Questions_&_Answers.pdf

11/07/2017

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

RFP: 1645DC-18-R-00001

1. In the Instructions to Offerors, item 4 states “Offerors cannot subcontract to offer items/services.” Does this mean companies are not allowed to have subcontractors at all for this contract? If not, can you please clarify?

Answer: Amendment 0001 was created to address this question. Offerors can subcontract/have teaming agreements as long as the prime 8(a) company conducts 51% or more of the work.

2. Is there an incumbent? If so, can you provide the name of the contractor and contract number of the incumbent?

Answer: Yes, there is an incumbent.

Contractor: Qivliq Commercial Group, LLC

Contract # DOL-MSH-16-D-0004

3. The PWS states “…demonstrate quality management excellence through ISO

9001:2015.” Does this mean the contractor/teaming partner must be certified or must follow this methodology?

Answer: Both the prime and the subcontractor/teaming partner are not required to be ISO 9001:2015 certified; only one or the other is required.

4. Can an 8(a) small business have a non 8(a) small business as a sub-contractor on this project?

Answer: Yes, as long as the prime 8(a) conducts at least 51% of the work.

5. Can an 8(a) form a Teaming Agreement with an 8(a) STARS II small business?

Answer: Yes.

6. For CLIN 3 how many new infrastructure installations should be anticipated in each year of the contract?

Answer: See Attachment VII – Updated CLIN Structure

7. Where are the purposed installations for the equipment listed in CLIN 3?

8. For CLIN 4, how many new UC equipment devices will be projected/purchased in each year of the contract?

9. Where are the purposed installations for the equipment listed in CLIN 4?

10. How often does the government currently pull the reports shown as an example for

CLIN2? How many individual reports are produced, how often, and how is the report broken down (i.e. VTU, New hardware purchases, etc.)?

Answer: CLIN 0002 – Managed Network Circuits for VTC Enabled Existing Sites has been removed from the Pricing Spreadsheet

11. For CLIN 2, what is the anticipated call volume for maintenance of network circuits?

Answer: CLIN 0002 – Managed Network Circuits for VTC Enabled Existing Sites has been removed from the Pricing Spreadsheet

12. For CLIN 1, what is the anticipated call volume for maintenance of VTC equipment?

Answer: MSHA needs annual maintenance from the manufacturer or authorized reseller not based on call volume

13. PWS 4.1 - How does the government currently track part replacement trouble tickets?

Answer: Through the manufacturer’s ticketing system

14. PWS 4.1 - Approximately how many endpoints will this contract service?

Answer: The endpoints are listed in Technical Exhibit 3, Breakdown and Location of Existing Systems

15. PWS Exhibit 1 - Approximately how many help desk tickets are anticipated on a monthly basis?

Answer: MSHA’s requirement is based on on-site support personnel

16. PWS Exhibit 4 - How does the government define "reasonable timeframes"?

Answer: Response time within one hour, Resolution within one business day

17. Labor hours for two of the positions are 2080. Does this mean the Government intends for these positions to be staffed/billed during federal holidays?

Answer: No. The personnel hours have been changed from 2080 to 2000

18. The pricing sheet shows the UC Technician's hours "as needed". The staffing matrix in the PWS lists this position as full time. How would the Government like companies to bid this position?

Answer: Companies should estimate for full time (2000 hours/12 months), but should understand that the position may not be utilized unless needed. As the resulting contract will be an IDIQ, task orders will be placed for the CLINS needed at the time that they are necessary. The UC Technician position may not be on the initial task order.

19. Can the government provide more detailed descriptions for "Small, Medium, Large, Executive" conference rooms? Specifically the square feet and standard equipment breakdown for each room type is requested.

Answer: Square feet cannot be provided at this time. The standard equipment breakdown is included in Attachment VII – Updated CLIN Structure

20. The Instructions to Offerors (pg 2, Volume 3, third paragraph) asks for a breakdown of products to include descriptions, manufacturer, part numbers, units, and unit prices.

The pricing spreadsheet does not reflect similar fields for each SUBCLIN. How would the government like companies to bid these items?

Answer: Extra sheets may be added to the Pricing Spreadsheet Excel file, as long as they are labeled and provide a brief explanation of the additions. The ending totals should be clear and reflect all pricing as assumptions will not be made.

21. CLIN 0004 asks for pricing for installation of equipment. Is the government also requesting purchase of the equipment as a part of this CLIN or will the equipment be

GFE?

22. Does the government have existing service contracts for the hardware listed in Exhibit

3?

Answer: No

23. Does the government want vendors to propose extension for warranties for any items listed in Exhibit 3?

Answer: No

24. What is the labor projection the government wants companies to bid for the "as needed" positions with respect to the 12 month price?

Answer: The same answer as Question #18 applies for all “as needed” positions.

25. Page 15 of Performance Work Statement. Last line item is two Cisco Servers, are these servers running the TMS application?

Answer: Yes

26. For pricing purposes will MSHA provide the TMS Software information need to price support services for TMS? That information is not listed with the rest of the equipment.

Answer: Yes, MSHA provides the TMS software. Offeror needs to provide the maintenance price and the personnel to operate and maintain the software/hardware

27. Is any of the equipment listed in this Bid end of life or end of service life with the manufacturer?

Answer: It is possible that some of the equipment are end of life

28. Page 8 of Performance Work Statement. Part 2, Section 4.1. Ask that the Contractor be able to ensure full operational effectiveness of data circuits for all endpoints. Are these circuits ISDN, if not can the circuits being used be further defined? What would be the contractor’s responsibility as far as managing these circuits?

Answer: Data circuits are no longer required

29. Is ISO 9001 Certification a hard requirement?

Answer: Yes

Additional questions and answers are provided in the Questions & Answers

Excel Sheet. Please refer to both this document and the Excel document for

Q&As.