19MX9018Q0009_Questions_and_Answers.docx

Questions and answers 19MX9018Q0009 Acquisition of 29 Trained Dogs

Question

What is the breakdown of the dogs for the contract? 29 total, How many for narcotics, firearms, currency?

All must be trained in the detection of narcotics only.

1.4 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

1.4.1 Provide 29 trained detection canines. Canines shall be used for the following aroma detection:

1. Narcotics: marijuana, cocaine, heroin, MDA/MDMA synthetic drugs

2. Firearms

3. Currency

1.4.2 Canines must be trained and certified for at least three months at the Escuela de Guías y Adiestramiento Canino from the Colombian National Police.

Question:

1. If a vendor has a past performance in providing similar services to the Mexican government (canine training, hander training, lodging, meals and transportation), is it possible to complete all required dog and handler training at a canine facility in the United States rather than Colombia? No. Dogs must have been trained and certified by the Colombian National Police. See updated SOW

2. If the dogs are required to complete a 3 month training program with Colombian National Police canine training center, are prospective vendors expected to negotiate with the Colombian National Police Canine Training Center to acquire a cost for this service? Yes. Vendors are expected to negotiate with the Colombian National Police Canine Training Center

1.5 SELECTION CRITERIA

The INL Canine Team, with an INL-designated canine instructor and licensed veterinarian, shall select the canines to determine whether they have the capability of fitting the intended purpose. If asked, the Contractor must leave INL personnel to test the canines alone.

Selection will take place at the vendors kennel facility.

The Contractor assumes full responsibility for the health, safety and wellbeing of the canines during selection process and all transportation required, such as transportation to and from kennels to selection place if applicable, transportation from kennels to airport, transportation to Mexico City.

1.5.1 Selectin criteria tests

The canines are expected to successfully pass the following tests:

Suitability Tests

· Various scenarios such as open and closed environments.

· Problem-solving and decision-making skills

· Behavior

· Reaction and recuperation time.

· Possession

· Prey Instincts

· Searching patterns

· Basic Obedience

Question:

1. The SOW Section 1 canine selection criteria is consistent with untrained dogs. Is it the government’s intent to select untrained dogs that will then be trained at the Colombian National Police Canine Training Program? No.

2. If the Government’s intent is to select green dogs that will later be trained by the Colombian Police will the Colombian Police Canine Trainers be involved with the canine selection process, potentially reducing elimination rate of dogs in training requiring a vendor to incur a replacement costs? USG intents to select trained dogs, if replacement is needed is at the vendor’s expense.

Question:

1. What is the breakdown of the dogs for the contract? 29 total, How many for narcotics, firearms, currency?

All must be trained in detection of narcotics only.

QUESTION: Which of these two sections are correct? Will the contractor have two (2) or four (4) weeks after contract award to have dogs ready for selection? N/A according to modifications in SOW.

QUESTION: We are asking that the Government keeps in mind that there are no facilities that we are aware of that keeps twenty five (25) dogs in inventory that are trained on narcotics, firearms and currency. It is feasible that we they will keep several dogs trained in narcotics detections as that is what they sell to most law enforcement agencies. The training for all three (3) of these scent detection tasks cannot be accomplished during a two (2) week time period. It would take substantially more time to have twenty five (25) dogs trained to these standards in a proficient manner. Would the Government be willing to allow more time to train dogs after the award of the contract? Government requires 29 previously trained dogs in narcotics detection. See updated SOW.

3. Section 1.5 of the statement of work states; SELECTION CRITERIA The INL Canine Team, with an INL-designated canine instructor and licensed veterinarian, shall select the canines to determine whether they have the capability of fitting the intended purpose. If asked, the Contractor must leave INL personnel to test the canines alone.

QUESTION: Why would there be a need for the selection team to test dogs when they are not in the presence of the Vendor? Understand that the Vendor representative would only be present to help facilitate the testing by the Government’s selection team. They would only interfere in the event that a selection team technique was hurting the dog, dangerous to their safety or for an emergency. If the vendor’s representative is not allowed to be present, then it would make one wonder what type of testing is taking place. We would respectfully ask that the Government allow a Vendor’s Representative to be present for all testing. In the past, we have had canines that do detect substances in the presence of vendor but not without him/her, that’s the only reason why INL might ask vendor to leave canines alone. N/A according to modifications on SOW.

Questions:

Statement: The Quality Assurance and Surveillance Plan (QASP) states that:

“The Contractor, not the Government, is responsible for management and quality control to meet the terms of the contract. The role of the Government is to monitor quality to ensure that contract standards are achieved.”

Question: Will the contractor be allowed to remain on site in Mexico to perform maintenance training over the duration of the contract? If the contractor is not allowed to remain on site how does the Government intend to ensure that adequate maintenance training is being conducted to maintain odor detection proficiency? Maintenance of training is the end user’s responsibility.

Statement: The performance standards indicate that “All required services are performed and no more than one (1) customer complaint is received per month.”

Question: What does the Government consider to be an official customer complaint? Are there established thresholds and if so, what are they? N/A according to modifications on SOW Statement: 1.3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1.3.1 Canines shall be subject to testing; only viable canines shall be accepted and procured.

Question: What testing methodology will be used to determine viability? Does the Government intend to use the Diplomatic Security Odor Recognition Test and substitute explosive odor with the contractually required substances, or another testing method? Can the Government define the specific testing protocols? An INL designated Veterinarian and a canine instructor will check the medical information of each canine and run tests specified in 1.4.5 and 1.5.1 Statement: 1.3.2 Upon receiving the contract award, Contractor shall have up to two weeks to prepare for canine selection with enough number of canines to select 29. Selection date shall be coordinated with Contractor by INL and will take place during one week. After the selection is accomplished, the Contractor shall deliver the canines and equipment listed on this RFQ in eight weeks.

Question: Is the Government’s intent to evaluate fully trained and imprinted canines at the time of selection, or will the Government only be evaluating temperament, disposition, and health at the time of selection? Both. All USG needs to evaluate the training is a certificate from the Colombian National Police stating that canines have undergo training at its facilities.

Statement: Section 1.3.2 further states that “After the selection is accomplished, the Contractor shall deliver the canines and equipment listed on this RFQ in eight weeks.”

Question: It is commonly accepted within the canine industry that 8 weeks is the minimum time to imprint a canine on required odor from one family of odor (explosives, narcotics, agriculture, etc.). The Government requires canine imprinted on 3 separate families of odors, narcotics, explosives (firearms) and specialized detection for currency. Will the Government consider extending the delivery deadline beyond 8 weeks? Yes, although the main requirement is to be trained in narcotics.

Statement: 1.4 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS 1.4.1 Provide 29 trained detection canines. Canines shall be used for the following aroma detection: 1. Narcotics: marijuana, cocaine, heroin, MDA/MDMA synthetic drugs 2. Firearms 3. Currency Question: Are the narcotics listed in section 1.4 the only substances that the canine will be evaluated on, or are there additional substances? If so, can the Government detail all required substances? Only be tested in narcotics.

Question: The Government requires the canine to be able to detect firearms, it is commonly accepted in the canine industry that firearms detection canines are imprinted upon black powder or are capable of tracking an individual person by odor, such as a suspect who has discarded a firearm in a pursuit. What is the Government’s intent for this requirement? If the intent is to imprint the canine on black powder unfired or new firearms will not contain the necessary explosive residue for detection. N/A according to modifications on SOW.

Question: Currency comes in many formats. American dollars contain high amounts of cotton whereas Canadian currency is primarily plastic. What is the Government’s specific requirement for currency detection and what testing methodology will be utilized to determine proficiency? N/A according to modifications on SOW.

Statement: 1.4.2 Canines must be trained and certified for at least three months at the Escuela de Guías y Adiestramiento Canino from the Colombian National Police.

Question: Can the Government please clarify this requirement? What is the certification process and will the Contractor conduct the training? If the host nation will be providing training what assurances will the Contractor have that the training adheres to established training methodology used to initially imprint and train the canines? INL requires a certificate from CNP stating the canine has been trained at the CNP Canine Academy during September to December 2017.

Question: Will in-country maintenance and sustainment training be conducted with pseudo or live training aids? Pseudos. Maintenance is the end user’s responsibility.

Statement: 1.5 SELECTION CRITERIA: The INL Canine Team, with an INL-designated canine instructor and licensed veterinarian, shall select the canines to determine whether they have the capability of fitting the intended purpose. If asked, the Contractor must leave INL personnel to test the canines alone.

Question: Does the Government require that the canines be imprinted and fully capable of passing an odor recognition test at this point? If not, what specifically will be the evaluation criteria? N/A according to modifications on SOW Statement: Suitability Tests:

Question: Can the Government elaborate on the specifics of suitability testing and the desired outcomes? N/A according to new SOW

• Basic Obedience

Statement: SECTION 4 - EVALUATION FACTORS Question: Does the Government intend to incorporate DHS Safety Act compliance as a part of this solicitation? No. Government doesn’t intend to incorporate DHS Safety Act compliance Question: The solicitation does not specify whether or not canines are required to be food reward or play reward trained. MSA has an established track record training food reward canines for both the Federal Government and commercial clients. Will the Government accept food reward canine for this solicitation? Play reward.

Question: The solicitation does not specify whether or not there will be periodic or on-going certification or validation. Does the Government anticipate validating the odor detection capability of the canines once they have deployed the place of performance? If so, how often will the canines be required to validate, and what will the process be? Not required.

Question: The solicitation does not specify whether or not the Contractor will be required to retire or repatriate the canines. Will host nation be responsible for the retirement and adoption of the canine or will that be a Contractor responsibility? If it is a contractor responsibility, at what age does the Government intend to retire the canines? Mexican Government (GOM) will be in charge of adoption and retirement.

Question: Will veterinarian care equivalent to, or greater than care available in the United States be available to the canines at the place of performance? Yes. If commensurate care is not available will the Government consider incorporating periodic healthcare checks from Contractor provided veterinarians? Care is provided by GOM.

Question: Will the Contractor be required to travel to host nation to perform any type of periodic training? No. If periodic training will not be provided by the Contractor will the Government release the host nation training and sustainment curriculums so that the Contractor can tailor the training to adequately meet the needs of the mission? No because such documents do not exist.