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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Wireless Communications Questions and Answers Solicitation 70FA3018R00000015 April 16, 2018
| Question |
| Contractor’s Question/Comment |
| Government’s Response |
| 1. |
| Can DHS provide the number and type of seed stock devices maintained today? |
The type of seed stock devices are iphones and ipads The number of devices is 100 to 200 per vendor. There are two (2) vendors.
| 2. |
| Due to the complexity and depth of the DHS/FEMA mission and requirements, Vendor respectfully requests an extension of two weeks to the clarification deadline and a one month to the response deadline in order to allow Vendors sufficient time to provide a complete and comprehensive response. |
| FEMA will allow an extension. |
Proposals shall be submitted no later than May 11, 2018 by 12 Noon EST.
| 3. |
| Will task orders be awarded based on best value or lowest price technically acceptable? |
| The Task Orders will be awarded based on a lowest price technically acceptable determination. |
| 4. |
| The contract includes a base plus 4 option periods. Can a task order extend past the period of performance of the contract? |
| A Task Order can extend past the period of performance of a contract only if it is awarded prior to the ending of that contract. |
| 5. |
| How many past performance references are required? Can FEMA be used as a past performance reference? |
| Please provide a minimum of 3 references, but not more than 5. |
Yes, FEMA can be used as a reference for past performance.
| 6. |
| Due to the variety of solutions for in-building quotes, will FEMA allow up to two weeks for some in-building quotes to ensure the best value solution can be provided? |
| A quote shall be provided within 2 weeks from the request for In-Building services. |
| 7. |
| Will the Government therefore accept as compliant a Government-approved Commercial Subcontracting Plan to satisfy all the Small Business Subcontracting Plan requirements of the solicitation? |
| FEMA will accept the subcontracting plan that is in compliance with FAR 19.704 and comply with all 11 elements in Attachment 6. |
| 8. |
| (Page 2) B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE states that All prices shall conform to the format and structure defined herein. (Page 31) Volume II Price suggests that contractors itemize price. Will FEMA accept the modification to the price sheet to include such itemized price for products/services to perform the requirements of the contract for proper price evaluations? |
| The contractor shall provide the prices as required and may submit an alternate pricing schedule for consideration. |
The itemized pricing is only referring to the multiple spreadsheets for pricing.
| 9. |
| Will FEMA accept recommendation and/or modification to price list for updated equipment models, similar to what is requested, to stay current with technology offered? |
| Yes. Letters up to Z for each category has been allowed for additional technology. |
Any item being submitted by the contractor that is not currently on the list may be included in the columns where "Future Technology" is allowed. Once the CLIN reaches “Z”, the numbering will double starting over with “AA” through “ZZ”.
| 10. |
| Can you please provide an explanation to the expected difference for the data packaged outlined in Columns F-1 "International Data" and Column L "Data, International"? |
| There is no difference. The Column L should be disregarded. |
| 11. |
| Please confirm the equipment listed in Column B is to be priced without service associated with the equipment. |
| The Equipment only column B is for pricing of Equipment only. |
| 12. |
| Please confirm the service listed in Column I is to be priced as service only, no equipment. |
| The Service only column I is for the pricing of Service only. |
| 13. |
| Would FEMA consider a reduced price for excluding GPS/Navigation in columns D/E considering the many free applications available today? |
| Yes |
| 14. |
| The price sheet includes equipment and services, with no column for the equipment NRC cost. Will FEMA accept a modification to include NRC cost for equipment with service? |
| The contractor shall provide a price in the column. |
Attachment 1 allows costs for Equipment on the left side of the spreadsheet and Service on the right side of the spreadsheet. Attachment 1A allows cost for Equipment WITH Service.
| 15. |
| Where should contractors price items for required services listed in the RFP where a corresponding line item or CLIN does not exist in the price worksheets? As an example, FEMA is retaining the option to order Cell-on-Wheels, Satellite-on-Wheels, Plum Cases, or successor technology through this contact; however, there is no area called out to price these items on the price list. Page 10 of PWS then has these items as a requirement. |
| The Performance Work Statement has been revised to delete the Cell-on-Wheels and Satellite-on-Wheels, as this information had been provided as background information only. The Plum Cases have been eliminated with the exception of the requirement to provide SIM cards with service only. “Plum Case” is a brand name, so the requirement is for SIM cards with service for a self-contained, remote cellular access device that includes higher gain antennas that allow it to reach further than mobile phones and can provide higher data rates due to the increased signal strength. This is not specific to the Plum Case brand, and we reiterate that the only requirement under this solicitation is for the SIM cards with service. |
| 16. |
| Will the government please allow vendors to add additional priced lined items to the price worksheet? If additional price line items are not permitted on the pricing worksheet then how are vendors to comply with the following requirement, "RFP Page 2, B.2 PRICE/COST SCHEDULE – "Any equipment, material, facility, site preparation, or service required in the performance of this contract for which a price is not specifically identified in the price tables will be considered to be included in the price of one of the identified items or provided at no cost to the government, except as otherwise provided for in the contract" |
| Yes. Letters up to Z for each category has been allowed for additional technology. |
Any item being submitted by the contractor that is not currently on the list may be included in the columns where "Future Technology" is allowed. Once the CLIN reaches “Z”, the numbering will double starting over with “AA” through “ZZ”.
| 17. |
| Where should vendors list variable priced items such as usage, taxes and surcharges, excluding those FEMA are exempt from? |
| FEMA is exempt from taxes and surcharges. Contractors shall provide a firm fixed price. Please use Attachment 1A to price data usage. |
| 18. |
| On page 9 under "Wireless Voice and Data Equipment and Services Requirements:” please define section “s." Text Messaging with "Blast" Capability |
| Text Messaging with Blast capability is sending text messages from a single source to multiple FEMA devices at the same time. |
| 19. |
| If the referenced DHS Enterprise Security Architecture is a specific document, then please provide. Also on page 26 under 4.1.8, #2 – Need to know what ICAM guidance/rules/requirements requested the offerors comply with. |
| This is not a document. It is a Sharepoint site inside the FEMA firewall that is updated weekly and cannot be provided to personnel outside FEMA for security reasons. The successful bidder will be able to use the technology insertion process to obtain approval for products not currently in the DHS Enterprise Architecture. The applicable ICAM guidance is FIPS 140-2. |
| 20. |
| There appears to be a number of requirements that don't have a specific location to complete in the pricing tables. An example is the bb. Tablet Keyboard Case or hh. Wireless Battery Charging Tower found on page 10 of the PWS. How would FEMA like the price list to be modified to include these and other missing required items that may have a cost associated to them? |
| Please include any items that may have associated costs in the appropriate category under “Future Technology.” |
| 21. |
| States within (insert # of days) after contract award, the contractor shall submit for approval its IT Security Plan-Will FEMA please indicate how many days after contract award acceptance the IT Security plan must be submitted? |
| The contractor shall submit for approval its IT Security Plan 45 days after contract award. This requirement is included in Section 4.1.13 in the PWS. |
| 22. |
| The solicitation states that Offerors must expressly confirm acceptance and conformance with all terms, conditions, and requirements of the contract including the SOO, in order to be considered for award. Does FEMA mean the PWS or what other document are you referring to? Please confirm. |
| The reference made to the SOO is an error and will be removed. The correct reference is to the PWS. |
| 23. |
| The RFP states that the Offeror's proposal be submitted initially with the most favorable terms, and should include a detailed budget to support completed pricing in B.1 Price/Cost. Can FEMA please explain what it means by a detailed budget? |
| This is only asking you to complete all the Tables for all three (3) Price/Cost attachments. |
| 24. |
| Will FEMA remove the requirement for "anywhere in the CONUS and OCONUS", commercial providers can't provide coverage anywhere? |
| FEMA's requirement is for anywhere in the CONUS and OCONUS, given that disasters can occur anywhere. |
If you are unable to provide service in a particular area, please identify this when providing your response to the evaluation criteria.
| 25. |
| With the requirement to supply iPhones and iPads, will FEMA remove clause 52.225-1, "Buy American or will FEMA provide a list of foreign articles that the Contracting Officer will treat as domestic for the contract.”? |
| An amendment regarding this response will be posted within 5 days. |
| 26. |
| The provided instructions in column B call to meet the requirements of the PWS and the two pricing Attachments. Example, CLIN 2 provide a quantity of 30,000 for Smartphones however there are multiple smartphone model and service options requested across the two price lists. What specific item(s) should be totaled to complete column E? |
| Contractors shall use iPhone 7 with 32 GB. |
| 27. |
| Please define the word “terminate”. Is this to suspend the line or actually disconnect? |
| Terminate could be either, depending on the direction of the Contracting Officer or COR. |
| 28. |
| Coverage for Alaska, Pacific Islands, Caribbean. Please provide a list of addresses for these locations? |
| FEMA sets up temporary Joint Field Offices when the President declares a disaster, so FEMA does not have an address until the disaster is declared. |
| 29. |
| In section 2.1.2, the requirement indicates that quote requests for disaster orders are to be responded to no later than 2 hours from initial request and 24 hours for non-disaster requests. However, in section 2.3, the requirement indicates that the contractor will have 4 hours from receipt of request to respond to disaster orders and 3 days to one week to respond non-disaster orders depending on the estimated order amount. Please clarify which time period is accurate? |
| The contractor shall have 2 hours from the initial request to respond during disasters and 24 hours to respond for non-disaster requests. |
| 30. |
| Please revise “2 hours from initial request” to reflect “2 business hours from initial request” for quote requests for disaster orders. |
| The contractor shall respond within 2 business hours from initial request” for quote requests for disaster orders. |
| 31. |
| Please advise if FEMA is asking for the number of text messages over the time period or the actual content? |
| FEMA is asking for the number of texts, not the content. |
| 32. |
| Please clarify the Period of Performance for Scenarios 3 and 4? It reads as if we are to delay completing the order? |
You may use an award date of May 2, 2018 for each scenario.
| 33. |
| The language on the first page of the past performance questionnaire does not reference a wireless products and services contract. It references a recently released RFP for Generator Maintenance at Distribution Center Caribbean. Please provide an updated form that mentions the wireless products and services RFP? |
The Wireless heading on the current document will be circulated throughout the document and the mention of Generators will be removed.
| 34. |
| The RFP requires offerors to submit several documents as “Proof of Status.” What volume of the proposal, I or II, should be used to submit these documents? |
| Please submit your Proof of Status in Volume I. |
| 35. |
| The RFP “Evaluation Factors for Award” lists four (4) volumes whereas the Proposal Requirements identify two (2) volumes to be submitted. Should offerors assume that the Evaluation Factors” list of four volumes is a typo, and that the Government requirement is for volume I to contain Technical Approach, Management Approach and Past Performance, and that volume II contain Price? |
| Yes. The list of four (4) volumes is an error. There are two (2) volumes to be submitted, Volume I shall contain Technical Approach, Management Approach and Past Performance. Volume II shall contain Price. |
| 36. |
| The PWS states “All Providers are required to own their own network(s). “ |
While the RFP Past Performance Evaluation Factor 3 states: “…In this context, “Offeror” refers to the proposed prime contractor and all proposed major subcontractors. A major subcontractor is defined as one who will be providing critical equipment/services whose subcontract is for more than 51% of the total proposed price. “
Would the Government please clarify if the term Provider (required to own their own network) must be prime contractor of if the Provider can be a major subcontractor?
The Provider MUST be the Prime Contractor.
| 37. |
| PWS 1.2. Was the requirement “All Providers are required to own their own network(s)” reviewed and approved by the DHS Competitive Ombudsman? It is common for providers to leverage other providers to extend their network coverage. If this requirement remains as stated, please provide details on how FEMA will verify a provider owns its network end to end. The other requirements of the RFP (e.g. security and SLA’s) demand the prime contractor to have control of its delivered service. We recommend modifying the RFQ to allow Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) to provide operations and billing of services provided by the prime contractor. |
| This requirement was reviewed by the Competition advocate. It was made clear that specifications must describe supplies or services in a manner designed to promote full and open competition. Performance specifications containing unnecessary design requirements or including arbitrary requirements not related to the government’s needs can be examples of an unduly restrictive specification. |
Further, it was explained that if the requirement clearly demonstrates this is not an arbitrary requirement, and not having it would impact the final services rendered, then it would be determined that it is not overly restrictive.
FEMA’s requirement is related to nationally declared disasters. It is pertinent to maintain coverage and replenishment of products/services without interruption at a minimum cost……thus our request for providers to own their own network.
However, in an effort to invite as much competition as practical, the requirement to own your network is removed.
Additionally, the management of a contractor’s operations and billing will be determined by that Prime Contractor.