S000000287 21st Century Assessment Tool.pdf

STATE OF ARKANSAS

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT

501 Woodlane St., Ste. 220

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1023

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

SOLICITATION DOCUMENT

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

Solicitation Number: S000000287 Solicitation Issued: March 13, 2024

Description: 21st Century Community Learning Center Assessment Tool

Department: Arkansas Department of Education

SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND DELIVERY OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

Proposal Opening Date: April 09, 2024 Proposal Opening Time: 2:30 PM, Central Time

Proposal submissions for this Request for Proposal must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system. It can be accessed at arbuy.arkansas.gov. Proposals received after the submission deadline may be rejected as untimely.

LIVE PROPOSAL OPENING INFORMATION

Teams Meeting Link: Click here to join the meeting Meeting ID: 296 762 922 31 Passcode: rStG3c Call in (audio only): 501.244.3310 or find a local number Phone conference ID: 122 396 408#

TSS OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

TSS OSP Procurement Specialist: Tiffany Maddox Procurement Specialist’s

Direct Phone Number: 501-324-9320

Email Address: Tiffany.Maddox@arkansas.gov TSS OSP’s Main Number: 501-324-9316

TSS OSP Website: transform.ar.gov/procurement/ https://arbuy.arkansas.gov/ https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MWM5OTRjMWUtNTg1YS00NmNiLTgzZmMtM2VmNTUyYmEzOTE0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%225ec1d8f0-cb62-4000-b327-8e63b0547048%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%229e90e135-bbe1-4767-b7b7-ba808ff42eae%22%7d https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/6b6513dc-a034-48d2-8d06-7e711c4ecc0b?id=719036839 https://www.transform.ar.gov/procurement/

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SECTION 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the TSS Office of State Procurement (TSS OSP) for the Arkansas Department of Education to obtain pricing and a contract(s) for 21st Century Community Learning Center Assessment Tool.

Contract(s) will be awarded to the Prospective Contractor determined to have submitted the proposal that is the most advantageous to the State. Direct all questions, comments, or concerns regarding this solicitation to the TSS OSP, not the Department.

1.2 TYPE OF CONTRACT

A. As a result of this RFP, TSS OSP intends to award a contract to a single Contractor.

B. The anticipated starting date for any resulting contract is July 1, 2024, except that the actual contract start date may be adjusted unilaterally by the State for up to three (3) calendar months. By submitting a signed proposal in response to the RFP, the Prospective Contractor represents and warrants that it will honor its proposal as being held open as irrevocable for this period.

C. The initial term of a resulting contract will be for four (4) years. Upon mutual agreement by the Contractor and Department, the contract may be renewed by TSS OSP for up to three (3) additional one-year terms or portions thereof, not to exceed a total aggregate contract term of seven (7) consecutive years.

1.3 DEFINITION OF TERMS

A. Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms defined in Arkansas Procurement Law have the same meaning herein.

B. “Prospective Contractor” means a responsible offeror who submits a proposal in response to this Solicitation.

C. The terms “Request for Proposal,” “RFP,” and “Solicitation” are used synonymously in this document.

D. “Requirement” means a term, condition, provision, deliverable, Specification, or a combination thereof, that is obligated under the Solicitation, resulting contract, or both.

E. “Responsive Proposal” means a proposal submitted in response to this Solicitation that conforms in all material respects to this RFP.

F. “Shall” and “must” mean the imperative and are used to identify Requirements.

G. “Specification” means any technical or purchase description or other description of the physical or functional characteristics, or of the nature, of a commodity or service. “Specification” may include a description of any Requirement for inspecting, testing, or preparing a commodity or service for delivery.

H. “State” means the State of Arkansas. When the term “State” is used herein to reference any obligation of the State under a contract that results from this Solicitation, that obligation is limited to the Department using such a contract.

I. “Student Outcomes” represent how students have scored on state assessments.

1.4 SOLICITATION SCHEDULE

For informational purposes, TSS OSP is providing a Solicitation Schedule; however, dates listed and noted with an asterisk (*) are anticipated dates only and are subject to change at the discretion of the State. All times are listed in Central Time.

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TABLE A: TENTATIVE SOLICITATION SCHEDULE

ACTIVITY DATE

RFP Release to Prospective Contractors March 13, 2024 Deadline for Prospective Contractor Questions March 21, 2024 Answers to Questions Posted to ARBuy* March 26, 2024 Proposal Due Date April 09, 2024 @ 2:30 pm Initial Proposal Evaluation* April 11, 2024 Interviews* April 15 – April 16, 2024 Final Proposal Evaluation* April 16, 2024 Discussions Kick Off Meeting* April 22, 2024 Finalize Discussions* May 06, 2024 Post Anticipation to Award* May 07, 2024 Award Contract* July 01, 2024

1.5 CLARIFICATION OF SOLICITATION

A. Submit questions requesting clarification of information contained in this Solicitation via the

Solicitation posting in ARBuy by the date and time listed in Table A.

1. For each question submitted, Prospective Contractor should reference the specific Solicitation item number to which the question refers, as applicable.

2. Prospective Contractors’ written questions will be consolidated and responded to by the State as deemed appropriate. The State’s consolidated written response is anticipated to be posted to the Solicitation posting in ARBuy by the close of business on the date provided in Table A. If Prospective Contractor questions are unclear or non-substantive in nature, the State may request clarification of a question(s) or decline to answer.

B. The Prospective Contractor should notify the TSS OSP Procurement Specialist of any term, condition, etc., that precludes the Prospective Contractor from submitting a compliant, Responsive Proposal. Prospective Contractors should note that it is the responsibility of the Prospective Contractor to seek resolution of all such issues, including those relating to the terms and conditions of the contract, prior to the submission of a proposal.

C. Prospective Contractors may contact the TSS OSP Procurement Specialist with non-substantive questions at any time prior to the proposal opening.

D. An oral statement by TSS OSP will not be part of any contract resulting from this Solicitation and may not reasonably be relied on by any Prospective Contractor as an aid to interpretation unless it is reduced to writing and expressly adopted by TSS OSP.

E. Only an addendum written and authorized by the State will modify the Solicitation.

1. An addendum posted within three (3) calendar days prior to the proposal opening may extend the proposal opening and may or may not include changes to the Solicitation.

1.6 RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

A. All proposal responses must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system. The system can be accessed at arbuy.arkansas.gov.

1. Prospective Contractors must be registered in ARBuy to submit proposals responses.

B. Technical Proposal Packet

1. Prospective Contractors shall utilize the Technical Proposal Packet to submit their responses.

https://arbuy.arkansas.gov/

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2. The following items are proposal Submission Requirements and must be submitted as part of a Prospective Contractor’s proposal response.

a. Signed Proposal Signature Page; signature may be ink or digital.

b. Technical Proposal response to the Information for Evaluation section included in the Technical Proposal Packet, which must be in the English language.

c. Completed Official Solicitation Price Sheet attached to the Solicitation in ARBuy.

i. Pricing must be proposed in U.S. dollars and cents.

ii. Quantities stated are estimates only and are not guaranteed. Prospective Contractor must submit unit price on the estimated quantity and unit of measure specified.

• The State may order more or less than the estimated quantity on term contracts, and the Contractor shall sell to the Department quantities ordered at no more than the submitted price.

iii. If pricing documents do not allow for accurate pricing, Prospective Contractor should notify the OSP Procurement Specialist at least seventy-two (72) hours before the proposal opening time.

iv. Prices must be firm offers and adjustments may be negotiated at the time of contract renewal.

• A request for a price increase must include supporting documentation demonstrating that the increase in contract price is based on an increased cost to the Contractor and that the proposed pricing is still competitive in the marketplace. The State has the right to approve or deny any request for a price adjustment.

v. Discount from list pricing is not acceptable unless requested elsewhere in the Solicitation.

vi. State or local sales taxes should not be included in the price. Trade discounts should be deducted from the unit price and the net price should be shown in the Pricing Response.

d. Recommended Options Form

i. The Recommended Options form included in the Technical Proposal Packet allows Prospective Contractors to identify any recommended options or optional service ideas that may benefit the State that were not included in the Requirements and the proposed solution.

e. Copy of Prospective Contractor’s Equal Opportunity Policy

i. Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-11-104, OSP requires a Prospective Contractor bidding on a state contract to submit a copy of the Prospective Contractor’s Equal Opportunity (EO) Policy.

ii. Prospective Contractors not required by law to have an EO Policy must submit a written statement to that effect.

f. Proposed Subcontractors Form (see SRV-1, section 14)

3. The following items, which must be submitted prior to a contract award to the Prospective Contractor, may also be included with the Prospective Contractor’s proposal:

a. EO 98-04: Contract and Grant Disclosure Form (see SRV-1, section 11)

b. Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), if applicable

4. Prospective Contractors should not include any other documents or ancillary information, such as a cover letter or promotional/marketing information.

https://www.transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/Services-Contract-SRV-1-Fillable-Form-V.3.6.27.22.pdf https://www.transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/Services-Contract-SRV-1-Fillable-Form-V.3.6.27.22.pdf https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/

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C. Redacted copy of the Technical Proposal Packet

1. One (1) redacted (marked “REDACTED”) copy of the Prospective Contractor’s proposal response (see Proprietary Information), if applicable.

D. Prospective Contractors should not alter language in Solicitation document(s) or Official Proposal Price Sheet provided by the State.

E. Prospective Contractor’s proposals cannot be altered or amended after the proposal opening except as permitted by law or rule.

F. Prospective Contractors may submit multiple proposals.

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SECTION 2 – REQUIREMENTS

2.1 BACKGROUND AND CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

The Arkansas Department of Education – Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (ADE-DESE) oversees seventy-one (71) 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) funded by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) with an approximate twenty-nine (29) additional programs over the next few years. The USDOE requires that the State of Arkansas (State) perform an annual statewide evaluation documenting aggregate state program performance as well as individual program performance for all seventy-one (71) 21st CCLC programs statewide.

The seventy-one (71) 21st CCLC programs are found across the state in various schools, community based, and faith-based organizations. The seventy-one (71) programs reach approximately 13,000 youth and families across Arkansas.

Each of approximately seventy-one (71) Arkansas 21st CCLC programs will conduct self-assessments to assess activities taking place to measure quality in programs throughout the school year and the summer.

Cayan is the current Attendance Portal Software and is provided by a third (3rd) party provider. Access to Cayan is granted via username and password.

Scores Reporter is the current Self-Assessment and External Assessment Portal Software.

2.2 OBJECTIVE AND GOALS

ADE-DESE is seeking a Contractor to assist with federal data reporting requirements by providing a statewide program assessment and a single sub-grantee/site evaluation assessment, which includes an online program quality assessment tool. Data will be collected for reports through self and/or external assessments utilizing a research-based assessment tool, Program Director, afterschool/youth worker, family and youth surveys and additional programmatic and state information deemed necessary to complete the report. The Contractor will assist with improvement planning at both the state and individual site level.

2.3 PROSPECTIVE CONTRACTOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A. The Contractor shall have a background in educational evaluation, including a minimum of five (5) years of experience working with district, community, and school level program quality and performance evaluation.

B. The Contractor shall have experience in performing statewide evaluation of program impact and identifying characteristics associated with high and low performing programs.

C. The Contractor shall have experience and capacity to successfully manage comprehensive evaluation projects.

D. The Contractor shall have experience working with collaborative public/private partnerships.

E. The Contractor shall have a broad understanding of out of school time programs and quality services for positive youth development.

F. The Contractor shall have knowledge of current research and efforts to assess behavioral and non-cognitive characteristics of students that may be predictive of later academic success.

2.4 EVALUATION TOOL REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall provide a research-based assessment tool designed to measure the quality of youth and adult activities taking place and identify staff training needs for each of the approximately seventy-one (71) Arkansas 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

B. The Contractor shall provide an evaluation tool that includes two (2) integral components: Program Evaluation and Program Quality Improvement.

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C. Program Evaluation must include, at a minimum, the following:

1. Support in the collection and submission of federally required data through the 21 Annual Performance Rating (APR) Data Information Collection System.

2. Collection of statewide data for reports through self and external assessments utilizing a research-based assessment tool, Program Director, afterschool/youth worker, family and youth surveys, and additional programmatic and state information deemed necessary by ADE to complete the report at multiple levels and from multiple sources.

3. Assist and support an online data collection system for sub grantees/sites to enter required APR data at the end of each semester and summer term. The provided data must be entered into the APR online system on the behalf of sub grantee/site during designated federal timelines.

D. Program Quality Improvement must include, at a minimum, the following:

1. Technical assistance to the state administrator and sub grantees/sites to build program improvement and quality.

2. Technical assistance to local CCLC staff to direct program improvement planning at both the state and site level.

3. Provide year to year analysis of improvement plans.

2.5 SELF ASSESSMENT & EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT TOOL REQUIREMENTS

A. The assessment tools must, at a minimum, measure the following aspects of program quality:

1. Safe and supportive environment

2. Youth and adult interaction and engagement

3. Youth centered policies and practices.

4. High expectations for youth and adults

5. Family support and engagement

6. Access for all

B. The assessment tools must allow all Arkansas 21st CCLC programs in years one (1) and two (2) of operation to participate in external assessments using the same tool as the self-assessments.

2.6 SURVEY REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall develop online surveys, a methodology for conducting such surveys, and provide technical assistance in conducting the survey that will be conducted with youth, families, Program Directors, and program staff. Surveys must reflect all mandatory data requirements of USDOE and ADE-DESE.

B. Youth Surveys must include but not be limited to the following:

1. Social and emotional competencies

2. Homework completion in after school program

3. Extent to which youth feel engaged/belonging in program.

4. Work habits

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5. Self-efficacy regarding academic content areas such as English/reading, math, science, and technology.

6. Other items as determined by ADE-DESE

C. Parent Surveys must include but not be limited to the following:

1. Communication between parent and afterschool program

2. Academic efficacy of their children in the program

3. Confidence and convenience of the services provided at the afterschool program.

4. Connection the parents have with the school itself.

5. Interest in fee-based afterschool activities

6. Other items as determined by ADE-DESE

D. Program Director Surveys must include but not be limited to the following:

1. Staff capacity to carry out workload.

2. Job satisfaction

3. Role of youth in governing the program

4. Enrollment for students with academic risk factors

5. Accountability and collaboration norms

6. Connections to the school day

7. Community engagement with the afterschool program

8. Planning with School Day staff

9. Other items as determined by ADE-DESE

E. Staff Surveys must include but not be limited to the following:

1. Job satisfaction

2. Involvement in continuous quality improvement efforts.

3. Communication with peers

4. Communication with Program Directors

5. Extent academic activities are planned into their afterschool offerings.

6. Growth and mastery of skill by the children and youth in their programs

7. Connections to the school day

8. Other items as determined by ADE-DESE

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2.7 SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall provide technical assistance and support to Program Directors to assist with the development of improvement plans that enhance program quality and are based on the results of the Self and External Assessments.

B. The Contractor shall provide, in consultation with ADE, a minimum of four (4) part-time quality control individuals that will help with coaching program staffs in best practices and research-based strategies to improve the quality of programs and activities offered.

C. The Contractor shall assist and support the program directors in implementing the improvement plans and measuring progress.

D. The Contractor shall provide individuals to facilitate on-site external quality assessments of all programs in year one (1) and two (2) by November 15th.

E. The Contractor shall assist and provide technical services and personnel who collaborate with ADE- DESE’s data collection service provider as well as the ADE APSCN office to verify youth data from the data system as well as collect, organize, and verify additional youth data for entry into the USDOE Data Collections Website.

2.8 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall use the results of the self-assessment, external assessment, surveys, and

Student Outcomes to produce a Statewide Evaluation Report demonstrating the effectiveness and quality of the 21st CCLC programs in the State and individual site-level reports for each of the 71 locations.

B. The report must include frequencies and descriptives (mean, standard deviation, range) for the entire sample (state) and for each sub grantee/site.

C. The report must include sub grantee/site mean scores for research-based program quality improvement indicators with normative comparisons to mean levels for all sub grantees/sites statewide.

D. The Contractor shall provide an aggregate report for the state administrator, provided electronically and in print. Printed reports must be submitted to the following address:

• 21st CCLC 1401 W. Capitol, Suite 430 Little Rock, AR 72201

E. Individual sub grantee/site reports must be made available to the Program Director in print and to the state administrator electronically.

F. The Contractor shall assist ADE-DESE in complying with federal data reporting requirements for the Annual Performance Reporting (APR) online system.

G. The Statewide Evaluation Report must comply with all mandatory requirements of the USDOE and the ADE-DESE including, but not limited to the following:

1. Leading Indicator Findings including:

a. Staffing model

b. Continuous Improvement

c. Youth Governance

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d. Enrollment Policy

e. Academic Press

f. Engaging Instruction

g. System Norms

h. Family Engagement

i. School Alignment

j. Community Resources

k. Socioemotional Development

l. Academic Efficacy

m. Family Satisfaction

2. Program recommendations

3. Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requirements

4. Statewide goals and objectives results

5. Evaluation Methodology

H. The Contractor shall compile and submit all required reporting to USDOE.

2.9 TRAINING

A. The Contractor shall provide professional development throughout the year to 21st Century CCLC programs that must meet all mandatory requirements of USDOE and ADE-DESE. The professional development must address topics that include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Quality out of school time programing

2. Utilization of the Program Quality Assessment tool

3. How to use data to improve quality

4. Scientifically Based Research in the Afterschool Field

5. Other topics as required by ADE-DESE

B. The Contractor shall provide annual onsite training to be held over multiple days to the following individuals in the use of the assessment tools and online platform:

1. 21st CCLC State Staff

2. 21st CCLC Program Directors

3. 21st CCLC Program Staff

4. External Assessors

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C. The Contractor shall provide webinars available throughout the life of the contract which must include, but not limited to, the following topics:

1. The data collection system

2. The program quality assessment tool

3. Local Evaluation Model

4. Webinars will be used as a follow-up to support face to face and/or virtual trainings.

5. Other topics as required by ADE-DESE

D. The Contractor shall provide professional development and technical assistance at the ADE-DESEs 21st CCLC Summer Institute in June.

2.10 TECHNICAL SUPPORT

A. The Contractor shall provide Customer Support to ADE-DESE to address and resolve access or web portal performance issues.

B. Customer Support must be available by a toll-free phone number and by email during ADE-DESE business hours of 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM Central Time, Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays. A current listing of State holidays may be found on the Arkansas Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/aboutOffice/Pages/stateHolidayCalendar.aspx.

C. Technical support personnel shall be knowledgeable and technically trained to resolve issues.

2.11 WEB PORTAL REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall provide an online platform, accessible throughout the year to grantees and the

ADE-DESE State Coordinator which must include the following functions:

1. Allows sub-grantees a location to enter self-assessment results and produce a self-assessment report showing strengths and weaknesses.

2. Allow collection of Program Director contact information.

3. Allows sub-grantees to develop a Local Evaluation Model and improvement plans.

B. The system must reflect the data requirements of the USDOE and the ADE-DESE

2.12 WEB PORTAL MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT

A. The Contractor shall provide a proposed Maintenance & Support Plan during the Discussions Phase.

The Maintenance & Support Plan must, at minimum, meet the requirements set forth in this section of the RFP.

B. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing ongoing maintenance of the system for the life of the contract.

C. The Contractor shall provide ongoing user and technical support via telephone and email beginning at the time of Go Live and continuing for the life of the contract. The Contractor shall:

1. Provide English Speaking (Bilingual preferred) Telephone Support Staff.

2. Provide properly trained User and Technical Support staff in sufficient quantities to support ADE-

DESE

http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/aboutOffice/Pages/stateHolidayCalendar.aspx

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2.13 WEB PORTAL HOSTING

A. Prospective Contractors shall propose a Contractor hosted solution. Contractors proposing a

Software as a Service (SaaS) solution will be considered under the Contractor Hosted model.

B. All servers and data associated with the Arkansas instance of the Contractor Hosted Solution must reside in the continental United States.

C. The State prefers the proposed system be hosted on a private cloud or a virtual private cloud. For the purposes of this RFP, a private cloud is either a single-tenant environment where the hardware, storage, and network are dedicated to the State, or a virtual private cloud, a multi-tenant environment with network isolation and private subnets. Contractors may propose other types of cloud in their proposal, but preferential scoring will be given for private or virtual private cloud.

D. The Contractor shall perform all work on the proposed system from within the continental United States of America. The system must not be accessed from outside of the U.S.

E. The Contractor shall be responsible for the acquisition and operation of all hardware, software, and network support related to the hosting services being provided.

F. The Contractor shall develop and implement the system and all dependent hosted hardware in such a manner that allows for direct network communications with the Contractor’s system and the exchange of data via approved industry standard protocols for interfacing with other systems as deemed necessary.

G. The Contractor shall provision all environments including, at minimum, the following:

H. The system must be augmented by monitoring and cybersecurity tools.

I. The Contractor shall keep all hosting-related software current and up to date.

J. The Contractor shall provide the following during the Discussions phase: Change Control Policy, Cloud Security Policy, and Server Farm Architecture (separate technical documents with diagrams).

2.14 WEB PORTAL DATA SECURITY

A. The Contractor shall provide a proposed Data Security Plan during the Discussions phase.

B. The Contractor shall sign a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) with the State. The Contractor and the State will negotiate the terms of the DSA prior to execution of the contract. The DSA must also contain The Cloud Data Sharing Policy

2.15 WEB PORTAL UPTIME & PERFORMANCE

A. The Contractor shall provide a proposed System Uptime and Performance Plan during the

Discussions Phase.

B. Dedicated bandwidth will not be provided for the proposed solution and the system must not negatively impact or interfere with services from other existing systems.

2.16 WEB PORTAL ACCESS

A. The Contractor shall provide user access to the system through a secure, web-based portal.

B. The system must provide a user-friendly administrative interface with automated workflows for common functions (referrals, applications, eligibilities, plans, performance-data collection, reports, etc.).

C. The system should stress consistency across all the different modules so that the business process is easy to learn and understand.

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D. The system must be browser and operating system neutral for all user types.

E. The system must function accurately on common modern browsers such as, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari.

F. The system must not require additional browser plug-ins, add-ons, or helper applications.

G. The system must have a Responsive User Interface (RUI) and be accessible and function normally for all features from mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones, and chrome books. This must include, but is not limited to, iPhones, iPads, and Android based phones and tablets.

H. The system should be compatible with APSCN local active directory and ADE-DESE’s active directory.

2.17 WEB PORTAL USER ROLES

A. The system must authenticate and assign the appropriate level of access to users based on the appropriate user roles.

B. System Administrators must be able to create custom user roles with security parameters that define access.

C. The system must be able to assign controls for multiple users via workgroup/roles.

D. The system must allow access levels to be custom defined.

2.18 WEB PORTAL DISASTER RECOVERY

A. The Contractor shall provide a proposed Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan during the

Discussions phase.

B. The Contractor shall include the following in the final plan(s):

1. Plan Objectives

2. What situations and conditions are covered by the Plan

3. Technical considerations

4. System failover plans

5. Roles and responsibilities of Contractor staff

6. How and when to notify the Contract Monitor

7. Recovery procedures

8. Procedures for deactivating the Disaster Recovery Plan

2.19 IMPLEMENTATION

A. The Contractor shall provide a proposed Implementation & Testing Plan during the Discussions phase for the design, configuration, implementation, and delivery of the required services. ADE- DESE’s preferred timeline for implementation is described in Attachment A.

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2.20 DATA OWNERSHIP & END OF CONTRACT TRANSITION

A. The State shall retain sole ownership, right, title, and interest to all data collected and stored by the

Contractor under a resulting contract, excluding intellectual property and exclusions governed by applicable State and Federal laws.

B. At the end of the contract and after confirmed transfer of 100% of the State-owned data, deliverables, and products the Contractor has created, developed, produced, and managed while performing the services outlined in this RFP back to the State or their designee, the Contractor shall destroy all copies of the State-owned data the Contractor possesses.

C. The Contractor shall ensure all data received as part of the Contract is used solely for the purpose of this contract and not shared, reused, or disseminated to any other party or entity without the express written consent of the ADE designated representative or as otherwise required under applicable State and Federal laws.

D. Upon termination or expiration, should any subsequent contract for this or similar services be awarded to a provider other than the Contractor, the Contractor shall, to the greatest extent possible and reasonable, cooperate with the ADE in initiating a smooth and orderly transition to the next contractor.

2.21 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

A. State law requires that qualifying contracts for services include Performance Standards for measuring the overall quality of services that a Contractor shall provide.

B. The State may be open to negotiations of Performance Standards prior to contract award, prior to the commencement of services, or at times throughout the contract duration.

C. Performance Standards shall not be amended unless they are agreed to in writing and signed by the parties.

D. Failure to meet the minimum Performance Standards as specified will result in the assessment of damages.

E. In the event a Performance Standard is not met, the Contractor will have the opportunity to defend or respond to the insufficiency. The State has the right to waive damages if it determines there were extenuating factors beyond the control of the Contractor that hindered the performance of services. In these instances, the State has final determination of the performance acceptability.

F. Should any compensation be owed to the Department due to the assessment of damages, Contractor shall follow the direction of the Department regarding the required compensation process.

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SECTION 3 – SELECTION

3.1 SELECTION PROCESS

A. TSS OSP will review each Technical Proposal Packet to verify Submission Requirements have been met. Technical Proposal Packets that do not meet Submission Requirements will be rejected and will not be evaluated.

1. The State may conduct cost checks based on the cost submitted by each Prospective Contractor on the completed Pricing Response.

a. Prospective Contractors submitting Responsive Proposals with a proposed cost that falls twenty-five percent (25%) or more from the average submitted cost may be asked to justify their submitted cost.

b. Should TSS OSP request clarification and/or additional information regarding cost, Prospective Contractors shall provide clarification and/or additional information as specified by the request.

B. A Department-appointed Evaluation Committee will evaluate and score qualifying Technical Proposals. Evaluation will be based on Prospective Contractor’s response to the Information for Evaluation section included in the Technical Proposal Packet.

1. Members of the Evaluation Committee (Evaluators) will individually review and evaluate proposals and complete an Individual Score Worksheet for each proposal. Individual scoring for each Evaluation Criteria will be based on the scoring description in Table B: Scoring Table.

TABLE B: SCORING TABLE

SCORE DESCRIPTION

10 The response provides metrics clearly establishing that the Prospective Contractor is reliable and capable of fully performing the required services.

The response provides metrics suggesting that the Prospective Contractor’s level of performance may be acceptable, but it does not clearly establish that the Prospective Contractor is reliable and capable of fully performing the required services.

0 The response provides metrics clearly establishing that the Prospective Contractor is unreliable and incapable of fully performing the required services.

2. After initial individual evaluations are complete, the Evaluators will meet to discuss their individual scores. At the initial consensus meeting, each Evaluator will be afforded an opportunity to discuss his or her score for each evaluation criteria.

3. After Evaluators have had an opportunity to discuss their individual scores with the committee, the Evaluators will be given the opportunity to change their initial individual scores, if they feel that is appropriate.

4. The final individual scores of the Evaluators will be recorded on the Pre-Interview Consensus Score Sheets and averaged to determine the group or consensus score and rank for each proposal.

5. Other agencies, consultants, and experts may also examine documents at the discretion of the Department.

C. Prospective Contractors submitting Responsive Proposals will be contacted by TSS OSP to schedule an interview.

1. Prospective Contractors shall attend the interview as scheduled by TSS OSP.

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2. Evaluators will complete an Individual Score Worksheet for each interview. Evaluation will be based on Prospective Contractor’s responses to questions presented during the interview Individual scoring for each interview will be based on the Scoring Descriptions in 3.1.B.1.

3. During a final consensus meeting, after all interviews are complete, Evaluators will have the opportunity to discuss the interviews and change their individual interview scores on the Post- Interview Consensus Score Sheet, if they feel that is appropriate.

4. The final individual scores of the Evaluators will be recorded on the Post-Interview Consensus Score Sheets and averaged to determine the group or consensus score and rank for each proposal.

D. During the final consensus meeting, cost information will be provided to the Evaluators to allow them to determine if moving forward with the highest-ranking Prospective Contractor is the most advantageous to the State.

E. Should the State request clarification and/or additional information Prospective Contractors’ responses, Prospective Contractors shall provide clarification and/or additional information as specified by the State.

F. TSS OSP will submit responses and pricing received from the interviewed Perspective Contractors, along with the Evaluation Committee’s recommendation to the Department for review and approval to move into Discussions.

3.2 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL SCORE

A. The Information for Evaluation section has been divided into sub-sections.

1. Each sub-section has been assigned a maximum point value of ten (10) points. The total point value for each sub-section is reflected in the table below as the Maximum Raw Points Possible.

2. The Department has assigned Weighted Percentages to each sub-section according to its significance.

INFORMATION FOR EVALUATION

SUB-SECTIONS

MAXIMUM

RAW

POINTS

POSSIBLE

SUB-SECTION’S

WEIGHTED

PERCENTAGE

* MAXIMUM

WEIGHTED

SCORE

POSSIBLE

Experience 10 30% 210 Solution 10 20% 140 Risk 10 20% 140 Interview 10 30% 210

Total Technical Score 40 100% 700 *Sub-Section’s Percentage Weight x Total Technical Maximum Weighted Score = Maximum Weighted Score Possible for the sub-section.

B. The proposal’s weighted score for each sub-section will be determined using the following formula:

(A/B)*C =D

A = Actual Raw Points received for sub-section in evaluation B = Maximum Raw Points possible for sub-section C = Maximum Weighted Score possible for sub-section D = Weighted Score received for sub-section

C. The proposal’s weighted scores for sub-sections will be added to determine the Total Technical Score for the proposal.

D. Proposals that do not receive a minimum Total Technical Score of 300 will not be subject to further consideration in the Solicitation process. The pricing for proposals that do not receive a minimum Total Technical Score of 300 will not be scored.

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3.3 COST SCORE

A. When pricing is opened for scoring, the maximum amount of cost points will be given to the proposal with the lowest seven (7) year grand total as shown in Table One (1) on the completed Pricing Response. (See Grand Total Score for maximum points possible for cost score.)

B. The amount of cost points given to the remaining proposals will be allocated by using the following formula:

(A/B)*C =D

A = Lowest Estimated Cost B = Second (third, fourth, etc.) Lowest Estimated Cost C = Maximum Points for Lowest Estimated Cost D = Total price points received

3.4 GRAND TOTAL SCORE

The Technical Score and Cost Score will be added together to determine the Grand Total Score for the proposal. The State may move forward to Discussions with the Prospective Contractor determined reasonably susceptible of being selected for award.

MAXIMUM

POINTS

POSSIBLE

Technical Proposal 700

Cost 300

Maximum Possible Grand Total Score 1,000

3.5 EXPLANATION OF THE SUB-SECTIONS OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

A. Experience

1. The Experience sub-section included in the Technical Proposal Packet allows Prospective Contractors to differentiate themselves based on their experience, technical capability, and understanding of the State’s specific needs.

2. Prospective Contractors should identify expertise in the form of a claim and provide relevant experience to support each claim.

3. Prospective Contractors should use verifiable metrics (number of accounts, size of accounts, years of experience, customer satisfaction ratings) to support each claim.

B. Solution

1. The Solution sub-section included in the Technical Proposal Packet allows Prospective Contractors to differentiate themselves based on their proposed solution and/or approach to solve the State’s specific needs.

2. Prospective Contractors should provide a high-level overview of the Prospective Contractor’s proposed solution and/or approach to services using the Requirements outlined in the RFP.

3. Proposed solutions should be non-technical and include the Prospective Contractor’s recommendations for meeting the objectives and Requirements of the RFP.

4. Additional service options and recommendations above and beyond those included in proposed solution should be included in the Recommended Options Form.

C. Risk

1. The Risk sub-section included in the Technical Proposal Packet allows Prospective Contractors to identify and prioritize major risks that they reasonably foresee could potentially prevent or impair the Prospective Contractor’s delivery of the solution as offered in the proposal or to

Rev 10/2023 Page 18 of 24 otherwise fail to meet the State’s desired outcome, specifications, and performance standards, and how they will mitigate, manage, and/or minimize each risk listed.

a. Prospective Contractors should include sources, causes, or actions that are both within and beyond the control of the Prospective Contractors that they reasonably foresee may cause cost increases, delays, amendments, or dissatisfaction to the State.

b. Risks should be described in simple, clear, and non-technical terms.

c. Prospective Contractor should explain how the Prospective Contractor will mitigate, manage, and/or minimize each risk listed.

i. The Documented Performance cell should include details such as how many times any identified risk was previously mitigated and the impact on the Prospective Contractor’s performance in terms of time, cost, and client satisfaction.

D. Interview

1. The Interview will allow Prospective Contractors to further demonstrate their experience in providing the services outlined in the RFP.

a. Each Prospective Contractor meeting the Submission Requirements will be contacted by TSS OSP to schedule an interview. Prospective Contractors shall attend the interview as scheduled by TSS OSP.

b. Prospective Contractors shall identify one (1) Project Lead at the time of interview confirmation who shall attend the interview as part of the evaluation process.

c. The Evaluation Committee will interview the Prospective Contractor’s identified Project Lead using a pre-determined set of interview questions. Follow up questions may be asked based on responses given by the Project Lead.

3.6 DISCUSSIONS

A. The State will move forward into Discussions with the responsible Prospective Contractor(s) whose proposal(s) have been determined to be reasonably susceptible to being selected for award.

B. Discussions may be conducted with the highest-ranking Prospective Contractor based on the Grand Total Score for each proposal or with multiple Prospective Contractors reasonably susceptible of being awarded a contract.

C. Should the State choose to engage in Discussions with the highest-ranking Prospective Contractor, the Prospective Contractor invited to participate in Discussions shall provide all documents required during Discussions.

1. Should the Department determine, through the Discussions process, that the Prospective Contractor’s solution, approach, timelines, deliverables, expectations of the State, or a combination thereof make the Prospective Contractor no longer reasonably susceptible of being awarded a contract, the Department may abandon Discussions with that Prospective Contractor through a written justification to TSS OSP, and may proceed to additional rounds of Discussions with the next highest-ranking Prospective Contractor.

D. Should the State choose to engage in Discussions with multiple Prospective Contractors contemporaneously, each Prospective Contractor invited to participate in Discussions shall provide all documents required during Discussions.

1. Should a Prospective Contractor not provide the required documents within timeframes requested by TSS OSP or choose not to engage in the Discussions process, the Prospective Contractor’s proposal will be considered withdrawn and will not be subject to further consideration in the Solicitation process.

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E. If Discussions necessitate material revisions of proposals, each responsible Prospective Contractor reasonably susceptible of being awarded a contract will be provided an opportunity to revise its proposal for the purpose of submitting a best and final offer.

F. During the Discussions Kick Off Meeting, the Prospective Contractor shall provide the following documents to the State:

1. A detailed scope of work clearly identifying the Prospective Contractor’s understanding, implementation, and performance of services required in this RFP, including all activities required by the Contractor and all activities expected by the State/Participating Entities

2. A Risk Management Plan intended to mitigate any risks, including but not necessarily limited to, the risks identified in the Risk Plan submitted in the Prospective Contractor’s Technical Proposal Packet

3. A proposed financial summary, including:

a. The completed Pricing Response and Recommended Options Form submitted in the Prospective Contractor’s Technical Proposal Packet

b. A proposed payment schedule.

4. Proposed project management and reporting templates

G. During the Discussions Kick Off Meeting, the Prospective Contractor shall address questions and/or concerns the State may have to the satisfaction of the State.

H. During Discussions, the Prospective Contractor shall revise the discussions documents until agreement is made and the State has provided final approval.

1. The Prospective Contractor shall attend follow up Discussions meeting as determined necessary by the State. Reasonable effort will be made to accommodate scheduling conflicts.

I. During Discussions, the Prospective Contractor shall present a final draft of the Discussions documents to the State, including, at minimum:

1. A summary of all plans and scope of work developed during the discussions process and mutually agreed upon by the State and the Prospective Contractor

2. A detailed scope of work clearly identifying the Prospective Contractor’s implementation and performance of services required in this RFP, including all provisions negotiated and agreed upon by the State and the Prospective Contractor since the Discussions Kick Off Meeting

3. Description of deliverables in terms of simplified metrics

4. The Risk Management Plan

5. Project management and reporting templates

6. Financial summary, including:

a. The completed Pricing Response submitted in the Prospective Contractor’s Technical Proposal Packet

b. A list of agreed upon and accepted recommended options (with impact to price)

c. A payment schedule.

d. Contact information for the Prospective Contractor’s key personnel

J. During Discussions, the Prospective Contractor shall present the final drafts of the items and shall summarize the coordination and planning completed during the discussion process.

K. Once approved by the State, final drafted documents will become part of the resulting contract.

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L. The Prospective Contractor may determine which key personnel will attend the Discussions meetings.

3.7 ANTICIPATION TO AWARD

A. Once an anticipated Contractor has been determined, the anticipated award will be posted to the

Solicitation posting in ARBuy by the date and time listed in Section 1.4, Table A.

1. It is the responsibility of Prospective Contractors to check the ARBuy website for the posting of an anticipated award.

B. Anticipated awards will generally be posted for a period of fourteen (14) days prior to the issuance of a contract. These notices are anticipated awards only and are subject to protest.

C. A contract resulting from this Solicitation is subject to State review and approval processes prior to award, which may include Legislative review.

3.8 PROSPECTIVE CONTRACTOR ACCEPTANCE OF EVALUATION TECHNIQUE

The submission of a Technical Proposal Packet signifies the Prospective Contractor’s understanding and agreement that some subjective value judgments will be made during the evaluation and scoring of the technical proposals.

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SECTION 4 – SOLICITATON TERMS AND CONDITIONS

4.1 ACCEPTANCE OF REQUIREMENTS

A. A Prospective Contractor's past performance with the State may be used to determine if the Prospective Contractor is responsible (OSP Rule R8:19-11-229).

1. Proposals submitted by Prospective Contractors determined to be non-responsible will be rejected.

B. A single Prospective Contractor must be identified as the prime contractor.

1. The prime Contractor shall be responsible for the resulting contract and jointly and severally liable with any of its subcontractors, affiliates, or agents to the State for the performance thereof.

C. By submission of a proposal, the Prospective Contractor represents and warrants:

1. That the prices in the proposal have been arrived at independently, without any collusion with another competing Prospective Contractor.

a. Collusion violates Arkansas Procurement Law and can lead to suspension, debarment, and can be referred to the Attorney General’s officer for investigation and appropriate legal action (Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-11-240 and 19-11-245).

2. That the Prospective Contractor has not retained a person to solicit or secure the resulting contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the Prospective Contractor for the purpose of securing business.

D. Prospective Contractor should not discuss the Solicitation or proposal response, issue statements or comments, or provide interviews to public media during the Solicitation and award process.

E. Qualifications and services must meet or exceed the required Specifications as set forth in the Solicitation.

F. The State will not pay costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal.

4.2 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. The Contractor must be registered as a vendor to receive payment and may register online by visiting https://www.ark.org/contractor/index.html and clicking the Start Here button.

B. Pursuant to Arkansas State Procurement Law, the Contractor shall certify that, unless they offer to provide the goods or services for at least twenty percent (20%)…