Accept the Proposal Submitted by Various Vendors for Request For Proposal (RFP) #4803-Information Technology (IT) Supplemental Staffing (Business Division)

On June 7, 2006, the Purchasing Department on behalf of the Information and Technology Division issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for IT supplemental staff services based upon specifications provided by the Information Services Department. The purpose of this RFP is to facilitate the procurement of IT supplemental staffing services in today’s rapidly changing technological environment. Nineteen areas of service were identified and providers had the option of responding to all areas or only those areas that fit their company. If the IT Division identifies a need for supplemental staffing services, qualified providers will be requested to respond to a Statement of Work (SOW). The SOW will provide the scope of service, desired start date, estimated project length and any other relevant data required for the submittal of qualified candidates. Providers will respond to the SOW with candidates’ resumes and hourly rates that fall within the range proposed in the RFP and approved by the School Board. The IT Division will interview the candidates, review the rates submitted and select the firm that best meets their needs. A purchase order will be issued for the authorization to proceed. Quarterly activity reports will be presented to the School Board for all contracts initiated under this program.

To evaluate this RFP, firms were asked to provide their knowledge/experience, implementation plan, small business utilization, references and a base rate and upper rate. Proposals were due on June 27, 2006. Using online services, the District notified 637 registered vendors of the RFP and received 31 proposals within the stated timeframe (Attachment A). The evaluation process included a committee of district level personnel (Attachment B). On July 5, 2006, the committee met for Phase I evaluations. The proposals were evaluated based on the RFP criteria (Attachment C). Purchasing staff contacted references to assist the committee. The committee elected not to hold oral presentations, Phase II, but to recommend award based on the results of Phase I evaluations (Attachment D). The fee schedule for each provider recommended for award is provided under attachment E. The initial term of the contract shall be for a three-year period with an effective date of July 26, 2006. To ensure that constantly evolving IT supplemental staffing needs can be met, additional open enrollment periods will be held twice each year in the months of January and July.

As stated in the OPPAGA report: “Efficient purchasing and warehousing requires that management processes be in place to ensure that supplies, equipment and services vital to the school’s education mission are purchased from a competitive source, in the right quantity, delivered timely to the correct location, and stored in a secure location. These criteria should be met for each purchase without sacrificing quality."

No funds are encumbered or charged unless services are requested by issuing a purchase order to a qualified vendor. The total cost of IT supplemental staffing services will depend on the service needs and be limited by approved budgets. When these services are utilized in lieu of hiring personnel, funds allocated for vacant positions will be exchanged and utilized for these services.

Contract administration or evaluation is performed by the Project Manager (end user) and Purchasing Analyst, who function as a team. Reviews are conducted face to face, typically quarterly, or by utilizing an online vendor performance report. Prior to soliciting a new contract, the Contract Administration team must first give consideration to the specifications and supporting data of the expiring contract.