RFGA 2012-01 Questions

  1. Q - Are indirect costs considered administrative or may applicants follow 20 CFR Part 641 (Senior Community Service Employment Program; Final Rule), section 641.859, (d), that allows allocable share of indirect or overhead costs charged to the SCSEP “to be allocated to the administrative and programmatic activity cost categories in the same proportion as the costs in the overhead or indirect cost pool are classified as programmatic activity or administrative costs”?

A: The PA Department of Aging (PDA) considers indirect costs to be administrative for all of its contracts. Consequently, indirect costs will be considered administrative for the purposes of this RFGA. Applicants can only charge indirect costs to the administration cost category.

  1. Q - If an applicant is awarded multiple areas (such as the South centraland Northern areas), would the commonwealth consider issuing one contract rather than multiple contracts for the multiple areas if the sub grantee were willing to track and report performance by individual area?

A: Yes, the PDA can issue one grant with the selected applicant if the selected applicant is awarded multiple regions. However, the selected applicant will need to submit oneinvoice that contains a breakdown of expenditures for each region that it is awarded. Performance will need to be tracked and reported for each region.

  1. Q - Will a score sheet be released so proposers will know the technical point value of each proposal section?

A: No. As stated in the last paragraph of page 11 of the RFGA, “a review committee of qualified personnel selected by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging will complete an evaluation of each application. Responses to each of the criteria as described in Part II-B-Application Format of the application (Response to Required Program Activities, Performance Accountability, Organizational Management, Financial ManagementandCoordination) will be the basis of the evaluation.” The order of importance of each evaluation criteria is as follows: Response to Required Program Activities, Performance Accountability, Organizational Management, Coordination andFinancial Management.

  1. Q - The SCSEP regulations permit Indirect Cost to be allocated to administrative and other participant costs. Is this allowable to the successful proposer if there is an agreed upon allocation of indirect costs?

A: No, see answer to Question 1.

  1. Q5a - According to RFGA instructions, the contract must be signed and returned as part of the proposal package. If the applicant has concerns about some of the items in the contract, will these be negotiable and/or can changes be made prior to award to the successful applicant?

A5a: No.

Q5b - How does the proposer indicate the areas of concern?

A5b: Concerns should have been addressed through the submission of questions that were due on November 14, 2012.

  1. Q - The application information on the cover sheet of the RFGA seems to slightly contradict application instructions on page 13. For example, the cover sheet states the electronic version of the proposal may only be in Microsoft Word or Excel and must be submitted on a CD. Page 13 allows use of any Microsoft Office formatting and the choice between a CD or a flash drive for the electronic submission. We would prefer the latter flexibility. Can the state advise if we can follow page 13 instructions?

A: Yes, you can follow the instructions contained on page 13.

  1. Q - Also regarding the application format requirements, we are unsure how we would be able to submit some of the required information using only Microsoft Office formatting, such as signed letters of recommendation, MOUs negotiated with local WIBs, the contract with signature, copies of Participant Orientation manuals, organizational charts, and similar items. Can the commonwealth provide additional guidance on this?

A: The items that you are referring to in your question would be considered attachments and they are excluded from the formatting requirements.

  1. Q - How does the commonwealth define attachment in terms of the 35 page limit? For example, which of the following, if any, would be considered “attachments”: Table of Contents, SCSEP Application form, detailed budget, letters of support, completed form W-9, signed grant agreement, Appendix J, copies of MOUs, organizational chart, Participant Orientation manual, evaluations of similar projects.

A: The items that you are referring to in your question would all be considered attachments and they are excluded from the 35 page maximum. The 35 page limit includes the applicant’s responses to Section 2 Required Program Activities on page 15; Section 3 Performance Accountability on page 20; Section 4 Organizational Management on page 22; and Section 6 Coordination on page 23.

  1. Q9a - RFGA, P. 8, first paragraph—Please clarify what is meant by “financial capability information”?

A9a: The PDA requires the most recent three years of audited financial statements.

Q9b - If this is not the budget, will the commonwealth accept that the applicant considers personnel budget information to be confidential proprietary information and allow the applicant to exempt this information from public records request?

A9b: Yes

  1. Q - RFGA P.12—Can the commonwealth provide information about available technical points, and maximum available points for each section of the application that will be reviewed?”?

A: No. See response to Question 3.

  1. Q - RFGA, P. 22—What type of documents or information might be provided to support “evaluation of similar projects”?

A: U.S. Department of Labor evaluations or monitoring reports of the applicant as well as evaluations or monitoring reports from other organizations that the applicant contracts with.

  1. Q - Grant Agreement, P. 2, #6, restricts raises in personnel costs not to exceed 5% a year. Can exceptions be made to this? For example, if the commonwealth requires the sub grantee to serve additional positions during the course of the contract, for which additional staffing would be required?

A: The 5% allowable increase applies only to the hourly rates of current staff. If new staff are required as a result of additional slots being provided to the selected applicant, then the hourly rates for any new employees must be comparable to the hourly rates of current staff in similar positions.

Appendix D, page 2, part 4 -- Liability and Insurance

  1. Q - Paragraph 5: Contract states, “Such policies shall be occurrence rather than claims-made policies and shall name the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as an additional insured." Would a Certificate of Insurance showing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as Certificate Holder, to include the policy number, the insurance carrier and the policy limits satisfy this requirement?

A: Yes, but it must be a valid, current certificate in order to satisfy this requirement.

  1. Q - Paragraph 6: Contract states, "These certificates shall contain a provision that the coverage afforded under the policies will not be cancelled or changed until at least thirty (30) days' written notice has been given to the Department." A provision framed in this manner is no longer available in the insurance industry. Would the following language satisfy this requirement? "Experience Works will endeavor to provide the Department at least thirty (30) days written notice if the coverage afforded under these policies is cancelled or changed."

A: No