CNECTS _Questions_Answers_ 15 Oct 26.pdf

CNECTS_ Questions & Answers_ Dated: 10/14/2026

Question Number Question Answer

CNECTS_Q01

Would the Government clarify the acquisition structure for the CNECTS procurement?

Updated. The CNECTS acquisition will be conducted as a closed Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) under R-DFARS

212.70, with one closed-period Area of Interest (AOI). CNECTS is a 100% small business set-aside and will result in a single, fixed-price, FAR-based contract awarded to the offeror providing the best overall value.

CNECTS_Q02

What contract types are anticipated for this effort

(e.g., firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials, hybrid, or cost-type)?

The overarching goal of the CNECTS acquisition is to transition from four fragmented service contracts into a single, cohesive, enterprise-wide service delivery model that enhances the resilience and agility of the 21st Communications Squadron's "NO

FAIL" missions. To achieve this, the Government intends to align the contract structure directly with our desired mission outcomes through a hybrid Contract Line-Item Number (CLIN) strategy.

This alignment will be achieved through the following structure: (not all inclusive)

Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) for Baseline Stability

Separate FFP for Transition

Incentivized Modernization under (FPIF) or FFP Level of Effort

FP-EPA for flexibility - to handle unpredictable mission surges, specialized projects, or procurement of materials and travels.

CNECTS _Q03

What is the planned award instrument under the CSO approach (FAR/DFARS contract, OTA-like instrument, and applicability of FAR Part 12 commercial procedures)?

CNECTS will be governed by RFO Part 12 and R-DFARS as a fixed price type contract that includes various fixed-price type

CLINs.

CNECTS _Q04 Will 24/7 AFNET/NOC-like requirements be priced as surge, optional CLINs, or baseline labor?

The requirement(s) of AFNET/NOC has been removed. There is no N/NC requirement.

CNECTS _Q05 How will transition be contracted and evaluated? Note: Finalized evaluation criteria will be included in the final CSO release. Since the transition will be a highly critical factor, here is a tentative approach to the contract and evaluation transition process:

Dedicated Transition CLINS: Allows the Government to clearly separate the costs, timeline, and scope of the handover.

Firm-Fixed Price (FFP): To cover contractor proposed total costs for all onboarding and other activities.

Milestone-Based Deliverables: Requirements will include specific deliverables such as finalized Transition Plan, staffing/recruiting matrix, property & inventory transfer actions, etc.

CNECTS _Q06 How does the Government plan to evaluate past performance?

This Q&A release will only address information required in preparation for Phase I – Technical Approach success. Past Performance will be evaluated under Phase III as “Responsibility”.

Government will review it on an acceptable/unacceptable basis.

Verification will be made to ensure the apparent successful offeror has a satisfactory track record and can execute the consolidated Combat Forces Command (CFC) mission requirements.

CNECTS _Q07 What is the Government’s approach to evaluating price reasonableness under the CSO?

Price Reasonableness will be handled in a 2-stage approach.

Phase 1 – Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) to gauge the economic feasibility of the proposed solution.

Phase III – Government will utilize the normal methodologies:

a. Commercial Market Comparisons (published & historical data)

b. Technical -to-Price Tradeoff (Best Value) Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data (labor category breakdowns, Basis of Estimates (BOEs), etc.

CNECTS _Q08 What small business constraints will be enforced (e.g., NAICS size standards and limitations on subcontracting)?

CNECTS NAICS code is 517810, All Other Telecommunications, with corresponding small-business size standard of $40. The Prime contractor must qualify as a small business under the applicable NAICS code.

CNECTS _Q09 What is the Government’s plan on accepting White Papers and offering CSO to companies who are currently report as over $40m in receipts but under $221M in receipts, based on the proposed SBA NAICS Size Standard changes?

The proposed SBA NAICS Size Standard change. Per RFO 19.103(a)(c), Application of small business size standards to solicitations. The CO must apply the size standard in effect on the date the solicitation is issued.

Under RFO 19.103(a)(c) stated above, as the CO, I am legally bound to apply the SBA size standard in effect on the exact date the solicitation is issued. Due to the interest in the CNECTS acquisition, I have reasonable expectation of obtaining two or more responsible offerors for this effort and therefore do not intend on amending the solicitation after release for use of the new size standard if SBA amends the size standard and it becomes effective before the due date for receipt of initial offers.

In addition, SBAs proposed NAICS changes are currently in a public comment period and are not yet finalized, companies exceeding the current $40M threshold will be treated as large businesses if the CNECTs CSO is released before the SBA’s final rule officially takes effects.

CNECTS _Q10 How does the Government define “commercial” for purposes of this effort (e.g., commercial technologies, operating models, business processes, or a combination)?

As a CSO acquisition, and defined by R-DFARS 212.7001, "Innovative means-

(1) Any technology, process, or method, including research and development, that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal; or

(2) (2) Any application that is new as of the date of submission of a proposal of a technology, process, or method existing as of such date.

(3) Furthermore, DFARS 212.7002(c), Contracting officers shall treat products and services acquired using a CSO as commercial products or commercial services.

CNECTS _Q11 How does the Government distinguish between mission-essential outcomes and value-added outcomes when considering award and option periods?

The distinction is how the Government makes "best value" decisions. Some helpful examples:

Mission-Essential Outcomes: Non-negotiable requirements, "go/no-go" criteria. Failure to achieve is a failure of the contract.

Value-Added Outcomes: "nice-to-have" discriminators.

Performance or technical approaches that go above and beyond the baseline, delivering additional efficiency, innovation, cost savings, or capability that allows one contractor to stand out above others.

CNECTS _Q12 How does the Government envision standardization across Peterson, Schriever, and Cheyenne Mountain?

AFNET would be standardization and NOR and NORTHCOM is a special requirement.

CNECTS _Q13 Where is consistency across locations most important, and where are site-specific approaches expected?

AFNET would be standardization and NOR and NORTHCOM is a special requirement. In addition, The Government expects industry to review the CSO and the Bidders Library to identify opportunities for consistency across locations and propose a solution or approach for Government evaluation.

CNECTS _Q14 Should industry assume the Government is seeking commercial alternatives to legacy Government-unique systems, or will those systems largely remain in place with improved operations around them?

The Government at the level of the CNECTS acquisition does not have authorization to implement AI into the government systems.

CNECTS _Q15 Will the evaluation criteria include an assessment of key personnel retention and workforce stability?

High turnover in personnel is a direct and significant risk to the Government's mission. Under Phase III, Government can assess retention planning through evaluation of but not limited to: (1) Key Personnel (2) Management Approach, (3) Past Performance, (4) Staffing Plan, and (5) Benefits Package.

CNECTS _Q16 Is there a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) associated with any of the contracts being consolidated?

No CBA's operating under current contracts, so no CBA's will be on CNECTS

CNECTS _Q17 Will the solicitation be evaluated using a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) approach?

No. This acquisition will be solicited as a CSO with phased approaches and not the traditional FAR 15 processes.

CNECTS _Q18 With the consolidation of existing contracts into a single vehicle, is the Government’s intent to reduce the number of FTEs and overall costs, or is the consolidation primarily intended to simplify contract administration?

The primary intent of the consolidation is to streamline contract administration, improve integration across mission areas, and increase operational efficiency. While consolidation may create opportunities to identify efficiencies, including potential reductions in duplicative functions or management layers, the Government has not established a predetermined target for reducing FTEs or overall costs.

CNECTS _Q19 Can you list mission critical systems? Mission critical positions were identified in the latest release of the updated WBS Matrix on 27 March 2026 with an "*".

CNECTS _Q20 Would cross utilization of personnel be viewed as a Single Point of Failure risk?

The Government expects the potential offerors to propose a staffing approach that would support and sustain mission needs, as well as mitigation of risk.

CNECTS _Q21 CSO states “The Government reserves the right to fund all, some, one, or none of the proposals submitted.

Durning one-on-one sessions, it was relayed that only one offeror will be selected to develop a proposal under Phase III. Explain the statement.

There will be only one award. The CSO allows the Government flexibility to negotiate under Phase III. If there is a path of no-flexibility/no-win, the Government is free to move to the best potential offeror for negotiations.

CNECTS _Q22 Question was posed regarding types of incentives under the FPIF CLINS.

This was a question the Government requested from Industry.

Under Phase III, based on the PWS, technical approach, etc. after the down select to a single Offeror, this will be a point of negotiations.

CNECTS _Q23 Will the Government consider establishing a separate CLIN for "Special Projects" or "Surge Support" to provide a flexible mechanism for handling urgent, out-of-scope requirements without needing full contract modification?

The Government is open to "Special Projects" and Surge Support" CLINs under CNECTS. Again, this would be a point of negotiation under Phase III.

CNECTS _Q24 Conflicts of interest. Q&A Q37(replaced with this question) said an OCI mitigation plan would be due with the Phase I white paper. The draft CSO puts the OCI analysis in Phase II/III. Which phase applies?

Please refer to the latest information in the CSO. Per para 2.1.14, "2.1.14 In the event of any conflict, the official terms of the CSO and AOI take precedence over any answers provided during Q&A or industry day sessions. Any inconsistencies between the two will be resolved in favor of the CSO and AOI."

In addition, Sam.gov posting will be scrubbed and outdated information will be purged.

CNECTS _Q25 PEDS recent document was un-assessable. Will the government, please provide a document that can be accessed?

Yes, an updated version has been posted with the Q&A document at time of this release today 01 May 2026.

CNECTS _Q26 Will the Government restructure the CLINs to separate the non-recurring transition activities from the recurring operational services?

Yes, based on the successful offeror’s proposed PWS and technical approach under Phase III. This would be a negotiation point.

CNECTS _Q27 How should offerors price the base year, given that it includes the full cost of transitioning Contracts 1 & 2 but only partial costs for Contracts 3 & 4, which transition in Option Year 1? This structure could lead to an unbalanced pricing evaluation

Pricing should be based on the offeror's technical approach with rationale to support the decision and explanation of methodology used in the pricing solution

CNECTS _Q28 Within the Technical evaluation factor, will the Government give the Transition Plan more weight than other elements, or will all aspects of the technical approach be weighed equally? How will you signal its importance to offerors?

Ultimately, the Government is seeking the Best Value for the CNECTS requirement, which can only be achieved through a solid, holistic, and technically sound approach. While a smooth transition is essential, it is only the first step. The Government will evaluate how seamlessly the Transition Plan integrates with ongoing Operations & Maintenance (O&M), cybersecurity, and modernization efforts to ensure long-term mission success across Combat Forces Command (CFC).

CNECTS _Q29 To ensure clarity and reduce the risk of scope gaps between the four consolidated work areas, will the Government issue a single, integrated Performance Work Statement (PWS) in the final solicitation?

Again, this is the CSO. The offerors will write the PWS under Phase III in collaboration with the Government to ensure the reduced risk of scope gaps on the CNECTS contract. Under Phase I only the technical approach will be addressed and evaluated as a response to the AOIs. No PWS will be provided with the final solicitation.

CNECTS _Q30 How should the white paper be structured? Functional Area and/or Integrated Narrative was the requested flow. Finalized CSO will provide the established criteria.

CNECTS _Q31 Will the Government provide the current number of contractor seats or workstations available for contractor use at each installation — Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB, and Cheyenne Mountain SFS?

Although the specific number of workstations available is currently in flux due to the 21CS realignment, Phase III offeror will be provided the opportunity to visit each site and work center to clearly identify the government provided workstations at their disposal.

CNECTS _Q32 To ensure our transition plan aligns with your ultimate goals, should we base our workforce planning on absorbing the existing legacy headcount, or would you prefer a clean-sheet approach that evaluates required roles strictly against future service level requirements?

The government expects a clean-sheet approach. We are interested in the Art of the Possible and will lean heavily on industry to understand the requirements and during Phase III present a novel approach to supporting the consolidated requirement. During Phase III, 24/7 work centers and minimum staffing will be clearly identified and negotiated with the final selected offeror.

CNECTS _Q33 Will company names be removed before evaluation, and will the file name and the addendum's offeror name be visible to evaluators?

Company names will be removed from all white papers, their filenames, and any addendum documentation and will be replaced with a generic placeholder i.e. Company A.

CNECTS _Q34 Will the Government furnish the service management platform or any enterprise license, or must the offerors price them?

Bidders’ library will contain license purchase history traditionally funded by the government and procured by the CTR.

CNECTS _Q35 Can the Government confirm whether the WBS provided during the March 26th Industry Day, entitled WBS Matrix Updated 3-26-2026.xlsx, is the authoritative Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) that offerors should use as the basis for deriving and validating staffing requirements?

This WBS is a work in progress. A new, authoritative version will be released with the final CSO and then refined through the requirements development process in Phase III.

CNECTS _Q36 ITSM Licensing: What ITSM platform licenses, modules, and capabilities are currently available for contractor use across the N/NC, Mission, and AFNET environments? Please identify any Government-furnished licenses or enterprise capabilities that the CNECTS contractor will be expected or permitted to leverage.

Bidders’ library will contain license purchase history traditionally funded by the government and procured by the CTR.

CNECTS _Q37 N/NC Network Support: Is Network Engineering and Network Administration for the N/NC environment currently supported under the Base Infrastructure Modernization (BIM) effort or another enterprise contract? If so, please clarify the division of responsibilities and interfaces between BIM and the anticipated CNECTS contractor.

N/NC networks are not covered by BIM. All network services will be managed and maintained by CNECTS. AFNET cabling and infrastructure engineering will be covered by BIM at all 3 sites.

SYSOPS and infrastructure O&M for AFNET will be 21 CS civilian managed.

CNECTS _Q38 Current Ticketing / ITSM Environment: What ticketing and IT Service Management (ITSM) platforms are currently used to support the N/NC, Mission, and AFNET environments? Are all three environments currently utilizing the AFNET Enterprise IT as a Service (EITaaS) ticketing/ITSM solution, or are separate platforms used for each environment?

N/NC has a customized ITSM that is government provided.

Mission systems utilize IMDS and MADDS provided by USAF, and AFNET utilizes Service Now, provided by EITaaS.

CNECTS _Q39 Previous draft CSO documents indicated that proposed products, technologies and services must be approved to operate (ATO'd) in the Air Force environment. CSO 2.1.5 allows Offerors to propose products, technologies and services that are not necessarily commercially available. Please clarify that Offerors must propose ATO'd products, technologies and services

We will clarify. For any product to be used by the 21 CS, it will have to have a current AFNET ATO. If there is a new product available that might have an ATO soon and that approach hinges on acceptance, the risk will be considered from a viability perspective.

CNECTS _Q40 Please confirm if CSO information and/or proposals will not be at a higher classification than CUI.

No higher than CUI.

CNECTS _Q41 Is the 60-day phase-in truly fixed for all four legacy requirements rolling on at staggered dates, or can offerors propose a different cadence per legacy contract?

Offerors are able and encouraged to structure their phase in approach according to the complexity of the legacy contract.

CNECTS _Q42 What clearance levels will be required to participate in Phase II and/or Phase III.

Phase III site surveys may be performed with a SECRET clearance level; however, work centers will be sanitized prior to entry, and offerors may not receive full benefit of the tour. Phase-in performance of duties and post-award activities will require clearances IAW final DD-254

CNECTS _Q43 The wording in Section 1.1.1 references a "virtual or Pitch Session." Should Offerors interpret this language to mean that Pitch Sessions may occur in person, whereas virtual sessions would be conducted remotely? If not, please clarify if the possibility exists for an in-person pitch

We will clarify. The Government remain open to utilizing Phase II- Pitch Session. All pitches will be held virtually.

CNECTS _Q44 Please provide historical annual material, repair-part and equipment expenditures.

This will be included in the bidder's library.

CNECTS _Q45 There are up to three submission deadlines for Phase I, Phase II and Phase III. Please clarify which submission deadline 4.1.21 is referring.

CSO paragraph 4.1.21, Direct Submission to Government. This is a general statement under the subheading, Proprietary Information. Proprietary Information may be present all one or all three phases. This should be addressed amongst the teaming/partnering arrangements.

CNECTS _Q46 Can the Government provide additional guidance regarding the evaluation of past performance efforts of varying durations, including contracts or task orders that have been operating for less than one year but are otherwise highly relevant to the CNECTS scope?

Past performance will not be explicitly reviewed until the responsibility determination during Phase III.

CNECTS _Q47 Please provide the expiration dates of each predecessor contract and the anticipated transition sequence.

Will be added to the CSO but are available on the industry day presentations.

CNECTS _Q48 Is routine travel between Peterson, Schriever and Cheyenne Mountain required? If so, what is the expected travel between these sites.

That will be wholly dependent upon the offerors’ proposed solution. However, it is anticipated that some travel between sites would be necessary to manage the consolidated requirement.

CNECTS _Q49 During phase-in, should staffing be full, progressively ramped or aligned to predecessor contract expirations?

The final staffing plan will be developed during Phase III and ramped according to the transitional timelines agreed upon during that time.

CNECTS _Q50 Who bears the cost of replacement parts for legacy and specialized systems?

The government will bear this burden.

CNECTS _Q51 The AOI requires the incoming prime to hire, clear, and onboard approximately 400 technical contractors. Will the Government release a breakdown of those positions by labor category, required clearance level, required DoD 8140/8570 certification level, and installation location?

The Government expects the consolidated solution to look significantly different than the current solution, and as such does not see significant value in providing these specifics. Some details will be available in the bidder’s library, but the final solution will be developed during Phase III.

CNECTS _Q52 The draft documentation refers to an estimated contractor workforce of approximately 400 personnel.

Please confirm this number is simply an additive manpower total across the current four contracts (NISCC, WICS, PEDS, and BOS-IT) and not a minimum manpower requirement for CNECTS.

That's correct. The final staffing plan will be finalized during Phase

III.

CNECTS _Q53 Given the described goal to move from a reactive, siloed support model to a proactive, integrated, and data-driven enterprise service delivery framework, how prescriptive does the government want Phase I white papers to be about the "rapid workforce transition to hire, clear, and onboard approximately 400 technical contractors" — is a detailed transition plan expected at the white paper stage and can we get an approximate number of FTEs per contract to better articulate the transition across the 4 efforts?

The white paper should encompass the prime's vision of a consolidated requirement, how they will partner with the 21 CS, and approach the end state of the fully performed requirement. A detailed transition plan is not needed at the white paper stage.

Broad discussion of the approach will suffice.

CNECTS _Q54 The AOI requires the offeror to demonstrate the ability to manage high ticket volumes. Will the Government provide monthly ticket volume data — by installation, network domain (N/NC, Mission, AFNET), incident priority, and category — for the most recent 12 months across all four predecessor contracts?

This will be included in the bidder's library.

CNECTS _Q55 Is the requirement to replace the equipment components in table 3-1 still open and will it be rolled into the scope for CNECTS or will it be the responsibility of the BIM team.

This will be covered by BIM.

CNECTS _Q56 Which networks other than N/NC will be monitored at the Network Control Center (NCC) under CNECTS?

There will be no NCC under CNECTS, and we will not be monitoring N/NC networks as they will be monitored by the enterprise.

CNECTS _Q57 Will the GIANT Voice services remain under the DRSN Work Center under CNECTS? Which facilities will GIANT Voice support be expected.

Giant Voice will be supported by CNECTS at all 3 locations. It will not reside under the DRSN work center, but final placement will be determined during Phase III by the final offeror with government support

CNECTS _Q58 From the CMSFS PWS, there is language related to a 90-day supply of spares and support: The contractor provides supply support and sparing for ninety (90) calendar days during crisis situations as defined in the Mission Essential Contractor Services."

To properly scope this requirement, could the Government clarify the expected extent of contractor responsibility for asset management and logistics operations? What government-provided facilities or storage locations are available for maintaining the required 90-day supply and sparing inventory?

Final sparing requirements and logistics implications will be negotiated with the final offeror during phase III. This specific legacy support requirement may not be included in the CNECTS requirement.

CNECTS _Q59 The WBS identifies LRA as a distinct work center, but LRA was not discussed as part of the future-state CIV/BIM/CNECTS construct. Can the Government clarify the intended future-state ownership, organizational alignment, and scope of LRA support, including any responsibilities for PKI, token management, certificate issuance, and GSU support?

LRA support for all 3 sites and their GSUs will be included in CNECTS to include PKI, token management, certificate issuance, and support for all SBD-1 GSUs.

CNECTS _Q60 The acquisition documentation references support activities across N/NC, AFNET, Mission, and other communications functions, while subsequent guidance indicates certain AFNET/NOC responsibilities may no longer be within scope. To ensure a common understanding, can the Government clarify the intended demarcation lines between CNECTS-supported functions and Government- or AFNET-managed functions? Specifically, what responsibilities associated with Network Operations Centers (NOC), NORAD/Northop (N/NC), Boundary Infrastructure Management (BIM), AFNET operations, and other enterprise network management activities are expected to remain within the CNECTS scope versus being performed by external organizations or Government personnel?

The NOC was responsible for NIPR SIPR monitoring in the legacy requirement. There is no NIPR/SIPR monitoring covered under the CNECTS requirement as these efforts will be covered by BIM or other enterprise solutions.

CNECTS _Q61 Subcontractor facility clearance. For subcontractor personnel performing classified work, must the subcontractor hold its own facility clearance at contract start, or can it be sponsored through the prime's subcontract DD Form 254 after award?

Currently, the Government does not anticipate the generation or storage of classified materials outside of government installations. If your team’s proposal requires off-site storage or generation, prime sponsorship at the time of award with supporting documentation on the DD-254 should suffice.

CNECTS _Q62 NIST SP 800-171 and SPRS. The draft cites DFARS 252.204-7019/7020 for the offeror. Will subcontractors that handle CUI also need a current assessment posted in SPRS before award, and is there a minimum score for either the prime or its subcontractors?

A minimum score has not yet been determined for consideration as acceptable; however, the Government will evaluate each offeror using a holistic assessment of its overall qualifications. In addition, the Prime contractor assumes ultimate responsibility for the performance of their sub(s), however, the subcontractor will be required to have an updated certification in SPRS within the last 3 years.

CNECTS _Q63 Teaming during the white paper phase. May a subcontractor be named on more than one offeror's team during Phase I, with exclusive agreements required only before Phase II?

Your assumption is correct. Subs teaming with multiple primes during Phase-I is acceptable, but final agreements must be solidified at the start of Phase-II with each sub partnering with ONLY one prime.

CNECTS _Q64 Can a major subcontractor’s past performance be submitted as part of the Addendum?

Yes, provided it is presented as permitted past-performance example and stays within the stated restrictions.

Limit past performance to two examples and one page total, meaning two, one-half page examples or one example maximizing the one-page limitation. Do Not Exceed the One- Page Restriction. And must address a relevant AOI scope requirement and specified field as stated in the CSO.

CNECTS _Q65 Can a technical graphic be 11x17 as part of the Addendum? Will it count as 1 page or 2?

Attachment 1 provides the requirements for submission. Please adhere to the published requirements.

CNECTS _Q66 Can the Government confirm that the maximum filename length of 50 characters is exclusive of the file extension (e.g., .pdf)?

Yes. Please do not attempt to maximize the naming convention.

Large files names can possibly affect our ability to access your document.

CNECTS _Q67 Can the Government confirm that the Phase I ROM must include a separate additive 60-day phase-in, the one-year base, all five option years, and the six-month extension, or whether phase-in is included within the base year?

Please review paragraph 6.1.10.7. "The ROM shall be one number that captures the total estimated price for the entire period of performance (including options and material costs)."

CNECTS _Q68 Can the Government confirm that the correct reference is for Section 4.1.4 and not 4.1.3?

Thanks for pointing this out. We will update the reference # to reflect 4.1.4.

CNECTS _Q69 ITSM integration. Does the Government have an existing enterprise ITSM platform that the CNECTS contractor will be required to use? If so, please identify the platform.

REMEDY is the current solution utilized.

CNECTS _Q70 Tool rationalization. Does the Government expect Offerors to assess and rationalize the existing monitoring, management, automation, and service-management toolsets as part of the transition, with the objective of reducing redundant tools and establishing an integrated operational architecture?

No. We expect teams to propose a solution. If the government has questions, they may be raised during Phase II.

CNECTS _Q71 Existing monitoring tools vs. new solution. Does the Government intend for the prime contractor to leverage existing or legacy Government-furnished network and

Offerors may propose any solution that is supported by an existing ATO on AFNET.

infrastructure monitoring tools currently in use across Peterson SFB, Schriever SFB, and Cheyenne Mountain SFS, or may Offerors propose a consolidated enterprise monitoring/observability platform as part of their solution? If use of existing tools is required, will the Government identify those tools, associated licensing, and any integration requirements or constraints?

CNECTS _Q72 Network segmentation / security domains. Section

11.1.12.3 of the Draft AOI identifies distinct N/NC, Mission, and AFNET environments. Does the Government envision centralized operational visibility across these environments, and what security boundaries or data-separation requirements must the solution maintain?

Centralized visibility is expected, and all boundaries must be in compliance with applicable regulations.

CNECTS _Q73 What personnel and facility clearance levels expected at white paper submission and at award.

Government has an expectation that all work will be conducted and completed on the military installation and therefore do not require an FCL at this time.

CNECTS _Q74 Whether awards will be FAR-based and subject to FAR 52.219-14, and how the limitation on subcontracting will be measured for teams.

This is a commercial FAR-based acquisition under FAR Part 12.

Please review 5.1.33 for teaming arrangement/assessments.

CNECTS _Q75 Whether the official CSO will allow separate white papers and awards by Area of Interest, and how many awards are anticipated per AOI.

Government expects one white paper per team. There will be only one AOI and One award.

CNECTS _Q76 For the two past-performance examples permitted under Attachment 1, Sections 6.1.21–6.1.23, may either example reflect relevant work performed by an identified subcontractor or teaming partner with whom the proposing prime has a signed teaming agreement, or must both examples be attributable to the proposing prime contractor?

Due to the Government’s expectation of high responses to this solicitation, potential Offerors are only allowed 1-page in the addendum section for past performance.

The ultimate goals are to assess the holistic vision of Prime SB Contractor that captures the value of the teaming arrangement.

CNECTS _Q77 Submission deadline. Attachment 6 closes the AOI at 00:01 MST on Monday, 16 November 2026. The 19 August Industry Day slides showed "Initial Submission Due 1 December." Could you confirm the date? We'd also suggest a business-day afternoon cutoff (for example, 2:00 PM MT) and at least 30 days after the official release.

As the anticipated dates and milestone schedules shift, please adhere to CSO paragraph 2.1.14,"In the event of any conflict, the official terms of the CSO and AOI take precedence over any answers provided during Q&A or industry day sessions. Any inconsistencies between the two will be resolved in favor of the CSO and AOI. "

CNECTS _Q78 I also understood from the August Industry Day that one-on-one meetings with prospective prime contractors might be offered between the draft and final CSO releases. Are those meetings still planned? If so, could you please advise how to request one?

1:1s will be offered only to small businesses that intend to prime following a post solicitation conference.

CNECTS _Q79 Estimated CNECTS value of approximately $330M, while the October final draft CSO calls for transitioning approximately 400 technical contractors.

Over 6 years, those figures imply just $137,500 (blended) in annual revenue per FTE. Even assuming an exceptionally competitive 1.5 small business wrap and a very modest 7% profit margin, that supports a maximum average salary of $85,250. This also assumes no equipment, software licenses, replacement parts, travel, additional transition expenses, or wage escalation. Even if the workforce averaged only 200 FTE for the first 3 years before reaching 400, the implied salary would increase to just $113,667 (before additional real costs).

These figures appear difficult to reconcile with the specialized, cleared, and mission-critical services described in the requirement.

Could you clarify whether these figures are historical planning references or represent Government expectations for the resulting contract? Specifically, should industry develop staffing and ROM estimates independently based on its technical approach or will Phase I evaluations consider alignment with the previously published estimates?

The government expects significant savings via the consolidation of the requirements and reduction in contractor overhead and the establishment of BIM as prime support for engineering and infrastructure. These are historical planning references, and all ROM estimates should be generated independently in accordance with the company's staffing approach.

CNECTS _Q80 Phase II. The 1 May Q&A (Q07/Q46) said the Phase II pitch session was dropped. The draft CSO still includes an optional Phase II. Will there be a Phase II? If the Government goes straight from Phase I to Phase III, when must teaming agreements be final (Section 5, Contractor Teaming Arrangements)?

Yes, it was further clarified during the Virtual Industry Day held in August that the Government still has the option to utilize Phase II or not.

Teaming agreements must be finalized upon completion of Phase I.

CNECTS _Q81 Teaming agreement period of performance. Section 5 says finalized agreements must show a period of performance that "begins on or before 16 November 2026." Award is targeted for about May 2027. Could you clarify what this date is meant to cover?

**Please note: The schedule has slipped due to mission needs.

Please see the newly updated milestone schedule. This date is noted as the final date of white paper submissions. Also, we want teaming agreements finalized prior to Phase II. Again, this date is not a period of performance date.

CNECTS _Q82 Network scope. Q&A Q04 said the AFNET/NOC requirement was removed and that there is "no N/NC requirement." The AOI asks offerors to differentiate support across N/NC, Mission, and AFNET networks.

Which scope should white papers address?

There is no longer a NOC requirement included in CNECTS.

Comm Focal Point personnel must be able to differentiate the support required by the customer by network, system, and customer.

CNECTS _Q83 Cybersecurity level and flow-down. The draft requires a current NIST SP 800-171 assessment in SPRS. At Industry Day, both CMMC Level 1 and Level 2 self-assessment were mentioned. Could the final CSO state the CMMC level that will apply at award, and whether subcontractors must meet the same level?

Final contractor selected must follow CMMC requirements at time of award. A SPRS review will be completed within PIEE as part of the responsibility determination.

CNECTS _Q84 Security and DD Form 254. Will a draft DD 254 be released with the official CSO? Could the Government state the facility clearance level the prime and subcontractors need at award, and whether interim clearances are acceptable at phase-in?

Phase I submissions will be unclassified; therefore, no facility or personnel security clearance is required for Phase I submission.

Facility clearances are not anticipated at the contractor's facilities. All required documentation is expected to be completed on the military installations.

Interim clearances will be work center dependent. Government will try to capture and provide references to the specific work centers in the bidders’ library.

CNECTS _Q85 Limitations on subcontracting. Could you confirm that work performed by similarly situated small-business subcontractors counts toward the prime's share under RFO 52.219-14 for this set-aside?

Yes, For purposes of the limitations on subcontracting applicable to this small business set-aside, as defined under RFO Part 52.129-14, Similarly situated entity, as used in this clause, means a first-tier subcontractor, including an independent contractor, that—

1) Has the same small business program status as that which qualified the prime contractor for the award (e.g., for a small business set-aside contract, any small business concern, without regard to its socioeconomic status); and

(2) Is considered small for the size standard under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract.

CNECTS _Q86 File naming. Section 4 sets a 50-character filename limit, but the example filename is 55 characters long. Could you confirm the limit or give a shorter example?

Government confirms the maximum filename length is 50 characters, including the file extension. NO additional examples will be provided. Filename limitation is intended to reduce the risk of file transmission, storage, retrieval, or system processing issues.

CNECTS _Q87 Bidders’ library. How and when will offerors get access to the bidders’ library? Will access require registration or CUI handling?

Bidders Library will be accessible with the final solicitation. CUI should not apply.

CNECTS _Q88 Solicitation number. The draft CSO shows FA2518-26-S- CNECTS (Combat Forces Command), and the SAM notice is FA251827RCNECTS (SpOC). Which number will the PIEE posting use?

Final listing will be included within the solicitation

CNECTS _Q89 Will the government allow a Table of Contents to be included in the white paper submission that does not count toward the total seven (7) page submission or the five (page) Addendum requirements? Or would the Government prefer that a Table of Contents is not included due to the required page counts?

Government provided the minimum and required formatting for the Phase I -White Paper. If Industry wants a table of contents, it is their choice, but the 7-count page limit still applies.

CNECTS _Q90 The DRAFT CSO does not address headers and footers. As such, will the Government allow document headers and footers to be in a smaller, but readable font than what is outlined in CSO White Paper required font and font size?

Government provided the minimum and required formatting for the Phase I -White Paper. If Industry want headers and footers, it is their choice, but the 7-count page limit still applies.

CNECTS _Q91 The CNECTS ROM instructions indicate a Period of Performance (PoP) start date on 16 November 2026.

Given the anticipated CSO release date and the typical evaluation/award procurement timeline, a November 2026 start date appears logistically unachievable. Will the Government clarify if the PoP will be adjusted to align with the actual acquisition schedule?

This date has been updated. 1 Dec 2026 date references the white paper final submission date (para 4.1.2), finalizing any teaming arrangements (para 5.1.37), and AOI Closing date (para 11.1.13);

This date is not in reference to the contract period of performance.

CNECTS _Q92 The proposed CNECTS PoP does not appear to reflect the expiration dates of the incumbent contracts being consolidated under this effort. To ensure baseline consistency across all offerors, should contractors develop their ROM estimates utilizing the expiration dates of the existing incumbent contracts, or should we assume a synchronized start date for all consolidated requirements?

ROM estimates should be aligned with staggered onboarding of legacy requirements as discussed during industry days and 1:1s.

CNECTS _Q93 Will the team/partnering matrix spreadsheet be reopened?

Due to the anticipated slip in schedule, the Government have reconsidered and will reopen the teaming/partnering matrix for 2 weeks with a closed date on 29 Oct 2026.

CNECTS _Q94 In regard to Incumbent contractors, what contractual requirement (if any) does the incumbent have regarding transition out activities? How soon before the end of incumbent contracts does transition-out start?

Each affected contract includes a phase-out plan that addresses transition-out activities, including contractor-to-contractor exchanges intended to support knowledge transfer and continuity of operations.

The specific contractual requirements, transition-out activities, sequencing, and timing for each incumbent contract may vary.

Additional details regarding transition-out expectations and the anticipated start of transition activities will be addressed during Phase III. Offerors should plan for a coordinated, phased transition that supports uninterrupted mission operations.

CNECTS _Q95 Section 11.1.6.6 states, "11.1.6.6 Executing a massive and complex contract transition without degrading vital C2 capabilities: The incoming single, awarded prime contractor must seamlessly phase its services into this active, fragmented environment. This requires executing a rapid workforce transition to hire, clear, and onboard approximately 400 technical contractors under tight, overlapping timelines, all while ensuring the remaining Government civilians and incumbent contractors operate as a unified front to support no-fail missions." The draft CSO implies 400 individuals will be transitioning at once;

however, during the industry day, the transition was noted at staggered. Please clarify if the transition will be staggered or if all 400 individuals will be transitioned at once.

The Government anticipates that the transition will be phased-in rather than occurring simultaneously for all personnel.

The reference to approximately 400 technical contractors in Section 11.1.6.6 reflects the estimated total workforce requiring transition over the transition period.

The current estimated personnel levels by transitioning contract are:

BOS-IT: Approximately 120 personnel NISSC: Approximately 170 personnel WICS: Approximately 80 personnel PEDS: Approximately 30 personnel

These figures are estimates and are provided for planning purposes only. Offerors should propose an approach that supports phased onboarding, workforce continuity, and uninterrupted support to vital command-and-control (C2) missions. Specific transition sequencing and timelines will be provided in the official solicitation, as applicable.