Attachment J - Questions and Answers.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO SOLICITATION NO.: 19GE5025Q0125

1. Reference: Final Solicitation, Page 2, Contract Type Final Solicitation, Page 2, Evaluation Procedures

Discussion:

In the Final Solicitation, page 2 Contract Type it is stated: “The Government intends to award a single, firm fixed-price contract to the responsible offeror whose offer is evaluated as the lowest-priced and technically acceptable”.

However, under Evaluation Procedures, it is stated: “The evaluation of offers will be based on best value using comparative evaluation authorized under FAR 13.106-2(b)(3). A comparative evaluation is defined as the act of comparing two or more offers in response to the RFQ. The line-by-line comparison is performed by comparing each offer directly to one another to determine which provides the best value to the Government. This is NOT a low price technically acceptable or trade-off process.”

Question: Could the Government confirm the type of evaluation they will use for this

RFP?

ANSWER: The Government confirms that the evaluation for this solicitation will follow a best-value approach using comparative evaluation procedures as outlined in FAR 13.106-2(b)(3). While the contract will be awarded as a single firm fixed-price contract, proposals will be evaluated based on the overall value offered to the Government rather than solely on the lowest price.

Under this approach, proposals will be compared directly against each other to determine which submission provides the best combination of technical acceptability and price to meet the Government’s requirements.

2. Reference: Attachment A, pages 5 and 7, and Attachment D, CLIN 0002

While Attachment A specifies an exact solution: "3 DELLEMC P670F Hyperconverged nodes" and "VMware" licensing (vSphere, vSAN, vCenter), Attachment D allows choosing between "Dell VxRail, Nutanix, or HPE SimpliVity Nodes" and specifies "Promox or RedHat (opensource) Licensing."

Question: Could the Government specify which specification we should adhere to?

ANSWER: Follow Attachment D – Technical Compliance Matrix as the controlling specification for what offerors may propose. Brand-name restriction applies only to the Apple creative workstations (CLIN 0006). For the HCI/hypervisor, vendors may propose any solution that meets the performance and availability in the SOW and demonstrates interoperability with Red Seguro and DoD cybersecurity (CNSA 2.0, FIPS 140-3, MACsec- 256, Zero Trust). Proposals must include descriptive literature that proves technical acceptability.

3. Reference: Attachment A, Call recording storage and call volume statistics

The solicitation requires a platform capable of recording and storing calls.

An estimate of the required storage capacity is necessary to accurately provide storage capacity for the specified Hyper-Converged and external storage systems.

Question:

Could the Government provide statistics regarding the current or anticipated call volume, specifically, metrics such as the average number of calls received per day, the average duration of a call, or any other data that would allow us to project storage requirements for call recordings?

ANSWER:

• Concurrency: 4–5 agents on calls at a time (16 agents total across shifts).

• Codec & format for sizing: G.711 capture → 128 kbps PCM, or provide equivalent MP3/WAV footprint with compression.

• Average call length: 5 minutes.

• Retention: 12 months (baseline), quote 36-month option.

An average of 11,212 calls per month, with an average duration of 5 minutes, generates 56,060 minutes of recording per month.

This information reception system requires high audio fidelity for call transcription and analysis. A bit rate of 128 kbps is appropriate. With this standard, the storage requirement would be approximately 52.54 GB per month.

Redundancy and Data Backup: The information handled is a critical asset.

A storage system with RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations and an automated backup solution are essential to protect data against hardware failures and ensure operational continuity. Redundancy ensures that, in the event of a disk failure, no information is lost.

Growth Projections and Future Storage Demand A steady annual growth of 10% in call volume is estimated. This increase is driven by the expansion of operational staff and the increase in communication campaigns.

4. Reference: Attachment A, page 1 - Agent Concurrency and Platform Licensing

The requirements state the contact center will have 16 agents and two supervisors and will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. While the platform must support unlimited user creation, our resource and licensing proposal depends on understanding the staffing model.

Are the 16 agents the total number of staff who will work in shifts, or is this the number of agents expected to be active concurrently at any given time?

If 16 is the concurrent number, what is the total number of agent accounts that must be created to cover all shifts?

ANSWER: Sixteen (16) total personnel work in shifts; 4–5 are active concurrently. Size licensing and server resources for 5 concurrent agents + 2 supervisors, with headroom to 8 concurrent agents for surge.

5. Reference: Attachment A, page 8, SIP Trunk

The Statement of Work indicates the system will connect to an external "SIP TRUNK" from a provider labeled "Cnt" and that the platform must support SIP trunk integration.

Question: 1. Could the Government provide additional details on the existing SIP trunk infrastructure to ensure the proposed firewall and platform are configured correctly for this external connection?

2. What is the total number of concurrent call channels the SIP trunks provide?

3. Who is the telecommunications provider, and what is the physical or logical handoff (e.g., number of physical network interfaces, specific VLANs)?

ANSWER: Provider: CNT (Corporación Nacional de Telecomunicaciones).

Handoff: Ethernet handoff on a dedicated VLAN; SIP over TLS with SRTP media. Provide firewall rules and SBC profile accordingly.

Channels: Plan for 20 concurrent external call channels at go-live, scalable to 40 without re-architecture.

The Government will facilitate coordination with CNT and provide IP addressing/VLAN details during design.

6. Reference: Attachment C, page 2, and Attachment D, page 5

The project is for a call center in Quito. However, Attachment C mandates "Active-Active replication between primary sites in Quito and Guayaquil" and a "Disaster Recovery site located in Cuenca" while Attachment D (TCM) includes line items for "Disaster Recovery Site Setup (Cuenca)" and "High-Availability Infrastructure for Active-Active Setup (Guayaquil)".

Question: Could the government provide detailed information for the tasks required at the Guayaquil and Cuenca locations?

ANSWER: Tasks include: (1) designing and configuring Active-Active replication between Quito and Guayaquil; (2) building a DR site in Cuenca with runbooks and test plans to meet RTO ≤ 1 hour and RPO ≤ 6 hours; (3) establishing site-to-site encrypted connectivity, OOB management, and zero-trust segmentation; and (4) conducting failover/failback testing. These are explicit Red Seguro requirements and are reflected in the TCM line items.

7. Reference: Attachment C, page 2, and Attachment D, page 5

The project is for a call center in Quito. However, Attachment C mandates "Active-Active replication between primary sites in Quito and Guayaquil" and a "Disaster Recovery site located in Cuenca" while Attachment D (TCM) includes line items for "Disaster Recovery Site Setup (Cuenca)" and "High-Availability Infrastructure for Active-Active Setup (Guayaquil)".

Is the contractor responsible for the complete installation and configuration of services at these remote sites, or only for providing equipment that enables these functions?

ANSWER: Tasks include: (1) designing and configuring Active-Active replication between Quito and Guayaquil; (2) building a DR site in Cuenca with runbooks and test plans to meet RTO ≤ 1 hour and RPO ≤ 6 hours; (3) establishing site-to-site encrypted connectivity, OOB management, and zero-trust segmentation; and (4) conducting failover/failback testing. These are explicit Red Seguro requirements and are reflected in the TCM line items.

8. Reference: 19GE5025Q0125, page 4, Delivery

The document states that the installation service of the equipment shall be provided within 21 working days after the equipment has been delivered and accepted by the government.

1. Could the government confirm if this 21-working-day period covers the complete installation of all hardware and software across all ten CLINs, including structured cabling and the entire solar power infrastructure?

2. Would the Government consider a proposal with a phased installation schedule or an extended period for performance?

ANSWER: The installation shall BEGIN within 21 working days after delivery and acceptance of the equipment taking into consideration that the installation may take more than one month to complete. In order to accommodate appropriate timelines, the contractor shall provide an installation schedule.

9. Reference: 19GE5025Q0125, Page 19, Volume II

On item 5, it is stated: "Evidence that offered IT products meet Red Seguro and Department of Defense (DoD) security compliance standards, including NSA CNSA 2.0 and FIPS 140-3".

Could the government specify the documentation, third-party certifications, or vendor-supplied certificates considered sufficient "evidence" to prove compliance with the Red Seguro, NSA, and FIPS 140- 3 standards?

ANSWER: Submit descriptive literature and compliance evidence sufficient for technical evaluation, including:

• FIPS 140-3 validation certificates for any cryptographic modules in security/network gear and VPNs.

• Product documentation stating support for CNSA 2.0 algorithms

(e.g., AES-256-GCM, quantum-resistant key exchanges) and MACsec-256 where required.

• Architecture narrative showing Zero Trust (continuous MFA, segmentation, deny-by-default), plus offeror’s compliance matrix mapping each Red Seguro control to offered components.

These items are required under “Other Specific Requirements” and “Descriptive Literature Required.”

10. Reference: Attachment A - Statement of Work Discussion: NAICS Code in SOW is 517311 but solicitation on SAM.gov is 541519

Can you confirm whether the correct NAICS code for this solicitation is 541519 as referenced in SAM.gov, given that the Statement of Work refers to NAICS 517311?

ANSWER: The Statement of Work does not reference any NAICS code. The NAICS code 517311 referenced in the solicitation is the correct one. The NAICS code on Sam.gov has been corrected.

11. Reference: Attachment B

Discussion: Lithium Battery System (200 kWh) Question: Could the government confirm what physical space is available to install the modules?

ANSWER: This equipment is for an activity that is exclusive to the entire building.

There is sufficient space to install the modules. The vendor can evaluate and recommend the optimal physical locations within the building for this installation to include cooling needs for the battery enclosures.

12. Reference: Attachment B Discussion: 125 solar panels (400W each) Question: Could the government specify where the panels will be installed (ceiling, floor) and if the structure has been evaluated?

ANSWER: Rooftop installation is preferred and available; the roof’s usable area will determine the maximum panel count. Vendors shall perform structural/load assessment and propose racking, setbacks, and wind/seismic compliance for Quito. If roof area proves insufficient, include an elevated canopy / pergola alternate with the same 50 kW production target.

13. Reference: Attachment B Discussion: 125 solar panels (400W each) Question: Could the government confirm what physical space is available to install the panels?

ANSWER: There is rooftop space to install solar panels, the dimensions may limit the number of panels that can be installed. The available space will dictate the maximum number of panels.

Area 1: 382 sq feet (approx.)

Area 2: 294 sq feet (approx.)

Area 3: 652 sq feet (approx.)

Area 4: 534 sq feet (approx.)

Area 5: (Canopy / pergola) 706 sq feet (approx.)

14. Reference: Attachment D, Clin 0003 Discussion: Structured Cabling and Enclosures Question: Could the government clarify what type of ventilation or cooling will be used?

ANSWER: Self-contained 29U cabinets include variable-speed 900–3500 W direct-to-

IT cooling (attachment A pg. 18), outdoor split condensing unit, emergency fans, and integrated monitoring. Each cabinet includes a 6 kVA online UPS (9.5-minute autonomy at full load).

15. Reference: Attachment D, Clin 0003 Discussion: Structured Cabling and Enclosures Question: Could the government confirm if the grounding system is included?

ANSWER: Yes, cabinet grounding is included and shall be installed per ANSI/TIA-607- D using #6 AWG jumpers to building ground.

16. Reference: 19GE5025Q0125, page 4 Discussion: Value Added Tax Question: Could the government specify what documents are required for customs clearance in Ecuador?

ANSWER: The contractor is responsible for all import and customs documentation required by Ecuador and must provide all required documents to complete clearance. At a minimum, submit commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, shipping/air waybill, and any permits/licenses applicable to the equipment. Note: W-14 forms are provided in the solicitation attachments.

17. Reference: Attachment A, page 21, and Attachment D, page 2

In Attachment D, we noticed that specific solutions such as Proxmox and Red Hat are mentioned. However, Attachment A states:

"The manufacturer of the HYPERCONVERGENT System Software shall be in the Leaders quadrant in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Hyperconverged Infrastructure or Hyperconverged Infrastructure Software in at least one of the reports in the last 2 years."

This would appear to suggest that a solution such as VMware is required.

Question: Could the government clarify whether it is acceptable to proceed with planning based on using Proxmox?

ANSWER: Yes—Proxmox (with enterprise subscription) or Red Hat-based virtualization is acceptable if your solution meets the SOW’s performance/availability, includes 24×7 support, and satisfies Red Seguro / DoD cybersecurity requirements. Attachment D allows non-brand-specific solutions. Include a compliance matrix and support SLAs.

18. Question: How many people (citizens) will be served by the communications center?

ANSWER: This project is configured as a National Emergency Line, meaning it can be accessed by any landline or mobile phone and any cell phone carrier operating in the country, including international carriers with roaming service. For this purpose, all citizens can access this line. The call center is in Initial Operating Capability (IOC). The team under this contract will bring it to Full Operating Capability (FOC).

19. Question: Which government and/or private organizations will share the communications center?

ANSWER: The 131 Task Force is the only organization authorized to use the communications center; this unit is comprised of military and police personnel.

20. Question: What is the estimated number of daily calls the call center will receive?

ANSWER: See answer to question 3 above. Line 131, in its initial operating capacity, is receiving an average of 11,212 calls per month, or an average of 373.73 calls per day.

21. Question: What is the average number of confirmed events daily?

ANSWER: See answer to question 3 above.

22. Question: What is the average number of confirmed events during peak hours?

ANSWER: See answer to question 3 above

23. Question: Will the 16 agents and 2 supervisors be available 24 hours a day, or will they be distributed across 2 shifts?

ANSWER: There will always be 16 agents and 2 supervisors available 24 hours a day, that is, there will be 3 shifts of 8 hours each, in which each shift will be made up of 16 agents and 2 supervisors.

24. Question: Does the hyperconverged system specifically require a DELL system, or can it be another brand?

ANSWER: The solicitation and technical attachments do not mandate Dell as the required brand for the hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) system. Instead, the requirements focus on meeting specific performance, redundancy, scalability, and security standards rather than specifying a brand.

If considering non-Dell solutions (e.g., HP, Cisco), ensure:

• Full compliance with the technical specs in the attachments.

• Compatibility with power, storage, and UPS requirements.

• Equal or superior performance benchmarks.

The offeror shall complete the technical compliance matrix.

25. Question: Do they require an air conditioning system in addition to the rack cooling system?

ANSWER: The building has air conditioning. If the equipment comes with a cooling system sufficient to keep the equipment in good working order, air conditioning would not be necessary.

26. Question: Would it be possible to schedule an on-site visit to review the facilities where all these equipment will be installed?

ANSWER: After award, a site visit will be scheduled with the COR. Visitors must be vetted and screened prior to the visit.

The purpose of the visit would be to evaluate the installation environment, including space, power, cooling, and other site-specific considerations, to ensure proper planning and alignment with the project’s technical requirements.

27. Question: Could we have access to the site plans for the location where the equipment will be installed?

ANSWER: After award, access to the site plans may only be provided if approved internally.

28. Question: Regarding Attachment D – Technical Compliance Matrix:

Is VCDIAL the software required for this solution?

ANSWER: VCDIAL is not a mandatory requirement for this solution. While the Technical Compliance Matrix references functionalities commonly associated with VCDIAL, vendors are free to propose alternative solutions that meet or exceed the specified capabilities. Vendors shall complete the technical compliance matrix.

29. Question: Are the computers for call center agent’s desktop or laptop?

ANSWER: All computers will be desktop computers

30. Question: Is it possible to use a different virtualizer than VMware?

ANSWER: The alternative must meet or exceed the minimum requirements specified for VMware in terms of performance, scalability, security, and compatibility.

Compliance with Attachment D – Technical Compliance Matrix:

Any deviations from VMware should be marked as “alternate” in the matrix, with a justification demonstrating compatibility and compliance.

*VMware is referenced in the solicitation as the baseline virtualization platform. However, equivalent virtualization solutions—such as Proxmox, Red Hat Virtualization, or Microsoft Hyper-V—would also be acceptable, provided they meet or exceed the functional and performance specifications outlined in the Technical Compliance Matrix. Vendors shall complete the Technical Compliance Matrix.

31. Question: Is it necessary to use the S4128 model, or can it be replaced with an Aruba

CX6300?

ANSWER: The solicitation does not specifically require the Dell S4128 model.

However, any proposed alternative, such as the Aruba CX6300, must meet or exceed the technical specifications and performance requirements outlined in Attachment D – Technical Compliance Matrix. Vendors proposing alternatives should clearly document compliance with all requirements.

32. Question: Is it necessary to use Unity for storage?

ANSWER: Unity storage is not strictly required as long as the proposed storage solution meets or exceeds the performance, scalability, and compatibility requirements outlined in Attachment D – Technical Compliance Matrix.

Equivalent solutions will be evaluated, provided they meet the required technical specifications.

33. Question: Can the virtualizer manufacturer not be in a the Gartner quadrant?

ANSWER: There is no explicit requirement in the solicitation that the virtualizer manufacturer must be listed in the Gartner Magic Quadrant. However, vendors are encouraged to provide information on the maturity, stability, and industry recognition of their proposed solution. If the proposed virtualizer is not currently listed, vendors should highlight comparable certifications, performance benchmarks, or enterprise adoption data to demonstrate suitability and reliability.

34. Question: Are the required network points on the same floor or distributed in a building?

ANSWER: The required network points are distributed across 3 floors within the building.

35. Question: Should the UPS be rack-mounted?

ANSWER: Yes, it shall be rack-mounted.

36. Question: Which UPS brands are approved by the NGO?

ANSWER: The solicitation does not mandate specific UPS brands. Vendors may propose solutions from any reputable manufacturer, provided the proposed UPS meets the technical, capacity, and form-factor requirements outlined in the RFQ.

Manufacturer should preferably have an ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 status (Vendor Quality & Sustainability)

37. Question: Do the PCs need to be All-in-One models?

ANSWER: The proposed equipment must meet or exceed the minimum specifications outlined in Attachment D – Technical Compliance Matrix. Vendors may propose All-in-One models if they prefer, provided the specifications are fully compliant.

38. Question: Can the devises be micro form factor, or must they be small form factor

(SFF)?

ANSWER: Micro Form Factor (MFF) devices may be proposed as long as they fully meet or exceed the technical specifications and performance requirements outlined in Attachment D – Technical Compliance Matrix.

39. Question: Do you have adequate space for the installation of solar panels?

ANSWER: See answer to question 13.

40. Question: Regarding the Statement of Work:

Page no. 5: Do 2 racks with their respective hyperconvergent nodes must be placed on each installation site?

ANSWER: Yes, 2 racks with their respective hyperconvergent nodes must be placed on each installation site.

41. Question: In the main site, is it required to place 6 hyperconvergence equipment and 2 switches to have high availability?

ANSWER:

The requirement is to place six hyperconverged nodes and two switches at the main site.

The intent is to ensure high-availability (HA) objectives outlined in the solicitation. Redundancy and failover - supporting active-active clustering or an N+1 architecture.

Network continuity - dual switches are recommended for resilience, but equivalent solutions such as a high-availability switch stack may be considered.

Performance and capacity - the solution must meet or exceed the same throughput and uptime targets.

If vendor’s proposal can demonstrate equivalent HA, fault tolerance, and performance, an alternative configuration would be acceptable.

[END OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS]