RFP 60-24-05 IT Staff Enrichment Solutions

Questions & Answers

1. What would be the number of awards you intend to give (approximate number)?

SURS is prepared to award multiple contracts; we do not have an intended number of contracts.

2. Please provide us with an estimated NTE budget allocated for this contract.

We’ve established an annual budget for contract resources, but the existence of a budget does not
indicate a goal for spending. Contracting resources are used on a case-by-case basis, based on
need.

3. What is the tentative start date of this engagement?

Given the varying contract expiration dates on current contracts, the start date will vary depending
on the position.

4. What is the work location of the proposed candidates?

Contractors can work remote, direct hires would need to be located at one of our offices.

5. Are there any pain points or issues with the current vendor(s)?

Not particularly. Some positions are more difficult to recruit/contract than others, depending on
the job market.

6. Is there any mandatory subcontracting requirement for this contract? If yes, Is there any specific
goal for the subcontracting?

As currently written, the Illinois Pension Code does not allow money spent by vendors in support of
Subcontractors or Subconsultants to count toward SURS’ 20% statutory aspirational MWDBE
procurement goal. 40 ILCS 5/1-109.1

7. How many positions will be required per year or throughout the contract term?

This will vary depending on SURS needs.

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8. If the proposed candidates are not available at the time of award, will the agency allow us to
provide replacement personnel with similar or more skill sets?

Yes

9. Can we provide hourly rate ranges for the given positions?

Yes

10. Is it entirely onsite work or can it be done remotely to some extent / Does the services need to
be delivered onsite or is there a possibility for remote operations and performance?

SURS has a hybrid work schedule (3 days in office, 2 remote). For augmented staff it would depend
on the resource and specific assignments. For instance, a contracted BA or Project Manager would
likely have to spend time on site with stakeholders, but a developer may not.

11. Are resumes required at the time of proposal submission? If yes, Do we need to submit the
actual resumes for proposed candidates or can we submit the sample resumes?

Resumes are not required until specific positions are requested by SURS to the awarded vendor(s).

12. Could you please provide the list of holidays?

13. Are there any mandated Paid Time Off, Vacation, etc.?

As a direct hire, they would receive the typical SURS time off package. As a consultant, they would
get whatever their consulting firm offers.

14. Is it mandatory to be registered with the Illinois State Board of Elections prior to submitting a
response or can we complete this registration at the time of award?

If vendor is not currently authorized to conduct business in the State of IL please indicate such in
your response to the RFP. If you plan to register if selected, please explain the process involved in
securing that registration and further explain how and when your company would plan to register
with the State of Illinois and your understanding as to how long it would take to complete the full
registration process.

15. Is there local preference for Bidders?

Proposals that include local resources are favorable but not required.

16. Are there any mandatory subcontracting requirements for this solicitation? If yes, what is the
percentage of specific subcontracting goals?

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See question #6

17. Do you intend to move the candidates to new vendors, if the incumbents are not awarded
again?

No.

18. What is the new budget for year for this RFP?

See Question #2

19. How many roles do you anticipate to recruit for yearly during this contract?

This will vary depending on SURS needs.

20. Can you please share the minimum estimated hours per week for all job positions?

Full-time employees have a minimum requirement of 37.50 hours per week.

21. What are your most commonly requested positions?

Please refer to Appendix H.

22. Are vendors required to bid on all positions/categories?

No, vendors can bid on positions/categories they can fill.

23. Are the roles you are looking to fill able to work remotely, Hybrid or on site?

See question #10

24. Where will the support personnel be primarily based and expected to work from?

Champaign, IL

25. Please provide the list of all the certifications/Licensure which is necessary to attach in the
proposal.

See Appendix A in the RFP and also Question #14.

26. How many vendors do you intend to award?

See Question #1

27. Will you award the contract to lowest responsive bidder?

Vendors will be evaluated and chosen based on information listed in section “VI. Evaluation
Process” in the RFP. We are not required to award contracts to the lowest bid.

28. How many interviews happen prior to offer?

Typically 2 – 3 depending on role and level.

29. How long does it take from submitted a resume to interview to offer?

This depends on the availability of those involved in the process, we target 3 – 6 weeks.

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30. How will the job requests be shared among multiple awarded contractors?

Any contracts awarded will be negotiated separately but our procurement rules require us to use
consistent contract terms whenever possible. This consistency requirement does NOT relate to
pricing. All selected vendors will be required to agree to the terms contained in the SURS standard
addendum. Vendors selected and requests for services made to any such vendor will be
determined by specific areas of expertise required for the position(s) in question.

31. Do we need to provide actual resumes of given positions along with the response?

See question #11

32. Can we provide Hourly Rate range?

Yes

33. How many vendors will be awarded?

See question #1

34. Can we bid on either one Recruiting Services OR Staff Augmentation?

Yes, you can bid on one or both.

35. Will there be a single award or multiple awards for this RFP?

See question #1

36. What ERP does the organization use?

IBM iSeries AS/400

37.What is the confirmed budget for this project?

See question #2

38. Will there be any pre-proposal meet?

No. SURS may conduct interviews with potential vendors after proposals are received if needed.
Vendors will be contacted by the Procurement Officer if this is desired.

39.What is the contract duration for this project?

SURS will generally set up a 3 – 5 year MSA depending on needs, individual contracts for the staff
will vary.

40. How many temporary staff does SURS currently have?

4 – 5 in IT.

41.Can you provide more detailed descriptions of the primary IT roles SURS is looking to fill?

Detailed job descriptions will be provided to selected vendor(s) if, and when, SURS is ready to
engage the vendor(s) in the search process to fill any such position.

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42. How frequently does SURS anticipate needing temporary versus permanent IT staffing
solutions?

We generally will try permanent first, we move to temporary as needs dictate.

43. How are the proposals weighted in terms of cost versus quality of service and experience?

Proposals will be evaluated based on the process listed in section “VI: Evaluation Process”.

44.Is there a preference or higher weighting given to firms that demonstrate strong diversity and
inclusion policies?

Our commitment to diversity is defined in the RFP. MWDBE status will be strongly considered in the
evaluation process.

45. What is the expected duration of the Master Services Agreement (MSA)?

SURS will generally set up a 3 – 5 year MSA depending on needs.

46. Are there specific performance metrics or KPIs that SURS will use to evaluate vendor
performance?

Candidates will be judged in the same manner as full-time staff on performance. Awarded firms
will be judged on the quality of candidates and timeliness of response.

47. Are there specific formats or templates that the proposal must follow beyond those listed in the
RFP?

No, please follow the guidelines provided in the RFP section “V: Proposal Content”.

48. Can you confirm that the electronic submission via email will include all necessary documents,
or are there additional documents that must be submitted in hard copy?

Please submit all materials electronically

49. How will pricing adjustments be handled over the term of the contract, especially concerning
changes in market rates for IT professionals?

This will be spelled out in the contract.

50. What are the expected payment terms once services are delivered?

SURS reserves the right to negotiate pricing terms with each vendor independently.

51. Could you specify any compliance requirements unique to the IT staffing industry that SURS
expects vendors to meet?

All candidates must comply with Illinois statutes according to their roles.

52. Are there specific legal or regulatory issues that responders should be particularly aware of?

Any legal or regulatory details are found in the RFP.

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53. What are the key technologies and tools that SURS currently uses, and how might these impact
the qualifications required for IT staff?

All tools and technologies are listed in Appendix H and I.

54. Will vendors be required to provide or recommend technological solutions as part of their
staffing solutions?

Depending on the role of the staff, they may be asked to.

55. Could you detail the evaluation process for assessing the effectiveness of a vendor’s diversity
and inclusion policy?

We review all stages of vendors' submitted DEI policies, from non-existent ones, to comprehensive
ones. While we don't have a strict evaluation process nor use a point system, our approach ensures
a thorough examination that allows us to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion across all vendor
partnerships.

56. What specific efforts or initiatives does SURS expect from vendors to support diversity in
staffing?

At SURS, we value diversity in staffing. While we don't have specific initiatives for vendors, we
encourage vendors to promote diversity through inclusive hiring practices, equitable opportunities,
and fostering a supportive work environment for all employees.

57. Is there a pricing format that SURS would like to see for the Recruiting Pricing?

Percentage fee

58. Is there a pricing format that SURS would like to see for the Staff Augmentation roles listed in
Appendix H?

Hourly Rates

59. For Staff Augmentation labor rates, is SURS looking for not to exceed rates for the positions
listed or fixed rates?

Given the nature of this RFP, fee proposals may vary, depending on the vendor’s fee calculation
method.

60. In the Fee Proposal section of the RFP, it states to make sure we include all proposal content
elements of Section V. We were planning to have the Fee Proposal as a section within our overall
response. Is SURS expecting a separate proposal for the Fees or can it be a section within our
overall proposal?

This can be included in the overall proposal.

61. Under 5. Costs - a. Provide an itemized breakdown of billing rates for each classification
supported by your firm, as detailed in Appendix E. Appendix E relates to travel and living costs.
Since we don’t yet know where a staff augmentation candidate will be traveling from or for how
much time, can you provide more detail on what information you are looking for?

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That should be Appendix H in the RFP.

62. For staff augmentation positions, are you expecting people to be on-site full time, remote full-
time or hybrid? Or will this information be defined in the task order request for the labor category
desired?

See question #10

63. Is there a provisional budget allocated for the anticipated contract?

See question #2

64.Could you provide insight into any significant challenges or areas of concern associated with
this contract?

Not Applicable

65. Do you want the hourly ranges for each position (position of prime interest currently) mentioned
in the bid document?

Yes, please provide hourly ranges if applicable.

66. What do you mean by warranty mentioned in the evaluation criteria?

Please disregard “Warranty” in the evaluation criteria, which is applicable only to

hardware/software.

67. Is this remote or onsite?

See question #10

68. Is there any incumbent?

Yes, multiple.

69. Can we provide the cost in Excel sheet?

Yes

70. Do you want actual resume for all position at the time of bid submission or you want only
sample resume?

See question #11

71. Is it mandatory to submit only public sector references?

No

72. Is Subcontracting allowed?

SURS will assess the proposed usage of subcontractors on a case-by-case basis. Vendors
should not assign, delegate, or subcontract all or any portion of the contract without obtaining
SURS prior written consent.

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73. Can we use our own format for the appendix, or must we strictly follow the format given in the
proposal?

You may submit your own documentation to address or elaborate on the Appendices as needed.
Please ensure all required information is included if you plan to use your own documentation.

74. Are we required to follow all terms and conditions outlined in Appendix D?

Yes

75. Is it necessary to include all the points mentioned in the proposal when submitting the cover
letter?

Please include all points under the Cover Letter section on Page 8.

76. Is this RFP for a new project or a renewal of an existing contract?

This is for contracts that are expiring this year.

77. Will you be selecting multiple vendors for this project, or just one?

See question #1

78. Is there a possibility of extending the RFP submission deadline?

Given our overall procurement backlog it’s important for us to maintain the schedule as published.

79. How many awards does SURS anticipate making on this RFP?

See question #1

80. Are there any incumbents providing the services outlined in the RFP currently to SURS?

Yes, multiple firms.

81. How many incumbents currently provide these services to SURS?

SURS has awarded multiple contracts for this service in the past, the number of firms that have
provided services varies year to year based on needs.

82. “Fee proposal” section on page 7 states “expenses for providing the services and equipment as
described in this RFP, and any agreed-upon extended warranties that are associated with initial
installation”. Can you please help provide additional clarification on this statement.

This sentence should read “The proposed fee shall include all costs and expenses for providing the
services and equipment as described in this RFP”

83. Page 9 of the RFP states that proposals will be evaluated on the basis of “Timeline for
recommended solution to be implemented”. Can you please help provide clarification on this
statement.

This refers to the timeline in which the vendor’s resources will be available.

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84. Appendix C (Fee Proposal) states “Cost should be defined on a per-recruitment basis.” Can you
please help provide additional clarification on this statement.

See question #57

85. Appendix C (Fee Proposal) states “Include any contingency fee structures that may apply, with a
full description of the specific contingency, percentage and methodology”. Can you please help
provide examples of contingencies that SURS would like vendors to provide fee structures for?

See question #57

86. Can you please share the number of resources that were hired by SURS last year (2023) using
the services of incumbent vendors through “Staff Augmentation services”.

See question #40

87. Can you please share the number of resources that were hired by SURS last year (2023) using
the services of incumbent vendors through “Recruiting services”.

See question #40

88. Can SURS help provide an estimate for the number of resources expected to be hired through
“Staff Augmentation Services” for 2024 and 2025?

See question #19

89. Can SURS help provide an estimate for the number of resources expected to be hired through
“Recruiting Services” for 2024 and 2025?

See question #19

90. Does SURS expect vendors to provide “hourly billing rates” for each of the 11 positions listed in
Appendix H?

Yes, please include hourly rates.

91. If the answer to the above is ‘yes’, may we indicate separate billing rates for different levels of
experience (for example, <2 years, 2 to 5 years, 5 to 10 years etc.) for each of the 11 positions?

Yes

92. If we are required to present only a single hourly rate for each of the 11 positions, please let us
know the “number of years of required experience” for the indicated positions for which we are
required to present rates for.

See question #91

93. The RFP states that this is a multi-year award. Can you please help indicate the number of years
that the contract is anticipated to be awarded for.

See question #45

94. Are we permitted to indicate annual bill-rate revisions based on COLA?

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This would be handled during the contracting phase. If this is your preference, please include this
in your proposal.

95. Are we required to include resumes for any of the positions listed in Appendix H. if so, please
provide us guidance on how many resumes are expected.

See question #11

96. Section V. Proposal Content, Subsection Project Schedule: Re: "The submission must include a
preliminary project schedule based on the number of calendar days required to perform the work
following the award of the contract", given that this RFP is for an as-needed temporary staff
augmentation service, what defines a "project schedule"?

See question #83

97. Appendix C. Fee Proposal: Re: "Indicate project duration and frequency of visits", can we have
clarification on whether this is regarding the SURS staff augmentation initiative or our past similar
projects? Does SURS have any guidelines for how regularly they plan to meet with a selected firm?

This will depend on the position, but we do not anticipate specific travel requirements.

98. Appendix C. Fee Proposal: Re: the requirement for a signature from an authorized
representative licensed in the State of Illinois, what does this licensure entail? Is this RFP limited to
companies incorporated in the State of Illinois?

See question #13

99. Appendix C. Fee Proposal: Re: Submissions for Recruiting Services, are we expected to respond
as both a recruiting firm and a staff augmentation firm, or can we submit as only one of these
services? How does SURS define these two services as separate from each other?

You may submit a bid for one or both services. Staff Augmentation: Ideal for immediate, short-term
needs. Offers high flexibility in adjusting workforce size. Recruitment: Suited for long-term needs.
Involves a more time-consuming hiring process and commitment.

100. Appendix C. Fee Proposal: Re: "Provide an itemized breakdown of billing rates for each
classification supported by your firm, as detailed in Appendix E." How should rates be provided: as
a not-to-exceed hourly rate, or as an hourly rate range?

See question #57

101. What's the most important Job title?

Please refer to Appendix H.

102. Is all the position On-site Hybrid or Remote?

See question #10

103. Why is this RFP being issued?

a. Not happy with the current service firms

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 b. Demand increased.

Current contracts with vendors are expiring.

104. Any roadmap for the upcoming year with this utilization of the skill set.

No

105. Please clarify if there is any set aside or subcontracting goal for the RFP?

See question #6

106. In the Section Proposal Content there is a sub section titled 'Project Schedule' stating "The
submission must include a preliminary project schedule based on the number of calendar days
required to perform the work following the award of the contract.". Can the agency clarify that they
need staffing approach and recruitment schedule under this? If anything else is needed please
clarify?

See question #83

107. Can SURS clarify which certifying agencies' minority or women owned business certifications
will they consider?

All state and national certifications.

108. Do we need a business license in the State of Illinois before submission of response?

See question #13

109. Please clarify how do we need to provide pricing? Do we need to submit the hourly rate and
recruitment fee for each labor category?

See question #57

110. Are there any incumbents for this RFP?

Yes, multiple.

111. In Section V of the proposal content, it states that "each requirement should be addressed
separately." Could you please clarify whether we should submit each response document as a
separate file, or if we're allowed to consolidate and submit them as a single document?

In Appendix C , in the "Submissions for Staff Augmentation," specifically asking for an itemized
breakdown of billing rates per classification is said to be detailed in Appendix E. However, Appendix
E contains the SURS Travel Policy, not the relevant information. Could you clarify the correct
appendix to reference?

You may consolidate and submit as a single document. Appendix should be H and I.

112. Can we expect any extension in the due date?

Given our overall procurement backlog it’s important for us to maintain the schedule as published.

113. Is this a Single/Multiple award Contract? If Multiple, how many awards anticipated?

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See question #1

114. Would you be accepting references from public as well as commercial entities?

Yes

115. To be responsive, is it mandatory to provide government references?

No

116. Could you please confirm the number of references to be provided in the response?

Please provide a minimum of two references.

117. Is sub-contracting required for this contract?

See question #6

118. Please confirm the sub- contracting goal that can full fill the requirement?

See question #6

118. How many staff requirement for each position mentioned in APPENDIX H we can expect under
this contract throughout the given term?

Tis is not known at this time

119. How many staff are currently engaged for the positions listed in APPENDIX H?

See question #40

120. How many vendors agency is planning to select?

See question #1

121. What would be the shift timings for the given positions?

8:00 am – 4:30 pm

122. Can you please confirm the most commonly filled positions of this contract?

Please refer to Appendix H.

123. What would be the estimated hours per week for given positions?

Typically it is a 37.5 hour week but there may be flexibility for less, depending on the project and the
resource.

124. Is it mandatory to bid on all positions?

No

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125. What communication method will be utilized for the distribution of requisitions/task orders
among the vendors awarded under the contract? This includes options such as Email, VMS, or any
alternative mode.

Email sent to all awarded vendors simultaneously.

126. In the event that the agency opts to use a VMS for requisition/task order distribution under the
contract, could you please verify the name of the VMS being considered?

See question #125

127. Can you confirm whether requisitions/task orders under the resulting contract will be sent
to all selected vendors?

See question #125

128. If requisitions under the resulting contract are intended for specific vendors among those
awarded, how does the agency plan to determine and select those particular vendors for receiving
requisitions?

See question #125, we would then grade responses based on timeliness and applicability.

129. There is no form for pricing, do we need to provide pricing in our own format?

Yes

130. “A proven history of engagements of similar size and scope, with other government public
sector clients”

a) To be responsive, is it mandatory to have experience with government public sector

clients? Please confirm. No
b) Can we provide our similar engagements with commercial clients? Please confirm.
Yes
c) Is there any preference/points given to vendors showcasing government experience
over commercial experience? Please confirm.
No
d) Can we provide both government and commercial experience in our response?
Please confirm.
Yes

131. “Attach proof of limits of insurance coverage for professional liability insurance and other
insurance policies that would provide coverage for work performed on behalf of SURS.”

a. To suffice the above requirement, do we need to provide sample certificate of Insurance?

Please confirm.

b. If not, do we need to provide sample certificate of Insurances?

We would prefer the actual certificate of insurance.

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132. “Indicate project duration and frequency of visits below.”

a. Could you please confirm if the key personnel of successful vendors need to administer the
service delivery onsite?

We do not anticipate that contractors would need to be onsite. If they are a direct hire, they would
need to comply with SURS policy.

133. Does vendor program manager need to travel onsite for each meeting with CTO? If yes, how
often does he/she have to travel?

This would be phone or virtual meeting.

134. For contingent labor - what is the average term? 6 months? 12 months?

SURS does not have an average term for these contracts

135. For this RFP, can a vendor partner with a subcontractor?

See question #72

136. Can we share references from our subcontractor?

In this situation, we would require references from both your firm and the subcontractor.

137. Are all the resources required to work from the onsite? Or is remote work an option?

See question #10

138. Are there any incumbent suppliers, and how many?

See question #110

139. How many vendors does SURS intend to award the business to?

See question #1

140. Is there a forecast # of contingent AND permanent roles needed?

Not at this time.

141. Is there any specific format needed for the pricing/rate card?

See question #57

142. Can we provide pricing for junior, mid, and senior levels for each role?

Yes

143. Under section III. Services Required, states: “The positions of prime interest at this time as
well as other desired services are outlined in Appendix H.” Could SURS please clarify if firms must
bid for all services and positions listed in Appendix H or if firms can choose?

Firms can bid on any position listed. You are not required to bid on all.

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144. Under section V. Proposal Content, under “Cover Letter,” states: “Informational disclosures
pertaining to perceived or actual conflicts of interest must be included as part of the cover letter
required under this section.” Could SURS please clarify if firms must provide the “Appendix F:
Conflict of Interest Identification” under the Cover Letter section in the proposal?

Please fill out Appendix F and include it in your proposal.

145. Are electronic signatures allowed?

Yes

146. Under section V. Proposal Content, under “Cover Letter,” in point A, the following is requested:
“A. A statement that the proposal meets all requirements of this RFP.” Could SURS please confirm if
the statement under this instruction is the one requested in Appendix A?

Yes, it is the one requested in Appendix A

147. Under section V. Proposal Content, under “Statement of Minimum Qualifications,” states:
“Reference checks will be conducted for each finalist.” Could SURS please clarify if the requested
references are the same references requested in Appendix A? If not, could SURS please clarify how
many references firms must provide to suffice this requirement and what reference information
vendors must provide to suffice this point?

Yes, same references requested in Appendix A

148. Can firms provide commercial references?

Yes

149. Can firms provide references from ongoing projects/contracts?

Yes

150. Could SURS please clarify if firms can add additional pages to provide the information
requested in Appendix B under the section “Organization Background”? If not, could SURS please
clarify where firms should provide the requested information?

Yes, additional pages are accepted.

151. Under section V. Proposal Content, under “Contract,” states: “The terms contained in
Appendix D, Addendum to Contract, must be agreed to and accepted by the candidate or
organization selected to perform the work contemplated by this RFP, unless exceptions are noted
as part of the responder’s response.” Could SURS please clarify if firms must include Appendix D as
part of the proposal or if firms must provide it after the award?

Please include Appendix D as part of the proposal.

152. Under section V. Proposal Content, under “Project Schedule,” states: “The submission must
include a preliminary project schedule based on the number of calendar days required to perform
the work following the award of the contract.” We are aware that it is SURS' intention to enter into an
MSA with a qualified firm to provide the services requested under this application. Could SURS

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please clarify what is the minimum period for this contract? If there is an option to extend the
contract for more than one year, could SURS please indicate the number of optional years for the
term of this contract?

This will be dependent on the role.

153. On page 9 of the RFP, under section VI. Evaluation Process: under “Proposal Evaluation,” there
is a list of the evaluation criteria for the proposals. This list includes the following point: “Relevant
knowledge, experience and qualification of firm and team members including established record of
success in similar work.” Could SURS please clarify if the signatures should include summaries for
the team members/key personnel (the personnel that will manage the execution of this contract)? If
yes, could SURS please indicate under which section the firms should include the resumes in the
proposal?

We are not requiring resumes to sign a contract with the vendor. We will require resumes when
positions are requested. We would like to know the process in which you have filled positions
successfully in the past.

154. On page 9 of the RFP, under section VI. Evaluation Process: under “Proposal Evaluation,” there
is a list of the evaluation criteria for the proposals. This list includes the following point:
“Independence.” Could SURS please clarify what they mean by “independence”?

Having the ability to work self-sufficiently on assigned tasks.

155. In Appendix B: Company Organization and Diversity Questionnaire, under the section
“Organization Background,” in point 1, states: “Please provide a general description and history of
the organization, its operations (please include any history of mergers and/or acquisitions), year
founded, ownership structure, biographies of the principals and percentage ownership by current
employees.” Could SURS please clarify what they mean by “biographies of the principals”? Could
SURS please clarify if the firms must provide a short biography of the CEO or of all the employees of
the company who have a management position?

Please provide short biographies of executive management and key contact.

156. In Appendix B: Company Organization and Diversity Questionnaire, under the section
“Organization Background,” in point 1, states: “Please provide a general description and history of
the organization, its operations (please include any history of mergers and/or acquisitions), year
founded, ownership structure, biographies of the principals and percentage ownership by current
employees.” Could SURS please clarify if the firms should give short biographies or summaries?

Short biographies or a summary format are both acceptable.

157. Could SURS please clarify if firms can add additional pages to provide the information
requested in Appendix C under the sections “Submissions for Recruiting Services” and
“Submissions for Staff Augmentation”? If not, could SURS please clarify where firms should provide
the requested information?

Yes, firms can provide additional pages.

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158. In Appendix C, under section “Submissions for Recruiting Services,” in point 1, the following
is requested: “Define your proposal in a straightforward and economical manner, providing a
concise description of your firm’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP.” Could SURS
please clarify what they mean by “economical manner”?

Economical manner meaning careful, efficient, and prudent use of resources.

159. Could SURS please clarify if firms can choose to submit a proposal only for Recruitment
Services or only for Staff Augmentation Services or if firms must bid for both services? If firms must
bid for both services, could SURS please clarify whether firms must submit a separate proposal for
both services or a single proposal?

Firms can bid on one or both services.

160. Are the requested rates for the Staff Augmentation services all-inclusive rates?

See question #57

161. Can firms provide rate ranges for the Staff Augmentation services?

Yes

162. For the Recruitment Services, can firms provide a percentage based on a candidate's
annual salary?

Yes

163. For the Recruitment Services, is SURS looking for candidates for Direct Hire?

Yes

164. If the vendor currently holds a contract with SURS, will this have any impact on the awarding
of the new RFP?

No

165. Is SURS looking for firms to recruit the positions for the Staff Augmentation services or for
firms to provide in-house personnel to perform the services?

Both

166. Is there a tentative budget assigned for the resultant contract?

See question #2

167. Is there any incumbent to this solicitation?

Yes multiple.

168. Can firms provide an all-inclusive hourly rate per classification for the Staff Augmentation
services?

Yes.

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169. Could SURS please grant an extension on the due date?

Given our overall procurement backlog it’s important for us to maintain the schedule as published.

170. If the resources we provide at the time of proposal submission are not available at the time of a
potential contract award could vendors replace them with equally qualified resources?

See question #8

171. Does SURS accept remote resources to work on this engagement?

See question #10

172. Does SURS prefer on-site resources to execute this engagement?

See question #171

173. Is this a new contract or an existing contract?

Existing

174. For the cost section of Staff Augmentation services can firms provide an all-inclusive bill rate
(overhead, payroll, profit, etc) for each classification without providing a breakdown of costs?

See question #160

175. For the cost section of Staff Augmentation services, if the bill rate covers all costs do firms still
need to provide an answer to points b and c?

See question #57

176. Could SURS please clarify under which section do we need to include Appendix F and G?

Just fill out Appendix F and G and include those pages in the proposal.

177. Are digital signatures allowed?

Yes

178. What is the estimated budget for IT Staffing services?

See question #2

179. How many firms is SURS looking to award?

See question #1

180. We are an MBE/WBE company certified by the State of Illinois. Does this RFP have any
MBE/WBE participation goals or preference bonus points?

See question #44

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181. Are there any specific technologies or platforms that candidates need to have experience with
that are not mentioned in the RFP?

That will be provided for individual roles.

182. What specific criteria or metrics will SURS use to evaluate the suitability of candidates during
the screening process?

Technical experience, applicable background, cultural fit

183. Could you detail the expected involvement of SURS personnel in the recruitment process?
How collaborative do you envision this process between SURS and the vendor?

We would expect to see resumes and go through several interviews before entering into a contract
negotiation.

184. What is the budget range for this project, and are there specific financial constraints or caps
on certain types of expenses?

See question #2

185. How does SURS handle payment terms? Are there preferred billing cycles or milestones for
payment?

Monthly for contractors. Lump sum for direct hire, timing to be negotiated in the contract.

186. What performance metrics or KPIs will SURS use to measure the success of the vendor's
services throughout the contract?

See question #46

187. Are there any potential future expansions of the scope of work that vendors should anticipate
and plan for in their proposals?

It is possible based on evolving business requirements, but it doesn’t have to be addressed in the
proposal

188. Are there specific contractual terms that SURS insists on that are not detailed in the RFP?

All onboarded contractors will be subject to a series of cyber security or other position germane
training

189. Will the vendor have access to SURS' internal tools or databases during the recruitment
process?

No.

190. What is the total budget allocated to this contract?

See question #2

191. How many awards are to be made under this contract?

See question #1

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192. How many requirements are anticipated to be released annually?

No minimum number of positions

193. Can the SURS extend the deadline by a week?

Given our overall procurement backlog it’s important for us to maintain the schedule as published.

194.Is the incumbent eligible to bid on this project?

Yes

195.Is US citizenship required to work on this project, or will Green Card and H1 VISA holders be
allowed to work on this project?

Green Card and Visa holders are allowed to work but SURS will not sponsor.

196. Is the offeror required to provide resumes for this effort?

See question #11

197. Does SURS require actual resumes or sample resumes for this requirement?

See question #11

198.Can SURS provide Job Descriptions and level of experience for each labor service?

Yes

199.Is the offeror allowed to provide the hourly rates based on job level (for example Junior,
Intermediate, and Advanced) for each Service Category?

Yes

200.Is the requirement a single award or Multiple award?

Multiple

201. Can the work be performed outside the USA, such as in India?

No

202. Can the work be performed remotely?

Yes, within the United States at the discretion of SURS IT.

203. Can the vendor provide a fee proposal in an MS Excel sheet?

Yes

204. Can the offeror respond to only for Staff Augmentation Services?

Yes

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205. Is it mandatory to provide an itemized breakdown of billing rates for each classification as
detailed in Appendix E?

See question #160

206. Is this a new contract or are there incumbents on it?

There are incumbents.

207. What is the complete budget of this contract?

See question #2

208. Is this a Multiple award? If so, how many vendors does SURS plans to award to?

See question #1

209. Is the vendor required to have similar Government/Public agency experience?

No

210. Will similar government references have more weightage than commercial references?

References will not be weighted higher, experience in similar government references will be a factor
in determining qualified firms.

211. We are SWaM certified MBE in VA and an NMSDC certified minority firm. Can we respond to
the RFP and satisfy the 20% goal?

SURS accepts all state and national certifications; however, the 20% goal obtainment is not
specific to individual contracts. SURS has set a goal of 20% for purchases from businesses owned
by minorities, women, and persons with a disability as a share of all of its contracts and purchases.

212. The format of Appendix C does not provide sections or boxes to include the fully loaded hourly
rates for the 11 positions of primary interest in Appendix H of the RFP. Can SURS provide a format to
include the pricing for the positions?

Pricing for the positions can be submitted in your own document or an Excel sheet.

213. Can we provide a rate range for the 11 positions?

Yes

214. Is there any page limit for the response?

No

215. Is the response to be provided as a single .pdf document?

Yes

216. How many resources are currently engaged in the current contract?

See question #40

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217. Can you please share the no. of positions served in previous years under this contract?

See question #40

218. Can you please share the amount of business each vendor did under this contract in previous
years?

The aggregate spending for the previous IT Staff Augmentation 5-year contract was approximately
$1 million and the total for the previous Professional Recruiting Services contract was less than 5
years and $89,954. To obtain specific vendor information, you’ll need to submit your question in the
form of a FOIA Request.

219. Is there any local preference for this contract?

See question #15

220. What will be the estimated annual budget for this project?

See question #2

221. Would you be accepting references from public as well as commercial entities?

Yes

222. How many vendors agency is planning to select?

See question #1

223. Is there any Performance Bond for this contract?

No

224. We are an MBE/WBE company certified by the State of Illinois. Does this RFP have any
MBE/WBE participation goals or preference bonus points?

See question #44

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