Bench Training

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Bench Training

• Presented by
• Contract Administration Branch, RFP Unit
• February 23, 2009

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Agenda

• Welcome/Introductions
• Updates to Bench Process
• Ethics Overview
• Mandatory Training 3 Hour Session
• Processing Timelines
• Dollar Authorizations
• Structure of Training Session

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Updates to Bench Process

• Delegated Authority to Chief Procurement Officer
• Internal Bench Controls/Contract Sponsor
  Accountability
• No more After-the-Fact Contracts
• Mr. Cortines Memo dated February 6, 2009
• Make vs. Buy Process
• Task/Work Orders - Expected Outcomes/Accountabilit
  ies
• Active/Inactive
• Board Report Changes
• Procurement Freeze

4
Ethics Overview Remember the Big Picture
Serving Students!
Why does good procurement even matter?
Is there more money left for
students?

• We want to maximize every dollar for student
  benefit
• We need to demonstrate fiduciary ethical
  responsibility by spending public funds
  effectively efficiently
• We must avoid loss of public trust

• By principle and public policy, public employees
  must ensure 1) open playing field, 2)
  transparency and 3) fairness

LAUSD Budget
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What are your ethical obligations?

• Be familiar with LAUSDs Contractor Code of
  Conduct (see www.lausd.net/ethics)
• Be proactive in managing potential ethics
  concerns (conflicts, cooling periods,
  cone-of-silence violations) before they become an
  actual problem
• Help educate other staff and vendors

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Mandatory Training

• Training Objectives
• Prudent Buyer2. Sponsor Certification

• Prior to sub delegation, all Sponsors must
  complete mandatory training.

Result 2 Sponsor Signature Authorization To
Execute Task Orders. CPO to Sub-delegate.
Result 1 Sponsor Competency In conducting Bench
Procurements or IRFPs
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Processing Timelines
8
Dollar Authorizations Approval Matrix
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Structure of Training Sessions

• Training Session - Part 1
• Acquisition Planning Factors
• Preparing a Solicitation
• Source Selection Evaluation Process
• Selection and Award

• Training Session - Part 2
• Complete Procurement Request Package
• Work/Task Order Preparation
• Revised Forms
• Task Order Administration
• Pitfalls to Avoid

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Acquisition Planning Factors

• Factors to Consider
• Promoting Competition
• Procurement Method Bench or Non-Bench? Should a
  formal procurement be issued?
• If amount exceeds 250,000, has PSG approved
  Bench as the procurement method?
• If amount exceeds 250,000 has PSG approved the
  Solicitation document?

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Acquisition Planning Factors (contd)

• Acquisition Schedule
• Preparing the Solicitation Documents
• Internal Approvals
• Time on the street Goal is minimum of 5 to 7
  business days and longer if request is complex.
• Project Schedule

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Acquisition Planning Factors (Contd)

• Source Selection/Evaluation and Negotiation
  Process
• CAB Processing Timeline (Chapter 2)
• Board Approval Timeline (approx. 30 days)
• Make vs. Buy Analysis (Required on all requests
  over 10K

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Preparing a Solicitation

• Elements of a Solicitation
• Solicitation Cover Page Shall include
• Project Name
• Solicitation No.
• Proposal Due Date
• Location and Time
• Brief Description of Services
• Sponsors Contact Name, E-mail, Address, and
  Telephone No.
• Last Day for Questions, as applicable

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Preparing a Solicitation (contd)

• Elements of a Solicitation
• Solicitation Cover Page (Contd)
• Statement Proposal response shall not be
  submitted on Schedule D
• Statement include debriefing language including
  three day notice period
• Statement Contractor shall work at own risk for
  unauthorized work
• Statement SBE status required in proposal

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Preparing a Solicitation (contd)

• Elements of a Solicitation
• Minimum Qualifications This section sets
  requirements such as years of experience,
  education, training, certification, for the
  purpose of qualifying proposals for the more
  in-depth evaluation criteria. Proposing firms
  shall be promptly notified of failure to meet the
  Minimum Qualifications.
• Evaluation criteria This section evaluates the
  degree to which one proposal may exceed another
  in the areas of personnel qualifications, staff
  availability, understanding of the SOW, technical
  approach, and/or price. The criteria are driven
  by the SOW.

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Preparing a Solicitation (contd)

• Elements of a Solicitation (contd)
• Award criteria Sponsor shall specify in the
  solicitation document the basis for award. If
  the potential Task Order amount exceeds 250,000,
  sponsor is to confer with PSG prior to issuing
  the solicitation. Examples of award criteria are
  lowest cost proposal, highest scored proposer.
• Submittal Instructions to proposers (as
  applicable)
• Proposers Cover Letter
• Resumés
• Price (Firm Fixed or hourly rate)

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Preparing a Solicitation (contd)

• Milestone/Deliverable Schedule
• References
• Key Personnel
• No. of Copies (Minimum 1 hardcopy, plus CDs as
  needed)
• Technical Solution/Work Plan Approach (or both)
• Contractors Code of Conduct/Cone of Silence

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Preparing a Solicitation (contd)

• Statement Of Work (SOW) Basic Content
• Background Current Environment
• Period of Performance
• Scope Coverage (No. of schools, systems, tasks,
  etc.)
• Requirements Actual work to be performed,
  including addressing knowledge transfer
  requirements
• Deliverables Functionality, Performance,
  Documentation, with due dates
• Project Management/Compliance Reporting

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Source Selection Evaluation Process

• Source Selection Committee (SSC) established
  prior to release of solicitation to Bench
  participants
• Determine Project Manager/Decision Maker
• PSG Involvement in procurements over 500K
  (Evaluation Negotiations)
• SSC should be objective and fair (avoid SSC teams
  where all members report to the same person or
  department)
• Proposals must be evaluated in accordance with
  the evaluation criteria stipulated in the T/RFP.
  No other factors shall be considered.

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Source Selection Evaluation Process (contd)

• Award recommendation shall be based on the award
  criteria of the solicitation document
• SSC members perform independent evaluations of
  proposals, then meet as a group to discuss
  tally scores
• SSC Documentation
• Recommendation for Award Memo signed by PM on
  behalf of all SSC members
• All SSC team must sign individual score sheets

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Selection and Award

• Recommendation notice to be prepared by sponsor.
  If award amount exceeds 500K, PSG must review
  and approve the award recommendation memo prior
  to notifying winning contractor
• All unsuccessful proposers must be notified.
• Debriefings T/RFP must include debriefing
  language
• Shall be granted upon proposer request for T/RFPs
  over 250K. Three business day notification by
  proposer
• PSG and Sponsor participate
• Strengths and weaknesses of proposals discussed
• No comparison to other proposals is allowed

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Complete Procurement Request Package

• A complete procurement package minimally consists
  of the following (Chapter 4, Sections 4.1.1
  4.1.3, Bench Policy Procedures)
• 4.1.1 Task/Work Order Requests up to 76,700 (or
  state bid threshold)
• Submission Checklist signed by authorized
  personnel
• Executed Task/Work Order (Schedule D)
• Ed Code Section 45103.1 Compliance Certification
• Make vs. Buy analysis (Required on all T/W Orders
  10,000 and up)

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Complete Procurement Request Package (contd)

• Proof of Insurance
• Non-competitive Task/Work Orders The sponsor
  shall submit a justification for non-competitive
  requests in accordance with PSGs Procurement
  Manual
• Fingerprinting Requirements Copy of Fingerprint
  and Criminal Background Check Certification Form
• Award Recommendation Memo Sponsor shall submit
  an award recommendation memo signed by Project
  Manager or designee, which shall include the
  recommended contractors name, reason(s) for
  award (i.e. highest scored or lowest cost), and
  shall provide written justification for selection
  if awardee(s) is the highest priced proposer.

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Complete Procurement Request Package (contd)

• Acknowledge contractors compliance (awardees
  only) to both the Contractors Code of Conduct
  and Cone of Silence policies.
• For Requests over 76,700 up to 250,000,
  include Bench Summary of Proposals (Section
  4.1.2, 6)
• For Requests over 250,000, include T/RFP
  Solicitation Request Package and Individual SSC
  Team Evaluation Forms (2 and 3 of Section
  4.1.3)

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Work/Task Order Preparation

• Work/Task Order Preparation (Schedule D,
  Authorization of Services, etc.) Completed in
  its entirety and shall include
• Detailed description of requested
  services/specifications
• Deliverables and payment schedule
• Names of Contractors Key Personnel
• Identification of subcontractors, if applicable
• Any special terms and conditions (must be
  negotiated with assistance from OGC and CAB).

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Revised Task/Work Order Forms

• Effective February 23, 2009, the following forms
  were revised and shall be used by the Sponsors
  participating in the bench process
• Bench Task/Work Order Submission Checklist
• Notice of Incomplete Request Package (PSG Use)
• Bench Summary of Proposals
• Amendment Form
• Task/Work Order Schedule D

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Task Order Administration

• Contract Management (project control, vendor
  management, burn rates, ethics concerns, 75
  Rule, expiration dates)
• Change Orders/Amendments
• No cost may need Senior Level approval based
  upon changes to scope and length of time
  extension
• Cost over 500,000 follows same process as
  Work/Task Orders
• Closeout
• Final contractor invoice
• Notice of Completion Form
• Contractor Evaluation Assessment

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Pitfalls to Avoid
Not involving CAB on all negotiations
(competitive non-competitive) for Task/Work
Orders greater than 500k
Not observing processing timelines
Unclear solicitations/Non-specific SOW
No clear knowledge transfer plan
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Pitfalls to Avoid (contd)
Not involving CAB in contract disputes
Outsourcing unnecessarily
Poor project management or vendor control
No contingency plans
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Questions Answers
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Bench Policy Procedures Examination

• All sponsor directors, project managers,
  authorized signers or personnel of who will
  participate in the evaluation, negotiation,
  development, or management of Task/Work Orders
  are required to attend the mandatory training and
  pass the Bench Policy and Procedures examination
  with a score of 80 of higher.