state of connecticut rfp no. · 38. please clarify if offshore work is allowed. if yes, can we...

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RFP ADDENDUM RFP-18 Rev. 11/17/16 Prev. Rev. 3/13/14

STATE OF CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

RFP NO.:

19PSX0046

Gregory Mooney Contract Specialist

PROCUREMENT DIVISION 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103

Proposal Due Date:

1 October 2019

860-713-5755 Telephone Number

Date Addendum Issued:

12 September 2019

PLEASE NOTE: This document has been marked as “Returnable”. Electronic submittal of this document indicates that your company has read and accepted any modifications to the RFP that are

contained in this Addendum.

RFP ADDENDUM #3 DESCRIPTION: System Integrators FOR: All Using State Agencies PROPOSERS NOTE:

1. Addendum #3 answers questions received 2. Addendum #3 updates Exhibit B and the RFP document. RFP document updates are

highlighted.

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Answers to Questions on 19PSX0046 Addendum #3

1. Can the forms we have in place for that RFP be used for the Systems Integrators RFP you’re

leading?

A: Company forms and Insurance Forms are saved in Biznet and can be used for multiple

solicitations

2. In addition to the standard State forms that must be signed and notarized we have a

negotiated rate card in place that would be identical to what we would submit for this RFP

as it includes all the roles necessary to provide Integration Services. Can this be carried over

as well?

A: Proposers are encouraged to provide their best pricing

3. Is the expectation that selected vendors will deliver all services listed under the Description

of Products and Services?

A: No, but propose those services you are capable of performing.

4. If a vendor does not provide all services listed, will they still be considered for selection

and/ or be at a disadvantage when responding to future solicitations?

A: Yes Proposers will be considered, and they will not be at a disadvantage when

responding to future solicitations

5. Can you describe the selection and/ or scoring process that will be used for future

solicitations that fall under this RFP?

A: Please refer to the section titled “Scope of Services”, #6 on page 7 of the RFP

6. Does award under this RFP impact a vendor’s ability to provide other services within or

outside the State?

A: No

7. Please confirm if the Submittal Requirements on page 16 of the RFP is how the State wants

the response material structured.

A: No specific format required.

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8. Please clarify where the State would like content for Sections 5 through 8 to be included in

the response.

A: See answer to question 7.

9. Is there an upload file size restriction on Biznet?

A: Yes. Very large files may not be uploaded. If this problem occurs proposers can cut the

file into multiple files in order for Biznet to accept the file size.

10. Are there any subcontract diversity requirements overall or will that be determined for

each individual SOW?

A: There are no diversity requirement for the award, however, individual SOW’s may have

diversity requirements.

11. What criteria are used to determine which vendors will receive which requests for quotations

for SOWs under this contract?

A: “Scope of Services”, #6

12. "For each Statement of Work, one of four pricing methodologies will be identified as

described in the Pricing Schedule. Pricing will be requested based on a per project basis or

based on position hourly rates." Please clarify.

A: In some cases, a request will be made for the entire, all inclusive cost of a specific project.

In some cases, some projects may need to be priced on an hourly rate basis.

13. "Provide two (2) Client references (can be two of the references provided in c-1, above)

where the proposer has engaged in work requiring collaboration with federal requirements

and regulations. Please include the name of the applicable federal program (e.g., Medicare,

Medicaid, Child Support Enforcement, Transportation, FAA, etc.)" Please clarify if the State

wants two or three client references.

A:See Submittal Requirements section 3. Business Information: (b) Client References. There

are two types of references being asked for in the Submittal Requirements.

14. The RFP text says that if proposers wish to keep reference information confidential, we

should place it in a separate sealed envelope marked confidential. Since responses have to be

submitted online, how should proposers indicate what information should not be made

available to the public?

A: Confidential information should be marked as such on material submitted electronically.

Confidential information is subject to FOI procedures.

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15. Please confirm this RFP is seeking to pre-qualify vendors for future projects and does not

involve a specific Statement of Work.

A:The intent of the RFP is to award to multiple vendors. Statement of Work (“SOW”)’s will

be created by Agencies after a Contract is awarded.

16. Item 1 in the Additional Term and Conditions section (p. 12 of the RFP) addresses Pricing

Methodology. Please confirm no pricing information is require with this proposal but rather

will be submitted with future responses to specific Statements of Work.

A: Pricing is required only for position titles and hourly rates.

17. Are we able to mark information in this proposal as "Confidential" if it presents proprietary

content?

A: See question 14

18. In the section labeled Attachment 1 - Sample Contract (p. 17), a statement reads, "The State

will pursue negotiations with the proposer whose proposal scores highest." This statement

seems to indicate a single vendor, however other information in this RFP seems to indicate

multiple vendors with be selected. Please clarify.

A: The State is looking to award to multiple vendors

19. Does the RFP include for the qualification a SET OF PRODUCTS that the bidder will

propose to meet the various requirements as they evolve

A. The RFP is looking for a pool of resources in specific disciplines to provide these

services.

20. Considering the tone of the RFP, is maturity of AGILE development in the bidder

organization a critical aspect of the evaluation?

A. No

21. Is there some estimated $ target (even if soft) per year for this RFP?

A. No – this is the first time we are doing this type of contract that covers several

professional industries.

22. Does this procurement conflict with any of the current and future MMIS 2020 system

procurements? RFP 18PSX0213 Systems Integrator for the Department of Social Services

from Administrative Services, Procurement Services, would have precluded the winning

vendor from bidding on any of the MMIS 2020 system modules. As a current CT MMIS

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vendor we would not want to preclude ourselves from bidding on MMIS modules should we

propose and receive an award for RFP 19PSX0046 Systems Integrators.

A. This is more appropriate and a requirement for IV&V services versus System Integrators.

23. Are there any restrictions on the geographical areas where services may be performed (so

long as Contract provision 15-a is met)? If so, would DAS please specify what these are?

A. No, Proposers may be required to work on site at Department’s location

24. Does DAS have expectations of the approximate value of typical projects that fall under this

contract ... in terms of dollar amount, work-hours, or both? If so, can DAS please share

these expectations?

A: These are unavailable at this time and will be derived from the individual SOW

25. Please confirm that software may be licensed in connection with a Scope of Work without

being pre-specified in this Scope of Work. If this is incorrect, please describe the location

and format for its specification.

A. Incorrect. Software is not part of this contract.

26. Is this contract reserved for Connecticut small or M/WBE businesses?

A: No

27. If not reserved, what is the preference that small and/or M/WBE businesses receive in the

evaluation?

A. See number 6 in “Scope of Services on page 7 of the RFP.

28. Can the DAS provide a schedule of the projects for the Client Agencies that may be

procured during the contract period? If a schedule isn’t available, would the DAS be able to

provide a list of the projects?

A: This is unavailable at this time.

29. Could you please provide more clarity on Phase-wise methodologies to be given for our

approach

A. Information not available at this time.

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30. The contract period is 5 years , will be there be any year on year rate card increase for the

selected roles or is it fixed price for duration of the contract. Please clarify

A: Rate increases may be negotiated with proposers

31. Please specify the scope of the services for Infrastructure.

A. This will be identified in individual Scopes of Work.

32. Please provide application Architecture and landscape

A. Refer to the answer on question 31.

33. What is the current methodology that you follow for application development and

maintenance?

A. Departments issue a Statement of Work.

34. Do you have any current vendor and if yes please specify the team size

A: We do not

35. Do you have any applications in cloud.

A. Yes

36. Do you have any fixed number of roles and job descriptions for each role; If there are no

specific roles, how will the pricing evaluation will be done?

A: No. You should provide your roles and fees for those roles

37. In the pricing section, it is mentioned as "Contractors should provide pricing based on

position descriptions and hourly rates as part of their response to this RFP" but in the In the

pricing template, Quantity is mentioned along with the unit price. Please clarify on the units.

A. Units can be a time frame such as an hour.

38. Please clarify if offshore work is allowed. If yes, Can we provide different rates for Onsite,

Offsite and offshore or only onsite rate card

A. No

39. Exhibit D was referenced in couple of the sections of the RFP but we didn’t find the

document in the portal Can you Please share the file.

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A. Exhibit d was referenced as a sample as part of our contract. There is no exhibit D to this

proposal

40. From page 16 of the RFP, item 2 – Does DAS have any procedures, standard or

expectations for contract management that can be provided?

A. Proposers should describe their procedures, standard or contract management services.

41. Is there a minority business enterprise goal for this contract?

A: No goal is required

42. Exhibit B – We propose to include an itemized listing of our job positions (e.g. Junior ETL

Specialist) and the associated hourly rate – is this acceptable? If not, can you elaborate on

what you are expecting in terms of how we should populate Exhibit B?

A. Yes

43. The 1. Pricing Methodology section states: “Contractors should provide pricing based on

position descriptions and hourly rates as part of their response to this RFP”.

The RFP Document Page and Exhibit_B_-_Price_Schedule do not contain labor categories.

Will the state provide labor categories, position descriptions, and requirements for each

position?

A. Proposer should identify their own position descriptions and hourly rates

44. What Period of Performance dates should offerors assume for this proposal?

A: Will vary based on individual SOWS

45. Selection Criteria (RFP pg. 15) has a different section-number sequence (1, 2, 6) for the

Applicable Content section than the Submittal Requirements (RFP pg. 16) section (which

states 1, 2, 3, 4). Could you please clarify?

A: See updated RFP, changes are highlighted

46. Selection Criteria (RFP pg. 15) lists Section 6 – Response to Implementation

Methodology/Approach is under 2 headings: Applicable Content, and Account

Management. Should this be only under Account Management?

A: See updated RFP, changes are highlighted

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47. The RFP states “Contractors will be required to demonstrate a solid depth of experience and

resources and prior experience in the areas of services and business disciplines

proposed.” Can you give examples of the types of services/system integration projects that

you intended this RFP To cover?

A: We’re asking you to give examples to demonstrate you posess these requirements.

48. Are you looking for responder to propose their own solution for help desk/systems support

and configuration management solution as part of this response, or our methodology for

working with the relevant department within the State to ensure compliance with your

internal processes?

A. We’re asking if you provide this type of service, and your response should support your

ability to confirm that.

49. Are there specific requirements, such as background checks for specific agencies, or does

this section refer to just following established process for coordinating physical access?

A. Individual SOWs will have specific requirements

50. Are the selection criteria based upon any objective/merit system and if so, what further

details can be provided?

A: Selection criteria is what the RFP will be scored on

51. The RFP references a pricing schedule which is basically blank – can we get clarification on

what you are looking for? Daily/weekly/OT T&M rates? Or do you need us to give

examples of a projects and their costs?

A: See updated Exhibit B

52. The RFP states: “the State will pursue negotiations with the proposer whose proposal scores

highest” and “After DAS selects a vendor, DAS will deliver a draft contract to the vendor

for consideration and negotiation” …Does this mean that the “proposer” with the highest

score will be the one negotiating the contract or will everyone who gets on the contract be

negotiating their own?

A: Individual contracts will be negotiated with each awarded Proposer.

53. There are multiple references to a Statement of Work (SOW) throughout the RFP. Is there a

standard SOW template that is going to be created, shared now, or will SOW’s be created

individually by the requesting entity?

A: Individual SOW’s will be created by the requesting agency

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54. Are we limited to the disciplines listed in the RFP (a-d) or may we add additional/different

relevant disciplines?

A. You can add additional/different relevant disciplines

55. It is stated in the RFP that: “one of four pricing methodologies will be identified…” Would

you please define the four pricing methodologies?

A: See updated Exhibit B price schedule

56. The RFP states : “Maintenance and support shall automatically renew for successive twelve

(12) month periods unless thirty (30) days prior written notice of termination is provided to

the Contractor by DAS before the end of the then current term of maintenance and support

services.” …Does the 30 day notice also apply if the customer has purchased a multi-year

maintenance and support agreement?

A: This question is in regards to the Sample Contract Document. Refer to Attachment 1 –

Sample Contract on page 17

57. The RFP states: “If the Department allows maintenance and support services to lapse, the

Department may at any time reinstate maintenance and support services with fifteen (15)

day advance written notice to the Contractor. Upon such reinstatement, the Department will

be responsible for payment of the maintenance and support fees beginning the date

Contractor commences maintenance and support services. The Department shall not be

responsible for payment of any separate fees or penalties in order to reinstate maintenance

or support services.” … Some manufacturers require recertification if the maintenance has

not been renewed for an extended period of time and there are also potential costs for

recertifying the software or hardware. What happens if maintenance has not been renewed

for months or years and recertification is required (potentially at a cost)?

A: This question is in regards to the Sample Contract Document. Refer to Attachment 1 –

Sample Contract on page 17

58. This table includes a request for “Incretion Contact Information”…can you explain what is

meant by “Incretion”?

A: “Incretion Contact Information” is now removed.

59. Is this RFP limited to ONLY DAS set aside companies?

A: No

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60. Is a vendor allowed to sell software and hardware under this contract as part of an

integration solution, or just services?

A: No, just services

61. What is the Contract Amount that DAS anticipates for the SI Contracts?

A: This information is unavailable at this time

62. Can DAS elaborate on the Cloud Based Integration discipline or methodology? What does

DAS anticipate as the requirement for these types of services?

A: This will be provided in individual Statement of Works.

63. Engagements must be relative to the Proposer, subcontractors, and software vendor.” Can

DAS clarify what type of software vendor related engagement is applicable to the SI

products and services?

A: This will be provided in individual Statement of Works.

64. Can DAS elaborate on the evaluation model or weighting criteria for the selection criteria

(Applicable Content, Account Management, Business Information, Value)

A: listed in the RFP? Listed in relative importance

65. “The following information, in addition to the requirements, terms and conditions identified

throughout this RFP Document, will be considered as part of the Selection process…” Can

DAS clarify how the terms and conditions will be evaluated as part of the selection process?

A. Scoring based on weights and percentages

66. This section references a DAS Set Aside Certificate. What will the percentage requirement

be for DAS Set Asides?

A: We do not disclose percentages

67. Does a contract for Systems Integrator Services exist today?

A: No

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68. Is the intention that Bidder must perform all four Types (a) through d) ) in Description of

Products and Services Section 1 pg. 8

A: No. Respond on what you can do

69. Can a Bidder submit a compliant response if submit for 3 or less disciplines in Section 1

pg.8? Example, Bidder submits for b) Network IT/application Security and c) Cloud based

integration – but not for a) nor d)?

A: Yes

70. Does Bidder need to include a Software Vendor either as Prime or as SubContractor?

A: No

71. Is it Mandatory that 2 references be from a Federal Program (Submittal Requirements,

Section 3 b-2 pg.16)?

A: scoring will be based on proposer’s response to the requested information.

72. Is it Mandatory Bidder hold a DAS Set Aside Certificate (Submittal Requirements, Section

3pg.16)?

A: No

73. Is it Mandatory Bidder submit a DAS Set Aside Certificate holder as a SubContractor

(Submittal Requirements, Section 3)?

A: No

74. On page 8 of the RFP, section 1, “Types of Systems and infrastructures” for disciplines are

listed. Can any examples of current technology within each of those disciplines be

provided? E.g. current software platforms in place, manufactures (Cisco, HP, Juniper),

providers (AWS, Azure), etc.

A: This will be provided in individual Statement of Works

75. In section 4 on page 9 of 17, the third row of the reference table says “Incretion Contact

Information.” What does the State wish to see here?

A: This row is now removed.

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76. There are some differences between the required content listed in “Submittal

Requirements,” and the requirements listed in “Selection Criteria.”

a. Should section 6, Implementation Methodology/Approach be included in

“Applicable Content” or in “Account Management”?

b. Please confirm that Sections 3 and 4 (Past Performance and Related

Engagements) should be included with response item 3, Business Information,

rather than item 1, Applicable Content.

A: The RFP has been updated to reflect this change, see highlighted edits.

77. Some sections of the RFP appear to request similar things. Can these be combined? If not,

can the state clarify what they wish to see in each section?

a. Section 5 on page 10 of 17, “Risk Management,” is very similar to “Risk Analysis

and Mitigation” in section 2 on page 8. May we combine the responses to these

sections?

b. Section 6 on page 10 of 17, “Implementation Methodology/Approach,” is very

similar to “System development/configuration/deployment” in section 2 on page

8. May we combine the responses to these sections?

c. Section 7 on page 10 of 17, “Training and Knowledge Transfer Approach,” is

very similar to “Project Training and Knowledge Transfer” in section 2 on page 8.

May we combine the responses to these sections?

d. Section 8 on page 10 of 17, “Post Implementation Approach,” is very similar to

“Closeout; Post implementation support” in section 2 on page 8. May we combine

the responses to these sections?

A: Proposers should reference which areas of the requirements your response reflects.

state of connecticut rfp no. · 38. please clarify if offshore work is allowed. if yes, can we...

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