140L6221R0031_AMD_0004_Questions_and_Answers_Final_0004.docx

140L6221R0031 Amendment: 0004

1. What is expected as the new covid policy for on-site contractors? IE, proof of vaccination, regular covid testing, etc.

a. Please see the attached Memorandum and Certification of Vaccination. If awarded the requirement. Contractors will need to adhere to the paragraph tilted, “Direction and notice to Federal Contractors”, on page 3 of the Certification of Vaccination. Also note in the Memorandum, last sentence on page 1, “Costs incurred as a result of the testing shall not be reimbursed by the Government”.

2. Will the BLM be requesting proof of valid contractor, low voltage, and/or electrical licenses as required by the State of Wyoming to perform the requested work in the state of Wyoming?

Answer:

Yes. Licenses shall be presented at the prework conference for all prime and sub-contractors.

3. Are these sites fully tax exempt?

Answer:

Yes, Sites are fully tax exempt.

4. In the SOW p. 13 it states, “The Contractor shall provide for all system software updates for a period of five (5) years at no additional cost to the Government”. Are software updates for 5 years part of the original SOW?

Answer:

Yes, the software updates are part of the original SOW.

Answer:

The cost for the software will need to be added to CLIN’s 050, 060, 070, and 080 to ensure the cost is covered in the proposal.

5. Please provide specific service and maintenance requirements. Ie. whether remote or onsite maintenance is required; if onsite, response time requirements; price requirements – Time & Materials or Firm Fixed Price; frequency - annual, quarterly, etc.

Answer:

Maintenance and service will be a separate contract in the future except for software and firmware updates.

6. Bid Schedule Maintenance & Support tab indicates Government is looking for pricing for hardware for option years. Please clarify if the Government is looking to pre-purchase spare hardware compatible with installed systems or if bidders are to provide hardware as needed on a Time & Materials basis.

Answer:

The Government will not pre purchase “spare” hardware for future use under this contract.

Maintenance and service will be a separate contract in the future.

7. At the site walk, every Door was found to be using a Maglock. However, the Bid Schedule indicates electronic strikes and does not include maglocks. Please clarify if the Government meant to have Maglocks in the Bid Schedule instead of electronic strikes.

Answer:

For Casper - Door-104 on page 11 of 20 in the Drawing Set is calling for a new electric strike, rex, card reader. Door -104 has an existing electric strike, rex but the customer wants it replaced due to continuous problems. Page 14 of 20 in the Drawing Set shows installing a new strike, rex, card reader and DPS at Door-113. Currently there is no existing ACS equipment on that door. Page 19 of 20 in the Drawing Set shows installing a new strike, rex, contact/contactless card reader and DPS at Door-112. Currently there is no existing ACS equipment on that door. 5 electric strikes, rex, DPS were called for in the Bid Schedule. The Government will not pre purchase “spare” hardware for future use under this contract.

For Buffalo - Page 12 of 13 in the Drawing Set shows installing a new strike, rex, contact/contactless card reader and DPS at Door-107. Currently there is no existing ACS equipment on that door. Page 12 of 13 in the Drawing Set shows installing a new strike, rex, card reader and DPS at Door-111 and Door-112. Currently there is no existing ACS equipment on either of those doors. 4 electric strikes, rex, DPS were called for in the Bid Schedule. The Government will not pre purchase “spare” hardware for future use under this contract.

a. Site Walk also indicated that all Maglocks shall be reused. Is this the Government’s intent or shall contractors replace maglocks in poor condition (please see question 9 below)?

Answer:

All existing Maglocks were functioning at the time this project went out for bid. If any are found to be not functional or in poor condition prior to any work being done, a request can be made to the Contracting Officer (CO) and the Contracting Officers Representative (COR) providing all information necessary for the request.

8. The SOW does not include locking hardware; however, the Bid Schedule ACS tab includes it. Please clarify whether locking hardware is to be included as a part of this Project.

a. If it is to be included, please confirm quantities listed in Bid Schedule so all offerors are bidding equal projects.

Answer: See Answer at 7a.

b. If it is to be included, please clarify if contractors are to reuse locking hardware in good condition and replace locking hardware in poor condition. If this is a requirement, please provide quantities for replacement hardware.

Answer: See Answer at 7a.

9. Please clarify what the Fiber SFP & Media Converters shown in Bid Schedule Access Control System tab are for.

a. During the site walk it was determined to possibly be a mistake on the Annex. The Annex will house its own recorder and not feed back to the 1425 Buffalo main office.

Answer:

For Casper and Buffalo, if at any point the distances for cameras and/ or Access Control Panels exceed the distance limitation for Ethernet (330’) the Contractor should plan on using fiber and media converters back to the headend. Any design changes will need to be approved by the government, this includes any changes to the type of ethernet cable, cable and or wire.

10. SOW p. 13 Transition to New ACS indicates work needs to be performed after hours. Please clarify what work needs to be done afterhours. Or could doors be coned off and done during normal business hours if scheduled appropriately? We understand that all loud work would need to be done before or after hours.

Answer: Please see the requirements in the Statement of Work (SOW) for the disruption within the facilities, found in paragraph A.2 Installation and sub paragraph A.2.1 Outages. Any disruptions outside of the SOW shall be submitted to the CO and COR 48 hours prior to the disruption.

11. At the Site Walk, it was indicated that the system shall remain operational throughout the POP and contractors are to cut over one door at a time to enable the new system to become fully operational and online prior to the existing system being taken offline. Please clarify if the Government would like the existing system to remain operational until the new system is ready to be online.

The Government will maintain the existing systems in operational condition until the new system is ready to be online. The Contractor will switch the entire system at once in each location to ensure that there is no break in security at the locations. Please see the SOW for specific requirements.

12. Bid Schedule Summary tab includes a line item for Mobilization/De-mobilization. Please clarify what the BLM is looking for to fulfill this requirement.

In the event that the Contractor with the winning bid is not local and there is additional to Mobilize to the site and Demobilize from the site after completion, that additional cost needs to be shown in the bid.

This is any costs the contractor has associated with moving or setting up at each office. It can include per diem, milage, rentals, etc. associated with these types of costs.

13. Bid Schedule Summary tab includes a line item for Data. Please clarify what the BLM is looking for to fulfill this requirement.

Answer:

The Contractor with the winning bid will supply to the Government drawings of the proposed design, proposed equipment with spec sheets and quantities, Performance Verification test Procedures, Performance Verification Test Report, Operator Training Lesson Plans, Operator Training Manuals and As Built Drawings.

This is a spot to capture costs associated with behind-the-scenes data personnel such as Cad Specialist for as-builts and Data Managers for putting together submittal packages. Also includes after installation testing of the system personnel. Technical writers, training manual, and Training Personnel are also included in this line item.

14. Is it the Government’s intent for all line items on the Bid Schedule be included in proposals or should contractors use their discretion to identify line items that are required to provide the solution the BLM is seeking?

Answer:

The Government’s intent was for all line items to be included. If the Contractor does not think one is needed, please indicate on the bid schedule as to why the item does not need to be included.

15. Pg. 15 of the Solicitation PAST PERFORMANCE (1) indicates bidders must mail attached PPQ (Appendix 1) to references and have references return them to the BLM ATTN Kelly Palmer. Pg. 16 of Solicitation states “PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS b. (1) (a) Part I – Past Performance, 10 pages, one (1) reference from each customer required.”

a. Please confirm whether the PPQs should be sent by contractor’s references directly to the BLM or if the PPQs shall be included in the contractor’s Past Performance section of their proposal.

Answer:

It is preferred that the contractor’s references are sent directly to the Contracting Officer (CO) and can be emailed instead of mailed.

16. Has any kind of asbestos testing been done in the buildings?

Answer: To our knowledge the Casper Field Office building is approximately 20 years old and we have not encountered any asbestos and no asbestos testing has been performed. To our knowledge most of the Buffalo Field Office is less than approximately 26 years old and we have not encountered any asbestos and no asbestos testing has been performed

a. If so, can the reports be provided?

Answer: Please see answer above

b. If not, will testing be conducted prior to the PACS installation?

Answer: No, the BLM will not be testing prior to the PACS installation

17. Does the contractor need to account for any abatement that might need to be done?

No. If the Contractor runs into any issue that needs abatement, they are to immediately contact the COR and CO for further directions.

18. Bid Schedule Access Control System tab includes a line item for SMARTnet – please clarify what the Government is looking for by including this in the Bid Schedule.

Cisco SMARTnet Service is a technical support service that can give your IT staff direct, anytime access to Cisco experts and online self-help resources required to resolve issues with most Cisco products.

19. Is it the Government’s intent for Contractors to submit pricing on the Bid Schedule provided or can contractors submit pricing in their own format?

Answer:

Contractor shall use Government’s provided bid schedule. Contractor can supplement with another bid schedule or add notes to the bid schedule for clarification. Contractor can add sub bid items if they would like but the existing bid items shall be on the Contractor’s final bid. If the Contractor does not think one is needed, please indicate on the bid schedule as to why the item does not need to be included.

a. If allowed to submit in contractor’s format, do all line items on the Bid Schedule need to be proposed, or can contractors propose only line items contractor deems necessary to cover the requirements of the Project.

Answer: See answer for 19.

20. Are any of the PACS doors currently connected to building fire alarm?

a. Is the BLM looking for a FICAM -compliant solution or a FICAM-ready solution? Section 1.1 of the SOW states that the System upgrade will meet or exceed Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 201 version 2 standards. During the site walk, it was mentioned that the system is to be installed as a stand-alone solution, with no connection to the internet or to the federal bridge. Without this connection, the system cannot be FIPS 201-2 compliant. Please confirm if it is the Government’s intention to have the system connected to the federal bridge to provide certificate validation or if the system will be installed as a stand-alone solution.

Answer:

The system must be a stand-alone solution. The ACS will be a stand-alone solution and will not be connected to the Federal Bridge at this time. Enrollment and Validation will be done locally at the site. However, new PACS and readers installed by the contractor will be on the FIPS 201 Approved Product List – PACS. The only thing that will not be stand alone is the Duress system. Whether the Duress system is activated by the hard-wired button or the wireless buttons it will prompt a cellular call from the Bosch panel to the pre-programmed numbers in the Bosch panel.

21. 1SOW pg. 14 states “Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment (desktop computers, servers, and DSL/Internet services.”

a. Please clarify the requirement of DSL/Internet services – if the system is meant to be standalone, internet services would be unnecessary.

Answer:

There is no need for internet services. If licenses require an internet connection for download or Revision/Firmware upgrade, then the Contractor would be responsible for the internet connection for those downloads or upgrades. Long term DSL/Internet services at the BLM sites are not required by the Contractor since these are stand-alone systems.

22. Per the FIPS 201 PIV II Evaluation Program, it is a requirement for the PACS to be installed by a CSEIP in order to be FIPS/FICAM compliant.

a. Please confirm that a CSEIP will be a prerequisite to meet the requirements of this Solicitation.

i. If this is the BLM’s intent, will the BLM consider adding the following requirement to the Solicitation: Proposing company’s CSEIP Certifications must be included in Proposal.

Answer: Per the SOW the system must be FIPS 201 PIV II compliant, if part of that compliance is the requirement that it must be installed by a CSEIP certified vendor then it must be included in the Technical Proposal.

23. There is fiber listed in installation materials for both locations? What will this be used for?

Answer:

See answer for to question 9. Please note that no part of the existing system fiber can be reused for this requirement since the current system must remain in use, until the new system is operational.

24. What do we need electrical circuit for that is listed in the materials?

Answer:

The ACS/CCTV will have its own dedicated electrical circuit.

25. Please note locations that you want to house network video recorders.

Answer:

For Casper the NVR will be mounted in a contractor furnished rack located in the Telecoms Room located on page 19 of 20. For Buffalo the NVR will be located in the Contractor furnished Rack located in the Comms Room located on page 12 of 13.

26. Ist here any requirement for doors to be connected to the fire alarm system?

See answer to question 20.

27. Is Casper and Buffalo being done as one (1) quote and one (1) project or are they separate?

One quote and one project. There are 2 bid schedules to help with clarity of which items are for which building.

28. Who will supply network connections to equipment, if needed?

Answer:

This is a stand-alone system. Any equipment provided by the contractor will be on its own network and will be connected by the contractor.

29. Is free air cabling acceptable in open ceiling areas like the garage bays?

Free air cabling anywhere other than the drop ceiling is not allowed. Cabling in the drop ceiling is expected to be neatly bundled on j-hooks. Any exposed above ground cables will be installed in ¾ EMT minimum.