County of Franklin, PA

Request for Proposal

On-Line Job Position Assessments

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
On-Line Job POsition Assessments
COUNTY OFFRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA
For the years ending December 31, 2014, 2015, and 2016

Due Date:April 1, 2014

County of Franklin, PA

Department of Human Resources

425 Franklin Farm Lane

Chambersburg, PA 17202

CONTENTS:

  1. INTRODUCTION
  1. General Information
  2. Term of Engagement
  1. NATURE OF SERVICES REQUIRED
  1. General
  2. Scope of Work to be Performed
  3. Report to be Issued
  4. Special Considerations
  5. Working Paper Retention and Access to Working Papers
  1. DESCRIPTION OF THE GOVERNMENT
  1. Contact Person
  2. Background Information
  1. TIME REQUIREMENTS
  1. Proposal Calendar
  2. Notification and Contract Date
  3. Date Work May Commence
  4. Final Reports Due Date
  1. REQUIRED FORM AND CONTENT OF PROPOSALS
  1. General Requirements
  2. Proposals
  1. General Requirements
  2. Authorized to Practice in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  3. Vendor Qualification and Experience
  4. Personnel Qualifications and Experience
  5. Prior Engagements with the County of Franklin
  6. Similar Engagements with Other Government Entities
  7. Dollar Cost Bid
  8. Total All-Inclusive Maximum Price
  9. Out-of-Pocket Expenses in the Total All-Inclusive Maximum
  10. Manner of Payment
  1. EVALUATION PROCEDURES
  1. Evaluation Committee
  2. Review of Proposals
  3. Evaluation of Criteria
  1. Mandatory Elements
  2. Technical Qualifications
  1. Price
  1. Final Selection
  2. Right to Reject Proposals

APPENDICES

  1. Proposer Warranties
  2. Format for Schedule of Professional Fees and Expenses for the 2014-2017 On-Line Job Position Assessment
  1. INTRODUCTION
  1. General Information. The County of Franklin (“County”) is requesting proposals from qualified vendors to develop On-Line Job Position Assessments for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, with the option for each of the two (2) subsequent fiscal years (2017 and 2018).

To be considered, three (3) original papersand one electronic copy of a proposal must be received byApril 1, 2014. Please direct proposals to:

Tiffany L. Bloyer, MS, MBA, PHR

Human Resources Director

425 Franklin Farm Lane

Chambersburg, PA 17202

The County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted.

During the evaluation process, the County of Franklin reserves the right, where it may serve the County’s best interest, to request additional information or clarification from proposers, or to allow corrections of error or omissions.

The County reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any ideas in a proposal regardless of whether that proposal is selected. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the proposing vendor of the conditions contained in this request for proposal.

It is anticipated that the selection of a vendor will be completed inMay 2014, with a proposed contract execution of May 27, 2014.

Following the notification of the selected vendor, it is expected a contract will be executed between both parties shortly thereafter.

  1. Terms of Engagement.A three-year contract is contemplated with the option for each of the two subsequent fiscal years. In addition, the engagement is reliant on the satisfactory negotiation terms (including a price acceptance to both the County and the selected vendor), the concurrence of the Board of County Commissioners, and the annual availability of an appropriation. Critical to the County’s evaluation of candidates is the ability of the proposing vendor to adequately staff the engagement and to do so within a reasonable period of time.
  1. NATURE OF SERVICES REQUIRED
  1. General. The County of Franklin is soliciting the services of qualified vendors to develop its On-Line Job Position Assessments for three years beginning with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014. The County will also have the option to engage the vendors for each of the two (2) subsequent fiscal years (2017 and 2018).
  1. Scope of Work to be Performed

We are seeking proposals for On-Line Job Position Assessments pertaining to positions within the following agencies: Children and Youth, Area Agency on Aging, Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities/Early Intervention and Drug and Alcohol Services.

  1. Report to be Issued. Following the completion of the work, the vendor shall issue:

The ability to receive assessment files immediately via electronic means, process will involve computer grading and track assessment results, and assessment questions and the accuracy of score must be guaranteed.

  1. Special Considerations.On-line assessments in English for some or all of the following job categories must be available:
  • Clerical Staff:Assessments will consist of a timed typing test and a clerical examination. The typing test shall take no more than fifteen minutes to complete and the clerical examination shall take no more than 20-30 minutes for most to complete. Both assessments will take no more than 60 minutes and will be computer scored.
  • Fiscal Staff: Assessments will include the following modules: Accounting-Business Documents; Accounting-Cost Accounting; Accounting Credits and Debits; Accounting Math-Skills; Accounting-Terminology; Accounting-Accountant; Accounting-Accounts Receivable; Accounting-Advanced Accounting and Accounting-Bookkeeper. The Assessment shall take no more than 30-60 minutes for most to complete and will be computer scored.
  • Entry Level Supervisors-Assessments will consist of, at a minimum, the following scales: Capacity to Lead Others, Managerial Capabilities, Supervisory Skills and Ethics. The assessment shall take no more than 30-60 minutes for most to complete and will be computer scored.
  • Managers-Assessments will consist of, at a minimum, the following scales: Leadership skills, Flexibility, Analytical Capabilities, Efficiency, Ethics and Creative Thinking. The assessment shall take no more than 30-60 minutes for most to complete and will be computer scored.

In addition, we are requesting both Microsoft Word and Excel assessments. The assessments should take no more than a total of 60 minutes and be computer scored.

Each of the above assessments will use a maximum computer graded score of 100%.

Vendors will provide us with the cost for each assessment taken and graded for some or all of the above listed job categories.

A demonstration of the assessment program will be required.

The County reserves the right to make changes to the assessments based on the needs of the County.

  1. Working Paper Retention and Access to Working Papers. All working papers and reports must be retained, at the vendor’s expense, for a minimum of six (6) years, or any

limits required by governmental agencies, unless the vendor is notified in writing by the County of the need to extend the retention period. The vendor will be required to make working papers available, upon request, to the following parties or their designees:

  • Parties designated by federal or state governments or by the County Human Resources Departmentas part of an audit quality review process

In addition, the vendor shall respond to the reasonable inquiries of its successors and allow them to review working papers.

  1. DESCRIPTION OF THE GOVERNMENT
  1. Contact Person. The vendor’s principle contact with the County of Franklin will be the Human Resources Director, or her designated representative, will coordinate the assistance to be provided by the County of Franklin to the vendor.
  1. Background Information. The County of Franklin was incorporated on September 9, 1784. The County is a fourth class county with a population of 149,618 (2010 Census).

It operates under a three member elected Board of Commissioners. The County provides services to its citizens such as judicial administration, human services, public safety, public works, economic development, and general administration.

More detailed information on the government and its finances can be found in:

2013 Operating Budget – available online at

2014Operating Budget

  1. TIME REQUIREMENTS
  1. Proposal Calendar. The following is a list of key dates up to and including the date proposals are due to be submitted:

Request for proposal issuedMarch 10, 2014

Due date for proposalsApril 1, 2014

  1. Notification and Contract Dates.

Selected vendor notificationApril 28, 2014

Contract executionMay 27, 2014

  1. Date Work May Commence. The vendorshallbegin preparing for the work as soon as they are awarded the contract.
  1. Date Final Reports are Due. Recommendations for the County’s costing methodologies is due within 15 days of receiving all of the departmental workpapers from the County.
  1. REQUIRED FORM AND CONTENT OF PROPOSALS
  1. General Requirements.

Inquiries. Inquiries concerning the request for proposals and the subject of the request for proposals must be made to:

Tiffany L.Bloyer, MS, MBA, PHR

Human Resources Director

425 Franklin Farm Lane

Chambersburg, PA 17202

717-261-3150

Submission of Proposals. The following material is required to be received by 4:00PM, April 1, 2014 for a proposing vendor to be considered:

Three (3) master copies of a Proposal and one (1) in electronic format to include the following:

Title Page showing the request for proposals subject; the vendor’s name, the name, address, telephone number, and email address of the contact person; and the date of the proposal.

Transmittal Letter signed with a brief statement of the vendor’s understanding of the work to be done, the commitment to perform the

work within the time period, a statement why the vendor believes itself to be the best qualified to perform the engagement, and a statement that the proposal is a vendor and irrevocable three (3) year offer with the option for two additional years.

Detailed Proposal following the order set forth in “Section V, B” of the request for proposals.

Executed copies of Proposer Warranties and Schedule of Professional Fees, attached to this request for proposal (Appendix A and B).

The completed proposal shall be submitted to the following address:

Tiffany L. Bloyer, MS, MBA, PHR

Human Resources Director

425 Franklin Farm Lane

Chambersburg, PA 17202

  1. Proposal.
  1. General Requirements. The purpose of the proposal is to demonstrate the qualifications, competence and capacity of the vendors seeking to undertake the engagement in conformity with the requirements of this request for proposal. As such, the substance of proposals will carry more weight than their form or manner of presentation. The proposal should demonstrate the qualifications of the vendor and of the particular staff to be assigned to this engagement.

It should address all the points outlined in the request for proposals. The proposal should be prepared simply and economically, providing straightforward, concise description of the vendor’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the request for proposal. While additional data may be presented, the following subjects,

items Nos. 2 through 6, must be included. They represent the criteria against which the proposal will be evaluated.

  1. Authorized to Practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. An affirmative statement should be included that the vendor and all assigned key professional staff are properly authorized to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and that the vendor has not been suspended or debarred.
  1. Firm Qualification and Experience. The proposal should state the size of the vendor, the location of the office from which the work on this engagement is to be

performed, and the number and nature of the staff to be employed in this engagement. Critical to the County’s evaluation of candidates is the ability of the

proposing vendor to adequately staff the engagement and to do so within the time constraints listed in section IV.

  1. Personnel Qualifications and Experience. The vendor should identify the principle supervisory and engagement staff who would be assigned to the engagement. The vendor should also provide information on the experience of each person with On-line Job Position Assessments.
  1. Prior Engagements with the County of Franklin. List separately all engagements within the last five years on the basis of total staff hours and by type of engagement (i.e., audit, management advisory services, consulting, other). Indicate the scope of work, date, engagement partners, total hours, the location of

the vendor’s office from which the engagement was performed, and the name and telephone number of the principle client contact.

  1. Similar Engagements with Other Government Entities. For the vendor’s office that will be assigned responsibility for the engagement, list the most significant engagements (minimum 3 and maximum 5) performed in the last five years that are similar to the engagement described in this request for proposal.
  1. Dollar Cost Bid
  2. Total All-Inclusive Maximum Price. The dollar cost bid should contain all pricing information relative to performing the engagement as described in this request for proposal. The total all-inclusive maximum price to be bid is to contain all direct and indirect costs including all out-of-pocket expenses.

The County of Franklin will not be responsible for expenses incurred in preparing and submitting the technical or the sealed dollar cost bid. Such cost should not be included in the proposal.

The first page of the dollar cost bid should include the following information:

1.Name of Vendor

2.Certification that the person signing the proposal is entitled to represent the vendor, empowered to submit the bid, and authorized to sign a contract with the County of Franklin.

3.Total All-Inclusive Maximum Price, listed by year and grand total for the three (3) year engagement and the two optional years.

  1. Out-of-pocket Expenses Included in the Total All-inclusive Maximum Price and Reimbursement Rates.Out-of-Pocket expenses for vendor personnel (e.g., travel, lodging and subsistence) are to be included in the total all-inclusive maximum price submitted by the vendor.
  1. Manner of Payment. Progress payments may be made on the basis of hours of work completed during the course of the engagement in accordance with the vendor’s dollar cost bid proposal. Interim billing shall cover a period of not less than a calendar month. No more than 75% will be paid prior to delivery of the final assessment being developed and utilized.
  1. EVALUATION PROCEDURES
  1. Evaluation Committee. Proposals submitted will be evaluated by a three (3) member Evaluation Committee.
  1. Review of Proposals. The Evaluation Committee will review all proposals. Each member will first assess each proposal by each of the criteria described in Section VI C below. The full Evaluation Committee will then convene to review and discuss these evaluations.

The County of Franklin reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and use any idea in a proposal regardless of whether that proposal is selected.

  1. Evaluation Criteria. Proposals will be evaluated using three sets of criteria. Vendors meeting the mandatory criteria will have their proposals evaluated for both technical qualification and price. The following represent the selection criteria that will be considered during the evaluation process. Vendors will understand that this is a “Request for Proposal” (RFP) and not a formal BID. While pricing will be an important factor in deciding the successful vendor(s), other factors such as service, reputation, and responsiveness to the requirements of the RFP will be considered in the final decision making process. Vendors are encouraged to include in their Proposal any “extras” that may benefit the County. The County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all Proposals and to award the Contract as is determined to

serve the best interest of the County. The County reserves the right to negotiate pricing.

  1. Mandatory Elements

a. The vendor is authorized to practice in the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania and is not suspended or debarred.

b. The vendor adheres to the instructions in this request for proposal on

preparing and submitting the proposal.

2. Technical Qualifications:

a. Expertise and Experience

(i)The vendor’s past experience and performance on comparable government engagements.

(ii)The quality of the vendor’s professional personnel to be assigned to the engagement and the quality of the vendor’s management personnel to be available for the technical consultation.

3. Price

D. Final Selection. The Board of Commissioners of the County of Franklin will approve a vendor based upon the recommendation of the Evaluation Committee. It is anticipated that the vendor will be selected byApril 28, 2014. Following the notification of the vendor selected, it is expected a contract will be executed between both parties byMay 27, 2014.

E. Right to Reject Proposals. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the vendor of the conditions contained in this request for proposal unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the County of Franklin and the vendor selected. The County of Franklin reserves the right without prejudice to reject any and all proposals.

APPENDICES

  1. Proposer Warranties
  1. Format for Schedule of Professional Fees and Expenses for the 2014-2018 On-Line Job Position Assessment

APPENDIX A

PROPOSER WARRANTIES

A. Proposer warrants that it is willing and able to comply with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania laws with respect to foreign Commonwealth of Pennsylvania corporations.

B.Proposer warrants that it is willing and able to obtain an errors or omissions insurance policy providing a prudent amount of coverage for the willful or negligent acts, or omissions of any officers, employees or agents thereof.

C.Proposer warrants that it will not delegate or subcontract its responsibilities under an agreement without prior written permission of the County of Franklin.

D.Proposer warrants that all information provided by it in connection with this proposal is true and accurate.

E.Proposer warrants that it is authorized to operate in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and that it has not been suspended or debarred from practicing in the Commonwealth

Signature of Official:
Name (typed):
Title:
Vendor:
Date:

APPENDIX B

SCHEDULE OF PROFESSIONAL FEES AND EXPENSES FOR THE 2014-2018 ON-LINE JOB POSITION ASSESSMENT

2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / Total
Management
Engagement staff
Other (specify):
Subtotal
Out-of-Pocket expenses
Total all-inclusive maximum price for the On-Line Job Position Assessment years ending December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (with an option of extending the contract to cover the two additional years ending
December 31, 2017 and 2018)