SEMS_III_Q A__8_on_RFP _13_May_2013.docx

SEMS III RFP# FA4600-12-R-0013

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS #8

The following questions (#1 - #10) are all related to the response to the question regarding PWS paragraph 2.3.3. in Questions and Answers #7 posted on FedBizOpps on 2 May 2013.

General Concern: It is not clear which software baselines will be controlled by the Government for each option period and the type of software baseline support that is required from the contractor for each period.

Government’s assumption is the PWS in question is the Annual Sustainment Task Order PWS (Section J, Attachment 19). All Government responses are made based on this assumption. A RFP amendment will be forthcoming for requirement clarification purposes.

1. QUESTION: Government Answer A2 removed “Government designated” from the second sentence of the first version of paragraph 2.3.3. Both versions of paragraph 2.3.3 now refer only to the systems and software in Table 1. Is it correct to assume that no support of any type is required for the Cloud Depiction and Forecast System II, Data Pipe, Numerical and Specialized Models Suite (GTWAPS), and Satellite Ingest software baselines for any option period on SEMS III for the task orders being proposed?

ANSWER: Yes, your assumption is correct. The annual sustainment task order does not contain contractor software technical support efforts for the Cloud Depiction and Forecast System II, Data Pipe, Numerical and Specialized Models Suite (GTWAPS), and Satellite Ingest software baselines. These will be sustained by the AFWA’s 2 WXG. Please remember that, as indicated in Table 1, the annual sustainment task order does contain hardware and system administration support for the hardware systems which these four software baselines resides on.

2. QUESTION: It is unclear what type of support is required by paragraph 2.3.2 compared to paragraph 2.3.3 for the software baselines listed in Table 1 (WDA, AFW-WEBS and PAIS). The use of the terms sustainment vs. maintenance is causing some confusion. Paragraph 2.3.2 is a sub-element of System Sustainment Services in the WBS but the term “maintain” is used twice within the paragraph. Is it correct to assume that the support required by paragraph 2.3.2 for the PAIS, WDA and AFW-WEBS software baselines is for restore-to-operations support only? If not, can you clearly define what other software baseline support is required by paragraph 2.3.2?

ANSWER: In paragraph 2.3.2. the Government is identifying (Table 1) the equipment to be maintained to the specified level of performance. In some cases, the Government provides an operational readiness threshold and in other cases the Government just provides the level of on-call support required. The Government also states what kind of support is required: software maintenance, hardware maintenance and system administration. The software maintenance, hardware maintenance, and system administration support required is to be sufficient to achieve the operational readiness threshold or the on-call support required. In addition, paragraph 2.3.2 also tells further about services the Government requires that are more than just meeting the requirements in Table 1. In paragraph 2.3.3 the Government is identifying software maintenance services we need including meeting the standards in 2.3.2 plus incremental software improvement services, and to what performance level that software services must meet.

3. QUESTION: If paragraph 2.3.2 is describing restore-to-operations support, why does paragraph 2.3.2.6 include incorporation of additional data types into WDA database structures? It appears that this requirement aligns more closely with activities within paragraph 2.3.3.

ANSWER: As stated in the response to question 2 above, paragraph 2.3.2 also may contain services which the Government requires that is more than just meeting the requirements of Table 1. This is the Government’s intent as seen in 2.3.2.6 for incorporating additional data types into WDA. The Government will amend the RFP to revise the Annual Sustainment PWS paragraph 2.3.2 to indicate requirements, such as 2.3.2.6, which are currently funded only through Option Period 3. These requirements will also be added to Attachment 3, Unfunded Requirements, of the Annual Sustainment PWS.

4. QUESTION: Paragraph 2.3.3 is labeled as Software Maintenance in the WBS and the paragraph defines the term maintenance as “Maintenance includes identifying the source of processing problems and making corrections”. How is “maintenance” in this paragraph different than the term “maintain” in paragraph 2.3.2?

ANSWER: The Government defines software maintenance to include incremental improvements. Paragraph 2.3.3 was meant to be an expansion of the software maintenance requirements identified in 2.3.2 for mainly incremental improvements. For the most part, the purpose of paragraph 2.3.2 is to state the Government’s requirements to maintain AFWA systems to Table 1 requirements. The purpose of 2.3.3 is to state the Government's requirements for software processes including incremental improvements and software maintenance support needed to meet 2.3.2 standards. Finding a deficiency and correcting it can be part of the software incremental improvement process. These deficiencies could be ones that are not preventing meeting Table 1 requirements.

5. QUESTION: By providing two versions of paragraph 2.3.3, with different applicable option periods, it is clear that the Government intends to remove some level of support after option period 3. Attachment 3 identifies the sentences removed from paragraph 2.3.3 after option period 3. The removed sentences describe support similar to what is currently provided as “Subject Matter Expertise” for software baselines that have been transferred to the Government. If this type of support is required for the software baselines in Table 1 (WDA, AFW-WEBS and PAIS) during Option Periods 1 – 3, which of the following elements and functions of the software baselines will be under Government control during that time period: CM, software modification, test?

ANSWER: At this time the Government does not intend to assume control of CM, software modification, or test for the WDA, AFW-WEBS and PAIS baselines. The contractor will perform these efforts. The requirements removed from the 1st Paragraph 2.3.3 for after option period 3 are software incremental improvement services requirements. The remaining requirements in the second Paragraph 2.3.3 for after option period 3 are software maintenance services to meet paragraph 2.3.2 Table 1 standards.

6. QUESTION: Starting with Option Period 4, the remaining portion of paragraph 2.3.3 requires “software maintenance” for the software baselines. If the Government has control of the baselines in Option Periods 4 – 6 with no SME support, what level of contractor maintenance is required on the annual sustainment task order for these software baselines?

ANSWER: As stated in our response to question 5 above, the Government has no current plans to take over the baselines identified. The remaining support in paragraph 2.3.3 for Option Periods 4-6 is software maintenance requirements to meet paragraph 2.3.2 Table 1 requirements.

7. QUESTION: If the contractor still has responsibility for “maintenance” of the software baselines in Option Periods 4 – 6 (according to paragraph 2.3.3) why do PO-2 and PO-3 no longer apply during those periods?

ANSWER: PO-2 and PO-3 are supported by the systems engineering and sustainment efforts listed in Paragraph 2.3.3 associated for incremental improvements only. This support is on the unfunded listed in Attachment 3, Item 5 after Option Period 3.

8. QUESTION: Since PO-2 and PO-3 do not apply to the software baselines referenced by paragraph 2.3.3 during option periods 4 - 6, do they also not apply to the same baselines when referenced by paragraph 2.3.2?

ANSWER: PO-02 and PO-03 will not apply to any PWS requirement during Option Periods 4-6. The Government will amend the RFP to revise the Annual PWS Table 4, Note 3 to remove the words "to para 2.3.3 requirements".

9. QUESTION: If the Government assumes control of the software baselines identified in Table 1, will the Contractor still be required to meet the operational readiness requirements identified in Table 1?

ANSWER: At this time the Government does not intend to assume control of the baselines identified in Table 1. The contractor will be required to meet the operational readiness thresholds and/or on-call support levels as stated for all option periods.

10. QUESTION: Paragraph 2.3.2 requires “technical support” for all systems identified in Table 1. For option periods 4 – 6 when “technical expertise” is removed from paragraph 2.3.3 is “technical support” also removed from paragraph 2.3.2 for the software baselines? If not, how does technical support differ from technical expertise in regards to the software baselines?

ANSWER: The Government uses the terms differently. Technical support in Paragraph 2.3.2 is a “catch all” term that refers to hardware maintenance, software maintenance, and system administration. Technical expertise in paragraph 2.3.3 refers to the expertise necessary to perform software maintenance tasks.

11. QUESTION: Under Subfactor 2 – Program/Systems Management it indicates: Include a listing of key position descriptions (e.g. leads and deputy leads) responsible for key processes such as system engineering, program and systeme management, and system sustainment. Offerors will include a listing of key personnel and include qualification summaries, as they relate to the proposed positions and privide letters of intent. The qualification summary shall not exceed one page per person. Do key position descriptions, key personnel qualification summaries and key personnel letters of intent count against the 130 page limit for the Technical Volume?

ANSWER: The Government will amend the RFP to revise Table 2.0 SEMS III Proposal Organization & Page Count to indicate the key personnel qualification summaries and key personnel letters of intent will not count against the technical volume’s page count. The listing of key positions descriptions will count towards the 130 page limit.