Question: What is the preferred length of the DVP evaluation proposal?
Answer: There are no character or word limits for responses to proposal questions. We do, however, encourage applicants to answer concisely while still providing enough information to adequately address all required proposal elements.
Question: Per the Local and Small Local Business Enterprise Program requirement stated in the RFQ, is it correct that 50% of the funding must be allocated to a local organization, unless the contractor obtains a waiver of the requirement?
Answer: The City of Oakland’s Local and Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) Program requires a 50% minimum participation requirement for all professional services contracts at or exceeding $50,000. A waiver of this requirement may be sought by a City department from City Council if the highest-scoring proposal does not meet the requirement, but approval of a waiver request cannot be guaranteed. We strongly encourage all applicants to meet the L/SLBE 50% minimum participation requirement.
Question: Can consultants be considered L/SLBE’s? If so, is it correct that they should be certified to conduct business in the city of Oakland?
Answer: A consultant can be certified as an LBE or SLBE, but it is not required. If the consultant is certified, it will count toward the applicant organization’s L/SLBE percentage.
Question: Does the City have a cap on overhead that can be included in the budget?
Answer: The RFQ indicates that the budget section should include hourly rates and estimated number of hours worked for each staff member who will support the project. Hourly rates should be all-inclusive, meaning they should include base salary, fringe benefits, overhead, profit, etc. There is no cap on the percentage of hourly rates that can be allocated to indirect costs.
Question: The SB 1070 provisions on page 29 of the RFQ state that organizations headquartered in Arizona are prohibited from applying. Does this apply to public universities located in Arizona?
Answer: The Arizona resolution / Schedule B-1 does not apply to public institutions located in Arizona.
Question: Is it correct that Schedule E (Project Consultant Team) should only include subconsultants, not team members of the primary consultant?
Answer: Yes, that is correct.
Question: For Schedule E-2 (Oakland Workforce Verification), should all employees of the consultant be listed or just the employees who will serve on the project team for this evaluation?
Answer: All employees who are based in Oakland should be listed.
Question: What is the RFQ number for this proposal? Where can the link to the RFQ portal be found?
Answer: The RFQ number is 267688. The log-in portal for iSupplier can be found here.
Question: Is it correct that contractors are not required to submit Combined Contract Schedules with their proposal?
Answer: Yes, that is correct. Combined contract schedules are only required prior to contract execution.
Question: If a subcontractor was to retain an individual for their expertise on this project, would that individual be required to submit the same references, local certifications, etc. as the prime contractor and subcontractor?
Answer: The RFQ states the following regarding references for subcontractors: “It is encouraged that at least one professional reference can verify the subcontractor’s previous experience and outcomes.” References are not expected for individual members of the subcontractor team. Similarly, local business certification is not applicable for individual members of the subcontractor team.
Question: Is it necessary for the subcontractor to include signed copies of the addenda, acknowledging their receipt, or is signature/acknowledgement from the prime contractor sufficient?
Answer: No, acknowledgement from the prime consultant is sufficient.