THE RFP PROCESS

The Request For Proposal process provides Offerors sufficient information so they may submit proposals in consideration by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to satisfy a need for a project.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Register as a vendor if proposing on a Commonwealth of PA project.

Registered but forgot your vendor number? Call 1-877-435-7363

RFP Primary Parts

Calendar of Events

Part I – General Information

Part II – Proposal Requirements

Part III – Criteria for Selection

Part IV – Work Statement

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Set up a system in your office to track this timelineset up by Owner for the Proposal

Deadline to submit questions date

Preproposal Conference date

Deadline to answer questions (RFI) date

Addenda and other communication dates and where published (web site address)

Sealed proposal DUE DATE

Part IV WORK STATEMENT

The Work Statement is the most important part of the RFP

Scope of work must be met

You are proposing on:

All tasks

All Reports

All mandatory requirements.

Put a team together if your firm cannot handle all you have committed to

The RFP and your proposal become part of your contract

Performance per contract is mandatory

PART I GENERAL INFORMATION

Read carefully; be sure to understand these key parts

I-4 Problem Statement

I-5 Type of Contract

I-8 Preproposal Conference

I-9 Questions & Answers

I-10 Addenda to the RFP

I-12 Proposals

I-13 Disadvantaged Business Information

I-15 Page Limit

I-16 No alternate proposals accepted

I-25 Term of Contract

Part II – PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Offerors must submit their proposals in the format, including heading descriptions, outlined in this Part.

TECHNICAL SUBMITTAL

Part II, Sections II-1 through II-8

Follow directions exactly

Be sure you understand the Work Scope in Part IV

DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS SUBMITTAL

Part II, Section II-9

If you are a M/W/DBE you still must submit this Section

For ARRA related projects the Minimum Participation Level (MPL) is 10%

COST SUBMITTAL

Part II, Section II-10

Detailed instructions

Follow them to the letter

Double check all descriptions and calculations before submission

APPENDICES

Read Carefully – each RFP is different regarding Appendices

All must be included

All must be signed with an original signature in ink

ASK QUESTIONS

If you don't understand something, send your questions in writing to the contact listed in the RFP using the procedure set up in the Calendar of Events and Part I-9

Try to ask all your questions at one time, rather than asking questions one at a time.

PRIORITIZE THE ELEMENTS OF YOUR PROPOSAL

Allocate tasks within your firm to better analyze the RFP and prepare the proposal

You don’t get a “do over” if you miss something or add incorrectly.

SUBMITTING THE PROPOSAL

Correct as to format

Original signatures

Include all forms

On time

Right place

AFTER THE PROPOSAL GOES IN…

Keep track of dates

Bid opening

Award

File for future reference:

All work sheets

Research of the project

Part III CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

III-1 Mandatory Requirements

Timely Received: see Calendar of Events and Part I–11

Properly Signed:

Original signature

Write in ink

Part III-4 CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

Point values assigned to three parts of proposal

Technical

Cost

DBE Participation

For specific questions on the RFP process you may contact:

Elizabeth Bowers

Western Region Representative

Department of General Services

Bureau of Minority & Women Business Opportunities

412-442-5872