Developing RFPs That Drive Quality, Efficiency and Leave Room for

Transcription

Developing RFPs That Drive Quality, Efficiency and Leave Room for
CWA Spring
Conference
Anaheim, CA
Michael Vu, Director of
Operations
Tim Foster, Director,
Customer and Market
Development
Developing
RFPs That Drive
Quality,
Efficiency and
Leave Room for
Innovation
Workshop Overview
 RFP
Basics
 Preparation is Key
 Tips for Boosting Quality, Efficiency,
Innovation & # of Qualified Responders
 RFP Bloopers & Blunders
 Managing Transition & Beyond
RFP Basics
 The
Rules of Procurement
 Procurement Schedule
 Description of Services Requested
 Clear Descriptions of Roles (WDB vs.
Contractor vs. Partners)
 Performance Levels
 Service Volume Levels
 Pricing
Additional Elements
 Recent
(last 3 years) Financials
 References

Consider full list and random check
 Executive
Summary
 Question Format (specific or open)
 Evaluation Criteria
Preparation is Key
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Identify RFP Team
Update your bidders’ list
Determine advertising methods that will
broaden potential responders
Define your ideal match for a service provider
Develop evaluation criteria & weight priorities
Develop questions relevant to your priorities
and evaluation criteria – get board member
input!
Additional Preparatory
Considerations
 Meet
with providers before beginning
search process
 Anticipate questions and include in RFP
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Funding level (range)
Historical performance and service volume
Staffing & compensation structure
Other Infrastructure Questions
 Identify

& prepare evaluation committee
Consider outside/consultant reviewers
Improve Quality of Proposals
 Allow
enough time for a quality
response
 Avoid ambiguity
 Host a Bidders’ Conference
 Focus on information that will
influence your decision
 Ensure response format is concise
and flows
Time
Clarity
Alignment
Who We
Are
What We
Will Bring
Why You
Can Trust Us
Promote Greater Operational
Efficiency
 Consider




limiting # of providers
Less overhead
More flexibility
Promotes consistency
Less oversight needed
 Simplify
budget
 Ask for value-added resources
 Consider alternate contract structures
Promote Innovation
 Tight
on the What, loose on the How
 Allow opportunity in narrative for defining
differentiators (competitive advantages)
 Consider an open format
 Offer flexibility in staffing structure
 Offer bonus points for innovation
 Allow ideas to be presented for discussion
during negotiation
Contract Structures
 Cost
Reimbursement
 Performance Based (FAR Subpart 37.6)
 Hybrid
2 CFR Part 200.323
Complexity
Industry
Rates
Risk
Profit
Past
Performance
Investment
Contract
Amount
Boosting # of Responders
Tip 1: Ensure Awareness of Opportunity
 Update
bidders’ list in advance
 Email blast potential bidders
 Front page of website
 Workforce Industry Associations
 Government bid websites
 Others
Boosting # of Responders
Tip 2: Timing is Everything
 Early
bird gets the worm
 Allow at least 6-8 weeks between RFP
release and due date
 Conduct bidders’ conference early
 Q&A deadlines should allow for final
answers issued not less than 3-4 weeks
prior to due date
 Allow at least 60 day transition period
Boosting # of Responders
Tip 3: Ensure Clarity
 Purpose,
Vision and Goals
 Roles of WDB, Partners & Provider
 Scope (geography, facilities, partners)
 Questions are pointed and clear
 Format
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Fillable forms
Budget docs with formulas
Boosting # of Responders
Tip 4: Openness
 Anticipate
questions and provide info with
RFP
 Host a bidders’ conference and allow
questions during session
 Respond fully and quickly to reasonable
inquiries (consider FOIA in determining
what to answer)
 Consider scheduled tours of existing
facilities
Boosting # of Responders
Tip 5: Alignment
 Questions
align
with priorities
 Priorities align with
eval criteria
 Expectations
(goals/measures)
align with level of
prescriptiveness/
autonomy
Increased
Performance
Expectations
Less
Prescriptive
Requirements
RFP Bloopers & Blunders
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Providing documents in pdf format only (forms,
budgets, questions)
Formula errors in budget documents
Failing to include a cure period for minor errors
Doing everything by snail mail
Failing to provide a funding range
Duplicative questions
Contradictory information or questions
Releasing Q&A last minute
Unreasonably restricting competition thru too
narrow parameters
RFP Review & Award
 Cure
period for minor errors
 Committee may ask questions for
clarification
 Oral Presentations
 Expect a FOIA request – keep clear records
of process and scoring
 Notify responders of recommended
awardee(s)
 Provider debrief
Transition
 Negotiate
final terms
 Provide contract boilerplate early for
legal review
 Develop transition timeline
 Connect new provider(s) with current staff
quickly
Transition Elements
 Contract
 Staff
 Facilities
 Technology
 Procedures
 Case
file transfer
 Notification to vendors & partners
 Customer transition
Prevent unnecessary service disruptions
DO NOT STOP ENROLLMENTS before or during transition
Managing Providers
 Tight
on what, loose on how
 Approach as a partnership
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Role Clarification
Seek input before policies & procedures
amended
 Provide
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TA & ongoing support
Train on local policies & procedures
System access
Real-time reporting access
Managing Providers
 Establish
communication plan
 Facilitate connections with vendors and
partners
 Ensure clarity on priorities
 Monitoring
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Performance
Quality
Compliance
 Flexibility
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES?
Michael Vu, Director of Operations
[email protected]
Tim Foster, Director of Customer and Market
Development
[email protected]

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