Request for Proposal - Best Value

1. Request for Proposal - Best Value • Generally RFP’s are created for large dollar technical purchases, services and consultants. • Consideration in addition to costs are evaluated and may include references, years of experience, similar experience and or project history. • Require detailed specifications and a pre-established evaluation matrix to be scored by an evaluation team. • Evaluation teams may include end users and financial personnel.

2. Drafting an RFP • Drafting RFP’s • Develop the scoring matrix with the RFP • Mandatory items-Pass/Fail • Ex. Vendor Minimum Qualifications • Licenses • Regulatory scoring • Equipment list • Experience • Scoring criteria-weighted % • Technical evaluation • References • Cost • The RFP document usually includes • Information on the University and Department’s mission. • A brief description of the project. • A list of mandatory requirements for all vendor’s to meet. • Technical scoring criteria and informational response section

3. Drafting RFP’s (Cont’d) • The matrix and RFP are drafted together to ensure that the answers scored in the matrix appear as questions in the RFP. • Mandatory requirements are evaluated on a pass/fail basis but are not included in the scoring criteria. • Proposals meeting mandatory requirements are scored against the matrix. • Cost should be at least 20% of the total scoring criteria depending on the value to be placed on the technical portion. • Software purchases may have lower weighted cost (i.e., 25%) while services may have a higher weighted cost (i.e., 60%).

4. Drafting RFP’s (Cont’d) • Objective questions include the following: • Years of experience • Number of similar projects performed • Number of qualified staff assigned to the project • Subjective questions should be avoided because the responses are subject to interpretation. • Benchmarks/standards should be used to compare bidder responses. • References should be reviewed via a questionnaire. • Questions should prompt responses from the reference such as yes or no or good, fair, poor.

5. RFP-Evaluation Process • Forming and Instructing the Review Team • All members of the RFP evaluation team must participate in the scoring of all the proposals. • Multiple levels of scoring • Mandatory items • Technical Specifications • References • Oral Presentations • Additional Points or Rescoring • Financial Statements; may require assistance from an individual with the ability and expertise to evaluate the document. • Cost

6. RFP-Evaluation Process (Cont’d) • Most cost awards are based on a formula. For example, the lowest bidder receives the highest rating and the next lowest bidders get a portion of the points awarded. • The base score as outlined in the RFP can be set to limit the number of bidders receiving invitations for oral interviews/presentations. • The scoring used for the oral interviews must be outlined in the RFP. • The scoring process may allow for the review team to ask for written clarification. • Written clarification required from a bidder must have a due date and time.

7. RFP-Evaluation Process (Cont’d) • Multiple awards can be made from one RFP: • The awarding of work must be outlined clearly in the RFP. • There is no guarantee of the amount of work to be assigned, but the contract is to be for the actual amount of work assigned during the term. • Cost is the critical factor in the review by OSC and must be clear to the auditor. • For a new type of RFP or Bid, the Purchasing Office will often seek out information from other SUNY’s, Agencies or pass a draft of the procurement to OSC for comment before it goes out to the vendor community. • Vendors must be notified in writing of rejected proposals and be given an opportunity for debriefing.

8. Time Line • Based on Final Draft RFP & Scoring Matrix • Contract Reporter Advertisement 3 Week Min. • Scoring of RFP’s Approximately 2-3 Weeks • Contract Development and Signature 3 Weeks • NYS Attorney General Approval 2 Weeks • NYS Comptroller Approval 4-6 Week Min.