SS-2024-3006 - Outside Payroll Services.pdf

Sources Sought Notice No. SS-2024-3006

“Outside Payroll Services” February 1, 2024

Background:

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a national laboratory owned by the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE). NREL is the only federal laboratory dedicated to research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. NREL is managed and operated for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy (Alliance), the “M&O Contractor”.

NREL currently has about 3,300 employees and is projected to grow rapidly over the next 5 years.

Objective:

The objective of this Sources Sought is to identify potential subcontracting companies that are qualified and capable of meeting the NREL’s needs to perform the payroll, tax and garnishment functions as described in the Project Details below and currently possesses the ability to completely integrate with the Workday platform from which the data is obtained and processed.

Project Details:

In the event a solicitation is released, NREL is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that meets or exceeds the following minimum capabilities:

1 - Provide the following for each Payroll Cycle:

Settle the bi-weekly payroll Notify NREL of total tax deposits for each payroll cycle Tax filing services which include:

o Prepare federal filing and deposit federal taxes.

o Prepare state filings and deposit state taxes.

o Prepare state unemployment filings and deposit state unemployment tax.

o Prepare local filings and deposit local tax.

Process and transmit employee garnishments payments to appropriate agency or government authority & send corresponding communication to employees

2 - Provide the following Tax Filing Services:

Prepare and file quarterly Federal, State tax, Local tax returns.

Prepare and file annual Federal, State, and Local tax returns.

Prepare, print, mail and file W-2 tax returns.

Prepare and file amended employer’s federal, state & local tax returns as needed.

Notify NREL of any tax irregularities.

Research, resolve and respond to any tax notices in a timely manner.

Research, resolve and respond to special tax research requests when needed.

Provide NREL secure access to an online site to view and download quarterly and annual tax returns, and tax payments made on the behalf of NREL by quarter and annually.

Obtain access to all necessary portals for filing taxes and making related payments.

Respond within three business days to all tax questions from NREL.

3 - The Subcontractor shall Provide the Following Garnishment Services:

Respond within three business days to all garnishment questions from NREL.

Set up new and existing employee garnishments.

Process and transmit employee garnishments payments to appropriate agency or government authority & send corresponding communication to employees.

4 - The Subcontractor Shall Provide Other Payroll Services as Follows:

Develop integrations needed for tax deposits, employer quarterly/annual tax filings, and W-2 filings.

Develop additional reports needed to reconcile quarterly and annual taxable wages.

Print and mail 1095C’s to employee and agency.

Develop integrations needed for garnishments payments.

Provide customer support to NREL payroll staff for integrations.

Request Details:

The Alliance intends to competitively solicit for Digital Information Governance System (DIGS), dependent on the volume of qualified responses received.

Step 1 - Sourcing (SSN): Parties that meet the minimum criteria outlined herein are encouraged to submit their capabilities statements. Submitted capabilities statements that meet the Alliance’s stated criteria will be considered for inclusion in the source list to receive notice of the planned RFP. The Alliance reserves the right to add additional sources to the source list at its discretion.

Step 2: Proposal (RFP): Once the source list is compiled (the Alliance reserves the right to add additional sources to the source list at its discretion), the Alliance will send each qualified source the solicitation document, Request for Proposals (RFP). Sources will then be asked to submit in accordance with that formal solicitation document. The Alliance will then evaluate the submitted qualifications against the selection criteria.

Small-Business Requirements: Sufficient, qualified responses to this SSN will determine if a total small business set aside is appropriate for a resultant RFP. The NAICS code applicable to this SSN is 541214.

The following links are being provided for convenience:

https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards https://www.sba.gov/size-standards

Period of Performance: This project is anticipated to have a base period of performance totaling twelve (12) months or 365 days, plus four one-year option periods totaling twelve (12) months of 365 days. The total Period of Performance, if all options are exercised, shall not exceed sixty (60) months.

Anticipated Lead/Delivery Time: The Alliance program anticipates the lead/delivery time to be Period of Performance would begin on April 1, 2025; with any/all integration and implementation completed by February 1, 2025.

Location of Work to be Performed: Offerors shall be able to demonstrate their capability to perform in these locations:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) South Table Mountain Campus (STM)

15013 Denver West Parkway Golden, CO 80401

Submission Requirements:

For companies interested in competing for the “Outside Payroll Services” RFP, please submit the following to Rachel Province at ASP.Responses@nrel.gov with this subject line: “SS-2024-3006

- Outside Payroll Services, “[enter your company name]”” on or before 5:00 p.m. (MST), 02/16/2024. Your submission response is limited to 2-5 pages:

1. The subject line of your email response to this SSN shall be the following:

“SS-2024-3006 - Outside Payroll Services, “[enter your company name]””

2. Company Name, Address, and Company URL (include bona-fide location as stated above).

3. Point of Contact Information (Email, Direct Phone Number).

4. Company’s Capability Statement that provides a narrative of the Offeror’s expertise with projects of similar scope, size, and complexity as identified below:

Services Capability (including optional capabilities): Alliance is seeking a subcontractor that has demonstrated success with similar projects, has experience with federally funded projects, is knowledgeable with challenging schedules on project delivery, and is well versed and skilled in effectively integrating with all project team stakeholders.

Please complete the following table.

1 Capabilities Experience:

Yes/No

Years Experience (if applicable)

1.1 Workday Integrated Partner > 5years.

1.2 Outside Payroll Services > 10 years.

1.3 Multi-state and unique payroll situations.

5. Estimated lead time to complete Workday integration after award (not to be confused with beginning of period of performance).

Disclaimer: Responding to this request identifies your company as an interested candidate only.

Your submittal is not in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP). This is an SSN, not a Request for Proposal. Verbal replies will not be accepted. At this time, Alliance is not accepting phone calls or questions related to this SSN. Project-related questions will not be entertained at this point in the procurement process. This document represents a market research effort. Any costs associated with the development of a response to this request will not be reimbursed by NREL and submission does not guarantee or otherwise promise inclusion in any forthcoming RFP. In the event a solicitation results from this SSN, NREL reserves the right to set aside in total or in part any resultant award. No award will be made to any subcontractor/vendor that is not registered or in the process of registering with the System for Award Management (SAM). Please visit the SAM website at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration for instructions on how to register.

If a solicitation is conducted and an award is resulting, a SAM registration is required to be active at time of award.