Attachment 11 ABAD Industry Day Questions and Answers.xlsx

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Sheet2 Air Base Air Defense (ABAD) Industry Day May 19-28, 2020 Questions & Answers

DISCLAIMER: All answers given are pre-decisional. Should any Solicitation documents conflict with the answers given below, the solicitation documents shall take precedence. These answers are being provided only with the goals of clarifying the Government's intent and obtaining feedback from Industry. Some answers may have changed in light of incorporating Industry feedback since they were answered. The Draft RFP will incorporate more changes than those indicated below.

ItemQuestionAnswers
1When you set the hours to multiple the labor rates, will the bidders know the hours by labor category?The Government has provided a workload estimate in the PWS. These will likely be the hours used as the multiplier. During the Draft RFP phase, Industry will have the opportunity to provide feedback if this should be changed.
2What is the Joint contribution to this mission? Has there been coordination with the 10th AAMDC who has the mission to defend EUCOM's defended asset list.The ABAD team has been in contact with 10th AAMDC, yes. However, the Air Force needs to begin implementation of an ABAD system more rapidly than that approach would allow. In the future, this project will integrate with partners.
3Is the funding coming from a specific authorization for this effort by HQs USAF or is this being funded by USAFE?Initial funding is coming via EDI dollars from USAFE, but funds will be coming from multiple streams.
4There is very limited overlap in the F2T2EA Kill Chains for cUAS, CMD, BMD, Hypersonic Defense. If defense is desired "from the fence line to hypersonics," could you clarify your priorities and timeline for acquisition for each threat set?The immediate goal involves cUAS and CCM (Counter Cruise Missile), but the envisioned C2 produced in this effort should support interoperability across current and future threats.
5Should the bidders expect to have access to the data feed of cooperative air traffic from national agencies, SWIM, Asterisk etc., or does this need to be independent?Yes. This data will be made available to the winning contractor after award.
6Who is doing the current Ramstein work?While there is no current ABAD contract in place, the RADSIL is being built by USAFE and MIT/LL. The initial Task Order will be partially to take on the equipment in the RADSIL to maintain and operate.
7Is it your intent to limit ABAD to Main Operating Bases, or do you envision application in the deployed/expeditionary environment?Fixed site will be the focus, but deployability will be desirable in Phase 3 for use in an expeditionary environment. The ABAD system will begin with Ramstein then scale to places such as Aviano, Spangalum, etc.
8Please repeat the first past experience criteria. 2 instances of integration of what type?Past Experience criteria will be updated due to Industry Feedback. However, the versioned annoucned at Industry Day (subject to change in the draft RFP) contains the following: "The Offeror shall submit evidence of at least 3 years of contracting experience (instances where the Offeror performed as a key subcontractor or a prime) within the previous 5 years from date of issuance of solicitation, where the Offeror is or was responsible for at least 2 instances of integrating radar, electro-optical, mobile sensing, and/or multimodal sensor systems into a larger architecture, with a contract value greater than or equal to $10,000,000.

The Offeror shall submit evidence of at least 3 years of contracting experience (instances where the Offeror performed as a key subcontractor or a prime) within the previous 5 years from date of issuance of solicitation, where the Offeror is or was responsible for performing Operation, Maintenance, and Program Management on a $20,000,000 program or greater.

Offerors shall submit a list of contracts meeting the above criteria. Should one contract cover both required categories of Past Experience, that one contract may be listed under each category. However, the Offeror shall still submit two separate lists regardless of whether they share examples of Past Experience. Additionally, each Task Order under a contract vehicle may count as a separate instance of Past Experience as long as each individual Task Order meets all other required criteria, to include dollar value.

Each contract listing shall contain the following elements: the contract number and task order number as applicable, contract period of performance, the offeror’s role in the contract, a description of how the experience is relevant, 2 customer points of contact (POC), POC titles, and current POC telephone numbers and e-mail addresses."

9What was the process for selecting the prototype vendors at Ramstein?Ramstein systems are being integrated by the Air Force and an FFRDC (MIT-LL). This work is based on both already-in-place and COTS equipment.
10What is the relationship between the AFLCMC Medusa program and USAFE ABAD?The ABAD team is aware of the Medusa program.
11Is the "Cognitive Computer" shown in the slides something that USAF already has in the pipeline or do bidders need to offer this capability?The RADSIL is exploring this possibility at the moment, but would be working with the winning contractor to help determine the best approach regardless of what might be currently planned.
12Can companies bid for specific Task Orders?This is a single-award IDIQ. The winning contractor will receive all subsequent Task Orders and may determine their own team through whatever methods they see fit.
13To what extent will bidders need to integrate with existing radar and C2 systems, or alternately, is this a forklift upgrade with all new capabilities?The Government will leverage air traffic control systems already in place, but are looking for other solutions you may have. Remember that part of the initial Task Order involves helping determine what needs to be integrated.
14Will Medusa be directed to use FAAD C2?The ABAD team does not have an answer to this question. This would be a question for the MEDUSA team.
15What will be the page be for each of the volumes?Current limitations include 5 pages for an executive summary, 25 pages for the Technical Proposal (first task order), no limitation on cost and pricing information nor for additional contract documents as specified in the solicitation. A time limit will be placed on the Oral Proposal. The Government is open to feedback on whether this is adequate.
16How long will we have for presentations at Orals?The Government is contemplating an hour per company, but would appreciate feedback as to how long would be appropriate. The team is also looking for suggestions on how to effectively down-select to limit the number of presentations that would be given.
17Will Orals presentation be live (in person) or video submittal?The Government would like to have in-person presentations. However, this may prove inadvisable due to the physical distancing safety precautions. Therefore a virtual presentation will likely be necessary. The Government is leaning away from video submittals because that would make any post-presentation clarifications that the team needs more difficult, prolonging the evaluation process.
18Will there be a draft RFP shared with Industry?Yes. Additionally, all documents going into it will be released to Industry for feedback as soon as the team is able.
19Will dollar thresholds for past experience be calculated on an annual basis or over the life of the contract in order to determine if the experience is acceptable/unacceptable?While the team is open to feedback on this matter, the intent is to capture total contract dollar value.
20What is the funding strategy?There is a POM submission for EDI, and the program will receive funding from various DOD agencies. The types of money include but are not limited to 3400, 3080 and 3600.
21Does the AF anticipate the contractor will have to execute construction/renovations to house new or modify existing locations for sensors, towers, cameras, etc?This is possible. While there is no MILCON on this project, the basic idea is that if you are deploying a system for the Government, you will need to place it as well. To this end, minor construction may be necessary.
22Do you anticipate coordinating with any existing government program offices for like requirements and capabilities?Yes. The ABAD team is already coordinating with AFRL, HAF, PACAF, FFRDC and a few others.
23If construction/renovations are required, will the contract need to acquire land, easements, and permits to place equipment in public and privately owned properties?Making MOUs and agreements with host nation Governments is an inherently governmental function. Industry can be expected to prepare those MOUs for the Government, but the Government will be doing the majority of interacting with host nations in that sense. Remember that the Government is looking for a partner to help establish what needs to be done for any particular course of action.
24If engineering and construction is required, will these capabilities be evaluated in the source selection?The contractor's overall solution to the scenario will be evaluated. If engineering and contruction is included in the scenario response then it will be evaluated. One of the graded areas for the scenario is the risk to implement the system.
25Are the Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) labor rates planned to be burdened cost with no fee?The Government plans to request fully burdened FFP labor rates without fee (since profit/fee is determined at the task order level). The team is also considering language stating if the contractor has a Forward Pricing Rate Agreement (FPRA), the rates would be modified to use those instead of the existing IDIQ rates. The Government is looking for feedback on this approach.
26Will sensors and surveillance hardware be procured through this contract vehicle?Yes, hardware will be procured through this contract vehicle.
27We are presuming the contractor solution will account for existing Joint layered defenses and propose base defense solution(s) tailored to unique base circumstances (Mission, Threat, Time, available forces). Will the proposed solution need to incorporate the expeditionary capabilities of the USAF 820th Base Defense Group or habitually affiliated US Army air defense units?Yes, those organizations have toured our facilities. The ABAD team will be accounting for those capabilities.
28Can the Government comment on the emphasis on operating existing Air Defense (AD) systems vs developing AD systems?The Government needs to use current AD systems, but has big gaps and a lot of future threats. The Government needs something that will be adaptive and flexible, and is looking for input from the winning contractor as to the best way to implement an ABAD system.
29Have you inquired about other agencies doing a similar effort, you may want to check in with SOCOM HQ as they are about to launch a Systems Integration Partner contract. You may be able to draw from their process and requirements.Other agencies have been contacted as part of the Market Research Phase of this acquisition. This comment has been noted.
30How many presenters will be allowed for the oral proposal presentations?The current plan is to allow no more than 2 presenters. The Government is open to feedback on this matter.
31Will the government provide details on what technology, capabilities, feeds are available in the RADSIL?The Government will provide current RADSILs equipment/capabilities as able in the RFP, but it is important to note that this equipment and capability will change between the RFP and the award of the contract simply due to the nature of the rapid prototyping and acquisition of systems.
32How many task orders per year (or a range of low to high) does the Government anticipate?The first task order will determine both the content and rate of future task orders. Because this breakdown is going to be established during that time, the Government is unable to provide an estimate. The IDIQ ceiling is roughly $950M, however.
33Is there a predetermined percentage for Small Business Set Aside?Due to this requirement being outside the continental United States, the Government is not obligated to set aside any amount for Small Business. The Government is interested in getting the best and most innovative solutions possible, and therefore only plans to consider capabilities as opposed to socioeconomic status. This said, the Government has no intention to deliberately exclude any small business from participating in this effort.
34What makes up the ODC CLIN?Other Direct Costs. That CLIN is intended for all the other items (ex: licenses). The intent of the CLIN structure is to capture all possibilities and ensure the team can be flexible based on the ABAD requirements. The team is open to suggestions.
35Please review the Cost Plus trade off approach for the tech approach.When a contractor presents its oral proposal for the technical approach scenario, the Government will weight it as significantly more important than the price. This is a tradeoff with technical.
36Is the $15M per fielded system (mentioned in the scenario) just for that specific example, or do they intend to make that the standard ceiling for each location?This limitation is only for the purpose of the scenario evaluation. The intent behind this number is to ensure any proposed scenario solution is feasible to implement. If you believe this number is unrealistic, the Government would appreciate alternatives.
37Will the government ask for fixed price rates for all 10 years of the period of performance? Will there be an opportunity to adjust for inflation?When proposing the Firm-Fixed Price labor rates, the Government would also request an annual escalation rate to account for inflation.
38Would the suppliers of equipment later procured need to be on the winning IDIQ Team?The Prime contractor will be required to integrate, operate and sustain any equipment that becomes part of the ABAD system. The Prime contractor will need to determine the best way to do that.
39Will experienced European (NATO Systems Integration Experience) companies be allowed as subcontractor members of the IDIQ Prime Team?The Government does not intend to restrict the nationality of any contractor employee. However, any employee must have the appropriate security clearance for their position.
40How is the material delivery schedule performance evaluated in the contract? How are material delivery schedules incentivized in the contract?The first Task Order is not intended to include the delivery of any systems. So for the first task order, this is just going to use standard evaluation methods.
41For host-country sensors, what direction(s) would the data would flow? Would we just have to ingest and integrate host-nation information, or would we have to share what the cUAS system sees too?Data needs to flow both ways; the Government may not be able to share all information due to restrictions but will share as much as possible. (ex, info with host nation to Polizi). Host-nation information will need to be integrated as well, yes.
42How will the proposal evaluate the ability of a contractor to address future needs over the potential 10 year duration?The Government plans to rely on the Scenario to determine whether or not a contractor understands the threat and solutions to the threat. The team is open to suggestions if this approach appears insufficient.
43Can suppliers/subcontractors be added at any point throughout the period of performance?Yes. The winning contractor will help determine the best solution to the ABAD problem set. As this solution is not yet decided upon, the Government does not expect contractors to have subcontractors in place at award beyond what might be needed for the initial Task Order.
44Please clarify system deliverables on the contract? You want assistance in integrating a government owned system- RADSIL vice purchase and build out an existing AD/C2 architecture from contractors?Contractor will help the government select best C2 system, starting with the government systems in the RADSIL. If there is something better out there than what the Government is already using, then the team will test it in the RADSIL. The Government needs something that is state-of-the-art to meet our needs against evolving threats. This may involve a combination of contractor acquired open-systems-architecture equipment as well as Government owned systems.
45Can you provide some more clarification on the leasing subject? Are you talking about leasing from other services, leading from the Prime contractor, or leasing from other sensor/effector manufacturers?When talking about leasing, the Team is referring to leasing from the Prime contractor. How the Prime contractor gets the equipment the Government is trying to lease is up to them. The idea is that the Government would only be interacting with a single entity (the Prime contractor) throughout the process.
46Would OCI mitigation be determined at award of the parent IDIQ, or, on each delivery order?The OCI mitigation would take effect as soon as any potential OCI is identified, regardless of when that is. This is in the best interest of the Government because it ensures things are fair and that the team is getting the best possible solutions, and it is in the best interest of any interested vendor to work with the Government immediately because if they end up winning the contract without an OCI mitigation plan and another company believes there to be an OCI, they may Protest which could terminate the award. Note that the Government will not compensate any vendor for their OCI analysis or mitigation plan. These documents will just be needed to ensure an interested vendor can fairly compete and that the legal risk is minimized.
47Will GFE and GFI be ‘held’ at the IDIQ level so all Task Orders can have access?The team is leaning towards tracking GFE at the task order level. However, the Government would appreciate feedback on this area to include best practices.
48What will the MIT/LL role be during the term of this contract?MIT/LL is an FFRDC. They will serve as advisors and subject matter experts for the Government. The winning contractor will be working with them towards the development of an ABAD solution. More details will be provided in the PWS.
49Do you intend this a Contractor Owned / Contractor Operated (COCO), or do you intend this to be Government Owned / Contractor Operated (GOCO)?The first thing to note is that the team is well aware of Title 10 authorities. The contractor will never be making the decision on whether or not to 'pull the trigger' on any part of the ABAD system. The contractor may advise and run the 'scopes,' but that would be the extent of it. With that said, this contract is open to COCO and GOCO. The Government does not have the manpower to integrate, operate, and maintain all these systems and will be relying on the contractor. But in terms of efficiency and cost effectiveness, the team is open to both as potential solutions. Advice on best practices to accomplish these tasks is very welcome.
50Hold-harmless clauses—will the contractor be liable for mishaps? Do we need to self-insure, or, will the government provide some sort of indemnification clause?The Government would tackle indemnification problems as they came up. Current guidance would require Secretary of the Air Force approval and requires out of the ordinary (or nuclear) circumstances, so the team did not intend to have anything like that out of the gate. The team's current stance is that it shouldn't really be necessary because the decision on whether or not to "use" any system will be entirely on the Government. However, if you see an issue with this or foresee a circumstance that would necessitate indemnification, please let the Government know so that it can be considered early.
51How soon can we get a draft RFP?Our schedule was shown at Industry Day, but regardless of the Draft RFP date the Government will be sharing relevant documents in future beta.SAM.gov postings as they are created.
52What impacts do the DOD directives for the Army to serve as the Executive Agent for C-UAS development, procurement, and integration have on the future of systems used for USAFE/AFAFRICA ABAD? And does this Executive Agency role threaten the funding for this effort?Yes, there will be some impact. However, the team is not sure to what extent. There is some use, but c-UAS may not work the same in all areas. The ABAD team has EDI and it works well for us. COMUSAFE knows there is threat and is not waiting. The Air Force is going after the threat today, and the Executive Agency's role should not threaten USAFE's funding for ABAD/C-sUAS efforts.
53What is your recommendation for HW OEMs to collaborate with potential Primes? Will USAFE help facilitate a method for OEMs to present solutions to potential primes ahead of IDIQ Award?The Government has published the list of attendees to Industry Day. Please refer to this list on beta.SAM.gov for potential Prime contractors.
54Will the same contractor selected for Phase 1, First Task Order, be the prime across all three Phases?The phased approach refers to phases in this IDIQ contract. This one, integrating contractor will be responsible for all these Phases. This is for an ABAD IDIQ- the Task Order is simply the initial work to be performed.
55How long do you anticipate each phase (1-3) to last?The initial Task Order begins Phase I, and will start in the first year. More details detailing the Phase approach will be in the revised PWS documents.
56Can you provided contact info for the ABAD Team?Contracting Officer: Captain Alex M Cordell, alex.cordell.1@us.af.mil; Contract Specialist: Mr. Ian Orton, ian.orton@us.af.mil
57Will you specify where the 603rd AOC will sit in the C2/engagement chain?The team has an idea as to where it is today; they will be in the chain. However, the system architecture will need to be defined before this chain can be specified for the future.
58How will the Government evaluate Past Experience of a Joint Venture formed for this opportunity?The company must show it has the appropriate Past Experience to draw upon. Regardless of whether it is a Joint Venture or a Prime/Sub relationship, the winning contractor will need to show proof (i.e. existing agreements) that it will be able to draw upon the past experience of any relevant party. To get at the heart of this question: This means the Prime contractor does not in itself 'need' that experience as long as it can prove it can 'access' the experience. The team is accepting feedback on contract language to make this apparent.
59Are there any host nation laws or restrictions on foreign (US) contractors doing work in country; laws that require us to subcontract or hire local nationals to do the work?The ABAD team will be seeking technical expert status through DOCPER. This is inherently Classified work. Contractor employees will to have SOFA status- this is a challenge across all of Europe. DOCPERs is a long lead time. There will need to be a transition time.
60If oral proposals are classified, what level is expect (Secret or TS)?The team will allow up to Secret No-Foreign (NOFORN) for Oral proposals. Details for how to transmit those slides that may contain classified material will be included in the RFP.
61Will subcontractors be required to hold security clearances?A subcontractor performing any Top Secret (TS) level work will require its own Top Secret Facility Clearance separate from that of the Prime, and the employee will also need his/her own TS clearance. This goes for any level of clearance. The employee will always need his/her own appropriate security clearance, and the contractor will always need their own individual Facility Clearance that corresponds to the highest clearance level of work they are performing.
62Will there be any submission for technical subfactor #1 (scenario) in the written proposal, or will it all be oral?The technical approach scenario will be an oral presentation only. Contractors will be able to use as many slides in a slideshow as they want to aid their presentation and give the Government a reference. However, only the presentation itself will be evaluated. Any slides provided to the Government that were not briefed will not be considered. During the oral proposals, the contractor team will have a set period of time to brief. The Government team will ask the Contractors to leave the room (or equivalent virtual action if necessary) to have a discussion. The contractor may be asked clarifying questions about their presentation (clarifications- not discussions). These rounds of clarifications will continue until the Government no longer needs any clarifications. At this point, the Government plans to provide live evaluation notices.
63Will the slide deck for the oral proposal be due at the time of written proposals?Yes. Details for how to transmit oral proposals that contain classified information will be provided in the RFP.
64Have you considered FEDSIM?Yes, the team has considered FEDSIM. GSA FEDSIM cannot preform this contract- Kinetics are not allowed for FEDSIM.
65Does your phased approach have a geographical component? IE Europe bases then Africa ...or a mix?Yes, initially it will be in Europe.
66Will the Government be sharing the slides for Industry Day? What about the audio?The slides are posted on beta.SAM.gov (ref ID: ABADID1). An audio recording of the presentation is available upon request to the Government Contracting Office, and will be distributed individually through the 'DODSAFE' system.
67What is more important: the design, integration or O&M of a system?Section L & M outline the focus of importance for the Government. Please reference the latest documents for a better understanding.
68Will TS/SCI billets be provided?The contractor will be required to have people with TS clearance that are SCI eligible. The process for reading in and reading out will be determined at a later date.
69Have you thought about protections of intellectual property?The Government will protect any information you submit to it if it is appropriately marked. This protection is required by law.
70How do you prove the system works?The Government will evaluate based on the various systems and SMEs. The draft RFP will contain evaluation information that should provide the Government with confidence that the system in the scenario would work. Feedback on that matter is appreciated.
71Do you define kinetic low collateral damage?The Government did not define this term. Please take a broad understanding of the term.
72What is the indemnification and liability?The Government does not foresee a need for indemnification, as the contractor will not be making the decision of whether to exercise response options to any ABAD threat. Indemnification for this effort would require Secretary of the Air Force approval. Due to these considerations, indemnification would be contemplated at the individual task order level.
73Are you looking for a kinetic kill mechanism vs. just integration?The Government wants both. You will work with the Government team to integrate and come up with engagement options.
74Regarding contractors on the battlefield- where in the document do you define the legality of the contractors?The ABAD team understands Title 10 authorities and the contractor will not be put in a situation where they 'pull the trigger' on a response. Title 10 authorities will be addressed more in a revised PWS.
75What are your thoughts on Kinetic vs Non-kinetic?The contractor will need to understand threat and the areas that are being operated, then provide the Government the best solution (whatever that may be). For the IDIQ evaluation specifically, the Government may evaluate either based on the contractor's proposed response.
76Will it be up to the contractor to propose the solution?The winning vendor will work with the Government to determine solutions to the ABAD problem set. The Government will select the most suitable course of action. The intent of the first Task Order is to determine these solutions.
77Have you considered limiting contracts to companies who are currently providing services in HN environments? We have experience in HN labor laws in many countries; all unique. Have a special office that covers that.The Government intends to require Past Experiencegetting SOFA approval in the first Task Order. While every country has its own process, this should help establish that a company has the capability to handle it.
78Is this a phase approach for the AOR?Yes, the Government is pursuing a phased approach throughout the AOR.
79Regarding open systems architecture, do you have some in mind or is it up to the contractor? How are you going to govern?The Government has some systems in mind, but the intent is to work with the contractor to determine the best solution (even if that solution does not use equipment already available). The Government will be making the final decision as to what systems to actually implement, given the input of the winning contractor.
80Regarding Phase I, are you looking at continuing with the current USAFE C2 HYDRO System, or are you looking for other solutions?The contractors will provide recommendations on the best systems and the Government will make the decision as to what direction to pursue.
81Regarding Phases II & III, will it be a Government owned system?It is too early to make a determination at this time- the team needs to see what makes sense at the time.
82What is the anticipated delivery schedule of systems?The first task order is intended to have the contractor work with the Government and figure that out together.
83Is the Government looking for spiral development of the program?The Government would look for the Prime to manage a spiral evolution to match threats.
84Will the OEMs be able to prime this effort?Yes, the Government intends to allow OEMs to participate. However, the Government believes OEMs have an inherent OCI. Due to this, all OEMs wishing to participate in this acquisition need to alert the Government contracting office of their intent to participate immediately via a White Paper explaining their OCI. This White Paper should be submitted as soon as possible, prior to the release of the RFP. The contracting officer will then determine whether or not the company needs to submit a risk mitigation plan. The contracting officer will then make a determination whether this mitigation plan is sufficient enough to allow the company to participate.
85Will the winning contractor be part of the source selection team for evaluating OEM capabilities in the final solution?The Government does not intend to dictate who the winning contractor subcontracts with to provide a solution. However, the decision as to which solution to implement is an Inherently Governmental Function.
86Will the Government pay other OEMs to test their systems?Not as a general rule, no. But the goal is to strike a balance in terms of resources and efficiency. Give that, it is possible that the Government may pay for a portion of testing.
87In the presented Scenario, will you be evaluating ABAD for multiple locations?The Scenario evaluation is only for the location detailed in the Scenario.
88How did you come up with ROM for Scenario 1 the PWS?If you feel that the Government's ROM requirements are infeasible, please let the ABAD team know why and what your recommendation would be.
89Can you provide names on UAS?Please look at the DGI on Scenario 1.
90Regarding the scenario, will all 15 UAS penetrate the base all at once? If so, what is USAFE's response (kinetic/non-kinetic)?The scenario specifies there will be no more than 3 per hour at one location. The response may be kinetic or non-kinetic. That is up to the Contractor to determine.
91Regarding the scenario, does the $15M per system include all components?$15M includes everything necessary to procure a system. The $7M includes the cost for operating and maintain the system for a year. If you have numbers you believe would be more realistic, please provide the Government with that feedback. The goal is to set a realistic standard for all competitors.
92Regarding the scenario, must systems be entirely Commercial or can we use Government owned resources, for example? We need to fill the Gaps. Can we use known Government systems as part of our approach?The proposed solution can be any combination of COTS or Government systems. Government owned solutions can be leveraged but the contractor will be expect to understand what is in the art of feasible and potential costs for utilizing Government systems.
93Regarding the scenario, can you be more specific on the Threat? How will you evaluate without more specific threat data?The scenario calls out specific threats that will have to be countered. Please reference the identified threats to determine their characteristics and make sure the proposed system can counter those threats. The Government will be able to determine if a proposed system will be able to counter the threats
94Why are you planning to have Fixed Price labor rates? How can you use Firm-Fixed Price if there are so many unknowns?The Government expects, through the life of the contract, that services will become more defined and less complex. Due to this evolution of risk/complexity, many of these task orders may turn into Fixed-Price type contracts. The Government plans to rely on previously established Fixed-Pice labor rates for those fixed-price task orders. These rates will only be used for Fixed-Price task orders, and Fixed-Price task orders will not be utilized unless those conditions are met.
95Is this contract going to be treated as a service?Yes, this will be treated as an ABAD IDIQ service contract.
96Will the govt provide a Level of Effort update with the labor categories in the RFP?Yes, the Government intends to provide an updated Workload Estimate for each identified labor category.
97Do you envision professional services as part of the labor categories?No, the Government does not intend to solicit for professional services.
98Will there be minimal qualifications on the labor category?Yes, but only for labor categories involving Key Personnel as indicated in the PWS.
99Will the labor rates need to be proposed fully burdened?The Government intends to request fully-burdened fixed-price labor rates to be incorporated into the IDIQ. These fully burdened rates will not include fee or profit.
100Will the labor rates be able to be adjusted?Yes, the Government intends to have the contractor propose an annual escalation rate.
101Are the vendors expected to provide BOE?Yes, the government intends to request Bases of Estimate.
102Are you looking at the 8 years of order on the contract?The base ordering period for this IDIQ is five (5) years. There will be an Option period of 3 (three) years, for a total of eight (8) years of ordering. The performance period for this project will be 10 years. This means that if a contract is awarded in year 8 of this IDIQ, it can have a maximum period of performance of three (3) years. The maximum performance period for an IDIQ cannot extend past 10 years of IDIQ contract award.
103Will this IDIQ be include T&M?The Government does not intend to include T&M as a possible contract option under this IDIQ. The Government intends to include Firm-Fixed Price, Fixed-Price Incentive Firm, Cost-Plus Fixed Fee, Cost-Plus Incentive Fee, and Cost Reimbursement. The contract type will be determined at the Task Order level.
104Does the Government intend to set ceilings for cost-type Task Orders?For cost-type contracts, there will be a ceiling cost.
105Is the contract type for the first Task Order Cost-Plus Fixed Fee?Yes, the Government intends to utilize a cost-plus fixed fee contract for the initial Task Order.
106Regarding Past Experience, are you looking at 3 years experience and $20M on a contract?Yes, though the Government may change those thresholds based on feedback from Industry Day.
107Can past experience be from the subcontractor, or does it need to be from the Prime?The Government is fine with past experience being from a partner or subcontractor. However, this must be identified in the relevant table IAW the PWS.
108Is this project going to use O&M or other funding?POM submissions have been made, and this project will receive funding from various DOD 3400, 3080 and 3600 sources.
109How will the Government determine what the contractor can bill for?The first Task Order is a cost-type contract. All costs must be allowable, allocable and reasonable IAW the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
110Has the Government listed all estimated labor categories?In the draft IDIQ PWS, the Government has drafted a list of proposed labor categories for Industry to provide feedback upon. The Government is seeking input on any additional labor categories that may fit the ABAD requirements. The Government is also seeking input into the labor category descriptions and subsequent tasks.
111Will the Government have the ability to add labor categories after award?Yes, the Government intends to allow labor categories to be added as needed.
112Will you give us a number of FTEs that will be required?No. The Government does not intend to tell the contractor how many individuals are needed to perform this service. However, workload estimates have been provided and the Government is seeking input on those estimates.
113The proposed CLIN structure listed names like "Integration" multiple times, but with different contract types. Why?Integration is listed multiple times so that no matter what the most appropriate contract type is, contractors will be able to bill appropriately. This repetition allows more Task Order options.
114Does the Government anticipate fee on ODC purchases?Fee is unallowable on cost reimbursement CLINs. The Government understands that if a proposed solution calls for a majority of the contract to be material purchases, contractors worry they may not receive a fair fee for their efforts. The Government is looking into alternatives for how to change the CLIN structure for material purchases in order to be fair to the contractor, but what CLIN to use would be established at the Task Order level.
115Are you willing to add additional FTEs after Task Order award?Yes, FTEs will be able to be added or subtracted as needed.
116Is there a Lapse Rate in the contract?Yes, there is a lapse rate identified in the IDIQ PWS.
117Can the contractor proposal differ from the workload estimate?The Government has provided a workload estimate in the PWS. This is an estimate and not necessarily the amount that needs to be proposed, but any deviation from the workload estimate must be justified in the proposal to ensure an understanding of the requirement. If a contractor feels that the workload estimate is inaccurate, please provide those comments to the Government so that the estimates can be reevaluated as needed.
118Do you have approved funding for this effort?The Government does have approved funding. The Government cannot disclose those exact numbers.
119Can you share your needs with JCO and how USAFE is going to fit?USAFE has its own threat without a solution, and also has its own funding through EDI. USAFE is working with JCO, HAF, and other DoD agencies.
120Are expecting a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Level of Effort or Time & Materials; do you anticipate this contract to use FFP CLINS?This IDIQ will allow for a number of contract types for the task orders based on the situation. 'Time & Materials' is not one of these options. Firm-Fixed Price CLINs will only be used if the Task Order is suitable for that type of CLIN. For the purpose of the Firm-Fixed Price labor rates to be proposed on the IDIQ, this serves to make any future FFP efforts quicker to release since those rates are already set.
121Regarding the scenario, it states the proposal is allowed $7M for maintenance. Is this just the maintenance or all other associated cost for the contractor?The $7M is intended to include all costs including labor and material to operate and sustain per year.
122Will there be multiple CLINs on Task Orders?The CLIN structure will be determined at the individual Task Order level. For the initial Task Order, the Government intends to use Cost-Plus Fixed Fee as well as Cost Reimbursement CLINs.
123What percentage of the contract will be in operations as opposed to logistics?This contract will include activities such as planning, special studies, and integration labor. After developing plan architecture, then future Task Orders will involve operations, maintenance, and logistics. This is why the Government needs an experienced Integrator. The Government cannot share percentages for each type of work, because the amount that is needed will be determined by the first Task Order.
124Regarding the Past Experience criteria, please explain the $10M and $20M levels? Might $40M and $100M would be better amounts; better limits.The Government tried to establish figures that were relevant. The goal is to ensure the projects are large enough to where the team can have confidence that the contractor will be able to perform the tasks, but not overly limiting to the point it arbitrarily restricts competition. If there are objective reasons why these numbers are unsuitable, please share that information and the team will consider revisions.
125What percentage of the IDIQ ceiling is labor versus material?The Government can only provide the ceiling amount of the IDIQ. However, the winning contractor shall work with the Government to establish the best solution to the ABAD problem set. This solution will be what dictates the breakdown of future costs.
126Will there be Research & Development (R&D) on this contract?There is no R&D planned. The Government will pursue high Technological Readiness Levels to the max extent. USAFE is working with AFRL and other agencies which provide for R&D. It is possible that this contract may field test systems.
127Any plan to providing c-UAS to allied partners, under FMS? Wise to plan a sequel.Possibly. This is most likely in Africa.
128The Government stated that funding sources come from a mixture of POM plus EDI. How long will that last?EDI funds are specific to Europe and ABAD is a high priority for EUCOM/DoD. EDI is mostly O&M funding. USAFE has already POM’d for ABAD; this is high-vis for next two FYDP for HAF. Counter-UAS is mostly Force Protection and is now falling under the HAF A4/USAFE A4 for action. Counter Cruise Missile can be expected to go to A3/Operations once matured in the 5/8/9 directorate.
129Will there be infrastructure projects on this contract?There may be some infrastructure required, but since the work will be defined during the first task order the team cannot be more specific at this time.
130Is this for the Air Force?This is an Air Force specific effort, but there are other services interested that the team will be integrating with.
131Is there an initial starting point of a C2 system?The Air Force has established the integrational lab 'RADSIL' at Ramstein Air Base which is currently working the various systems to see what works. The contractor will be assisting with this development. The team is aware of various systems out in the world and is evaluating them.
132Is FAAD C2 going to be part of the architecture?The Government is looking for a company to be an integrator for the Government. The Government will need a company that is open to integrating such systems together, but note that the winning contractor will need to provide the best solution to the problem set.
133In the slide deck the Government mentioned AF & AI target discrimination. Is the Government looking for a company to identify the target discrimination, or have you already found it?Both. The winning contractor will have access to the team's information/developed system and will help determine if this is sufficient or if there is a better alternative.
134Do you anticipate directed energy to be part of the integration?If the contractor believes that this is part of the solution then that should be included in the proposal.
135What has recently changed to cause such urgency for this program?There is a viable threat and for the longest time the Government has outsourced the solution without much success. So now the Air Force is going to take care of its own people.
136Will ABAD be the same as the National Capital Region Integrated Air Defense System (NCRIADs)?The system was built years ago and the expertise that built that system are at Ramstein. The team looks at that as a legacy system.
137Is the plan to integrate with other C2 systems in the AOCs?Yes, the system will be tied into the correct AOCs.
138What is the vision for the architecture- is it the Government's vision to go broader, beyond the fence line?Yes, and the Government is looking for the contractor to provide inputs
139What type of construction or renovation would be expected? Room, tower, fence lineWhile there will be no MILCON on this contract, minor construction could be necessary if needed to place the system that is proposed.
140Are there any capabilities that are a must-stay?The integrating contractor must understand the Government systems before the ABAD team can decide if they need to be replaced. The Government is looking for the best solution to this problem, whatever that may be.
141The Government stated that the contract begins at Ramstein, then it moves out in the Phases. How do you see the C2 grow?C2 will definitely evolve as the system scales up.
142Do you expect the contract to establish and integrate into C2?Yes.
143What is your Dream Team?The Government's ideal winning contractor is a company that can integrate all C2 systems with minimal work from the Government's side.
144In the Phase approach, will work begin at Ramstein and then move out to the Theater to be compliant with NATO standards?Yes, the contractor will need to meet the standards of wherever the system is deployed. The Government is looking for the contractor to help work the approvals to deploy the system.
145Do you want the system to detect all types of drones?Yes, to include passive, active, and all unknown.
146Will you bring in other experts into this program?The Government is currently teaming with MIT/LL, MITER, and other agencies.
147Are you tied into the c-UAS Army mission?The ABAD team is aware of them, but their timelines does not meet the needs of the Air Force so the Air Force is pressing forward. Later on, they may have some systems that fit into the scope of this project.
148Do you expect the contractor to use the existing Air Force systems?Yes, anticipate the use of existing Government systems.
149Are there C2 capabilities in RADSIL or can we bring in our own?The contractor will need to evaluate what the RADSIL has available and determine whether or not that is sufficient, or if the proposed system will need the contractor to change it.
150Regarding Fusion, is it a process you want us to build? What data do you expect us to fuse?It is the Government's understanding that fusing data will be required for an ABAD system. The government anticipates various air pictures being provided to the ABAD system from numerous sensors across the AOR.
151What is the function of the RADSIL?It is a lab environment that is able to test various ABAD systems and their effectiveness.
152RADSIL, are you looking at an end to end system?The RADSIL system is a lab and will be able to test end to end capability.
153Can the Government provide the locations the technology will be integrated at first?This is an Air Force requirement but the locations are to be determined. Also keep in mind there will be work in Africa during this contract.
154Is there a way for us to test c-UAS?The Government will want to do that later down the line.
155Do you envision the MIT/LL and MITRE team be integrated with the contract?MIT/LL is delivering capability and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) on the technical side, and the MITRE role is as an advisor.
156Will there be an opportunity to do a walkthrough at Industry's expense of the RADSIL or possibly a video? i.e. - software, location, instruction workbooks, the state of softwareThere will not be a chance for a walkthrough, but pictures may be provided of the lab. Also, please reference the GFE list for more information.
157Will you provide more details on the technical systems and components that are available in the RADSIL? As well as a level of effort in the workload estimate?The team will be providing an updated GFE list and updated workload estimate.
158How well are RADSIL systems documented and will it be available?ICD documents are available and all will be provided after contract award. Please reference the GFE list for current system equipment
159What engineering tools are in place at the RADSIL?The Government documents all systems installed on White Papers.
160What are the integration standards that the Government uses?The Government does not have any specific standards for this- the team is in the development process to evaluate the communication standards in Phase I and will invite the contractor to assist with this development.
161Is the RADSIL being utilized for the c-UAS?The RADSIL is using the feeds to view aerial surveillance, but will Fuse with other sensor elements.

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