T3151 Bid Amendment 2_1.17.25 Rev~2.pdf

New Jersey Is an Equal Opportunity Employer • Printed on Recycled and Recyclable Paper

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

TAHESHA L. WAY

Lt. Governor

AMY F. DAVIS, ESQ.

Acting Director https://www.njstart.gov

January 24, 2025

To: All Interested Bidders

Re: Bid Solicitation # 25DPP01053

T3151 Workforce Development Case Management Solution

Current Quote Submission Due Date: January 30, 2025 (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Revised Quote Submission Due Date: February 28, 2025 (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time) 2nd Electronic Question and Answer Period: January 31, 2025 (2:00 p.m.

Eastern Time)

Bid Amendment #2

The following constitutes Bid Amendment #2 to the above referenced Bid Solicitation:

This Bid Amendment includes:

• Answers to electronic questions submitted during the first electronic Question and Answer period;

• Revisions have been made to “T3151 Attachment 3 – State-Supplied Price Sheet 9/18/2024”.

Please refer to “T3151 Attachment 3 – REVISED State-Supplied Price Sheet 1/24/2025”;

• Revisions have been made to “T3151 Appendix A – NJ Workforce Modernization requirements

9/18/2024”. Please refer to “T3151 Appendix A – REVISED NJ Workforce Modernization Requirements 1/24/2025”; and

• The State of New Jersey Security Due Diligence Third-Party Information Security Questionnaire has been deleted and replaced with “T3151 UPDATED OHSP Security Questionnaire 1/24/2025.

• For all additions, deletions, clarifications and modifications to the Bid Solicitation, please refer to the revised Bid Solicitation entitled “T3151 REVISED Bid Solicitation 1/24/2025”. The following additions and/or revisions are included in the revised Bid Solicitation:

- Cover Sheet, revised;

- Section 1.1, Purpose and Intent, revised;

- Section 2.5, Optional Pre-Quote Conference, revised;

- Section 2.6, Pre-Quote Document Review, added;

- Section 3.26, State-Supplied Price Sheet Instructions, revised:

- Section 4.4, System Requirements, revised;

- Section 4.9, Project Planning and Initiation, revised;

- Section 4.9.2, Detailed Project Management Plan and Project Schedule, revised;

- Section 4.12.1, Workforce Staff User Training, revised;

- Section 4.13.3, Implementation Site Support, revised;

- Section 4.13.5, Help Desk Support, revised;

- Section 4.13.6, Problem Escalation Procedures, revised;

- Section 4.16.3, Project Deliverables Table, revised;

- Section 5.2, Contract Transition, revised;

- Section 6.6, Privacy, revised;

- Section 6.14, Security Engineering and Architecture, revised;

- Section 6.25, Vulnerability and Patch Management, revised;

- Section 7.2.3, Limitation of Liability Options, revised;

- Section 8.4, Clarification of Quote; revised; and

- Section 8.12, Best and Final Offer (BAFO), deleted and replaced in its entirety.

• The second electronic Question and Answer period will be received until 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 31, 2025. Questions that will be considered will be limited only to subject matter related to the following:

- The revisions to the revised Bid Solicitation Sections listed above, refer to “T3151 REVISED Bid Solicitation 1/24/2025”;

- The revision to the revised Attachment 3 – State-Supplied Price Sheet, refer to “T3151 Attachment 3 – REVISED State-Supplied Price Sheet 1/24/2025”;

- The revisions to the revised Appendix A – NJ Workforce Modernization requirements, refer to “T3151 Appendix A – REVISED NJ Workforce Modernization Requirements 1/24/2025”; and

- The replaced State of New Jersey Security Due Diligence Third-Party Information Security Questionnaire, refer to “T3151 UPDATED OHSP Security Questionnaire 1/24/2025.

Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 2.1 Electronic Question and Answer Period for more information related to submitting electronic questions.

It is the sole responsibility of the 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 #25DPP01053 T3151 Workforce Development Case Management Solution

Answers to Questions

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

# Bid Solicitation Section Reference Question (Bolded) and Answer

1 PDF Documents

Q: When trying to open a Portable Document Format (PDF), I am receiving an error message and am unable to access the PDF. How should I proceed?

A: It is recommended that users utilize Microsoft Edge to view PDFs. Certain PDF forms cannot be opened in the Chrome or Firefox built in PDF viewers that are enabled by default. If using Chrome or Firefox it is recommended that the file is downloaded instead by clicking the download button in the upper right-hand corner of the browser after an error message is received. An alternative option is to disable the built in PDF viewers in Chrome or Firefox.

2 Quote Submission

Q: Should I check that I have properly completed and attached all of the required documents with my submitted Quote?

A: Yes. Prior to the Quote Opening Deadline, a Bidder should review the documents comprising the submitted Quote to ensure that all of the required documents have been completed and attached. Oftentimes a Quote is deemed non-responsive because a Bidder fails to attach a required form or attaches a blank form. To review a submitted a Quote, a Bidder should log into NJSTART and review each document attached to the Quote submission. Instructions on how to review a submitted Quote can be found in the Quick Reference Guide entitled How to Review a Submitted Quote, which is available on the NJSTART Vendor Support Page under Vendor Reference Guides.

3 Quote Submission

Q: Please confirm a Bidder may deliver a hardcopy quote instead of submitting a response electronically.

A: Please be advised that all Quotes shall be submitted electronically through

NJSTART.

4 Exceptions

Q: Will the State allow Bidders to take exception to any of the Standard Terms and Conditions?

A: As stated in Bid Solicitation Section 2.2, Exceptions to the State of NJ Standard Terms and Conditions (SSTC): "Questions regarding the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions and exceptions to mandatory requirements MUST be posed during the Electronic Question and Answer period and shall contain the Bidder's suggested changes and the reason(s) for the suggested change(s)." Moreover, as stated in Bid Solicitation Section 3.11, Bidder proposed terms or conditions that conflict with those contained in the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions may render a Quote non-responsive.

5 Section 1.1: Purpose and Intent

Q: 1.1 Purpose and Intent – pg. 6 - Is the state open to an alternative timeline other than the scope scheduled to be delivered within 1 year of contract award?

A: No. The State’s preference is for the Solution to be delivered within one (1) year of Contract award.

6 Section 1.1: Purpose and Intent

Q: A. 1.1 Purpose and Intent – pg. 1 - What specific document creation, imaging, electronic signature, and storage functionalities are required?

A. Please refer to the requirements outlined in Appendix A, Administrative tab for specific document requirements.

B. Are there any existing document management systems that need to be integrated?

B. The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary information to the State. These specific details will be discussed upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System Design phase.

7 Section 1.1: Purpose

Q: 1.1 - Purpose and Intent – pg. 1 - Can you give details on automated referrals from partner agencies, including county and municipal welfare agencies for TANF, GA, and SNAP?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

Section 1.1: Purpose and Intent and Section 3.13.8:

Subcontractor Utilization Plan

Q: Would Partial Quote to Provide only Project Managers be accepted, as we are small MBE.

A: No. Partial Quotes will not be accepted. The State intends to award to one

(1) Bidder, with a subcontracting set-aside for Small Business Enterprise (SBE) or Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (DVOB). If the Bidder intends to subcontract, it shall take necessary actions to solicit and hire eligible SBE and/or DVOB pursuant to Section 3.13.8.

9 Section 1.1: Purpose

Q: Would the State be willing to accept partial bids?

A: Please refer to the answer provided for Question #8 above.

10 Section 1.2:

Background

Q: 1.2 Background – pg. 9 - Can you give some details on data retention and archiving policies and what year worth of data you want to migrate to new system. Any approx volume / number of records for legacy data?

A: Details on data retention and archiving policies can be found in Bid Solicitation Section 4.10.4, Data Cleansing, Conversion and Migration.

Approximate current AOSOS database counts are as follows:

Production Database:

Total Tables = 1062 Size DB ≈1.3 TB Active Record Count ≈ 1.25 million Total Record Count ≈ 2.35 million Reporting Database:

Total Tables = 1077 Size DB ≈ 1 TB

Further details will be determined upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System Design phase.

Section 1.2.3:

Current System Overview

Q: Is there any way we could have access to view a demo of the current system in place? This would be extremely helpful if it is possible.

A: A demonstration of the current system in place will not be available to Bidders.

Q: Current System Overview – pg. 8 - Is the plan to integrate with Sage/IGX for grants and contract management with the new platform?

A: As described in Section 4.1, Required Features and Functions, Workforce Grants and Contract Management currently interfaces with SAGE/IntelliGrants (IGX). This current system must be able to interface with the new Solution. With submission of their Quote, Bidders are to offer a Solution that can meet these requirements. Please refer to “T3151 Appendix D Interface Reference Documents 9/18/2024” for further information.

Q: Do you want the ability for Employers to apply for grants?

A: No. The State is requesting a solution that must be able to interface with the grant management system, SAGE/ IntelliGrants (IGX), which allows employers to apply for grants. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 1.2.3, Current System Overview, and Appendix D, Interface Reference Document for further information.

Q: How many Grants are you managing?

A: The number of Grants that the State manages varies.

Q: How do Employers apply for grants today?

A: Organizations (Including Employers) currently apply through a notice of grant opportunity advertised on NJDOL’s grant opportunities website located at https://www.nj.gov/labor/research-info/grants.shtml . The majority of grants are currently managed in the Sage/IGX IntelliGrants system.

Section 1.4: Order of

Precedence of Contractual Terms

Q: Regarding the language that states: “Any references to external documentation, including those documents referenced by a URL, including without limitation, technical reference manuals, technical https://www.nj.gov/labor/research-info/grants.shtml support policies, copyright notices, additional license terms, etc., are subject to the terms and conditions of the Bid Solicitation and the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions.” Contractor can agree to this provision with regards to its own terms and conditions, but not on behalf of any EULA terms the OEM may have that govern the use of the product/software/or services. Can we add language to this provision to make this exclusive to Contractor documents and not the OEM’s EULA terms?

A: The State does not accept this proposed modification. Terms and conditions on publicly bid procurements must be consistent for all potential Bidders, and cannot be based on a single vendor’s terms. It is clearly stated in Section 1.4 of the Bid Solicitation that the New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions (SSTCs) take precedence over any third party documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms of a document incorporated by reference, the terms and conditions of the Bid Solicitation and the SSTCs shall prevail.

Section 2.1:

Electronic Question and Answer Period

Q: Would the State be willing to extend the Q&A due date by up to one week?

A: The State will not extend the Q&A by one week.

Section 2.1:

Electronic Question and Answer Period

Q: 2.1 Electronic question and answer period – pg. 18 - When will answers to bidder questions be released?

A: Answers to the Electronic Question and Answer period are provided within this Bid Amendment.

Section 2.2:

Exceptions to the

State of NJ Standard Terms and

Conditions (SSTC)

Q: FYI

A: This is not a question and cannot be answered as posed.

19 Section 2.3: Bid Amendments

Q: Will the State announce when updates are made to any of the documentation, including the forms?

A: Any revised documents will be posted with a Bid Amendment to NJSTART.

Automatic notification will be sent out to those Bidders who are on the bid holder list either through commodity code registration in NJSTART or by acknowledging the bid in NJSTART. However, it is the sole responsibility of the Bidder to make sure to check regularly for updates, and be knowledgeable of all Bid Amendments related to this procurement. Additional information regarding Bid Amendments can be found in Section 2.3, Bid Amendments.

Section 3: Quote

Submission Requirements

Q: 3 Quote Submission Requirements – pg. 24, 26 - In section 3, there's sub-sections entitled "RESERVED" that are left blank. Is this intentional?

A: Yes. It is State's intention to leave those sections reserved.

Section 3.11: Bidder Additional Terms

Submitted with The Quote

Q: [Bidder] has uploaded the file entitled 'Bid 25DPP01053-Exceptions Table for Terms and Conditions-[Bidder]' to the attachments tab. This document contains our Exceptions Table for the Terms and Conditions.

A: The State acknowledges the additional 21 questions and have provided answers within this Bid Amendment.

Section 3.11: Bidder Additional Terms

Submitted with The Quote

Q: Often times there may be additional language a Contractor must agree to in order to purchase products, that necessitate a flow up of terms. How will the Division handle language added to a quote that may not be submitted with the bid?

A: As stated within Section 3.11, Bidder Additional Terms Submitted with the Quote, a Bidder may submit additional terms as part of its Quote. However, any Bidder proposed terms or conditions that conflict with those contained in the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions will render a Quote non-responsive. It is incumbent upon the Bidder to identify and remove its conflicting proposed terms and conditions prior to Quote submission.

Quotes including Bidder proposed additional terms that do not conflict with the Standard Terms and Conditions may be accepted, rejected, or negotiated, in whole or in part, at the State’s discretion.

23 Section 3.12: Quote Content

Q: Can the state please clarify how it would like our response structured?

Section 3.12 of the RFP states that we are only to reply to: • Forms (Section 3.13) • Technical Quote (Section 3.14) • State-Supplied Price Sheet (Section 3.26) • State of New Jersey Security Due Diligence Third Party Information Security Questionnaire (Section 3.13.12) • Oral Presentation Materials (Section 3.27) However, it appears that sections 3.13 through 3.27, portions of Section 4, and the Bid Solicitation Checklist are also required for a compliant and easily reviewable response.

A: Nowhere does Section 3.12 state that a Bidder is to “only” reply to the listed sections. Rather, Section 3.12, Quote Content, advises Bidders that Quotes should be submitted with the attachments organized in the following manner:

• Forms

• Technical Quote

• State-Supplied Price Sheet

• State of New Jersey Due Diligence Third-Party Information Security

Questionnaire

• Oral Presentation Materials.

In relation to Sections 3.13 to 3.27, portions of Section 4, the Bid Solicitation Checklist, and all other Bid Solicitation sections, the Bidder is encouraged to review the full Bid Solicitation carefully in its entirety to determine requirements.

Any requirement designated as a “must” or “shall” within the Bid Solicitation is mandatory and is to be made part of the bid submission.

24 Section 3.12: Quote Content

Q: Should each of these sections be submitted as a separate document or should all of them be submitted as a single document? •Forms •Technical Quote •State-Supplied Price Sheet •State of New Jersey Security Due Diligence Third Party Information Security Questionnaire •Oral Presentation Materials

A: The State has no preference as to how the Bidder submits their documents.

Section 3.13.4:

Disclosure of

Investigations and Other Actions

Involving Bidder Form

Q: For the Political Disclosures Requirement, is the filing only required if a political contribution was made within the State of New Jersey (since we are mainly based in CA - it’s unlikely any of our employees will contribute to a New Jersey political race)

A: The "Disclosure of Investigations and Other Actions Involving Bidder Form" described in Section 3.13.4 does not expressly require the disclosure of political contributions.

Section 3.13.6:

Service Performance within the United States

Q: Would be acceptable that the contractor use offshore resources as part of the resource mix to deliver the solution and provide the require services, understanding that offshore resources would not have any access to production data or production systems?

A: No. As stated in Bid Solicitation Section 3.13.6, Service Performance within the United States, all Contracts primarily for services shall be performed within the United States. See also SSTC Section 3.7, Service Performance Within U.S., which states that under N.J.S.A. 52:34-13.2 all contracts primarily for services awarded by the Director shall be performed in the United States, except under very limited circumstances which require written certification by the Director and approval by the State Treasurer.

Section 3.13.7:

Confidentiality/ Commitment to

Defend

Q: Would the State accept a redacted version of the Quote, alongside a completed and signed Confidentiality/Commitment to Defend Form and a table that includes detailed statements clearly identifying the confidential sections and why they are exempt from public disclosure under OPRA and/or the common law?

A: The State requires the submission of a full non-redacted Quote in order to be considered for award. If a Bidder wishes to additionally provide a redacted version together with the completed signed Confidentiality/Commitment to Defend Form, they may do so. However, any Quote having required information which is not visible will be considered non-responsive.

Section 3.13.8.1:

Small Business and/or Disabled

Veterans' Business Subcontracting Set-

Aside Contract

Q: Sections 3.8 and 3.9 of the bid document say that the small business set-aside and DVB set-aside are not applicable to this contract. However, on the first page of the T3151 Workforce Mgt Syst bid document, both small business and DVB set-asides are marked off as being required. Can you please confirm if a small business set-aside and DVB set-aside is mandatory and/or applicable for our response?

A: This is a Contract with set-aside subcontracting for New Jersey Small Business Enterprises (SBE) and/or Disabled Veterans’ Business (DVOB). The Sections 3.8 and 3.9 are only applicable for full or partial set-aside procurement, which is not the case for this procurement. Because this contract is designated as SBE/DVOB sub-contracting set-aside, if a Bidder intends to sub-contract, they must follow the procedure set forth in Section 3.13.8.1. Otherwise, the Bidder will be considered as being the party to perform all work required by the Contract. Please refer to Section 3.13.8 for details.

Small Business and/or Disabled

Veterans' Business

Q: A. The cover page of the RFP indicates that a Small Business Set-Aside is required for good and services within this RFP. Section 3.8 Small Business Set-Aside indicates that it is not applicable to this procurement.

Then, section 3.13.8.1 indicates "This is a Contract with set-aside subcontracting for New Jersey Small Business Enterprises and/or Disabled Veterans’ Business". Can the State please clarify if a small business set-aside is required for this procurement, and

A. Please refer to the answer provided for Question #28 regarding set-aside subcontracting.

B. if so what percent of the contract should be allocated to a small business?

B. There is no set ratio as to what percentage should be allocated to Small Business Enterprises and/or Disabled Veterans' Business subcontracting set-aside.

Small Business and/or Disabled

Veterans' Business

Q: 1.1 PURPOSE AND INTENT 3.8 SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

CONTRACTS 3.9 DISABLED VETERANS’ BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

CONTRACT 3.13.8.1 SMALL BUSINESS AND/OR DISABLED VETERANS’

BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING SET-ASIDE CONTRACT These statements contradict each other. 1.1 and 3.13.8.1 state that there is a set aside and

3.8 and 3.9 state ‘Not applicable to this procurement’. Is there a set aside for this Quote?

A: Please refer to the answer provided for Question #28 above.

Small Business and/or Disabled

Veterans' Business

Q: Section 3.8 indicates that this is not applicable. Ask question to State to determine if this is applicable.

A: Please refer to the answer provided for Question #28 above.

Section 3.13.12:

State of New Jersey Due Diligence Third-

Party Information Security

Q: It is our policy not to disclose some of our security documentation due to the highly confidential nature of its contents; however, upon contract award, all relevant security-related documentation will be provided to the State. Is this acceptable?

A: No. The Bidder should complete and submit the State of New Jersey Security Due Diligence Third Party Information Security Questionnaire with its Quote.

The questionnaire and its supporting documents are exempt from public disclosure under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), N.J.S.A.

47:1A-1 et seq. and will be treated as confidential. In addition, please note that redacted documents are not acceptable.

Section 3.13.12:

State of New Jersey Due Diligence Third-

Party Information Security

Q: Could the Security Questionnaire be supplied in Word format, rather than PDF?

A: No. The State will not provide the Questionnaire in Word format.

34 Section 3.18:

Mobilization Plan

Q: You require the vendor to have a mobilization plan that can be executed in no longer than 6 weeks. How long do you plan to need to make the vendor selection after the quote opening date of 12/20?

A: The State cannot provide a specific timeline for when Contract award.

35 Section 3.22:

Organization Charts

Q: The State has indicated that bidders should include an organization chart showing management, supervisory and other key personnel assigned to the contract. It also indicates to include a labor category and title of each such individual. Would the State clarify what they are looking for in terms of labor categories? An example of what the State is specifically seeking would be helpful.

A: The Bidder is to propose, with submission of their Quote, all staffing that they will deem necessary to fulfill labor positions that will be needed to meet all requirements of this Bid Solicitation. Price Lines 28 – 34 in Section D of T3151 Attachment 3 – REVISED State-Supplied Price Sheet 1/24/2025 list the labor rates that the State is requiring, at a minimum.

Section 3.26: State- Supplied Price Sheet

Instructions (Section B)

Q: [Bidder] intends to submit a proposal for professional services only.

[Bidder] does not sell software products directly. We have a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program whereby our partner network of indirect resellers and direct-bill partners hold such software product contracts with end customers. NJDOL would, therefore, need to procure any required [VENDOR] software products via its existing contract with its [VENDOR] CSP. All related terms and conditions including, but not limited to, warranty and product support/maintenance (if any) of software products shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable end user licensing agreement and reseller enterprise agreement. Any prices [Bidder] quotes for software products proposed in our proposal are estimates only, as final prices for software product may vary and shall be ultimately determined between the Customer and its servicing CSP

A: This is not a question and cannot be answered as posed. However, it is noted that Bid Solicitation Section 1.4, Order of Precedence of Contractual Terms, clearly states that the State of New Jersey Standard Terms and Conditions take precedence over any other negotiated document and/or third party document. Refer to the answer provided for Question #15 for further information regarding terms and conditions. Further, as stated in Bid Solicitation Section 3.26, State-Supplied Price Sheet Instructions, if any price line is not filled out by the Bidder, then the Bidder’s Quote will be deemed non-responsive.

Section 3.26: State-

Supplied Price Sheet Instructions

Q: How should all-inclusive pricing be reflected in the spreadsheet?

A: When submitting pricing, the Bidder should review the Bid Solicitation in its entirety and include all relevant items that would ensure that the Bidder meets all requirements that are requested. The State cannot give guidance as to what the Bidder should include in their Quote, as well as what pricing will be.

Additionally, “all-inclusive hourly rate” is defined in Section 9.2, Definitions, of this Bid Solicitation.

38 Section 3.27: Oral Presentation

Q: What does the state define as a ‘visual overview’? Would a demonstration of the product be considered a ‘visual overview’?

A: A visual overview would be a walkthrough of the proposed Solution software and visual mock-up images of any essential system requirement that is listed in the Scope of Work (Section 4). The Bidder should deliver this overview in a visual manner. Examples include screen shots, PowerPoint, Prezi, and Google Slides.

If selected, Bidders will be asked to give a demonstration of their proposed Solution in accordance to Section 3.27, Oral Presentation. Bidders may only present materials and information that are provided in its Quote. No supplemental information outside of the material submitted with the Quote shall be presented or provided during the demonstration.

39 Section 4: Scope of Work

Q: This bid is seeking vendors for a SaaS solution. Will you accept and consider alternative solutions?

A: No. The State is requesting a fully functional Software as a Service (SaaS) solution.

40 Section 4: Scope of

Q: A. 1. How does the system plan to integrate with other cross departmental or cross agencies?

A: The Bidder should review Bid Solicitation Section 4.6, Interface, and specification outlined in Appendix A, Tab C, Interface, and the Bidder shall propose with their Quote a system that meets all requirements that are requested.

B. In other words what data are you looking to move between each department?

B. The data that the State is looking to interface with other programs can be found in Section 4.6, Interface, of the Bid Solicitation and Appendix A.

41 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Are you looking to replace your Learning systems as well?

A: No. The State is not looking to replace its learning systems.

42 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Do NJ residents apply for government jobs on the job board as well?

A: Yes. Please refer to the requirements outlined in Appendix A.

43 Section 4: Scope of

Q: How do you keep track of of who applied and who is getting hired?

A: Please refer to the requirements outlined in Appendix A.

44 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Are there specific technology platforms that they are looking for?

A: The State is requesting a fully functional Software as a Service (SaaS) solution.

45 Section 4: Scope of

Q: How many AJCC locations do you have?

A: This procurement does not mention AJCC and therefore is not applicable and cannot be answered.

46 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Is the client open to an MVP? And then a Phase 2?

A: No. The State is not open to an MVP or a Phase 2, and has determined that preference is to proceed with core functionality as outlined in Bid Solicitation Section 4, Scope of Work.

47 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Has the client prioritized the feature requests?

A: The Bidder must submit a detailed Project Management Plan and Integrated Project Schedule for required features and function. The State will review and determine priorities. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.9.2 for further information.

48 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Will we be implementing the base, and labor exchange or will we be using an existing labor exchange and integrating it with our base?

A: The Contractor shall provide a solution that provides the ability to interface with the National Labor Exchange system. Please refer to the requirements outlined in Appendix A and Appendix D, Interface Reference Document for more

49 Section 4: Scope of

Q: How many regions do you have and is there an existing hierarchy that we should be aware of that leads into sites, programs, services? This can help us understand how complicated the role hierarchy and permissions need to be?

A: Please refer to Appendix A, B.04. An established hierarchy should include role-based access that defines user groups and role profiles. Although the hierarchy and roles are not yet finalized, they are expected to align with industry standards and practices. The State anticipates that program-specific role-based functionality will be determined during the Requirement Analysis and System Design phase upon Contract award.

50 Section 4: Scope of

Q: If Labor Exchange or websites are included, what are the current websites we would be replacing and what is their purpose (provide current links)? -Or is there any new pages that are being scoped out?

A: The list of current websites is not available, it is the intent of the State to discuss this during the Requirements Analysis and Design phase upon Contract award.

51 Section 4: Scope of

Q: What is the agency's willingness to have a low-code/no-code platform solution that is more customizable, vs a COTs solution?

A: The State is not currently seeking a low-code/no-code platform solution, but a fully functional Software as a Service (SaaS) solution.

52 Section 4: Scope of

Q: What is the NJDOL's existing tech stack (re Microsoft, Pega, ServiceNow, Salesforce, other) throughout the department?

A: The existing tech stack is throughout the department is not applicable to this procurement and is proprietary to the State. Details will be provided upon Contract award during the Requirements Analysis and System Design phase.

53 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Is the State of New Jersey open to having the solution hosted under contract directly between State of New Jersey and the hosting facility (IE:

Salesforce Cloud). Application support would remain with us and we can manage your direct Salesforce support as needed. This would be a cost benefit for the State of New Jersey as you will obtain a much better price negotiation directly with Salesforce.

A: The Bidder, with their Quote, should submit their Solution that is a fully functional Software as a Service (SaaS). If a Bidder intends to utilize a Subcontractor, the Bidder should follow all of the requirements as described in Section 3.13.8. Subcontractor Utilization Plan.

54 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Is it a requirement that the proposed technology solution be CJIS-compliant?

A: No. Please refer to the requirements outlined in Appendix A, Transitional Services tab, and Appendix D, Interface Reference Document.

55 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Do you have a constant backlog of items to work on regarding ServiceNow?

A: ServiceNow is not applicable to this procurement. No. The State does not have a constant backlog of items to work on.

56 Section 4: Scope of

Q: What type of support service is NJ DOL looking for from a ServiceNow partner?

A: The State is not looking for any support services from a ServiceNow partner.

57 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Will any external parties need to be able to submit requests/report issues? If yes, will they need the ability to self-register for a new account?

A: Yes. Please refer to the requirements outlined in Appendix A.

58 Section 4: Scope of

Q: A. Does AOSOS currently have any kind of chat bot enabled? If yes, what functionality does it have?

A. AOSOS currently does not have a chat bot enabled.

B. Would you like to have any kind of community forum(s) enabled?

B. Functionality details will be determined during the Requirement Analysis and Design phase upon Contract award.

59 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Do any of the services provided require appointments to be setup?

A: Yes. There are services that require the capability to schedule an appointment. For example, an appointment between an employer and a participant/jobseeker. Please refer to the requirements outlined in Appendix A for details.

60 Section 4: Scope of

Q: A. Is there a need for Knowledge Management?

A. This is not the functionality that presently exists, but the State is open to considering it in the future.

B. If yes, are there any historical knowledge articles to migrate?

B. This is not applicable to this procurement and cannot be answered.

C. Please specify if the knowledge articles will have attachments.

C. This is not applicable to this procurement and cannot be answered.

61 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Do you need track any service level agreements?

A: Yes, please refer to Section 6.6 for SISM guidelines regarding SLA requirements.

62 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Is there any need to track Incidents, Requests, or Changes related to cases?

A: Yes there is a need to track incidents, requests, or changes related to the cases.

63 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A - What is the existing Learning Management System (LMS)?

A: There is an existing internal LMS for Workforce staff and multiple e-learning tools available to jobseekers/participants.

64 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A - What are the most significant adoption issues you anticipate?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

65 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A - Has a change readiness assessment been conducted? If so, can we access the findings to better understand the current state of readiness for this transition?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

66 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A - What level of involvement is expected in terms of stakeholder communication throughout the project lifecycle?

A: Stakeholders will participate in meetings and decision-making processes throughout the project lifecycle. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.9, Project Planning and Initiation for more information.

67 Section 4: Scope of

Q: Is there a preferred communication strategy in place?

A: Yes, Microsoft Suite is a preferred communication strategy. The State is open to the use of other communication tools, assuming that the Contactor provides access to the State at no additional cost.

68 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A -Are there any pre-established internal communication channels or protocols that we should align with?

A: Internal communication channels will be provided upon Contract award.

69 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A - Who are the key decision-makers, and what role will leadership play in driving the adoption and ensuring the success of this change?

A: The State will not disclose who the key decision-makers are at this time, but they will be identified after Contract award. Key decision-makers will participate in meetings and decision-making processes that will occur throughout the project including a “Go/No Go” decision.

70 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A - Will we be able to receive any analytics, surveys, or user feedback gathered on how the different user groups interact with AOSOS?

A: No. The State will not provide any analytics, surveys, or user feedback regarding the use of AOSOS.

71 Section 4: Scope of

Q: N/A - Will there be a need for integrating, developing, and implementing content strategy in the new system?

A: No. The State does not require the Contractor to provide any deliverables regarding content strategy.

Section 4.1: Required

Features and Functions

Q: Related to Table 3, if the proposed solution within the Core System can also address and resolve any of the Optional Add-On items listed within the initial deployment, how would the state like us to propose this?

A: If any of the optional add-on items can be provided as core functions of Bidder’s proposed solution, please indicate ‘Yes’ in the corresponding cell of the Core Function column when completing Appendix A. Bidders are to explain how these optional add-on items are within their proposed solution within their Quote.

Q: PIRL reporting, how many staff do you have in the reporting and data department?

A: The staffing of a reporting and data department is not applicable to this procurement. Details will be provided upon Contract award during the Requirements Analysis and System Design phase.

Q: How many business services staff are already using Salesforce?

A: Salesforce is not applicable to this procurement. The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary information to the State. These specific details will be discussed upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System Design phase.

Q: For the department already using Salesforce, are they on a single org or multiple orgs? Would they want to merge into one single org?

Features and

Functions (PIRL - Organization

Size & Structure)

Q: State roles for file creation, submission

Features and

Functions

Q: PIRL - Organization Size & Structure

Features and

Functions

Q: Number and structure of Centers

Features and

Functions

Q: Provider Contracting and Staffing Models

Features and

Functions

Q: User Provisioning Processes & Models

Features and

Functions

Q: Partner Provisioning Processes & Models

Features and

Functions (PIRL - Reporting Operations and Project Delivery)

Q: What are reporting process today? (Roles, Jobs/Tasks done today for the PIRL file - steps and staff to accomplish PIRL) file creation/production validation submission/certification data integrity and error resolution archiving

A: Each reporting process has specific details that are unique to each report.

Details regarding the report processing will be discussed with the awarded Contractor upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System Design phase.

Features and

(PIRL)

Q: Files submitted throughout the program year, i/e? -PIRL DOL only -PIRL Joint -ETPL -etc.

A: This question is unclear and cannot be answered.

Section 4.1: Required Features and

Q: Active grants and programs reported to ETA via WIPS?

Features and

Q: Existing Integrations for PIRL data collection

Features and

Q: Past PIRL performance regarding error checks and DOL findings

Features and

Q: Common errors that get detected and cleared

Features and

Q: Data Integrity -Reporting cutover -Data prep for migration Case management Imports data -Data migration validation

Features and

Q: What annual reports do you submit? - What programs are included in the annuals?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

Features and

Q: What reports do you submit to DOL quarterly? - What programs are included in the quarterly?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

Features and

Q: What QPRs do you use for verification?

A: QPR is not mentioned in the Bid Solicitation, thus it is not applicable to this procurement and cannot be answered.

Features and

Q: What is the file structure/format you currently have with the legacy system (for instance do you have one single file or submit multiple files)?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

Features and

Q: Does the client have a dedicated PIRL team or who is responsible for PIRL packaging and submission to the DOL? What is their commitment to this project?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

Features and

Q: Depending on the PIRL scope, what is the length of time the client believes will take to perform data validation? We’ve seen in the past about 6 weeks minimum if it’s done at the end as a big bang style. This will help us with planning since data validation is a big activity.

A: The Bidder is to describe with their Quote the length of time for data validation. The State does not have timeframe for this requirement.

Q: Is there an existing system or integration with a third party system for any labor market information? If yes, can you provide the name of that system?

A: Third party systems that require integration can be found on Tab C, Interface in Appendix A.

Q: 4.1 Required Features and Functions - pg. 26 - Can you provide more information on the current interfaces, APIs, web services, and legacy systems that the new solution must integrate with?

A: Each interface has specific requirements. The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary information to the State. These specific details will be discussed upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System Design phase.

Q: Are there any specific integration challenges you foresee?

A: The State does not foresee any integration challenges at this time.

Q: 4.1 Required Features and Functions - pg. 30 - When the state refers to "after contract award" throughout the bid, does it mean after implementation and not directly after contract is awarded? An example is "The Contractor must provide, after the Contract award, a Solution that shall include, but not limited to, the following core features and functions"

A: Unless a due date is specified with the phrase in the context, the timeframe referred to by the terms “after the Contract award” or “upon Contract award” is that which begins immediately after the award of a Contract has been made.

Section 4.2:

Customer &

Employee Role- Based System

Q: 1 – Introduction – pg. 1 - Are there additional user groups we need to consider besides the workforce staff, administrators, and portal users?

A: Yes, there are other categories of users. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.2, Customer & Employee Role-Based System for details.

99 Section 4.2.1: User Roles/Access

Q: Please confirm that the quantities listed per Role in Table 4. only represent’ s state users and/or provider-partners who are in involved in administering any aspect of the program? Table 4: Board of Social Services Locations 512 DOL One-Stop Locations 275 Employment and Training 347 Others 191 Total (All Users) 1325

A: The roles listed in Table 4 are for the external users and internal State agency staff currently defined in the AOSOS system, who administer programs, interface data into AOSOS and run batch programs. The quantities are current estimates and are subject to change. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.2.1, User Roles/Access, Table 4, for details.

100 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: Please confirm that the quantities listed per Role in Table 4. Are NOT “clients”, “customers”, “general public” users with the ability to make requests into any module or aspect of the new system? Table 4: Board of Social Services Locations 512 DOL One-Stop Locations 275 Employment and Training 347 Others 191 Total (All Users) 1325

A: Correct. Table 4 doesn’t include jobseekers/participants. Please refer to the answer provided for Question #99 above.

101 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: Please confirm if any of quantities listed per Role in Table 4. are only users involved in administering any aspect of the program but with limited access for only (if so how many per role?): • Creating, viewing, modifying their own requests. • Viewing only reports published and provided to them.

• Approving requests that are routed to them. Table 4: Board of Social Services Locations 512 DOL One-Stop Locations 275 Employment and Training 347 Others 191 Total (All Users) 1325

A: Please refer to the answer provided for Question #99 above. The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary information to the State. These specific details will be discussed upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System Design phase.

102 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: Will they be providing information on the number of users, broken down by user type including staff, service providers, training providers, job seekers, and employers?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

103 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: 4.2.1 - We see The following is the current user breakdown by roles*:

Table 4: Board of Social Services Locations 512 DOL One-Stop Locations 275 Employment and Training 347 Others 191 Total (All Users) 1325. Can you break down the users with more detail for us?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

104 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many DOL staff will use the system?

105 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many LWIB staff will use the system?

106 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many business services staff?

107 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many case management staff?

108 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many training providers will need access?

109 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many employers will access the system annually?

110 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many job seeker users will access the system annually?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

111 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many data management staff will need access to the system?

112 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many DOL administrators will need access to the system?

113 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: What details will the State administrator need to track user usage?

114 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: How many total staff & administrative accounts would be utilizing the system?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

115 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: Can you share the User Roles / User Types that will access this system?

Who all will access this?

A: A list of the User Roles/User Types and the system access that they will have can be found in Section 4.2.1, User Roles/Access of the Bid Solicitation.

116 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: Do all users identified in Table 4 users have a NJ OIT account with an associated M365 license? If not, could the government provide specifics on which user groups do not currently have access/Office tools made available through OIT.

A: This is confidential information. The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary information to the State. These specific details will be discussed upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System

117 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: Table 4: Total (All Users) 1325 - Is this the number of roles or the number of locations? Will access be granted by location? Trying to determine the number of roles and locations that will need to be validated. Will users have more than 1 location so there will be secondary locations?

A: The values identified in Table 4 are current estimates of the number of users by roles. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.2.1, User Roles/Access for more information. Further details will be determined upon Contract award during Requirement Analysis and System Design phase.

118 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: Can the government confirm that user administrators are included in the "Other" column in Table 4. If not, can the government provide additional information as to the number of administrators responsible for supporting this system

A: The “Others” category includes central office users such as AOSOS administrators who support the system. Please refer to Bid Solicitation Section 4.2.1, User Roles/Access for more information.

119 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: N/A - What is the estimated number of impacted employees across the identified user groups?

A: This is not applicable to this procurement and cannot be answered.

120 Section 4.2.1: User

Q: 1 – Introduction – pg. 1 - Are there any documented personas/roles available for the AOSOS system?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

121 Section 4.4: System

Q: Bullet 3 - Sizing - How many concurrent users are there during a regular day? What is the peak number?

A: The State cannot provide this information at this time as it is proprietary

122 Section 4.4: System

Q: Requirements for computing devices - minimum of three (3) previous versions of generally used web browsers such as Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, etc. - Is there a way to determine what the "etc." is? Do you expect more Web Browsers that will need to be tested? How many should be plan for?

A: The Bidder is required to have their proposed System be available on all commercially available web browsers. The Bidder should be prepared to host the System on any additional web browsers if new browsers have been introduced or the technology for the current web browsers have changed.

123 Section 4.4: System

Q: With regards to the government's performance requirement, as the offeror has no control over a user's LAN/WAN environment, it would be difficult for any offeror to guarantee a 3 second response time. Request that the government review this requirement and update to reflect that the offeror will be responsible to work with the government on optimizing response times based on the solution areas controlled by the offeror

A: The State does not accept this proposed modification. Terms and conditions on publicly bid procurements must be consistent for all potential Bidders, and cannot be based on a single vendor’s terms.

124 Section 4.4: System

Q: With regards to availabiltiy, the majority of standard SaaS services will only meet a 99.9% uptime requirement. 99.99% uptime requirements are typically associated with special tenant requirments for systems such as first responder-based solutions.