RFP for Staffing Services
Response Deadline: April, 26, 2022 at 2:00 PM
Metropolitan Energy Center (MEC) is seeking the services of an agency to provide staffing services for contract positions in two categories. In particular, we seek administrative support through two part-time positions, and two full-time customer service positions to support the Building Performance Program.
MEC currently works with a part-time bookkeeper, a part-time administrative assistant, and two customer service representatives on contract through our current staffing agency. It is MEC’s preference that we retain these workers under the new contract resulting from this RFP. Offeror’s proposal shall specify if they will be able to retain them on their proposal. Under Criteria for Selection, Offeror will receive extra consideration if they will.
It is expected that this proposal will secure the services outlined herein for up to 3 years. Upon mutual agreement between MEC and the Offeror, services may be extended for two (2) additional, one (1) year periods for a maximum term of five (5) years in total.
RFP (link to view or download)
Funding Allocations: The contracts are supported in part by federal grants and contracts. Funding is available to start immediately upon selection.
Eligible Entities: MEC will not make awards to individuals. Offerors must be registered as WBE or MBE with the City of Kansas City Missouri. MBE are preferred, pursuant to an active contract with the City.
Proposals from a consortium of agencies led by an eligible entity will also be considered.
Separable Service Awards: MEC reserves the right to select one, up to three, or no service offers.
Pre-Proposal Meeting (by recording only)
A pre-proposal meeting was held on April 14, 2022. During the meeting, MEC staff conducted a walk-through of the RFP document. The meeting recording is available at the following link:
Questions and Answers
Question Deadline: April 20, 2022 (email RFP@metroenergy.org)
Q1. What do you mean by history under B4 for Criteria for Qualification?
A1. History means “history of firm, in terms of length of existence, types of services provided, etc. Identify the technical details that make the firm uniquely qualified for this work.”
Q2. The admin position, is it a Hybrid position, meaning it is work from home and at some point in the future, at the office as well?
A2. Yes, that is correct. The admin currently travels to the office 1x/week to retrieve and scan mail, and other tasks that may require physical presence.
Regarding access to office space, if the worker desires to work at or from the office, they may. However, they also need to be able to maintain a home or remote office in case in-person work is prohibited again in future.
Q3. And the Bookkeeping Services follows the same work from home, some point in the future, work at the office model of the Admin position, thus hybrid position?
A3. Yes, that is correct. The bookkeeper job is possible to conduct primarily remote, with physical records being provisioned by the Admin, when needed. The vast majority of records are provided digitally. MEC’s record-keeping is primarily digital, as well.
Regarding access to office space, if the worker desires to work at or from the office, they may. However, they also need to be able to maintain a home or remote office in case in-person work is prohibited again in future.
Q4. Is the Customer Service position work from home/hybrid as well following the work model of Admin Asst and Bookkeeper?
A4. That is correct. However, the customer service workers have a different supervisor than the administrative workers, and they have approximately weekly (1x/wk) in-office meetings with the Building Performance team.
Regarding access to office space, if the worker desires to work at or from the office, they may. However, they also need to be able to maintain a home or remote office in case in-person work is prohibited again in future.
Q5. Will MEC Consider contract to hire conversion in reference to earlier slide concerning Agency workers potentially applying on their own for direct hire employment?
A5. It is not MEC’s intention to convert contract workers to employees, especially during the term of our current contract with Kansas City, which is scheduled to end in June of 2024.
Q6. Will the employees be managed by MEC? Will the person be required to provide their own equipment?
A6. Once the Agency brings on and assigns workers, the day-to-day workload would be managed by MEC staff. Workers have been assigned MEC laptops and accessories, which they should retain access to. They have access to MEC’s office, as well.
Q7. All of the positions are currently filled, is that correct?
A7. Yes, and we would like to keep the current workers under the new contract, shifting their worker contracts to the new agency.
Q8. For employee roll over consideration, will the salaries of the current employees be provided?
A8. We will request the current salary information from the current service provider and provide the best information we can to proposers upon request. Please request this information using the RFP email address.
Q9. How many employees will be hired per position?
A9. The two administrative positions have only 1 part-time worker apiece. The customer service position currently has 2 workers, and MEC may be able to expand that to 3 workers, depending on our contract with the funder and other developments.
Q10. Are 2nd level interviews going to be conducted?
A10. For agency selection: we may conduct interviews, depending on the quality and number of proposals we receive. For contract workers: after agency has selected a pool of workers for each position, MEC would like to conduct a virtual interview with the final candidate(s) for each position.
Q11. Will there be a required background check? Drug screening?
A11. Such screenings are only required for certain job categories: including those having access to confidential financial information, personally identifiable information, and those assigned to home visits. The current workers would not need to undergo new screening, unless required by agency policy.
Q12. Are you able to share who the current company is that has your staffing contract?
A12. TOP Resources is our current service provider.
Q13. How would you describe your culture, and what does a great candidate look like?
A13. Great question! We’re a nonprofit, so we have a mission-oriented team (around energy conservation), in a scrappy, entrepreneurial and congenial work culture. We generally like each other and enjoy our work. Great candidates are inquisitive, critical thinkers, and love to learn.
Q14. How long have each of the current contract employees been on assignment?
A14. All of them started between October 25 and November 8 of 2021.
Q15. Do the employee wage requirements fall under the State of Missouri or Federal minimum wage(s)?
A15. The contract workers are paid more than Federal and Missouri minimum wage.
Q16. a. What is the penalty if a replacement employee is not available within two business days of employee separation? (RPF Requirements, Line Item C, Page 4)
b. What is the penalty if a replacement employee is not available within 24 hours to confirm availability of a contract worker to fill the request? (RPF Requirements, Line Item H, Page 4)
A16. a. As long as all attempts are made by the vendor to replace the contract worker in a timely manner, MEC will not impose a penalty. However, if this this is an ongoing issue, MEC will meet with vendor to discuss possible solutions. If vendor is unable to provide MEC with quality workers in a timely manner, MEC will then seek to terminate the contract.
b. Vendor will communicate to MEC within 24 hours whether or not they have a suitable replacement. As long as all attempts are made by the vendor to replace the contract worker in a timely manner, MEC will not impose a penalty. However, if this this is an ongoing issue, MEC will meet with vendor to discuss possible solutions. If vendor is unable to provide MEC with quality workers in a timely manner, MEC will then seek to terminate the contract.