Q&A_1.docx

FA3300-17-R-0011 - SIS/LMS Hosting

Questions & Answer 1 SIS/LMS Hosting

FA3300-17-R-0011

The current incarnation may be problematic and need to be split. Let me explain. Without the SIS being offered there are no specifications for the IaaS. There are also lots of items such as "as-neededs", "on-demand", "remove resources when demand subsides", "Pay as You Go Virtual Environment", "Assist with developing Cloud based data retention strategies" and so on that make a FFP almost impossible. These are also causing inherent OCIs. For example, there is no incentive to actually do a pay as you go as the offeror gets paid the same regardless. We do like, by the way, the fact the Air University is actually thinking about these things and ways to save money. Also 3.1.7 is too vague and going to cause all sorts of possible problems. Sentences like "Contractors will provide System Administration support..." may need to have the "support" dropped as it's not clear what the sys admins will be doing as opposed to the government or other contractor. Whether full or partial support is needed the level of effort such as how many servers are to be administered needs to be defined.

Here's our suggestion. As the SIS system appears to be new, break up the cloud architecture and system administration support from the IaaS. Let the architecture/administration support contract help the Air University define the requirements for the cloud and then solicit the IaaS where the support contract will be OCI'd out of it. The contractor should also provide the SRG and IA portions of this. When you think about it SI's support infrastructure, they don't buy or lease it most of the time. We see the project like this:

1. SIS/LMS vendor

2. Support contractor to assist with cloud requirements, administer the VM's in the cloud, provide IA support and finally supply necessary support to comply with the SRG.

3. IaaS (this can actually be done on a pay-as-you-go; there's a Navy KO that has figured this out) The government already has a SIS/LMS vendor on contract, this solicitation is for IaaS services and support. Reference the SOW Appendix 2a – Cloud Management Support and Appendix 2b – Hosting Requirements.

Whether we need to come over there for meetings?

The vendor awarded this contract may choose to attend meetings on site at Air University, however, there is no requirement for the vendor to attend meetings on site. Utilizing web and teleconferencing tools to conduct meetings should be sufficient to perform according to the requirements specified in the SOW.

Can we submit the proposals via email?

In accordance with Addendum to 52.212-1 C1, “All quotes shall be submitted electronically via email to 2d Lt Matthew Hendricks at matthew.hendricks.2@us.af.mil, and Paula Reinhard at paula.reinhard@us.af.mil. Mailed and hand delivered quotes will not be accepted.”

Does the customer already have an LMS or is an LMS expected to be incorporated into the turnkey solution?

The purpose of this solicitation is to obtain a commercial government cloud hosting solution. The applications that will be installed in the hosting environment, to include the LMS, are not part of this solicitation and are being provided via another vendor already on contract.

Is this a new requirement or is there an existing contract? If existing, please provide existing solicitation/contract number.

The requirement for Commercial Cloud Hosting is a new requirement.

What’s the storage size …in Terabytes (TB) required?

Reference the SOW Appendix 2b – Hosting Requirements.

I was hoping to learn whether this effort is a new requirement and that no incumbent contract/task order exists. Or, are services currently being fulfilled under task order 5A04 under contract FA877112D1008?

The Commercial Cloud Hosting services being procured by this solicitation are a new requirement, and are not currently covered under FA8771-12-D-1008-5A04. The Commercial Cloud Hosing is a new requirement.

Also, how long is the anticipated duration of work?

The base Period of Performance will be twelve (12) months from date of award with three (3), one (1) year options.

Technical Subfactor 3 (Page 35) refers to "...DoD CIO Memorandum, Updated Guidance on the Acquisition and Use of Commercial Cloud Computing Services, release on 15 December 2014, Appendix 1.” This memorandum has "Attachment 1" but not "Appendix 1”. Can you confirm that we should be looking at just the Attachment 1?

Yes, the memorandum Attachment 1 is the correct reference, there is no Appendix 1.

Technical Subfactor 3 (Page 35) refers to “...all subparagraphs related to System Administration functions and Cyber Security compliance in accordance with SOW paragraphs 3.1.7 and 3.1.7.3.” The SOW doesn’t show a paragraph 3.1.7.3. Can you clarify?

The correct SOW paragraph references are 3.1.7 and 3.1.8.5.

Does the scope of work include the migration of the SIS and LMS applications to the new cloud-based environments?

No, the scope of work does not include migration of any applications. The scope of work does include providing a hosting environment and access for the installation of applications.

Is this going to be evaluated as LPTA?

This requirement will be evaluated using technical, past performance, and price criteria, IAW Addendum to 52.212-2.

Can you confirm that this is Full and Open. The GovWinIQ site listed this as a small business set aside.

This requirement is being solicited under Full and Open Competition.

After reviewing the Synopsis and Solicitation documents, I was unable to find reference to the scope of this Cloud Services request. Is there a document which provides the number and type of servers, number and size of your SIS and LMS applications, and the amount of storage required to support these applications? This information will provide the scope of this solicitation needed to provide a firm fixed price Reference the SOW Appendix 2b – Hosting Requirements.

Could you tell me if this is going to come out VIA NC2 products or services? Also, will this be full and open?

This requirement will not be released via NC2. This requirement is being solicited under Full and Open Competition.

Is the actual application migration of the Student Information System (SIS) and Learning Management System (LMS) being performed by the government, or is it anticipated that the offeror will be doing the migration? If it is the offeror, significant additional detail about each application is required to properly scope out the effort involved.

The scope of work for this solicitation does not include migration of any applications. The scope of work does include providing a hosting environment and access for the installation of applications.

What level of support is required? Is hands-on support with the contractor setting up resources and resolving issues required, or simply technical support guiding personnel with setting up resources and resolving issues? Please clarify.

Reference the SOW Appendix 2a – Cloud Management Support requirements. On-site support is not a requirement of this solicitation.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are mentioned several times in the SOW. Without service objectives being provided by the government, creating such SLAs is difficult and offerors could be offering vastly different SLAs. This would then result in a wide variation of proposed prices amongst offerors. Please clarify the government’s intention with these SLAs.

Reference the SOW Appendix 2a – Cloud Management Support and 2b – Hosting Requirements. SLA’s will be dependent on CSP and service offerings proposed by the offerors.

Please provide additional information on the servers that are to be migrated. How many servers are being migrated by operating system type? How much memory, storage, IOPs, etc. does each of these servers currently contain? Please clarify so that offerors may properly size their architecture.

Reference the SOW Appendix 2b – Hosting Requirements.

Approximately how much object oriented space is needed, (i.e., Blob storage in Microsoft Azure or S3 storage in Amazon Web Services [AWS])?

Reference the SOW Appendix 2b – Hosting Requirements.

Is a data-lifecycle policy in place for each application thus allowing for cost reductions utilizing infrequently accessed data and archived data? Please clarify the government’s intentions for frequently accessed data versus infrequently accessed data, and archived data.

Reference the SOW Appendix 2b – Hosting Requirements. Currently the government does not have a requirement for archived data.

Is a DISA CAP being used for direct connectivity?

NIPRNET connectivity will be through the DISA CAP.

Is a separate VPN for access required (in regards to the DISA CAP)?

This requirement would be dependent on the CSP and their current CAP connectivity.

This was recently brought to my attention from a partner and he was under the impression that this is a Full and Open competition. However, when I see statement, “This requirement will be solicited as a small business set-aside in accordance with (IAW) FAR 19.502-2(b). The proposed solicitation will be assigned the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 518210 (Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services), with a size standard of $32,500,000.00” I’m thinking you are looking for a small business?

Please see the revised synopsis posted on 10 March 2017.

Also, the RFQ is on Fedbizops, will that be the mechanism for contracting or is NC II or a similar IDIQ being considered?

Please see Government Response # 17.

Lastly, looks like the contract type is FFP, does that cover Level of Effort or is this strictly deliverables based?

This requirement is considered commercial services. IAW FAR 12.207(a) and 12.207(e), the Firm-Fixed-Price Contract resulting from this solicitation will not cover Level of Effort.

According to the FBO website listing this offering, FA330017R0011, as listed “Total Small Business”; however, on the SF Form 1449 is listed as an RFQ that is Full and Open competition?

Please see Government Response # 15.

Paragraph 3.1 As of day one of the contract start date, does the offer needs to be FEDRAMP Level 4 ATO necessary from an “authorize” ready to work that start date?

The offeror must have a documented FedRAMP Level 4 and DoD ATO commercial government cloud environment that covers the entire base period of performance as stated in CLIN 0001.