Queries relating to the DES-DMS 2015 RFT
The Government is releasing a Request for Tender for the DES-DMS business previously contracted to CRS Australia. The following questions and answers are provided for information.
1. Question – Why is the business going to Tender?
Answer - The Government has made a decision to expand the number of non-government service providers delivering DES-DMS. Therefore, business previously contracted to CRS Australia is being put to tender.
2. Question - How much business is going tender?
Answer - There is approximately 47 per cent of the DES-DMS business available.
3. Question - Where is business available?
Answer - Business is available in 97 of the 110 Employment Service Areas (ESAs) across Australia.
4. Question - How much business is available in each ESA?
Answer - Business levels vary from 25 per cent to 100 per cent.
5. Question - Will there be an Invitation to Treat process?
Answer - No, all available business will be put to tender.
6. Question - Is CRS Australia eligible to tender?
Answer - No.
7. Question - Are there any significant changes to the DES-DMS programme?
Answer - No.
8. Question - Will there be information sessions on the RFT?
Answer - There will be a mix of information sessions and webinars once the RFT is released.
9. Question - How long will the RFT be open for?
Answer - The RFT will be open from 1 July to 2:00 pm 4th August 2014
10. Question - How will the transition of participants be conducted?
Answer - The department will work with CRS Australia and providers to ensure a smooth transition.
11. Question - Will the Government provide advice/direction on where Specialist services are required?
Answer - This is still under consideration but will be determined before the RFT is released.
12. Question - Why are 1 and 2 star providers being extended?
Answer - The Government has chosen to not unnecessarily disrupt the entire market, but rather it will use existing mechanisms within the DES deed to encourage high performance by providers. The department recently completed a business reallocation process as part of its ongoing programme of encouraging high performance with DES. The business of 1 and 2 star DES-DMS providers was in scope for reallocation through this process and, as a result, a number of sites and contracts ceased operating in March 2014. The department will maintain its scheduled contract management and programme assurance activities including future business reallocation.
13. Question - Are staff members of CRS Australia eligible to tender?
Answer – Please see the response provided at Question 69.
14. Question - When is the transition period?
Answer - The transition period will run from mid-November 2014 to early March 2015.
15. Question - Where can I get a printed copy of the RFT?
Answer - The department is not printing this RFT. You may download and print a copy from AusTender.
16. Question - Are DES-ESS providers eligible to tender?
Answer - Yes.
17. Question - Are Job Services Australia (JSA) providers eligible to tender?
Answer - Yes.
18. Question – When will the probity arrangements commence?
Answer - Probity arrangements have already begun.
19. Question - Why is there no business listed for tender in the Alice Springs, Grampians, Midlands/Wheatbelt, Mt Isa and Murray Darling Employment Services Areas?
Answer - There is no business for tender in those ESAs as the business that CRS held in the ESAs, which involved a very small caseload, was handed back to the Department and reallocated to existing DES-DMS Providers in those ESAs using the established business reallocation principles.
20. Question - Will there be more than one provider awarded business per ESA?
Answer - This depends on the number of bids assessed as suitable and the amount of business available in each ESA. The department prefers to have more than one provider in each ESA but only where it is warranted.
21. Question - Under Criterion 2, there are different requirements depending on which programs are currently delivered by the tenderer. What if providers are tendering in a consortium or some other joint arrangement, which requirement would apply?
Answer - DSS may use any and all information available to it in assessing Tenders, including information regarding past performance of consortium members or members of other joint arrangements. Tenderers should refer to the RFT documentation for the final arrangements.
22. Question - Can attachments be lodged with a tenderer's RFT response?
Answer - The proposal outlined in the Industry Information Paper is that tenderers will not be able to submit attachments with their tender response. The character limits assigned to each selection criterion are generous and have been designed to strike a balance that allows tenderers to provide a fulsome response while allowing tender assessment to be finalised within a reasonable time period. Tenderers should refer to the RFT documentation that will be released on AusTender for the final arrangements.
23. Question - Do the Character limits include spaces?
Answer - Yes.
24. Question - Will the RFT Format of the document be prescribed by the department as part of the criteria for submission?
Answer - Yes. This will be specified in the RFT.
25. Question - What are the conditions for submitting a tender by organisations as a consortium? Does it need to be a prime and sub provider arrangement?
Answer - The arrangements for group tendering, including consortia, will be outlined in the RFT documentation. Our intention is that each tenderer will be able determine the structure of its tendering group and there will be no requirement to have a prime/sub-provider arrangement in place. However, if a tendering group is a consortium, the department's intention is that the RFT will require the consortium members to appoint a lead member to act as agent for the other consortium members. Tenderers should refer to the RFT documentation for the final arrangements.
26. Question - In selection criterion 2 it speaks of current star ratings being "the basis of your score" what does basis mean? Is it the only factor taken into account?
Answer - This relates to current providers of employment services (ie Disability Employment Services and Job Services Australia) who receive a star rating for their performance. The Department of Social Services may use any performance information it has available to assist in assessing tenders. For those tenderers who have a current DES or JSA star rating, this will form the basis of the score for selection criterion 2. In addition, these tenderers will be able to provide a written response to selection criterion 2, which will be assessed. Tenderers who do not have a current DES or JSA star rating will be required to provide a written response to selection criterion 2. Tenderers should refer to the RFT for the final requirements and arrangements for selection criterion 2.
27. Question - Will the current DMS deed stand for 2015-18?
Answer - It is the Department’s intention that the deed offered to successful tenderers will be substantially in the same form as the current DMS Deed. However, the Department reserves the right to amend the deed, for example, to incorporate new initiatives or Government policy that is announced between the release of the RFT and undertaking contracting with successful tenderers.
28. Question - Does criterion 2 preclude organisations without DES experience from tendering?
Answer - No. Selection criterion 2 asks tenderers to outline their past performance in delivering the same or similar services to those being tendered. This allows for organisations who have not had experience in delivering DES to tender and demonstrate their capacity to deliver the services.
29. Question - Will the RFT use the APET response software?
Answer - APET response software will not be used for the DES-DMS Request for Tender. Prospective Tenderers will download a pack from AusTender, which will include a number of smart forms through which Tenderers will submit their responses to the Request for Tender.
30. Question - Are tenderers allowed to submit a conditional tender with a minimum and maximum caseload number?
Answer - Tenderers will be required to submit a minimum and maximum bid range for each Employment Services Area (ESA) they are tendering for. In addition, it is intended that tenderers will be able to outline certain conditions on their bids – for example, a tenderer may state that its bid for business in a particular ESA is conditional on winning business in a different ESA. Tenderers should refer to the final RFT for details on how to bid for business, including conditionality and the restrictions on making conditional bids, which will be outlined in the final RFT.
31. Question - Can an organisation submit more than one tender response, for example in its own right and as a member of a consortium?
Answer - This will be specified in the RFT.
32. Question - Will the June star ratings be released prior to closure of the RFT?
Answer - It is anticipated that the June 2014 DES Star Ratings will be published on Friday
1 August 2014.
33. Question - What is the classification to determine Metro, regional and remote areas?
Answer - There is no business in remote Australia available in this tender – employment services in designated remote areas are delivered by the Remote Jobs and Communities Programme. DES business is awarded at the Employment Service Area (ESA) level which may cover both metro and regional areas. Further information about ESAs is available at www.employment.gov.au/lmip
34. Question - Will referee reports be allowed or required as part of the RFT?
Answer - No. The department intends to seek the contact details of two (2) referees from tenderers that are not current DES or JSA providers. Tenderers will not be able to submit written references. Tenderers should refer to the final RFT for details on providing referees.
35. Question - Is there a breakdown available at ESA level for specialist cohort of DES DMS participants? Is the statistics provided current including CRS caseload and other specific information including type of disabilities and specialist groups?
Answer - The department is still considering the data to be made available. More detail will be provided at the time the RFT is released.
36. Question - Do tenderers bid for business by ESA or site?
Answer - Bids for business are made at the ESA level. Tenderers will be asked to nominate site locations and hours of business within an ESA. More detail will be provided in the RFT.
37. Question - Can you deliver generalist and specialist business from the same site or must they be separate sites?
Answer - Generalist and specialist business can be delivered from the same site.
38. Question - Has there been any change to the department’s assessment process based on the outcomes of the ESS Tender and subsequent star rating results of new providers?
Answer - The department is in the process of finalising the assessment process. More detail will be provided in the RFT.
39. Question - Between now and tender release time does the department expect the low performing DES DMS providers' caseloads will be added to the available business share if they are sanctioned by DSS?
Answer - No. This RFT is for the CRS Australia business available. Business as usual practices will be applied in the event of gap filling requirements.
40. Question - Is the indicative caseload in the information paper the total DMS caseload overall or CRS's caseload?
Answer - The indicative caseload is the current CRS caseload.
41. Question - Does the department have a preference for 100% coverage of an ESA? Is there a sub weighting for the geographic coverage offered by each tenderer? Would you prefer a larger provider with a broader geographic coverage against a smaller provider specialising in part of a larger ESA?
Answer - Geographical coverage is just one of a range of factors that will be considered in assessing tenders and allocating business. In some cases it may be that tenderers bidding to deliver services to an entire ESA will be given preference over those that do not, although this will vary depending on the circumstances of each ESA. Further, in some circumstances (particularly in the case of specialists), delivering services in a more restricted geographical area may be warranted. Tenderers should refer to the final RFT for details on geographical coverage requirements, and how geographical coverage will be considered in tender assessment.
42. Question - When will the presentation of the Webinar PowerPoint be available?
Answer - The presentation is now available on the Disability Management Service Tender website.
43. Question - Will the webinar be captioned, or if not, is it possible to have a text copy of the presentation?
Answer - Unfortunately the Webinars are not able to be captioned. However, a copy of the Webinar PowerPoint is available on the Disability Management Service Tender website.
44. Question - Are current DES-DMS providers able to bid for business to expand their existing market share in ESAs in which they are already delivering DES-DMS services?
Answer - Current DES-DMS providers are able to tender for available business in any ESA.