QA -Mission Wide Cellphone and Mobile Internet Services.pdf

RFQ 19MX53-22-Q-0002

Mission Wide Cellphone and Mobile Internet Services

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

Questions & Answers

Q1. Section 1.2 – Is it correct to assume that all the activations will be held during the 12 months next to the RFP award?

A1. Activations and cancellations are going to be made during the entire contract Period of Performance, the numbers stated in section 1.7, Pricing, are estimated quantities.

Q2. Section 1.3 – What will be the criteria for the renewal for year 2, 3 and 4. Are you expecting to maintain prices for these renewals?

A2. Options might not be exercised when market conditions or USG requirements have changed in such a degree that issuing a new procurement may be worth the time and effort of a re-solicitation, or when the contractor’s performance during previous period has not complied with contract requirements. Prices for Option Years shall be stated in each quote, and they are going to be fixed once the Contract is awarded. During quote preparation, the

Contractor shall determine whether prices for option years are the same or different to Base

Year prices.

Q3. Section 1.7.1.1 – Is it correct to assume that you are considering 1,100 mobile services with 2 options (controlled and not controlled)?

A3. The estimated quantity of lines for cellphone services is 2,550 distributed in twelve

(12) not-controlled plans with LTE and 5G technology and twelve (12) controlled plans with LTE and 5G technology. These numbers are estimations only. Please refer to

Amendment A001 where the number of packages, estimates and technology definitions are being changed.

Q4. Can we consider this as the mix of profiles or it will be different?

A4. Estimated quantities are based on current needs. However, the final number of each type of package will be stated in each Task Order.

Q5. Section 1.7.1.2 – Is it correct to assume that you are considering 50 mobile services with 2 options (controlled and not controlled)? Can we consider this as the mix of profiles or it will be different?

A5. The estimated quantity of mobile internet services is 150 distributed in seven (7) different not-controlled plans. These numbers are estimations only. Please refer to

Amendment A001 where the number, type and estimates of packages are being changed.

Q6. Can we consider this as the mix of profiles or it will be different?

A6. Estimated quantities are based on current needs. However, the final number of each type of package will be stated in each Task Order.

Q7. Section 1.7.1.3 – Is it correct to assume that the additional data packages will be requested as needed and this package will only be active in the month requested?

A7. Correct. Additional data packages will be requested as needed and for the remainder of each billing cycle.

Q8. Section 1.7.1.3 – Does the SIMs stock price should be included in the ODCs?

A8. SIMs stock price shall be provided in CLINs A005, A105, A205, A305 and A405.

Q9. Section 1.11.1 – In section 1.11.7.1 additions are requested in 24 hours and in 1.11.1 in 48 hours. Which one is correct?

A9. Correct timing is 24 hours. Please refer to amendment A001 to this RFQ.

Q10. Section 1.11.4.9 – Please provide the model of the smart watches that will be used with eSIM.

A10. Apple Model A2353 (40mm) and Apple Model A2354 (44mm).

Q11. Section 1.11.4.5 – Please provide a use case for SMS to e-mail. Normally the messages application is the one that sends emails if an email address is entered.

A11. Apple’s iMessage application may use email address when recipient does not support SMS.

Q12. Section 1.11.4.6 – The voicemail IVR has an option to change the language, is this functionality enough?

A12. Yes. As long as English and Spanish languages are included in IVR platform.

Q13. Section 1.11.4.9 – Please provide the model of the smart watches that will be used with eSIM

A13. Please refer to answer A10.

Q14. Section 1.11.5 – Regarding unlimited service in MX, US, CAN. Do you mean that the contractor will not limit the amount of minutes or data in these countries? Or do you mean that these services shall be included unlimited in our commercial proposal?

How do we consider this for controlled lines?

A14. Unlimited voice and SMS services in Mexico, U.S. and Canada are required without restrictions and at the single rate stated in the contract. For data, the user must be able to use its maximum allowance of GB for each package regardless their location

(Mexico, U.S., or Canada, indistinctively) at the same rate stated in the contract.

For non-controlled lines, user shall be notified once the data limit is reached, but services shall be maintained available.

For controlled lines, the data shall be capped once the user reaches its data limit.

Q15. Section 1.11.5.1 – Is it possible to use a 3rd party to extend the contractors coverage?

Or all the infrastructure shall be contractors property?

A15. No. It is not possible to use a 3rd party to extend the contractors coverage. The infrastructure shall be the contractor's property.

Q16. Section 1.11.5.2 – Could you provide the locations where the service will be used?

A16. Services are required in the entire Mexican territory, U.S., and Canada, as well as any other location in the world where the U.S. Mission Mexico employees travel for official and personal purposes.

Q17. Section 1.11.5.3 – How will you measure the availability of LTE and in which places?

A17. It will be confirmed by users on a case-by-case basis throughout Mexico and during the period of performance

Q18. Section 1.11.7.1 – In section 1.11.1 additions are requested in 48 hours and in 1.11.7.1 in 24 hours. Which one is correct?

A18. Correct timing is 24 hours. Please refer to amendment A001 to this RFQ.

Q19. Section 1.12.1 – Is it correct to assume that this customer service will be provided remotely?

A19. Correct. 24-Hour customer Service shall be provided remotely.

Q20. Section 1.12.2 – Shall this resource be located onsite or remotely?

A20. The Project Manager shall work from the contractor’s facilities but shall be available to show up onsite as needed.

Q21. Section 1.12.3 – Shall this resource be located onsite or remotely?

A21. The Consulates Customer Service Representatives shall work from the contractor’s facilities. The contractor shall appoint one representative per consulate. Support on site shall be available when required.

Q22. Section 1.16 – Please provide the type of devices that will be used for this service

A22. Smart Phones/iPhones, Tablets/iPads, and wireless modems as approved by the

U.S. Government. The complete list of devices will be provided upon award.

Q23. What is the difference C001 – controlled vs. non controlled?

A23. A controlled line has a fixed plan rate and it restricted to any other services that entails an additional charge. A controlled line guarantees the USG to pay an equal rate every month. A non-controlled line is open to additional services and thus to charges that are added to the monthly rental rate.

Q24. Is the local office mandatory? When having SIM cards, activations can be made 'over the air'?

A24. Activation can be made over the air, but in case of emergencies and when requiring a SIM during the weekend, a local office is required so that the user can collect the SIM without having to wait until the next business day. An ‘over-the-air’ activation can be done as long as the user already has a SIM to be activated.

Q25. Should Customer Service Representatives for Consulates be one per Consulate at the city where the Consulate is located? Can it be a single centralized person that can provide remote service to Consulates?

A25. A Customer Service Representative per Consulate is preferred.

Q26. Should proposals be submitted in English?

A26. As stated under FAR Clause 52.214-34, incorporated by reference under section

3.10, FAR Provisions, offers submitted in response to this solicitation shall be in the

English language. Offers received in other than English shall be rejected.

However, it is not necessary to translate licenses and permits issued by the Mexican

Government. Financial statements can be submitted in local language as long as they are certified by a Third-Party.

Q27. Section 1.3 Period of Performance. Is it mandatory that the submitted offer includes the 4 renewal periods requested in this proposal.?

A27. Yes, please refer to FAR clause 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options (Jul 1990).

Q28. Section 1.11 Performance Work Statement. Could US Embassy share with our company the office´s address where the Voice and Data services will be used?

A28. Please refer to answer A16.

Q29. Section 1.11.1 Cellphone Services. Could the US Embassy share with our company the cell phones specifications where the SIMs will be used?

A29. Please refer to answer A22.

Q30. Section 1.11.2 Mobile Internet Services. Could the US Embassy share with our company the devices data sheets where the SIMs will be used?

A30. No devices considered as covered technology are used. Most devices currently used are Alcatel LTE MW41NF, but this depends on the devices approved to be used by the

U.S. Government.

Q31. Section 1.11.3.2 Replacement / Spare SIM Cards. Could the US Embassy define how many backup SIM´s should be included in this proposal?

A31. 10% of the total number of lines, or 250 SIMs each year whichever is higher.

Q32. Section 1.11.4 Other Direct Costs (ODC). Is right to consider that the following services are cell phone features and if the cell phone has the feature our company will allow it?: j) Call Forwarding service, k) Three-way calling service, l) Call waiting service.

A32. Correct

Q33. Section 1.11.6.3 Line Portability. Could US Embassy define how many lines will need

"portability" and how many will be new?

A33. Approximately 2,500 cellphone lines will require portability.

Q34. Section 1.12.2 Contractor’s Project Manager. How will the delivery logistics be? In a single location/warehouse or is it required to be distributed nationwide?

A34. It is required to be distributed nationwide. Each Consulate will manage its SIM supplies separately.

Q35. Section 1.12.2 Contractor’s Project Manager. Is there a services acceptance protocol?

A35. An acceptance protocol will be defined upon contract award. Each service will require its own method.

Q36. Section 1.12.2 Contractor’s Project Manager. Is there an estimated date for the possible start of the project and its end date?

A36. Award is expected to be completed in June, 2022. Last option period of contract will end in June 2027, if the 4 options are exercised.

Q37. Section 1.12.3 Consulates Customer Service Representative. Could the US Embassy share with our company the detail that activities that should be done the Customer

Service Representative?

A37. Perform new line activations, replacement SIM card activations, line cancellations, additional data activation, arrange SIM card delivery and SIM replacements

Q38. Section 1.12.3 Consulates Customer Service Representative. Is correct to consider that resource assigned to the US Embassy will not be implant at any the US Embassy

Office, only will visit the US Embassy office when it be necessary?

A38. Correct.

Q39. Section 1.14.2 Invoice Requirements. Is it possible to add an extra document with the information required? This because the invoice cannot be modified.

A39. An additional document can be attached to each Invoice in the form of a formal account statement including all the lines to be paid with a single Task Order. For financial audit reasons, no general Excel spread sheets or Word documents can be accepted.

Q40. Section 1.23 Option Periods. Is it mandatory that the submitted offer includes the 4 renewal periods requested in this proposal.?

A40. Yes, please refer to FAR clause 52.217-5, Evaluation of Options (Jul 1990).

Q41. Section 2 Contract Clauses. Could US Embassy consider that to establish a commercial relationship with our company it is necessary to sing our company´s contract which is registered with the IFT?

A41. No. One of the main differences between U.S. Federal acquisitions and private acquisitions is precisely that the U.S. Federal Government must issue the contract, not the contractor.

Q42. Section 3.2.1.2 Experience and Ability to Perform. Could the US Embassy to consider that there is information that cannot be shared by our privacy data policy?

A42. Please refer to section 4, Evaluation Factors, sub-sections 4.7.2, Past Performance, and 4.7.4, Responsibility Determination.

Q43. Section 4.1 General. Could the US Embassy define if the contractor does not comply will all the requirements defined in this proposal will be disqualified? and define, if there are some requirements key in this proposal?

A43. To be acceptable and eligible for evaluation, proposals must be prepared in accordance with Sections 3 and 4 and shall meet all the requirements set forth in the other sections. Please also refer to minimum requirements stated in the chart included in Section

4, Evaluation Factors, sub-section 4.7, Evaluation Criteria, paragraph 4.7.1, Technical.