RFQ Questions and Answers.pdf

Request for Quote:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Policies, Procedures, and Investigations

Description: This document contains all questions submitted to the New York State Department of Health regarding the Title VI Training Request for Quote (RFQ) and their associated answers. Duplicate questions are omitted.

Topic: Contract

1. May a vendor submit as the prime contractor and utilize a qualified subcontractor or subject matter expert to satisfy the minimum instructor qualifications outlined in the Request for Quote (RFQ)?

Answer: The Vendor may choose to submit as the prime contractor and utilize a qualified subcontractor or subject matter expert. The Vendor, instructor(s), and subcontractor (if applicable) must meet the Minimum Qualifications outlined in the RFQ. The Vendor must reflect all costs in the Response Form Quote Tab.

2. Is a signed teaming agreement or letter of commitment from the proposed instructor or subcontractor required at the time of submission, or may it be provided during contract negotiations if selected?

Answer: A signed teaming agreement or letter of commitment from the proposed instructor or subcontractor is not required at the time of submission of the Response Form. The Vendor must provide documentation upon the Department of Health's request.

3. Is there a planned budget or do-not-exceed threshold for this project?

Answer: We are requesting your formal quote under the New York State discretionary purchasing threshold up to $50,000.

4. What is the anticipated contract term (e.g., one-year, multi-year with renewals), and is there a target start date?

Answer: The anticipated contract term is 4 months. The target start date is in early September.

All dates are subject to change.

5. How is Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) participation weighted in the evaluation, and is there a minimum participation goal?

Answer: The responses to the Request for Quote will be evaluated based on best value. The contract resulting from this Request for Quote will carry a M/WBE participation goal of 30%.

Topic: Response Form Vendor Information

6. If subcontracting is permitted, should the qualifications and experience of both the prime contractor and the proposed instructor be included in the Vendor Information tab of the Response Form?

Answer: The Response Form Vendor Information Tab should capture the qualifications and experience of all individuals that would be involved in the development and delivery of services.

Refer to the wording of each question on the Response Form for more specific direction.

7. Does the Department require the proposed instructor to possess any specific professional license or certification, or is demonstrated experience and expertise in Title VI compliance, investigations, curriculum development, and training delivery sufficient to satisfy the minimum qualifications?

Answer: The minimum qualifications does not include professional licenses or certifications.

Refer to the Minimum Qualifications section in the Amended Request for Quote for more details.

8. Will the Department accept proposals from newly established businesses that can demonstrate relevant management experience and provide a qualified instructional team that meets all minimum qualifications?

Answer: The Vendor must meet all Minimum Qualifications outlined in the Amended Request for Quote in order to qualify for consideration.

9. Are there any preferences or limitations on what vendors may include as supplementary materials in the proposal submission, such as indicated in Attachment C Vendor Information Item 6?

Answer: The attachments associated with Response Form Vendor Information Item 6 should include brief samples of trainings that the Vendor has provided that are similar to the Training outlined in this Request for Quote.

10. If vendors would like to supply a more detailed training plan than what can be described in 500 words, would it be acceptable to have a thorough overview in Attachment C Vendor Information Item 7 plus an attached document with additional details and/or examples?

Answer: Response Form Vendor Information Item 7 requires a response with a maximum of 500 words. In Items 5 and 6, the Vendor may provide sample trainings that they have already developed that could apply to the Training outlined in this Request for Quote.

Topic: Response Form Quote

11. RFQ p. 2; Quote Tab, Sections 1–2 - Should vendors enter quantities based on their individually recommended training structure, or will the Department of Health (DOH) establish a common number of live webinar deliveries for pricing and evaluation purposes?

Answer: Vendors should enter quantities based on their individually recommended training structure. This should be reflected in the Response Form Quote Tab.

12. Quote Tab, Row 33; RFQ p. 3 - Please define the required content and intended purpose of the “Follow-Up Resource Document” and explain how it differs from the separately priced Frequently Asked Questions Document.

Answer: The purpose of both documents is to provide additional materials based on needs assessed during the Training. This information is meant to supplement the Training curriculum to provide additional education to Training attendees and those who watch the Training recording. The Frequently Asked Questions Document should include questions and topics that were raised by the Training participants. The Follow-Up Resource Document should include any other additional resources that the Vendor deems necessary to supplement the Training curriculum and achieve the Training learning objectives.

Topic: Training Development and Structure

13. How many stakeholders at the Department of Health will be involved in the review and approval of materials during development?

Answer: The New York State Department of Health Office of Health Equity and Human Rights, Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Division of Legal Affairs will review and approve materials during Training development.

14. Please clarify whether the initial Training will include live student participants/trainees attending in-person. That is, will this be presented live and recorded, with the recording being used for future asynchronous use as noted?

Answer: The initial Training will not include in-person attendees. The Training will be virtual.

The Vendor will provide a recording for asynchronous future use that includes all Training content and supplemental materials. The Vendor will decide how to execute the recording.

Further clarification will be provided to the selected Vendor during their first meeting with the New York State Department of Health Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

15. Does the Department have any suggestions or preferences for the scope or duration of the training? For example, is there an expected or desired number of total hours? This will help us understanding the depth at which topics should be covered.

Answer: There is no expected number of total hours. The Vendor will provide recommendations on how best to structure and deliver the Training (i.e. one-day intensive training, or deliver in multiple parts), given the minimum covered topics outlined in the Request for Quote. The Training content should support the Department’s operation of its Federal Civil Rights Nondiscrimination Program.

16. The RFP states that the vendor will provide the training materials “via presentation slides and accompanying Training materials/documents.” Is there a desired format, or a limitation in format, of those accompanying training materials/documents (e.g., digital vs print, recorded vs static)?

Answer: This is an RFQ, not an RFP. There is no desired format for the accompanying Training materials. Materials should be provided in an accessible format. Details will be discussed with the selected Vendor during their first meeting with the New York State Department of Health Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

17. RFQ p. 2, Request, Bullet 5 - Does the requirement concerning detailed policies, procedures, investigative processes, and letter scripts require the vendor to create or revise these items as standalone DOH operational documents, or only to develop training content that explains DOH-approved materials?

Answer: The Vendor should be prepared to develop standalone Department of Health operational documents that are deemed appropriate in consultation with the Department of Health. The Vendor should reference legal and regulatory requirements to develop all materials.

18. Does the Title VI training curriculum need to be developed from scratch, or does DOH have existing materials, modules, or frameworks that the consultant should build upon or adapt?

Answer: The Training should be developed by the Vendor, referencing existing Department of Health materials, legal and regulatory requirements, and Title VI best practices, including best practices for Title VI investigations.

19. RFQ p. 2 - Please confirm that the requirement for DOH to own and store the Training may be satisfied by the vendor delivering a downloadable copy of the completed recording and final training materials to DOH.

Answer: That is correct.

20. What is the anticipated mix of virtual vs. in-person sessions? How many sessions are expected per year, and what is the average class size?

Answer: All Training sessions will be held virtually. The Vendor should choose their proposed number of Trainings based on their chosen Training structure. The anticipated number of Training attendees is 5 to 10. This number is subject to change depending on Department of Health program needs at the time of Training delivery. The Vendor will provide a recording of the Training for asynchronous future use that includes all Training content and supplemental materials.

21. Is the consultant expected to deliver all sessions directly, or is a train-the-trainer model expected so DOH staff can sustain the program after the engagement ends?

Answer: The Vendor will deliver all sessions directly. The Vendor may choose to include train-the-trainer resources in their post-Training supplemental materials. All services should be reflected in the Response Form Quote Tab.

22. What deliverables are expected beyond the training itself (e.g., attendance reports, assessments, curriculum documentation, post-training evaluations)?

Answer: The Frequently Asked Questions Document and Follow-Up Resource Document must be provided by the selected Vendor. The Vendor may provide additional deliverables; however, all costs must be reflected in the Response Form Quote Tab.

23. Will participants need to pass an assessment or receive certification upon completion, and if so, does DOH have standards or thresholds defined?

Answer: Participants will not need to pass an assessment. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion created by the New York State Department of Health.

Topic: Training Audience

24. Can the Department provide any scope information on the number of training participants anticipated? This will help us to understand how best to incorporate interactivity into the training.

Answer: The anticipated number of Training attendees is 5 to 10. This number is subject to change depending on Department of Health program needs at the time of Training delivery.

25. Regarding the training audience of select employees, can you share any criteria around how participants will be selected?

Answer: Participants will be selected if they are involved in the New York State Department of Health Federal Civil Rights Nondiscrimination Program.

26. Regarding the training audience of select employees, can you share any information on what levels of employees will be selected. For example, will they represent all levels of employees, or mostly mid-level, or senior level?

Answer: The Training audience will represent all levels of employees.

27. RFQ p.2, Audience – Will the Training audience be limited to clinical or healthcare professionals, or should vendors design separate training for employees across the full range of professional, administrative, compliance, investigative, and operational functions within DOH?

Answer: The Training audience will include select New York State Department of Health employees who have little to no prior formal experience, educational background, expertise, and/or training related to the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Training audience will include employees with various programmatic duties. The same Training curricula will be provided to all audience members.