Attachment 4 - 19AQMM26R0250 Questions and Answers Final.xlsx

XLSX spreadsheet 23 KB Posted Sep 14, 2026

Attached to: CODIS Phase III (Specialized Forensics IT Equipment)
Solicitation number: 19AQMM26R0250
Issued by: Department of State Office of Acquisition Management

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Written by GovTribe AI · Sep 14, 2026

This file is a Questions and Answers document for Solicitation 19AQMM26R0250, the CODIS Phase III (Specialized Forensics IT Equipment) project. The document addresses clarifications and responses to offeror inquiries regarding this Department of State procurement, which represents the final phase of a U.S.-Mexico bilateral initiative to enhance Mexican forensic laboratory capabilities through specialized IT equipment donation to eight Mexican state attorney general offices.

The Q&A document provides technical and administrative guidance to potential offerors responding to the solicitation, which was amended twice (Amendment A0002 being the most recent). Amendment A0002 clarified pricing requirements, corrected administrative errors, incorporated offeror question responses, and extended the quote due date to September 30, 2026. The document serves as a supplementary reference to the main solicitation documents, helping offerors understand specific requirements related to the specialized forensics IT equipment specifications, delivery logistics, and compliance expectations for this donation-based project managed by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) within the Department of State Office of Acquisition Management.

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Other files

File	Type	Posted
Attachment 1 - Statement of Work (A0002).docx	DOCX document	Sep 14, 2026
Attachment 2 - Pricing Table (A0002).xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Sep 14, 2026
19AQMM26R0250-A0002.pdf	PDF	Sep 14, 2026
Attachment 3- PPR Information Form (26R0250).docx	DOCX document	Aug 13, 2026
Attachment 1 - Statement of Work.docx	DOCX document	Aug 13, 2026
Attachment 2 - Pricing Table.xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Aug 13, 2026
19AQMM26R0250 A0001.pdf	PDF	Aug 13, 2026

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A0002

19AQMM26R0250 CODIS Phase III (INL Mexico): Solicitation Q&A
#	Solicitation Reference Section/Exhibit	Question	Answer
1		Whether the Government will permit procurement through authorized Mexican OEM/distributor operations rather than requiring the prime contractor to directly import all equipment into Mexico;	Yes. If equipment is sourced through an authorized Mexican OEM/distributor, an Importation Plan is not required for that equipment. The Offeror must explain its sourcing approach and confirm the equipment is new and meets Appendix A specifications.
2		Whether authorized Mexico-based OEM/distributor representatives or subcontractors may provide local delivery, warranty, installation, Spanish-language training, maintenance, and, when required, importer-of-record/customs functions;	Yes. The SOW does not require the prime to perform these functions directly; subcontractor performance is acceptable, subject to standard subcontracting disclosure and small-business subcontracting limits.
3		Any applicable restrictions, required approvals, country-of-origin requirements, VAT/IVA procedures, or documentation requirements associated with this approach; and	Equipment must be new and unopened regardless of source. VAT/IVA must follow standard Factura requirements (16% rate, itemized, bilingual).
4		For purposes of satisfying the requirement to provide at least three relevant past-performance projects under Factor 3, may a small-business prime contractor submit projects performed by a proposed major subcontractor or supplier that will perform critical portions of the requirement? If permitted, please confirm whether the quotation should identify the performing entity on each Attachment 3 Past Performance Reference Information Form and include evidence of that entity’s commitment and proposed scope of work.	Yes. Section L (page 51) requires "at least three (3) relevant projects" via Attachment 3 PPRIF but does not restrict submissions to the prime's own projects. Each PPRIF should identify the performing entity and include evidence of that entity's commitment and proposed scope of work.
5	RFP	The RFP states there are 8 locations. Can the Government confirm if this is a phased site by site approach expected? Or is delivery expected at the same time?	Phased, site-by-site delivery — contingent on confirmed facility readiness and written delivery authorization from INL Logistics for each site.
6	SOW 9.1 pg. 11	A Travel Plan is required, however there are no Travel CLINs. Can the Government please provide a cost reimbursable Travel CLIN?	No, the Government will not add a cost-reimbursable Travel CLIN. This is a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) acquisition, and all costs, including travel, shall be priced on a Firm-Fixed-Price basis.

Attachment 2 - Pricing Table has been updated to include travel cost in the Installation, Testing, Training, and Travel CLIN prices (001B through 008B) for each respective stie. As stated in the Pricing Table (Attachment 2), each Installation, Testing, Training and Travel CLIN description specifies: "This price shall include all travel costs (airfare, lodging, per diem, ground transportation, and other travel-related expenses) for contractor personnel to perform installation, testing, training, and related documentation at each location."

Additionally, Section 5 of the Instructions to Offerors, paragraph (f), clarifies: "The Installation, Testing, and Training CLIN prices (001B through 008B) shall include all travel costs associated with performance at each respective site, including but not limited to: airfare, lodging, per diem, ground transportation, and other travel-related expenses for all contractor personnel performing installation, testing, training, and related documentation at that location."

The Travel Plan required under SOW Section 9.1 is for coordination and approval purposes only, not for cost reimbursement. Offerors shall provide detailed travel cost assumptions in their Price Narrative (Volume II, Section 5.2) to support the reasonableness of their proposed FFP prices for the Installation, Testing, and Training CLINs.

7 Pricing Table TAB 2 Will the Government allow CLIN 010 to be billed monthly? Yes, the Government will allow CLIN 017 – In-Country Support Services to be billed monthly.

The Pricing Table (Attachment 2) has been updated to reflect a quantity of ninety-six (96) months for CLIN 017, representing twelve (12) months of support for each of the eight (8) sites. The 12-month support period for each site commences from the date of system acceptance at that site, as specified in SOW Section 5.8.

The Contractor may invoice monthly based on the number of sites under active support each month. Since installation and system acceptance will be completed at different times for each of the eight (8) sites, the start date for the 12-month support period will vary by site. Actual months invoiced will be based on the acceptance dates at each site.

Offerors shall propose a monthly Unit Price for CLIN 017 in Attachment 2 – Pricing Table.

8	SOW Appendix A pg. 16	For CLIN 001, will the Government provide the required configuration parameters for SQL Server and the database?	These configuration parameters will be provided after award.
9	SOW Appendix A pg. 16	Please specify the required processor model and technical specifications for the ThinkSystem SR630.	Per Appendix A: XEON E5-2600 v4 2.0 GHz or superior, or XEON Gold 61xx; 12 cores or virtual CPUs; 24 Logical Cores/Processing Threads.
10	SOW Appendix A pg. 16	Does the Government require any storage capacity in addition to the drives specified in the solicitation? If so, please specify the required capacity and configuration.	No additional storage capacity is required beyond the baseline: 5 drives at 200 GB each (~1TB total), SAS or SSD, RAID 5/10 capable.
11	SOW Appendix A pg. 16	Are Client Access Licenses (CALs) required for this equipment? If so, please specify the required CAL type and quantity.	Yes — one CAL per workstation (2 workstations per site = 2 CALs per site), consistent with SQL Server/Windows Server Standard Edition 2019 licensing.
12	SOW Appendix A pg. 16	For the SQL Server license, please specify the required edition (Standard or Enterprise), licensing model (per core or Server + CAL), and, if applicable, the number of cores to be licensed.	Standard Edition, licensed for 12 physical cores (consistent with Appendix A's minimum server requirement of 12 cores/24 logical threads). Compatible versions align with OS: SQL Server 2019 with Windows Server 2019, SQL Server 2022 SP2 with Windows Server 2022, or SQL Server 2016 SP2 with Windows Server 2016, all 64-bit US Standard Edition.
13	SOW Appendix A pg. 16	Please confirm whether the requirement is for three ThinkSystem 2.5-inch S4520 480 GB Read Intensive SATA 6 Gb hot-swap SSDs configured in a RAID 5 array.	Offerors should propose solutions that meet or exceed the technical specifications in Appendix A of the SOW. The Government will not pre-evaluate proposed solutions prior to the evaluation of formal proposals.
14	RFP Section L pg. 51	May the Offeror submit relevant past performance from a proposed major subcontractor to satisfy the requirement for at least three completed projects?	Yes. Section L (page 51) requires "at least three (3) relevant projects" via Attachment 3 PPRIF but does not restrict submissions to the prime's own projects. Each PPRIF should identify the performing entity and include evidence of that entity's commitment and proposed scope of work.
15	RFP Section L pg. 51	Most of Section L and the actual Pricing Table identify VAT as CLIN 011. The price-narrative instructions refer to CLIN 017. Please confirm if this should refer to CLIN 011.	This is a typographical error. All references have been updated to CLIN 011, consistent with Attachment 2 and Section B.
16	RFP Section L pg. 53	Section L excludes the matrix from the page count and references “Section 4.2,” but no specific Section 4.2 format or Government-provided matrix appears in the package. Can the Government please provide the matrix or are offerors to provide their own?	The reference to "Section 4.2" and the Technical Compliance Matrix in Section 3.2 (Page Limits) was included in error and will be removed via amendment to the solicitation.

Offerors are not required to provide a separate compliance matrix. As stated in Section 4 (Volume I - Technical Proposal), offerors shall "describe the proposed equipment and demonstrate how it meets or exceeds the technical specifications in Appendix A of the SOW. Include detailed technical specification sheets comparing the items in Appendix A with the equipment being proposed, manufacturer documentation, model numbers, and photographs of each item."

An amendment will be issued to correct Section 3.2 to remove the reference to "Technical Compliance Matrix (Section 4.2)."

17	Appendix A – Technical Specifications, Page 16, CLIN 001 – ThinkSystem SR630	Appendix A specifies five 200 GB SCSI/SSD drives for the ThinkSystem SR630 V4 server. Certain drive capacities and technologies referenced in the specification may no longer be commercially available for the current server generation. Will the Government accept currently manufactured storage devices with equal or greater capacity and performance, provided that the proposed configuration meets or exceeds the required total usable capacity and RAID 5/10 requirements?	Yes. Appendix A's cover note states equipment "must MEET or EXCEED items noted in the solicitation," so currently manufactured storage devices with equal or greater capacity/performance are acceptable.
18	Appendix A – Technical Specifications, Page 16, CLIN 001 – ThinkSystem SR630	Appendix A specifies Windows Server 2019 and SQL Server 2019. Will the Government accept later, currently supported versions of Windows Server and SQL Server that meet or exceed the stated requirements, provided they are fully compatible with the Government's intended CODIS environment?	Yes, consistent with the same "meet or exceed" standard in Appendix A's cover note, provided full compatibility with the CODIS environment is confirmed.
19	Appendix A – Technical Specifications, Page 16, CLIN 001 – ThinkSystem SR630	Please clarify the required Microsoft SQL Server edition and licensing model for each server, including the required number of licensed cores and/or Client Access Licenses (CALs), if applicable. Please also confirm the anticipated number of users or devices requiring access to SQL Server at each site.	The technical specifications have been updated in Appendix A to include this information.
20	Appendix A – Technical Specifications, Page 16, CLIN 002 – Workstations	Appendix A specifies a minimum monitor resolution of 1920 × 1080 but does not identify a minimum screen size. Please confirm whether a 24-inch or larger monitor is acceptable.	Yes. Appendix A specifies "Monitor HD 1920 x 1080 LCD" with no minimum screen size; a 24-inch is acceptable provided the required resolution is met.
21	Appendix A – Technical Specifications, Page 17, CLIN 004 – UPS 1500 2U Rack Server	Appendix A references the Lenovo RT1.5kVA 2U Rack/Tower UPS. We understand that the referenced model may no longer be in production. Will the Government accept a currently manufactured UPS from Lenovo or another manufacturer that meets or exceeds all specified electrical, capacity, form-factor, and connectivity requirements?	Yes, consistent with Appendix A's "meet or exceed" standard, provided all specified electrical, capacity, form-factor, and connectivity requirements are met.
22	Attachment 2 – Pricing Table; SOW Section 9 – Travel	Please clarify how travel associated with site visits, installation, testing, training, and other required on-site activities should be priced in Attachment 2. Should all anticipated travel costs be incorporated into the applicable site package CLINs, or does the Government intend for travel to be priced separately?	All anticipated travel costs shall be incorporated into the applicable Installation, Testing, and Training CLINs (001B through 008B) for each site. The Government does not intend for travel to be priced separately.

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File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Sep 14, 2026.