Solicitation 19MU3026Q0002 Amendment 01 - Sf-30 (Q and As).pdf

PAGE OF PAGESAMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

1 12

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO.

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

01/13/2026

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.

PR15662265-0001

5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

6. ISSUED BY CODE MU300 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

AMERICAN EMBASSY MUSCAT

P.O.BOX 202 MADINAT AL SULTAN QABOOS, PC115, ATTN: GSO/PROCUREMENT

MUSCAT

OMAN

AMERICAN EMBASSY MUSCAT

P.O.BOX 202 MADINAT AL SULTAN QABOOS, PC115, ATTN: GSO/PROCUREMENT

MUSCAT

OMAN

(X) 9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION

NO.

19MU3026Q0002

x

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

12/30/2025

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

CODE FACILITY CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

x The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended, x is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning 1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment your desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

The Purpose of this amendment is to publish the industry questions and government answers as per the enclosed document

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print) 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

16C. DATE SIGNED

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

X Check section 14

Benjamin R. Deese

01/13/2026

Solicitation no. 19MU3026Q0002 for Travel Management

Services - Questions and answers

Vendor Q&A – Consolidated Questions (1–58)

1. Please share Number of travel orders issued in the last one year for Oneway, Return and Multi

City.

Answer: No of TAs are based on the requirement. 80% of the TAs are for roundtrip, remaining are one way or multicity.

2. Please confirm the transportation is limited to one vehicle only to accommodate the number of travelers as per TO.

Answer: Transportation is limited to one vehicle and only along with official travel tickets.

Contractors can use sedans for one or two passengers and SUVs for more than two. If the travelers require a large or additional vehicle, they will pay for that. The contractor can provide us standard transportation charges for additional vehicles and payable transportation requests in connection with personal travel.

3. Please confirm transportation to/from Muscat Airport is within city limits.

Answer: Yes, transportation is within Muscat city limits.

4. Please advise if DBA shall be reimbursed by the Embassy.

Answer: DBA insurance shall be included in the Contractor’s proposed Transaction/TMC fees and will not be reimbursed as a separate line item.

5. Please confirm the number of staff required to be deployed as implant.

Answer: One implant staff, with back up.

6. Please advise the tentative Go-live date for this contract and by when award decision can be expected.

Answer: The anticipated contract start date is on or about April 1, 2026.

7. Is there a defined expected turnaround time (TAT) for responding to email-based travel requests during regular working hours.

Answer: 24 hours is the standard turnaround time.

8. Is any historical data available regarding the approximate annual mix of one-way, roundtrip, and multi city tickets?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 1

9. Please confirm there is no other cost associated/utility bill payment as stated in page 22.

Answer: No cost associated with space or utility.

10. Could you please share the approximate monetary value of the contract:

Volume of tickets issued Per Annum – OMR

Percentage of tickets issued on contracted Airline (YCA & CA ) – OMR

Percentage of tickets issued on Non-contracted Airline ( YDG ) – OMR

No of Domestic Ticket issued ( P.A ) – OMR

No of International Ticket issued ( P.A ) – OMR

% of Offline Transactions of total business – OMR

( Airline Tickets/ hotels / other services that do not accept the corporate card online )

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 1.

11. SAM registration – In case we have registered for SAM, but are awaiting the ID assignments

? Should we still complete Section -5 .

Answer: Offerors must have an active SAM registration at time of award. If SAM registration is pending, the Offeror shall provide its NCAGE code and complete Section 5 (Representations and

Certifications).

12. Please confirm if transaction fee Per Travel Order ( Min 1 – Max 10 ) only include Air Ticket

& Airport Transfer within Muscat ?

Answer: Yes, only the air ticket and round-trip airport transfer within Muscat. The transaction fee is not per ticket. Only one transaction fee can be charged for even more than one ticket under a single travel order.

13. For other Service other than Air tickets and Airport transfer , can we provide a separate

Transaction fee ?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 12.

14. Airport Transfers – For return tickets should we provide two way transfers within Muscat ?

Answer: Yes.

15. Should we submit the Form W-14 along with proposal submission ?

Answer: Yes

16. SCAC – Standard Carrier Alpha Code ( SCAC ) – Do we need to register ?

Answer: Not Required for this contract.

17. FAR – Federal Acquisition Regulation ( Page 40 – Section 2 - 7 , B ) – Do we need to register ?

Answer: No separate registration is required. The Contractor is required to comply with the applicable FAR clauses referenced in the solicitation.

18. How many GDS systems should be provided to the Embassy ?

Answer: One GDS, preferably Sabre but not mandatory. Sabre can be converted to GOV Sabre, which provides default US GOV rates.

19. Kindly advise the payment terms ( Credit Period ) for the contract ?

Answer: 30 days from the date of invoice submission.

20. Reference to point 6.2 on Page 22 – Will we need to pay the Embassy for usage of it’s space provide to our staff and utilities ?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 9.

21. Clause 22.0 - Is it mandatory to purchase the (DBA) – Defense base Act insurance for our representative ? If Yes , for how many staff

Answer: Yes. Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance is required for any contractor employee(s) performing work under this contract at the U.S. Embassy.

22. In case of a re-issue of an Air ticket can we charge a Transaction fee ?

Answer: Yes, transaction fee charge on reissuance.

23. On-Site Staffing

Please confirm whether a single qualified on-site Site Manager who also performs travel counselor duties, supported by off-site backup staff and 24/7 emergency assistance, is acceptable given the anticipated transaction volume.

Answer: Yes, single on-site Site Manager can perform as travel counselor with back up 24/7 support.

24. Transaction Fee Structure

Please confirm whether offerors may propose separate transaction fees for routine business-hours ticket issuance and after-hours/emergency re-issuance, or if a single flat transaction fee per ticket is required.

Answer: No, flat transaction fee. Separate transaction fee can’t charge for after hours or holiday support.

25. Acceptance of Citibank GTCC and CBA Accounts

Please confirm whether the Contractor is required to maintain a local Citibank merchant account in Oman, or if acceptance of Citibank Government Travel Charge Cards and Centrally Billed

Accounts through international card networks, airline settlement systems, or a local acquiring bank is acceptable.

Answer: Contractors do not need a Citibank account or travel cards for embassy ticket issuance.

The US Embassy has centrally billed account cards to issue official travel tickets.

26. Workspace and Utilities

Based on the information provided during the site visit, kindly confirm that the Government will provide workspace within the Embassy compound without any rental or lease charges to the

Contractor, and that the Contractor will only be responsible for utilities billed on a pro-rata basis.

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 9.

27. IATA Accreditation

Please confirm whether submission of an IATA certificate from a teaming partner or subcontractor is acceptable where the prime contractor does not directly hold IATA accreditation.

Answer: The prime contractor must be an IATA-accredited travel agent. Only IATA-accredited travel agents are qualified to bid.

28. Key Personnel Roles

Please confirm whether one qualified individual may serve in both the Project Manager and Site

Manager roles when justified by low transaction volume.

Answer: The site manager or travel consultant is the only onsite staff associated with the contract;

the project manager’s role is to oversee the operations and act as the POC for COR to address any issues with performance. The project manager is not an on-site position.

29. Please advise if an active NCAGE status with number is sufficient for Non-Sam Bidders?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 11.

30. Please advise number of transactions and Annual travel spending for 2025 (Air and Transportation)

Answer: Please refer to Minimum and maximum number of transactions mentioned in the solicitation.

31. All Insurance companies are only providing annual quotations for DBA coverage, and not for the entire Contract Period (5yrs). Please advise how can we go ahead with the same on the Pricing Table in Section 1.

Answer: DBA insurance shall be priced and obtained on an annual basis and included in the applicable contract pricing.

32. The Solicitation document mentions an average annual number of visitors requiring traveler’s assistance services at ~ 1000 tickets. Please confirm our transaction fee would apply to these requests as well.

Answer: Transaction fee is applicable whenever contact issue tickets against a travel order.

33. We have noted your preference for U.S. flag carriers under the Fly America Act.

Is it permissible to issue tickets on the desired American carriers with another carrier-plating, based on airline codeshare/interline agreements? (For eg. American Airlines flights ticketed on

Qatar Airways documents)

Answer: There is no restriction on carrier plating. City pair flights must be used on city pair routes, and for all other trips to and from the United States, transoceanic flights must be on a US flag carrier. Selection of a plating carrier should not increase the fare. Based on the above example, the contractor must use the lowest fare plating option on American Airlines flights operated by Qatar Airways.

34. Could you please share your approximate total annual travel spend over the last 2 years, as reference for our pricing?

Answer: The U.S. Government does not provide historical spend, volume, or usage data for this requirement. Offerors shall propose pricing based on their own commercial assumptions and the requirements set forth in the solicitation.

35. Is there a provision for us to exit the contract at the end of any given year, with a reasonable notice period (for eg. with a notice of about 3months) ?

Answer: No, the solicitation does not include a provision for early termination by the contractor at the end of any year. Termination rights are governed by the clauses included in the contract.

36. Please advise whether travel requests would be billed as GTR or CAB transactions?

Answer: Non-CBA transactions billed as GTR transaction.

37. Please advise whether the SCAC cost is a one-time or an annual cost ?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 16.

38. Could you please share more details on the Coverage requirements under DBA.

Answer: For Defense Base Act (DBA) coverage requirements, offerors shall refer to Section 3 of the solicitation. DBA insurance may be obtained directly from any Department of Labor-approved provider. Additional information on carriers and coverage can be found at the DOL website: http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc/lscarrier.htm .

39. Which GDS (Amadeus/Sabre/Galileo) is preferred or mandated, and are there existing profiles/PNRs to be migrated?

Answer: No preference on GDS, un-ticketed PNRs will be migrated.

40. What are the data retention and recordkeeping periods for PNRs, invoices, and traveler profiles under Embassy policy?

Answer: Contractors shall retain travel-related records, including PNRs, invoices, and traveler profiles, for a minimum of three (3) years or longer as required for audits or other official purposes, in accordance with DOS and Federal regulations.

http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc/lscarrier.htm http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc/lscarrier.htm http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc/lscarrier.htm http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc/lscarrier.htm

41. What are expectations for irregular operations (IROPs) support (reaccommodation/waivers), real time alerts, and mass disruption playbooks?

Answer: Contractors shall provide the needed support in accordance with the requirements set forth in the solicitation.

42. Are there mandated duty of care tools (tracking, geo alerts) and emergency communication protocols with the RSO/Management Section?

Answer: Contractors shall comply with all mandated requirements in accordance with the solicitation, in coordination with the Embassy Travel Section.

43. What blocks need to be filled in the IRS Form - W14 to initiate the process?

Answer: Requirements depend on the company. Offerors should follow the instructions provided on the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-14

44. Kindly share the presentation from the January 06, 2026 pre quotation conference to ensure accurate alignment with submission guidelines.

The presentation is provided in a separate document.

45. Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance :

• Please provide the details about the authorized DBA insurance provider in this market?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 38.

• Related to this section, what document do we have to attach while submitting tender documents?

Answer: Only the estimated DBA cost shall be included in the pricing submitted with the quotation. The successful offeror shall provide proof of DBA insurance after award.

• How are these charges reimbursed by the Embassy? At what price do we have to include these charges?

Answer: DBA cost shall be included in the pricing submitted with the quotation https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-14 https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-14 https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-14 https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-14

46. Invoice Submission period ?

Answer: Invoices for NON CBA/GTR transactions must be submitted before the 10th of every month. For CBA transactions, the reconciled packet must be submitted within two days after receiving the CBA card statement.

47. Payment period after the Invoice submission:

Answer: 30 days after the submission of the invoice.

48. For "Visitors Bureau" type services, is it allowed to submit a separate transaction fee quote, or not?

Answer: Transaction fee is same for all types of transactions.

49. Regarding the Form Of payment, Credit Card:

I. The credit card to be used to issue the service is of the Agency’s or the Contractor’s.

Answer: Agency, (US Embassy) CBA travel credit card. Only airlines can be the vendor for card transactions.

II. Is the credit card payment mode only for the GDS carriers who accept credit cards, with exemptions to be issued as per the contractor and BSP/supplier agreement, correct?

Answer: Yes, travel credit cards can be used only for airlines that support cards for UCCF transactions. All other transactions must be reported as invoice transactions (NON-CBA) against the travel order

50. Refund Requests:

I. Is the refund request also considered as an order and transaction fee applies?

Answer: No TMC fee for refunds.

II. While processing the refund, do we have to refund the original transaction fee?

Answer: No, transaction fee is nonrefundable.

51. Key personnel:

I. Do we have to attach the CV of the personnel, or are the name and contact details enough while submission?

Answer: Yes, CV of the personnel need to be included in the submission.

II. Can the assigned consultant bring his official laptop and phone?

Answer: Only phone, no laptop.

III. Can he access his email and handle calls on his phone?

Answer: Yes, through phone or contractor provided system for GDS.

IV. Can he access WhatsApp or any other chat applications?

Answer: Yes, through phone or contractor provided system for GDS.

V. Please mention if there are any restrictions related to the system or websites.

Answer: No restrictions.

52. Kindly request you to share us the SAM registration presentation.

Answer: The presentation is provided in a separate document.

53. Could you please let me know the number of staff employed at the Embassy and if every staff is eligible for family status and also the rest and recoup leave.

Answer: Staffing levels vary. Offerors shall base their proposals solely on the requirements set forth in the solicitation.

54. Kindly confirm whether IRS Form W-14 is applicable in our case. As we are not covered under a U.S. tax treaty, we request your guidance on how to correctly complete the form, particularly with respect to determining the total contract price and identifying any non-exempt amounts.

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question# 43.

55. As discussed during the conference, we understand that the proposal submission shall consist of three separate files: Technical, Financial, and Certification. Kindly confirm the following:

• As advised, each file should not exceed 30 MB, and if the file size exceeds this limit, it should be submitted through multiple separate emails. Kindly confirm if this understanding is correct.

Answer: Confirmed, please ensure the solicitation reference number is included in the subject line of each email.

• Please confirm what documents are required to be included under the Certification file

Answer: Offerors shall complete and submit all applicable certifications based on their company’s status. Any items that do not apply shall be marked “N/A.”

56. For the implanted (on-site) service requirement, kindly confirm whether the CV of the proposed implanted staff member needs to be submitted with the proposal or only after contract award.

Answer: Please refer to the answer to question 51.

57. Kindly share a copy of the presentation that was shown during the session held on 6 January, for our reference.

Answer: The presentation is provided in a separate document.

58. As discussed during the conference, the NCAGE code is mandatory at the time of proposal submission. We have already applied for the NCAGE code; however, we have not yet received confirmation.

Answer: Offerors should contact the registration help desk to expedite NCAGE issuance. If the

NCAGE code is not available at time of submission, proof of registration along with the required certifications and representations shall be submitted.