10 Synopsis attachment Questions from 10 July 2023 Source Sought_.docx

Questions from July 10 2023 Sources Sought

1. Does GSA intend to require any oral presentation or demonstration of an offeror’s solution during the evaluation process?

· At this time, the Government will not use offeror oral presentations or demonstrations in the initial evaluation process. The Government reserves the right to request presentations or demonstrations from potential offeror(s) if GSA chooses to proceed with a competitive range determination.

2. We suggest that a Q&A session after the RFP release would be beneficial. This would provide an opportunity for vendors to clarify any uncertainties and gain a deeper understanding of the project requirements. It would also allow the GSA to address any questions or concerns, ensuring that all vendors are on the same page and are able to submit high-quality proposals.

· At this time, the Government is reviewing the need for a preproposal conference after release of the solicitation or after release of the draft solicitation. This information will be released in the synopsis.

3. We would recommend providing enough time for all bidders to absorb the responses to the Q+A, before delivering a detailed WBS and technology roadmap, which ideally would be a 30-45 day window suggested.

· A 30-45 day window after the solicitation release until contract award is envisioned. However, a 30-45 day window between the solicitation amendment with the answers to solicitation questions and the proposal due date is not anticipated.

4. Vendor seeks clarification on the source of the data of each system. How will the data be made available? Will there be existing user interfaces (UI) that need to be integrated? If so, will the data for the existing UIs be accessible? Does PBS maintain data in a single source, such as a data lake?

· See C.3.2.3 UUI Work Breakdown Structure Dataflow. There is not a single data lake. However, the majority of BAS, FDD, meter data, and smart sensor data will be available via GSAlink (SkySpark).

5. Vendor seeks clarification on the access method for the disparate systems. Will they be accessed through single sign-on, a federated sign-on, or a different method?

· “The contractor shall use GSA’s single-sign on and multi-factor authentication (MFA) protocols to securely access the UUI solution.” See C.4.2.7 for additional information.

6. To ensure transparency and focus, we recommend that the SOO includes a weighting system for each item. This would provide vendors with a clear understanding of the relative importance of each objective, allowing them to tailor their proposals accordingly. For example, if the UUI Tenant Experience is a high-priority item, it should be given a higher weight. This would encourage vendors to focus on demonstrating their capabilities in this area.

· GSA will not use a weighting system.

7. Is the intention that all 132 sites are integrated in year one of the contract?

· The GSA envisions three execution phases: Phase 1, 2, & 3, based on the SOO (Section C) the contractor would provide an agreed upon initial number of sites within the GSAlink portfolio. See C.2.1.2 for additional information.

8. Have cloud-based solutions for similar scopes been awarded in the past, and if so, what is the typical IT approval timeline for cloud-based solutions? In our experience, it is important to complete procurement in a manner that allows due diligence work to commence in parallel with IT decisions in an effort to avoid unnecessary delays.

· “The contractor will provide an on-premise, government site-hosted, enterprise-wide unified user interface solution for operational technologies and all support for the configuration, implementation, operation, maintenance and performance of the solution.” See C.2 Scope for additional information.