Cairo_Hotel_IDIQ_Preproposal_Conference_QAs_as_of_April_26.pdf

Hotel Rooms IDIQ Solicitation No. S19EG3018Q0035, Amendment 0001

American Embassy Cairo, Egypt

SECTION A

ANSWERS TO SUBMITTED QUESTIONS

19EG3018Q0035

1. Question: Page 7 – Pre diem link available in the RFP doesn’t work. However we have found from another state website that Per Diem for Cairo is USD 175 + USD 98 for meals as on 1 Mar 2017. Location Code for Cairo is 10328. Is this correct

Answer: The internet address

(http://aoprals.a.state.gov/Web920/per_diem_action.asp?Menu%20Hide=1&PostCode=10328) provided in Section 1, II Base Period/III First Option Year/IV Second Option Year is best accessed by cutting and pasting the link directly into Microsoft Explorer or Google

Chrome. Some browsers may be incompatible with the website.

The “Maximum Lodging Rate” is the nightly hotel per diem rate. The M&IE rate refers meals & incidental expenses and is not a part of the hotel/lodging rate. This website does not refer to location codes.

2. Question: Page 8 – How important is second and third year rates?

Answer: In order for an offer to be technically acceptable, rates must be provided for all three years indicated in in Section 1, part/s II Base Period/III First Option Year/IV

Second Option Year. Offers without rates for all three years will be rejected.

3. Question: Oral booking will be accepted if followed by written request in 3 days. How many days prior will the bookings be made on an average?

Answer: Per Section 1, part IX Task Orders, “The Contracting Officer may place orders orally, telephonically, by facsimile, or in writing. Oral orders shall be confirmed in writing within three calendar days.”

The solicitation does not indicate a maximum/minimum number of days prior to the reservation for the order to be placed. Potential contractors can expect reservations to range from months in advance to a day in advance.

4. Question: Page 13 – Govt Security and Logistical Requirement. Please elaborate. Is it security measures at the hotel or offerer’s office

Answer: Section 4 Evaluation Factors requires that proposals include “an overview of the offeror’s security measures/protocols”. This requirement refers to the security procedures at the actual hotel premises. These procedures must be provided in writing for our review. We may conduct site visits if needed.

5. Question: Page 23 – Ordeal Limitation. Will all booking orders come from one office or multiple offices http://aoprals.a.state.gov/Web920/per_diem_action.asp?Menu%20Hide=1&PostCode=10328 http://aoprals.a.state.gov/Web920/per_diem_action.asp?Menu%20Hide=1&PostCode=10328

Hotel Rooms IDIQ Solicitation No. S19EG3018Q0035, Amendment 0001

Answer: Task Orders will be submitted by the Embassy GSO section, including the

Contracting Officer, the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), or an Embassy

Procurement Agent.

6. Question: If one order exceeding USD 500,000 offeror can reject, but Govt will still pursue with others. So it is better to service theses queries also

Answer: This question is a business decision for the contractor to decide.

7. Question: Page 24 - Govt having available funds until Sep 2018 only. When do we get to know whether there would be budget allocated or not?

Answer: As per Section, Addendum to Contract Clauses, 52.232-19 Availability of

Funds for the Next Fiscal Year, “no legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment may arise for performance under this contract beyond September 30 of the current calendar year, until funds are made available to the Contracting Officer for performance and until the Contractor receives notice of availability, to be confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer.” Contractors will be notified with the first task order they receive after September 30.

8. Question: Page 25 – When to raise the invoice? When will payments be made

Answer: Invoices may be submitted once the service has been completed. The payment is Net 30 days, which means you will receive payment within 30 days after the Embassy receives a proper invoice.

9. Question: Will payments be made to any address in the world?

Once the contracts are awarded, contractors will receive a wire transfer form to complete.

Payments will be made to the bank account mentioned on this wire transfer form.

10. Question: Invoice shall include all items required by FAR 32-905 (c). What is FAR 32-

905 (c)?

Answer: The FAR is the Federal Acquisition Regulation which you can find online from multiple sites, such as https://www.acquisition.gov/browsefar. FAR 32-905 (c) is a clause related to payment authorization which reads as below.

(c) Authorization to pay. All invoice payments, with the exception of interim payments on cost-reimbursement contracts for services, must be supported by a receiving report or other Government documentation authorizing payment (e.g., Government certified voucher). The agency receiving official should forward the receiving report or other

Government documentation to the designated payment office by the 5th working day after

Government acceptance or approval, unless other arrangements have been made. This period of time does not extend the due dates prescribed in this section. Acceptance should be

Hotel Rooms IDIQ Solicitation No. S19EG3018Q0035, Amendment 0001 completed as expeditiously as possible. The receiving report or other Government documentation authorizing payment must, as a minimum, include the following:

(1) Contract number or other authorization for supplies delivered or services performed.

(2) Description of supplies delivered or services performed.

(3) Quantities of supplies received and accepted or services performed, if applicable.

(4) Date supplies delivered or services performed.

(5) Date that the designated Government official—

(i) Accepted the supplies or services; or

(ii) Approved the progress payment request, if the request is being made under the clause at 52.232-5, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts, or the clause at

52.232-10, Payments Under Fixed-Price Architect-Engineer Contracts.

(6) Signature, printed name, title, mailing address, and telephone number of the designated Government official responsible for acceptance or approval functions.

(d) Billing office. The designated billing office must immediately annotate each invoice with the actual date it receives the invoice.

(e) Payment office. The designated payment office will annotate each invoice and receiving report with the actual date it receives the invoice.

11. Question: Page 29 – Addendum to 52.212.1. The offeror shall include Defence Book

Act (DBA) insurance premium costs covering employees. Is it Embassy employees or our company employees. If its our own, does this have to be for total strength of staff or for select staff handling this project?

Answer: Federal law requires all U.S. government contractors and subcontractors to secure workers' compensation insurance for their employees working overseas. Section

2, Clause 52.228-3 Worker’s Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act) and Section 3

Addendum to 52.212.1 relate to those contractor employees who will manage this contract.

12. Question: Page 32 – Over view of the offerors security measures/protocol. Please explain? Is it with hotels proposed or with the offeror’ company

Answer: Please see the answer to question #4.

13. Question: Page 34 (1/51) ….. if the offeror has completed annual representation and certification electronically. Is this the first registration process to be done?

Answer: With respect to Section 5, 52.212.3 Offeror Representations and Certifications, the offeror has the option of: 1) registering in SAM https://www.sam.gov/portal and completing paragraph (b) of this provision OR 2) not registering in SAM and filling out paragraphs (c) through (u) of this provision. That said, the SAM registration is a critical step that must be completed in order to be awarded a contract. Please see the attached guidance on the SAM registration process.

https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/52_232.html#wp1152507 https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/52_232.html#wp1152507 https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/52_232.html#wp1152607 https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/current/far/html/52_232.html#wp1152607 https://www.sam.gov/portal

Hotel Rooms IDIQ Solicitation No. S19EG3018Q0035, Amendment 0001

SAM International

Helpful Hints.pdf

Quick Guide for

International Entity Registration.pdf

14. Question: Page 36 (3/51) What happens when offeror’s business is acquired by another company while the project is ongoing? Can the Contract continue?

Answer: This will be determined on a case-by-case basis in coordination with our legal department.

15. Question: Page 39 (6/51) (d) Representation required. Is that relevant for this contract?

Answer: With respect to Section 5, 52.212.3 Offeror Representations and Certifications, the offeror has the option of: 1) registering in SAM https://www.sam.gov/portal and completing paragraph (b) of this provision OR 2) not registering in SAM and filling out paragraphs (c) through (u) of this provision. If the offeror opts to not register in SAM, then all the provisions under Section 5 are relevant and must be addressed if the specific condition applies.

16. Question: Page 40 (7/51) 3 (g)(i)(ii) what is this. Is that relevant? How about following pages?

Answer: See answer to question #15.

17. Question: Page 45 (12/51) 2 and 2 (iii). Are they relevant?

18. Question: Page 46 (13/51) Tax Payer Identity No. Is that relevant for companies outside

USA

19. Question: Page 49 (16/51) Greenhome Gas Protocoal Corporate Standard. What is this?

Answer: This Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions representation shall be completed if the Offeror is to received $7.5 million or more in contract awards in the prior Federal fiscal year. The representation is optional if the Offeror received less than

$7.5 million in Federal contract awards in the prior Federal fiscal year. Note that this contract is capped at $7.5 million.

20. Question: What percentage of booking would be paid directly to properties by the delegates?

Hotel Rooms IDIQ Solicitation No. S19EG3018Q0035, Amendment 0001

Answer: There is no exact percentage. Self-payers do represent a significant portion of this contract.

21. Question: When is the awarding likely to happen?

Answer: We are hoping to award before mid-June.

22. Question: When will the bookings start?

Answer: Once the contracts have been awarded, the bookings will start with the next new reservation request.

23. Question: Upto how many days should we have rooms/allocation kept.

Answer: Once you receive a task order (reservation request), you should allocate the rooms requested for the time period requested until the reservation is fulfilled or until the reservation is cancelled.

24. Question: Are delegates likely to travel during Christmas, New year periods?

Answer: Yes, any travel dates are possible, including holidays.

25. Question: Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items. Offeror to complete blocks

12, 17, 23, 24, 30. What is 12 (Discount Items)?

Answer: You can leave this block blank on the Standard Form 1449.

26. Question: 11 – delivery of FOB destination unless block is marked. What is FOB

Answer: FOB is "Free on Board Destination." The term is used in Block 11 of the

Standard Form 1149 and means that the buyer takes delivery of goods being shipped which in the context of this contract means that we will receive the service here in Egypt.

27. Question: Page 7 – Minimum & Maximum Amounts: Govt’s minimum commitment over a year is only 50 rooms nights. (It could however go up to any number I understand, but is there a possibility you are seeing that it could stick around just 50 room nights?)

Answer: Yes, this is a possibility. As per Section, part I Scope of Services, the contract only guarantees a minimum of 50 Hotel Room nights.

28. Question: Page 7 – Base Period (and following pages) have a reference link given to US

Govt per diem, providing ideas on the rate structure. This link however doesn’t work.

Anyway I have managed to get the attached document from the website that shows USD

175 as the per-diem per night in Cairo. Is this the per-diem or per night rate we are referring to

Hotel Rooms IDIQ Solicitation No. S19EG3018Q0035, Amendment 0001

Answer: The internet address (http://aoprals.a.state.gov/Web920/per_diem_action.asp?Menu

Hide=1&PostCode=10328) provided in Section 1, II Base Period/III First Option Year/IV

Second Option Year is best accessed by cutting and pasting the link directly into

Microsoft Explorer or Google Chrome. Some browsers may be incompatible with the website.

The “Maximum Lodging Rate” is the nightly hotel per diem rate. The current “Maximum

Lodging Rate” is $175 for Cairo. This rate is reviewed on an annual basis and may change, which is why we included the link which is updated as needed.

29. Question: Page 7 – For evaluation purposes they have given 1000 rooms. In case such numbers come, it is not clear whether they require all rooms in one hotel?

Answer: The numbers given for evaluation purposes in Section 1, part/s II Base

Period/III First Option Year/IV Second Option Year are based on annual estimations. In the unlikely event 1,000 hotel rooms are needed at one time, we will distribute the rooms among several hotels based on our requirements.

30. Question: Page 12 – Responsibility of the Govt. – says that payment may be made via

Task Order (perhaps like company billing) or could be paid for by the guest direct to hotel. When payments are made direct by guests, travel management companies (like us) will not benefit on those transactions. Can we therefore ensure all payments come into us and not to hotel?

Answer: No, self-payers must be able to pay the awarded hotel directly.

31. Question: Page 26 – SECTION 8(A) OF THE EXPORT ADMINISTRATION ACT OF

1979, talks about some restrictions for those not friendly with Israel, and a local partner in

Egypt we could overcome this. Is this required or can we have the bills generated out of and funds transferred to UAE?

Answer: Please refer to the answer of question number 9.

32. Question: I have noted that payment would made post the stay, and monthly billing would be settled in 2 weeks of invoice despatch. Kindly confirm

Answer: Please refer to the answer of question number 8.

33. Question: One more point, who is the current travel partner for the Embassy in Cairo?

Answer: We have a global contract with Carlson Wagonlit.

34. Question: Is this open contact or only Hotels can participate? We read whole contrat, and there wasn't mentioned anywhere about it, that is why our company's representative especially went to Cairo to attend the pre-quotation conference. Our company is willing to work on this project and we are strategizing very carefully according to your requirements. Please let us know if there is any condition.

Hotel Rooms IDIQ Solicitation No. S19EG3018Q0035, Amendment 0001

Answer: The intent of this solicitation is to award contracts directly with hotels.

However, we will consider any party that can meet all the terms of the solicitation.