SIR Question Responses.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 72 KB Posted
- Attached to
- NISC Enterprise Support Tasking (NEST)
- Solicitation number
- 693KA9-26-R-00003
About this file
This file is a comprehensive question and answer log addressing 205 inquiries from potential offerors regarding the NISC Enterprise Support Tasking (NEST) solicitation 693KA9-26-R-00003, issued by the FAA's AJW-2 Directorate. The Q&A clarifies critical requirements, pricing structures, evaluation criteria, and technical specifications for this women-owned small business (WOSB) set-aside acquisition.
Solicitation Overview and Key Requirements: NEST is a five-year firm fixed-price contract (base period of 12 months plus four one-year option periods) with an estimated contract value of $3,437,456.80, succeeding incumbent BPA Services, LLC (contract 693KA9-25-C-00020). The incumbent contractor is contractually required to provide transition-out support. The solicitation requires operations and maintenance of the existing NIMS (NISC IV) and CMIS systems through June 30, 2030, while designing, developing, testing, and deploying a new system to support the NISC V contract thereafter. Work may be performed remotely with no permanent on-site workspace required; contractor personnel must be available for on-site attendance within two business days. The Government will furnish core technology stack licenses (Adobe ColdFusion, Oracle Database 19c, FusionCharts, Toad), AWS cloud infrastructure, government-furnished equipment (laptops), and network access. All proposed labor categories must include a Program Manager (bachelor's degree plus 15 years relevant experience, with PMP or equivalent certification required) and Information Technology Analyst (five years relevant experience with IT degree or acceptable substitute degree with relevant certifications). Proposed transition period cannot exceed 90 calendar days, with single-day cutover required within that timeframe.
Pricing and Evaluation Criteria: Offerors must propose fully burdened hourly rates for all labor categories as a single monthly unit price for firm fixed-price services, with the Government estimating 43,200 total labor hours (8,640 annually) across the five-year period, though offerors may propose different levels of effort. Travel is fixed at $10,000 annually minimum for one person to attend a three-day annual NISC training workshop. Other direct costs (ODCs) are proposed by vendors and must be separately itemized on pricing templates without profit. Service Contract Act wage determinations will be updated annually via contract modification. Evaluation criteria include technical approach (three subfactors: technical capability, software architecture and development, and transition planning), past performance (three recent references within 48 months, with at least two representing prime contract work), and price. The procurement requires compliance with 51% limitations on subcontracting based on total contract price, with no subcontractor counting as a similarly situated entity unless certified as WOSB. Offerors must hold active SBA WOSB certification or SAM representation at proposal submission, contract award, and throughout performance. Proposal volumes include: Volume I (technical, 25-page limit), Volume II (past performance questionnaires), Volume III (pricing in Excel format), Volume IV (transition plan), and Volume V (additional documentation including signed certifications). Responses to this Q&A were posted on SAM.gov, with proposals due October 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. The Government does not anticipate extending proposal deadlines, and the projected award date is February 26, 2027, with estimated contract start in September 2027.
View the file
Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| NEST SIR Kickoff_09SEP2026.mp4 | MP4 file | |
| NEST Kickoff.pptx | PPTX presentation | |
| NIMS Overview_09SEP2026.mp4 | MP4 file | |
| SF33 Page 1_SolOfferAward.pdf | ||
| Attachment L001 - PPQ.pdf | ||
| Attachment L002 - NEST_Price_Template.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Attachment L001 - PPQ.pdf | ||
| Exhibit 2 - NIMS Diagram.pdf | ||
| Exhibit 3 - NIMS-PRISM-DELPHI Interface.pdf | ||
| NEST_SIR_FINAL.pdf | ||
| Exhibit 1 - Acronym Reference List.pdf |
Show all 11
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
Original Questions
| NISC Enterprise Support Tasking (NEST) | ||||
| Question Log | ||||
| # | Paragraph | Page Number | Question | Answer |
| 1 | Could you please confirm whether there is an incumbent contractor currently performing this requirement? If yes, please provide the incumbent contractor’s name and contract number. | Yes, BPA Services, LLC |
693KA9-25-C-00020
Period of Performance: 11 SEP 2025 - 10 SEP 2027 (if all options are exercised) Total Contract Value: $3,437,456.80
| 2 | We reviewed the solicitation but could not identify the required timeframe for Past Performance. Could you please confirm within how many years/months of Past Performance are required? | Recent is defined as performance that is currently ongoing or completed within the last 48 months from the release date of this SIR. |
| 3 | We did not identify specific Key Personnel positions or labor categories that must be proposed in the solicitation. Could you please confirm whether Offerors are expected to propose their own Key Personnel, and if so, whether there are any specific positions or qualifications that must be included? | The Government would expect the proposed labor categories to include: Information Technology Analyst and Technical Program Manager. |
The Program Manager provides normal project management functions including technical leadership, quality assurance, and decision-oriented recommendations. Additionally, the Program Manager covers contracts and situations that require no technical leadership and provides status and progress reporting while providing an administrative connection between onsite contractor staff and contractor’s home office. Program Manager minimum experience: Bachelors Degree in the career field plus 15 years of relevant experience. Project Management Professional (PMP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP) or equivalent project or program management certification is required.
The Information Technology Analyst provides IT services in facilities planning, operations and support; storage systems analysis, design/test, and administration; server system analysis, design/test and administration; database analysis, design/test, administration; website analysis, design/test, and administration; web application analysis, design/test and administration; LAN analysis, design/test and administration; user support planning, operations and administration; and related IT systems functions. Information Technology Analyst minimum experience: five (5) years of relevant experience required. Information systems, business systems, management information systems, IT management, or any other IT degrees is required. Engineering, math, and science degrees are acceptable substitute degrees. four (4) years for the IT Analyst series, of relevant experience over and above the minimum experience requirements for the position will be considered equivalent to a bachelor's degree, when combined with a relevant certification equivalent to PMP, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Expert, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Master, Certified Information Systems Security professional (CISSP), Cisco Certified Architect (CCA), Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA), Microsoft Certified Master (MCM), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD), Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM), or Certified Professional Logistician (CPL).
| 4 | AMS Clause 3.6.1-7 | 42 | AMS clause 3.6.1-7 Limitations on Subcontracting (July 2021) is incorporated by reference and is not reproduced in the SIR. For this services set-aside, please confirm the percentage of the work the prime Offeror must perform with its own employees, the base on which that percentage is computed (total contract price, price less materials, or the amount paid by the Government), and whether the test is applied per CLIN, per contract period, or across the total period of performance. | 51% of Total Contract Price. |
| 5 | AMS Clause 3.6.1-7 | 42 | For purposes of the limitation on subcontracting, please confirm whether a subcontractor that is a small business under NAICS 541511 but is not a Women-Owned Small Business counts as a similarly situated entity. | No, this procurement is specifically set-aside for Women-Owned Small Business concerns only. |
| 6 | L.11 & L.22 | 91 & 98 | This procurement is a Women-Owned Small Business set-aside. Please confirm whether the prime Offeror must hold an active SBA WOSB certification through certify.sba.gov, or whether a WOSB representation in the System for Award Management is sufficient, and confirm that WOSB status must be held both at the time of proposal submission and as of the projected award date of February 26, 2027. | Either the SBA certification or SAM representation is acceptable. The prospective vendor must be a WOSB at the time of proposal submission, contract award, and throughout contract performance. |
| 7 | L.24 | 99 | L.24 sets the deadline for objecting to disclosure of proposals to non-Government evaluators as October 7, 2024, which is two years before this SIR was issued. Please state the correct objection deadline for this SIR, and confirm whether Savi Solutions, Inc. remains the only support contractor that will review proposals. | The deadline is October 6, 2026. Savi Solutions, Inc. remains the only Non-Government evaluator. |
| 8 | L.16 | Table L-1, 94 | Do tables, charts, graphs and figures count against the 25 page limit for Volume I and the 20 page limit for Volume IV? The exclusions listed at L.16(d) are a closed list and do not name them. | Yes, charts, figures, graphs, and tables count against the page limits. |
| 9 | L.16 | Table L-1, 94 | Table L-1 requires Times New Roman 12-point body text and permits a font size no smaller than 10-point for charts, graphs and pictures. Tables are not named. May text inside tables also be set at 10-point, or must all table text be 12-point? | Yes, the tables may be a different font. |
| 10 | L.16 | Table L-1, 94 | Table L-1 requires 1 inch top, bottom, left and right margins. May page headers and footers be placed within that 1 inch margin band, and is a minimum font size prescribed for header and footer text? | Yes, footers and headers may be placed within the margins. No minimum font size. |
| 11 | L.16 (d) | 93 | May an Offeror submit any appendix, attachment or supporting document, for example a compliance matrix, a staffing matrix, or letters of commitment, in addition to the five required volumes? If so, please confirm whether such a document counts against a page limit and in which volume it should be bound. | Yes, any documents relative to a vendors proposal is acceptable. |
| 12 | Table L-1 & L.21 | 94 & 97 | Table L-1 gives the Volume V format as Same as Technical, which is PDF, and the file name as XXX_Vol V Exceptions-RD_MMDDYY.pdf. L.21 states the file name must be XXX_Vol V Exceptions-RD_MMDDYY.docx. Please confirm which file format governs for Volume V. | Provide documents in PDF format. |
| 13 | Table L-1 & L.19 | 94 & 96 | Table L-1 requires the Volume III file name XXX_Vol III Price_MMDDYY.xlsx. The Instructions tab of the price template says to name the final file NEST Price Proposal_Offeror Name. Please confirm which naming convention governs. | Name file as "XXX_Vol III Price_MMDDYY" with XXX being the vendor's company name abbreviation and MMDDYY being the date of submission. |
| 14 | L.16 (e) | 95 | L.16(e) requires files larger than 10 MB per file to be split. Is there a maximum total size for a single email accepted by the FAA mail gateway, and may an Offeror deliver the five volumes across multiple emails? If so, please confirm the required subject line convention and email sequence numbering. | Offerors may submit volumes across multiple emails, include "Email 1 of X" in the subject line. |
| 15 | L.2.2(d) & L.4(b) | 87 & 89 | Will the Contracting Office acknowledge receipt of each proposal email and its attachments? Offerors assume full responsibility for timely receipt, and an acknowledgement is the only way to confirm delivery before the 10:00 AM Eastern deadline. | Offerors will receive confirmation email no later than the close of business on October 15, 2026. |
| 16 | L.16 (d) | 93 | Where signatures are required, L.16(d) permits a scanned PDF or an electronic signature. Please confirm the acceptable file format and whether a digital signature certificate from a specific provider is required for the SF-33 and the Section K certifications. | Digital signatures or "wet" ink signatures are acceptable. |
| 17 | L.16 | Table L-1, Page 94 | Table L-1 defines XXX as the name or acronym for companies with a minimum of three letters. Please confirm that XXX is the prime Offeror's acronym only, and that MMDDYY is the date of proposal submission rather than the SIR closing date. | "XXX" is the prime offeror's business name acronym and the MMDDYY date must match the date the offeror submits its proposal. |
| 18 | L.18(b) & M.7 | 96 & 108 | At least two of the three past performance references must be for prime contract work. If an Offeror proposes a major subcontractor, may that subcontractor's contracts be submitted as one of the three references, and does prime contract work performed by that subcontractor satisfy the two prime references minimum? | A questionnaire for a subcontractor's past performance may be submitted; however, the prime contractor must still provide two (2) past performance questionnaires for its prime contractor work. No more than three (3) total past performance questionnaires are allowed. |
A "Teaming Arrangement" still results in one (1) Prime Contractor and one (1) or more Subcontractors; meaning the rules above still apply.
A Joint Venture results in a legally distinct corporate entity or formal partnership. Past performance for the Joint Venture may not be available if it is a new entity, so the FAA will accept past performance questionnaires for the individual entities that the Joint Venture is comprised of. However, no more than three (3) total past performance questionnaires are allowed.
| 19 | M.5.2 | 103 | M.5.2 permits the FAA to consider other sources. Where a customer reference is unwilling or unable to complete Attachment L001, may a current CPARS report for the same contract be submitted in its place, and will a CPARS report be scored on the same Part II elements? | Attachment L001 and contact information for the references must be provided. However, CPARS will be considered in the Government's evaluation. |
| 20 | Section B, Part II | Element 2, Page 4 | The Complexity of Service rating scale keys on the number of active users, the number of database workflows and the number of lines of code. Please confirm whether these thresholds are measured as of contract completion, at peak, or as delivered, and how a reference contract with multiple integrated databases should be counted. | These thresholds are measured as delivered and accepted in production. |
For a reference contract that includes multiple integrated databases, we would count it as a single reference contract if the databases were delivered under one contract vehicle as part of one integrated solution.
| 21 | Attachment L001 | Part I, Page 2 | Attachment L001 carries SIR No. 693KA9-24-R-00012 throughout, a return deadline of 2:00 PM EST on September 20, 2024, and a Section A Part I field for the COMPANY NAME OF FAA WORKFORCE SCHEDULING TOOL PERFORMING TEAM MEMBER. Will a corrected Attachment L001 be issued for this SIR, and what deadline applies to references returning the completed form? | See updated PPQ on www.SAM.gov. The deadline is 10 AM Eastern on October 15, 2026. |
| 22 | L.14 & L.18(a) | 92 & 96 | L.18(a) directs references to submit completed questionnaires to the points of contact identified in Section L.14, while Attachment L001 directs them to 9-AWA-AAQ410-Contracting-Team@faa.gov. Please confirm the correct return address and the date by which a reference's completed questionnaire must arrive. | All communication related to this procurement must be sent to: 9-AWA-AAQ410-Contracting-Team@faa.gov |
Questionnaires must be received no later than 10 AM Eastern Standard Time on October 15, 2026.
| 23 | M.6.2 | 107 | M.6.2 states that an Offeror who does not include three references will receive an Unacceptable assessment, and separately that the FAA reserves the right to waive the submission requirement if fewer than three surveys are received. Please clarify how the FAA will distinguish an Offeror that requested three references from one that did not, given that the reference controls whether the form is returned. | That decision will be at the Contracting Officer's discretion if insufficient information via a combination CPARS, PPQs, etc is available to make a determination on an offeror's past performance. The Contrating Officer will use all available information to evaluate the past performance and assess an average point score in accordance with M.6.2. |
| 24 | C.3.1, C.3.2, and M.5.3 | 8, 11 & 104 | Who bears the cost of the core technology stack licences and their annual maintenance, specifically Adobe ColdFusion 2018 and 2023, Oracle Database 19c Enterprise Edition, Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control, FusionCharts and Toad? The Attachment L002 Instructions tab directs Offerors to price other direct costs outside of the core technology stack, while M.5.3 includes total software license pricing and total software maintenance pricing in the evaluated pricing model. On a five year firm fixed price contract these two readings differ materially. | FAA will bear the cost of the core technology stack licenses and associated cloud infrastructure costs. |
The statement in M.5.3 reading "total software license pricing, total software maintenance pricing..." means that any hardware, software, technologies, etc. proposed by an offeror that is not currently included in the FAA's technology stack must be included in its ODC pricing and overal price proposal.
| 25 | M.5.3 | 104 | The Total Evaluated Price is computed by applying the Offeror's proposed pricing to the FAA's Independent Government Cost Estimate pricing model of total hours, total software license pricing, total software maintenance pricing, and estimated Travel and other direct cost amounts. Will the FAA disclose the hour quantities and the software license and maintenance quantities in that model, so that Offerors can price against the same basis? | See response to Question 24. |
| 26 | B.5.1(b) | 4 | The Government estimates 43,200 labor hours in total and 8,640 annually. Is an Offeror required to propose that level of effort, and will an Offeror proposing materially fewer or more hours be evaluated as unrealistic under M.5.3? | The hours listed are what the Government believes is necessary to adequately perform all of the SOW requirements. Offerors have the freedom to propose whatever level of effort it determines is necessary to perform all of the SOW requirements. This is a competitive procurement and all factors will be evaluated, to include evaluating if prices are realistic. |
| 27 | B.4 & B.5.1(a) | 5-Jan | B.5.1(a) refers to the labor rates in Section B.4 and states that the labor rates in Section B.4 reflect fully burdened hourly rates for each labor category. Section B.4 defines monthly service, travel and other direct cost CLINs only, and contains no labor categories and no hourly rates. Please confirm where the proposed labor categories and fully burdened hourly rates are to be recorded, and whether the Tasking Matrix tab of Attachment L002 is the intended location. | Provide fully burdened rates for ALL labor categories in the Unit Price for FFP NEST Services to be provided on a monthly basis in Attachment L002. |
| 28 | Tasking Matrix tab & B.6 | 5 | The Tasking Matrix tab requires Offerors to list labor categories and position titles across Tasks 1 through 4 with hours per task summary. Please confirm whether the FAA has a required labor category list or minimum qualification descriptions for this contract, or whether the Offeror defines its own categories. | See response to Question #3. |
| 29 | B.4 & C.7.1 | 2 & 16 | Travel is fixed at 10,000 units at $1.00 for $10,000 annually and is described as required for the annual NISC off-site training. Please state the number of travellers, the destination and the number of days the Offeror should assume, and confirm whether any travel other than the annual off-site is anticipated. | Minimum one (1) person to attend & present at an annual three (3) day training workshop at a CONUS location to be determined by the Government. |
| 30 | B.4 | 2 | CLIN 0004 Other Direct Costs is shown as a single unit at an Offeror-proposed unit price with no stated value. Please state what the FAA expects to be priced in that CLIN, whether a plug value or a not-to-exceed amount applies, and how the FAA will evaluate differing other direct cost assumptions between Offerors. | Other Direct Costs should be determined by the vendor which will encompass all costs other than labor or travel needed to complete all of the SOW requirements. |
| 31 | B.4 & H.11 | 1-4 & 36 | H.11 provides for exercising CLINs 1001 through 1004, 2001 through 2004, 3001 through 3004 and 4001 through 4004. Section B.4 defines only three CLINs per option period, ending at x003. Please confirm the correct CLIN structure for the option periods. | Propose in accordance with B.4. |
| 32 | B.2 | 1 | The base period and the four option periods are shown as TBD. Please state the planned contract start date and the planned start of the transition period, so that Offerors can build wage escalation to the correct calendar years. | Estimated start date would be September 2027. Propose in Fiscal Year 2027 dollars for evaluation purposes. |
| 33 | B.5.1(c) | 5 | B.5.1(c) states the fixed hourly rates are the blended rates of the Contractor and all of its subcontractors and will not change after award. Please confirm that no economic price adjustment or Service Contract Act wage determination adjustment applies across the five year period of performance. | Service Contract Act Wage Determinations will be updated via a contract modification on an annual basis from the contract award date or another date agreed to by the Government and offeror. |
| 34 | B.4 & C.2 | 2 & 7 | CLIN 0001 is shown as a quantity of three months while C.2 permits the Offeror to propose a shorter transition period. If an Offeror proposes a transition shorter than 90 days, please confirm that the CLIN 0001 quantity is adjusted accordingly, and how a shorter transition is treated in the Volume IV evaluation under M.5.4. | CLIN may be adjusted to match the offeror proposed transition. |
| 35 | C.7.2, Page 16, and H.18, Page 40 | Purchase of materials is authorized and title vests in the Government. Please confirm whether any server hardware refresh, storage expansion or cloud infrastructure cost for the NIMS environment is expected to be carried by the Contractor during the period of performance, and if so in which CLIN. | See response to Question 24. | |
| 36 | C.1.3, Page 7, and C.4.1, Pages 14 and 15 | C.4.1 makes updated system design and architecture documentation, database management documentation, a data dictionary, a requirements document, test plans and operations manuals a baseline deliverable due within 90 days of contract award. Please confirm whether current versions of those documents exist today and whether they, along with the third-party component inventory, will be made available to Offerors before proposals are due. | Current versions of these documents exist and will be shared/transferred to the awardee during transition. | |
| 37 | H.15, Page 39 | H.15 states the Government will not furnish facilities, items, or services except as provided herein. Please list the government furnished equipment, government furnished information and government furnished software the Contractor will receive, including access to the FAA AWS cloud environment, the NIMS test, development, production and mirror instances, the existing source code repository, and the existing licences for the core technology stack. | The Government will furnish Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE), including laptops for contractor personnel, and will provide the core infrastructure necessary to support operation and management of the NIMS system. Such infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, the AWS cloud environment, database licenses, ColdFusion licenses, and other required supporting resources. | |
| 38 | C.3.2, Pages 9 through 12 | Please state the current NIMS active user population, the average monthly transaction volume, the current database size, and the approximate size of the ColdFusion code base. Attachment L001 scores past performance complexity on user counts, workflow counts and lines of code, so the corresponding figures for NIMS establish the scale Offerors should match. | The Government advises that NIMS currently has approximately 400 active users. The average monthly transaction volume is approximately $25 million in funding obligations and $25 million in invoicing. In addition, the NIMS database is estimated to be approximately 265 GB in size, and the application contains roughly 1 million lines of code. | |
| 39 | C.1.3, Page 7 | The NISC Enterprise Database financial dashboard is to be integrated from the NISC IV Prime Contractor's financial systems to provide Estimate at Completion, Estimate to Complete and Earned Value Measurement metrics. Please identify those source systems, the interface method available, the data format, and whether the NISC IV Prime Contractor is contractually obligated to support that integration. | The Government advises that NED is an external application and is not part of the NIMS system. NED is fully managed by the NISC IV contractor. The only interface between NIMS and NED is a link within NIMS that directs users to the NED application. | |
| 40 | NIAT module, and SIR Section C, C.3.2, Page 11 | The NISC Invoice Approval Tool is described as integrating with contractor tools ITT and CET. Please identify the owners of ITT and CET, the current interface method and specification, and whether those interfaces are in scope for maintenance under this contract. | The Government advises that the NISC IV contractor enters data into NIAT through the NIAT front-end, either manually or via bulk upload. The NIAT database is one of several Oracle databases that comprise the NIMS backend. The NIMS technical team imports NIAT data once each month after notification from the NISC IV contractor that a new invoice is available for review and approval. | |
| 41 | C.1.3, Page 7, and C.3.2, Page 11 | CMIS is described as inactive but must remain available to run reports on request. Please state where CMIS is hosted today, its current licence and support status, its Authority to Operate status, and the expected annual volume of CMIS report requests. | The Government advises that CMIS is not currently active and is maintained in archive mode on a Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE) laptop. CMIS does not currently require active licenses or an Authority to Operate (ATO). CMIS report requests, if any, would be provided on an ad hoc basis or as required. | |
| 42 | C.3.2, Page 10 | C.3.2 requires the Contractor to review current business processes and recommend and implement AI solutions to assist with process improvements. Please confirm whether the use of AI-assisted software development tools, for example GitHub Copilot or Claude Code, is permitted in the performance of this contract, and state any FAA approval, data handling or code retention restriction that applies to their use on FAA code and Sensitive Unclassified Information. | The Government advises that any AI solutions proposed for recommendation or use must be approved in accordance with the FAA Technology Roadmap and must strictly comply with all applicable security controls, requirements, and protocols. | |
| 43 | L.8(b), Page 90 | A live NIMS demonstration is scheduled for September 9, 2026. Please confirm the time and duration, whether a recording and the presentation materials will be provided to registered participants, whether questions may be asked during the session, and whether an Offeror that cannot attend may request an equivalent session. | Recording has been posted to www.SAM.gov; no additional demonstrations will be held. | |
| 44 | I.2.13, Clause 3.14-2, Pages 69 through 71 | Please state the OPM position risk designation levels approved by AXP for the positions under this contract, and the average elapsed time from Vendor Applicant Portal submission to an Interim suitability determination for this program, so that Offerors can build a realistic transition staffing schedule. | The Government advises that the required risk designation level is Public Trust Moderate. The average timeframe for completion of the suitability determination is approximately 40 to 60 days. | |
| 45 | I.2.12, Clause 3.14-13, Page 68 | Will the FAA furnish endpoint devices, or establish a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure connection, for contractor personnel requiring access to the FAA network? Please also confirm whether FAA-issued Personal Identity Verification cards will be provided to all contractor staff who require NIMS or FAA network access. | Yes | |
| 46 | I.2.11, Clause 3.14-9, Pages 66 and 67 | Is NIMS designated a High Value Asset? Please confirm the authorization boundary between the FAA AWS cloud environment hosting NIMS and any contractor system used in performance, whether FAA Information Security Continuous Monitoring servers or agents will be installed on contractor systems, and whether any contractor hosted tool proposed outside the core technology stack must itself hold a FedRAMP authorization at the appropriate impact level. | The Government advises that NIMS is not designated as a High Value System. NIMS and its associated databases, including NIAT, are within the FAA authorization boundary. Any contractor-proposed tools outside the core technology stack must be in the FAA Technology Roadmap and receive all required approvals and authorizations from FAA Security prior to use. | |
| 47 | C.1.3, Page 7, and C.3.2, Page 11 | Please state the current Authority to Operate status and expiration date for NIMS and for CMIS, the FIPS 199 security categorisation of each, and whether a full reauthorization is expected to fall within the base period of this contract. | The Government advises that the current Authorization to Operate (ATO) for NIMS is valid through September 2027. The contractor shall coordinate with the FAA Security team to support renewal of the ATO, as required. The FIPS 199 security categorization for NIMS is Moderate in all applicable categories. | |
| 48 | H.20, Page 41 | H.20 requires approval of non-US citizens by the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer's Representative, and refers to case-by-case approval by DSS for access to Classified or Critical Program Information. Please confirm whether any work under this contract involves classified information or Critical Program Information, and identify the correct approving authority for non-US citizen personnel given that the Defense Security Service is now the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. | At present, the requirements for this effort do not include classified or critical program information. |
The FAA's Office of Personnel Security will be the point of contact. Refer to AMS Clause 3.14-3.
| 49 | C.2, Page 7, and L.20, Page 96 | C.2 requires the transition period not to exceed 90 days from contract award. L.20 requires the transition schedule to result in a single day cutover from the current contract within 4 months of contract award. Please reconcile the 90 day cap with the 4 month cutover window, and confirm whether the transition period runs before or concurrently with the start of the base period. | The maximum transition period is not to exceed 90 days. | ||
| 50 | C.2, Page 7 | C.2 requires the Contractor to participate in technical discussions with the outgoing contractor. Is the incumbent contractor funded and contractually obligated to provide knowledge transfer to the incoming Contractor during the transition period? Please state the level of support committed and the mechanism by which the FAA will enforce it. | The incumbent vendor is contractually required to participate in transition-out activities. | ||
| 51 | C.1.1, Page 6, and C.3.2, Page 11 | Please identify the incumbent contractor for NIMS and CMIS support, the incumbent contract number, and the current annual value of that contract, so that Offerors can size the effort and the transition accurately. | See response to Question #1. | ||
| 52 | C.3.2, Pages 11 and 12 | Please state the required help desk hours of operation, the target response and resolution times by incident severity, and the system availability or uptime target for NIMS. C.3.2 states that support requests have historically remained at or below 10 calls per month but establishes no service level. If no service level is established, please confirm that the Offeror may propose one and that it will be incorporated into the contract. | The Government advises that help desk operations are conducted during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding Federal holidays. The Government expects offerors to propose response and resolution timeframes, including any applicable service level agreements (SLAs), as part of their approach. | ||
| 53 | C.3.2, Page 10 | Will the existing POA&M items in ATOM, the open security findings from the most recent scans, the open defect list and the enhancement backlog transfer to the incoming Contractor at contract start? Please confirm whether the current POA&M register and the most recent scan results can be made available to Offerors, redacted if necessary, before proposals are due. | The Government advises that existing backlogs will be transferred to the incoming contractor. Details regarding Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), including the current number of open POA&Ms, will be provided during transition. | ||
| 54 | C.1.3, Page 7, C.6, Page 15, and L.20, Page 96 | The transition-out requirement is described as three to six months of support to a potential future vendor. Please confirm whether transition-out effort is priced within the final option period CLIN, is priced separately, or is expected to be covered by the option to extend services at H.11.1. | Transition - OUT must be priced in the final option period. | ||
| 55 | H.16, Page 39 | H.16 requires the Contractor to identify and propose its own full-time key personnel. Please state how many key personnel positions the FAA expects, which roles in the Statement of Work the FAA considers key, whether resumes for key personnel must be submitted with the proposal, and whether the FAA has minimum qualification or citizenship requirements for those positions. | See response to Question #3. | ||
| 56 | L.17, Page 95 | L.17 requires a resource matrix with roles, responsibilities and technology skillsets, along with associated resumes of the resources. Please confirm whether a resume is required for every proposed labor category, or only for key personnel, and whether a position description is acceptable in place of a resume for a position that will be filled after award. | Resumes are not required. Offerors should include minimum qualifications for labor categories. | ||
| 57 | C.5, Page 15, and C.8.2, Page 16 | Please state the expected split between work performed at FAA facilities and work performed remotely or at contractor facilities, and identify any position that requires a daily on-site presence at FAA Headquarters. C.8.2 permits telework with prior FAA approval and states the approval may be revoked at any time, which is a material pricing assumption on a firm fixed price contract. | Work may be completed remotely, no permanent workspace in FAA facilities will be provided to contractor employees. | ||
| 58 | C.8.1, Page 16, and H.13.2, Page 37 | For personnel working at FAA Headquarters, please confirm who furnishes workspace, network access, telephone, parking and computing equipment. For work at a contractor facility, please state what the FAA considers conveniently located to FAA Headquarters at 800 Independence Avenue SW for the purpose of C.5. | No permanent workspace in FAA facilities will be provided to contractor employees. Any CONUS location is acceptable. The term "conveniently located" requires the vendor and their team be available for an on-site attendance within 2 business days. | ||
| 59 | H.17, Page 39, and F.2, Page 19 | H.17 requires written Contracting Officer approval that proposed personnel meet contract requirements before those individuals start work. Please state the expected turnaround time for that approval, so that the transition schedule and the single day cutover can be planned realistically. | The Contracting Officer will provide approval within 10 business days from personnel, labor categories, minimum qualifications/requirements for labor categories, and proof of personnel qualifications being submitted. | ||
| 60 | L.8(c), Page 91 | Will the FAA post all questions and answers to SAM.gov as a formal amendment visible to all interested parties, and will registered parties be notified when the amendment is posted? | All questions and answers will be posted to www.SAM.gov | ||
| 61 | L.15, Page 92 | Responses to SIR questions are to be posted on or before October 2, 2026, and proposals are due October 15, 2026, leaving thirteen calendar days. If the answers materially change the pricing basis, for example the treatment of software licences, will the FAA consider a short extension of the response due date? | The FAA is not considering extending the due date at this time. Please monitor www.SAM.gov for any changes. | ||
| 62 | L.6, Page 90, and L.21.1, Page 97 | L.6 states that alternate proposals will not be considered. May an Offeror propose an additional tool or technology outside the core technology stack, described in Volume I and priced in Volume III, without that being treated as an alternate proposal or as an exception under L.21.1? | Offerors may propose additional tools or technologies. "Alternate proposals" was intended to convey that Offerors may submit only one (1) proposal for this procurement, NEST SIR 693KA9-26-R-00003. If an Offeror submits multiple proposals for this SIR, all will be considered non-conforming to the SIR parameters and will not be evaluated or considered for award. | ||
| 63 | L.18 | Section L.18 requires three recent and relevant past-performance references. TFS has highly relevant key-personnel experience directly aligned to the NEST requirement. Will the FAA permit one reference to reflect work performed by proposed key personnel under a prior employer or subcontracting arrangement, where that individual will serve as key personnel on NEST? | See response to Question #18. | ||
| 64 | PPQ | For an Offeror proposing a subcontractor/teaming partner that will perform a meaningful portion of the NEST requirement, may the Offeror use the proposed teaming partner's past performance to satisfy the past performance requirements, including the requirement that at least two references represent prime contract work, where the teaming partner performed those referenced contracts as the prime contractor? | See response to Question #18. | ||
| 65 | M.3 | 90 | Paragraph M.3(c) states that an Offeror “cannot receive a ‘Marginal’ or ‘Unsatisfactory’ assessment for any of the three factors under its Volume 1 – Technical assessment.” Section L.17 and Section M.5.1 describe Volume I as containing one Factor with three Subfactors. Please confirm that the eligibility threshold in M.3(c) is applied at the Subfactor level. | Review adjectival ratings descriptions in M.6.1 | |
| 66 | L.8 | 90 | Section L.8(b) provided for a live demonstration of NIMS on September 9, 2026. Vendor requests that the FAA make available to all interested offerors the recording, presentation materials, or written summary from that demonstration, so that offerors unable to attend may respond on an equal basis. | The Live Demonstration recording has been posted as an attachment to Opportunity ID: 693KA9-26-R-00003 NISC Enterprise Support Tasking (NEST). | |
| 67 | B.5.1 (b) & C.3.2 | 4 & 10-11 | The Government estimates 43,200 total labor hours (8,640 annually) to perform the contract requirements on a Firm Fixed Price basis. To permit offerors to propose a realistic and balanced price, please provide the following current NIMS/CMIS metrics: | ||
| • | a. The number of active NIMS user accounts, and the number of distinct user roles. | ||||
| • | b. The approximate size of the NIMS application code base. | ||||
| • | c. The average monthly volume of defect corrections and enhancement requests over the past twelve months. | ||||
| • | d. The expiration date of the current NIMS/CMIS Authority to Operate, and whether a reauthorization falls within the contract period of performance. | ||||
| • | e. Whether the FAA anticipates an upgrade to the Adobe ColdFusion or Oracle Database 19c versions identified in Paragraph C.3.2 during the period of performance. | ||||
| The Government advises that NIMS currently has approximately 400 active users and approximately 13 distinct user roles. The NIMS application code base consists of roughly 1 million lines of code. The average monthly volume of defect corrections is currently negligible, and the Government estimates approximately 1 to 3 enhancement requests per month. The current Authorization to Operate (ATO) for NIMS expires in September 2027 and reauthorization falls within the contract period of performance. During the period of performance, the contractor shall be responsible for upgrading core technologies, as necessary, to maintain system compliance with applicable security requirements. | |||||
| 68 | C.1.3 & C.3.3 | 6 & 12 | Paragraph C.1.3 states that implementation of the new system supporting NISC V occurs “in Option Period 2 onward,” and Paragraph C.3.3 requires the Contractor to make recommendations regarding software architecture and development tools. Please confirm whether the FAA has an established target architecture, platform, or technology standard for the NISC V replacement system, or whether offerors are free to propose an architecture of their own selection. | The proposed platform must be ready to operate no later than the June 30, 2030. The Offeror is free to propose its desired architecture (except for ColdFusion). | |
| 69 | C.3.2 | 11 | Paragraph C.3.2 requires the Contractor to review current business processes and recommend and implement AI solutions to assist with process improvements and financial reporting requirements. Please confirm whether the FAA has existing policy, an approved tooling list, or authorization requirements governing the introduction of AI or machine learning capabilities into the FAA cloud environment that offerors should address in their technical approach. | See response to Question #42. | |
| 70 | Please confirm whether the FAA will consider a Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) solution, in whole or in part, as an acceptable approach to meeting the NEST requirements. | No, the FAA expects a customized system for its specfic needs, integrations, and workflows. The Government advises that the contractor is expected to utilize the existing system to support current requirements. For the new system requirements to support NISC V, the Government will consider only those architecture and technology solutions that are approved by the FAA. | |||
| 71 | Please confirm whether the use of artificial intelligence (AI), including AI agents, is permissible as part of the proposed NEST solution. | See response to Question #42. | |||
| 72 | If AI is permissible, are there specific FAA-approved AI tools, platforms, models, or environments that Offerors may use in developing and/or delivering the NEST solution? Please identify any applicable restrictions or requirements. | See response to Question #42. | |||
| 73 | Given the requirement for experience with the existing ColdFusion technology environment, please clarify how the FAA will evaluate ColdFusion experience that falls outside the 48-month recency period identified for past performance. May Offerors demonstrate relevant ColdFusion expertise through experience performed more than 48 months prior to the SIR release date? | No, recent is defined as performance that is currently ongoing or completed within the last 48 months from the release date of this SIR. | |||
| 74 | Please confirm whether the FAA will consider a fully containerized solution/architecture as an acceptable approach to meeting the NEST requirements, provided all applicable technical, security, integration, and operational requirements are satisfied. | See response to Question #70. | |||
| 75 | Section L.18 requires Offerors to submit Past Performance Questionnaires. Would the FAA consider Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) evaluations in lieu of completed PPQs for applicable federal past performance references? | See response to Question #23. | |||
| 76 | Reference Section B.4, “Pricing / CLIN Structure.” FFP NEST Services CLINs 0001, 0002, 1001, 2001, 3001, and 4001 identify the unit of measure as “Monthly,” with quantities corresponding to the number of months in the applicable performance period. However, Section B.5.1(a) and (b) discusses fully burdened labor rates and estimated labor hours. Please clarify whether these FFP CLINs will be invoiced at fixed monthly FFP amounts or based on the actual labor hours expended using the fully burdened labor rates. | The Government requests Offerors provide the fully burdened labor rates in the FFP Detail tab of the price template to evaluate the individual labor categories for price realism purposes. The Government requests Offerors to roll all of the labor rates into one (1) unit price, with the units being monthly. The awardee will be paid for services rendered on the proposed firm fixed monthly unit price. | |||
| 77 | Sections C.5 & F.4 | 15 & 20 | Both paragraphs state that where work is performed at the Contractor's facility, the facility "must be conveniently located to ensure timely access to FAA Headquarters." Will the Government define "conveniently located" — for example as a maximum travel time, a maximum distance, or a required response time for on-site attendance? Will an Offeror whose facility is outside the Washington, DC commuting area be considered compliant if it commits to a stated on-site response time and a named local presence? | The term "conveniently located" requires the vendor and their team be available for an on-site attendance within 2 business days. | |
| 78 | Section C.5 | 15 | Where an Offeror proposes to perform part of the effort through a subcontractor or teaming partner, may a facility maintained by that subcontractor or teaming partner satisfy the "conveniently located" requirement of C.5, or must the facility be one maintained by the prime Contractor? | See response to Question #77. | |
| 79 | C.8.1 | 16 | The Contractor must maintain "a modern office environment located within the United States." Please confirm that this office is not required to be within the Washington, DC metropolitan area, and that C.5 governs proximity separately. | See response to Question #77. | |
| 80 | Sections B.5.1(b) & C.1.3 | 4 & 7 | The estimate of 43,200 hours is distributed evenly across the five-year period at 8,640 hours annually, with no increase in any period. C.1.3 places implementation of new systems to support NISC V in "Option Period 2 onward." Please confirm whether the 8,640-hour annual estimate is intended to include the NISC V system design, development, testing and deployment effort in Option Period 2 and later, or whether that effort is additional to the stated estimate. | The estimated hours include NISC V system design, development, testing, and deployment. | |
| 81 | Sections B.4 & C.3.3 | 1-4 & 12-13 | Task 3 requests a methodology for gathering requirements, architecting, designing, developing, building, testing and deploying a new software solution with functionality similar to NIMS, including integration to PRISM and Delphi. The CLIN structure contains a single monthly firm fixed price line for NEST Services and no separate development CLIN. Please confirm whether the actual design, development and deployment of the NISC V replacement system is within the scope and price of this contract, or whether Task 3 requires only the methodology and approach, with any build effort to be acquired separately. | The design, development, and deployment of the NISC V system is listed in the scope of work and Offerors are intended to propose to all portions of the scope. | |
| 82 | C.3.3 | 12-13 | If the build is in scope, what is the Government's target date or timeframe for the NISC V system to be operational, and what is the anticipated NISC IV to NISC V contract transition date? | The proposed platform must be ready to operate no later than the June 30, 2030. | |
| 83 | Sections C.3.3 & L.18 | 13 & 96 | Task 3 asks for at least one example of a comparable project delivering a Contract Management solution encompassing Task Order Management, Financial Management and Invoice and Payment lifecycles. Is this example evaluated under Volume I Subfactor 3, under Volume II Past Performance, or both? Does it need to be one of the three contracts selected under L.18? | The comparable project will be evaluated to determine an offerors technical capability under Volume I Subfactor 3, not Volume II Past Performance. The comparable project does not need to be one of the contracts selected under L.18. | |
| 84 | Sections C.3.3, L.17, and M.5.1 | 13, 95 & 103 | C.3.3 requests "at least one example of a comparable project of similar size, scope, and complexity in which your organization successfully architected, designed, developed, built, and deployed a similar Contract Management solution encompassing a complete Task Order Management Lifecycle, Financial Management Life Cycle (Obligations, De-Obligations, etc.) Invoice and Payment management Lifecycle," and directs that "for each example" the eight listed data points be provided. The concluding bullet of C.3.3 states that this information "will help evaluate your team’s technical capabilities, delivery approach, and demonstrated experience in successfully delivering solutions of similar scale and complexity." L.17 requires the Offeror to describe its approach and proficiency in software architecture, software recommendation, system design and development "along with an example as per the requirements in Section C." M.5.1 states that Subfactor 3 will be evaluated on "the degree to which the offerors demonstrate proficiency and experience in software architecture, software recommendation, system design and development along with flexibility and problem-solving skills to provide seamless transition from NISC IV to NISC V contract." |
Please confirm the following:
(a) Whether a single project must encompass all three of the Task Order Management, Financial Management, and Invoice and Payment lifecycles, or whether an Offeror may demonstrate that scope across more than one comparable project of similar size, scope and complexity.
(b) Where an Offeror provides more than one example, as "at least one example" permits, whether the Government will consider the examples collectively in assessing the scope described in C.3.3.
(c) Whether the example may be drawn from any member of the Offeror’s proposed team, including a proposed subcontractor, provided that the team member and its "specific role and responsibilities in the project" are identified as C.3.3 requires.
We ask because a reading that requires all three lifecycles within a single project performed by the prime alone may limit the number of concerns able to respond under this Women-Owned Small Business set-aside, whereas a team-based or multiple-example reading would permit a broader competitive field while still demonstrating the full scope of experience the Government requires.
(a) A singular current/past project encompassing all lifecycles is desired since that will be the goal we are seeking from the offeror. However, if the offeror does not have past experience with all lifecycles in one (1) project, it must adequately detail how it intends to meet the Government's requirements.
(b) Examples will be evaluated collectively.
(c) The examples may be drawn from the prime or subcontractor.
| 85 | Sections L.18(a)-(b) & M.6.2 | 96 & 106 | L.18(b) requires Offerors to "submit copies of the Attachment L001 forms provided to its customer references" with the proposal, while the completed forms are returned by the references directly. M.6.2 states that an Offeror that does not include three references "will receive an Unacceptable assessment," and separately that the Government may still evaluate and award if fewer than three survey responses are received. Please confirm that the Offeror's obligation is satisfied by submitting copies of the three forms it provided to its references, and that an Unacceptable assessment does not follow from a reference failing to return a completed questionnaire. | See response to Question #23. |
| 86 | L.18(a) | 96 | May any of the three past performance references be for work performed by a proposed subcontractor or teaming partner, and if so does the requirement that at least two references be for prime contract work apply to the Offeror only? | See response to Question #18. |
| 87 | Table L-1 & L.21 | 94 & 97 | Table L-1 states the Volume V file naming convention as "XXX_Vol V Exceptions-RD_MMDDYY.pdf" while L.21 states the filename must be "XXX_Vol V Exceptions-RD_MMDDYY.docx." Please confirm which file format is required for Volume V. | See response to Question #12. |
| 88 | Table L-1 & L.19 | 94 & 96 | L.19 and Table L-1 require the Price Volume filename to be "XXX_Vol III Price_MMDDYY.xlsx." The Instructions tab of Attachment L002 directs Offerors to "Name Final file as: NEST Price Proposal_Offeror Name." Please confirm which naming convention governs the Price Volume. | See response to Question #13. |
This is the start of the file's text. The full file is on GovTribe.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .