36C10A-19-R-0008-016.pdf

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES

RFP 36C10A-19-R-0008

August 9, 2019

1. Given that the “Managed Services” CLIN includes so many disparate deliverables with variable timelines, what process will the COR use to validate and approve the monthly invoices for the managed services CLIN 0001? It is critical to understand this in order to commit to providing at least $7M in hardware to the Government on a hardware-as-a-service basis.

Response: The COR will measure performance as defined in 6.5.1 of the PWS before certifying the monthly invoice for payment.

2. The solicitation document Table of Deliverables references Tasks 5.2.2.1, 5.2.2.2, 5.2.2.3, 5.2.2.4 that do not exist in the PWS. Please confirm these should be 5.2.3.1, 5.2.3.2, and 5.2.3.3.

Response: The RFP is amended to update the Table of Deliverables to show the deliverables concerning all types of VSAT terminals are listed in paragraph 5.2.3 of the PWS. The deliverable for the Ruggedized Storage Container is in paragraph 5.2.3.3. The PWS has also been amended.

3. Please define the acronyms “EPS”, “MMU”, “FAK”, “IRV”, “MPU-VT”, “MUV”, “MVC” which appear in Attachment A Column A and Attachment B Column B and clarify the corresponding antenna type as listed in the solicitation: 1) Vehicle Mount Units (“VMU”)

2) Man Portable Units (“MPU”) 3) Fixed Antennas or 4) First Responder Units (“FRU”).

We are trying to understand which of these terminals are within the 5-year usable window, but these acronyms are not clear.

Response: The names are related to the Terminals operators and missions, not the equipment involved. The FAKs are essentially FRUs with a larger antenna (1.5M). The FAKs have the same requirements as the FRUs. The IRVs, MVCs, MUVs, EPS, TBU, MMU, and MUV units are all VMUs. 2 SSQs are Fixed units and the other three are FRUs. Column E has been added to Attachment A of the PWS to reflect this. The acronyms are as follows:

“EPS” = Emergency Pharmacy System “MMU” = Mobile Medical Unit “FAK” = Fly Away Kit “IRV” = Incident Response Vehicle “MPU” = Man Portable Unit “MUV” = Multi-Purpose Unit “MVC” = Mobile Veterans Center “FRU” = First Responder Unit “TBU” = Trailer Based Unit

4. Section 5.8.3. refers to full system delivery. This CLIN is formatted for monthly services. Recommend splitting this CLIN into two parts, one for the hardware, and one for the ongoing maintenance services. For hardware being sold to the government, a monthly invoicing format does not work.

Response: This is a managed service contract meaning that the Government will not take possession of any of the equipment. It will be up to the contractor to provide and maintain the equipment throughout the life of the contract and will be reimbursed the monthly price proposed.

5. Section 5.8.4. The same concept applies to all hardware CLINS in Section B with monthly pricing structure.

Response: See response to question 4 above.

6. PWS 5.2.3.1, section V, Please clarify whether the contractor can use the existing Plum cases or if new equipment with similar characteristics to Plum cases needs to be provided.

Response: The VA requires the VSAT delivered be capable of being connected to PLUM cases. The VA will provide said PLUM cases if the VA requires to interconnect the two types of equipment.

7. The PWS is a 69 page document. Answering each PWS requirement is impossible in a 25 page Technical Volume response, if every element of the PWS is answered. Given the 69 page, please confirm that only PWS references in the RFP instructions need be addressed in proposal responses.

Response: The page limitation has been increased to 30 pages.

8. In our review we realized discrepancies between PWS 5.2.3 and Attachments A and B in the numbers of terminals. Does the information provided in the PWS have precedent over the information in the Attachments?

Response: The PWS has been amended to reflect the correct number of terminals.

9. PWS 5.2.3 specifies there are 226 terminals in the existing network. However, Attachment A lists 228 terminals and Attachment B lists 230 terminals. Will the Government please clarify this discrepancy, or revalidate the quantities in the PWS and attachments?

Response: The PWS has been amended to reflect the correct number of terminals.

10. PWS 5.2.3 specifies there are 46 MPU terminals in the existing network. However, Attachment A and B both list 48 MPUs. Will the Government please clarify this discrepancy, or revalidate the quantities in the PWS and attachments?

Response: The PWS has been amended to reflect the correct number of terminals.

11. PWS 5.2.3 specifies there are 46 FRU terminals in the existing network. However, Attachment A appears to list 43 FRUs; and Attachment B lists 44 FRUs. Will the Government please clarify this discrepancy, or revalidate the quantities in the PWS and attachments?

Response: The PWS has been amended to reflect the correct number of terminals.

12. PWS 5.2.3 specifies that there are two (2) fixed terminals in the existing network.

We assume this correlates with the two sites marked as "COOP" in Attachment B.

However, the COOP site in Richmond, VA has "N/A" listed under all the VSAT components. Will the government please identify which locations or terminals are considered fixed and clearly identify the existing VSAT equipment, if any exists?

Response: The two COOP sites require the same equipment as a MPU except the for the throughput capacity as stated in Section 5.2.3.1. The FAKs are essentially FRUs with a larger antenna (1.5M). The FAKs have the same requirements as the FRUs. The IRVs, MVCs, MUVs, EPS, TBU, MMU, and MUV units are all VMUs. 2 SSQs are Fixed units and the other three are FRUs. Column E has been added to Attachment B of the PWS to reflect this.

13. For clarity, will the Government please define the various other terminal acronyms used in the Attachments (e.g. IRV, FAK) and clearly identify the terminal category from the PWS (VMU, MPU or FRU) to which these terminals belong?

Response: See the response to question 3 for a list of the acronyms. The names are related to the Terminals operators and missions, not the equipment involved.

The FAKs are essentially FRUs with a larger antenna (1.5M). The FAKs have the same requirements as the FRUs. The IRVs, MVCs, MUVs, EPS, TBU, MMU, and MUV units are all VMUs. 2 SSQs are Fixed units and the other three are FRUs.

Column E has been added to the PWS to reflect this.

14. No substantial detail was provided that would allow the contractor to adequately determine if more than 36MHz might be required to support the baseline network. Is a single 36MHz transponder all that's required to satisfy the baseline network requirements? And if not, how will the Government determine if the space segment offered is adequate to satisfy the baseline network requirements?

Response: The VA has determined that 36Mhz will meet our requirements. A Single 36MHZ transponder will meet the requirements as long as it meets the other requirements such as coverage area.

15. Will the Government please identify the locations and specific equipment (hubs, routers, line cards, etc.) from the incumbent solution that the awardee would be responsible for operating and maintaining during this period?

Response: That information is provided in Attachment B to the PWS.

16. Hub connectivity is reliant on GFE (routers, IDS, etc.) being made available to the contractor, as existing GFE at the hubs could not be removed without causing some impact to the existing network. In the event that a contractor does choose to move hub operations to an alternate site or sites, will the Government provide additional GFE to the contractor to ensure continuity of services?

Response: There are two hub locations. If the offeror plans to move both hubs then one needs to be moved at a time. This will negate the need for additional GFE. The VA will not provide additional GFE.

17. Is there a size limitation on the submitted files (10MB, 20MB)? If the submitted files collectively exceed the government limits, may files be submitted in two or more email submissions?

Response: It is recommended that no email exceed 5 MB. Due to this size limitation, offerors may submit proposals via separate emails. However, the total number of emails submitted for each offeror shall not exceed five.

18. Attachment A does not provide enough information on the condition/warranty expiration of the equipment. VA published a thorough master inventory list of the satellite operations equipment in solicitation VA118A-14-I-0009-003. It provides warranty expiration for each component. Is this list updated and can it be made available?

Response: None of the GFE is under warranty. It shall be provided to the awardee on an “as is” basis. At the present time, all of the equipment is functional. It is maintained under the current contract and will remain so until December 1, 2019, when the successor contract will take over maintenance while they are transitioning to the new equipment.

19. Can the government provide the GFE within each of the current teleports and warranty expiration periods?

Response: The GFE (firewall, router) in the teleports with the exception of the hubs will be up to the VA to maintain. The satellite hubs and any switch or other device will be out of support on expiration of the current contract. The hubs and most of the cards are 10+ years old and are end-of-support, end-of-life already.

20. In the Q&A provided on August 8, 2019, response to question 49 states Volume I page count limit will be modified to 30 pages. However, the solicitation document still lists Volume I limit at 25 pages on Page 62/90, section E.1.2.c. Would the VA please modify the Solicitation document to allow for 30 pages in Volume I?

Response: Amendment 0001 has been issued to modify the page count limit to 30 pages for Volume I, Technical response.

21. VA specifies satellites shall have no less than 15% station keeping propellant available. Will the VA clarify if 15% station keeping propellant is required at start of service (estimated December 1, 2019) or end of service (estimated November 30, 2029)?

Response: This refers to the start of service.