S00R2600005 - EEPMS - RFP.pdf

STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

(DHCD)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

RFP NUMBER S00R2600005

ISSUE DATE: OCTOBER 27, 2021

NOTICE

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

(eMMA) https://procurement.maryland.gov/ should register on eMMA. See Section 4.2.

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ARE ENCOURAGED TO

RESPOND TO THIS SOLICITATION.

https://procurement.maryland.gov/

Energy Efficiency Program Management System

Solicitation #: S00R2600005 RFP Document

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page ii of 107

VENDOR FEEDBACK FORM

To help us improve the quality of State solicitations, and to make our procurement process more responsive and business friendly, please provide comments and suggestions regarding this solicitation. Please return your comments with your response. If you have chosen not to respond to this solicitation, please email or fax this completed form to the attention of the Procurement Officer (see Key Information Summary Sheet below for contact information).

Title: Energy Efficiency Program Management System

Solicitation No: S00R2600005

1. If you have chosen not to respond to this solicitation, please indicate the reason(s) below:

Other commitments preclude our participation at this time

The subject of the solicitation is not something we ordinarily provide

We are inexperienced in the work/commodities required

Specifications are unclear, too restrictive, etc. (Explain in REMARKS section)

The scope of work is beyond our present capacity

Doing business with the State is simply too complicated. (Explain in REMARKS section)

We cannot be competitive. (Explain in REMARKS section)

Time allotted for completion of the Proposal is insufficient

Start-up time is insufficient

Bonding/Insurance requirements are restrictive (Explain in REMARKS section)

Proposal requirements (other than specifications) are unreasonable or too risky (Explain in

REMARKS section)

MBE or VSBE requirements (Explain in REMARKS section)

Prior State of Maryland contract experience was unprofitable or otherwise unsatisfactory. (Explain in

REMARKS section)

Payment schedule too slow

Other: __________________________________________________________________

2. If you have submitted a response to this solicitation, but wish to offer suggestions or express concerns, please use the REMARKS section below. (Attach additional pages as needed.)

REMARKS:

Vendor Name: ________________________________ Date: _______________________

Contact Person: _________________________________ Phone (____) _____ - _________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

E-mail Address: ________________________________________________________________

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page iii of 107

STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

(DHCD)

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals Energy Efficiency Program Management System

Solicitation Number: S00R2600005

RFP Issue Date: October 27, 2021

RFP Issuing Office: Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD or the

"DHCD")

Procurement Officer: Amanda Sadler

7800 Harkins Road, Lanham, MD 20706 e-mail:

Office Phone:

Amanda.Sadler@Maryland.gov

301-429-7780

Proposals are to be sent to: Submit via eMMA

Pre-Proposal Conference: Tuesday, November 9, 2021 @ 2:30 pm Local Time

Via Google Meet video conferencing

By invitation from Procurement Officer only

See Attachment A for instructions.

Questions Due Date and Time Thursday, November 18, 2021 @ 12 pm Local Time

Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time:

Thursday, December 16, 2021 @ 5 pm Local Time

Offerors are reminded that a completed Feedback Form is requested if a no-bid decision is made (see page iv).

MBE Subcontracting Goal: 0%

VSBE Subcontracting Goal: 0%

Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price with Work Orders of Time & Materials and Fixed

Price

Contract Duration: Five (5) year base period with two option terms; one three (3) year option term, and an additional two (2) year option term.

Primary Place of

Performance:

7800 Harkins Road, Lanham, MD 20706

SBR Designation: No

Federal Funding: No

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page iv of 107

TABLE OF CONTENTS – RFP

1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 See “Attachment R – Experience Affidavit”

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.2 Background and Purpose

2.3 Functional Requirements

2.4 State Staff and Roles

2.5 Responsibilities and Tasks

2.6 Deliverables

2.7 System Acceptance

2.8 Optional Features or Services, Future Work

2.9 Service Level Agreement (SLA)

3 Contractor Requirements: General

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

3.2 End of Contract Transition

3.3 Invoicing

3.4 Liquidated Damages

3.5 Disaster Recovery and Data

3.6 Insurance Requirements

3.7 Security Requirements

3.8 Problem Escalation Procedure

3.9 SOC 2 Type 2 Audit Report

3.10 Experience and Personnel

3.11 Substitution of Personnel

3.12 Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Reports

3.13 Veteran Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) Reports

3.14 Work Orders

3.15 Additional Clauses

4 Procurement Instructions

4.1 Pre-Proposal Conference

4.2 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA)

4.3 Questions

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4.4 Procurement Method

4.5 Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time

4.6 Alternate Proposals

4.7 Economy of Preparation

4.8 Public Information Act Notice

4.9 Award Basis

4.10 Oral Presentation/Demonstration

4.11 Duration of Proposal

4.12 Revisions to the RFP

4.13 Cancellations

4.14 Incurred Expenses

4.15 Protest/Disputes

4.16 Offeror Responsibilities

4.17 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

4.18 Proposal Affidavit

4.19 Contract Affidavit

4.20 Compliance with Laws/Arrearages

4.21 Verification of Registration and Tax Payment

4.22 False Statements

4.23 Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer

4.24 Prompt Payment Policy

4.25 Electronic Procurements Authorized

4.26 MBE Participation Goal

4.27 VSBE Goal

4.28 Living Wage Requirements

4.29 Federal Funding Acknowledgement

4.30 Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

4.31 Non-Disclosure Agreement

4.32 HIPAA - Business Associate Agreement

4.33 Nonvisual Access

4.34 Mercury and Products That Contain Mercury

4.35 Location of the Performance of Services Disclosure

This solicitation does not require a Location of the Performance of Services Disclosure

4.36 Department of Human Services (DHS) Hiring Agreement

4.37 Small Business Reserve (SBR) Procurement

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4.38 Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Requirements

5 Proposal Format

5.1 Two Part Submission

5.2 Proposal Delivery and Packaging

5.3 Volume I - Technical Proposal

5.4 Volume II – Financial Proposal

6 Evaluation and Selection Process

6.1 Evaluation Committee

6.2 Technical Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.3 Financial Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.4 Reciprocal Preference

6.5 Selection Procedures

6.6 Documents Required upon Notice of Recommendation for Contract Award

7 RFP ATTACHMENTS AND APPENDICES

Attachment A. Pre-Proposal Conference Response Form

Attachment B. Financial Proposal Instructions & Form

Attachment C. Proposal Affidavit

Attachment D. Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Forms

Attachment E. Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) Forms

Attachment F. Maryland Living Wage Affidavit of Agreement for Service Contracts

Attachment G. Federal Funds Attachments

Attachment H. Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

Attachment I. Non-Disclosure Agreement (Contractor)

Attachment J. HIPAA Business Associate Agreement

Attachment K. Mercury Affidavit

Attachment L. Location of the Performance of Services Disclosure

Attachment M. Contract

Attachment N. Contract Affidavit

Attachment O. DHS Hiring Agreement

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Attachment P. System Deliverable Summary

Attachment Q. Energy Efficiency Programs Process Flows

Attachment R. Experience Affidavit

Appendix 1. – Abbreviations and Definitions

Appendix 2. – Offer Information Sheet

Appendix 3. – Non-Disclosure Agreement (Offeror)

Appendix 4. – Labor Categories

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 1 of 107

1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 See “Attachment R – Experience Affidavit” under separate attachment titled “S00R2600005 -

EEPMS – RFP Experience Affidavit”

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 2 of 107

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.1.1 The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (“DHCD” or the “Department”) is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to evaluate and consider any current market possibilities for an automated program/case management system to replace an existing system.

2.1.2 The purpose of this solicitation is to procure a state-of-the-art commercially available application to provide comprehensive program/case management for its energy efficiency weatherization programs, along with administrative controls for the distinct programs and their funding sources, and their network of partner organizations and their subcontractors..

2.1.3 The Department does not wish to procure a program/case management system still under development.

The system shall be operational (i.e., not under development) and generally available by the release date of the RFP.

2.1.4 It is the Department’s intention to obtain goods and services, as specified in this RFP, from a Contract between the selected Offeror and the State.

2.1.5 This procurement includes all necessary hardware and all software modules needed to meet the requirements specified in the RFP, including database management systems, report writers and other software utilities needed to operate the Offeror’s proposed system.

2.1.6 The System, either as a whole or as a set of integrated modules, must provide an enterprise solution capable of supporting and integrating the following functionality:

A. Case Management

B. Financial Tracking and Invoicing

C. Energy Modeling

D. Online customer applications

2.1.7 The Department intends to make a single award as a result of this RFP. See RFP Section 4.9 Award Basis for more Contract award information. An Offeror, either directly or through its subcontractor(s), must be able to provide all goods and services and meet all of the requirements requested in this solicitation and the successful Offeror (the Contractor) shall remain responsible for Contract performance regardless of subcontractor participation in the work.

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

2.2 Background and Purpose

2.2.1 Agency Background

The Department’s Housing and Building Energy Programs (HBEP) unit administers several energy efficiency programs to help eligible low-income households with the installation of energy conservation materials in their homes. These measures are intended to reduce both the consumption of energy and the maintenance cost for these homes.

The Department administers these low-income energy efficiency programs Statewide, utilizing a number of funding sources that include the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (DOE

WAP), the EmPOWER Low-income Energy Efficiency Program (LIEEP), the Low-income Home Energy

Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Funds, known in

Maryland as the Strategic Energy Investment Funds (SEIF).

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The Department’s HBEP staff provide the management, technical assistance and administrative support for its energy efficiency programs

2.2.2 Project Background

To manage its single-family energy efficiency programs, the Department is currently using a web-based program management system. Network Partners are required to enter data into the current system, from initial client application and intake through the energy audit and work order process, ending with invoicing of completed jobs. Inspections and reviews occur throughout the lifecycle of each project. The Department monitors all project information entered into the system in order to make budget and customer lead allocation assessments and complete monthly reports. Each project requires accurate and timely entry of a large amount of data to ensure program compliance and to avoid loss of funding.

The multifamily program currently utilizes a web-based database with limited functionality and reporting capabilities. This system currently accepts project applications, calculates savings, assists with processing requisitions and provides a reporting function.

The new Energy Efficiency Program Management System (EEPMS) will be used by the Department to track and manage all of the energy efficiency programs, along with providing administrative controls for the distinct programs and their funding sources, and the Network Partners and their subcontractors. The new System must be robust and flexible enough to meet the ever-changing needs of the programs in a timely manner.

Currently the Department oversees several funding sources related to energy/weatherization programs in

Maryland. Clients contact either the Department or a Network Partner to request assistance, and an application is taken. Upon eligibility approval, the Department uploads the applicant information to the

Call Center List and assigns clients to a Network Partner. The Network Partner schedules an energy audit, generates a work order and handles the implementation of services (either as the contractor or through a weatherization subcontractor). When the job is completed, the Network Partner performs a Quality Control

(QC) inspection and submits an invoice to the Department. The DHCD invoice team then processes the invoices for payment.

The Department is currently using a web-based program management system to manage the weatherization programs. Network Partners access the system via a high-speed internet connection. Network Partners are required to enter data into the current system, from initial client application and intake through the energy audit and work order process, and ending with invoicing of completed jobs. Inspections and reviews occur throughout the lifecycle of each project.

The Department monitors all project information entered into the system in order to make budget and lead allocation assessments and complete monthly reports. Each project requires accurate and timely entry of a large amount of data to ensure program compliance and to avoid loss of funding.

The Department also administers one distinct multifamily energy program with multiple funding sources.

For the multifamily program, an applicant is able to submit an application (including uploading documentation) through email and through a web-based program management system. Funds are issued to the applicant (building owner) either through a loan or grant. The applicant contracts with an energy auditor and energy efficiency contractor of their choice. The Department reviews the energy audit (enters the data into the program management software) and recommended energy efficiency improvement scope of work. The Department approves funding based on the economic analysis for savings generated over the life of the measure against the measures cost. The Department may fund the entire cost of one or more measures with one or more funding sources or may only fund a portion of the cost requiring the building owner to pay any remaining amount.

Once funding is approved, the appropriate grant or loan documentation is completed and executed. The building owner requests funds through requisitions. Requisitions are entered into the program management

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 4 of 107 software. The requisitions identify the energy efficiency measures that are installed in the project and the amount of money requested for the completed work. Approved requisitions are processed for payment.

As more Marylanders are applying for energy efficiency grants and loans, it has become evident that the current system is not flexible enough to handle the complexity of the various program requirements and to meet ever-changing needs. Additionally, costly and time-consuming vendor intervention is required for even minor modifications. DHCD must collaborate with multiple agencies and comply with numerous regulations while administering these programs. Therefore, the requirements for a new program management system must be robust enough to meet the challenging needs of all stakeholders.

Interested Offerors will be provided with details on the current hardware and software environment (if required) through a separate secure channel upon request to the Procurement Officer. All Offerors requesting this information will be requested to sign Appendix 3 - Non-Disclosure Agreement (Offerors).

2.2.3 Project Goals

DHCD seeks an existing, commercial software system that provides comprehensive program management for multiple energy efficiency programs, along with administrative controls for the distinct programs and their funding sources. The EEPMS will be used by DHCD, all Network Partners, and multifamily Applicants

(building owners) to track job progress and consolidate information such as dwelling units, priority service delivery, work orders, inspection status, required forms, and invoicing.

The proposed system must:

• Provide a workflow capability, as depicted in the high level process flow diagrams in Attachment

Q of this RFP.

• Accommodate the integration with prevalent energy auditing software products

• Allow secure, remote access for DHCD departmental staff, Network Partner organizations and their subcontractors.

• Be accessible from a variety of mobile computing platforms, such as iPad and Android devices, and PCs, laptops and netbooks.

• Provide intake and eligibility capabilities

• Provide robust ad hoc reporting capabilities

• Provide financial tracking and invoicing capabilities

2.3 Functional Requirements

2.3.1 Attachment P – System Deliverable Summary for the EEPMS of the RFP specifies the functional requirements for the application that will be used by DHCD to track and manage its energy efficiency programs. The functional requirements reflect the consolidated needs of DHCD’s central office divisions, Network Partner offices and field offices.

The requirements have been separated into the following major categories:

1. General Program Management

2. Intake and Eligibility

3. Energy Modeling and Data Collection/Calculation

4. Financial Tracking and Invoicing

5. Action/Event Tracking

6. General Search and Retrieval Capabilities

7. Reporting Capabilities

8. Document Management

9. Resource Management

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10. User Interface

11. Data Entry and Safeguards and Controls

12. Integration and Interface

13. Import and Export Capabilities

14. System Administration and Configuration Flexibility

15. Data Security and System Control

2.4 State Staff and Roles

2.4.1 The State will assign the roles of Procurement Officer and Contract Monitor.

2.4.2 Other State Responsibilities

A. The Department will provide normal office working facilities and equipment reasonably necessary for Contractor performance under the Contract. Any special requirements (e.g., reprographic services, computer time, key data entry) shall be identified.

B. The Department is responsible for providing required information, data, documentation, and test data to facilitate the Contractor’s performance of the work, and will provide such additional assistance and services as is specifically set forth.

C. The Department will furnish subject matter experts to support data conversion and cleansing, and customization activities necessary for system implementation.

2.5 Responsibilities and Tasks

2.5.1 Contractor duties and Responsibilities

2.5.1.1 The Contractor shall perform all installation and implementation activities necessary to fully and successfully implement the EEPMS.

2.5.1.2 The Contractor shall, perform data migration to include but not be limited to:

A. Furnishing, installing and implementing all tools necessary to perform data migration

B. Constructing and testing all data migration automation (e.g., scripts, error handling)

C. Developing a set of procedures for data migration

D. Migrating data from the current system:

1) Estimated volume of data to be migrated – approximately 1.5 Tb

2) Estimated number of cases – approximately 20,000

3) Estimated number of contacts – approximately 300

2.5.1.3 The Contractor shall provide capability for stakeholders and users to report issues (“issue tracker”). The issue tracker shall be accessible by the Department, and shall be updated by the

Contractor to include at a minimum issue aging, status, and projected issue resolution.

2.5.1.4 The Contractor shall provide a Master Test Plan covering approach and methodology for all testing cycles to be performed to include:

1) System testing throughout implementation

2) Data conversion and migration testing to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data loaded from the existing system(s) into the new system

3) System Integration testing to ensure that all components of the system operate together as required

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4) Business Process testing to ensure that business rules, access, and workflows operate as required

5) Stress/Performance testing to determine how well the system performs in terms of speed, responsiveness and stability under varying workloads

6) Security testing to ensure that State data is protected as required

7) User Acceptance testing to allow designated users to confirm that the system meets all requirements

2.5.1.5 The Contractor shall create and configure the test environment with representative test data, approved by DHCD.

2.5.1.6 The Contractor shall test all aspects of the system both in a “unit test” mode and the “integration test” mode including:

1) Perform the tests

2) Produce and review test outputs

3) Provide a weekly report of testing activity, including identification of test status (i.e., passed, failed, rerun)

4) Address all defects identified in testing cycles

5) Submit final test results to DHCD for approval

6) Provide system walkthroughs and system demonstrations to DHCD and Network

Partner staff and contractors

7) Demonstrate all online system functionality

8) Present all standard output reports

9) Demonstrate that all hardware, software, and teleprocessing linkages are functional and will support DHCD’s requirements

10) Demonstrate functionality of all external interfaces

2.5.1.7 The Contractor shall assist the State users with user acceptance testing including criteria for testing.

2.5.1.8 The Contractor shall execute system testing for all change requests to include regression testing, before changes are promoted to the production environment

2.5.1.9 The Contractor shall conduct walk-throughs of system changes that are ready to be moved into the production environment including but not limited to an online demonstration and a discussion of programs that are impacted by the system change.

2.5.1.10 Training

A. Contractor shall furnish a Training Plan tailored to the needs of DHCD and its Network

Partners.

B. The Contractor shall furnish training appropriate for System users that includes, at no cost to the State, and for the duration of the Contract, unlimited online training appropriate for each user role.

C. The Contractor shall furnish, as part of its implementation, training manuals and other materials. Such training manuals and other materials shall be available in an online format.

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D. Training manuals and other materials shall be customized to reflect the different divisions’ business processes and workflows.

E. The Offeror shall describe in its proposal the training approach it recommends for initial implementation, and which is included in the fixed price implementation.

F. As part of technical training, the Contractor shall provide examples and training on typical configuration changes DHCD agents may apply, such as adding one or more fields, adding a report, or changing workflow.

2.5.2 Technical Requirements

A. The Contractor shall install and enhance or modify components of the proposed system according to the specifications developed and approved by DHCD in the systems design process.

B. The Contractor shall not allow its Contractor personnel or subcontractors to store State data on portable devices, including personal computers, except for devices that are used and kept only at its U.S. data centers. The Contractor shall permit its Contractor personnel and subcontractors to access State data remotely only as required to provide technical support.

C. The EEPMS shall be interoperable with Microsoft Exchange, Office 365 and Gmail systems.

D. The EEPMS shall function on mobile devices, including those with the IOS and Android operating systems.

2.5.3 Contractor-Supplied Hardware, Software, and Materials

A. The Offeror shall provide specifications for all necessary hardware, software and utilities needed to operate the EEPMS. Where hardware, software, and utilities must be furnished by the State to operate the EEPMS, the Offeror shall so state.

B. By responding to this RFP and accepting a Contract award, the Offeror specifically agrees that for any software, hardware or hosting service that it proposes, the State will have the right to purchase such item(s) from another source, instead of from the selected Offeror.

C. All Upgrades and regulatory updates shall be provided at no additional cost.

D. The State requires that the Offeror price individual software modules separately.

E. The State also requires that the Offeror provide fully functional, generally available software and multiple-user licenses for purchase as needed throughout the life of the Contract.

F. The Offeror shall install and provide all documentation for the software furnished under the

Contract.

G. Material costs shall be passed through with no mark-up by the Contractor.

H. The Contractor shall prepare software releases and stage at DHCD for validation in the system test environment. DHCD will provide authorization to proceed. DHCD will have the ability to manage the distribution of these releases to the appropriate sites. To support this requirement, the Contractor shall propose, provide and fully describe their solution for updating all sites with any new software releases.

I. The Offeror shall provide manufacturer or provider’s standard warranty for the item. Offeror shall identify the duration of the standard warranty. Any warranty period for goods and services will not commence until acceptance of the products or services by DHCD. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, all defective items must be replaced at no additional cost to the State. Note with any hardware/software provided under this RFP may warrant that the, Contractor demonstrate that it is a licensed reseller or distributor of the item.

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2.5.4 Required Project Policies, Guidelines and Methodologies

The Contractor shall be required to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines affecting Information Technology projects, which may be created or changed periodically. Offeror is required to review all applicable links provided below and state compliance in its response.

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure adherence and to remain abreast of new or revised laws, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines affecting project execution. These include, but are not limited to:

A. The State of Maryland System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology at:

http://doit.maryland.gov/SDLC/Pages/agile-sdlc.aspx ;

B. The State of Maryland Information Technology Security Policy and Standards at:

http://www.DoIT.maryland.gov- keyword: Security Policy;

C. The State of Maryland Information Technology Non-Visual Standards at:

https://doit.maryland.gov/policies/Pages/NVAGuidance.aspx;

D. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) security rules for the Health Insurance

Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) at: http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/guidance/index.html;

E. The State of Maryland Information Technology Project Oversight at:

https://doit.maryland.gov/epmo/Pages/ProjectMgmt.aspx;

F. The Contractor shall follow project management methodologies consistent with the most recent edition of the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide.

2.5.5 Product Requirements

A. Offerors may propose open source software; however, the Offeror must provide operational support for the proposed software as part of its Proposal.

B. Offeror shall be authorized to furnish the proposed goods and services. Offerors proposing to resell services of another entity must be authorized by such other entity.

C. No international processing for State Data: As described in Section 3.7 Security Requirements, Offerors are advised that any processing or storage of data outside of the continental U.S. is prohibited.

D. Any Contract award is contingent on the Department’s agreement, during the Proposal evaluation process, to any applicable terms of use and any other agreement submitted under Section 5.3.2. Such agreed upon terms of use shall apply consistently across services ordered under the Contract.

E. The Contractor shall not establish any auto-renewal of services beyond the period identified in

Contract documents.

F. In addition to any notices of renewal sent to the Department, Contractors shall email notices of renewal to the e-mail address designated by the Contract Monitor.

2.5.6 Maintenance and Support

Maintenance and support, and Contractor’s ongoing maintenance and support obligations, are defined as follows:

A. Maintenance commences at the delivery of Production-ready EEPMS. Billing for such annual maintenance and support shall commence 30 days after delivery and acceptance of production-ready system.

http://www.doit.maryland.gov/ https://doit.maryland.gov/policies/Pages/NVAGuidance.aspx http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/guidance/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/guidance/index.html https://doit.maryland.gov/epmo/Pages/ProjectMgmt.aspx

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B. Software maintenance includes all future software updates and system enhancements applicable to system modules licensed without further charge to all licensed users maintaining a renewable software support contract

C. Support shall be provided for superseded releases and back releases still in use by the Department.

D. For the first year and all subsequent Contract years, the following services shall be provided for the current version and one previous version of any Software provided with the Deliverables:

1) Error Correction. Upon notice by State of a problem with the Software (which problem can be verified), reasonable efforts to correct or provide a working solution for the problem.

2) Material Defects. Contractor shall notify the Department of any material errors or defects in the Deliverables known, or made known to Contractor from any source during the life of the

Contract that could cause the production of inaccurate or otherwise materially incorrect results. The Contractor shall initiate actions as may be commercially necessary or proper to effect corrections of any such errors or defects.

3) Updates. Contractor will provide to the Department at no additional charge all new releases and bug fixes (collectively referred to as “Updates”) for any software Deliverable developed or published by the Contractor and made available to its other customers.

E. Operations tasks to include virus scans

F. Monthly submission reporting on maintenance activity

G. User support (Help Desk)

1) Contractor shall furnish Help Desk services as stated in the agreed upon SLA.

2) Help Desk services are available from 7:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Friday, excluding

State Holidays.

3) Contractor shall utilize a help desk ticketing system to record and track all help desk calls.

The ticketing system shall record with a date and timestamp when the ticket was opened and when the ticket was closed.

4) Help Desk services shall be furnished using resources familiar with the State’s account (i.e., calls shall not be sent to a general tier 1 call queue).

2.5.7 Technical Support

A. Technical Support “Technical Support” means Contractor-provided assistance for the services or

Solution furnished under the Contract, after initial end-user support confirms a technical issue that requires additional troubleshooting capabilities; sometimes referenced as Tier II – IV support.

B. Technical Support shall be available during Normal State Business Hours, Monday – Friday, From 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

C. Support shall be available during Normal State Business Hours, and as appropriate during off-hours to support peak activities

D. A toll free number for telephone support shall be provided by the Contractor. The Department shall be able to contact a Technical Support team member 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

E. Support personnel answering calls/emails shall be knowledgeable about the Department implementation.

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F. Contractor Personnel providing technical support shall be familiar with the Department’s account

(i.e., calls shall not be sent to a general queue).

G. Contractor shall return calls for service of emergency system issues within one (1) hour.

H. Calls for non-emergency IT service requests will be returned within three (3) hours or immediately the following day if after Normal State Business Hours.

I. The Department shall be provided with information on software problems encountered at other locations, along with the solution to those problems, when relevant to State software.

2.6 Deliverables

2.6.1 Deliverable Submission

A. For every deliverable, the Contractor shall request the Contract Monitor confirm receipt of that deliverable by sending an e-mail identifying the deliverable name and date of receipt.

B. For every deliverable, the Contractor shall submit to the Contract Monitor, by e-mail, an Agency

Deliverable Product Acceptance Form (DPAF), an example of which is provided on the DoIT web page here:

http://doit.maryland.gov/contracts/Documents/_procurementForms/DeliverableProductAcceptanceF orm-DPAFsample.pdf.

C. Unless specified otherwise, written deliverables shall be compatible with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project or Microsoft Visio within two (2) versions of the current version. At the Contract

Monitor’s discretion, the Contract Monitor may request one hard copy of a written deliverable.

D. A standard deliverable review cycle will be elaborated and agreed-upon between the Department and the Contractor. This review process is entered into when the Contractor completes a deliverable.

E. For any written deliverable, the Contract Monitor may request a draft version of the deliverable, to comply with the minimum deliverable quality criteria listed in Section 2.6.3 Minimum Deliverable

Quality. Drafts of each final deliverable, except status reports, are required at least two weeks in advance of when the final deliverables are due (with the exception of deliverables due at the beginning of the project where this lead time is not possible, or where draft delivery date is explicitly specified). Draft versions of a deliverable shall comply with the minimum deliverable quality criteria listed in Section 2.6.3 Minimum Deliverable Quality.

2.6.2 Deliverable Acceptance

A. A final deliverable shall satisfy the scope and requirements of this RFP for that deliverable, including the quality and acceptance criteria for a final deliverable as defined in Section 2.6.4

Deliverable Descriptions/Acceptance Criteria.

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

C. The Contract Monitor will issue to the Contractor a notice of acceptance or rejection of the deliverable in the DPAF (see online sample). Following the return of the DPAF indicating

“Accepted” and signed by the Contract Monitor, the Contractor shall submit a proper invoice in accordance with the procedures in Section 3.3. The invoice must be accompanied by a copy of the executed DPAF or payment may be withheld.

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

2.6.3 Minimum Deliverable Quality

The Contractor shall subject each deliverable to its internal quality-control process prior to submitting the deliverable to the Department.

Each deliverable shall meet the following minimum acceptance criteria:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

H. Must contain the date, author, and page numbers. When applicable for a deliverable, a revision table must be included.

I. A draft written deliverable may contain limited structural errors such as incorrect punctuation, and shall represent a significant level of completeness toward the associated final written deliverable.

The draft written deliverable shall otherwise comply with minimum deliverable quality criteria above.

2.6.4 Deliverable Descriptions/Acceptance Criteria

In addition to the items identified in the table below, the Contractor may suggest other subtasks, artifacts, or deliverables to improve the quality and success of the assigned tasks.

Deliverables Summary Table*

ID # Deliverable

Description

Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency

2.6.4.1 Integrated

Project Schedule

Integrated Project Schedule demonstrating incremental implementation tasks, task estimates, resource assignments, and dependencies for both Agency and Contractor

Personnel.

30 working days after

Notice to Proceed

2.6.4.5 System Design

Document/

Product

Requirements

Document that describes the system configuration, file layouts, program definitions, etc. sufficient to manage the system.

30 working days after

Notice to Proceed

2.6.4.6 Implementation

Plan/Schedule

Document that describes the incremental implementation efforts and resources necessary to fully implement the System as described in

30 working days after

Notice to Proceed

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ID # Deliverable

Description

Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency the functional requirements in Section 2.3 of the

RFP.

2.6.4.8 Data

Migration Plan

Acceptance shall be granted based on completion of data migration

45 Days prior to initiating Data

Migration

2.6.4.9 Test Plan Document that describes the approach and

methodology for all testing cycles to be performed

Within 30 Business

Days after NTP.

Updates: Weekly

A.

Test Results

Report

Document that describes the results for all testing cycles performed

Contractor will provide as necessary.

2.6.4.10 Production -

ready

Program

Management

System

Fully implemented system that meets all requirements stated herein and has been successfully installed and accepted by the State.

Within 30 Business

Days after NTP.

2.6.4.11 Training

Plan

A Training Plan in MS Word format that describes the amount and type of training, as well as a proposed training schedule, for each user type, including but not limited to end users and administrators. Includes identification of the training materials that will be developed for training

A.

Administrator

Training

Supply training materials and perform training for up to 5 administrators on how the system is configured and how to best manage the system.

B.

System

Customization training

Supply training examples and perform training for up to 6 individuals on how to perform customization for typical configuration changes to meet the needs DHCD beyond initial implementation, to include: adding fields, create custom reports, and change workflow. As necessary, supply supporting documentation that describes the processes used to implement customized modules, including a description of the skill sets required to make the changes.

Days after NTP

C.

End user training

Perform instructor-led (onsite preferred) training for advanced end-users (e.g., “super-users”) who will support the rollout and help train other users on the System.

2.6.4.12 System

Documentation

• One or more documents describing how to administer the system, including:

maintenance procedures, technical manuals, and data dictionary (if not in System Design

Doc)

• The Contractor shall provide manuals for system configuration and administration

• The Contractor shall provide installation

Days NTP.

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ID # Deliverable

Description

Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency and implementation guide for all software *The deliverables summary table may not list every contractually-required deliverable. Offerors should read the

RFP thoroughly for all Contract requirements and deliverables.

2.7 System Acceptance

System Acceptance is the point in the lifecycle at which every aspect of the application being developed, along with any supporting data conversion routines and system utilities are thoroughly validated by the Customer

Representatives prior to proceeding with System Implementation.

The EEPMS is considered accepted by DHCD when all of the following have been completed and accepted by the Contract Monitor:

A. Functional requirements have been fully implemented, tested and accepted (or, at the DHCD’s discretion, implementation is successfully moved into production.

B. Training has been delivered in accordance with the accepted Training Plan, C. Data has been converted and is in use within the System, D. User access has been implemented according with their defined roles and permissions, E. All related Deliverables including the assignment of all software licenses, subscriptions and/or products in the Department’s name must have been accepted by the Contract Monitor, and

F. The Contractor has furnished any licenses for the software under the State’s name.

2.8 Optional Features or Services, Future Work

2.8.1 Upon request and at the State’s sole option, Contractor shall provide additional services related to scope changes, enhancements, training or legislative mandates identified in the future. Contractor shall ensure that technical resources are available to address this requirement.

2.8.2 The Contractor shall supply personnel knowledgeable with the State System to perform minor enhancements, and support for subject matter experts in data analysis and reporting.

2.9 Service Level Agreement (SLA)

The State is sensitive to system performance, and its impact on user efficiency and perception. As a result, system performance measures shall be implemented as proposed and agreed to in the Contract and measured on a periodic basis as a means to maintain a high level of system performance and user satisfaction. The Contractor is to implement measurements of their solution’s performance as proposed and explained in the Technical Proposal.

The Contractor shall implement an SLA for system performance as proposed that is considered acceptable performance from an end-user’s point of view (e.g., response time of common transactions, system availability).

The Contractor shall include both the measures and the frequency of measurement in its SLA prior to implementation. The EEPMS shall be available to users at all times, with the exception of planned outages.

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3 Contractor Requirements: General

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

A. Contractor shall schedule and hold a Kick-Off Meeting within 10 Business Days after NTP.

3.2 End of Contract Transition

3.2.1 The Contractor shall provide transition assistance as requested by the Department to facilitate the orderly transfer of services to the Department or a follow-on contractor, for a period up to 60 days prior to Contract end date, or the termination thereof. Such transition efforts shall consist, not by way of limitation, of:

A. Provide additional services and support as requested to successfully complete the transition;

B. Maintain the services called for by the Contract at the required level of proficiency;

C. Provide updated System Documentation (see Appendix 1), as appropriate; and

D. Provide current operating procedures (as appropriate).

3.2.2 The Contractor shall work toward a prompt and timely transition, proceeding in accordance with the directions of the Contract Monitor. The Contract Monitor may provide the Contractor with additional instructions to meet specific transition requirements prior to the end of the Contract.

3.2.3 The Contractor shall ensure that all necessary knowledge and materials for the tasks completed are transferred to the custody of Department personnel or a third party, as directed by the Contract

Monitor.

3.2.4 The Contractor shall support end-of-Contract transition efforts with technical and project support to include but not be limited to:

A. The Contractor shall provide a draft Transition-Out Plan within 120 Business Days in advance of

Contract end date.

B. The Transition-Out Plan shall address at a minimum the following areas:

1) Any staffing concerns/issues related to the closeout of the Contract;

2) Communications and reporting process between the Contractor, the Department and the

Contract Monitor;

3) Security and system access review and closeout;

4) Any hardware/software inventory or licensing including transfer of any point of contact for required software licenses to the Department or a designee;

5) Any final training/orientation of Department staff;

6) Connectivity services provided, activities and approximate timelines required for Transition-

Out;

7) Knowledge transfer, to include:

a) A working knowledge of the current system environments as well as the general business practices of the Department;

b) Review with the Department the procedures and practices that support the business process and current system environments;

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c) Working knowledge of all technical and functional matters associated with the

Solution, its architecture, data file structure, interfaces, any batch programs, and any hardware or software tools utilized in the performance of the Contract;

d) Documentation that lists and describes all hardware and software tools utilized in the performance of the Contract;

e) A working knowledge of various utilities and corollary software products used in support and operation of the Solution;

8) Plans to complete tasks and any unfinished work items (including open change requests, and known bug/issues); and

9) Any risk factors with the timing and the Transition-Out schedule and transition process. The

Contractor shall document any risk factors and suggested solutions.

C. The Contractor shall ensure all documentation and data including, but not limited to, System

Documentation and current operating procedures, is current and complete with a hard and soft copy in a format prescribed by the Contract Monitor.

D. The Contractor shall provide copies of any current daily and weekly back-ups to the Department or a third party as directed by the Contract Monitor as of the final date of transition, but no later than the final date of the Contract.

E. Access to any data or configurations of the furnished product and services shall be available after the expiration of the Contract as described in Section 3.2.5.

3.2.5 Return and Maintenance of State Data

A. Upon termination or the expiration of the Contract Term, the Contractor shall: (a) return to the

Department all State data in either the form it was provided to the Contractor or in a mutually agreed format along with the schema necessary to read such data; (b) preserve, maintain, and protect all

State data until the earlier of a direction by the Department to delete such data or the expiration of 90 days (“the retention period”) from the date of termination or expiration of the Contract term; (c) after the retention period, the Contractor shall securely dispose of and permanently delete all State data in all of its forms, such as disk, CD/DVD, backup tape and paper such that it is not recoverable, according to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-approved methods with certificates of destruction to be provided to the Department; and (d) prepare an accurate accounting from which the Department may reconcile all outstanding accounts.