19LE2022R0001 - Satellite Internet Services - Questions and Answers.pdf

Contracting Office RFQ # 19LE2022R0001 February 16, 2022 US Embassy, Beirut Questions and Answers

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

Here below the answers to the received questions:

Q1: Is this a new requirement? If it is a recompete what is the existing contract award

ID number?

A1: It is a recompete action.

Q2: What is the estimated start date?

A2: April 1, 2022.

Q3: Are there posted attachments/information to review about the posting?

A3: Refer to the posted RFP # 19LE2022R0001.

Q4: Is it possible to understand any other licensing requirements in order to bid? (i.e. the last opty for Gabon required the bidder to be registered and licensed to work in the country of Gabon). We would like to know if this same restriction is required in

Lebanon. We are a worldwide provider of Satellite services and would like to look into the licensing requirements prior to release of RFP if this restriction would be enforced.

A4: Refer to 652.242-73 AUTHORIZATION AND PERFORMANCE (AUG 1999) – point (2) and SECTION 3 - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS - FAR 52.212-1

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS point (3).

Q5: Could you please advise if the Government intends on providing a Statement of

Work/Performance Work Statement for the subject solicitation, Notice ID

19LE2022R0001, Satellite Internet Services for U.S. Embassy Beirut, Lebanon.

A5: Refer to the posted RFP # 19LE2022R0001.

Q6: Is the request just for the service or both service and hardware?

A6: Service and possible equipment replacement, if/when needed.

Q7: 40 up/40 down dedicated service or shared?

A7: This same network has 10Mbps for US government customer and 40Mbps for

Department of State. We require the ability to maximize the BUC to 100Mbps “on demand” pay as you go within 24 hours.

Q8: Band type KU or Ka?

A8: 2.4 M C-Band VSAT Kit.

Q9: Is there any installed equipment? If yes, we need to know the technical specifications

(dish size and type, Modem model, BUC, etc.).

A9: Dish 2.4 M C-Band TX/RX, MDM 6000, AntBUC 250W-EXT C-Band.

Q10: Does the offer include installation?

A10: when/if needed.

Q11: Is there any other specification?

A11: No.

Q12: Does the USG require the installation of very small aperture terminal (VSAT) equipment? If so,

a. What size terminal dish does the USG prefer?

b. Does the USG prefer a ground pole mount, a non-penetrating roof mount, or some other type of mount for this SATCOM service?

c. Does the USG have a preference on modem or modem type for the satellite service?

d. Does the USG have any other SATCOM equipment in place to be use as GFE for the service, e.g. Block Upconverter (BUC), rack space, etc. If so, what frequency band, e.g.

C-Band, Ku-Band is the GFE tuned or designed to support?

e. If the USG does require additional or new VSAT equipment, may the vendor ship hardware directly to the Embassy for short term storage prior to the installation?

f. Does the USG require the vendor provide installation and/or activation service for the

VSAT equipment?

A12: Equipment is in place, but re-configuration will be needed, due to previous contract and most likely have proprietary software configs.

Q13: How many useable IP address does the USG require?

A13: Internet Service Provider (ISP) must provide a block of sixteen (16) public internet

IP addresses on a single subnet for Internet services.

Q14: What type of subnet does the USG require? E.g. /28 subnet

A14: /28 subnet.

Q15: What is the required SLA in terms of packet loss and availability end-to-end?

A15: It must be faster than 100ms for the Round Trip Time (RTT) for internet service.

Availability: 99.7%.

Q16: Does the USG require a US based teleport?

A16: Yes.

Q17: Does the USG require US based internet addresses?

A17: US or EU based.

Q18: What is the Round Trip Time (RTT) requirement?

A18: must be faster than 100ms for the Round Trip Time (RTT) for internet service.

Q19: Does the USG require the ISP’s internet point of presence (PoP) be physically located in the USA?

A19: No.

Q20: Does the USG require on-site technical support for any type of service outage? If so what is the required response time?

A20: Yes, local tech support could be needed if remote troubleshooting cannot repair.

Response time should be within 2 hours.

Q21: What is the USG’s required start of service date?

A21: April 1, 2022.

Q22: Have the documents been posted? If not, when will they be posted to Sam.gov?

Would it be possible to send them to us since we are having difficulty locating them?

A22: Refer to the posted RFP # 19LE2022R0001.

Q23: Is this a solicitation so you need us to send a final offer? Or is this just a per solicitation, so you will be sending the requirements on a later stage?

A23: Refer to the posted RFP # 19LE2022R0001.

Q24: What are the technical requirements?

A24: Refer to the posted RFP # 19LE2022R0001 – Scope of services.

Q25: Do you have any existing equipment?

A25: Yes, existing equipment is in place and operational.

Q26: Do you require hardware, installation, airtime and maintenance? Or only the airtime?

A26: Replacement hardware if and when needed maintenance and airtime.

Q27: Does the contractor or does the State Department own the equipment at the embassy?

A27: The Department of State owns the equipment.

Q28: Is the current service Ku, C, Ka (or what frequency)?

A28: 2.4 M C-Band VSAT Kit.

Q29: Which satellite currently provides the satellite service?

A29: N/A.

Q30: Who is the incumbent vendor?

A30: N/A.

Q31: Can we submit the offer by return email?

A31: Interested offerors are encouraged to submit their offers electronically.

Q32: Would you accept the satellite capacity over CnC (Carrier-n-Carrier)?

A32: N/A.

Q33: Please advise on the mode of payment.

A33: Payment is made by electronic fund transfer (EFT) on a monthly basis.

Q34: Under B-OBJECTIVE: We also require the ability of the satellite system to within

24 hours, upgrade to on demand bandwidth to the maximum of 100 mbps.

The additional capacity is usually subject to availability. However, if you send us an upgrade plan, we can reserve/confirm the capacity in advance.

A34: We require this on-demand within 24 hours.

Q35: Under C-SCOPE, point 2: Well-developed and specific implementation and transition plan that will demonstrate how the current satellite implementation will be transitioned to the new satellite with minimal disruption to operational needs.

Please advise what is your current setup including equipment used, satellite operator, band, and data rates. Also, are we expected to use some or all of your existing equipment?

A35: Dish 2.4 M C-Band TX/RX, MDM 6000, AntBUC 250W-EXT C-Band. Yes, you can use all the existing equipment.

Q36: Under D-TASKS, please clarify what DevOps Integration means?

A36: N/A.

Q37: The Government requires the ability of the satellite system to within 24 hours, upgrade to on demand bandwidth to the maximum of 100 Mbps. Is the 100 Mbps on demand bandwidth 100 Mbps duplex or 50 Mbps x 50 Mbps?

A37: 100UP/100 DOWN , BUC is 250 W.

Q38: The Government states a QoS of 99.97% in the Objective but requires 99.7% in the

Circuit Availability Acceptance Level. What is the minimum required availability

99.7 or 99.97?

A38: 99.7%.

Q39: In the Place of Performance the Government lists CONUS locations of service providers’ offices. Is the service provider required to have offices in CONUS?

A39: Yes, plus the provider should have contractors in Beirut to fix issues physically if needed.

Q40: The service provider is required to provide a transition plan. In order to plan the transition from the current satellite to the proposed satellite will the Government provide the name of the current satellite.

A40: N/A.

Q41: Please provide a complete listing and technical specifications of any Government-provided satellite communication equipment which an Offeror may incorporate into its proposed solution, including antenna size, band (C or Ku) Polarization (circular or linear) and frequency range for antenna, LNB and HPA, HPA output power rating

(watts), satellite modem model and options available and age or condition of equipment?

A41: Dish 2.4 M C-Band TX/RX, MDM 6000, AntBUC 250W-EXT C-Band. Yes, you can use all the existing equipment. Condition: used for 1 year. BUC is brand new.

Q42: Does the Embassy require the contractor to provide a Host Nation Agreement/

Telecom License for the service or is this Government provided?

A42: Refer to 652.242-73 AUTHORIZATION AND PERFORMANCE (AUG 1999) – point (2) and SECTION 3 - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS - FAR 52.212-1

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS point (3).

Q43: Will the Government accept delivery of the equipment in the US?

A43: No.

Q44: Does the Government require public Internet access via a gateway located in the US or is European Internet access, European Google, European DNS, etc. acceptable?

A44: US or EU.

Q45: Will the Government accept electronic delivery of the quotation?

A45: Yes, electronic delivery of the quotation is acceptable.

Q46: Since the solicitation is publicly available, are all responsible offerors allowed to submit their quotation, or is this an invitation-only bidding process? If an invitation is required, what are the prerequisites for it?

A46: All responsible offerors are allowed to submit their quotations.

Q47: Will electronic offers be accepted? If yes, can you please confirm the email address the quotes should be submitted to, as well as what the subject line should be? If offers are accepted in hardcopy only, can you please provide the mailing instructions?

A47: Electronic offers are accepted. Kindly submit your offers to

ContractingBeirut@state.gov – Subject should mention the solicitation number and offer submitted by your company name.

Q48: On page 8, paragraph "B- OBJECTIVE" reads:

We also require the ability of the satellite system to within 24 hours, upgrade to on demand bandwidth to the maximum of 100 mbps.

Our ability to satisfy this requirement will be subject to capacity availability on the satellite transponder(s). As the Embassy intends to contract 40 x 40 Mbps bandwidth, we will only be able to secure an equivalent amount of satellite capacity on the spacecraft. It is economically not feasible for us, neither the satellite operator to reserve any additional capacity on the satellite that may only be used in case of an upgrade while staying idle at all other times, especially at such a large volume (100 x 100 Mbps circuit will likely occupy a full transponder). The capacity can only be mailto:ContractingBeirut@state.gov reserved and paid for the entire duration of the contract, or remain subject to availability at the moment the upgrade is requested. Any satellite operator constantly aims to fill their transponders as much as possible, to minimize the amount of idle capacity that does not produce revenue.

What this means on practice is that it is virtually impossible to guarantee an increase to 100 Mbps on a notice as short as 24 hours. Once the upgrade is requested, we will have to search for available capacity sufficient to deliver the required bandwidth, then reserve it with the satellite operator and finally allocate it to the remote terminal.

The typical timeframe for this upgrade would be in the range of 3-5 business days, assuming there is enough capacity available on the same satellite that the original 40 x 40 Mbps circuit is provided on. We cannot fully exclude a scenario whereby the satellite is fully booked at the moment of the upgrade, in which case the Embassy will require an additional VSAT system on cold standby that can be promptly switched on and commissioned to deliver the extra bandwidth. It is also worth noting that the satellite operators are reluctant to book large volumes of capacity for periods shorter than 1 month, which would be the minimum upgrade commitment.

Can you please advise if "subject to availability" terms are acceptable for the upgrade situation, or if the Embassy is willing to consider a dual VSAT antenna setup? Will extending the time frame from the moment the upgrade is requested till it is implemented be acceptable? Will 1-month minimum upgrade commitment be acceptable?

A48: No.

Q49: On page 9, paragraph "C- Scope" reads:

Well-developed and specific implementation and transition plan that will demonstrate how the current satellite implementation will be transitioned to the new satellite with minimal disruption to operational needs

Does the Embassy already possess a VSAT system that has to be re-used for this contract? If so, can you please provide a full list of the installed VSAT equipment with its makes/models as well as a diagram of the current setup, for us to understand the transition requirements?

Or is the contractor expected to deliver and install a completely separate new VSAT system? If this is the case, are there any limitations on the maximum antenna size that can be installed on the Embassy's premises? Will the Embassy assist with equipment customs clearance process once it is delivered to Beirut?

A49: Dish 2.4 M C-Band TX/RX, MDM 6000, AntBUC 250W-EXT C-Band. Yes, you can use all the existing equipment. Condition: used for 1 year. BUC is brand new.

Q50: On page 11, paragraph "G- PLACE OF PERFORMANCE" reads:

The work will be performed at the U.S. Embassy Beirut, and CONUS locations of service provider’s offices.

Are only CONUS based satellite service providers eligible to participate in this solicitation? With our main offices as well as uplinking stations located in the EU, can our offer be still considered for this requirement?

A50: Main office US based with EU locations, plus the provider should have contractors in Beirut to fix issues physically if needed.

Q51: On page 39, the provision 52.237-1 SITE VISIT reads:

The site visit will be held on February 15, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.at the U.S. Embassy premises. Prospective offerors/quoters should send an email to

ContractingBeirut@state.gov for additional information or to arrange entry to the building.

As we do not have a local office and/or representative in Beirut, will the Embassy provide the minutes of the site visit, for all prospective offerors to have equal access to the discussed information?

A51: We are sharing with you all the raised questions along with the answers.

mailto:ContractingBeirut@state.gov