Amendment 0001 - Questions and Answers.pdf

Question and Answers

FA480326Q0093

1. Is there existing underground conduit between the buildings?

No conduit available for commercial use.

2. Is there an underground conduit existing from building to demarcation?

No conduit available for commercial use.

3. If so, is the contractor permitted to utilize existing conduit for the installation of new fiber optic cable?

See PWS Section 2.

4. Are existing conduit pathways available from the building entrance to each Main Distribution Frame (MDF) or telecommunications room? If not, will new conduit be required within the buildings? See PWS Section 2

No conduit available for commercial use.

5. Can the Government provide approximate distances between the point of demarcation/service entrance and each of the nine dormitory buildings?

Approximate distances can be ascertained from the campus map and floor plans that have been provided.

6. Is a site utility map or campus communications drawing available for planning purposes?

No.

7. Where will the contractor's network demarcation point be located?

Question needs better context and definition of network demarcation point, before it can be answered.

8. Will a single carrier handoff be provided to the contractor, or will separate service entrances be required for each building?

Separate service entrances are required for each building. A single carrier handoff will not be provided to distribute between the buildings.

9. If new underground pathways are required, are there any trenching or directional boring anticipated, or are existing duct banks expected to be utilized?

Contractor is expected to utilize existing underground duct banks and conduit pathways where capacity is available. However, the Government does not guarantee the availability or physical integrity of empty conduits along the proposed route.

Contractor is strictly required to verify conduit availability and pathway feasibility during the mandatory pre-proposal site survey in coordination with the appropriate 20th FW agencies and pathways cannot violate AFNET rules by sharing space. If existing pathways are unavailable, blocked, or at capacity, the Contractor shall be fully responsible for all trenching, directional boring, and pathway creation at no additional cost to the Government.

Any required excavation or boring will require an approved Air Force Form 103 (Dig Permit) coordinated through the 20th Civil Engineer Squadron (20 CES) prior to start of work.

10. Does each building currently contain an accessible MDF/telecommunications room suitable for installing contractor-owned equipment and fiber terminations?

Term suitability is too vague; the contractor must perform a site survey to make that determination. However, there are dedicated communication rooms and closets that can be utilized. All commercial equipment and construction must not violate the AFNET, or building codes in accordance with Air Force, DoD, and other Federal, and state laws and regulations as applicable.

11. Does the Government have an estimated number of wireless access points expected per building, or is the contractor responsible for determining quantities during the site survey?

The contractor is responsible for determining quantities during the site survey.

12. Will dedicated electrical power be available within each telecommunications room for contractor equipment, or will new circuits need to be installed by the contractor?

The contractor is responsible for determining during the site survey.

13. Are existing communications infrastructure drawings or as-built records available to prospective offerors?

Existing communications infrastructure drawings and as-built records will not be provided. Because utilization of official government conduits is prohibited, prospective offerors must perform their own site surveys to plan and engineer all required commercial pathways and entry points.

14. Is there an existing commercial fiber provider already serving the installation that the contractor may leverage, or is the contractor expected to procure and extend new commercial service to the base?

Yes, there is an existing commercial internet service with their infrastructure on this base.

15. What building should be the start of the install?

Building 418. This facility will serve as the initial site for the installation sequence.

Offerors should factor this starting point into their proposed schedule and logistical planning for all nine (9) buildings.

16. How long do you anticipate this installation of all nine (9) buildings to take?

Offerors are required to propose their own estimated installation timeline for all nine (9) buildings as part of their technical submission. The Government's operational constraint is that all installation work must be completed within the current year. Offerors should propose a realistic, efficient schedule that fits within this parameter and demonstrates their capability to meet the requirements of the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

17. Who currently provides internet service to the nine Unaccompanied Housing buildings (Bldgs 402, 406, 407, 418, 419, 421, 903, 904, and 905), and will that service remain in place during the three-month phase-in period under CLIN 0001 (30 Sep 2026 - 30 Dec 2026)?

The current commercial internet provider is Spectrum. This service will remain active during the contract phase-in period. Individual residents may opt out of the Government-provided internet service and retain their current provider, or they may purchase an upgraded service package directly from the new contract vendor at their own expense.

18. PWS 2.3.1 states the Contractor is "strictly prohibited from utilizing any and all existing on-site coaxial or copper lines."

The prohibition in PWS 2.3.1 applies to all Government-owned cabling. The Government will not authorize the use of its existing cabling infrastructure. If the contractor wishes to negotiate the use of another commercial provider's existing cabling, that is an agreement to be made strictly between those two commercial parties. The Government will not be a party to such negotiations.

19. May the Contractor use the existing wall-mounted equipment racks in each building's communications closet, or must new racks be furnished and installed?

No. To maintain strict physical separation and clearly delineate commercial versus government property, the contractor must provide and install their own dedicated equipment racks, cabinets, or wall mounts within the approved rooms.

20. Does the Government require wireless access points in specific locations, or may the Contractor place them as needed to meet the coverage and speed requirements in PWS 2.2?

The contractor is responsible for determining the optimal placement of Wireless Access Points (WAPs) to meet the PWS requirements. However, all final WAP locations and mounting methods must be reviewed and approved by the Government.

21. How will installation be scheduled? Will the Contractor have access to all nine buildings concurrently, or one building at a time? Are there periods when building access will not be available?

Installation scheduling will be coordinated with the Facility Manager post-award.

The contractor may work on multiple buildings concurrently.

22. The CLIN description states the contractor shall provide "Bills for the internet service for nine (9) unaccompanied housing buildings." Will the Contractor invoice the Government on a single consolidated bill, or bill each resident directly? If residents are billed directly, what rate structure does the Government expect, and how is the resident opt-out in PWS

2.4 reflected in payment?

Residents will not pay for the internet. The Contractor will send a bill monthly for the internet services to the Government to pay for.

23. PWS 5.1 addresses Government Furnished Property and Services. Will the Government provide equipment space, commercial power, pathway or conduit, and roof and exterior wall access for the new infrastructure at no cost to the Contractor?

Please see PWS v4 section 5.1.1 for clarifications of PWS 5.1 regarding equipment space, power, pathways, and structural access.

24. What is the basis of award? We did not find the evaluation factors or the award criteria stated in the solicitation. If past performance will be evaluated, will the Government consider the past performance of proposed subcontractors and teaming partners, or only that of the prime offeror?

The basis of award and evaluation criteria are explicitly detailed in Clause 52.212- 2 on page 28 of the solicitation. The Government will evaluate the past performance of both the Prime Offeror and any proposed subcontractors or teaming partners. If your proposal relies on subcontracting or teaming arrangements, you must submit past performance information for both the Prime and the proposed subcontractors/partners in accordance with the submission instructions.

25. Is there a deadline for submitting questions on this solicitation? We did not find one stated in the solicitation.

Reference the solicitation and SAM.gov under descriptions.

26. Is this work currently under contract (a recompete)? If so, please share the incumbent contractor's name, the prior contract number, the awarded price of the previous contract, and how many quotes were received.

No, this is a new requirement.

27. As the fiscal year closes out: does your office have other upcoming or not-yet-posted requirements in this area of scope that contactors could also quote?

At this time, as the fiscal year closes out, all active requirements within this scope area have been publicly posted. While the Government continues to plan for future mission needs, we do not have any additional, unposted, or upcoming requirements within specific area currently scheduled for the remainder of this fiscal year. For future opportunities and formal solicitations will be published transparently on the government point of entry (SAM.gov) in accordance with Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Overhaul regulations.

28. Is fiber connectivity between the dormitory buildings required as part of the proposed solution?

Yes, a dedicated fiber-optic backhaul connecting each building is the primary requirement as stated in PWS Section 2.3.1. However, Section 2.3.5 allows for a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solution to be proposed as an alternative, but only if physical fiber is proven to be physically or cost-prohibitive for a specific location and is approved by the government.

29. Is there any asbestos present in any of the buildings or areas where installation work may be required?

Yes, asbestos is present in all buildings except 419 and 421.

30. For existing infrastructure (coaxial cable, fiber, Ethernet cabling, conduit, etc.) that will not be reused, does the Government require it to be disconnected, removed, or abandoned in place?

Per PWS Section 2.3.2, the contractor is prohibited from altering, splicing, moving, or removing any existing communications lines (government or third-party) without explicit, prior coordination and written authorization.

31. What is the plan and process for gaining access to occupied resident rooms to support installation activities?

See previous question.

32. Will the Government provide valid USPS mailing addresses for each building included in the scope of work so that offerors can verify current network and broadband service availability?

No.

33. Does your Wi-Fi solution require static IP’s? If so, how many IPv4 Static IP’s and how many Static IPv6 IPs?

The PWS does not specify a requirement for static IPs. The contractor is responsible for designing and managing their own network architecture to meet the performance standards outlined in the PWS.

34. What is the expected bandwidth overhead to manage your WIFI solution? Need to allow management data/management/control plane overhead so bandwidth tests meet 100Mbps down/20Mbps up routinely.

The contractor is entirely responsible for engineering their network (including any necessary overhead) to ensure the end-user can achieve the 100/20 Mbps speeds during the government's random checks. Please refer to PWS Section 2.2 and the QASP for the specific speed and surveillance standards.

35. Can the government please clarify if the bandwidth requirements 100Mbps download/20 Mbps Upload in this section are for each building or for each room in each building?

The requirement is that any individual room, when tested at random, must be able to achieve the 100/20 Mbps speed standard as defined in PWS Section 2.2.

The PWS does not specify a required oversubscription ratio or require dedicated, simultaneous bandwidth for all rooms. The contractor is responsible for engineering a shared network that consistently meets the performance standard under typical load conditions.

36. Is there an incumbent contractor, and if so, who?

No. As stated previously that this is a new requirement. The current provider for residents who purchase their own internet is Spectrum.

37. Does past performance information count towards the 5-page limit for the technical response?

No, the Past Performance information does not count toward the 5-page limit. The

5-page limitation applies strictly and exclusively to the Technical Acceptability response.

38. "REQUIRED: Attend Site Visit" is included as Evaluation Criteria. How is this evaluated?

Attending the scheduled site visit on 28 July 2026 is mandatory requirement under the evaluation criteria. Failure to attend the site visit disqualifies the offeror from further evaluation. For comprehensive details on how this and all other evaluation factors are scored, please refer to the solicitation, Clause 52.212-2 (page 28).

39. The Solicitation includes "Clauses Incorporated by Full Text" that required fill-ins. Does the Government want all sections of the Solicitation document submitted along with the signed SF1449 and completed Supplies or Services & Prices or Costs?

Offerors are not required to return the entire solicitation document, nor do they sign the Solicitation SF1449 block for initial submission. However, we request that you sign the amendment and submit it with your quote. Please refer strictly to Clause 52.212-1 (Instructions to Offerors) and Clause 52.212-2 (Evaluation Factors) on pages 27 and 28 for the exact package structure and submission requirements.

40. IOT Devices: Does the government require the service to support Internet of Things (IOT) devices – devices that can’t accept or acknowledge the AUP directly?

The PWS (Section 2.4) requires a captive portal where residents must accept an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). The PWS does not include specific provisions for IoT devices that cannot authenticate via this method. The contractor's solution must meet the AUP requirement.

41. Does the government prefer a fiber-based distribution to carry service between dorms/buildings?

Yes, a dedicated fiber-optic backhaul connecting each building is the primary requirement as stated in PWS Section 2.3.1. However, Section 2.3.5 allows for a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solution to be proposed as an alternative, but only if physical fiber is proven to be physically or cost-prohibitive for a specific location and is approved by the government.

42. Bandwidth: The minimum bandwidth requirement is 100Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream – what level of oversubscription will the government support, if any?

The requirement is that any individual room, when tested at random, must be able to achieve the 100/20 Mbps speed standard as defined in PWS Section 2.2.

The PWS does not specify a required oversubscription ratio or require dedicated, simultaneous bandwidth for all rooms. The contractor is responsible for engineering a shared network that consistently meets the performance standard under typical load conditions.

43. Wireless Access Point per Room: Does the government require one (1) Wireless Access

Point per room or would multiple rooms per access point be acceptable, provided all rooms are covered?

The PWS does not mandate a specific number of access points per room. The contractor is responsible for designing a solution that provides "robust, wall-penetrating coverage in every room, common area, and dayroom" to meet the performance standards (PWS Section 2.3.3).

44. The floor-layout drawings show red-dot symbols in each room with no legend. What do these symbols represent (e.g., existing data/telecom outlets, resident rooms/beds, or planned AP locations)?

Not applicable, these floor plans were pulled from a previous project and are stray marks.

45. For the inter-building fiber backhaul, may the Contractor reuse existing empty/underground conduit or duct bank between buildings and to the base service entrance, or is all outside-plant pathway expected to be newly installed/directional-bored by the Contractor?

No. As stated in previously there is no existing government or commercial conduit available for contractor use. The contractor is responsible for providing their own pathways.

46. May the Contractor place its new active equipment and racks in the existing building communications/telephone rooms (MDF/IDF closets), or must the Contractor establish entirely new equipment spaces?

No. As stated previously, "the contractor must provide and install their own dedicated equipment racks, cabinets, or wall mounts within the approved rooms" to maintain strict physical separation between commercial and government property.

47. Is there existing Government or commercial fiber backhaul (base area network / outside-plant duct bank) reaching each of the nine buildings that the Contractor may connect to at a demarcation point, rather than constructing dedicated fiber backhaul across the campus to each building's MDF?

No. As stated in previously there is no existing government or commercial conduit available for contractor use. The contractor is responsible for providing their own pathways.

48. Section 2.3.1 states the existing infrastructure "lacks clear agency ownership." Will the Government identify, per building, what communications infrastructure currently exists (fiber, copper, coax, pathways, racks, MDF/IDF rooms) and its ownership status? Absent ownership clarity, on what basis should offerors assume reuse is, or is not, permitted?

No. The PWS (Section 2.3.1) states the existing infrastructure is obsolete and lacks clear ownership. Therefore, PWS Section 1.2 and 2.3.1 strictly prohibit the use of any and all existing on-site cabling, including coaxial, copper, and fiber-optic lines.

The contractor must install a completely new and independent infrastructure.

49. The mandate to install "new cabling" addresses the cable itself. May the Contractor reuse existing physical pathways — conduit, innerduct, sleeves, riser/backbone raceways, cable trays, and existing floor/wall penetrations — to route the new cabling, provided no existing communications lines are altered?

No. As previously stated that there is no existing government or commercial conduit available for contractor use. The contractor is responsible for providing their own pathways.

50. Sections 1.2 and 2.3.1 prohibit use of "any and all existing on-site coaxial or copper lines" and require a "completely new, independent" infrastructure. The prohibition names only coaxial and copper. Does it also extend to existing on-site fiber-optic cabling? If serviceable Government or third-party fiber exists to or within the buildings, may the Contractor reuse it?

No. The PWS (Section 2.3.1) states the existing infrastructure is obsolete and lacks clear ownership. Therefore, PWS Section 1.2 and 2.3.1 strictly prohibit the use of any and all existing on-site cabling, including coaxial, copper, and fiber-optic lines.

The contractor must install a completely new and independent infrastructure.