Department of Budget and Management

PART 2: TORFP SOLICITATION & DECISION

1. The DBM Contract Manager releases the TORFP on behalf of the Agency to the MCs in the applicable Functional Area and the TORFP enters the OPEN period. The OPEN period is the time between the release date and the due date/time.
2. ​The sole contact for the Agency and the CSMC MCs during the OPEN period is the DBM Contract Manager, unless the DBM Contract Manager specifically directs otherwise.
3. CSMC MCs (or CSMC SBR MCs as the case may be) in the applicable Functional Area that are not suspended (see CSMC RFP Section 2.3.1.4) will be notified of the release of the TORFP, all Amendments, pre-TOP conference notes, and other relevant materials up until TOPs are due and received from the participating MCs. An MC that does not participate in the TORFP will complete and submit to the DBM Contract Manager its intent to “NO BID” (no TOP submission) and why. This is provided on the Master Contractor No Bid Form titled “Customer Service Master Contract (CSMC) Master Contractor Comments for Not Submitting a Task Order Proposal (TOP)”. The information provided will aid both the Agency and the DBM Contract Manager in future TORFP efforts.
4. ​​​The Agency team hosts a Pre-Task Order Proposal (Pre-TOP) Conference for the MCs approximately two weeks after the release of the TORFP. Notification of the Pre-TOP is on the TORFP Key Information Summary Sheet. Historically, the Pre-TOP is best held beginning at 10:00 AM to approximately 12 noon; however, the time is flexible.
5. At the time of Agency evaluation, the DBM Contract Manager will provide an Excel Spreadsheet as an Evaluation Tool to the Agency TOM and/or PO (TOM/PO) with instructions on its use. The DBM Contract Manager will also arrange for the Agency to obtain the MC TOPs that pass the DBM Contract Manager’s initial review.
6. The TOM/PO assigns an Evaluation Team to review TOPs and recommend award. The TOM/PO provides them with best practice instructions of “Evaluation Committee Duties and Responsibilities” (as received from DBM Contract Manager). The Evaluation Team should include business stakeholders and subject matter experts for that particular Agency’s business process for the subject TORFP.​
7. Once the TORFP’s proposal due date has passed and the TOPs have been received by the TOM/PO, the TORFP enters the IN REVIEW period. While IN REVIEW, the Agency’s communications regarding the TORFP will be limited to those MCs that submitted TOPs.
8. The Agency TOM/PO after selecting the Evaluation Team will conduct the evaluation phase of the process that should include discussions with each proposing MC, communicate any information, clarification,​ meeting requests, etc. for the MCs, and establish the technical rankings based only on the evaluation criteria outlined in the TORFP. Throughout this period, the DBM Contract Manager is available to provide guidance for the evaluation.

General Details Regarding Discussions: The Discussions held with each proposing MC usually last approximately 1 ½ hours. The Discussion shall only be upon the Technical Proposal. No financial information can be discussed at this phase. The meeting is chaired by the TOM/PO with the whole Evaluation Team attending. The Agency gives a brief overview of their needs. The MC is then given approximately 20 minutes to describe their Technical proposal offer. Then an open, friendly discussion with both parties asking and answering questions proceeds. No questions and answers can be given on any other MC’s TOP. The outcome of the Discussion should be that all inconsistencies are clarified and that both parties have a very good understanding of the other’s position.

The MC must submit in writing any final outcome(s) different than their original proposed technical solution to both the TOM/PO and the DBM Contract Manager. If the MC should win the Task Order Agreement (TOA) award, this submission will become a part of its overallTechnical TOP submission, which is a part of its TOA.

Typically, there will be a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) request towards the end of the whole evaluation process. For a BAFO request, the MC will have the opportunity then to submit a revised Financial Offer that reflects any change made to its Technical TOP.

9. As part of the evaluation process, the Agency TOM/PO is responsible for providing their Evaluation Team with copies of any documents and communications.
10. Upon completion of a technical ranking with strengths and weaknesses stated for each TOP evaluated, the Agency TOM/PO will fill out the Excel Evaluation Tool per the Tool’s and the DBM Contract Manager’s instructions, and forward this information to the DBM Contract Manager. Once the DBM Contract Manager has reviewed this information and believes the process can move forward, the DBM Contract Manager will make the MCs’ Financial Proposals available to the TOM/PO. Only those MCs who are still found to be responsible and qualified will have their Financial Proposals submitted to the TOM/PO for evaluation.​
11. ​Utilizing the information recorded in the Excel Evaluation Tool, for any TO MC that is deemed not to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award, and/or later requests a review of its proposal effort, the TOM/PO will complete a “DBM CMO REVIEW (DEBRIEFING) GUIDANCE” form and forward it to the DBM Contract Manager. For any Review (Debriefing) request by a TO MC of its TOP, the DBM Contract Manager will coordinate the date and time of a Review and conduct the Review with the aid of the Agency TOM/PO. (See Item 19 below.)
12. Upon completion of the technical rankings, the Agency TOM/PO will forward the Financial Proposal of each MC whose Technical TOP was determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award to the Agency’s Evaluation Team.  The Evaluation Team will review each Financial Proposal to ensure that it matches the MC’s Work Plan for Labor Categories and hours. The Agency will establish a preliminary financial ranking based upon the Total Evaluated Price. The ranking is considered preliminary as the Agency will typically request a BAFO.
13. Unless the Agency obtains written permission to the contrary from the DBM Contract Manager, the Agency must request a BAFO from all qualified MCs. A BAFO from the MCs can usually be received within a couple working days of the request.
14. Once BAFOs are received (or if BAFOs are not requested), the Evaluation Team (which includes the TOM/PO) will determine a final most advantageous offer for the State. This most advantageous offer for the State is a combination of the ranked Technical solution and the Financial BAFO’s Total Evaluated Price.
15. Upon final completion of the evaluation of TOPs, the Agency completes and submits a TORFP Award package to the DBM Contract Manager for review and approval. The TORFP Award package will include the evaluation team’s recommendation for award and accompanying documents prepared by the Agency that summarizes the evaluation and selection process. Included in the package must be:
• The Evaluation Team’s statement of potential award to (MC Name);
• A technical, financial and combined ranking of each qualified MC recorded onto a printed copy of the Summary Evaluation page of the Excel Spreadsheet Evaluation Tool. The Summary Page must be dated and signed by each member of the Evaluation Team;​
• Strengths and weaknesses of each qualified MC recorded into the Excel Spreadsheet Evaluation Tool;
• Rationale for selecting the recommended MC for the TOA as a responsible Offeror that provides the most advantageous offer to the State;
• The proposed MBE participation from the recommended MC, including any relevant MBE documentation;
• The proposed VSBE participation from the recommended MC, including any relevant VSBE documentation; and
• Any additional information that may assist the DBM Contract Manager in review of the Agency recommendation, or that is specifically requested by the DBM Contract Manager.
16. If approved by the DBM Contract Manager, the recommended MC awardee will be notified by the DBM Contract Manager of its selection. The TO MC will then sign a TOA (actually three original documents for later distribution) for the project and return the signed documents to the DBM Contract Manager via email and hard copy submission. When finalized, the Agency, the MC, and the DBM Contract Manager will each have an original signed TOA document.
17. Following approval by the DBM Contract Manager, the Agency PO must ensure the provision of an ADPICS entry for the awarded TO. (See Part 3: ADPICS in the Award Process section.)
18. With an email copy to the Agency TOM/PO, the DBM Contract Manager will: notify all MCs of the TO award; provide an initial Notice-To-Proceed (NTP) to the awardee; provide initial Living Wage (LW) notification of TO award to DLLR via email, if applicable (see PART 4 - Item 9); and provide an electronic copy and hard copy of the signed TOA to the TO MC and the Agency TOM/PO. The NTP will include the effective date for the TOA to commence, and the Agency TOM’s contact information. The Agency TOM/PO will be copied on the communication and/or receive this same information. Work under a TOA may begin only after issuance of a NTP by the DBM Contract Manager. Please note: The TOM may elect to provide additional NTPs during the course of the TOA in order to break up the work into manageable segments. This is entirely at the discretion of the TOM; however, this information is part of what is communicated to the MC at the TOA Kick-Off Meeting.
19. The DBM Contract Manager will coordinate schedules with the Agency and the MCs to provide Reviews/Debriefings to MCs not selected and who request a Review. Only each individual MC’s TOP effort may be discussed during a Review with an MC. The MC awardee’s TOP may not be a part of any Review with any other MC. (See Item 11 above.)
20. The Agency TOM will provide immediate notice to the awarded MC of the date and time of the TOA Kick-Off Meeting. This meeting should be held within approximately two weeks of the TOA award notice to the TO MC and should include a discussion of the TO MC’s Work Plan details, including the contractual requirements, deliverables, time line, support team, status reports, invoicing, MBE and VSBE participation and reporting requirements, and what final reporting information should be provided to DBM and the Agency.​