California Department of Education
Request for Proposals (RFP) - CN150011
Page 21 of 51
2016 Market Rate Survey of
California Child Care Providers
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
July 1, 2015–December 31, 2017
Proposal Cost Limit: $500,000.00
Intent to Submit Proposals Due Date
Mail, hand-deliver, or e-mail
By April 13, 2015 at 2:00pm
Attn: Elena Fong
Fiscal and Administrative Services Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 2213
Sacramento, CA 95814
E-mail: mailto:
Phone: 916-324-6560
Fax: 916-322-6050
Proposals Due Date
Mail or hand-deliver
By May 18, 2015 at 2:00pm
Attn: Elena Fong
Fiscal and Administrative Services Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 2213
Sacramento, CA 95814
California Department of Education
March 2015
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California Department of Education
Request for Proposals (RFP) - CN150011
Page 21 of 51
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PURPOSE 5
2. BACKGROUND 5
3. SCOPE OF PROJECT 7
Task 1 – Coordination and Communications with the CDE 8
Task 2 – Reports, Invoices, and Data File Requirements 9
Task 3 – Comprehensive Plan and Schedule for Project Activities and Deliverables 14
Task 4 – Survey Review and Refine 14
Task 5 – Survey Instrument/Data Collection 16
Task 6 – Data Analysis and Calculating the Market Rate Ceilings 17
Task 7 – Development of Alternative Rate and Schedule of Care Categories 19
4. GENERAL PROPOSAL INFORMATION 20
5. PROPOSAL SPECIFICATIONS 24
6. EVALUATION PROCESS 37
7. AWARD AND PROTEST 39
8. DISPOSITION OF PROPOSALS 40
9. STANDARD CONDITIONS OF SERVICES 40
10. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 40
11. BUDGET DETAIL AND PAYMENT PROVISIONS 45
12. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS 47
13. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 50
ATTACHMENTS
1. Bidder Certification Sheet
2. Technical Proposal Staffing Labor Hours Worksheet
3. Cost Worksheet Sample
4. California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program Requirements
5. Contractor Certification Clauses
6. Federal Certifications
7. Darfur Contracting Act Certification
7a. Darfur Contracting Act Certification Supplemental
8. Bidder References
9. Small Business (SB) Preference Sheet
10. Attachment Checklist
11. Intent to Submit a Proposal
12. Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement
13. California Department of Education Computer Security Policy
14. California State Travel Program
15. Technical Evaluation Criteria (Phase I, II, and Cost Proposal Evaluation)
2016 Market Rate Survey of California Child Care Providers
Request for Proposals
1. PURPOSE
This Request for Proposals (RFP) invites proposals from eligible bidders (See RFP Section 4.1 Bidder Eligibility.) to conduct a Market Rate Survey (MRS) to calculate the market rates for child care in each of California’s 58 counties. The survey will collect the data of rates for three age groups, two time-base categories, two provider types or “care settings” and four reimbursement units in each of California’s 58 counties. The proposal responses must use the Legislative approved methodology listed in this RFP and no other methodology will be accepted.
The purpose of this Market Rate Survey (MRS) is to calculate the market rates for child care in each of California’s 58 counties. The survey will collect the data of rates for three age groups, two time-base categories, two provider types or “care settings” and four reimbursement units in each of California’s 58 counties. The State will use these rates to establish maximum child care reimbursement rates within each category for child care services to families in various State and federal subsidized child care programs administered by county welfare departments and other alternative payment (APP) or voucher programs.
The MRS measures the prices charged by child care providers and paid by parents within a given child care market region. Pursuant to Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requirements, payments for child care are to be sufficient to ensure equal access to child care services in the open market. A market rate survey must be conducted with special consideration for the complexities and variations within the child care system throughout and inclusive of all 58 counties of this State.
Approval of a contract initiated as a result of this RFP shall be contingent upon funding and program authorization provided to and by the California Department of Education (CDE). Funding is described in Section 4.5 of this RFP. The successful Technical Proposal for the Market Rate Survey (MRS), along with the successful bidder’s Cost Proposal, will be incorporated into the final contract, which is a public document. All proposals and related documents submitted in response to this RFP shall become the property of the State of California. Pursuant to the Public Contract Code and all other applicable laws, all proposals and related documents will be made available in their entirety for public inspection and reproduction. Submission of a proposal is the acceptance of these terms.
2. BACKGROUND
Since 1989, the State of California has conducted the Regional Market Rate (RMR) Survey to meet the requirements of the federal Family Support Act (FSA) enacted by Congress in 1988. The FSA guaranteed federal participation in states’ child care expenses for child care costs up to the 75th percentile (75P) of the market rate in each county and required each state to conduct a market rate survey of child care costs to determine the 75P within each county. In August 1996, Congress approved a new welfare reform plan, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Funding for various federal child care programs was consolidated and allocated to the states and changed the way child care was structured and funded; however, the requirement that each state survey for current market rates for child care is ongoing.
California implemented its version of the TANF plan in 1998, known as the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. Due to significant rate variability across the state, regional market rates are determined using data collected in each of California’s 58 counties. The rate information is collected by:
· Ages of children served (infant, preschool and school-age)
· Type of child care program (center-based and licensed family child care home)
· Schedule of care (part-time or full-time)
· Rate category (by the hour, day, week or month)
The Budget Act of 2003 (Chapter 157, Statutes of 2003, Item 6110-196-0001, Provision 7(a)) required that the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in consultation with the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Legislative Analyst Office(LAO), develop a new survey methodology to be employed by future market rate surveys.
The CDE, CDSS, DOF and LAO approved this new methodology which is based on the rate ceilings within groupings of zip codes, or “market profiles”, that had similar socio-economic characteristics (e.g., similar housing costs, population density, and employment rates) rather than simple geographic location to generate a schedule of reimbursement ceilings. This approach was designed to address the variability in child care markets within counties (e.g., differences between rural and urban areas) and to eliminate the need for basing ceilings on larger regional areas in cases where insufficient county rate data was available. This methodology created one set of profiles for licensed family child care homes and another for licensed child care centers. As a result, there were several ceilings per provider-type in a county, and the ceiling in any one zip code would have been the same as that in other zip codes with the same market conditions or profile. This methodology more accurately reflected the “market” for child care and the price that a non-subsidized family would pay for the same care in any given area.
However, Assembly Bill 1808, Statute of 2006, Chapter 75, required that the Market Rate (MR) ceilings be based on a county aggregate of the survey data; therefore, for each county the 2016 survey will have one reimbursement ceiling according to type of child care, age of the child, and time base.
The above methodology was approved by LAO, DSS, DOF, and CDE and must be used. Any other methodology submitted will not be accepted, reviewed or approved.
The 2004 MRS was the first time this approved methodology was used. All bidders may request a copy of this MRS’s final report. This approved methodology is the only methodology that will be accepted.
2.1 Regulations
The California Education Code Section 8447(d) requires that the State Department of Education contract to conduct and complete a Regional Market Rate survey no more frequently than once every two years, consistent with federal regulations, with a goal of completion by March 1.
3. SCOPE OF PROJECT
As set forth in Sections 5.1 Technical Proposal Requirements and 5.3 Cost Proposal Requirements, the bidder must plan and budget for the costs of all tasks, including subtasks and activities. The Technical Proposal may not contain any cost information.
The proposed term of the Contract to be awarded under this RFP is from July 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017. The term of the contract January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017, covers three fiscal years, (Refer to RFP Section 4.9 for the definition of “fiscal year”) is a total of 30 months. The fiscal years defined in this RFP are as follows:
2015–2016: July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016
2016–2017: July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017
2017–2018: July 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017
This RFP seeks proposals addressing seven main tasks:
Task 1 – Coordination and Communications with CDE
Task 2 – Reports, Invoices, and Data File Requirements
Task 3 – Comprehensive Plan and Schedule for Project Activities and Deliverables
Task 4 – Survey Review and Refine
Task 5 – Survey Instrument/Data Collection
Task 6 – Data Analysis and Calculating the Market Rate Ceilings
Task 7 – Development of Alternative Rate and Schedule of Care Categories
The selected contractor will be responsible for completing the MRS including the ceiling calculations and summary report by March 1, 2017
As set forth in Section 5.1, Technical Proposal Requirements and Section 5.3, Cost Proposal Requirements, the bidder must plan and budget for the costs of all subtasks and activities for each main task. The technical proposal may not contain any cost information.
3.1 TASK 1 – COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE CDE
REQUIREMENTS
This section of the technical proposal must acknowledge the bidder’s commitment to completing all the requirements specified below in Task 1 and must provide a description of the approach and methodology by which the bidder will accomplish all the associated subtasks and activities. The technical proposal must contain sufficient detail to convey the bidder’s knowledge of the subjects and skills necessary to successfully complete the project as stated in Task 1. The successful bidder must adhere to all of the following requirements:
3.1.1 Orientation Meeting
The technical proposal must include a detailed plan for conducting an orientation meeting that will occur within the first 30 days of the execution of this contract. All key contractor and subcontractor personnel including the management team, task leaders, and significant subcontractors will meet either via telephone, or teleconference with the CDE in Sacramento, California. During the orientation meeting, the successful bidder will be required to provide a review of each task and the proposed methods for implementation. The successful bidder will be required to develop the meeting agenda in coordination with the CDE, take minutes, and, within five working days after the meeting, submit the minutes to the CDE by e-mail for review and approval. The orientation meeting will require the successful bidder to address all tasks, including timelines, questions, and concerns about implementation of the contract.
3.1.2 Management Meetings
The technical proposal must include a detailed plan to conduct meetings every other week to be held between the successful bidder’s Project Manager and the CDE to review and discuss task implementation and status. The successful bidder and any proposed subcontractors staff must be included as appropriate to the task. The meetings may be conducted via telephone, or teleconference. The successful bidder must develop the meeting agenda in coordination with the CDE five days prior to each meeting. The agenda will include the status of all pending activities along with the deadline and person(s) assigned to each activity.
3.1.3 Minutes and Records
The technical proposal must include a detailed plan to take minutes include a list of participants for each of the meetings. The successful bidder will provide the minutes to the CDE by e-mail within five working days after each meeting in an electronic MS Office format approved by the CDE.
3.1.4 CDE Approval Schedule Requirements
The technical proposal must describe in detail the process for complying with the CDE Approval Schedule Requirements. The CDE must approve all material and/or deliverables developed in conjunction with this contract. The technical proposal must acknowledge and ensure that the successful bidder may not disseminate any written information, materials, or deliverables to the field, public, of any other third party without the CDE’s prior written approval. The technical proposal must acknowledge and ensure that the successful bidder is responsible for allowing sufficient time for the CDE to review the deliverables, and if necessary, for the successful bidder to make modifications as directed by the CDE to review and approve the revised submission. The successful bidder is responsible for any costs associated with making modifications to deliverables necessary to obtain approval by the CDE. The successful bidder’s comprehensive plan and schedule must specifically conform to the CDE approval schedule.
Unless otherwise specified in this RFP or agreed to in writing by the CDE, the technical proposal must acknowledge and ensure the following: (1) allow at least five working days for the CDE to initially review each submission; (2) make all modifications within five working days from receipt of the changes directed by the CDE; and (3) allow the CDE at least five working days to review the modified submission. Review of draft reports may require 5-10 working days for CDE review. An approval/sign-off for any deliverable will be provided only when the CDE is satisfied with the submission. The successful bidder is responsible for any costs associated with making modifications to deliverables necessary to obtain CDE approval. (See RFP Section 5.3 Cost Proposal Requirements.)
The CDE’s review and approval of any reports will typically be limited to a review of contract adherence, inclusion of all required report sections, and adherence to the CDE Style Guidelines, Correspondence Guide, and Web posting requirements. Occasional report content edits may be required, but in all cases the integrity of the independence of the Final Report will be maintained.
The bidder must acknowledge on the Bidder Certification Sheet (Attachment 1) that it will comply with the CDE Approval Schedule Requirements.