RFI Answers_Amendment 0003.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 36 KB Posted
- Attached to
- BEP SCADA System Maintenance Service
- Solicitation number
- 2031ZA26Q00009
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers document (Amendment 0003) for RFQ 2031ZA26Q00009, a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System Maintenance Service contract with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). The solicitation addresses SCADA maintenance and support services at two facilities: the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C. (DCF) and the Western Currency Facility (WCF) in Fort Worth, Texas.
The contract encompasses maintenance service hours, operator training, major projects, and OEM support contracts. The base period includes 480 maintenance service hours for DCF and 1,333 hours for WCF, with operator training allocations of 88 hours for DCF and 80 hours for WCF. The solicitation utilizes a single hourly rate for all service work, estimated at Engineer Level 3 or 4 due to the complexity of the SCADA system with multiple vendor platforms including Allen Bradley, ABB, GE, AVEVA Plant SCADA, and Tridium systems. The contractor must be locally based in the DC area for on-site training with government employees; WCF training occurs remotely via Microsoft Teams. Most WCF work can be performed remotely unless it involves Major Projects CLINs that require onsite service. The government provides all software licenses, computers, servers, and support for licensed software; contractors supply their own support tools and equipment for non-government-supplied systems. Travel and material expenses are included in the hourly rates. Contract management hours are incorporated within the total service hours budget. The contractor must provide a 1-day response time for troubleshooting issues (remotely if possible, on-site if necessary) and comply with monthly workforce reporting requirements under Treasury's APU No. 26-01. The incumbent contractor, Sigma Associates Inc., currently staffs four engineers, multiple control electrical technicians, and two to three control technicians. The document clarifies distinctions between maintenance service hours (up to 240 hours), major modifications requiring construction or hardware installation, and system upgrades, with the SCADA manager and Contracting Officer's Representative determining classification. Work requires familiarity with control industry standards, troubleshooting expertise, and understanding of multiple vendor platforms and control wiring configurations.
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Sheet1
| Questions and Answers for SCADA Maintenance Service - RFQ 2031ZA26Q00009 | |||||
| Question Number | Reference Document Type | Page | Section | Question | Answer |
| 1 | 2031ZA26Q00009 Solicitation | 6 | 0009,1008, 2008, 3008,4008 | The pricing table calls for hourly unit pricing but does not include a location to capture travel costs for this effort if needed. Please provide additional fields in the pricing table to capture this additional cost. | The contract requires the contractor subcontractor to be located locally in DC area per the PWS. At DC, they will train on site with government employees. At WCF, they will train the contractor, WCF government employees via Microsoft Teams. |
| 3 | Performance Work Statement | 8 | 1.7.6 | Please confirm that all general SCADA work for the WCF facility can be performed remotely unless included as part of the Major Projects CLIN where travel can be covered. | Under the most recent contract, most of the integration of the Industrial Control device was integrated remotely. When a device requires onsite service work, it will go through the local contractor. If the contractor/subcontractor has a local office near WCF, the service hours can be used. If not, we will use other resource options to get it done. |
| 4 | 2031ZA26Q00009 Solicitation | 4-17 | CLINs - '0003, 0008, 1003, 1007, 2003, 2007, 3003, 3007, 4003, 4007 | Are Contract Management hours to be included in the allotted hours for the referenced CLINs for DCF and WCF Service Hours, or are they to be included separately above and beyond those hours? If separate, please provide a revised pricing table or other means to capture those hours. | The contract management is part of the service hours and all service hours will not exceed the total hours. |
| 5 | 2031ZA26Q00009 Solicitation / Performance Work Statement | 4-17 / 10 | 0003, 0008, 1003, 1007, 2003, 2007, 3003, 3007, 4003, 4007 / 1.7.10 | The PWS lists multiple labor category types for personnel, however the pricing matrix only designates one unit rate for all allotted hours within the Service CLINs. Can the Government please clarify whether one rate should be assigned across the board to all labor categories performing work on the Service CLINs, or should separate labor rates be provided? If separate, please provide a revised pricing document to capture multiple rates. | The service is one rate. Most of the work requires high level controller work, program, graphic, troubleshooting, and other things. In past experience, it was for Engineer level 3 or 4 since the SCADA system is a complex, multiple moving subcomponent. |
| 6 | Performance Work Statement | 7 | 1.6 | This section is empty, please confirm this is intentionally blank. | Yes, it is. |
| 7 | Performance Work Statement | 8,9 | 1.7.7, 1.7.8 | There are duplicated instances of these sections, please provide an updated PWS so that a properly aligned solicitation response can be provided. | A new PWS with proper alignment and numbering will be provided. |
| 8 | Performance Work Statement | 4 | 1.4 | There are duplicated instances of this section heading, it appears that 1.4 General Requirements should read 1.5 General Requirements. Please provide an updated PWS so that a properly aligned solicitation response can be provided. | A new PWS with proper alignment and numbering will be provided. |
| 10 | Performance Work Statement | 23 | 6.6 | This requirement references an acronym that is not defined in the acronym list. Please confirm that USGCB is an acronym for United States Government Configuration Baseline, or if not then please provide the intended definition. | It is part of the NIST and BEP security policy that was created for the SCADA system. |
| 11 | Performance Work Statement | 21 | 5.3.1 | Please confirm that by "shifts" the Government is meaning 3 separate production shifts per day (i.e. day, evening, and night shifts). | Coordinate with the government to give proper training for Day (0600 - 14:30), Evening (14:30 to 22:30), Midnight (22:30 to 06:30). The time can be discussed between COR and Power plant or Office of Facilties. From past experience, BEP has done training for day and evening between 13:00 to 16:00 and midnight at 22:30 to 24:00 or 05:00 to 8:00 for day and midnight and evening at 15:00. |
Time is not important, but it will cover all personnel on all the shifts (Day, Evening,Midnight).
| 13 | Performance Work Statement | 10 | 1.7.10 | This section references Section 1.4.5 which does not exist. Please correct the PWS to include the correct reference. | It is referred in the Major modification section that is for construction and new installation work. The PWS will be corrected to show section 5.4. |
| 16 | Performance Work Statement | 10 | 1.7.10 | Please confirm that the Contract Manager/Alternate Contract Manager listed at the top this section is the same key individual as the Project Manger listed at the bottom of this section. | Yes. However, the Contract manager, alternate contract manager or the project manager could be a different person on the Major modification project vs the service hours. The contractor will be the one that determines the manpower. The COR needs to be able to contact the right person if things go badly. |
| 17 | Performance Work Statement | 15 | 3 | Please confirm that active PIV credentials are required by offeror at time of award. | One will have to provide a list of all personnel that require a badge. Anybody who has a PIV/HSPD-12 will still have to go through a background check. If they have a previous badge at BEP, the process will go faster. Any other agency PIV/HSPD-12, security will use their eApp information to process the badge. All badges (low - proxy or high - PIV) will be on the contractor's overhead since the individual whom was put in for the process could leave the company or fail the BEP background check. |
| 18 | Performance Work Statement | 18 | 5.2.6 | Please confirm that offerors are required to have an active 24/7/365 call center in order to field and respond to problem calls in a timely manner. | Per the PWS, section 5.2.6, if the SCADA system is not working properly, the contractor has 1 day to respond to the situation to troubleshoot. The clock can be discussed or an email sent. It's possible the lead engineer, contract manager or project manager will get an email. Most of the time, the contractor will not get a call since the SCADA manager and his team will handle it, unless it requires hardware or technicial support that we have no knowledge. |
| 20 | PWS Section 1.2 | Page 2 | Paragraphs 2–3 | What are the current software and firmware versions for AVEVA Citect / Plant SCADA and Historian, Tridium (if applicable), Johnson Controls Metasys / Facility Explorer, and ABB PLCs and other field devices? | Aveva Plant 2018 in DC, Aveva Plant 2020 in WCF, and we are planning to upgrade both sites to 2023 now that the historian server has been upgraded to wonderware Dream report. |
| 21 | PWS Section 1.2 | Page 2 | — | What is the process for patch management across ICS and enterprise systems? | Depending on the ICS device or Server/computer and location. Some will require an escort to the section to plug in the SCADA field serve laptop, other is remote into the computer and server and some will require one to be present in front of the Kiosk/dashboad/SCADA client monitor system |
| 22 | PWS Section 1.2 | Page 2 | Paragraph 2 | Does the scope include PLC programming and control logic development, or is the effort limited to SCADA/HMI-layer support? | It is everything from ABB PLC program, configuration, wiring, installation, graphic design, integrating system using multiple protocol communication via multiple softwares (Citect, Inneasoft, CCT, Codsys, Allen bradley, GE, other) and SCADA/HMI/ Dashboard of whatever ICS is on the SCADA system. The government does not want an overlay. The prime will chose whomever to accomplish this project from beginning to end, and it will need to work. |
| 24 | PWS Section 1.3 | Page 3 | Paragraph 2 | Can the Government provide approximate system scale, including number of PLCs (by vendor/type), number of SCADA nodes (servers/clients), number of field devices and meters, and estimated tag/point count? | PLC - Allen bradley in WCF and DC - Allen bradley MicroLogic, ABB, GE |
client - 10(DC and WCF); laptop - 4-16 ICS laptops(some are being test to switch from Windows XP, 7 to Windows 10/11); 5 physical/2 virtual; 1 development that pushes out the project. More than 1000.
Tag/points count is unlimited since the license is unlimited except the Historian is limited to 5000.
| 25 | PWS Section 1.4 | Page 3 | — | Is there an on-call or after-hours support requirement (e.g., 24/7/365 coverage)? | BEP will expect the contractor in 24 hours after we call the xx manager, leading technician. |
| 26 | PWS Section 1.4 | Page 3 | — | Will the contractor be responsible for vulnerability assessments or scanning and patch testing/validation in ICS environments? | No, because IT security does that. However, the contractor is respondible for identifying the ICS firewall that was put into protect IT from scanning the ICS devices or troubleshoot why it crashed if requested by the SCADA team. |
| 27 | PWS Section 1.4 | Pages 3–4 | — | What labor categories or roles does the Government anticipate (e.g., SCADA Engineer, Controls Engineer, OT Network Specialist)? | Major modification, whatever to get it integrated to SCADA. However all IT work will be determined by SCADA team. Integrating ICS to SCADA and following the structure that was laid out in the SCADA best practice and all devices will follow the standard that was set by the SCADA manager. Any change will be directed to the contractor from the government as to what is acceptable parts use. |
The SCADA team and the support contractor will work with each other as a team to improve, expand and get SCADA system to be the best system ever. All voices and suggestions are welcome, but the final decision will be from the SCADA manager.
| 28 | PWS Section 1.4 | Page 4 | — | Can the Government clarify what tools, licenses, and equipment will be provided versus expected from the contractor? | All computers, any software license that require to be on a government computer, server. All support on licenses, questions are with tridium, Aveva, Allenbradley, Matrikon are provided by the Federal government since all work has to be done on a government computer and not on a contractor computer. Subcontractor or prime needs to provide their own support on PLC or other ICS device that is not supported per the above statement. (i.e., ABB, GE, JCI Facility explore) |
| 29 | PWS Section 1.4 | Page 4 | — | Will remote access to SCADA systems be permitted for troubleshooting and support? | Yes, but if it require onsite to troubleshoot, the contractor will need to send a technician or engineer. The ICS field device will need onsite support. |
| 30 | PWS Section 1.4 | Pages 4–5 | — | What is the process and expected timeline for obtaining facility access, network credentials, and security clearances? | This depends on the individual filling out their portion of the background and doing it correctly, finger prints and if they don't have an issue within their background or financial issue. 1 - 3 months on High risk, 1 month low risk. |
| 31 | PWS Section 1.5 | Page 6 | — | Can the Government provide the current status of the SCADA System Security Plan (SSP) and Authority to Operate (ATO), if applicable? | The SCADA system is fully authorized to operate within BEP. |
32 PWS Section 1.5.3 Page 6 — What specific NIST (e.g., SP 800-53) or Treasury cybersecurity controls are the contractor expected to support? All the security iscovered in the SSP and all work that is related to computer access or program a ICS device will require the contractor to use Government SCADA computers, laptop, and server. All the software has been installed by the SCADA team and all the ports, configuration has been setup to allow contractors to be sucessful in development, integrate the ICS into SCADA system.
The contractors will support all NIST 800-53 (current version + future revisions) system specific controls that apply to SCADA.
| 33 | PWS Section 1.5.3.1 | Page 3 | Paragraph 1 | For CLINs associated with “Major Projects,” will the Government provide a defined scope of work for each effort, and will proposals be required for each task? | Yes. Detailed breakdown of cost, the defined SOW that will be done by contractor and exception. The government will provide a walk through and explanation in writing after discussing what we want. |
| 35 | QASP | Page 3 | — | What percentage of work is anticipated to be planned maintenance, reactive troubleshooting, and emergency response? | All tasks and problem will be provided to the contractor with the priority of what need sto be done. As for troubleshooting and emergency response, it is about 10% dependent on if the contractor did not provide the SCADA team enough insight to the system to troubleshoot it ourselves or everybody is on vacation. |
| 36 | QASP | Pages 2–3 | — | Are there defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for response times, resolution times, and system uptime requirements? | No, except 1 day response on site or sooner if remote per the PWS. As for system uptime requirement, it depends on the system and the situation. For example, when a new controller needs to be installed, programmed and there's a need to bring the system back up and running, it can take 2 to 8 or 16 hours depending on if we have another system available. The contractor will not be alone during the troubleshooting since SCADA team will be there. Most of the troubleshooting should not take a day unless there are other factors involved. |
| 37 | QASP | Page 3 | — | Can the Government clarify whether training materials already exist and require updates, or must be developed by the contractor? | All training material, software, documents, IT support document, how-to are in the SCADA shared folder. The prime and the subcontractor will have to sign an NDA before any of the information can be shared with them like IP map. |
| 38 | QASP | Page 3 | — | Does training scope include SCADA/HMI systems only, or PLCs and field devices as well? | Training will be all the ICS that was integrated into the SCADA system front end, the hardware, the configuration of anything that was done during the major modification, or sequence of program written in the PLC. There is a basic operators of troubleshooting to navigating the SCADA front end. The other one is an IT training (sometimes they attend) and the advanced one where the SCADA team will be the first line of defense if something broke. |
| 39 | QASP | Page 3 | — | Are there any requirements for training certification, testing, or documentation deliverables? | Check in and out email, daily log of activities done or pending integrating, certification to prove that one(s) is/are knowledgablee of the system that one works. |
| 40 | QASP | Pages 48–51 | — | Is there an incumbent contractor currently performing these services? | Yes - Sigma Associates Inc. |
| 41 | Solicitation | Pages 48–51 | — | If so, can the Government provide current staffing levels, lessons learned or performance challenges, and any anticipated transition requirements? | Current staffing - 4 engineers, multiple control electrical, 2-3 control techs. |
Lesson learned is that SCADA system is a complex system with multiple moving parts that one needs to have experience in or has worked on it in the past. One class or basic training class will allow one to perform about 10% of this contract. Need to have troubleshooting experience and have experience working in the control industry for awhile with multiple control vendors. Understanding the control wiring and trace system out with thinking out of the box on wiring up control experience.
| 42 | Solicitation | Pages 4 & 6 | — | The RFQ identifies differing service hours between DCF and WCF. Can the Government clarify the assumptions used to derive 480 hours (DCF) vs. 1333 hours (WCF) for the base period? | When one works on DCF SCADA, the hours are charged to the 480 hours, and when one works on WCF, the hours are charged to the 1333. |
| 43 | Solicitation Section B | Pages 4–6 | — | How does the Government anticipate utilization of Maintenance Service Hours vs. Major Project CLINs? | Services requiring new hardware, construction materials, and field installations are covered in the MAJOR MODIFICATIONS AND HARDWARE RELATED REPAIRS section of the Statement of Work. Major programming changes, system upgrades, and configuration changes not requiring hardware but requiring more than 240 hours of support time shall be executed under the MAJOR MODIFICATIONS AND HARDWARE RELATED REPAIRS section. |
SCADA team and the COR will be fair at determining which is major and which is service. Government and contractor will work together.
| 44 | Solicitation Section B | Pages 4–6 | — | Are travel, materials, and incidental expenses included in T&M; rates, or reimbursed separately? | They're included in the rates. The contractor will need to provide a detailed break down of tasks (program, installation, parts etc..). The government will evaluate the quote and accept the costs, or it could be determined that the costs are too high. BEP will need the contractor or subcontractor to be local to DC so they can give training in person, and the WCF training will be virtual. |
| 46 | Solicitation Section B; QASP Page 3 | Pages 4–6 | — | How does the Government differentiate between “Maintenance Service Hours,” “Major Projects,” and “System Modifications”? | Maintenance service hours are for integrating, repair, troubleshoot, identify, design, advice and development/execute improvement of system of existing equipment that is current stand alone and running at BEP which does not exceed 240 hours. Major modification is regarding construction and installing new euqipment or controller that will improve the SCADA or ICS system. Something the service hours will be to integrate while the installation will be on the Major modification. Other times, the program and the integration will be part of the Major modifcation depending on the number of service hours. That is why there will be an SOW or request from the government to get a quote. Example - taking control of AHU with new sensors, wire, controller and other. That is a major modification. |
| 47 | Attachments 7 & 8 | With regard to attachments 7 & 8 and the monthly report submission requirement therein, please confirm that adherence to the FARS 52.219.14 Limitations on Subcontracting requirements is applicable across the entire period of performance of the order, as referenced in FARS 52.219.14.f.2, and not on a monthly basis. | Compliance with the limitations on subcontracting will be measured in accordance with FAR 52.219-14(f)(1). In accordance with Treassury's APU No. 26-01, this award will also require monthly reporting, which will ensure the government is better equipped to assess compliance with these subcontracting limitations. The data collected will assist in verifying that the prime contractor maintains the appropriate labor mix, level of effort, and prime-to-subcontractor work-share ratio throughout performance. | ||
| 48 | Section 1 Item 23 of the solicitation references FARS 52.219.14 Limitations on Subcontracting; The scope for the solicitation includes very specific trade scope, requiring specialized training and certification. Furthermore, the solicitation contains Wage Determinations with specific categories of Electrical and/or Electronic technician categories under which the solicitation scope would fall. Per the U.S. Dept of Labor Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC), electrical and electronic installation and service contractors are classified as specialty trade contractors. With regard to the solicited scope and execution of this contract, please confirm that the contractor classification of "special trade contractor" is applicable. | This government has not determined this requirement to fall under Construction by Special Trade Contractors. |
| 49 | APU 26-01 / Attachment 2 | Pages 1–2 | Regarding the required Initial Staffing Plan and Monthly Workforce Report, can the Government confirm the expected level of detail for employee-specific information and whether aggregated reporting is acceptable for proposal submission? | All fields on the reports should be completed. The offeror's initial staffing plan must include a clear breakdown of prime versus subcontractor labor hours and cost by labor category for the base and each option period. The report can be aggregated across all subcontractors. Contractors will need to limit the monthly report to the fields specified in the template; do not include SSNs, dates of birth, home addresses, or other unnecessary PII. Reports containing PII must be encrypted, access‑controlled, and transmitted via approved secure channels. |
| 50 | Attachment 3,4 | The solicitation includes SCA Wage Determinations that would not be applicable |
to installation work that may be awarded at a future date under the Major Projects CLINs. Please confirm that DBA Wage Determinations will apply and be provided at the time of solicitation for that work, if applicable. For work under the Major Projects CLINs that involves substantial and separable construction, DBA wage determinations will be provided at solicitation for that work, if applicable.
Sheet2
| Base Year | ||
| Item No | Description | HR |
| 1 | DCF - OEM Support contract - Historian, clients, servers and licenses | |
| 2 | DCF -Support contract Tridium Enterprise SMA | one time |
| 3 | DCF - Maintenance Service Hours | 960 |
| 4 | DCF - Operator Training | ERROR:#REF! |
| DCF - Major project | ||
| DCF - extra License | one time | |
| 5 | WCF - Major project | |
| 6 | WCF - service hours | ERROR:#REF! |
| 7 | WCF - Training | 95 |
| Base Year | |||||||||
| Item No | Description | Qty | Licensing | $$ | Qty | $$ | |||
| 1 | Sept 29,2026 - Historian, clients, servers and licenses | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Support contract Tridium Enterprise SMA | 0 | x | View-Only & redundant | $ 2,450.00 | 2 | $ 4,900.00 | 1 control/rendundant | 7300 |
| 3 | DCF - Maintenance Service Hours | 640 | x | control & redundant | $ 7,300.00 | 3 | $ 21,900.00 | AVEVA CFA | 14500 |
| 4 | DCF - Operator Training | 88 | |||||||
| 5 | DCF - Major project | 1 | x | Customer first - control | $ 1,450.00 | 3 | $ 4,350.00 | ||
| 6 | DCF - extra License | 5 | x | Customer first - View | $ 425.00 | 2 | $ 850.00 | ||
| 7 | WCF - Major project | 1 | . | ||||||
| 8 | WCF - service hours | 1333 | total | $ 32,000.00 | |||||
| 9 | WCF - Training | 80 | |||||||
| TOTAL Base Year |
| Option year 1 | DCF | Not to exceed $500,000 | ||
| Item No | Description | HR | WCF | Not to exceed $220,000 |
| 1001 | DCF - OEM Support contract - Historian, clients, servers and licenses | 1 | ||
| 1002 | DCF -Support contract Tridium Enterprise SMA | 0 | ROM | $ 67,000.00 |
| 1003 | DCF - Maintenance Service Hours | 960 | Historian | $ 13,000.00 |
| 1004 | DCF - Operator Training | 88 | Plant SCADA | $ 54,000.00 |
| 1005 | DCF - Major project | 1 | ||
| 1006 | WCF - Major project | 1 | ||
| 1007 | WCF - service hours | 2000 | ||
| 1008 | WCF - Training | 80 | ||
| TOTAL Option year 1 |
| Option year 2 | |||||
| Item No | Description | HR | |||
| 2001 | DCF - OEM Support contract - Historian, clients, servers and licenses | 1 | Historian | $ 10,500.00 | |
| 2002 | DCF -Support contract Tridium Enterprise SMA | 0 | Plant Scada | $ 44,750.00 | |
| 2003 | DCF - Maintenance Service Hours | 960 | Total | $ 55,250.00 | ERROR:#REF! |
| 2004 | DCF - Operator Training | 88 | $ 63,537.50 | ||
| 2005 | DCF - Major project | 1 | |||
| 2006 | WCF - Major project | 1 | |||
| 2007 | WCF - service hours | 1900 | |||
| 2008 | WCF - Training | 80 | |||
| TOTAL Option year 2 |
| Option year 3 | ||||
| Item No | Description | HR | ||
| 3001 | DCF - OEM Support contract - Historian, clients, servers and licenses | 1 | ||
| 3002 | DCF -Support contract Tridium Enterprise SMA | 0 | ||
| 3003 | DCF - Maintenance Service Hours | 960 | ||
| 3004 | DCF - Operator Training | 88 | TOTAL Base Year | ERROR:#REF! |
| 3005 | DCF - Major project | 1 | TOTAL Option year 1 | ERROR:#REF! |
| 3006 | WCF - Major project | 1 | TOTAL Option year 2 | ERROR:#REF! |
| 3007 | WCF - service hours | 1800 | TOTAL Option year 3 | ERROR:#REF! |
| 3008 | WCF - Training | 80 | TOTAL Option 4 | ERROR:#REF! |
| TOTAL Option year 3 | Total | ERROR:#REF! |
| Option 4 | ||
| Item No | Description | HR |
| 4001 | DCF - OEM Support contract - Historian, clients, servers and licenses | 1 |
| 4002 | DCF -Support contract Tridium Enterprise SMA | 0 |
| 4003 | DCF - Maintenance Service Hours | 960 |
| 4004 | DCF - Operator Training | 88 |
| 4005 | DCF - Major project | 1 |
| 4006 | WCF - Major project | 1 |
| 4007 | WCF - service hours | 1700 |
| 4008 | WCF - Training | 80 |
| TOTAL Option 4 |
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