CO_QuestionsandAnswers.pdf

# Question Reference Document Reference Number Reference Text

1 Can the Government provide an estimated number of sorties or flight hours per execution window, or an anticipated annual total, for cost-estimating purposes?

PWS 1.6.5 / 1.7

"Sorties will be scheduled on all approved TPS fly days until the desired number of sorties are completed... There are typically 2 to 4 execution windows per calendar year for both senior and junior classes but not limited to it." Section 1.7 Historical Data states "N/A."

Answer A BPA is an agreement that streamlines repetitive purchasing by allowing agencies to place quick “call orders” instead of issuing full solicitations each time. It is commonly used for office supplies, IT equipment, support services, and other recurring needs. There is no expectation of any annual total sales to any awardee.

Vendors can estimate 12 hours per deployment. 2x deployments per year. # of sorties can vary depending on student group size on the day but TPS has two classes of 24 students each (48 per year).

2 Item 8 of the RFQ requests a 'one-year price list.' Should offerors submit escalated pricing for each option year of the 5-year ordering period, or does the Government intend the one-year price list to apply uniformly across the full ordering period?

RFQ (SAM.gov Notice) Item 8 / (v)

"8. One-Year Price List Based on the Requirements in the PWS" and "(v) The Ordering Period varies is addressed specifically in each PWS.

The Ordering Periods vary from 3-years to 5-years."

Answer No, please do not submit more than the first year of pricing. The Price list will be revisted annually, per FAR 12.201--1(e)(3)(v).

3 Please confirm the Government's intended definition of 'dry' versus 'wet' hourly rates for purposes of the price list. If the Contractor is providing the aircraft and insurance, a 'dry' rate option may not be feasible — clarification would help align SSI's price list structure to the Government's intent.

PWS 1.6.1

"Price list will include the following: a. Aircraft ferry hourly rate (dry and wet) to/from operating location. b. Aircraft hourly rate (dry and wet). c. Instructor pilot hourly rate (this may be included in hourly rate if PIC will solely be a vendor IP)"

Answer The Government is looking to conserve as much funding as possible and depending on the location of services fuel rates at Edwards AFB than off site.

Having both optionds of Wet (Fueled) and Dry (Not-Fueled) rates provides better fiscal conservancy for Depat of the Air Force. If a dry rate is not possible, then just include wet rate. Note, if operating out of Edwards with Jet-A, we would want a dry rate since the Government would be providing the fuel.

4 Is there a page limit or required format for the Technical Approach narrative, or specific subfactors within 'ability to provide the requested services' and 'in the required timeframe' that offerors should address point-by-point?

RFQ (SAM.gov Notice) Item 12 / Evaluation Factors

"12. Technical Approach" and "The technical acceptability factor contains one subfactors: (1) Ability to provide the requested services,

(2) in the required timeframe."

Answer There is no page limit but the quote may not exceed 10MB. A vendorshould not feel they aree required to utilize all 10MB to produce a quote and supporting materials to meets needs of this solicitation.

FA930426Q5009 (Lighter-Than-Air Services BPA) — Questions for Contracting Officer Submit to: jenny.meadlin@us.af.mil and justin.fobel@us.af.mil | Question period closes: 12:00 PM PDT, 10 September 2026

5 Section 1.8 requires the Contractor to provide at least one aircraft. Should the cost of utilizing and operating the Airship be priced separately then training?

Can the contractor provide 2 pricing for the aircraft: Option 1 as a standalone contract with access to training whenever the customer desires. Option 2: at the start or end of another contract to reduce cost to the customer, but scheduling will be dictated by the contractor.

PWS 1.6.1 / 1.8

"The Contractor shall provide all management, personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform flight and instruction..." (1.6.1). "The Contractor shall provide at least one

(1) aircraft. Additional aircraft, if provided as primaries or spares, shall meet all the same requirements as the primary aircraft." (1.8)

Answer This may be a business decision unique to the prospective vendors. The Government would like all options.

6 For cost-estimating and scheduling purposes, when will the specific dates for the 2 to 4 annual execution windows be defined? Additionally, would the Government consider Contractor-recommended scheduling windows that align with the Contractor's other existing contract periods of performance, to help reduce mobilization/demobilization costs?

PWS 1.6.5

"Sorties will be scheduled on all approved TPS fly days until the desired number of sorties are completed. There are typically 2 to 4 execution windows per calendar year for both senior and junior classes but not limited to it."

Answer The windows are fluid and are not necessarily the same every year. The windows would be coordinated and chosen during a time which is convenient for both USAF TPS and the contractor. Recommended scheduling windows from the contractor are welcomed and it is understood that these may vary year to year. TPS will coordinate with as much advanced notification as possible even though PWS 1.6.5. states 10 workdays prior as minimum for notification.

7 If training is conducted at the Contractor's operating location rather than at Edwards AFB, is installation-access-related Administrative/Compliance training (e.g., Antiterrorism Level I) still required for Contractor personnel? Additionally, are non-U.S. citizen instructors permitted to conduct training if it is held at the Contractor's location rather than a USAF installation?

PWS

4.7.2.1 (AT training); no PWS section addresses instructor citizenship

"Contractor shall maintain and make available to the COR, within 30 days after award, records of Antiterrorism Awareness Level I Training of Contractor employees and subcontractor employees who require routine physical access to the installation..." (4.7.2.1). Note: the PWS does not state a citizenship requirement for instructors; this appears to be an open gap rather than an omission on SSI's part.

Answer Antiterrorism Level I would not be required for training is conducted at the Contractor's operating location rather than at Edwards AFB (also referred to as deployment type). Yes, non-U.S. citizen instructors are permitted to conduct training if it is held at the Contractor's location.

8 The technical data package, aircraft operating manual, and training materials referenced in Sections 1.6.6, 1.8, and 1.9 are proprietary to Contractor and were not produced under this contract. Given that Sections 1.12 and 4.6.10 grant the Government unlimited rights only to materials produced under the contract, will the Government agree to execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) protecting this pre-existing proprietary data prior to the start of training?

PWS 1.12 / 4.6.10

"The government has unlimited rights to all deliverables of this contract." (1.12). "The government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract... These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the Contractor without written permission from the CO." (4.6.10)

Answer The Government does not sign Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with regards to data. If TMPs are required, we recommend the vendor include explicitly pricing for TPS-unique technical data packages, TPS-unique aircraft operating manual, and TPS-unique training materials in the Price List that will have Government unlimited rights only. Changing minor items on these documents from standards source materials will not rise to the ter “TPS-specific”. Minor changes include but are not exclusive to, adding the TPS name or patch, date changes, staff/student names, etc.

9 Section 1.6.2 references Contractor support of Test Management Projects (TMPs) as a secondary task but does not define scope, frequency, or a pricing mechanism. Will TMP support scope be defined at the individual task-order level, or would it require a separate contract modification/change request?

PWS 1.6.2

"Support of TPS Test Management Projects (TMPs). TMPs are team-based training events that are ongoing through the second semester of the TPS curriculum... The Government may require GA aircrafts and other air systems to participate in TMPs. TPS students and staff may occupy the GA aircraft while it supports TMPs."

Answer This Blanket Purchase Agreement would support aircraft use (and pilot support), if anything was outside this scope to support the TMP (data analysis, aircraft mod, etc), then a contract modification or a separate contract would be needed.

Questions for CO