RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Mon Amend #2 Q&A.pdf

RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP 1 | P a g e

DATE: February 3, 2025

TO: RFQQ PR250008 Bidders

FROM: RFQQ PR250008 Solicitation Coordinator

SUBJECT: RFQQ PR250008 Amendment No. 1

The purpose of this RFQQ Amendment is to provide DCYF official responses to Bidders’ clarifying questions regarding the procurement for the Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP

RFQQ.

Bidder Questions

Question 1:

What is the projected number of participants on a daily average?

DCYF ANSWER:

It is estimated that JR would be using approximately 25-50 units at any given time.

Question 2:

What is the contract duration?

DCYF ANSWER:

The purchase order will be processed around March 28, 2025 and will go through 5 years (2030).

Question 3:

Describe and/or provide details as to the definition of “trauma-informed equipment” options or more specifics as to that requirement.

DCYF ANSWER:

We are looking for alternative technology other than a traditional ankle unit. Also, that the alternative technology is not obviously an EM component and discreet enough to not draw attention to itself, no blinking lights, can turn the notification volume down, can operate with a wrist worn device and a cell phone together, etc.

A cell phone in and of itself is not sufficient to meet the statutory definition of incarceration. It has to be a piece of equipment on their body linked to a device capable of biometric identification.

Question 4:

Please clarify what is meant by “trauma-informed equipment” options and/or how such equipment would be utilized within the program?

DCYF Answer:

Trauma informed equipment is that which does not trigger a trauma response due to the historical association of electronic monitoring ankle units with incarceration, slavery, and bondage. The

RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP 2 | P a g e population in JR is disproportionately minority black and brown young people. JR young people often have intergenerational trauma histories. The ability to wear a watch unit or something that is much less obvious while still meeting the statutory definition of incarceration is part of the innovation JR would like to offer. Our intention is to provide alternatives to an ankle unit that meet the requirements (worn on the body with biometric identification) and still provide some measure of discreetness.

Question 5:

Please confirm if vendors are to incorporate Section 6 items into Attachment C2 Cost Proposal, or email separately? Several sections of RFQQ seem to conflict based on the following sections:

a. Section 6 states: bidder must complete and submit Attachment C2 Cost Proposal, incorporating Section 6 items.

b. Checklist states to submit C2, but nothing about submitting Sections 6 separately.

c. F. Quote Submittals states: states to email both Section 6 and C2 as separate documents.

Our apologies for the confusion, Attachment C2 should include items from section 6 and can be submitted together.

Question 6:

The RFQ does not list if this is an active program.

Can the Agency confirm if there are participants currently on the program receiving these services, and if so, what is the daily population amount?

DCYF Answer:

CTS and FFP are active programs. Currently, CTS has a population of 8 currently. FFP has approximately 150 however, only six young people are on electronic monitoring at this time.

Question 7:

Current Equipment/Devices Utilized:

a. Make and Model: Please provide brand name and model of the equipment in use for the current program.

b. Size of Program: How many devices are in use daily?

c. Confirmation of equipment: Is the current device a one piece or two-piece design?

d. Device Design: If a two-piece design, please describe the components and each device’s purpose and functionality.

e. Cellular Smartphones: Based on the Agency’s response to our question 3.b., are cellular

a. JR is currently using the LOC8 Tracker ankle unit.

b. Currently, with CTS, there are eight participants on electronic monitoring. Parole

Aftercare has six at this time.

c. The current equipment in use is an ankle unit.

d. Not applicable.

e. For CTS, yes. For parole aftercare, depending on the reason for using electronic monitoring, it may be.

RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP 3 | P a g e smartphones required for each participant for the desired device design to operate and report activity as required?

f. Battery Requirements: What is the Agency’s required minimum battery life for each of the components required?

g. FCC Certification: Is the current device FCC certified as it requires transmission of data over national cellular networks?

h. Waterproof Status: Are the device(s) required to be waterproof or water resistant?

i. Replacement Cost: What is the replacement cost for each component(s) provided to the participants?

f. No minimum but the longer the better.

g. Yes

h. Water resistant

i. Tracker (ankle unit), $2,140; Beacon Charger $250; Wall Charger $49; Battery/Recharger $35; Fiber optic strap $30

Question 8:

Current Pricing: Please provide the current monitoring fees paid daily for each participant on the program.

a. Annual Budget: Please confirm that the budget for the five-year term is $310,000. Is the budget subject to modification based on program expansion or modification?

b. Additional Program Fees: Please provide any other fees that are paid by the Agency to the vendor for any program-related or support services.

a. We do not have an annual budget for this line item. The monitoring fees are $9.25 per day per unit.

b. Shelf cost is $3.85 per day.

Question 9:

Current Provider: If this is an active/current program, who is the current provider?

a. Staffing: What personnel does the current provider assign to this program for officer support?

b. Staffing Duties: If the current vendor provides staff, what are their job titles and what days/hours are they required to be available?

c. Staff Support Hours: What hours are vendor personnel required to be available to assist officers with calls or monitoring platform

DCYF Answer:

Please contact DCYF Public Disclosure Unit dcyf.publicdisclosure@dcyf.wa.gov to obtain the name of the current vendor.

a. External contact (third party) for technical support and training.

b. They do not provide staff but have a third party that handles equipment ordering and online set up. They are available during normal business hours.

c. The third-party monitoring for afterhours is set up for 5 pm – 8 am seven days a week.

mailto:dcyf.publicdisclosure@dcyf.wa.gov

RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP 4 | P a g e assistance?

d. Installations: If no vendor staff handles installations, who provides the installation services, including what days and shift hours?

During business hours, Monday – Friday, JR staff can call the third party for assistance as needed.

d. JR staff have been trained by the vendor to install EM units. This happens during normal business hours.

Question 10:

Monitoring System/Software: Beyond 24/7 alert notifications and web-based connectivity, what other monitoring software features are required by the Agency?

Staff need a platform they can connect to for visual verification of the GPS location of the individual, the ability to set up inclusion and exclusion zones and modify them quickly. The smart phones allow for immediate connection to the participant, flexibility to manage schedules and check ins and back up features in case the body worn device fails for some reason.

Question 11:

Service Hours: Can the Agency confirm the service hours required for direct vendor support for the program?

Direct vendor support is expected during normal business hours.

Question 12:

Sentence Lengths: What is the average sentence duration for each participant assigned to the program?

Time on EM depends on length of remaining sentence for CTS. For the participants in CTS since

May of 2024, the length of sentence has varied from three weeks to 18 months. For parole aftercare, the length of time on EM depends on the reason for the EM. If it is in lieu of a revocation, it would be up to 30 days. If it is for a graduated response, it is normally 72 hours to a week.

Question 13:

Shelf Stock: What is the shelf stock requirement for the required devices?

a. Excess Shelf: What is the cost for all devices beyond the no cost shelf allotment per day?

None

a. $3.85 per day per unit

Question 14:

Training: How many Agency locations will require

Between 4-6

RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP 5 | P a g e on-site training?

a. Follow Up Training: For follow-up training, can it be provided via live webinars or is on-site training required?

a. Virtual is fine.

Question 15:

Price Sheet: Can the Agency confirm if it requires or prefers flat per unit pricing or a tiered pricing format?

a. If tiered pricing is required, please confirm what tier quantities are required to ensure a fair pricing format for all vendors, i.e., 1-25, 26-50, 51-75, etc.

Flat unit pricing is preferred but tiered is acceptable.

Question 16:

Miscellaneous Fees: Are there any other fees that the Agency is responsible for beyond daily monitoring fess and excess shelf stock?

A reasonable startup cost for on-site training and program set up.

Question 17:

Equipment Loss: Can the Agency confirm the number of devices, by type, that have not been returned to the vendor for any reason over the last 12 months? This is important to properly ensure that the Agency is provided with the most favorable price for replacement costs.

In calendar year 2024, we have had one beacon, two ankle units, and one watch unit lost.

Question 18:

What are the number of anticipated clients for both Community Transition Services (CTS) and Functional Family Parole (FFP) which will require electronic monitoring services annually during the proposed contract period resulting from the

RFQQ?

DCYF Answer:

It is estimated that CTS will have 15-25 participants while FFP will have 5-10 at any given time.

Question 19:

a. What type of alerts will require after-hours monitoring?

b. What is required for after-hours monitoring for required alerts?

DCYF Answer:

a. Tamper, inclusion, exclusion, curfew and battery failure.

b. Tamper and exclusion zone alerts to the officer of the day immediately. All other alerts to participant first to try and resolve, and then to officer of the day if not resolved. Regions do not need immediate notifications on alerts

RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP 6 | P a g e that were resolved with the participant.

Question 20:

Minimum Qualifications states requirement for wrist-worn solutions, however table lists Smartphone? Can DCYF please describe “Smartphone”? Is DCYF interested in learning about alternative state-of-the-art technology not listed in the current bid such as mobile monitoring applications?

DCYF Answer:

JR is interested in a wrist worn device that tethers to a smart phone so the participant can communicate immediately with JR staff in a discreet but effective manner. Schedule changes, check-ins, biometric identification, etc. are needed features. The smart phone is meant to provide visual and instant communication between the participant and staff in a manner that does not draw attention to their incarceration or supervision status.

Question 21:

Is the wrist-worn unit required to be a one-piece solution?

DCYF Answer:

If the wrist worn device can communicate and function like a smart phone, it may be able to provide the needed features for effective monitoring and communication.

Question 22:

As spares and lost and damage can have an impact on pricing, can DCYF please confirm the required spares and lost and damage allowance for RFQQ?

DCYF Answer:

JR is aware of the cost for lost and damaged equipment and has not indicated an allowance requirement in the RFP; that is up to the proposed bidders to include at their discretion.

Question 23:

a. During the previous year, please provide the average daily population wearing GPS devices.

b. During the previous year, please provide the average daily population wearing RF devices.

c. During the previous year, please provide the average daily population using remote breath alcohol devices.

DCYF Answer:

a. JR currently has eight CTS participants and six parole aftercare participants.

b. JR does not know this information at this time.

CTS requires GPS units and parole aftercare can be either GPS or RF depending on the reason for electronic monitoring use.

c. None

Question 24:

Is DCYF interested in learning about mobile monitoring solutions such as app-based solutions which operate separately from a wrist-worn solution?

DCYF Answer:

No, those solutions do not meet the statutory definition of incarceration thus they would not meet the requirements for CTS.

Question 25:

Referencing Question #4 on Attachment C-1, Technical/Management Proposal:

If a provider’s wrist-worn solution does not require use of a smartphone how should responders address this question?

DCYF Answer:

Please include detailed description of the capabilities of the wrist worn solution to communicate visually, electronically, and vocally with JR staff and the participant. This would

RFQQ PR250008 Electronic Monitoring for CTS and FFP 7 | P a g e include the ability to adjust schedules as needed and check in with biometric identifiers.

Question 26:

Is DCYF interested in learning about mobile app-based solutions available for download on a participant’s device and devices provided from offeror?

Yes