AG-024B-S-16-0002_AT_Mod_RFP_QandA_R-1.pdf

Solicitation No. AG-024B-S-16-0002

Airtanker Modernization

Interested Parties Questions and Answers

U.S. Forest Service

National Office

# Sol. Ref. Interested Party Question Government Response

1 B-7 For the purpose of pricing the proposal should the total flight hours per year hours be 350 per year?

350 hours is the correct expected annual flight hours. 250 flight hours per aircraft flown annually in the airtanker mission and an additional

100 flight hours per aircraft annually for all other activities. The solicitation is amended to clarify.

2 B-7 Are OEM structural health monitoring solution approved rates used in table 1 acceptable in table 2 as well?

Provide the requested information in Section B-7(h) for tables 1 and

2. An OEM system must provide, at a minimum the requested information.

3 B-8

Does Section B-8 paragraph (a)(1)(iii)(C) require the Manufacturer’s support to flow down to third parties on contract with the USFS for the purpose of performing modifications and upgrades to the aircraft?

Clarify the statement access to OEM engineering and manufacturing data.

Yes, engineering support and access to OEM engineering and manufacturing data flows down to third parties on contract with the

USFS to address USFS required repairs, modifications or nonconforming items associated with aircraft operations and sustainment.

Section B-8(a)(1)(iii)(A) and (C) require Engineering Support Services

(ESS) from the manufacturer to address USFS needs for operation and sustainment of the aircraft to meet aircraft missions.

Access to OEM engineering and manufacturing data requires the manufacturer to provide the necessary OEM information in sufficient detail for the USFS to perform the desired modification, repair or to address nonconforming items to meet the aircraft missions and sustainment.

4 C-6 & 7

Does the USFS desire to purchase more than 7 aircraft? Paragraphs

C-6 and C-7 seem to conflict with each other in terms of the maximum number of aircraft which may be ordered under the contract.

The solicitation states a maximum total number of 7 aircraft are authorized on this contract and no combination of orders can exceed

7 total aircraft. See C-7.

Paragraph C-6 does not increase the maximum quantity of 7 aircraft authorized on this contract and as such does not conflict with paragraph C-7.

Paragraph C-6(d) does state the contractor shall honor orders greater than 7 aircraft or return the order within 1 day after issuance. Since this solicitation and resulting contract does not authorize more than 7 aircraft in total, the Agency cannot generate an order with a quantity greater than 7 aircraft without a contractual modification to C-7 and increase the maximum order of aircraft allowed on the contract.

5 C-10 Does the 24-36 month delivery requirement apply to the aircraft with the RDS system installed or just the aircraft?

Delivery window is for aircraft only. Offerors shall supply proposed delivery schedules for aircraft, relevant options and associated support. Order delivery schedules are defined by a mutually agreeable schedule at the time of each delivery order.

C-10 Delivery Schedule is modified to include all line items on each order including each option and associated support.

E-3(c)(3)(iii)(B) is updated to clarifyofferors' proposed delivery schedules for initial award and subsequent orders shall include proposed deliveries of aircraft, relevant options and associated support stated in months from contract award.

6 D-2

Clarification request: Is the definition of ‘all fractional loads’ limited to drops of halves, thirds or quarters, as defined in D-2 (l)(1)(i) which states “at a minimum, the RDS shall be capable of delivering loads in portions of halves and either thirds or quarters”?

Yes, the RDS shall deliver loads in portions of halves, thirds or quarters.

Note: The answers to questions herein do not change the terms of the referenced solicitation, any changes to the terms of the solicitation are expressly and separately indicated in the solicitation and subsequent amendments.