19GE5018R0090_Amendment_0002_Attachment_1_Q&A.pdf

Travel Management Services 19GE5018R0090 Amendment 0002, Attachment 1

Page 1 of 29 pages

Questions and Answers 1 through 112

Question 1:

Page 1 -- On Page 1, is it acceptable for the TMC to respond to Blocks 23 and 24 with "See Line Items"?

Answer 1:

These blocks do not need to be completed.

Question 2:

Line Items on pages 4-9 -- Are TMC fees to be quoted in USD or EUR?

Answer 2:

Prices are preferred in to be in EUR, but USD is also acceptable. The currency used for the price proposal must also be used for the billing during the period of performance. The Government will not adjust the transaction fees after contract award due to exchange rate fluctuations.

Question 3:

Line Items on pages 4-9 -- Are prices to be provided only in response to the Line Items section, or are bidders to provide an additional pricing grid?

Answer 3:

Prices must be listed in-line. An additional pricing grid may be attached as an option, but the prices must match the in-line responses on pages 4-9.

Question 4:

Line Item 003 -- Regarding Train/Ferry transactions - Do the 800 transactions reflect rail/ferry travel across all countries per year? In which countries are rail tickets required for travel? In which countries are ferry bookings required for travel?

Answer 4:

Yes, the 800 transactions are estimated quantities of rail/ferry travel across all countries per year. Almost all of these transactions are for rail tickets. Only a small number are for ferry tickets. Train and ferry bookings are needed for every embassy and consulate listed in section

0.1 “Description”. Most train tickets are issued for travel in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Most ferry bookings are for travel in the Greek isles and the United Kingdom.

Question 5:

Line Item 005 -- Regarding Hotel transactions - Do the 100 transactions reflect hotel bookings across all countries per year?

Answer 5:

Page 2 of 29 pages

Yes, the 100 transactions are estimated quantities of hotel bookings across all countries per year.

Question 6:

Line Item 006 -- Regarding Vehicle Rental transactions - Do the 500 transactions reflect vehicle rentals across all countries per year?

Answer 6:

Yes, the 500 transactions are estimated quantities of rental vehicle bookings across all countries per year.

Question 7:

Line Item 009 Emergency Service/Evacuation Support -- Please clarify the extent of services required by the TMC. Is the TMC expected to evacuate personnel directly? Does the Government use a third-party service for evacuation? If so, please name the service.

Answer 7:

The service required under this line item is for the contractor’s staff to provide on-site travel management and ticketing services, specifically during non-regular work hours on nights, weekends, and holidays, to support the evacuation of U.S. Government employees via commercial air carriers. The TMC is not expected to evacuate personnel directly. When evacuations occur, the method of evacuation depends on unique circumstances, but can include evacuation by commercial air carriers. The TMC will generally not be asked to assist with evacuations that are conducted by means other than commercial air carriers.

Question 8:

Line Item 009 Emergency Service/Evacuation Support -- Does the estimate of 20 hours of support annually reflect evacuations only, or does this also include after-hours telephone support (not related to an evacuation)?

Answer 8:

This estimate reflects evacuation support only. It does not include after-hours support on nights, weekends, and holidays.

Question 9:

Line Item 009 Emergency Service/Evacuation Support -- Can the Government provide an estimate of how many calls are received outside of normal business hours of M-F 8:00 am to 6:00 pm?

Answer 9:

As stated in Answer 8, calls made to the after-hours support line outside normal business hours are not part of this line item. Line item 009 refers only to evacuation support.

Page 3 of 29 pages

Calls made to the after-hours support line do not incur a fee. A fee will be charged only when a transaction occurs.

Typically, fewer than 10 calls will be made to the after-hours support line on evenings, and fewer than 20 calls over the course of a two-day weekend. However, this call volume can increase substantially if a major event occurs, such as the unexpected closure of a major airport due to weather conditions.

Question 10:

0.1 Description -- "The contract will be for a base period of twelve months, with an option to renew for an additional four years." Will the additional four years be awarded all at once, or one year at a time?

Answer 10:

Each option year will be awarded individually, one year at a time.

Question 11:

0.1 Description -- How many of the listed countries were included the annual transaction estimates?

Answer 11:

The annual transaction estimates are derived from all of the embassies, consulates, and missions listed on page 10.

Question 12:

0.1 Description -- Are any languages besides English required for traveler support?

Answer 12:

No.

Question 13:

0.1 Description -- Can ticketing and other technical services be done outside of the regional service center, if the technology would allow that?

Answer 13:

The Government is willing to review and consider any technologies and processes suggested by the Contractor. However, the staff members who create the itineraries and provide customer service must be located at the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany.

Any technologies or processes introduced by the Contractor over the course of this contract will not impact the pricing.

Question 14:

Page 4 of 29 pages

0.1 Description -- How many TMC FTEs (Full-Time Equivalent employees) are currently working to support this contract?

Answer 14:

Currently, there are 12 full-time equivalent employees (10 full-time and 4 part-time).

Question 15:

0.1 Description -- How does the Government currently receive after-hours support from the TMC? Is it through the same team of onsite agents?

Answer 15:

The current TMC provides after-hours support through a call center located in another country in the EU. This call center is not dedicated to Government travelers, but the staff at the call center have been trained to handle Government travel issues.

In your company’s technical proposal, you must provide a description of how your company plans to fulfill after-hours calls. Your company may not use the facilities at the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt.

Question 16:

0.2 Contract Minimum and Maximum Amounts -- What exactly do the contract minimum (EUR 50,000 net) and maximum (EUR 3M net) amounts mean for the awarded TMC?

Answer 16:

Fees paid to the TMC will fall within this range.

Question 17:

0.2 Contract Minimum and Maximum Amounts -- Is there an upper limit for the amount of business that the TMC will receive? What happens if/when the maximum is reached? Does the selected TMC stop receiving business? Is the Government forced to use a different provider once the threshold is reached?

Answer 17:

If the maximum amount is reached, work under this contract may continue by mutual consent of the Contractor and the Government, at the prices stated in the contract.

Question 18:

0.2 Contract Minimum and Maximum Amounts -- Do the minimum and maximum amounts reflect the value of the TMC service fees only? Or the value of all transactions and service fees (for example, agency's fees plus all traveler airfares and hotel costs)? Please clarify.

Answer 18:

The minimum and maximum amounts reflect only the fees paid to the Contractor. They do not include airfares, hotel costs, etc.

Page 5 of 29 pages

Question 19:

0.2 Contract Minimum and Maximum Amounts -- Does the contract period in contract minimum and maximum amounts refer to a single year or five years?

Answer 19:

The minimum and maximum amounts refer to the base year and four option years of this contract.

Question 20:

1.1 Corporate travel services -- Please provide as much detail as possible on the billing and CBA reconciliation process.

Answer 20:

Each embassy or consulate has one or more CBA charge cards, from Citibank. The bank issues invoices for each card monthly. Every embassy or consulate will forward the statement to the travel management center (TMC). The TMC must then reconcile the statement with the tickets issued during the statement period. This involves matching each ticket and associated travel authorization and the invoice with the bank statement. The TMC must complete this process and return the reconciliation package to the embassy or consulate within 5 business days of receipt of the CBA statement.

Currently, this is a manual process. However, the Contractor may devise an automated way of completing the monthly reconciliation using its own designed software. Data elements that must be listed in the reconciliation report include, but are not limited to, traveler’s name, itinerary, date of travel, date of ticket issuance, travel authorization number, and name of air carrier, cost, and invoice number for each month’s Citibank statement.

Question 21:

1.1 Corporate travel services -- Are agents doing any additional work to support travelers, such as: passport photos, visa applications, dinner reservations, etc.?

Answer 21:

Any service not described in the contract section 3.0 “Requirements for Official Travel Services” is not a part of the contract. The contractor may provide personal travel services to U.S. Government travelers. The services and service fees should be listed clearly and provided to the COR within 10 days after the contract award (or at the Post-Award Conference). See attached a copy of the current personal travel service fees.

Question 22:

1.1 Corporate travel services -- Does the Government have any requirements for groups-or meetings-related travel? If so, please describe the number, size and frequency of meetings.

May we charge a separate fee for group travel?

Page 6 of 29 pages

Answer 22:

No, there is no requirement specifically related to meetings or conferences.

Question 23:

1.3 Travel Services -- "Contractor shall post and publish in a clearly visible public place the transaction fees to be charged for personal travel." Is this fee to be provided after the bidding process, or along with our proposal? If the latter, where is the Personal Travel fee to be listed?

Answer 23:

The personal service fees must be provided to the COR within 10 days after the contract award (or at the Post-Award Conference). This will fulfill the requirement to publish the fees.

The Contractor must also make the personal services fees available to travelers upon request.

The Contractor may publish the fees online, or through other media, if the Contractor chooses.

If the Contractor chooses to include the personal service fees as part of its proposal, the Government will not consider these fees in its price evaluation.

Question 24:

1.4 Other U.S. citizens -- "Additionally, the Government is often called upon to assist U.S.

citizens who wish to return to the U.S. The Contractor may be called upon to assist with the travel arrangements in such cases." Please quantify the number of transactions for return of U.S. citizens who are not employees of the Department of State. Which type of fee is charged for these bookings - the government transaction fee or the personal transaction fee?

Answer 24:

This type of travel is called “repatriation travel.” The current TMC handles approximately five requests per week. This type of travel is official travel, and the relevant transaction fees under this contract will be charged.

Question 25:

1.5 Persons with disabilities -- "Contractor shall arrange necessary and reasonable accommodations, including but not limited to airline seating, in-terminal transfers, ground transportation and barrier-free or otherwise accessible lodging." May we charge an extra or different fee for the additional services required for special needs bookings?

Answer 25:

No additional fees may be charged for these services.

Question 26:

3.1 Value Added Tax -- "Contractor shall provide the original invoices with its monthly reconciliation report for all of Mission Germany's transactions." Please provide a detailed process for invoice and reconciliation flow. Are all documents on paper?

Page 7 of 29 pages

Answer 26:

The details of this process will depend, in part, on the Contractor’s own business processes.

The reconciliation package provided by the Contractor must include original invoices for all fees charged under this contract and a copy of the travel authorization. The Contractor must not provide invoice copies, which are unacceptable to the German tax authority for VAT reimbursement.

Electronic documents are preferred to the greatest extent possible. See also Answer 20.

Question 27:

3.2.1 Air Travel -- "Check for lower fare at time of final ticketing." Does the Government prefer instant or delayed ticketing?

Answer 27:

Instant ticketing is preferred, but the Government will consider delayed ticketing if it is advantageous.

Question 28:

3.2.1 Air Travel -- "If reservations made by the Contractor are not at the lowest available rate allowed by policy, the Contractor shall refund the difference." Please provide the process for how the Government determines it was not the lowest fare?

Answer 28:

The Government may discover that the Contractor has issued a ticket at a rate other than the lowest allowable rate by a variety of means, including by publicly available information.

Question 29:

3.2.5 Premium Class -- "This does not apply to situations in which frequent flyer benefits will be used to obtain the premium class tickets." Is the TMC supposed to manage frequent traveler benefits? Please explain to what extent loyalty program management is required.

Answer 29:

The Contractor is not required to manage corporate loyalty programs for Government travelers or upgrade travelers’ tickets using their frequent traveler points. However, the current TMC allows travelers to save their frequent flyer account numbers in their user profiles. A traveler’s frequent flyer account is credited automatically when a ticket is purchased and used.

Question 30:

3.2.7 Advance Boarding Passes -- "Contractor shall provide the traveler with advance boarding passes" Please clarify how this should work.

Answer 30:

Page 8 of 29 pages

The features listed in this contract clause vary by airline, and may change over time. The Contractor will provide these services when it is able to do so. Such services will not incur an additional fee.

Question 31:

3.7 Management Reports -- Is use of a Secure Communications Portal (SCP) required for any reporting? If so, please explain.

Answer 31:

No, a secure communications portal is not required.

Question 32:

3.7 Management Reports -- Are any reports required in a pipe delimited comma separated values (CSV) file format? Are there specific requirements for headers or footers? If so, please explain.

Answer 32:

There are no specific requirements for the format of the reports. Microsoft Excel spreadsheets are preferred for the monthly sales activity report and the monthly transaction fee report.

Question 33:

3.7 Management Reports -- Are specific naming conventions required for reporting? If so, please explain.

Answer 33:

There are no specific naming conventions.

Question 34:

3.7.1 Quarterly Problems and Solutions Report -- "Contractor shall provide a concise quarterly narrative of the Contractor's activities." Can you please clarify the types of activities to be reported, over and above complaints/compliments?

Answer 34:

This report, in the form of a written narrative, will summarize all the actions taken by the Contractor that affect the services provided under this contract. This may include, but is not limited to, business changes, improvements, and actions taken to solve reported problems.

This report may take the form of an email to the COR containing the required information.

Question 35:

3.7.3.1 Monthly Recon of Transportation Billings -- "Contractor shall participate in enhanced data transmissions to the CBA card vendor when requested, at no additional cost to the Government. Enhanced data files may be required to provide additional detailed information on the CBA invoice." Please provide additional detail.

Page 9 of 29 pages

Answer 35:

Enhanced data may include, but is not limited to, the traveler’s name and the travel authorization number. The purpose of this requirement is to facilitate automated electronic reconciliation of the monthly CBA statement, and, ultimately, to simplify the reconciliation process for both the Contractor and the Government.

Question 36:

3.7.3.3 Monthly Recon - Delivery -- "Contractor shall deliver reconciliation reports and supporting documents to posts electronically." Please provide additional detail.

Answer 36:

Electronic delivery of reconciliation reports is required to quicken the delivery of these reports to the embassies and consulates. Delivery of hard copies by courier slows down the process, sometimes contributing to overdue balances of the CBA statements.

Question 37:

3.8.4 Service Levels -- "Contractor shall answer phone calls within 20 seconds and provide a recorded message for those calls not answered in 20 seconds." What percentage of calls is considered acceptable? Example: x% of calls are to be answered in 20 seconds.

Answer 37:

Response to phone call - 95% within 20 seconds

Question 38:

3.8.4 Service Levels -- "Return calls shall be made within one (1) hour." What is the process for returning calls when a message is received 10 minutes prior to office close? Within one business hour would mean the call is returned the next morning.

Answer 38:

Voicemail messages left within 1 hour of the office closure must be returned no later than 1 hour after opening of business on the next business day.

Question 39:

3.10 Telefax Capability -- Is an electronic fax service via computer acceptable for the fax line?

Answer 39:

Yes.

Question 40:

3.12 eTS -- Which version of the eTS online booking tool is currently used? Do you require this same version of the eTS tool from your future TMC?

Answer 40:

Page 10 of 29 pages

The Department of State uses the online booking tool provided by CWT Sato Travel through its E2 software. This online booking tool is not currently activated in any of the embassies or consulates serviced by this contract, although it is used by other Department of State entities.

Question 41:

3.12 eTS -- If no tool is being used yet, are you open to any version of the eTS/ ETS2 online booking system? If no tool is being used yet, when do you intend to begin use of the tool?

Answer 41:

At this time, only the online booking tool provided through the E2 software will be used. The Government plans to begin a phased activation of the online booking tool at the embassies and consulates serviced by this contract following the award of the contract. The phased deployment will begin on a small scale, with one or two posts, and grow thereafter.

Question 42:

3.12 eTS -- What is the TMC's role in eTS booking process?

Answer 42:

The passenger name record is transmitted from the online booking tool to the TMC’s GDS system, which then issues the ticket and delivers it to the traveler.

Question 43:

3.12 eTS -- Does the Government have its own Help Desk for the eTS online booking tool?

Answer 43:

Technical support for the online booking tool is provided through the eTS contractor.

Question 44:

3.12 eTS -- Is any TMC assistance or support required for travelers needing help with the tool? If so, can you quantify the number of support calls required per year?

Answer 44:

When a traveler is unable to complete a booking in the online booking tool and requires the assistance of a travel agent, the traveler will contact the TMC and an agent will complete the booking. Regular agent-assisted transaction fees will apply in these cases.

Question 45:

3.12 eTS -- Does the Government wish to increase use of the online booking tool?

Answer 45:

Yes, the Government intends to phase in the online booking tool during the course of the base and option years of this contract. There is no deployment schedule at this time. The Government intends to start with one or two posts, and then continue to deploy to additional posts after that.

Page 11 of 29 pages

Question 46:

6.1 Space for Performance -- "Any renovation .. Shall be at the Contractor's expense." Does the Government commit to providing office space that is clean, acceptable, and in working condition when the new TMC moves in?

Answer 46:

Yes, the office space will be clean and suitable for occupancy.

Question 47:

6.1 Space for Performance -- Does the Government permit the use of VOIP phone lines at its online office?

Answer 47:

Yes.

Question 48:

8.1 Performance Matrix -- Please assign percentages for each of the listed parameters:

Response to phone call - __% within 20 seconds Response to general email - __% within 24 hours after receipt of email Issuance of itinerary - __% within 24 hours after receipt of email inquiry Issuance of tickets - __% within 24 hours after receipt of travel order Emergency service thru toll-free number - __% within 20 seconds or return message within one hour

Answer 48:

Response to phone call - 95% within 20 seconds Response to general email - 98% within 24 hours after receipt of email Issuance of itinerary - 98% within 24 hours after receipt of email inquiry Issuance of tickets - 98% within 24 hours after receipt of travel order Emergency service thru toll-free number - 95% within 20 seconds or return message within one hour

Question 49:

8.1 Performance Matrix -- Please confirm that a toll-free line is required in Germany for after-hours service.

Answer 49:

Yes, a toll-free line is required for calls received from all countries covered by this contract.

Question 50:

8.2 Quality Control Plan -- Please confirm when the Quality Control Plan is to be submitted.

Answer 50:

Page 12 of 29 pages

Quality control of the services provided under this contract must be conducted continually throughout the period of performance.

The Contractor may provide a written quality control plan in its proposal.

Question 51:

8.4 Quality Survey -- Please confirm that the survey may be conducted via email.

Answer 51:

Yes, the survey should be conducted by email.

Question 52:

9.3.2 Transfer of PNRs -- Regarding transfer of PNRs - Which GDS is currently used by the Government?

Answer 52:

The current contractor uses Amadeus.

Question 53:

10.0 Deliverables -- "Monthly Sales Activity Report - due date = 10th Calendar day after the last day of each calendar month" Does the Government require fully cleansed data by this date?

Answer 53:

Accurate data is required by the 10th calendar day of each month.

Question 54:

12.1 Travel Authorization -- Please explain the Travel Authorization procedure. Is any involvement required by the TMC? Are Travel Authorizations issued electronically? Is approval required prior to ticketing? Are there backup contacts for Authorizations? Are TAs required for all Official Travel? Please clarify this process, and how the TMC is involved.

Answer 54:

For most travelers being serviced by this contract, travel authorizations (TAs) are produced through the E2 software by CWT Sato Travel. In this software, the traveler enters his or her authorized travel dates, route, allowable expenses, and other details related to the trip. The approval process differs at each embassy and consulate, but generally the draft authorization will be reviewed by several different officials before it receives final approval. When the TA has been fully approved, the traveler will submit it to the Contractor. The receipt of a fully approved TA is what gives the Contractor permission to issue the ticket and charge the appropriate transaction fee. The Contractor must follow any ticketing policies stated on the TA, such as using restricted or unrestricted tickets.

The Contractor may not issue a ticket without a fully approved TA, nor may it charge any transaction fees.

Page 13 of 29 pages

The Contractor is not involved in the creation of TAs. However, travelers will usually ask the TMC to provide quotes before the TA is finalized, because the traveler must enter the expected cost of the ticket into the TA. The Government understands that reservations are subject to cancelation by the airlines if not issued within a specified period. When making reservations, the Contractor should inform the traveler of the deadline by which the ticket must be issued. The Contractor should also remind the traveler that the ticket fare may increase if it is not issued by that deadline.

Although the majority of TAs provided are through the E2 software, permanent change of station (PCS) travel authorizations generally take the form of official cables issued by the Department of State. These TAs make up a sizeable minority of all cases.

Some Government agencies serviced by this contract, such as the Department of Defense, may issue their own types of TAs. Questions about the validity of TAs should be directed to the COR.

In a rare minority of cases, tickets might need to be issued without a fully approved TA. This includes emergency medical evacuation travel, when the traveler must depart immediately and does not have time to create a TA. Each embassy and consulate will have its own procedure for approving emergency travel. Generally, the post will provide the Contractor with a list of individuals from that post who have the authority to approve emergency travel.

Travelers never have the authority to approve their own emergency travel. The COR may also be consulted for guidance on whether to fulfill a request for emergency ticketing.

Question 55:

12.1 Personal Travel -- Can the Government provide an estimate of annual number of Cost Construct bookings?

Answer 55:

The Government estimates approximately 400 cost construct bookings per year, based on past example, but this could be higher or lower. The number can be expected to increase if additional embassies or consulates join the contract. If new posts join the contract, the Government will provide the Contractor with an estimate of the additional cost construct requests.

Question 56:

12.1 Personal Travel -- Can the Government provide an estimate of annual number of Pet bookings? May we charge a different fee for Pet Personal Travel?

Answer 56:

The Government estimates 150 pet bookings per year. Under current U.S. Government regulations, pet transportation is always a personal activity. It is never authorized as an official expense. Therefore, the Contractor may determine the personal service fee.

Page 14 of 29 pages

Question 57:

12.1 Personal Travel -- Does the Government require the shipment of weapons or military impedimenta? If so, approximately how many shipments per year? May we charge a different fee when weapons are involved with travel?

Answer 57:

The shipment of weapons and military equipment is not required under this contract.

Question 58:

12.1 Personal Travel -- Does the Government require transport of human remains, and are they considered Official or Personal Travel? Approximately how many per year? May we charge different fee?

Answer 58:

The shipment of human remains is not required under this contract.

Question 59:

12.4 Commissions -- Does the Government require that the TMC return commissions?

Answer 59:

No.

Question 60:

13.2 Refunds for Lowest Available Fare -- Please explain further how the Government calculates the Lowest Available Airfare.

Answer 60:

The Contractor is responsible for determining the lowest acceptable fare, based on U.S.

Government travel policy, post travel policy, and other requirements that might be stated on the travel authorization, such as whether restricted or unrestricted tickets are authorized.

When the Government discovers that a higher fare ticket has been issued, the Contractor must refund the difference.

Question 61:

13.3 Payment -- Can the Government provide an estimate of the annual number of direct bill transactions?

Answer 61:

The Government does not have this estimate.

Question 62:

15.1 Transaction Fees -- Is the Government open to considering a management fee structure?

Page 15 of 29 pages

Answer 62:

No.

Question 63:

15.1.1 Changes to original reservations -- "When.. Contractor is required to arrange for transportation of one or more individuals.. No transaction fee shall be charged.. Including but not limited to.. Changes to the original transportation, hotel lodging or vehicle rental reservations" Can you please clarify this section further? Is this to say that no fee may be charged for a changed reservation when it applies to more than one person?

Answer 62:

No transaction fee may be charged until a ticket has been issued, or, for vehicle and hotel rentals, until the reservation has been made following the receipt of a fully approved travel authorization.

Question 63:

H-009.4. Contractor ID -- "Contractor personnel may not utilize Department of State logos or indicia on business cards." May bidders use the Department of State logo in our proposal materials for the Department of State?

Answer 63:

No.

Question 64:

Section 2 - Pages 33 to 51 -- Is the TMC required to respond to any of the text in pages 33 to 51?

Answer 64:

No. But with submission of your proposal the TMC accepts these clauses as part of the solicitation and follow-on contract.

Question 65:

Section 3 - 11.d. Product Samples -- Please confirm that no Product Samples are required, since this is an RFP for travel services.

Answer 65:

No product samples are required.

Question 66:

Section 3. - 1.2.1 Resumes -- "Complete the resume at the end of this section for all Key Personnel as identified in Section 1, continuation of block 20, paragraph 20.0 and whether they are currently employed.” Please note that paragraph 20.0 of Section 1 appears to be in reference to Insurance rather than Key Personnel: "20.0 Insurance The Contractor, at its own

Page 16 of 29 pages expense, shall provide and maintain during the entire period of performance of this contract, whatever insurance is legally necessary." Can you please clarify?

Answer 66:

This is an error. Section 1.2.1 of Addendum to 52.212-1 should read:

Complete the resume at the end of this section, for all Key Personnel, as identified in Section 1, continuation of block 20, paragraph 18.0 and whether they are currently employed by the offeror. Resumes of personnel not currently employed by the Contractor must contain a statement that use of their resume for this solicitation is authorized. Specifically confirm that all proposed personnel speak, understand and write English.

Question 67:

Section 3. - 1.2.2 GDS -- Please specify which GDS is in place today at Dept of State. Is this same GDS required for the future TMC?

Answer 67:

The current TMC uses Amadeus. The Contractor may select the GDS to be used under this contract.

Question 68:

ADDENDUM TO 52.212-1/ 1.2.8 (4) -- Does "the offeror's strategic plan for Regional Travel Management Services" refer to an implementation plan?

Answer 68:

The Contractor may include an implementation plan, in addition to the items listed in subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d).

Question 69:

Section 4 - 52.212-2 Evaluation -- Subsection a) states that "The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Technical Information demonstrating the offeror's ability to meet the solicitation requirements; past performance and experience; price/ cost. Technical and past performance when combined are significantly more important than cost or price." However, Addendum to 52.212-2 Evaluation - Commercial Items states in 1.0 that “Award will be made to the lowest priced, acceptable, responsible offeror,” and the cover letter states that “The U.S.

Government intends to award a Requirements Contract to the responsible company submitting an acceptable proposal at the lowest price.” Which criteria will be used? Please clarify whether technical information or cost takes precedence in the Government's evaluation process.

Answer 69:

The Government will first evaluate whether the proposal is technically acceptable based on the evaluation criteria. The contract will then be awarded to the proposal that is technically acceptable and has the lowest price. A solicitation amendment will be issued to clarify this procedure.

Page 17 of 29 pages

Question 70:

GDS -- Does the Government require GDS access for any of its own personnel? Does the Government require GDS training for any of its own personnel?

Answer 70:

No, the Government does not require GDS access or training.

Question 71:

GDS -- Is continuous live queue transfer required in any way?

Answer 71:

The Government does not know what this question refers to.

Question 72:

Mobile Devices -- Are Department of State staff permitted to use apps on their mobile devices?

Answer 72:

In general, yes, apps are permitted on official mobile devices issued by the Department of State. However, each U.S. Government agency serviced by this contract may establish its own policy regarding the use of commercial products on official devices, and enforce security controls and limitations.

Question 73:

Format -- Is there a page limit for any sections of this proposal?

Answer 73:

No.

Question 74:

Format -- Are bidders required to separate the commercial and technical components of our proposal?

Answer 74:

No.

Question 75:

Format -- Does the Government require the proposal on US letter or A4 size paper?

Answer 75:

Either paper format is accepted.

Question 76:

Page 18 of 29 pages

Format -- Does the Government require a particular font type, font size or margin size?

Answer 76:

No.

Question 77:

Format -- May we use double-sided prints for the hardcopies?

Answer 77:

Yes.

Question 78:

Format -- May we provide an Executive Summary document with our submission? Is there a page limit for this?

Answer 78:

An executive summary may be provided. There is no page limit.

Question 79:

RFP page 4 of 77 - the Government lists the following 3 CLINs in the base period, and corresponding CLINs in the option periods: CLIN 001 Transaction fee for Issuance of Flight ticket, CLIN 005 Transaction fee for reservation of hotel lodging and CLIN 006 Transaction fee for reservation of vehicle rental. Is CLIN 001 transaction fee for issuance of flight ticket also meant to include a corresponding hotel and/or car reservations or just the air ticket? If a flight ticket is issued with a corresponding hotel and car reservations, would the contractor charge just one fee under CLIN 001 or three separate fees under CLIN 001, CLIN 005 and CLIN 006?

Answer 79:

The Contractor may charge a transaction fee for each service provided, even if the services are part of a single request.

Question 80:

RFP page 4 of 77 – CLIN 007 in the base period (and corresponding CLINs in the option periods) Transaction fee for reservation and ticketing Utilizing the Government’s eTravel Service for transportation, lodging, or car rental - Is it a correct assumption that this CLIN is for online, untouched (no agent intervention needed) transactions?

Answer 80:

Yes, this line item is for online ticket issuances without agent intervention.

Question 81:

RFP page 4 of 77 – CLIN 009 Emergency service/evacuation support per person, per hour - Can the government define what constitutes ‘emergency service/evacuation support’ services?

Page 19 of 29 pages

Answer 81:

See Answer 7.

Question 82:

RFP page 15, Section 3.2.1 states “The Contractor shall comply with mandatory Government programs for air travel. Except for the constraints of the City Pair Program, noted below, and the Fly America Act, the Contractor shall offer the lowest available fare that satisfies the agency’s mission requirements, as well as check for lower fare at time of final ticketing. If reservations made by the Contractor are not at the lowest available rate allowed by policy, the Contractor shall refund the agency the difference.” Will the American Consulate General at Frankfurt provide business rules for all the attached consulates/embassies on the required fares to be used for all official travel requests or will the fare requests be defined by each Post?

Answer 82:

Each embassy and consulate will define these business rules. The COR will collect this information and provide it to the Contractor. If the COR notifies the Contractor that a post’s travel policy contradicts U.S. Government regulations, the Contractor will adhere to the policy stated by the COR. If the Contractor receives instructions from a post and the Contractor suspects that the instructions contradict U.S. Government regulations, the Contractor will notify the COR and ask for clarification.

Question 83:

RFP page 15, Section 3.2.2.3 states: “There are a limited number of non-contract fares (YDG or similar), restricted to official Government travelers, which are obtainable only with a GTR, Government travel charge card, or CBA. Such fares can be used only when contract fares are not available or when offered by the contract carrier in that city/airport pair route at a lower cost than the contract fare.” Based on the above requirement, is the government stating in the case where an airline that has won the CPP award in a specific market also files a –DG fare lower than the airline’s filed CPP fare, it is authorized for the traveler to take the –DG fare over a YCA/-CA fare provided it is lower in cost and no GSA justification would be required given they are traveling on the contract carrier?

Answer 83:

It is mandatory to use the contract carrier, but not the city pair fare. If the contract carrier offers a DG fare that is lower than the city pair fare, the TMC should use the DG fare. No justification is required in this case.

Question 84:

RFP page 16, Section 3.2.2.5, states “Restricted fares, which provide for a monetary penalty for itinerary changes or flight cancellations, shall not be used without the written consent of the using agency, such as being noted in the travel orders. When restricted fares have been authorized, the Contractor shall include a description of the applicable fare rules in the itinerary confirmation.” Please confirm that the Embassies will require a process where the Travel Authorization must state acceptance of a non-refundable/restricted type fare where there is a

Page 20 of 29 pages penalty for changes and/or cancellation prior to ticketing? With the implementation of an online booking tool where the TMC is not touching the reservation, does the government release the TMC from validating the above approval to use a non-refundable/restricted type fare where there is a penalty for changes and/or cancellation when the trip/travel authorization is approved via the ETS system by a DOS Approver?

Answer 83:

The travel authorization will state when restricted tickets are authorized or required.

For tickets issued through the online booking tool, the traveler and his or her managers will be responsible for making sure the correct ticket type is purchased.

Question 84:

RFP page 16, Section 3.2.5 states: “The Contractor may only issue premium class tickets for which the Government will have to pay an additional amount when the accompanying travel orders provide authority for that travel. This does not apply to situations in which frequent flyer benefits will be used to obtain the premium class tickets.” We assume that if the travel order is approved by the Government and approves premium travel, then no further inquiry is needed by the Contractor before booking, is that assumption correct?

Answer 83:

When premium class travel is approved for official travel, it will be stated on the travel authorization. The traveler should provide the approved justification form, and the Contractor must obtain this form before issuing the ticket.

Question 84:

RFP page 16, Section 3.2.7 states “The Contractor shall provide the traveler with last seat availability, advance seat assignment, and advance boarding passes on all airlines for which the Contractor can offer these services.” Is the Contractor to provide seat assignments even if the airlines charge a fee for the seat?

Answer 84:

No. According to current Department of State policy, if an airline charges a fee for seat assignments, and the travelers wishes to do so, and the fee is authorized on his or her travel authorization, the traveler should make the arrangements directly with the airline after the ticket is issued and then claim the expense on his or her travel reimbursement voucher.

Question 85:

RFP page 16, Section 3.3.3, states that “Final selection of accommodations rests with the traveler. If reservations made by the Contractor are not made at the lowest available Government rate, the Contractor shall refund the Government the difference. Since final selection of accommodations rests with the traveler, the reservations made by the Contractor shall be made at the lowest available rate that complies with the traveler’s request, or the Contractor shall refund the Government the difference. Lodging reservations for Federal

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Government employees on official business shall comply with the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 (see Definitions). Selected lodging shall comply with the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990, if available, unless an exception is granted by the COR. As stated in the definition in paragraph 2.0, the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 only applies to the United States and its territories.” Please clarify the circumstances under which the Contractor would be refunding the difference if final selection of accommodations rests with the traveler. For example, if there is a Government rate which is lower but the traveler selects a higher rate, would the Contractor be liable for the difference. Given there can be a significant rate difference between hotels in the same general area, does the requirement apply only to lower rates within the same hotel being requested/booked? Or is the Government instructing the TMC to book the lowest priced hotel in the area purely based on room rate and not taking traveler’s requested hotel choice into consideration?

Answer 85:

When a lower cost government rate is available at a hotel, the Contractor must make this reservation instead of a higher cost commercial rate, assuming that this meets the traveler’s needs. If the Contractor reserves a higher cost rate, which is not needed by the traveler, the Contractor must refund the price difference to the Government.

Regarding the selection of hotels within a general area, the Contractor should make reservations at the hotels chosen by the travelers. The Contractor may suggest lower cost options that meet the traveler’s needs.

Question 86:

Does the requirement of the Contractor to refund the Government the difference when a lodging room rate is not booked at the lowest government rate only apply with the reservations are made via full service with the Contractor?

Answer 86:

Yes, this requirement applies to full service transactions. It does not apply to touchless transactions made through the online booking tool.

Question 87:

If not, and in the event the traveler is booking their hotel reservation using the online booking tool; when the traveler selects a rate other than the lowest government rate and the booking processes through the electronic system receiving approval electronically by the Government’s designated approver; does the Government release the TMC from responsibility for the actions taken by the traveler?

Answer 87:

This requirement applies to full service transactions. It does not apply to touchless transactions made through the online booking tool.

Question 88:

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We assume that Government rate means a rate approved by the Government for use such as FedRooms and not the generic “government rate” that any hotel can offer even if that rate is not in accordance with applicable per diem, is that assumption correct?

Answer 88:

The term “government rate” refers to any hotel rate offered specially to people employed or sponsored by the U.S. Government. Many embassies and consulates have negotiated government rates with hotels in their areas.

Question 89:

RFP page 17 Section 3.4.2, states that “under the FTR, it is incumbent upon the traveler to be prudent in selecting the method of ground transportation that best meets the traveler’s needs.

Therefore, since the final selection of car rental companies and car sizes rests with the traveler, the reservations made by the Contractor shall be made at the lowest available rate which conforms to the traveler’s request, or the Contractor must refund the agency the difference. If reservations made by the Contractor are not the lowest available Government rate, the Contractor shall refund the agency the difference.”

If there is no government rate available (as happens in Europe), is the Government instructing the TMC to book the lowest priced rental car rate in the area? What insurance coverage should that rate include?

Answer 89:

The Contractor must reserve the option that meets the traveler’s requirements and is the lowest cost option.

Reservations made through U.S. Government-contracted companies include collision damage waiver insurance. When using a non-U.S. Government-contracted company outside the U.S., collision damage waiver (CDW) insurance may be included if it is stated on the traveler’s travel authorization. When using a non-U.S. Government-contracted company inside the U.S., CDW insurance should not be authorized.

Question 90:

Given there can be a significant rate difference between car rental companies in the same general area, does the requirement apply only to lower rates within the same car company being requested/booked? Or is the Government instructing the TMC to book the lowest priced car vendor in the area purely based on rental rate and not taking traveler’s requested choice into consideration?

Answer 90:

Each embassy and consulate might have its own policy for reserving rental vehicles. In general, the Contractor should quote the lowest cost option and the traveler should select this option. Travelers might sometimes request a higher cost option. The Contractor must

Page 23 of 29 pages repay the price difference only when the Contractor was responsible for reserving a higher cost option than what the traveler required.

Question 91:

Does the requirement of the Contractor to refund the Government the difference when a car rental rate is not booked at the lowest government rate only apply with the reservations are made via full service with the Contractor? If not, and in the event the traveler is booking their car rental reservation using the online booking tool; when the traveler selects a rate other than the lowest government rate and the booking processes through the electronic system receiving approval electronically by the Government’s designated approver; does the Government release the TMC from responsibility for the actions taken by the traveler?

Answer 91:

This requirement does not apply to reservations made in the online booking tool.

Question 92:

RFP page 19, Section 3.8.1, states “The Contractor shall provide service, Monday through Friday, compatible with the Embassy’s standard workday.” Section 1, continuation of block 20, paragraph 11.0, “Hours of Service,” sets forth the normal working hours for Contractor personnel providing services under this contract. The Contractor shall provide dedicated 24-hour telephone service available to travelers that will allow immediate access to a reservation agent to perform emergency itinerary changes and ticket issuances outside regular business hours. Please clarify what the Government considers to be immediate access to a reservation agent?

Answer 92:

When calling the after-hours service line, a traveler should be able to reach a travel agent quickly, without a protracted hold.

Question 93:

Please clarify is the Government requesting the TMC to staff a dedicated team of after-hours agents that work on no other account except the Department of State EUR SVC?

Answer 93:

The Government is not requesting a dedicated team to provide after-hours service outside the normal hours of operation. The Contractor may fulfill the requirement for after-hours service using the Contractor’s other resources. However, the agents providing after-hour service must be knowledgeable and capable of fulfilling an emergency request.

Question 94:

RFP page 19, Section 3.8.4, states “The Contractor shall answer phone calls within 20 seconds and provide a recorded message for those calls not answered in 20 seconds. The recorded message shall be in English and shall give the traveler at least two options:

• To hold

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• To leave a message for a callback

Return calls shall be made within one (1) hour. See also Section 8.1, Performance Matrix.”

Please clarify the Government’s expectations on the percentage of calls to be answered within 20 seconds. For example, should 70% of calls be answered within 20 seconds?

Answer 94:

Response to phone call - 95% within 20 seconds

Question 95:

RFP page 21 Section 6.1 states “The Contractor shall operate out of the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany. Any renovation to the space, such as erection or removal of walls and partitions, electrical or plumbing connection, painting, carpeting, and any other related work, shall be at the Contractor's expense. All plans for space renovation must be approved by the COR and all arrangements for renovation work must be made by or through the COR. Until such time as office space and telecommunications arrangements are completed within the Government location, the Contractor shall arrange for delivery of travel documents to the Government location. When working in Government-provided space, the Contractor's employees shall abide by the Government's smoking policies.” Will the office space at the U.S.

Consulate Frankfurt be renovated before providing it to the successor at contract start?

Answer 95:

The space will be clean and ready for occupancy. No renovation projects are planned at this time.

Question 96:

Given the current servicing TMC is occupying the space, what is the Government’s vision on transition weekend? What time would the outgoing TMC be required to vacate the facility and access granted to the incoming TMC?

Answer 96:

The current TMC will cease its on-site operations at noon on Friday, March 29, 2019.