Vendor_Questions_and_Responses_(23-AUG-2019).docx

1305M219QNWWJ0348

TEMS Software Solicitation Vendor Questions and Government Responses

Question 1: What types of volume?

a) How many carriers? Response 1(a): 30 full service Communication Carriers/Vendors

b) How many wireless units? Response 1(b): Under 200

c) How many devices? Response 1(c): 1000 communication devices (modems, satellite equipment, etc.)

d) How many vendors? Response 1(d): 30 full service Communications Carriers/Vendors

e) How many invoices? Response 1(e): 2107 invoices

f) How many orders? Response 1(f): Average 10 per month for various communication services (i.e. IP-VPNS, ISDN, POTS, etc.)

Question 2: Are you expecting one overall payment or will it be spread out over twelve months (monthly payments) for the software?

Response 2: One-time payment.

Question 3: Will you accept a cloud-based application in a FedRAMP cloud environment?

Response 3: No. A cloud-based application in a FedRAMP cloud environment will not be accepted.

Question 4: Section 1.3: Is the solicitation requiring the vendor to perform any labor services to deliver the Functional Areas included here? Response 4: None other than standard help desk support as provided for in general maintenance

a) Section 1.3: Is the vendor expected to process bill payments to vendors using the government funds or is this only a report to the government’s Accounts Payable office? Response 4(a): NO - the government will load the invoices into the system and send to NOAA Finance for processing.

b) Section 1.3: If the vendor performs Disputes Recovery Service, how many disputes have historically been started and completed within last 12 months? Response 4(b): N/A

c) Section 1.3: If vendor is performing the Procurement Services, are these procurement services based on a web-portal catalog or is there a consulting labor service component needed as well? Response 4(c): N/A

d) Section 1.3: What are the Government’s expectations for Program Management over the Period of Performance? Response 4(d): N/A

Question 5: Section 1.7: Since this is an NWS-premises based installation, do you allow pre-authorized vendor personnel a remote access to the installed system components for routine maintenance and diagnosis?

Response 5: No, we do not allow remote access.

Question 6: Does the Government’s recurring volume of 2,107 invoices occurs on a monthly basis or annual basis?

Response 6: Monthly

Question 7: What is the annual spend amount across all of these invoices?

Response 7: Approximately $20 Million

Question 8: If the vendor is performing the downloading and the insertion of the invoices in the system on a monthly basis, can such accumulation of invoices occur off-site and then uploaded into Government’s database instance?

Response 8: Vendor is not performing this, all the Government requires is the software.

Question 9: Does the Government allow use of robotic process automation (RPA) tools on its IT platform?

Response 9: We are not familiar enough with RPA to answer this question. If this is a standard part of the software package, then the Government may consider utilizing it in the future.

Question 10: Under the Scope of the SOW there is mentioned of Managed service for wireline and wireless, please clarify if TEM will be managed by a vendor or by NOAA staff?

Response 10: The TEM product will be managed by NOAA staff.

Question 11: Is NOAA require labor hours and cost for the installation, configuration, and training of the TEM software? Response 11: No labor hours are required. Software will be installed and configured by NOAA IT staff. However, training and assistance for installation should be a part of the package.

a) If yes, should those charges be part of the license fee? Response 11(a): Yes

b) If not, does NOAA have knowledgeable staff that knows all COTS-based TEM software in the market to do the installation and configuration independent of the vendors? Response 11(b): No, NOAA is not a COTS-based TEM company to know all of the available software on the market.

Question 12: What should the operating system be for the TEM software, Linux or Windows?

Response 12: Windows 10

Question 13: What Database is required Oracle or MS-SQL?

Response 13: NOAA uses Oracle

Question 14: Is there a requirement for backup or redundant servers for TEM?

Response 14: NOAA will back-up the TEMS data.

Question 15: Does the Government specify Oracle as the database platform that the vendor must use? Can the Government also use PostgreSQL database?

Response 15: NOAA has licenses for Oracle. Postgre SQL is an open source database which is not allowed on the NOAA network.

Question 16: Can companies from outside the United States (like from India or Canada) submit quotes?

Response 16: Quotes from small business entities based outside of the United States may be considered provided that all solicitation requirements are followed (including SAM and DUNS registration).

Question 17: Are contractor personnel required to come to the physical location for meetings?

Response 17: As per Section 1.7 in the Statement of Work, the contractor shall provide on-site support within seven (7) business days at 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD 20910 for any technical support issues that cannot be resolved via telephone or email.

Question 18: Can the contractor perform the tasks related to scope of work from outside of the United States (like from India or Canada)?

Response 18: Quotes that include such tasking may be considered provided that all Federal regulations and solicitation requirements are followed.

Question 19: Can quotes be submitted via email?

Response 19: Yes. Quotes shall be submitted via email to the Contracting Officer at sarah.appleman@noaa.gov.