T2890 Bid Amendment 3 020320.docx

PHILIP D. MURPHY

Governor State of New Jersey

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

DIVISION OF PURCHASE AND PROPERTY

PROCUREMENT BUREAU

33 WEST STATE STREET

P. O. BOX 230

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY 08625-0230

ELIZABETH MAHER MUOIO

State Treasurer

SHEILA Y. OLIVER

Lt. Governor

MAURICE A. GRIFFIN

Acting Director https://www.njstart.gov

March 10, 2020

To: All Interested Vendors {Bidders}

Re: Bid Solicitation # 20DPP00492 T2890 Residential Re-Entry Programming and Services - NJSPB

Second Round of Vendor {Bidder} Electronic Questions Due Date: March 17, 2020 (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Bid Amendment #3

The following constitutes Bid Amendment #3 to the above referenced Bid Solicitation:

· This Bid Amendment includes:

· Answers to Vendor {Bidder} electronic questions;

· Revisions to the Bid Solicitation:

· Revisions to the Price Sheet/Schedule;

· A second round of Vendor {Bidder} Electronic questions; and

· Postpones the Quote submission Due Date from April 21, 2020 to June 2, 2020.

· Please note that for all additions, deletions, clarifications and modifications to the Bid Solicitation, please refer to the Revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320

· Please note that T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320 includes additions and/or revisions to the following Bid Solicitation Sections:

· 1.1 Purpose and Intent – revised;

· 1.1.1 Geographical Regions – revised;

· 1.1.2 Bed Quantities – revised;

· 2.3 Blanket P.O. Specific Definitions/Acronyms – revised;

· 3.2 Vendor {Contractor} Information – revised;

· 3.4.1 Accreditation – revised;

· 3.4.2 Licensing – revised ;

· 3.4.2.1 Information – added;

· 3.4.2.2 Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment License – revised;

· 3.14.2 Emergency And/Or Offsite Medical Services – revised;

· 3.17 Healthcare Enrollment – revised;

· 3.19 Cellular Phones – revised;

· 3.20 Transportation Services – revised;

· 3.23.4 Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Education, Counseling and Supportive Services – revised;

· 3.23.7 Computer Supported Education and Vocation Programs – revised;

· 3.23.13 – Offender Assessments and Individualize Service Plans – revised;

· 3.23.14 Discharge planning – revised;

· 3.24.2 Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment License – revised;

· 3.24.4 Program Overview – revised;

· 3.24.5 Phase I – Stabilization and Orientation – revised;

· 3.24.6.1 Computer Supported Education and Vocational Programs – revised;

· 3.24.8 Phase IV – Discharge Planning – revised;

· 3.25.1 Outpatient Substance User Disorder Treatment License – revised;

· 3.25.3 Program Overview – revised;

· 3.25.4 Phase I – Stabilization and Orientation – revised;

· 3.25.5.1 Computer Supported Education and Vocation Programs – revised;

· 3.25.7 Phase IV – Discharge Planning – revised;

· 3.26.6.1 Secure Facilities – revised;

· 3.30.9 Facility Searches – revised;

· 3.35.2 Employee Background Checks – revised;

· 3.35.12 Staff Training – revised;

· 4.4.3.2 Blanket P.O. Management;

· 4.4.3.4 Lease Agreements And Other Certifications – revised;

· 4.4.3.4.3 Additional Vendor {Bidder} Certification – revised;

· 4.4.5.2 State Supplied Price Sheet Instructions – revised;

· 5.2 Blanket P.O. Term and Extension Option – revised;

· 6.4 Oral Presentation – revised; and

· 7.2 Final Blanket P.O. award – revised.

It is the sole responsibility of the Vendor {Bidder} to be knowledgeable of all of the additions, deletions, clarifications, and modifications to the Bid Solicitation and/or the New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions relative to this Bid Solicitation as set forth in all Bid Amendments.

All other instructions, terms, and conditions of the Bid Solicitation shall remain the same.

Bid Solicitation #20DPP00492 T2890 Residential Re-Entry Programming & Services - NJSPB

Answers to Questions

Where applicable, each question references the appropriate Bid Solicitation section.

Section Reference Question (Bolded) and Answer

This information is not available at this time.

B) Please identify any budget constraints the NJSPB is facing this current fiscal year and any anticipated constraints for the contract term.

The State cannot comment with respect to the funding for each Fiscal Year, as it is contingent upon funding provided via the Annual Appropriations Act.

C) Please provide the total budget for the beds requested in this Bid Solicitation for the fiscal years of the ensuing contract term.

This information is not available at this time.

These Sections have been revised. Please refer to section 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

Please see the attached Program Census January-October 2019, entitled “T2890 Attachment #2 020320”, and

B) Please provide the current and average census over the preceding 12 months for each program in each region broken down by gender.

Please refer to the answer provided above for part A of this question.

C) The statewide average daily census of the RESAP and STEPS programs have declined for each of the past 3 years. Today the census is less than 50% of the beds that the NJSPB is seeking. Also, despite the continued low bed utilization rates, this Bid Solicitation requests 100+ more beds than are contracted today. Since vendors rely on the estimated number of beds for each program to reflect the agency’s needs, when the agency’s utilization of beds is substantially lower than anticipated it can cause programs to not be operationally and financially sustainable. Please consider reducing the number of beds for the RESAP and STEPS program so that they are more in line with the NJSPBs needs.

The estimated number of beds provided in Bid Solicitation Section 1.1.2 represent the State’s current needs, and do not represent a minimum or maximum quantity of beds that will be awarded for any of the Programs. Please refer to Section 1.1.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for updated information.

As of the December 2, 2019 residential program census, there were 209 Offenders housed in the Northern Region, 70 Offenders housed in the Central Region and 123 Offenders housed in the Southern Region.

B) While the RFP says that the State makes no guarantee of any minimum or maximum population level at any vendor facility, will the State consider lowering the requested number of beds to reflect current bed usage by the NJSPB? This will provide the vendor with the opportunity to submit a more accurate and competitive bid.

Please refer to the response provided for Part C of question #3.

C) Based on the statement by the State that the number of beds may change during the contract period, will the State be willing to accept an alternate pricing method instead of using per diems?

The State does not accept this proposed modification.

D) Alternate pricing methods could include: A tiered pricing system whereby per diems would vary according census levels in the facilities; A combination of per diems and fixed fees; that is, where the vendor would receive a set fee for a certain number of beds and a per diem for beds over and above that number (The NJ Parole Board uses a similar method to fund the Community Resource Centers (CRCs)

The State does not accept this proposed modification.

The existing bed count for PROMISE has been revised to reflect 100 beds. If feasible, the 100-bed allocation will be spread across the three (3) collective regions. However, pursuant to Section 1.1 of the Bid Solicitation, the State reserves the right to award fewer than the quantity of beds identified in Section 1.1.2 of the Bid Solicitation. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for additional information.

Yes, if a Vendor {Bidder} deems sections of its Quote proprietary or confidential, a redacted hardcopy and digital copy may be submitted along with the original Quote submission, even if the Vendor {Bidder} elects not to submit the Quote through NJSTART.

The location and address is as follows: 33 West State Street, 9th Floor Bid Room, Trenton, NJ. The time will be 2:00 p.m. on the day the Quotes are due. Please refer to the cover page of the Bid Solicitation and Section 1.4.5 for additional information.

Vendor {Contractor} Requirements For All Programs #4:

Please clarify if the STEPS and RESAP residents are permitted to comingle with each other during programming modules.

The STEPS and RESAP residents are permitted to comingle with each other only with respect to non-clinical groups.

An Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment License issued by the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Certificate of Need and Licensing, will be required for the RESAP and PROMISE Programs, only when the licensure requirements become available and are fully approved by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). The NJSPB, with advisement from the NJDOH, will notify Vendors {Contractors} when licensure becomes available. A license is not required for the STEPS Program. Please refer to Section 3.4.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”, for additional information regarding the Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment License.

B) If so, can the Parole Board provide guidance to bidders as to how the differences in the requirements of the RFP and the Outpatient regulations will be resolved? (It should be noted that the Department of Health, Office of Licensing offers conditional Outpatient licenses, which eliminate many of the requirements of 161B, to NJDOC community release residential facilities under the terms of N.J.A.C 10:161B-2.7 when the purposes and intent of the proposed facility are outside the scope of a regular license and if OOL determines that it is in the best interest of the clients benefiting from the treatment facility in question and in order to preserve and/or improve the proper functioning of the facility.)

The NJSPB and the NJDOH, Office of Certificate of Need and Licensing are collaborating regarding licensure standards for Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment. Please refer to Section 3.4.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”

The State does not accept this proposed modification.

B) If the Outpatient License requirement remains in force, which may be costly to implement, please confirm vendors may secure a conditional Outpatient license.

The Vendor {Contractor} shall be expected to comply with Section 3.4.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for licensing requirements.

Either ACA or CARF accreditation is required, not both. Please refer to Section 3.4.1 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320.

Please clarify if STEPS and RESAP residents are permitted to be housed with each other.

Yes, STEPS and RESAP residents may be housed with each other, provided that male and female Offenders are housed separately. Please refer to Section 3.5 of the Bid Solicitation for Housing and Facility Requirements.

The State is not able to answer this question without knowing the specific details of the proposed agreement with another supervising agency.

Non-emergency medical services do not pose an immediate risk to an Offender’s physical or mental health. Please refer to Section 2.3 and 3.14.2(3) of the revised Bid Solicitation, entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for examples of emergency and non-emergency medical services.

This is a business decision to be made by the Vendor {Bidder}, not the State. Pursuant to Section 1.1 of the Bid Solicitation, the Vendor {Bidder} is not required to submit a Quote for all of the requested beds, a Vendor {Bidder} may submit a Quote for any quantity of beds it has available.

Please refer to the answer provided for question #14.

B) Please specify who is financially responsible for the costs of the medications, including buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone, as these medications are expensive and could substantially increase a vendors per diem if held financially responsible.

Pursuant to Bid Solicitation Section 3.17 Healthcare Enrollment, which has been revised for clarity, the Vendor {Contractor} shall assist the Offender with enrollment in Medicaid or affordable healthcare. The Offender is responsible for the cost of medication only if they have Medicaid, Medicare or private health insurance and the medications are reimbursable via their health insurance plan. If not, the Vendor {Contractor} is responsible for the costs of all prescribed medication. Please refer to Section 3.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

C) By law, methadone can only be dispensed through an opioid treatment program (OTP) certified by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA). Please confirm a vendor may transport and refer offenders to a community-based resource for the provision of methadone.

This is confirmed.

D) Please confirm a vendor can propose a cap on the number of methadone resident referrals based on the capabilities of the local clinics.

This is confirmed.

The Offender is financially responsible for ambulance transportation expenses.

B) Please confirm that the vendor is not financially responsible for the cost of emergency and offsite medical services.

The Vendor {Contractor} is not responsible for bearing the cost of emergency and offsite medical services.

Each Offender is financially responsible for any medical, mental health and dental services that are provided outside of the Vendor’s {Contractor’s} facility.

B) Please confirm NJSPB will assume the cost for residents once hospitalized at a local community hospital.

If an Offender is hospitalized, then the financial responsibility for these costs lies with the Offender, not the State.

The NJSPB will assume supervision; however, as stated in the response provided for part A and B of question #18, financial responsibility lies with the Offender, not the State.

The determination of whether or not to include any costs in the Firm-Fixed Per Diem Rate is a business decision made by the Vendor {Bidder}. However, no additional charges will be paid or permitted, unless there is a change in the Scope of Work, that has been approved by the Director. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Sections 2.3, 3.2 and 3.19, of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for additional information.

B) Please expand on the expectations of GPS tracking that vendors are to provide. For instance, please identify what NJSPB will do with the location point and how often the phone is expected to relay a GPS location.

To obtain confirmation of the Offender’s compliance with an approved off-site pass, including any Offender deviations of approved paths. The GPS location relay shall be in accordance with the length and location of the destination of the approved pass.

C) Please confirm parolees will only be issued a cellular phone upon exiting the facility for employment, court appearances, medical appointment, etc., and returned to vendor on arrival.

The Vendor {Contractor} shall issue a cellular telephone to every Offender permitted to conduct unescorted or permissible activities outside of the Facility. Please refer to Section 3.19 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation” for additional information.

D) Please confirm cellular phones are only to be provided to STEPS, RESAP, and PROMISE residents who leave the facility for approved activities.

Please refer to the response provided above for part C of this question.

E) Please confirm cellular phones would not be issued to residents who the vendor drives to and from their place of employment.

Please refer to the response provided above for part C of this question.

F) Please confirm cellular phones which allow video-conferencing and automated check-ins will be permitted by NJSPB.

This is not confirmed nor is it permitted. Please refer to Section 3.19 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 012020”.

G) Please provide an estimate of how many pre-determined phone numbers would be allowed on a single phone.

There are no estimated pre-determined phone numbers that would be permitted. Pursuant to Bid Solicitation Section 3.19, the NJSPB and the Vendor {Contractor} establish pre-determined programmed phone numbers. Please refer to Section 3.19 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 012020” for additional information.

H) Please confirm the NJSPB is seeking a solution that:

I. promotes offender accountability;

II. enhances Parole Officer and Reentry Personnel supervision activities; and III. improves public safety by issuing cellular phones to offenders where their location is continuously monitored, direct communication with authorized contacts is facilitated, and compliance with appointments or work schedules is verified.

This is confirmed.

I) Please confirm a vendor can satisfy this requirement by offering a phone that biometrically verifies offender identity, collects GPS points, and prompts offenders to report any interruptions related to their terms of supervision.

No, this is not confirmed. Please refer to Section 3.19 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320 for Cellular Phone requirements.

These items are not required by the Bid Solicitation.

The Vendor {Contractor} shall provide Offenders with transportation to employment assignments until such time that the Offender is able to contribute towards the cost of transportation. Please refer to Section 3.20 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled, “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

Please refer to the answer provided for question #22.

B) Please consider revising this requirement to allow a vendor to provide bus passes in lieu of transportation.

Bus passes are not permitted and shall not to be issued in lieu of transportation. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

C) Please specify if a vendor would be permitted to utilize a ride-share service, such as Uber or Lyft, to provide private transportation for offenders to non-emergency medical treatment, medical appointments, recreational activities, etc.

No this is not permissible. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320.

No off-site passes are permitted, except in emergent medical needs, without the prior written approval of the NJSPB during the 14-day calendar day program orientation.

Yes, parenting is required for all Offenders, even those that are not parents. Domestic violence education is required for all Supervised Offenders.

The State does not accept this proposed modification.

B) As the CADC, LADC, LPC, BSW, MSW, and LCSW credentials are a new service requirement and will increase expenses associated with staffing, please consider revising to allow vendor staff to conduct groups without such credentials, as long as they are supervised by and report to licensed or certified personnel.

The State does not accept this proposed modification.

This cost is the responsibility of the Vendor {Contractor}. Please refer to Section 3.23.7 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

Please refer to the response provided for part A of question #9.

In the context of work release, at all times means a Vendor {Contractor} has a firm understanding of the location of each Supervised Offender from the moment the Supervised Offender departs from the Vendor’s {Contractor’s} facility until they return to the Vendor’s {Contractor’s} facility.

B) GPS ankle monitors would be required for vendors to continuously and reliably know where offenders are at all times (vs on an as needed/checked basis). Does the State expect vendors to equip each offender on Work Release with a GPS ankle monitor during their time in the community?

GPS ankle monitors are not permitted.

Pursuant to Section 3.17 of the Bid Solicitation, which has been revised for clarity, the Vendor’s {Contractor’s} duties include assisting the Offender in obtaining Health Benefits or verifying existing Health Benefits If an Offender has no health insurance, at the time of discharge or transfer, the Vendor {Contractor} shall bear the cost of the 30-day supply of medication. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for additional information.

Please refer to the answer provided for Question #30.

B) If yes, please advise if vendors may purchase medications through New Jersey’s pharmacy program, which may provide better pricing due to bulk purchasing pricing that NJSPB may be receiving.

The State is unable to answer this question as posed.

C) If so, please provide medication pricing information for Suboxone, Metformin, NovoLog, etc.

The State is unable to answer this question as posed.

The provision of a Symptomatic Support Unit is not a mandatory requirement. Please refer to Section 3.24.1 of the Bid Solicitation.

The Vendor {Contractor} is not required to provide a Symptomatic Support Unit. Please refer to Section 3.24.1 of the Bid Solicitation for additional information.

B) If a vendor proposes a Symptomatic Support Unit as a RESAP offering, please confirm the vendor can submit a separate per diem for the provision of these services, as offenders in the unit require more intensive services than standard RESAP participants.

Yes, if a Vendor {Bidder} proposes a Symptomatic Support Unit, a separate Firm-Fixed Per Diem Rate may be submitted. Please refer to section 4.4.5.2 of the Revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” and the revised price sheet entitled “T2890 Revised Price Sheet/Schedule 020320”

C) Please specify how a bidders ability to provide the unit will enhance the evaluation of their Quote, as the unit consists of several price-increasing factors.

The predetermined weights established to develop the technical evaluation score are not made public until the Notice of Intent to Award has been issued.

Symptomatic Support Unit also Section 4.4.3.2

If a vendor proposes an SSU as part of its RESAP proposal, can the vendor propose a separate per diem for the provision of these services, which are more intensive and significantly more expensive than normal RESAP services Otherwise, the high cost of providing SSU beds could result in inflating the cost of regular RESAP beds?

Please refer to the response provided for Part B of question #33.

The Bid Solicitation has been revised to reflect that only RESAP and PROMISE residents are required to participate in licensed substance use treatment services provided by the Vendor {Contractor}. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

B) If so, how will programs be monitored by NJSPB if the level of care requirements governed by DMHAS do not match the contract requirements expected from NJSPB under the contract? NJSPB is proposing treatment benchmarks and staffing rosters for the parole contract that will fall outside of the regulations governed by Office of Licensing.

The NJSPB and the NJDOH, Office of Certificate of Need and Licensing are collaborating regarding licensure standards for Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment. Please refer to Section 3.4.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

With its Quote submission, the Vendor {Bidder} should describe its alternative substance use disorder curriculum. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.3.2 for additional information.

Program Requirements The proposal states that vendors must "Limit group counseling sessions to no more than 15 offenders per session." Does this exclude didactic and educational groups?

Yes, this excludes didactic and educational groups.

The clinical isolation period of up to 14 days refers to the period of time the Offender is precluded from any offsite passes with the exception of emergent medical needs so they may solely focus on their treatment needs and the required assessments.

Phase I Stabilization And Orientation

A) The proposal states: Vendor must provide a minimum of seven (7) hours of programming daily. Does this include weekends?

No, the Vendor {Contractor} is not required to provide programming on weekends or Holidays. Please refer to Section 3.24.5 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”, for additional information.

B) Does programming include other structured activities, such as recreation, smoke breaks, meals, etc.?

No, structured activities shall only include the structured activities described in Section 3.24.5, of the Bid Solicitation.

Yes; however, if a Vendor {Bidder} proposes an alternate screening or assessment tool, it should be equal to or exceed the screening and assessment tools requested in the Bid Solicitation. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”

The LSI-R is available in electronic format; however, the Vendor {Contractor} may use an equivalent assessment tool. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

Please refer to the response provided for question #41

Yes, the SASSI or the TCUDS5, or equivalent is necessary for all licensed programs. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

Yes. Please refer to the response provided for question #25.

Although the determination of what to include with its Quote submission rests with the Vendor {Bidder}, the State will not consider a policy on furloughs, because furloughs are not permitted.

The NJSPB will conduct on-site program monitoring, review the daily schedule, client files and attendance records and utilize outside auditors to determine compliance with the required seven (7) hours of daily programming.

Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment

A) Has the NJSPB notified DMHAS of the new licensure requirement for all STEPS and RESAP contracts?

Yes, the NJSPB has notified the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Certificate of Need and Licensing, of the licensure requirement. Please refer to the following Sections of the revised Bid Solicitation, entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”:

a. Section 3.4.2 Licenses;

b. Section 3.24.2 Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment License; and

c. Section 3.25.1 Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment License

The Sections identified above are revised to reflect that the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Certificate of Need and Licensing, is the State entity authorized to grant licensure for substance use treatment services.

B) Also, if both STEPS and RESAP Programs will be licensed through DMHAS, what will be the deciding factor used by the District Offices to determine appropriate placement in either the STEPS or RESAP programs?

The Clinical substance abuse treatment needs of each Offender at time of referral shall determine the most appropriate program placement. Be advised that the licensure requirement for the STEPS Program has been deleted. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320.”

C) Will Vendors pursue a "Conditional License," like that for the in-house NJDOC Outpatient Programs?

Please refer to the response provided for question #10.

D) If yes, are there any exceptions or exclusions to the license such as with the NJDOC Programs? For example; Treatment Planning within 14 days (as opposed to 30 days) and discharges to be appealed through the NJSPB?

The NJSPB and the NJDOH are collaborating regarding licensure standards for Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment. There are no exceptions or exclusions to the license at this time; however, based on the outcome of the collaborative effort with the NJSPB and the NJDOH, exceptions or exclusions may be considered on a case-by-case basis upon presentation of specific request by the Vendor {Contractor}. Please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation 020320 entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for additional information.

Reinforced, shatterproof windows may be used in lieu of bars. Please refer to Section 3.26.6.1 and 4.4.3.4.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

The Vendor {Bidder} shall provide all facility equipment requirements as outlined in this Section.

B) Is a general conference room sufficient to serve as this purpose or does the VTC room need to be a dedicated room for VTC purposes only?

The VTC room does not have to be a dedicated room for VTC purposes only; however, it must be made available to the NJSPB, upon request.

Yes, while also requesting that non-supervised offender visitors completely empty all the contents of their pockets prior to use of wand and/or metal detector. Please refer to Section 3.30.9 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”.

Parole liaisons are not permitted to carry their weapons when in the facility.

All weapons must be secured in the lock boxes.

Pursuant to Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.3.2, the Vendor {Bidder} should describe its plans and approach to the cognitive behavioral treatment programming they intend to provide and staff designated to implement the curriculum are to receive certified training to deliver the cognitive behavioral curriculum.

If submitting a Quote for two (2) separate facilities, the Vendor {Bidder} is not required to submit two (2) separate Quotes. Each facility proposed may be submitted with one (1) Quote submission. The Vendor {Bidder} should clearly label each facility, with its Quote submission.

B) Please provide information on how a vendor can obtain confirmation that the Quote was successfully submitted on NJSTART.

A Vendor {Bidder} can obtain confirmation that its Quote was successfully submitted by following the steps outlined in Quick Reference Guide (QRG) entitled “Submit a Quote” located on the NJSTART Vendor Support Page at the following link: https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/purchase/vendor.shtml

C) Please confirm a vendor can review and recall documents and attachments that were uploaded to NJSTART prior to the Quote Submission Deadline and advise how this can be accomplished by a Vendor.

A Vendor {Bidder} can review and recall its Quote documents and attachments.

This can be accomplished by following the steps outlined in the QRG entitled “Submit a Quote”. QRGs are located on the NJSTART Vendor Support Page.

A Vendor {Bidder} may submit a hardcopy version of all three (3) volumes in one binder.

B) Please confirm a vendor may submit a narrative response for STEPS, RESAP, and PROMISE together within one Quote.

A Vendor {Bidder} may submit a narrative response for STEPS, RESAP, and Promise together within one Quote.

C) In an effort to ease evaluator review and reduce duplication within the Quote, please confirm a vendor may respond to similar Scope of Work items (e.g. 3.23.7 and 3.24.6.1) by grouping their response within one section of the Quote submission.

The Vendor {Bidder} may respond to similar Scope of Work items by grouping responses within one (1) section of its Quote submission.

This Bid Solicitation is designated as a Small Business Set Aside for Subcontracting only. If the Vendor {Bidder} intends to utilize the services of a Subcontractor, a Subcontractor Utilization Plan must be submitted in accordance with Bid Solicitation Section 4.4.1.6.

Please refer to the response provided for question #55

The State does not accept this proposed modification.

B) If section 4.4.3.2 is not removed, please confirm a vendor can cross reference evaluators to the sections of the Quote submission that address the items requested in Blanket P.O. Management.

The Vendor {Bidder} may cross reference to specific sections of its Quote submission that address the items requested in Section 4.4.3.2 of the Bid Solicitation.

State Supplied Pricing Sheet Instructions A) Please clarify if the vendor is permitted to include a price escalation for each Blanket P.O Year.

Yes, this is permitted.

B) Please clarify the hourly rate for litigation support (Price Line # 10). What does this mean?

This is the hourly rate that the Vendor {Contractor} will be paid, in the event that testimony is provided. Please refer to Section 2.3 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320”, for the definition of Litigation Support.

The estimated number of beds provided in Bid Solicitation Section 1.1.2 represent the State’s current needs, and do not represent a minimum or maximum quantity of beds that will be awarded for any of the Programs. Please refer to Section 1.1.2 of the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T2890 Revised Bid Solicitation 020320” for updated information.

The State does not accept this proposed modification.