

· Job search assistance: services or resources designed to help individuals find and secure employment.

· Job readiness training: services that prepare individual to enter or re-enter the workforce.

· Job development and placement services: services focused on connecting individuals with suitable employment opportunities.

· Job retention services: services to help individuals maintain employment over time.

· Work supports: any other services designed to help individuals secure employment and/or remain employed.

Successful Bidders will assign program participants to a specific employment specialist – employed by the Bidder – who will be responsible for confirming program eligibility, obtaining participant consent to participate, gathering participant baseline and contact information, conducting assessments, developing an individualized employment and training, monitoring participant progress, and reporting progress to DCS.

Bidders able to provide vocational education, skills training and activities to improve literacy are preferred, but such services are not required to receive an award pursuant to this solicitation. These training services include:

· Occupational skills training: targeted training that equips individuals with specific knowledge, technical skills and/or certifications needed for a particular occupation or industry.

· Basic literacy and skills training: training that involves teaching foundational skills essential for employability.

Reporting.

· Successful Bidder(s) will be required to collect data elements from each party receiving and providing ESP services. Data elements will be identified in collaboration with DCS, the ESP technical assistance and evaluation team, and Successful Bidder(s).

· Successful Bidder(s) will be required to submit monthly and annual survey data reports to the DCS Grants Project Manager.

· Successful Bidder(s) will be required to attend monthly meetings with the DCS Grants Project Manager to review progress, discuss challenges and capture lessons learned.

Key Personnel. Bidder shall identify the key personnel it shall utilize in performing this Contract, and their experience and qualifications, as part of its Response. If awarded a Contract, Bidder shall not make changes to such Key Personnel during the term of the Contract except as requested or approved by DSHS.

4. Bidder Minimum Qualifications All Bidders must meet the following minimum qualification:

· Have the organizational capacity to provide all of the following professional services:

· Job search assistance,

· Job readiness training,

· Job development and placement,

· Job retention, and

· Work supports.

Bidders failing to demonstrate in their Bids that they meet these minimum qualifications will be considered non-responsive and will therefore be disqualified from further consideration.

5. Period of Contract Performance

DSHS intends to award one or more Contracts for the Services described in this Competitive Solicitation. The period of performance under each Contract shall be June 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The term of the Contract may be extended by amendment up to four (4) times for up to one (1) year per amendment at the sole discretion of DSHS. Additional services that are appropriate to the scope of this Solicitation, as determined by DSHS, may be added to the Contract in a mutually agreeable amendment.

6. Funding DSHS has budgeted an amount not to exceed $200,000 for all Contracts awarded pursuant to this solicitation for the initial term (June 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). Since this is a multi-award Solicitation, the funding assigned to each contract will vary but be less than the total budgeted amount. DSHS will determine funding amounts for each contract based on the successful Bidders' proposed budget, capacity, and ability to provide services in both King and Yakima counties in the written response. DSHS may reject any response in excess of the total budgeted amount ($200,000).

SECTION B

DEFINITIONS

Additional definitions for Contract-specific terms are found in the Sample Contract set forth as Attachment A to this Solicitation and shall apply to those terms as they are used in this Solicitation. The following terms have the meanings set forth below:

Agency or DSHS – The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

Amendment – A unilateral change to the Solicitation that is issued by DSHS at its sole discretion and posted on WEBS.

Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) – A Bidder submitting a Response to this Solicitation that is evaluated, identified, and announced by DSHS as providing the best value to the Agency. Upon execution of a Contract, the ASB is referred to as the successful bidder or the Contractor.

Authorized Representative – An individual designated by the Bidder to act on its behalf who has the authority to legally bind the Bidder concerning the terms and conditions outlined in this Solicitation and related documents.

Bid - An offer, proposal or quote for goods or services and all related materials prepared and submitted by a Bidder in response to this Solicitation. The terms Bid, Quotation, Response and Proposal are all intended to mean the same thing.

Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private Agency or other entity submitting a bid, quotation, response or proposal in response to this Solicitation.

Contract – A written agreement entered into between a successful Bidder and DSHS as a result of this Solicitation.

Complaint – A process that may be followed by a Bidder prior to the deadline for bid submission to alert DSHS of certain types of asserted deficiencies in the Solicitation.

Coordinator or Solicitation Coordinator – An individual or designee who is employed by DSHS within the DSHS Central Contracts and Legal Services Office and who is responsible for conducting this Solicitation.

Debriefing – A short meeting a Bidder may request with the Coordinator following the announcement of the Apparent Successful Bidder for the purpose of receiving information regarding the review and evaluation of that Bidder’s Response.

Inclusion plan - a detailed plan showing a Bidder’s actions toward meeting Washington Small and Diverse Business goals on a specific competitive procurement.

Procurement - The broad process of identifying goods and services for purchase or acquisition, of effecting the purchase or acquisition, and of managing the purchase or acquisition. This Solicitation is a part of an overall Procurement process. Despite the broader meaning attributed to “procurement”, for purposes of this Solicitation, the terms Solicitation, RFP/RFQ/RFQQ and Procurement are interchangeable.

Project - The undertaking or work for which contracted Services are being requested pursuant to this Solicitation.

Protest – A process that may be followed by a Bidder after the announcement of the apparent Successful Bidder to alert DSHS to certain types of alleged errors in the evaluation of the Solicitation.

RCW – The Revised Code of Washington. All references to RCW chapters or sections shall include any successor, amended, or replacement statute.

Responsible Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private Agency, or other entity that has demonstrated the capability to meet all the requirements of the Solicitation and to meet the elements of responsibility. (See RCW 39.26.160 (2))

Responsive Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private Agency, or other entity who has submitted a Bid that fully conforms in all material respects to the Solicitation and all its requirements, in both form and substance.

RFP/RFQ/RFQQ – The request for proposals, qualifications, quotations, or qualifications and quotations set forth in this Solicitation document.

Scope of Work – The Project or work scope set forth in this Solicitation Document that identifies DSHS’ contractual needs and requirements.

Services – Labor, work, analysis, or similar activities provided by a contractor to accomplish a specific scope of work.

Small Business – An in-state business, including a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity, that certifies under penalty of perjury that they are Washington Small Business as defined in RCW 39.26.010(22).

Solicitation or Competitive Solicitation – A formal process providing an equal and open opportunity for bidders culminating in a selection based upon predetermined criteria. A Competitive Solicitation requests the submission of bids, quotations, or proposals for the consideration of DSHS in contracting to meet its needs. This RFP/RFQ/RFQQ is a Solicitation.

Solicitation Document – This RFP/RFQ/RFQQ document, including all attachments and all amendments that are issued by the Coordinator.

Statement of Work – The detailed description of services to be performed by the Contractor and outlined in the Contract.

Subcontractor – An individual or other entity contracted by Bidder to perform part of the services or to provide goods under the Contract resulting from this Solicitation. Subcontractors, if allowed, are subject to the advance approval of DSHS.

Veteran-owned business – A business that is certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) in the state of Washington. (See RCW 43.60A.200)

WEBS – Washington’s Electronic Business Solution, the Bidder notification system found at https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/ and maintained by the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services.

SECTION C

EXPLANATION OF SOLICITATION PROCESS

7. Solicitation Schedule

The Solicitation Schedule set forth below outlines the tentative schedule for important events relating to this Solicitation. Except as modified in an Amendment issued by the Coordinator, the dates and times listed through the Response Submission date are mandatory deadlines. The remaining dates are estimates and may change without the posting of an Amendment. Failure to meet the Response deadline will result in Bidder’s disqualification.

8. Posting of Solicitation Documents DSHS shall post this Solicitation, and all amendments and announcements relating to this Solicitation, on WEBS. WEBS can be accessed at: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/. In order to inform the largest number of potential bidders about this opportunity, DSHS shall also post documents relating to this Solicitation on the Procurements page of the DSHS website, found at:

https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/procurements-and-contracting All Bidders must register as a vendor on WEBS, using an appropriate commodities code listed on the front page of this Solicitation, and download this Solicitation from WEBS. This should be done as soon as possible in order for Bidder to receive notifications automatically generated on WEBS, but no later than the date set forth in Section C.1., Solicitation Schedule for Announcement of the Apparent Successful Bidder(s).

9. Amendment, Cancellation/Rejection of Bids, Reissuance of Solicitation DSHS may amend or add to, retract from or cancel this Solicitation at any time, in whole or in part, and without penalty. DSHS may reject all bids and cancel or reissue this Solicitation. All amendments and notifications of cancellation shall be posted on WEBS. In the event of a conflict between amendments or between an amendment and this Solicitation Document, the document issued latest shall control.

10. Communications regarding Solicitation Upon the posting of this Solicitation, all communications concerning this Solicitation must be directed to the Coordinator listed on the cover page of this Solicitation document. With the exception of the Response, which shall be submitted as provided in Section D, Instructions Regarding Content, Format and Submission of Written Responses, communications with the Coordinator should be sent via email. DSHS may disqualify any Bidder who communicates with anyone in DSHS other than the Coordinator regarding this Solicitation.

DSHS considers all oral communications unofficial and non-binding on DSHS. Bidders should rely only on written statements issued by the Coordinator. Email shall be considered an official method of communication unless otherwise specified in this document.

11. Pre-Bid Conference

Bidders are invited to attend a Pre-Bid Conference, which shall be held virtually at the date and time set forth below. The Pre-Bid Conference is an opportunity for Bidders to learn more about the conditions under which a Contract will be performed and to discuss the inclusion plan, especially when subcontracting opportunity may be a part of the Contract. At the Pre-Bid Conference, Bidders will have an opportunity to ask questions and to hear presentations from knowledgeable DSHS personnel. DSHS shall summarize the information shared at the Pre-Bid Conference and post that summary on the DSHS procurement web page and on WEBS as an Amendment to this Solicitation. Bidders may only rely upon information that is included in this Amendment in preparing their Responses.

Bidder Pre-Bid Conference: March 17, 2025 @ 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time

Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 228 400 393 512

Passcode: s5gk3Cb7

Dial in by phone +1 564-999-2000,,804261729# United States, Olympia

(833) 322-1218,,804261729# United States (Toll-free)

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 804 261 729#

12. Questions and Answers

Bidders may send written questions concerning this Solicitation to the Coordinator by the date and time set forth on the Solicitation Schedule in Section C.1. for submission of Questions. Questions should be sent via email and should include the number and title of this Solicitation in the subject line.

DSHS may consolidate Bidder questions and shall respond by posting one or more Amendments on WEBS and on the DSHS Procurement website on or around the date specified in the Solicitation Schedule. Only Bidders who have properly registered and downloaded the original Solicitation directly via the WEBS system: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/ will receive notification of Amendments and other correspondence pertaining to this Solicitation.

13. Request for Change in Solicitation Requirements If Bidder believes that this Solicitation contains requirements which would unreasonably prohibit or restrict Bidder’s participation, or believes that different requirements would provide better value to the State, Bidder shall submit a written explanation of the issue together with proposed alternative requirements to the Coordinator no later than the deadline for Bidder Questions as stated in the Solicitation Schedule outlined in Section C.1. The Coordinator shall not be required to consider requests for changes after this date. If any changes are made to the Solicitation requirements, an Amendment setting forth those changes will be posted on WEBS.

14. Complaints

In the event a Bidder believes that this Solicitation either: (a) unnecessarily restricts competition; (b) contains an unfair or flawed evaluation or scoring process; or (c) contains inadequate or insufficient information to permit preparation of a Response, the Bidder shall submit a written complaint to the Coordinator. The Coordinator will forward the complaint to the DSHS Chief of Central Contracts and Legal Services for review. The complaint shall include a proposed remedy and shall be submitted no later than five (5) business days prior to the date when Responses are due. DSHS shall post its Response to the Complaint on WEBS and on the DSHS procurement web page.

Should a Bidder’s complaint identify a change that would be in the best interest of DSHS to make, DSHS may issue an Amendment modifying this Solicitation. The DSHS decision regarding a complaint is final and no further administrative appeal is available. If no complaint is filed, a Bidder cannot later file a protest based on any of the above complaint criteria.

15. Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises (MWBE) and Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises

In accordance with the legislative findings and policies set forth in RCW 39.19, 43.60A.200, 39.26.240 and 39.26.245, the State of Washington encourages participation by Veteran-owned, Minority-Owned, and Women-Owned businesses either self-identified or certified by, respectively, the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE). While the State does not give gender or race-based preferential treatment, it does seek equitable representation from Washington Small Businesses as well as the veteran, minority, and women-owned business communities.

According to Chapter 39.26.010 RCW, to qualify as a Washington Small Business, Bidder must meet three (3) requirements:

a. Location: Bidder’s principal office/place of business must be located in and identified as being in the State of Washington. A principal office or principal place of business is a firm’s headquarters where business decisions are made and the location for the firm’s books and records as well as the firm’s senior management personnel.

b. Size: Bidder must be owned and operated independently from all other businesses and have either: (a) fifty (50) or fewer employees or (b) gross revenue or less than seven million dollars ($7,000,000) annually as reported on Bidder’s federal income tax return or its return filed with the Washington State Department of Revenue over the previous three consecutive years.

c. WEBS Certification: Bidder must have certified its Washington Small Business status in Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS).

According to Chapter 43.60A.190 RCW, to qualify as a Certified Washington Veteran-Owned Business, Bidder must meet four (4) requirements:

a. 51% Ownership. Bidder must be at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by:

(1) A veteran is defined as every person who at the time he or she seeks certification has received a discharge with an honorable characterization or received a discharge for medical reasons with an honorable record, where applicable, and who has served in at least one of the capacities listed in RCW 41.04.007;

(2) A person who is in receipt of disability compensation or pension from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs; or

(3) An active or reserve member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national guard, coast guard, and armed forces reserves.

b. Washington Incorporation/Location. Bidder must be either an entity that is incorporated in the State of Washington as a Washington domestic corporation or, if not incorporated, an entity whose principal place of business is located within the State of Washington.

c. WEBS Certification. Bidder must have certified its Veteran-Owned Business status in Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS).

d. WDVA Certification. Bidder must have certification documentation to the Washington Department of Veteran’s Affairs (WDVA) and be certified by WSVA and listed as such on WDVA’s website (WDVA – Veteran-Owned Businesses).

DSHS encourages Washington Small, Veteran-owned, and MWBE Bidder participation both directly in Response to this Solicitation and as subcontractors to a Prime Bidder.

Bidders may contact the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) at http://omwbe.wa.gov/ and/or the Department of Veterans Affairs at http://www.dva.wa.gov/program/veteran-owned-business-certification in order to obtain information on certified firms for potential subcontracting arrangements or for information on how to become certified. Nothing in this section is intended to prevent or discourage participation from non-MWBE firms or non-Veteran-owned businesses.

16. Auxiliary Aids and Limited English Proficient (LEP) Services:

DSHS will provide access to this Solicitation document to individuals with disabilities and Limited English Proficient individuals. Please contact the Coordinator to request auxiliary aids and services.

If an individual believes that the Department has discriminated against them based on a protected status, please contact the DSHS Investigations Unit for the Nondiscrimination Policy Brochure and complaint process. The brochure can be found at https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/documents/Non-discrim%2022-171.pdf

17. Cost to Prepare Response

DSHS will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Bidder in preparing, conducting a site assessment, or submitting a Response to this Solicitation.

18. Acceptance of Solicitation Terms

In submitting a Response, Bidder must include a signed Bid Submission Letter in the form set forth on Attachment B, as well as signed Bidder Certifications in the form set forth on Attachment C. Bidder must acknowledge that in submitting a Response, it accepts all terms of this Solicitation Document, including all of its Attachments, and that Bidder’s Response constitutes a binding offer. Bidders may not alter or redline the solicitation terms or requirements in their Response. Submitting altered or redlined solicitation terms or requirements in the Bidder Response may result in bidder disqualification.

19. Joint Proposals

If Bidders submit a joint Response with one or more other persons or entities, these persons or entities must designate a prime Bidder. The prime Bidder will be DSHS’s sole point of contact through the Procurement process. If selected as the Apparent Successful Bidder, the prime Bidder shall sign the Contract and any amendments and will be liable and responsible to DSHS for all performance under the Contract.

20. Withdrawal of Responses

After a Response has been submitted, Bidders may withdraw their Response at any time up to the Response due date and time as specified in Section C.1, Solicitation Schedule. A written request to withdraw the Response must be submitted to the Coordinator. After withdrawing a Response, the Bidder may submit another Response at any time up to the Response submission date and time.

21. Ownership of Responses

All materials submitted in response to this Solicitation become the property of DSHS, unless received after the deadline in which case the Response shall be returned to the sender. DSHS shall have the right to use any of the ideas presented as part of the process in any manner as it deems appropriate or beneficial, regardless of whether it is contained in a Response that results in selection for a Contract.

22. DSHS Award Options; Improvement of Bid Offers

After Responses are received and written evaluations are completed, DSHS may (but shall not be required to) request best and final offers from one or more Responsible and Responsive Bidders. The written Responses of Bidders invited to provide a best and final offer may be re-evaluated and the point values may be adjusted based upon changes to pricing or proposed services, deliverables or methodologies that are included in a best and final offer, prior to DSHS’ determination of the Apparent Successful Bidder.

Alternatively, after reviewing all Responses, DSHS may enter into negotiations with the highest ranked Responsive and Responsible Bidder in order to determine if the Bid may be improved before identification of the Apparent Successful Bidder.

DSHS shall not be required to request best and final offers or to enter into negotiations and reserves the right to make a Contract award without further discussion of the Response. Therefore the Response should be submitted on the most favorable terms that Bidder intends to offer.

23. Announcement of Successful Bidder(s) DSHS shall announce the Apparent Successful Bidder(s) on WEBS on the date indicated in Section C.1., Solicitation Schedule. All announcements of Apparent Successful Bidders are subject to the negotiation of a Contract satisfactory to DSHS.

Bidders may request a debriefing conference with the Coordinator to discuss information regarding the review and/or evaluation of their bid and may, under certain circumstances, file a formal protest requesting that DSHS provide an identified remedy if Bidder believes certain types of errors occurred. A more detailed description of these processes is set forth in Section F, Debriefing and Protest Procedure.

24. Ethics, Policies and Law

This Solicitation, the evaluation of Responses, and any resulting contract will be made in conformance with applicable Washington State laws and Policies.

Specific restrictions apply to contracting with current or former state employees pursuant to RCW 42.52. Bidders should familiarize themselves with the requirements prior to submitting a Response. Bidders must include, in their Letter of Submittal, information regarding any current or former state employees who are employed by, or subcontracted with, Bidder.

SECTION D

INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING CONTENT, FORMAT AND SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN RESPONSES

Bidders shall submit their Responses utilizing the forms set forth on Attachments B, C, D, and E to this Competitive Solicitation. Each Attachment represents a separate section of the Response. Failure to complete and submit all required Attachments, and to sign them, if applicable, may result in Bidder disqualification. Responses should be typed in 12 point font and should be submitted in the following order with each section of the Response clearly labeled.

25. Attachment B: Bid Submission Letter (Required, not scored) All Bidders must submit a completed bid submission letter in the form and with the minimum contents set forth on Attachment B, which must include all of the required acknowledgments and information. The Bid Submission Letter must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the Bidder contractually. Bidder’s completed and signed Attachments B, C, and E, together with any documents that are required to be attached, and Bidder’s answers to administrative questions set forth on Attachment D, Bidder Response Form, comprise the Administrative component of the Response.

26. Attachment C: Bidder Certifications and Assurances (Required, not scored) All Bidders must submit the Bidder certifications and assurances form set forth on Attachment C, signed by an individual authorized to bind the Bidder contractually. Bidders may not alter or redline the Bidder Certifications and Assurances form in their Response. Submitting altered or redlined solicitation terms or requirements in the Bidder Response may result in Bidder disqualification.

27. Attachment D: Bidder Response Form (Required, Portions Scored) Using Attachment D, Bidders must provide answers to the questions set forth on the Bidder Response Form to demonstrate satisfaction of administrative requirements and, as applicable to this Solicitation, their qualifications, approach and proposed pricing to provide the services as outlined in this Competitive Solicitation, including the Sample Contract set forth on Attachment A. The number of points allocated to each answer is indicated next to the question.

The Bidder Response Form is posted separately from this Solicitation document in Microsoft Word format. Except for limits that are noted on the Bidder Response Form, Bidders may utilize as much space as is reasonably required to respond to each question, provided all questions are repeated and remain numbered and ordered as set forth in Attachment D. If additional pages are needed, they should be attached to the page containing the initial portion of the Response to a question and should be marked clearly to indicate that they provide a continuation of Bidder’s answer to a specific numbered question. Bidders should not submit product brochures, white papers, customer testimonials, cut sheets, or other pre-prepared materials in Response to any of the questions unless specifically requested.

Bidders must submit complete, well-organized explanatory answers that address all of the specific questions asked in the Bidder Response Form. Bidders should not assume that evaluators will be familiar with their businesses before conducting the evaluation.

Use of Attachment D assures that Bidder responds to specific questions in space immediately below those questions and helps to avoid confusion among evaluators about the question that is being responded to. In awarding points, evaluators shall not be obligated to search through the Bidder’s answers to questions other than the one being reviewed in order to locate text that is responsive to the question being reviewed. Failure to use the form set forth on Attachment D (with the applicable questions set forth immediately above Bidder’s answers), failure to respond to all questions and/or failure to submit any documents requested in the Bidder Response Form may result in Bidder disqualification.

If Bidder is awarded a Contract, DSHS may require that Bidder’s Response to the Bidder Response Form be incorporated, in whole or in part, into the Contract.

28. Attachment E: Contractor Inclusion Plan (Required, not scored) All Bidders must submit the Contractor Inclusion Plan form set forth on Attachment E, signed by an individual authorized to bind the Bidder contractually. DSHS requires that Bidder submit this inclusion plan template as part of their proposal. Once submitted, the Inclusion Plan template becomes part of the Contract if awarded to the Bidder.

The Bidder shall also include an anticipated list of Washington Small, Minority, Women, and Veteran-owned subcontractors or vendors who may provide services on the project. Responses should reflect the Bidder's sincere efforts to include diverse, Washington Small, and Veteran businesses. Businesses listed in the plan must be certified by OMWBE or DVA, or registered in WEBS as Washington Small businesses. If a company is not certified or registered but may be eligible for certification, the Bidder should encourage the company to become certified.

Inclusion goals are aspirational. No preference is given for inclusion plans or goals in the evaluation of bids. While no minimum level of OMWBE certified, Veteran-owned, or Washington Small Business participation will be required as a condition for receiving an award, the plan must include the actions the Contractor will take to increase subcontracting opportunities for those business types.

Submitting altered or redlined solicitation terms or requirements in the Bidder Response may result in Bidder disqualification.

29. Proprietary Information/Public Disclosure Materials submitted in response to this Solicitation shall be deemed public records as defined by RCW 42.56. All Responses and accompanying documentation shall become the property of DSHS upon receipt, and will not be returned.

The Bidder’s Response must include, on Attachment D, a statement identifying the pages of its Response, if any, which contain information the Bidder considers proprietary (for the purposes of public disclosure). Each page claimed to be proprietary must be clearly marked by stating the word “Proprietary” on the lower right hand corner. Bidders must be reasonable in designating information as proprietary or confidential. Bidders may not mark their entire Response proprietary. Doing so will not be honored and will disqualify your Response from further consideration.

If DSHS receives a request to view or copy a Bidder’s Response, DSHS will respond according to applicable law and DSHS’s policy governing public disclosure. DSHS will not disclose any information marked “Proprietary” in a Response without giving the Bidder ten (10) days’ notice to seek relief in superior court per RCW 42.56.540.

DSHS is required to publicly post the awarded Bidder(s)’s bid(s) and bid evaluation documents, upon completion of the Solicitation. DSHS shall redact these materials for information identified as proprietary and post them on the DSHS website subsequent to the award of a contract.

Bidders may not include any DSHS client information in their Responses. Doing so will result in disqualification of the Response from further consideration. If you wish to include examples of any forms or processes, use a blank form or ensure that all client information is completely redacted.

30. Submission of Responses Bid Responses must be stored in an acceptable electronic format and, if applicable, hard copy format, as set forth in Section 7, below. Bid Responses must be emailed directly to the Coordinator at the email address provided on the cover sheet of this Solicitation Document. Bid Responses must be received by the Coordinator in their entirety on or before the due date and time set forth in Section C.1., Solicitation Schedule, unless a posted Amendment to this Competitive Solicitation changes this due date and time. Bidder’s completed version of each of the Attachments B, C, D, and E, to this Competitive Solicitation shall be included as a separate attachment to the Bidder’s email(s).

Bidders assume all risks for the timely submission of the Response. Bidders are responsible for allowing sufficient time to ensure timely electronic receipt of their Response by the Coordinator and, in Solicitation that also requires that hard copies of the Response be submitted, to ensure timely receipt via other delivery methods. DSHS does not assume responsibility for problems with the Bidder’s email, network or problems with the mail, parking, traffic or the services of any third-party courier. However, if DSHS email is not working properly, appropriate allowances will be made.

DSHS will not accept late Responses, nor grant time extensions for individual Bidders. DSHS will disqualify any Response and withdraw it from consideration if it is received after the Response submission due date and time.

31. Acceptable Electronic Formats for Submission of Responses Attachment D, Bidder Response Form, should be submitted in Microsoft Word format. Other Response documents must be formatted in Portable Document Format (Adobe Acrobat PDF) or Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. Spreadsheet documents must be submitted in Microsoft Excel and in a live, unprotected file that includes all formulas, macros, and computations that are relied on or used to calculate any rates or values presented therein. When scanning documents to be submitted in PDF format, scanner resolution should be set to at least 200 dots per inch.

NOTE: DSHS cannot receive emails that are larger than 30MB. To keep file sizes to a minimum, Bidders are cautioned not to use unnecessary graphics in their Responses. If your Response approaches or exceeds 30MB, you must break it up and send it by more than one email so that no single email exceeds 30MB.

32. Alternative Submission Methods Bidders wishing to request an alternative method for submitting their Response must contact the Coordinator at least ten (10) days before the Response Submission Date. No alternative submission method will be accepted unless agreed to by the Coordinator in writing prior to the Response deadline.

SECTION E

EVALUATION OF RESPONSES

33. Bid Responsiveness; Administrative Review All Responses will be reviewed by the Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative and minimum qualification requirements and instructions specified in this Solicitation. DSHS may reject a Response as nonresponsive at any time for any of the following reasons:

· Incomplete Response

· Submission of a Response that proposes services that deviate from the scope and technical requirements set forth in this document and Attachment A, Sample Contract, except as permitted in an Amendment to this Solicitation

· Failure to meet the minimum Bidder qualifications or to comply with any requirement set forth in this Solicitation Document, including Attachments

· Submission of incorrect, misleading, or false information

· History of prior unsatisfactory contractual performance The Coordinator may contact any Bidder for clarification of the Response. If a Response is deemed non-responsive, it shall be removed from further consideration. DSHS shall notify non-responsive Bidder(s) of this determination and the supporting reasons. Bidders whose Responses are found to be non-responsive shall be disqualified from further evaluation and shall be notified in writing.

If a Response meets all administrative and Bidder qualification requirements and submittal instructions, DSHS shall continue with the Written Evaluation and, if applicable, the Oral Evaluation.

34. Errors in Bidder Response

Bidders are responsible for all errors or omissions contained in their Responses. Bidders will not be allowed to alter Response documents after the deadline for Response submissions.

DSHS reserves the right to contact any Bidder for clarification of Response contents. In those cases where it is unclear to what extent a requirement has been addressed, the evaluation panel may, in their discretion and acting through the Coordinator, contact a Bidder to clarify specific matters in the submitted Response.

DSHS reserves the right to waive minor administrative irregularities contained in any Bidder Response.

35. Evaluation Criteria and Scoring of Responses Following the administrative review, Responses shall be evaluated and points shall be awarded for the management, technical and cost proposal components of the Response, as applicable, based upon Bidder’s responses to the questions set forth on Attachment D, Bidder Response Form. Additional evaluation points may be awarded for specific criteria not included on Attachment D, Bidder Response Form only if set forth in this Section.

The maximum number of points available for each Bidder is one thousand (1000).The maximum number of points that may be assigned with respect to specific questions is set forth on Attachment D, Bidder Response form. The overall breakdown for assignment of points in evaluating Responses to this Solicitation is as follows:

Management (Qualifications) Response……………….......300 maximum points Technical Response….…………………………………….….500 maximum points Cost Proposal (Quotations)……………………………………100 maximum points

Total 1: 900

EO 18-03 Response……………………………………………20 maximum points Certified Washington Veteran-owned Business……………. 40 maximum points Washington Small Business……………………………..........40 maximum points

Total 2: 100

Total Possible Points ……………..……………..…………1000 maximum points

36. Evaluation of Cost Proposal/Quotations The Bidder who offers the lowest cost for each question of the Cost Proposal shall receive the maximum number of available Cost Proposal points. Bidders offering higher costs will receive proportionately fewer Cost Proposal points based on the lowest cost as follows:

(lowest bid / higher bid) * available points = total cost points awarded

EXAMPLE

Calculated Quotation

Score

Quotation

Quest. #1

(Max 20 Points)

37. Written Bid Evaluation Process DSHS shall designate an evaluation team of at least three (3) evaluators to review, evaluate, and score the written question responses. These evaluators will be selected based on their qualifications, experience, capability and background. If oral interviews or presentations are conducted, additional evaluators may supplement or replace some or all of the individuals performing the written evaluation.

Evaluators shall assign scores up to the maximum points available. Individual evaluator points will be totaled and the average points for each Bidder will be calculated. The Bidder’s average points earned for each question will be added together to determine the Bidder’s total written evaluation points.

38. Evaluation Points to Washington Small and Veteran-owned Businesses

In accordance with DES Policy 090-060 Supplier Diversity, DSHS shall consider awarding evaluation points to Certified Washington Veteran-owned and/or Washington Small Businesses.

DSHS will evaluate bids for best value and provide a bid preference point in the amount set forth on Attachment D, Bidder Response Form, to any Bidder who certifies that they are a Washington Small Business (as defined in (RCW 39.26.010(22)) or Certified Washington Veteran-owned Business (according to (RCW 43.60A.190)).

39. Evaluation for Executive Order 18-03 (Firms without Mandatory Individual Arbitration for Employees)

Pursuant to RCW 39.26.160(3) (best value criteria) and consistent with Executive Order 18-03 – Supporting Workers’ Rights to Effectively Address Workplace Violations (dated June 12, 2018), DSHS will evaluate bids for best value and provide a bid preference in the amount set forth on Attachment D, Bidder Response Form, to any bidder who certifies that their firm does NOT require its employees, as a condition of employment, to sign or agree to mandatory individual arbitration clauses or class or collective action waivers.

Successful bidders who certify that their employees are NOT required to sign these clauses and waivers as a condition of employment will have an EO 18-03 section added to their Contract incorporating this Response and requiring notification to DSHS if they later require their employees to agree to these clauses or waivers during the term of the Contract.

40. Bidder’s References Once the written evaluations are completed, DSHS may contact the references provided by the top-ranked Bidder(s) in order to investigate past performance and validate information in Bidder Responses. In submitting a Response, Bidder agrees that it shall hold harmless DSHS and any individuals identified as references from and against liability resulting from the provision of information or the receipt and use of that information in evaluating Bidder’s Response.

While additional points may be awarded for superior performance and reliability as demonstrated through references (see Section E.3.