The Rules Your Clients Play By,

and How to Help Them Win!

The FNS “APD Process” and the role YOU play

What we tell the States – your clients – about:

The Power of the RFP

Open Competition & Conflicts of Interest

Contractor Selection Criteria and Bid Scoring

FNS & Vendors – Areas of Common Interest

Responsibility for oversight of State Automation and

Modernization efforts is shared - between the Regional Office

SNAP or WIC program and the State Systems Office - SSO.

Advance Planning & Acquisition Documents

State Systems Office FNS Regional Office

Approval or Additional Documentation Request

NERO

MARO

SERO

SWRO

WRO

MPROMWRO

Gregg Saxton

Karen Painter-Jaquess

Kathy Tankersley

Lynn Jordan

Catalina Luna Jennifer Renegar

States should expect a coordinated response from FNS.

SSO – Lead on APD Process, Project Management and Technical Issues

Region – Lead on Program Functionality

When vendors understand the process you can:

- Help states comply with it- Avoid clients being caught in the

middle- Be aware of when the products that

you create are subject to the federal process- Planning docs- Change orders that cross the threshold- Status reports and/or components of the

APDUs

Planning Advance Planning Document (PAPD)

Implementation Advance Planning Document (IAPD)

IAPD Update (IAPDU)IAPDU As-Needed

Request For Proposal (RFP)

Contract

Planning Advance Planning Document (PAPD)

Implementation Advance Planning Document (IAPD)

IAPD Update (IAPDU)IAPDU As-NeededEmergency Acquisition Request (EAR)

“A Planning APD is required for review and approval for all projects > $5M total project costs”

FNS Handbook 901, Section 2.2.1, Planning APD

PAPD is a brief document that:Requests prior approval and Federal funds to

explore the feasibility of new system initiatives

Describes the planning activitiesEstimates the cost and timeline of planning Identifies and prepares for acquisition

activities

25

60 DAYS

50 States x 2 programs (WIC & FSP)+ states with multiple

systems + WIC ITOs & US

territoriesx ~3-6 docs/project

÷ 6 of us----------------

60 days

THEN WHAT?THEN WHAT?

Define the scope

Review business processes

Conduct requirements analysis

Conduct feasibility study/alternatives analysis

Prepare cost benefit analysis

Prepare IAPD

Planning Activities

Culmination of the planning process

Reflects the results of the analysis and feasibility of various automation alternatives

Reflects the design and description of the automation project

Provides an initial management plan for acquiring, developing, testing, and implementing the selected alternative(s)

Requests prior approval and Federal funding from FNS

Feasibility Study/Alternatives Analysis/Cost-Benefit Analysis

Functional RequirementsManagement PlanScheduleBudget

43

60 DAYS

44

THEN WHAT?THEN WHAT?

Convert functional requirements into the system requirements

Develop / Transfer / Integrate

Test and Pilot

Train and Implement statewide

Design, Development & Implementation Activities

What Makes Training Effective?Incorporates UAT resultsIs scheduled “just in time”Is “hands on”Does not end at rollout

What a Pilot Should Not Be:Simply the first phase of rolloutA formality to proceed

What a Pilot Should Be:The extension of system testing into

the real worldA real test of the system

PAPDSubmit to FNS

FNS approves

Do planning tasks

SubmitAPDUs

Closure

Submit planning phase RFP(s)

FNS approves

Release RFP & choose

contractor

Submit contract to FNS

FNS approves

Project managementDevelopment contractorQA contractorIV&VCommunicationsTraining???

IAPDSubmit to FNS

FNS approves

Do DDI tasks

SubmitAPDUs Closure

Submit DDI

phase RFP(s)

FNS approves

Release RFP & choose

contractor

Submit contract to FNS

FNS approves

FSP > $5M total acquisition cost

WIC > $100K total acquisition cost

FSP > $1M total acquisition cost

WIC > $100K total acquisition cost

Competitive {

Non-

competitive {

56

60 DAYS

HHSEasier on you if we talk

and agree!

Stewardship

Ownership

Partnership

Stewardship

Partnership

Ownership

KnowledgeConfidenceBacking

Know what they wantDescribe it accuratelyRecognize what resources they need to

hireDescribe them accuratelyHire the contractor that has the right stuffUse tools to hold contractor accountable

What States want

Reasonable costLow riskReliable outcomeHappy ExecsOn timeHappy usersNo bad press

What you want

Fair and competitionStewardship of Federal fundsA process that results in access &

integrity in benefit deliveryA process that holds up to legal

challengesEvidence that the State is in control of

its own destiny

HINT: HINT:

Use the RFP

Use the RFP

Checklist in

Checklist in

901!901!

NEVERdefine the work and then bid on it

do the work, and then evaluate it.

OR

Used to hire professional and technical skill sets to design a new system, write or adapt the software, produce documentation, and test and implement the system.

Introduction & OverviewCurrent processing environmentWorkload dataNew system environment (including

projected growth)

Hint: This stuff is

in 901’s

procurement

chapter!

Solicitation Instructions and Conditions“Boilerplate” language – legal and

purchasing requirementsProposal structure and contentProcurement scheduleQ&A processSubmission process

Statement of Work (SOW) – the MEAT!Desired project scheduleDeliverablesInstallation, Conversion, Maintenance

requirementsPersonnel requirementsFunctional requirements

Did th

ey

get what

they

asked fo

r?

How did they stay on

schedule?

Did they win

that lawsuit?Only 3 change orders?!

Create a detailed project timelineGuide state through design or functional

verification processDocument requirements and tech specsWrite or adapt the application codeCreate user and technical documentationConduct testingConvert data from the old systemConduct or support trainingOperate or train the Help Desk

Rely on bidders’ questionsto clarify things you didn’t explain

fully.

Bid the product they built for the last customer

GuessBid high enough to cover the

unknowns

“Pay me now or

Pay me later”and

Management PlanIdentify who the contractor will report toDescribe the project management

structureDefine the type and frequency of status

reports requiredSpecify who will review and approval of

work performedClarify roles of state staff and other

contractors

Evaluation and Award Process

Identify evaluation criteriaSpecify weight or points for each one Describe the scoring processSpecify the minimum technical scoreExplain how bidders will be notified

DO√ Ensure that RFPs contain enough detail to clearly define requirements.

DO√ Describe requirements and timeline expectations in specific terms to provide the contractor with adequate information to develop a responsive bid.

DO

√ Describe acceptable levels and measures of performance for products and/or deliverables.

DO√ Assign people with enough technical expertise to the evaluation panel

√ Allow them enough time to really read and score all the proposals

√ Provide them training on how the process works and what the selection criteria mean

Describe the performance and other relevant requirements of the procurement.

DON’TSpecify a “brand name” product instead of allowing “an equal” product to be offered, unless you’re talking about a state technical standard.

Place unreasonable requirements on firms to qualify to do business.

Keep it

Specify geographical preferences.

Require unnecessary experience and excessive bonding

Include unlimited liability clauses

Use noncompetitive pricing practices between firms or affiliated companies

Permit organizational conflicts of interest

Allow noncompetitive awards to consultants on retainer contracts

Take any arbitrary action in the procurement process

PRICE TECHNICAL

WHEW!Are we done yet?

(But almost…)

Handbook 901Chapter 6 –

Procurement

All the goodies – Contract components, terms and conditions, checklists – including FNS-required provisions

States are required to provide an annual update on all approved multi-year PAPD/IAPD projects

Allows FNS to fulfill its oversight responsibility

Keep a State’s PAPD/IAPD current by periodically updating FNS on project status:Progress, accomplishments, and issues Changes or adjustments in plans or

approachesChanges in budget or expenditures Changes to scheduleMechanism to request approval for

successive phases of project (if limited approvals were initially provided)

A significant increase in total project costs FSP >$1m or 10% of the total project cost,

whichever is higher

A significant change/delay to major milestones in project schedule FSP >120 days