20260001_RFIs_Final.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE

SPACE LAUNCH DELTA 30

2 September 2026

FROM: 30 CONS/PKA

1515 ICELAND AVE, ROOM 150

VANDENBERG SFB CA 93437-52

SUBJECT: Request for Information (RFI) Q&A, XUMU 20260001, OSP Fiber for Oak

Mountain Outside Plant

The following responses are hereby provided in response to the Contractor’s RFI:

RFI Q1: Please confirm (a) the correct quantity of fiber cables (one vs. two) and patch panels

(one vs. two) to be furnished and installed by the Contractor, (b) whether the terminal building is

Building 75 or B1762/B1801, and (c) whether the far end at HH 75 AB is a fusion splice to existing FO 3012 in an all-weather splice enclosure (per Sec 6.4) or a patch-panel termination.

Government Response: The fiber optic cable is one each 36-strand single mode fiber optic cable. The termination of that cable will be in building 75 in the communications room relay rack identified in the site walkdown.

B1762/B1801 is a typo. Please see revised PWS

RFI Q2: Please confirm the required fiber footage and whether the additional approximately

3,750 LF is intended for maintenance loops/slack at each HH and MH along the route, and if so specify the loop length and the specific HH/MH locations where loops are required so bid quantities can be finalized.

Government Response: 60 foot slack loops in the HH and 100 foot slack loop at the MH outside of Building 75, 100 slack loop at HH75 where the splice will be accomplshed. The rest of the cable will be turned over to Government for O&M purposes.

RFI Q3: Please provide the exact quantity of new Contractor-furnished HHs to be installed, confirm the HH numbering/naming convention and stationed locations along the Station Road route, and confirm whether the tie-in at HH 75 AB and the connection point to MH 75C are

Government-furnished or included within the Contractor HH quantity.

Government Response: 6 each new traffic rated hand holes provided by the contractor. The tie-in at the existing HH 75AB and MH75C are located at the ends of the proposed path.

RFI Q4: Please confirm (a) the exact HDPE duct standard and cell classification required (e.g., ASTM F2160 SDR-11 or SDR-13.5), (b) any acceptable equivalents, and (c) the minimum burial depth applicable to the 1.25-inch HDPE ducts along the Station Road route, including any deeper cover required at road crossings, drainage crossings, or landslide-adjacent segments.

Government Response: Because of the shale terrain SLD 30 SC recommends SDR 11, passing under any existing utility will increase the depth for that crossing, this is standard practice for underground placement.

RFI Q5: Please confirm (a) the process and timeline for offerors to inspect and prove/rod the existing duct segment (MH 75C → MH 75B → MH 75A → Building 75) prior to proposal submission, (b) whether the Government will provide current as-built or record drawings of the existing MH 75 series duct system, and (c) how cleaning/proofing/repair of the existing duct is to be priced if damage or obstruction is discovered post-award.

Government Response: The SLD 30 SC OSP shop is going to remove the damaged fiber cable and install a mule tape pull rope and reserve this for the installation through the existing conduit path.

There is no duct verification requirement, the Cable shop at Vandenberg will install a pull line for new fiber placement.

RFI Q6: Please provide any available geotechnical/slope-stability reports for the landslide area and the HH 75 AB tie-in location, identify any exclusion zones or restricted work areas, and confirm whether temporary shoring, dewatering, or specialized excavation methods are required in Contractor pricing.

Government Response: Please see the attached the soils report.

RFI Q7: Please confirm that the qualified biologist and biological monitor are Contractor-provided and priced in the proposal, and provide the completed AF Form 813 (and AF Form 332, if applicable) for the Station Road route identifying sensitive areas, seasonal work windows, and any species-specific restrictions for Beach Layia and California Red-legged Frog.

Government Response: No environmental monitors required for cable placement on the mowed shoulder Within 10’ of edge of road.

RFI Q8: Please provide the VSFB Installation Facilities Standards, GeoBase Spatial Data

Submittal Standards, Vandenberg PGS Data Collect and Delivery Standards, and any existing engineering plans or as-built drawings for the Station Road route (or confirm the process and timeline to obtain them) prior to proposal submission so an accurate bid takeoff can be prepared.

Government Response: UFC 3-580-01 UNIFIED FACILITIES CRITERIA (UFC)

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE

PLANNING AND DESIGN

RFI Q9: Please provide (a) high-resolution site photographs of existing HH 75 AB, the MH 75

A/B/C series and Building 75 entry, the landslide area to be avoided, and representative ground/surface conditions along the Station Road easement, and (b) high-resolution or vector versions of Figures 1–3 (or KMZ/GIS files) showing the proposed alignment and HH locations.

Government Response: A map of the area in the attachments, access to vector versions is currently unavailable.

RFI 10: Please confirm that the certifications required with the technical proposal are limited to the BICSI ITS Installer 2 (Optical Fiber) certification and supporting 5-year experience narrative referenced in Sec 13.1, and confirm which additional certifications — if any — are required at proposal submission versus at award or prior to on-site work (e.g., Confined Space Training under Sec 13.2, EM 385-1-1 SSHO, OSHA 10/30, DBIDS/base access, and any CMMC or CUI-handling requirements).

Government Response: Other acceptable certifications: Fiber Optic Association (FOA), Electronics Technicians Association with a Fiber Optic installer/splicer (FOST), Light Brigade, or Corning certification.

RFI Q11: Please confirm the current, applicable editions of TIA-526-7 (e.g., TIA-526-7-A or later) and the 31W3-10-15 Technical Order Series, and confirm whether Chromatic Dispersion testing is required for this link or whether OTDR and Optical Power Loss testing will satisfy acceptance criteria.

Government Response: Chromatic dispersion testing is required

RFI Q12: Please define how the seven-consecutive-day, outage-free requirement applies to this passive system — specifically, whether the Government will light the fiber during this period, whether the seven-day period commences upon Government approval of test results (AFTO

Form 747 signature), and what constitutes an "outage-causing failure" for the unlit link.

Government Response: There are not vacant strands on the 36 single mode existing FOC, so there is no unlit link requirement.

RFI Q13: Please confirm whether the 180 calendar-day performance period already accounts for utility locate lead time, biological survey/monitoring windows, escort notification lead time, and the 30-day MFT coordination requirement, or whether additional time will be granted (via bilateral modification) for delays attributable to these Government-controlled prerequisites.

Government Response: The 180-day performance period is an estimate for the total construction. The contractor can submit their own schedule based on their estimate to complete the work.

RFI Q14: PWS 3. - States The contractor shall provide a full-time on-site Project Manager.

Must this be the Prime or can a sub-contractor provide this on-site project management?

Government Response: Sub-contractor can provide. However, if provided by the subcontractor, the prime contractor must provide the Government, in writing, explicit authority to direct the subcontractor’s Project Manager to perform work or make corrections within the scope of the existing contract.

RFI Q15: PWS 9.3 – 9.5 Will the government be providing this Biologist or will the contractor be required to provide this individual?

Government Response: There is no environmental monitoring required for work within the edge of the mowed area of the road.

RFI Q16: Is the Government open to an equivalent cable if lead times become too long?

Government Response: As long at the cable is G 652 D rated loose tube single mode

RFI Q17: Is the government open to additional Handholes?

Government Response: The Project is requested engineering additional hand holes

RFI Q18: Details for FOC access to building 75 from manhole 465A?

Government Response: MH Drawing provided

RFI Q19: Will cut-over be during normal business hours?

Government Response: Cut over will be after hours

RFI Q20: Working hours/Access for the Oak mountain Compound and Bldg. 75

Government Response: Duty hours for the site are 0800-1530 due to limitations in the on-site staff’s contracted schedule

RFI Q21: 4.2 - Is the fiber requested Micro or Conventional?

Government Response: Conventional fiber for Oak Mountain

RFI Q22: Tracer Size and Tracer installed with Pipe or in with fiber?

Government Response: No preference, tracer wire is required can be in trench also.

RFI Q23: 5.2 - Do you have a part number u shaped mounting bracket and the rubber grommets you call out for?

Government Response: No part number. The installation is on a slope and there is a history of rodent damage to fiber optic cable within the opening and first few feet of the duct as they attempt to move in. The grip keeps the cable from slipping downhill and the duct seal rubber grommet or equivalent keeps the rodents from trying to access the duct.

RFI Q24: 15.2 – Fiber Testing, Power Meter, OTDR and Chromatic in both wave lengths?

Government Response: Yes, these testing methods are required

RFI Q25: The Executive Summary and PWS §5, §6.3, and §6.4 describe terminating the new cable at a Contractor-provided patch panel in Building 75 (with a splice at HH 75 AB). However, PWS §6 (intro) directs termination into two Contractor-provided patch panels — one in

Communications Panel B1762 and the other in Building B1801. Please confirm the correct termination end point(s): is the work terminated at Building 75 only, or at B1762 and B1801?

The building numbers appear to conflict.

Government Response: This was a typo the cable termination is in building 75 in the comm room identified in the site visit. Please see revised PWS.

RFI Q26: Relatedly, the Executive Summary and §5 reference a single Contractor-provided patch panel, while §6 references two patch panels. Please confirm the total quantity of new

Contractor-furnished fiber patch panels to be priced, their locations, and required port capacity/connector type (LC per §6.3).

Government Response: One each 36 – strand LC patch panel is required at building 75 in the patch panel identified at the site walk down. Please see revised PWS.

RFI Q27: §6.4 states the new cable is fusion-spliced into existing cable “FO 3012” at HH 75

AB, and “If there is not an existing splice enclosure one will be provided.” Please clarify (a) whether the splice enclosure is Government- or Contractor-furnished, (b) whether an existing enclosure is present at HH 75 AB, and (c) how many strands of the new 36-strand cable are to be spliced to FO 3012, and the fiber count/type of the existing FO 3012 cable.

Government Response: At the site visit, the location for the splice had a splice case at HH

75AB so no splice case will be required to be supplied by the contractor.

RFI Q28: The scope calls for 2 ea. 1.25-inch HDPE (SIDR) duct, yet §4.2 references “micro duct” (18-inch minimum depth) and §5.1/§5.2 reference “microfiber” cable in an individual

HDPE inner duct. Please confirm the intended configuration: are the two 1.25-inch HDPE ducts the primary pathway with the 36-strand cable pulled/jetted through inner duct in one, and the second 1.25-inch duct a spare? Please confirm whether an air-jetted micro-duct/micro-cable system or a conventional 1.25-inch HDPE pulled-cable system is intended.

Government Response: The standard 1.25” HDPE and conventional 36 strand single mode loose tube fiber optic cable G.652.D rating

RFI Q29: Will boring be allowed?

Government Response: Yes

RFI Q30: §4.2 lists an 18-inch minimum installation depth. Please confirm 18 inches is the required cover for the mainline duct along the Station Road easement, and identify locations requiring greater depth (e.g., road/driveway/utility crossings per §5.6).

Government Response: 18 inch is the minimum coverage, any utility crossing such as overside drain or culvert will need to be a minimum of 12inches or one foot below.

RFI Q31: The Executive Summary lists ~10,500 LF of trench, 21,000 ft total HDPE duct (2 ×

10,500), and 15,000 ft of 36-strand fiber, plus reuse of ~750 ft of existing duct. For an ~11,250-ft route the 15,000 ft of fiber implies ~3,750 ft of slack. Please confirm the fiber footage (15,000 ft) to be priced and confirm the quantity/size of maintenance loops beyond the 50-ft loops required at each HH per §5.7.

Government Response: 50-foot slack loops at each HH, the rest of the cable will be turned over to the government OSP shop for bench stock.

RFI Q32: Please confirm the Government-expected number of new hand holes along the route

(PWS §4 states spacing “approximately 1,700 feet apart”), and confirm whether any new maintenance holes (vs. hand holes) are required. Confirm HH minimum interior dimensions of

3'W × 4'L × 4'H (§7.1) as the basis of estimate.

Government Response: There is engineering allowed in the design for best management practices. New hand holes or pull boxes are required along Station Road, due to the location of installation the minimum sizing of the box can be approximately 24”x 24”x24” the slack loop bend radius shall not exceed 10 times the outer diameter of the cable being installed. Depending on placement method of the cable and the road layout it is recommended to utility holes to reduce stress on the cable during placement.

RFI Q33: The Contractor is directed to reuse existing base ducting (including ~750 ft from MH

75C to Building 75), with “final usability approved by 30 SC.” If existing duct or MH sections are found unusable after award, will replacement be handled as a Government-directed modification, or should the Contractor price full replacement of that segment? Please state the intended pricing assumption.

Government Response: The SLD 30 SC OSP shop will proof the duct and place a Mule Tape pull rope to be used to install the cable through the existing path.

RFI Q34: §4.1 references an “initial site survey prior to contract award.” Will the Government provide the results of any existing-duct proof/mandrel testing, or make the existing duct available for offerors to proof, prior to the quote due date?

Government Response: The pull rope will be in place for installation of cable through the site conduit path.

RFI Q35: Figure 3 shows Driveway 1 (~160 ft) and Driveway 2 (~75 ft). Please confirm the number and lengths of all road/driveway crossings, the required crossing method (bore vs. open-cut), and which crossings require concrete encasement per §5.6 (“road and runway crossings … encased in concrete”).

Government Response: those lengths were measured using GPS map software, the method for crossing is up to the contractor albeit traffic cannot be delayed for open trenching and access has to be allowed for all site use traffic.

RFI Q36: Given the landslide-driven reroute along Station Road, is directional boring permitted within the 40-ft easement, and will the Government provide any geotechnical/soils data or known subsurface rock/utility information for the route to support the installation-method selection?

Government Response: Please see the attached soils report.

RFI Q37: Please confirm the extent of paved surface along the route requiring saw-cut and restoration, and the applicable pavement restoration standard (Caltrans / base standard) beyond

“pre-construction condition.”

Government Response: Using base standards for road repair will be identified in the 332 permit, utilizing road base, compaction and hot mix surface course asphalt to replace saw cut asphalt.

RFI Q38: A biological monitor is required in areas “determined to be environmentally sensitive during the internal project review process.” For pricing, please provide the anticipated number of monitoring days and/or the extent of sensitive areas along the route, and confirm whether the biological monitor is Contractor-furnished or Government-furnished.

Government Response: There is no environmental monitor required within the mowed area 10’ of edge of road.

RFI Q39: Please confirm whether the Government has completed the environmental analysis

(AF Form 813 / NEPA) and any resulting permit conditions or timeframes, and identify any environmental permitting that is a Contractor responsibility.

Government Response: An 813 is not required

RFI Q40: The PWS references documents marked “available upon request,” including SLD 30

SC fiber/patch-panel specifications, the VSFB Installation Facilities Standards, the 31W3-10-15

Technical Order series, the GeoBase Spatial Data Submittal Standards and Vandenberg PGS

Data Collect & Delivery Standards, and the Cable Number Assignment / Configuration Records format. Please provide these reference documents so the quote reflects the required specifications.

Government Response: CORNING CCH-CS24-A9-P00RE 24 Fiber Count, 24 Splice

Protectors, CCH PIGTAILED Splice Cassette, Duplex, LC Configuration, Single-Fiber (250

UM), Single-Mode (OS2), or approved equal. Approved equal must be compatible and interchangeable this model.

Base CMR will provide HH numbers and the cable is existing and already has a FOC identifier.

FO-3012. GPS shape file are requested for deliverables. The GPS files can be delivered via DOD safe to the Project Manager.

RFI Q41: SF 1442 Item 12a indicates performance and payment bonds are required within 10 calendar days after award. Please confirm the required amounts (100% of contract value each?)

and confirm whether an offer/bid guarantee (bid bond) is required with the offer (Item 13b) — the selection is unclear on the posted SF 1442.

Government Response: Bonds are required to be 100% of contract value. IAW with Item 13b an offer/bid guarantee is not required.

RFI Q42: A pre-proposal site visit was scheduled for 5 August 2026 at 09:30 Pacific. Please confirm whether site-visit minutes, an attendee list, and photographs will be posted, and whether an additional or virtual site visit will be offered for offerors unable to obtain base access by the

29 July access-request deadline.

Government Response: The site visit minutes, attendee list, and photos have uploaded to

SAM.gov.

RFI Q43: Please confirm the complete list of documents required with the quote (e.g., signed SF

1442, Section B pricing, Part II Technical including BICSI ITS Installer 2 – Optical Fiber certification per §13.1, preliminary IMS Deliverable 9, and reps & certs), and confirm whether the two-part (Price / Technical) submission has any page limit or format requirement.

Government Response: In accordance with Section L & M of the SF1442:

• Part 1:

o Completed and Signed SF 1442 o Completed Section B pricing

• Part 2:

o Technical Narrative with sufficient information to allow the Government to determine the contractor understands the requirement o Schedule that demonstrates a reasonable timeline and phasing to complete the work o Past Performance (no more than five recent and relevant projects completed with the last three years)

RFI Q44: Please confirm whether Section 14.1 requires one active BICSI Installer 2, Optical

Fiber-certified individual employed by and assigned to the cable installation contractor, or whether all personnel performing fiber installation, termination, splicing and testing must hold the certification. Please also confirm whether the certified individual must be present on site whenever fiber work is performed.

Government Response: Certified person for installation, not all required to possess credentials.

RFI Q45: Is there a spec for the innerduct?

Government Response: 1.25” HDPE SDR 13.5 recommended

RFI Q46: What are the specs for the HAND HOLES? Size and are they traffic rated?

Government Response: Hand holes can be 24”x 24” X 24”

RFI Q47: Will there need to be cultural monitoring?

Government Response: There is no identified cultural monitoring

RFI Q48: Is the government open to an equal fiber alternative?

Government Response: As long as the fiber is 36 strand single mode G.652.D rated