QA Response.pdf

U.S. Embassy Paramaribo_19AQMM22R0115

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Question and Answers

1. Exhibit S- The solicitation appears to require that the Government wishes for the

Contractor to effectively “lease” all equipment/uniforms for the contract (e.g., vehicles, radios, weapons, uniforms, etc.) to the Government in exchange for a flat monthly fee, rather than the Contractor buying the equipment on behalf of the Government and the

Government paying for the purchase and receiving title. Is that a correct reading of the government’s intentions for this procurement?

ANSWER: The Government does not intend to modify the CLIN or provide financing options. Vendors are to use their market expertise to provide pricing while meeting the technical requirements of this solicitation. Please remember, this is a full and open competition where the lowest price technically acceptable offeror will win the award.

2. Is so, this new approach would require the Contractor to procure and supply all equipment/uniforms after award of the contract and prior to NTP for full performance for the Base Year, and to replace items at the beginning of each Option Year. This would require the Contractor to finance and amortize the equipment costs over the life of the

Contract. Again, is this the Government’s intent?

ANSWER: The Government does not intend to modify the CLIN or provide financing options. Vendors are to use their market expertise to provide pricing while meeting the competition where the lowest price technically acceptable offeror will win the award

3. If so, would the Government consider modifying the CLIN configuration to allow

Contractors to invoice all equipment/uniforms costs at the beginning of each Contract year

(Base Year and Option Years 1-4)?

ANSWER: The Government does not intend to modify the CLIN or provide financing options. Vendors are to use their market expertise to provide pricing while meeting the

4. Additionally, is the Government willing to commit to pay the total costs of the equipment

(and financing) in the event of a termination for convenience?

ANSWER: The Government does not intend to modify the CLIN or provide financing options. Vendors are to use their market expertise to provide pricing while meeting the

5. Exhibit U- Will the Government please confirm that Exhibit U is not required?

ANSWER: Confirmed, there is no Exhibit U.

6. Section B.5, Employee Salary Benefits, Page 8

The referenced RFP Section states “The Contractor is required to include health benefits including hospitalization, outpatient care, maternity care, and medication, for guards

2 | P a g e employed under this contract in its compensation program.” Will the contractor be required to provide medical insurance to only the employee or will family members also be included? If so, how many family members are required to be covered under Health

Benefits? Health insurance is required for the employee plus the immediate family members (e.g. spouse plus dependents). The U.S. government does not track the total number of dependents covered under the current contract. All offerors must factor that risk into their pricing.

7. Is Host Nation (HN) government-provided health insurance, if available, acceptable in terms of meeting the Section B.5 requirement, or must the Contractor provide separate health insurance coverage? Host-nation does not provide health insurance to the private sector community. The contractor is required to provide health insurance as stated in

Section B.5.1 for all employees staffing Exhibit A posts and relief personnel.

8. Does the Contractor need to cover 100% of the insurance premium? The contractor shall cover what is mandatory according to host nation labor laws.

9. Section B.7.6, Defense Base Act Insurance (DBA), Page 11 & Section H.11.2, Defense

Base Act Insurance (DBA), Page 41. Would the Government please confirm that DBA insurance is required, even if the Contractor is not going to hire any U.S. citizens, U.S.

residents and/or individuals hired in the United States?

ANSWER: DBA is required in accordance with U.S. law and does apply to this solicitation, see Section H.11.2.

10. Section C.8.4, Guard Electronic Monitoring System (GEMS), Pages 17 & Exhibit D, Pages 5 Exhibit D states that “At all government facilities covered by this contract, contact points shall be installed in as many places as deemed necessary by the COR.”Section C.8.4 states: “Note that multiple buttons may be associated with certain posts and compounds such as the Chief of Mission Residence, Marine Security Guard Residence, warehouse locations, and other residences/compounds protected under this contract.” In order to estimate the correct number of GEMS buttons that are required, will the Contracting Office please let bidders know how many buttons are required in total?

ANSWER: Current requirement is approx. 100 buttons.

11. Section C.8.7, Uniforms and Personal Equipment, Page 18 C.8.7 states: “The Contractor shall bear the cost of purchasing, cleaning, pressing, and repair of the uniforms.” Is the

Contractor required to provide a laundry stipend or laundry service?

ANSWER: Sections C.8.7 and H.18.2 requires that the guard force wear clean and neat uniforms and maintain a professional appearance. The solicitation does not mandate a laundry stipend or a laundry service. It is up to the offeror to determine how to comply

3 | P a g e with the requirement that the guard force wears clean and neat uniforms to maintain a professional appearance during contract performance.

12. Section L.11.1.2, OFFERS AND PAYMENT IN LOCAL CURRENCY, Page 91-92;

Exhibit S; & Exhibit M Section L.11.1.2, “OTHER DIRECT COSTS” (ODC), states that

“DBA Insurance, if applicable, can be completed.” However, Exhibit S is currently set up so that only the following items are included as ODCs:

Mobile Patrol Vehicles

Local Guard Force Equipment

Reimbursable Materials

Please confirm that bidders should include the cost of DBA insurance as part of their

ODCs? If yes, in which line item (MP Vehicles, LGF Equipment, or Reimbursable

Materials) should the cost of DBA be included, or should bidders add a new row in Exhibit

S for DBA?

ANSWER: DBA is required in accordance with U.S. law and does apply to this solicitation.

There is no separate CLIN associated with the cost of a DBA insurance policy. The offerors must factor the cost of DBA into the required CLIN structure referenced in Sections B, and

J, Exhibit S.

13. The instructions in Section L.11.1.2, “TOTAL CEILING PRICE”, state to “Complete the two total ceiling price tables, one for total ceiling price without DBA and one for the total ceiling price inclusive of estimated DBA.” Exhibit S does not contain two total ceiling price tables. Please confirm that the instructions in L.11.1.2 are correct? If so, will the

Government please issue a revised Exhibit S to make it consistent with the instructions in

L.11.1.2, or else confirm that bidders are permitted to modify Exhibit S?

Please fill out the Exhibit S as provided.

14. The instructions in Section L.11.1.2 state that Exhibit S should be submitted in both local currency and USD. Should Exhibit M also be submitted in both currencies?

Correct, Exhibit M should have both currencies.

15. Section L.11.1, Volume 1: Price Proposal, Page 90 This is in reference to the statement:

"Any offeror whose registration is not active in SAM at the time of proposal submission will be excluded from the process and their proposals will not be evaluated." Recently, there have been many issues with the SAM registration process, with the result that the process has been taking several months. Considering this, would the Contracting Office please extend the proposal date to allow bidders sufficient time to ensure they are registered in SAM? This process is particularly onerous on foreign and JV entities.

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Proposal has been extended. See Amendment A005.

16. Section L.11.1.5, Business Management, Page 93 L.11.1.5 states that “In order to ensure payment for services and compliance with SAM.gov, the Contractor shall provide banking information for entities not currently listed with the Office of Foreign Assets

Control (https:// sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/).” What level of detail is required to be included in proposals – account numbers, routing numbers, etc.?

Correct. Note that this is referring to entities NOT listed with the Office of Foreign Asset

Control.

17. If the Offeror is a JV, is this information required for both JV partners, or only the JV partner that will process payment from the U.S. Government?

See answer 16.

18. Section M.2.1, Price Proposal Evaluation, Page 102 M.2.1 states that “The Government will evaluate proposals based on the total evaluated price to the Government, including options and any U.S. preference, but excluding VAT and DBA (if applicable), if proposed.”

Can the Government please confirm that DBA will not be included in the evaluated price?

This appears to contradict the instructions in Section L.11.1.2 that indicate that DBA should be included as an ODC (and therefore would be part of the evaluated price).

The solicitation is clear IF APPLICABLE. If DBA is not required as stated by DOL due to exemption, then obviously DBA is not applicable to this solicitation.

19. Exhibit D, Contractor Furnished Property, Radio Equipment, Page 4 How many repeaters are required? Post has only one repeater, which is sufficient for the size of Paramaribo.

20. Exhibit D, Contractor Furnished Property, Page 6 Exhibit D states that office space is required to accommodate the CAMS monitor/dispatcher. Can this office space be in the same Contractor facility that is used to house the base station and GEMS per Exhibit D?

Yes, the Contractor can use this space as shared with base station, GEMS.

21. Section C.5.3, Patrols, Page 14 How many Mobile Patrol units are required to patrol the two Mobile Patrol Zones mentioned in Section C.5.3 – two units?

ANSWER: The Exhibit A sets the requirement for mobile patrol along with the Section

C.5.3, it is up to each offeror to propose their solution to provide the required mobile patrol coverage set forth in the solicitation.

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22. Section C.8.6, Vehicles, Page 18 & Exhibit D, Vehicles, Page 3 Section C.8.6 requires

“SUV vehicles” and Exhibit D states that “utility-type vehicles” are required. Pick-up trucks are used on the current contract. Please advise if bidders can propose pick-up trucks and be compliant with the RFP requirements?

Offerors shall propose vehicles for consideration that meet the RFP requirements.

23. Paramaribo has been hit by severe flooding, with the result that standard vehicles and even pick-up trucks that do not have a snorkel are not able to drive around the city. Will the

Government please revise Exhibit D to state that vehicle snorkels are required?

ANSWER: The government does not require the mobile patrol vehicles to be fitted with snorkels.

24. Section C.9.2, Duty Hour Limits, Breaks and Relief Guards, Page 19-20 Section C.9.2, second paragraph, states: “The Contractor shall provide relief guards to afford a 15-minute break once every four (4) hours.” However, in the table below (also in C.9.2), it states the following:

Tour of duty 15 minute break 30 minute meal break Eight hours or less 1 1 More than 8 hours and up to 12 hours

2 1

Is a 15-minute break required every four hours (which would mean two 15-minute breaks per 8-hour shift), or is only one 15-minute break required per 8-hour shift, as shown in the table above?

ANSWER: The table in Section C.9.2 is correct. For a tour of duty eight (8) hours or less, one (1) 15-minute break and one (1) 30-minute lunch break shall be afforded. For a tour of duty more than 8-hours and up to 12-hours, two (2) 15-minute breaks and one (1) 30-minute lunch break shall be afforded.

25. For a 12-hour shift, are two or three 15-minute breaks required?

ANSWER: The table in Section C.9.2 is correct. For a tour of duty eight (8) hours or less, one

(1) 15-minute break and one (1) 30-minute lunch break shall be afforded. For a tour of duty more than 8-hours and up to 12-hours, two (2) 15-minute breaks and one (1) 30-minute lunch break shall be afforded

26. What shift schedule is the LGF currently working?

ANSWER: It is up to offerors to propose their shift schedule in accordance with the RFP requirements and Host Nation Labor law

27. Section H.4, Language/Reading Proficiency, Page 32 Is an online language test acceptable to address the requirement from Section H.4?

ANSWER: Offerors should submit in their proposals what type of language test(s) they plan on using to meet the requirements.

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28. Section H.6, Key Personnel Section H.6 is missing from the RFP. In addition, there are other sections of the RFP that are out of order, which makes it difficult for bidders to identify the requirements. Would the Government please issue a corrected RFP that include

Section H.6 and which also has all sections in the proper order?

Below is section H.6 which is part of the solicitation but will not populate due to a system error. Additionally, any ordering issues are due to a system issue, not misplacement by the contracting office and we are unable to have the system corrected to ensure proper numerical progression.

H.6 - Key Personnel

The Contractor shall assign the following key personnel to this contract:

Position/Function Name

Project Manager ____________________________

Guard Force Commander ____________________________

During the first 90 days of performance, the Contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is required due to illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the CO immediately of any of these events. If the key personnel must be replaced, the Contractor shall provide the information required below to the CO.

1) The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances requiring the proposed substitution, a complete resume for the proposed substitute, and any additional information requested by the CO.

2) The proposed substitute shall possess qualifications comparable to the original key person and meet the minimum standards set forth in the contract.

The CO will notify the Contractor of its approval or disapproval of the substitution within

15-calendar days after receiving the required information. After the first 90 days of performance, the Contractor may substitute a key person if the Contractor determines that it is necessary, and upon approval of the CO. Prior to making the substitution, the

Contractor shall provide the information required above to the CO and COR for approval.

The CO will notify the Contractor of its approval or disapproval of the substitution within

15-calendar days after receiving the required information.

The Government will modify the contract to reflect any changes in key personnel.

SHOULD A KEY PERSONNEL POSITION BE OFFERED AND THE INDIVIDUAL

DOES NOT FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE

CONTRACT, THE GOVERNMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE

NEWLY AWARDED CONTRACT FOR CONVENIENCE AND RE-AWARD TO THE

NEXT LOWEST BIDDER.

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29. Section H.5.1, Project Manager, Page 33 & Section H.5.2, GFC, Page 33 Sections H.5.1 &

H.5.2 state that the PM & GFC must speak the “local language(s). While Dutch is the official language of Suriname, Surinamese speak more than 10 other languages, including variants of Chinese, Hindi, Javanese and half a dozen original Creoles, such as Sranan.

Given this, would the Government please advise which of these local languages the PM &

GFC should speak? The project manager and guard force commander are required to speak two local languages: Dutch and Sarnen. The language level requirements in the RFP and

Exhibit H are for English level requirements.

30. Section H.20, myLGP, Pages 46-47 Is myLGP currently in use on this contract? If not, is it expected to be in use during the Transition?

ANSWER: myLGP has not been deployed. The myLGP deployment will not occur during the transition phase.

31. When will training on myLGP be conducted during the Transition, and how many hours/days will it last? This is needed for Offerors’ Transition Plans.

ANSWER: The myLGP deployment will not occur during the transition phase.

32. Section J.1, List of Attachments, Page 66 Section J.1 lists an “Exhibit V, Intention to

Propose.” We could not locate this Exhibit. Would the Government please advise if this

Exhibit is required and, if so, please post it on SAM.gov?

Not required.

33. L.11.2.2.2, Licenses and Permits, Page 98 Can copies of licenses be provided in the original language, or are English translations also required?

English translation is required.

34. Sections L.11.2.2.3, Experience, Pages 98-99 Please confirm that Exhibit N should be inserted in Tab B3, Experience?

ANSWER: Confirmed

35. Sections L.11.2.2.3, Experience, Pages 98-99; & Section M.2.2.2.3, Experience, Pages

107-108 L.11.2.2.3 & M.2.2.2.3 state that “Offerors shall provide proof that the Offeror successfully provides similar security services that are of the same or similar size and complexity in the country of performance over the past three years. Similar size means approximately 90% of the size of this requirement in terms of manpower and total annual hours of security services....” There are no local, Surinamese companies that are able to

8 | P a g e meet this Experience criteria. In fact, we know of only three contracts nation-wide that meet the 90% size requirement. Only the incumbent on the current U.S. Embassy local guard contract would be able to meet these criteria. Would the Government please remove this statement from the evaluation criteria so as not to unfairly advantage the incumbent and unduly restrict competition for this bid? Alternately, would the Government remove the requirement to have “similar size” experience in the country of performance, and instead permit it so long as one (or both) of the JV partners have “similar size” experience regardless of where that experience is performed?

ANSWER: See amended Section L.

36. L.11.2.2.3 also states that “If the Offeror is a JV the Offeror must clearly demonstrate that all members of the JV have at least one year of experience performing security services together.” In order to bid on this contract, a U.S. company would need to partner with a local company for licensing, recruitment and other purposes. To restrict this to only those

JV partners that have previously worked together would unfairly benefit the incumbent.

Would the Government please remove this statement from the evaluation criteria so as not to unfairly benefit the incumbent or to unfairly restrict competition?

ANSWER: See amended Section M

37. Sections L.11.2.2.3 & L.11.2.3.1, Experience & Biographic Data, Page 98-99 L.11.2.2.3

(Experience) states that Offerors should provide “the company’s logo, branding, trademark and English translation of the name and motto” for each entity listed in Exhibit N.

However, this information is also requested to be provided in Section L.11.2.3.1

(Biographic Data). Since we are only allotted 10 pages for the entire Tab B3, is it acceptable if we provide this information only once in this Tab?

ANSWER: The U.S. government believes the page limits for this section are adequate.

Each offeror must determine the best experience information to submit in their proposal.

38. Section L.11.2.3.1, Biographic Data, Page 98-99 Will the State Dept. please exclude the

Biographical Data from the Technical Proposal page limits? As currently written, Tab B3 must include ALL of the following data: A minimum of two and a maximum of six examples of local guard experience for each entity identified in Exhibit N. For a JV Offeror, this would mean providing the requested information for up to 12 contracts. Logo, branding, trademark and English translation of the name and motto for each entity listed in

Exhibit N. L.11.2.3.1, Biographic Data: For each entity identified in Exhibit N, provide the following biographic data on the owners, officers and other key personnel:

- Full legal name,

- Date of birth,

- Place of birth, 9 | P a g e

- Nationality

- Passport information and bio page,

- County of residence, to include address, and

- Brief synopsis of the personal history, to include education, business interests, and professional work history.

For each entity identified in Exhibit N, provide the following information about the company/business:

- Full business name,

- Full name of any/all affiliated or associated business

- Description regarding the type of work the company and affiliates are engaged in,

- Country of registration,

- Country(ies) operating in,

- Types of contracts currently held and previously fulfilled (within the last three years), to include duration and monetary value,

- Monetary holdings, financial value of the company and key assets, and

- Full legal name, trademark, branding, corporate values and mission statement.

It will be very difficult to incorporate all of the required information, especially if the

Bidder is a JV with many contracts and many owners, officers and key personnel. This information would take us ~50 pages.

ANSWER: The U.S. government believes the page limits for this section are adequate. Each offeror must determine the best experience information to submit in their proposal

39. L.11.2.3.1 states that, for each entity identified in Exhibit N, the following information must be provided for the company/business: “Types of contracts currently held and previously fulfilled (within the last three years), to include duration and monetary value.”

Is this information required for every contract held by the company and for every contract held by the company's affiliates? This is a lot of information and could take up dozens of pages.

ANSWER: The required information is limited to the past three years only. If the company's affiliates contribute to the experience, then Exhibit N is required.

40. L.11.2.3.1 states that, for each entity identified in Exhibit N, the following information must be provided for the company/business: "Monetary holdings, financial value of the company and key assets." Could the State Dept. please provide some examples of what type of information will be acceptable to meet this requirement? For example, would the company's financial statements meet this requirement? For smaller companies that may not have financial statements, what type of information would suffice?

ANSWER: Financial statements may be acceptable if monetary holdings, financial value of the company and key assets are clearly identified. Otherwise, clearly list the information required in this section.