2ndQuestions_AnswersMLSA7TF-07-0006.doc

GSA/FAS Region 7 MLSA Solicitation 7TF-07-0006

QUESTIONS DUE VIA EMAIL 9/12/2007:

SECTION B

1) GSA Region 7 is addressing one round of industry questions and receiving more clarification questions effective with this due date. The answer to industry questions will have a direct impact on the development of proposals such that some elements of the solution cannot move forward until clarifications are received. Many of the requirements associated with GSA’s solicitation involve longer lead times for development, both technical and legal/regulatory, than GSA’s current proposal due date will permit. In addition, we highlight that GSA FAS is engaged in simultaneously competing local services similar to those requested by Region 7 in multiple GSA regions across the country. This spike in proposal development activity is having a negative impact on the availability of this offeror’s resources during this period of increased demand.

In our desire to prepare a thoughtful, technically sound, price-competitive proposal that meets GSA expectations for ease of evaluation, this offeror requests an eight week extension to the current closing date of the solicitation. This extension will be in the best interest of the government by granting all offerors sufficient time to develop fully responsive, carefully considered proposals and offering the most competitive pricing Response: GSA will be extending Solicitation 7TF-07-0006 due date for the Metropolitan Local Services Acquisition (MLSA) Areas of Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio, TX, to 4:30 pm local time on 01/07/2008. The MLSA for Albuquerque, NM, will remain 4:30 pm local time on 11/01/2007 and the MLSA for New Orleans, LA, will remain 4:30 pm local time on 12/03/2007. An amendment to the solicitation will be forthcoming.

2) Table B.7.2.1 Clarify what is required for 001J T-1 PBX System Access Line and 001Q Digital Loop Service and any differences between 001J and 001Q.

Response: Per further discussion GSA has decided to remove 001Q.

3) In the Price Schedule B.7.2.1 the notation for the years reads Year 1 & 3. Will the government please correct all references in the text and price workbook to read Years 1 through 3?

Response: Please use Years 1 through 3. GSA will correct in an amendment to the solicitation.

4) On Table B.7.2.1 Section B page 6 of 12, CLIN 002A, will GSA clarify what specific type of circuit they are wanting and the application for the 4 kHz circuit?

Response: The 002A is a dedicated transmission service in the current MAA contracts. The service is in use at several locations in the New Orleans award area. GSA is currently using this type service in New Orleans for card reading and/or badge reading for access to remote locations. The reader is connected to a computer at another office.

5) In the Price Schedule B.7.2.2 the notation under Type Service for 002E GSA indicates that is a T1 Local Loop. In Section B Table B.7.2.1 CLIN 002E indicates to be a DS0. Will GSA please correct?

Response: Section B, Table B.7.2.1 (page 6 of 12) is correct in stating that CLIN 002E is DS0. GSA will correct the Type Service under Price Schedule B.7.2.2 to state 002E is for DSO and not T-1 Local Loop in an amendment to the solicitation.

6) On Pricing Table B.7.2.3 would GSA clarify that for all services the CLIN-IOB should have the NA under the Additional Price Per Mile column and that the CLIN - MI should have the NA under the Base Price column. These appear to be reversed. Will GSA please correct?

Response: GSA will correct this in an amendment to the solicitation. However, if the services are not offered to commercial customers both areas will include N/A. In addition, some offerors may choose to include the IOB and the MI cost in their Loop charge. In this case, it may be best to note the IOB as with N/C for the Base Price and N/A for the Additional Price per Mile. And conversely for the MI the IOB, IOB should be noted with N/A and the Additional Price per Mile with N/C.

7) B.7.2.1.1 – Column C rows 7 & 8 appear to be the same, 001W1S. Will GSA please correct? Subsequent years are in error also.

Response: Row 8 should be 001W2S and will be corrected in an amendment to the solicitation.

8) B.7.2.12 - Pricing sheet - In the footnote it says "The Hourly Labor Rate will apply for services required not specifically listed elsewhere". Would GSA specify some examples of what type of services this could apply to?

Response: When the Government requests special on-site telecom technical assistance that is not already included or priced under another CLIN.

SECTION G

9) G.4 Billing Procedures

The contractor shall bill in arrears on a monthly basis. The contractor shall provide two methods of billing, as illustrated in Figure G.4-1: What is the intended number of CENTRALIZED and DIRECT invoices for Dallas, Ft Worth, and San Antonio?

Response: Under the Centralized billing, there will be a minimum of 2 for Dallas, 1 for Ft. Worth, and 3 for San Antonio. The amount of Direct invoices is unknown.

10) G.4.1.1 Invoice Content (4th paragraph)

The contractor receiving the order will invoice for the entire service and/or features to include service(s) provided by other vendors. Can the GSA give examples of services/features that could be provided by other vendors?

Response: This might include specific/special charges of the offeror’s subcontractors and long distance carriers that might arise in special situations.

11) G.4.1.1 Invoice Content

Inventory – The inventory shall include: inventory by phone number and/or circuit number (if applicable), applicable rate group, CLIN, CLIN description, quantity, monthly recurring charges…Can the GSA clarify the definition of 'applicable rate group'?

Response: On B.7.2.1, the column heading is: “Local Loop NPANXX Group”. This is the same as “rate group”.

12) G.4.1.1 Invoice Content

Toll Summary– The toll summary page shall include carrier and carrier total charges. Each carrier shall be listed separately. Can the GSA clarify the definition of 'carrier'?

Response: Any provider of telecom service that the vendor passes on to the Government.

SECTION H

13) Section H.5 Continuous Service.

Please define the term "unlimited" as described in this section. Also for clarity purposes, please provide an example to better explain since there could be multiple interpretations of this requirement.

Response: “Continuous Service” could not be found in the referenced Section H. The term “unlimited” as used in the referenced paragraph refers to the services that will be awarded under this solicitation, and that there will not be a specific “limit” imposed on the amount of services that can be ordered at any one time. These services should be provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a Maximum Quantity dollar ceiling that has been placed on each award area under the contract (see Section H.3).

SECTION J

14) Attachment J.5 (definitions) Digital Loop Service is defined as “capable of delivering up to 24 line terminations”, does GSA intend for Digital Loop service to be priced as 24 line terminations?

Response: No. Digital Loop Service itself should be priced per line. The 24 line terminations are an end result of the digital loop service line connection and, keeping this in mind, should be priced accordingly.

15) Attachment J.5 (definitions), GSA does not indicate what the definition is for DS0. What is the kbps for a DS0?

Response: See Section J, Attachment J.5 Definitions for actual kbps. It states a digital signal rate of 64 kb/s.

SECTION L

16) Will the Government amend the requirement that applies to Section C Technical response, which asks that each requirement of the section be separated by its own TAB? This requirement results in a large amount of unused paper, and additional expense for the offerors to produce additional TABS.

Response: The contractor can choose to provide responses to Section C by placing the response after each solicitation section. If this is done, tabs would not be required. Example of providing response after each section:

C.2.2 Transmission Service

Voice, Data and Video Transmission Service offerings shall be provided where available. Service requirements may include, but are not limited to the following: DOD/DID trunks, business lines, Centrex-like service and related features, internet services, DS-0, T-1, and T-3, and ISDN BRI/PRI.

Service performance parameters are listed in F.4.

Contractor Response:…….

If the contractor decides to just provide responses “only” for each section of C, and not include the solicitation section paragraphs (as in example above), then tabs would be required.

17) Will the Government consider allowing offerors to print the required hard copies on two-sides of the paper in order to save on paper volume and cost?

Response: Yes.

Responses to unanswered questions from the 1st set of questions due 8/30/2007:

6) Figure B.7.2.1 Would the Government please provide detailed information for each Service Delivery Point (SDP) defined in Figure B.7.2.1 (B.7.2.7) ?

RESPONSE:

SDP1: Network Interface Devise (NID).

SDP2: Service for PBX. Contractor terminates in switch room in proximity to PBX. Contractor provides all cable/wire, terminal blocks, installation hardware, and miscellaneous materials required to provision service to the point of demarcation.

SDP3: Multiplexer. Table B.7.2.8 allows a SIC to bring service to multiplexer equipment. Contractor provides all cable/wire, terminal blocks, installation hardware, and miscellaneous materials required to provision service to the point of demarcation. Column F of this table allows a monthly recurring for the multiplexer equipment if the Government requests that the contractor provide the multiplexer.

SDP4: Service to Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF). Contractor terminates in wire closet. If contractor owns the riser cable, this will, in effect, be the NID, and the CLIN for SDP 4 will not be ordered. If riser cable is owned by the government or building owner, SDP 4 will be ordered and the contractor will cross-connect to the wire closet. If riser cable is not owned by the Government or the building owner, SDP 4 will not be ordered.

SDP5: Service to wall jack. Contractor provides cable and jack.

20) C.5.4 Demarcation Points For Service(s) Delivery Via House Cable / Wiring

The demarcation point for services (with the exception of proprietary CPE or orders specifying a different demarcation point) is the Network Interface Device (NID). Any other demarcation point for services will be included on the individual service order, whether at the proprietary CPE station jack, or other location as specified. Figure B.7.2.1 presents the different termination points normally required by the Government.

The demarc point is normally the Network Interface Device. Is the contractor expected to provide additional points of demarcation on a premise?

RESPONSE: Yes. See answer to Question 6 above. Solicitation will be amended to include detailed information of SDPs.

23) F.3 Performance Standards for Installations, Moves, Changes, and Maintenance Services Table in Section F.3

It would seem as though the Add/Change/Delete (#3) are in reference to analog and digital service (POTS/Centrex). What type of service does this apply to?

RESPONSE: The three (3) day routine interval and one (1) day priority interval are related to features and classes of service on existing services. If the offeror has routine and priority intervals greater than these for additions, changes, or deletions of features or classes of service for services already installed, the offeror should include an exception in Volume I as required by Section L.11.2, Volume I. In addition, the interval for the services should be inserted in the table and a reference made to the exception in a footnote.

Note: An amendment to the solicitation will be issued soon that will change “Priority” in the Table under Section F.3 to “Expedite” and also change pricing schedule/table B.7.2.12, and any other references in the solicitation concerning service availability intervals (C.9 and C.9.1)

29) Section J.5 Definitions

· Priority Service Order. How is this order type different from a Routine Service Order?

RESPONSE: GSA could not find Priority or Routine Service Order in Section J.5 Definitions. It is referenced in Sections C.9, C.9.1, F.3 and G.2.3.1.2. As stated at Section C.9.1, Priority orders will be worked ahead of routine orders for the same agency as directed by the GDR or ADR. As noted above in Question 23, the term “Priority” will be changed to “Expedite”. Changing the term to “Expedite” should clear up the confusion on any other references to “priority” in the solicitation.

· “Emergency” restoration. How is this different than a TSP (Telecommunication Service Priority) restoral?

and

· “Priority” restoration. How is this different than a TSP restoral?

RESPONSE: Service Restoration (in descending order of importance):

TSP (Section C.8) -Takes precedence over any other restoration.

Priority Restoration (Section G.5.2.3) - The Government prioritizes emergency restoration based on an agency's mission and/or critical lines.

Emergency Restoration (Section G.5.2.2) - Usually of a catastrophic or widespread nature that affects one or more agencies in their ability to perform their missions. The government may also deem, as emergency, non-catastrophic or widespread service outages, such as a main or published number being out of service.

Routine Restoration (Section G.5.2.1) - Restoration of non-critical services/lines.

Additional questions from Pre-Proposal Meeting (9/5/2007) that were not requested in writing:

1) Earl Spiegel of AT&T asked: “If after we go through this today and there are still questions, will GSA entertain them?” Jane Scroggins (GSA Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO)) advised that we must have some kind of dead line for submission of questions and the deadline is Wednesday, 9/12/2007. This will allow all offerors to review the responses and have time to make adjustments if a response affects what is being proposed

2) Mary Fischer of AT&T asked if these questions and answers will be published. Jane (GSA PCO) advised that the questions and answers will be published on FedBizOpps at the same location as the solicitation.

3) Ann Springer of Qwest asked if GSA would clarify the use of the wiring if owned by a building owner or if the wiring is owned by GSA. Bill Williams (GSA Telecom Contractor Support (TCS)) advised the use of wiring is discussed in the solicitation but did not know if it is clear enough. Ann said she did not “pick up” on it and would reread the solicitation

4) Mary Fischer of AT&T asked how companies will be evaluated if they are using different pricing methods for the same service. Bill (GSA TCS) used the instance on a full PRI. If someone charges per line and another charges per b-channel, GSA would have to add up the cost for 23 channels and see how it compares to the other provider’s charge per line. Jane (GSA PCO) explained that the term channel and line will not be used interchangeably in the contract. That even AT&T uses channel and line in different ways.

5) Ann Springer of Qwest stated that she understood questions asked during the meeting will be posted with a response. And, additional questions will be due next Wednesday. She asked Jane what she thinks is feasible time for the Government to post the questions with responses so questions will not be duplicated? Jane said she could probably get the questions out by Friday or next Monday. Questions received next Wednesday (9/12/07) should be posted by Friday (9/14/07) or the next Monday (9/17/07).

The 1st Set of Questions were posted 9/10/2007 and the 2nd Set of Questions due on 9/12/2007 are being posted to FedBizOpps on 9/28/2007. Other questions asked and discussed during the pre-proposal meeting have been included in either the 1st and/or 2nd Set of Questions. Amendment No. 1 was posted on 9/18/2007.