Questions & Answers USAC RFI USAC-FI-2016-02-005 1. Would USAC consider a solution that has a majority, but not all, of the features required in Section 2.1? Answer 1 Yes, USAC will consider a solution that has a one or both of the requested components of Section 2.1. This RFI is to gather as much information regarding current products and services in the market. 2. Please provide the background for eliciting more information about this software. Answer 2 USAC is in need of a Contract Management Solution to effectively and efficiently manage current and future contracts of all types. The need for complex reporting and compliance has driven the need to replace our current antiquated processes with a more innovative and efficient solution. 3. What kind of contracts would be managed using this software (example: supplier contracts, IT contracts, construction contracts, etc.)? What proportion of these contracts would be related to construction? Answer 3 The solution should have the capabilities to manage supplier contracts, IT contracts, and services contracts. USAC awards Firm-Fixed Price, Time-an-Materials, Labor Hour, and IDIQ type contracts. None of the contracts will be related to construction. 4. How many users will be accessing the system? Answer 4 USAC s purchasing team consists of ten team members who will be accessing the system on an everyday basis and should have capabilities to enter contract information; approximately three administrator capabilities to have full access of the system functionality. The solution should be accessible for read capabilities by all 460 USAC employees and capabilities for approximately 100 business user to enter contract and purchase requests. 5. Do you have a budget limit for procuring this software? Answer 5
At this time USAC has not determined a budget. The information provided during this RFI process will allow us to identify the right solution for our needs and determine the budget for a potential RFP. 6. You mention that the software should support procurement from source-to-settle. Can you provide a summary of your procurement process? Answer 6 1. Requestors submits Purchase Request (PR) in Serena Teamtrack 2. Request is routed for internal approvals based on defined dollar thresholds. 3. Approved purchase requisition is assigned to a purchasing agent. 4. Purchasing Agent reviews and defines the acquisition plan for procurement. 5. If micro-purchase, purchasing agent process the PR with credit card. 6. If not micro-purchase, purchasing agents drafts RFP or RFI documents. 7. RFP/RFI is posted to USAC procurement site for responses. 8. RFI is reviewed and formal RFP is drafted. 9. RFP is evaluated and awardee is selected. 10. Contract is awarded and moves to USAC Contracts Administration 11. Contracts Administrator manages contract and all activities (modification, invoicing, and reporting) through closeout. 7. Will the contract management system be hosted by CobbleStone (SaaS) or deployed on your organization s server (on premise)? Answer 7 USAC would like the respondents to provide the advantages and disadvantages of SaaS and an on premise solution. At this time USAC has not determined how the solution will be hosted. 8. How many total users will require log-on access to add contracts/solicitations, edit, delete, approve, search, etc.? Answer 8 USAC s purchasing team consists of ten team members who will be accessing the system on an everyday basis and should have capabilities to enter contract information; approximately three administrator capabilities to have full access of the system functionality. The solution should be accessible for read capabilities by all 460 USAC employees and capabilities for approximately 100 business user to enter contract and purchase requests. 9. Roughly how many AP Invoices are processed per month? Answer 9 Approximately 250 invoices are processed a month with about 8% being non-po related. 10. What % of Invoices are related to a Requisition/PO?
Answer 10 Approximately 92% of USAC invoices are related to a purchase requisition and PO. 11. Could respondents to USAC s RFI only respond to one component of Section 2.1? Answer 11 Yes, USAC will consider a solution that has a one or both of the requested components of Section 2.1. This RFI is to gather as much information regarding current products and services in the market. 12. Page 1 of the RFI, Section 1.1 states that This RFI is strictly for Contract Management and Procurement Front-End Software Solutions. Also, on Page 3, Section 2.1 of the RFI states that The goal of this RFI is to identify Contract management and procurement Front-End Software Solutions to substantially meet the current and future procurement and contracting business requirement.. Could you please explain what the term Front-End means in the context of USAC s requirement? Is the desired solution to be a Front-End to another system already in place at USAC, and if so, what system is that? Having reviewed the detailed specifications in the RFI, USAC s requirement appears to be for a full-fledged acquisition and contract writing solution, and not simply a front-end pre-processor for another existing system. Please clarify. Answer 12 USAC s requirement is for a front-end purchase requisitions workflow approval system. We currently utilize Serena Teamtrack which is primarily an IT workflow tool that was configured to support the purchasing team. The desired system will be the initiating point of various procurement activities that will include a workflow for approvals based on defined dollar thresholds. The ideal solution will integrate into a contract management solution for management post award. USAC will consider a full-fledge acquisition and contract writing solution. Based on the information obtained during this RFI process, USAC may consider a total solution, however, our immediate and urgent need is for a Contract Management solution. 13. Since USAC adheres to federal, state and local laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, which IT security standards dominate? What are USAC s security requirements for a vendorhosted CMS and Front-End System? Answer 13 There are no IT security standards that dominate. However, below lists the basic security requirements for this software solution: 1. Integration with Sing Sign on (OKTA) 2. Encrypted communication channels (SSL, HTTPS) 3. Review SSAE reports for red flags (SOC 1, Type I and Type II, SOC 2)
14. Is there a system already in place at USAC for contract management? And for requisitioning? Or are these manual processes today? Please describe the As Is? Is there data in electronic format that USAC will want migrated into the CMS? Answer 14 Currently there is no system in place for contract management. USAC utilizes a shared drive for document management and generates reports manually using Excel. For purchase requisitions, USAC currently uses software, Serena Teamtrack. The primary use of this system is for IT requests, however, has been configured to support the purchase requisition process. USAC would begin utilizing the system with new data and information from the date of implementation. We are not looking to migrate current data into the new system. 15. While USAC is not FAR-bound, there must be acquisition regulations that guide USAC acquisitions. Please would USAC describe these and, if possible, provide a link? Answer 15 USAC is a not-for-profit Delaware corporation, which works under the oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). USAC is not a federal agency, a government corporation, a government controlled corporation or other establishment in the Executive Branch of the United States Government. USAC is not a contractor to the Federal Government. USAC does, however, conduct its procurements in accordance with the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with the FCC, which requires USAC, and its contractors, to adhere to the following provisions from the Code of Federal Regulations: 2 C.F.R. 200.318-321; 200.323; 200.325-326 and App. II to C.F.R. Part 200 (collectively Procurement Regulations ). Contractor shall comply with the Procurement Regulations and all applicable Federal, State and local laws, executive orders, rules and regulations. Here is the link to USAC Standard Terms and Conditions: http://www.usac.org/_res/documents/about/pdf/tools/usac-general-terms-and-conditions.pdf 16. To provide the cost estimates requested in the RFI offerors will need to know the number of users USAC projects for each of the CMS and the Front-End System. Please will USAC provide anticipated numbers of users of each system, ideally by type of user, e.g. procurement professionals (Contracts Administrators, etc.) and other users (i.e. requisitioners, reviewers and approvers)? Answer 16 USAC s purchasing team consists of ten team members who will be accessing the system on an everyday basis and should have capabilities to enter contract information, RFP, draft documents, etc; approximately three administrator capabilities to have full access of the system functionality. The solution should be accessible for read capabilities by all 460 USAC employees and capabilities for approximately 100 business user to enter contract and purchase requests.
17. Does USAC require an interface with a financial management system, for instance to record commitments and obligations? If so, will USAC detail the interface requirements and describe the financial management system? Are any other interfaces anticipated, for instance to FBO? Answer 17 USAC would like a solution that integrates with Microsoft Dynamics Great Plans (GP) 2010 SP3 (v 11.00.2044). USAC IT platforms consist of Windows Server 2012 Servers with SQL Server 2012 Database Servers. No other interfaces are anticipated. 18. Very respectfully, the requirement for each vendor to submit one (1) hardcopy is redundant given the instruction to also submit an electronic copy via e-mail. (Surely USAC can print out its own hardcopy from the softcopy). Please consider striking this requirement as it creates an unnecessary burden and cost to offerors to courier a hardcopy RFI response to USAC. Answer 18 Respondents only need to submit to USAC one electronic copy of their RFI response. USAC strikes the requirements for one hard copy to be delivered to USAC offices. 19. Would the USAC consider a cloud based solution or is on premise the only option? Answer 19 Yes, USAC will consider a cloud based solution. Please include the advantages, disadvantages and costs for both cloud based and on premise options. 20. Has USAC evaluated any software solutions thus far? What are they? USAC has not evaluated any software solutions thus far for a Contract Management Solution outside of standard market research. However, for the procurement front end system, USAC previously conducted an RFP for a Procure-to-Pay Solution, that was not implemented. 21. There are no O&M or post deployment support services requested in the RFP. Is the solution intended to be supported by an internal team after deployment? Answer 21 The solution shall be capable of being installed, configured, supported and maintained by USAC s IT technical staff. 22. The requirements listed in Section VI. A are software capabilities for a budgeting, planning and reporting tool. For a fixed price estimation, can the USAC provide specific business requirements for example: System shall. Such that they can be used for testing and acceptance evaluation? Or would USAC be open to a Time & Expenses contract rather than fixed price? Answer 22
The RFI does not contain Section VI.A. However, USAC has not determined a contract type and could consider a Time & Expense contract. 23. What are the driving forces for the deployment date of June 30 th, translating to a two month very aggressive schedule for implementation of such a business critical software? Answer 23 A deployment date was not specified in the RFI. 24. Is it USAC s intention for the service provider to deliver a train the trainer approach as the training listed in the RFP? Will an internal team drive change management activities and end user trainings? Answer 24 USAC s requirement for training of a potential solution was not identified in the RFI. However, train-the trainer end-user training and technical training will be required for USAC employees. 25. Would USAC consider extending the due date for submissions? Answer 25 USAC will not consider extending the due date. Response to RFI is due April 1, 2016 by 11:00am to purchasing@usac.org. 26. Does USAC anticipate data conversion activities to get the newly implemented system in a ready to use state? Answer 26 USAC would begin utilizing the system with new data and information from the date of implementation. We are not looking to migrate current data into the new system.