Request for Proposal (RFP) No. DVCA2015/2016

ADDENDUM 1

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. DVCA2015/2016

For

Domestic Violence Center Act Legal and Shelter Services

Revised Due Date for this RFP has changed to

Monday, April 27, 2015

NOTE: The DVCA RFP Exhibit A Response Package has been revised. Please make sure to use the latest version, which is available on either of the websites: www.acgov.org or www.alamedasocialservices.org.

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REVISIONS

1. DVCA RFP Specifications Document

A. Specific Service Requirements (page 5, Section E, 1.)

· Item # b Emergency transportation: The bidder(s) must provide a means for emergency transportation on a 24-hour basis to shelters or other places of safety appropriate for DV victims/survivors and their children has been deleted.

B. Calendar of Events (page 10)

· Addendum Issue: Friday, April 10, 2015, changed to Monday, April 13, 2015

· Response Due: April 24, 2015 by 12:00pm, changed to April 27, 2015 by 12:00pm

· Evaluation Period: April 24, 2015 – May 7, 2015, changed to April 27, 2015 – May 7, 2015

C. Proposal Narrative, Administrative/Organizational Capacity/Program Design (page 33, #2)

· #2 Describe your organizations design for providing the specific service requirements as outlined on page 5, Section E. As stated under Section E, 7 and 8 1 or 2 depending on selected service category, please detail this information and provide an attachment of any operational agreements or memoranda of understanding.

2. Exhibit A Response Package

A. Proposal Narrative, Administrative/Organizational Capacity/Program Design (page 8, #2)

· #2 has been revised: Describe your organizations design for providing the specific service requirements as outlined on page 5, Section E. As stated under Section E, 7 and 8 1 or 2 depending on selected service category, please detail this information and provide an attachment of any operational agreements or memoranda of understanding.

BIDDER ATTENDEE LIST

NAME / ORGANIZATION / PHONE # / E-MAIL
1 / Sophora Acheson / Ruby’s Place, Inc. / 510-581-5626 /
2 / Ana Cruz / Bay Area Legal Aid / 510-250-5227 /
3 / Eleonore Zwinger / International Institute of the Bay Area / 510-451-2846 x335 /
4 / Kristie Whitehorse / Family Violence Law Center / 510-208-0220 /
5 / Vicki Thompson / Tri-Valley Haven / 925-667-2713 /
6 / Donna Browne / Tri-Valley Haven / 925-667-2704 /
7 / Irina Milinevskaya / Tri-Valley Haven / 925-667-2720 /
8 / Nina Clymer / Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments / 510-574-2250 /
9 / Diane Anderson / Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments / 510-773-3810 /
10 / Patricia Bidar / Building Futures w/Women and Children / 510-357-0205 /

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1 / Question: / Since the $178,500 will be split between 10 agencies, would It be beneficial to base the budget on the 10% of the amount?
Answer: / The Social Services Agency has not yet determined the distribution of funds between the recommended agencies. This will be determined by May 20, 2015, when the notices of intent to award will go out.
2 / Question: / Can you speak more about the 24-hour transportation requirement for legal services providers? How do you see that working? From our perspective, we are a professional law firm and while we may work outside of M-F 9-5, we aren’t in the business of providing transportation or being available around the clock. Are sub-contracts allowed to fulfill this requirement? Are there any circumstances in which this requirement might be waived (i.e. MOU/partnership w/another grantee, etc.)?
Answer: / This legal deliverables requirement has been removed, please refer to the Addendum 2 for the revised DVCA RFP Specifications document.
3 / Question: / Are the legal services listed in the Scope of Services (pg. 4) exhaustive? DV survivors have many more legal needs beyond restraining orders and custody, such as housing, benefits, etc.
Answer: / The legal service deliverables are stated in the DVCA Specifications document on page 5, section E.1. Although SSA realizes DV survivors may require other services and/or programs, it is advisable and a requirement that the recommended legal agency provide referrals to community partners that can better serve the clients additional needs.
4 / Question: / Are non-profits providing services directly to county residents exempt from the requirement to sub-contract w/a SLEB?
Answer: / Yes, non-profit agencies are exempt from SLEB.
5 / Question: / Are bids for less than $25k still required to sub-contract w/a SLEB?
Answer: / No
6 / Question: / As legal service providers, do we need to provide services for restraining orders?
Answer: / Yes
7 / Question: / In the response packet and the specification document, under Section E, there is no 7 & 8
Answer: / In the Exhibit A Response Packet (pg. 8) and in the DVCA RFP Specifications Document (pg. 33), the 7 & 8 will be revised to “1 or 2, depending on the service category”. These two revised documents will be posted online.
8 / Question: / When discussing the type of reports that will be generated, should we speak about our agency’s data base reports or the data collection tool that will be provided by SSA?
Answer: / In response to both, SSA wants to know your organizations data collection plan and how this will feed into the data collection tool that SSA will provide.
9 / Question: / On page 5 of the RFP under the Bidder Qualifications, #5 talks about the permits, licenses, etc. to serve DV clients as specified under the RFP. Is this actually discussed in the RFP as to what permits, licenses, etc. that the County requires or is this question in general asking what licenses, permits, etc. we as a DV agency have to qualify us to operate as such.
Answer: / Is a DV counselor is providing counseling services or an attorney is providing legal services/consultations to a DV survivor funded under this contract, SSA requires the staff member be properly accredited (i.e. licensed, 40-hr DV training, etc.).
10 / Question: / The SLEB website isn’t clear about how to define small business. Are non-profits exempt? Where do we find the # of employees on average for our NAICS code?
Answer: / Yes, non-profits are exempt. A small business is defined by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) as having no more than the number of employees or average annual gross receipts over the last three (3) years required per SBA standards based on the small business’s appropriate NAICS code. You will find the number of employees on average for each NAICs code in the Table of Small Business Size Standards at https://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-size-standards.
11 / Question: / Please define “local preference”.
Answer: / Five percent (5%) preference points shall be granted to Alameda County products or Alameda County vendors on all sealed bids except with respect to those contracts which state law requires be granted to the lowest responsible bidder. An Alameda County vendor is a firm or dealer with fixed offices and having a street address within the County for at least six (6) months prior to the issue date of any RFP/Q being responded to; and which holds a valid business license issued by the County or a city within the County.
12 / Question: / As a not-for-profit organization, will we be exempt from the SLEB partnering requirement?
Answer: / Yes
13 / Question: / In the past, the description of services provided was needed, is it not need this time?
Answer: / Yes it is still needed; please refer to the Administrative/Organizational Capacity/Program Design section in the Exhibit A Response Packet on pg. 7-8.
14 / Question: / Please explain what the Client Identification Number is and if client confidentiality will be taken into consideration,
Answer: / Yes, confidentiality will be maintained. The PERU unit will work with the selected providers to create a numeric identifier for inclusion in the reporting tool.
15 / Question: / How do we count clients that were already in school or work upon entry to shelter and maintained in school or work for the Results Based Accountability aspect?
Answer: / For the purpose of the DVCA contracts and the evaluation process, this information is not necessary. If the client maintains this situation while receiving services, it would count as Better Off measure and can be noted in the provider’s client file.
16 / Question: / CAL OES DV requires for all of the services to be voluntary, how will this requirement be taken in consideration when developing an RBA plan?
Answer: / We are collecting information on services delivered, this does not mean that services need to be forced on a client. Services are available for community members on a as needed, voluntary basis.
17 / Question: / Under Administrative/Org Capacity, do we list staff that will be included in the budget or all DV staff that will be contributing to the program?
Answer: / All DV staff contributing to the program.
18 / Question: / Will vendor interviews involve a site visit?
Answer: / No
19 / Question: / Should references include other funders or only community references?
Answer: / Both
20 / Question: / Prepare a 3-year budget or prepare only 1 annual budget?
Answer: / 1 annual budget
21 / Question: / Do you have any expectation as to the number of client who must complete surveys? Many clients simply disappear even though they received services and no survey is collected.
Answer: / Not at this time.

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