1131PL26R0058A0002 Responses to Questions.pdf

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUISITION NUMBER 5. PROJECT NUMBER (If applicable)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended. is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NUMBER IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

Previous edition unusable

1131PL26R0058A0002

1131PL

N/A

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

The purpose of this amendment, 1131PL26R0058A0002, is to provide responses to questions received not later than 1:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST), Friday, August 21, 2026.

See pages 2 thru 4.

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

Office of Acquisition Management United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1100 Arlington, Virginia 22209

SAME AS BLOCK 6

2026-21009A

1131PL26R0058

1 4

See Blk 16C

08/14/2026

Solicitation Number: 1131PL26R0058A0002 Solicitation Title: Europe and Eurasia Digital Infrastructure Project Scoping Services

1. Title/Region: The solicitation's cover page and Performance Work Statement identify this effort as covering the Europe and Eurasia region, while the running headers on pages 3–17 read "Regional Asia – Energy and Critical Minerals Opportunities PSS." Can USTDA confirm the correct title and geographic scope of this solicitation, particularly for purposes of Sub-Factor 2 (Prior Country or Regional Experience)?

RESPONSE – Amendment A0001 indicates solicitation title change to “Europe and Eurasia Digital Infrastructure Project Scoping Services”

2. Evaluation Sub-Factor 1: Sub-Factor 1 asks offerors to demonstrate experience in "smart cities technologies and ICT infrastructure," including intelligent transportation, smart utilities, and water management, and Section E.5(d) separately references transportation infrastructure sector experience. The PWS itself describes the scope as digital infrastructure — cybersecurity, AI, data centers, and connectivity — without reference to smart cities, transportation, or water management. Should Sub-Factor 1 be evaluated against the PWS's digital infrastructure scope, or is smart cities/transportation/water experience a separate, required qualification?

RESPONSE- Sub-Factor 1 will be evaluated against the digital infrastructure scope from the PWS- cybersecurity, AI, data centers, and connectivity.

3. Attachment numbering: Section D.1.7.3 references "Attachment V (Required Budget Format)" and "Attachment VI (Task Completion Schedule)," while Section D.2 and the attachments themselves identify these as Attachment IV and Attachment V, respectively. Could USTDA confirm the correct attachment numbers, and issue a corrected attachment package (the Infrastructure Resilience Screening guidance is also footed "Attachment VI" throughout rather than "Attachment VII")?

RESPONSE –The Attachment Numbering in Section D. 1. 7.3 is incorrect. Please refer to Section D.2 as the correct attachment numbering.

4. Undefined attachment references: Section D.1.6.2(h) references "Attachment X" and Section D.1.6.5 references "Attachment XIII," neither of which appears in this solicitation (which includes only Attachments I–VIII). Could USTDA clarify what these references are intended to point to?

RESPONSE – Please disregard any references to Attachment X. In Section D.1.6.5. The reference to “Attachment XIII, U.S. Company Contact” is incorrectly numbered. U.S.

Company Contact is included as Attachment VIII.

5. Proposal due date: Given the number of cross-reference and scope clarifications above, we respectfully request that USTDA consider issuing a written amendment resolving these items, along with a short extension of the proposal due date (currently 1:00 PM ET, Solicitation Number: 1131PL26R0058 Solicitation Title: Europe and Eurasia Digital Infrastructure Project Scoping Services

September 11, 2026) — even one to two weeks — to give offerors adequate time to incorporate the clarified

RESPONSE – We are unable to go beyond the time set for solicitation due to awarding in fiscal year 2026, which is not later than September 30, 2026 midnight.

6. Section E.5 states that the attached Past Performance Survey "MUST be completed by the POC providing the reference." Section E.8.2 separately provides that the Government "reserves the right to obtain past performance information from any available source, to include the U.S.

Government's Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS)," and Section D.1.8.2 confirms that USTDA reports its own contractor assessments into CPARS. The Offeror also notes that the five response options to Questions 1 through 4 of the attached survey are identical to the confidence ratings the Government will apply under Table 2 of Section E.8.2. Accordingly:

will the Government accept, in lieu of the attached survey for a given reference, either (a) a current final CPARS evaluation, or (b) a Past Performance Questionnaire already completed and signed by that reference's cognizant Government point of contact on another agency's template, where the document addresses the substance of Questions 1 through 6 of the attached survey?

Where such a record addresses most but not all of the survey questions, would the Government accept the record together with a brief supplemental response from the same POC covering only the remaining question(s)?

The Offeror raises this question in the interest of reducing burden on Government personnel.

Completing performance questionnaires consumes significant time for Federal contracting and program staff who, in these instances, have already formally rated the same performance. Relying on existing records would furnish the Government with the same evaluation data — and in the case of CPARS, rated narratives across Quality, Schedule, Cost Control, Management, and Regulatory Compliance — in a different format, while eliminating duplicative effort and reducing the risk that a reference response fails to reach USTDA by the deadline through no fault of the Offeror. The Offeror would of course provide the attached survey for any reference not covered by an existing record, including commercial contracts and subcontracts.

RESPONSE – CPARS sent from previous customer is acceptable.

7. If the Government accepts an alternate record under Question 1, may the Offeror submit that record directly as an attachment to Volume I rather than routing it through the reference point of contact; and would such an attachment, together with the reference list required by Section E.5(e), be excluded from the 10-page limitation on the Technical Proposal?

RESPONSE - Please provide a current past performance questionnaire sent from your choice of references. This document will not be part of your 10-page limitation

Solicitation Number: 1131PL26R0058 Solicitation Title: Europe and Eurasia Digital Infrastructure Project Scoping Services

8. Subcontracting & Teaming Rules:

Under the 100% Small Business Set-Aside requirement, can the Government confirm if specialized subject matter expert (SME) subcontractors will be evaluated under the Prime contractor's technical past performance, provided the Prime maintains management control under FAR 52.219-14 (Limitations on Subcontracting)?

RESPONSE - NO

9. Travel Logistics & Security Protocol:

Given the multi-region scope (MENA / Eastern Europe) (Europe and Eurasia), will international travel for in-country scoping missions be reimbursed on a firm-fixed-price basis per task order or handled on a cost-reimbursable basis in accordance with Department of State standardized per diem rates?

RESPONSE – Refer to FAR 31.205-46 – Travel Costs

10. In-Country Task Order Timelines:

What is the anticipated lead time between the issuance of an individual Task Order for scoping services and the expected deployment date for overseas site visits?

RESPONSE – The anticipated lead time is dependent on the specific project and will be determined between the agency and the contractor.

11. Remote vs. On-Site Scoping Assessment:

Does the Agency anticipate that initial preliminary assessments (Desk Reviews) can be conducted remotely prior to authorizing in-country field missions for full scoping reports?RESPONSE - Initial preliminary assessments are generally conducted remotely but if travel is required, the agency will communicate this in advance.