Questions and Answers Final.docx

Questions and Answers

1. What is the max time frame to complete this a requirement, assuming awardee will only have access during normal business hours?

- No max timeframe. The contractor will decide what the timeframe will be with their submitted PWS. Additionally, the hours are in the evening and will not be completed during normal business hours. Please reference the SOO for hours.

2. The Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Document identifies only two CLINS. Should CLIN 0002 Cable Management include hours for all labor categories involved in this work such as network technician and documentation specialist with a single blended rate, or should the contractor propose sub-CLINS for individual labor categories?

-Propose sub CLINs for all necessary labor categories.

3. Will the government consider adding a third cost-reimbursable CLIN 0003 for travel to accommodate contract-specific travel, or should those costs be blended into the hourly rate(s) provided in CLIN 0002?

-Blend in to the hourly

4. Who is the manufacture and what is the part number for the racks being specified?

- Please reference SOO.

5. Is the contractor responsible to install the equipment into the new racks?

- The contractor is responsible for all aspects of the project other than electricity.

6. What is the quantity for the number of Cable Management?

- That will be up to the contractor and will be within the PWS the contractor submits.

7. Who is the manufacture and what is the part number for the cable management?

- That will be up to the contractor to decide.

8. Please provide a link or instructions to create a proposed PWS in the SOO.

-The SOO will be provided as a word document to be used to create a PWS.

9. Where are the connections for the power?

- Power is on top of the racks.

10. Is there a brand specific rack needed for the requirement?

- No

11. Do the 4 racks need windowpanes?

- The SOO states: Have a single perforated front door and a double perforated rear door, both with lockable key latches. We want mesh, not windowpanes.

12. Can the contractor use Chinese racks, or do they need to be American made?

- If the racks are Buy American Act Compliant.

13. Is there an expectation for the racks to be kept online for the duration of the project?

- No

14. Will an electric circuit be needed for the 4th rack?

- No

15. Who is taking care of the electricity?

- Air Force CE

16. Do patch boards need to be replaced?

- If needed

17. Are cable management racks all interconnected?

- Some are

18. Can you run fiber under the floors?

- If that is the contractor’s option

19. What is the expected time frame of the project?

- That will be up to the contractor

20. Is the contractor expected to tidy up behind the server racks?

- No

21. Does this project have to be over seen by a Registered Communication Distribution Designer (RCDD)?

- Current guidance from what could be researched does not mention the need of a RCDD.

22. Who coordinates all the network downtimes?

- Air Force Personnel

23. Will bonding be needed for the new racks?

- Yes, updated in the SOO

24. Will there be a required escort?

- Air Force Personnel

22. The Combined Synopsis/Solicitation document Paragraph 5 indicates this is a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract, but the Unit of Measure is Hours for CLIN 002 and Each for CLIN 001. Is only the hourly rate considered FFP or is the total price considered FFP?

-Both are considered FFP

23. Can the government verify that pulling network cables outside of this room in Building 5010 is out of the scope of this contract, or is there an expectation that some network lines would have to be re-run due to faulty cables or re-locating cables?

- There is expectation that some cable patches go to other rooms in the facility which will need to be handled on a case-by-case basis. Anything leaving the facility all together is outside the scope of work to be performed.

24. SOO 1.3.3 Documentation. Can the USAF provide current topology diagrams for review of the current layout, expected format, and estimating purposes?

- To the best of our knowledge, we do not have any current, if any, elevation, wire, or similar types of diagrams for this facility to assist.

25. SOO 2.0 indicates Government escorts as required. Can the 355 CS provide escorts that are knowledgeable of the infrastructure environment to address questions that may arise during the overnight work or will that individual only be for escort purposes? We find it very helpful when the escort can address questions that arise during the work period.

- Yes, we can provide individuals that can meet this request.

26. SOO Section 3.8 states, “Demonstrate system stability with a 72-hour burn-in period.” Can the USAF elaborate on how they will test each connection and function during the burn-in period and how the contractor should participate in that testing?

- Based on questions #42 and #43, it seems cable management will be handled a rack at a time. If this is the case, once a full rack has been “cable managed”, a 72-hour burn in period will begin to allow for any connectivity issues to arise from customers on and off the installation. If an issue does arise during that period, the contractor will work with Air Force personnel to resolve the situation. Once the burn in period has passed, the rack would be considered green and any further issues that arise afterwards will fall to Air Force personnel to resolve.

27. SOO 3.4.2 Wireless Devices Prohibition. Based on these requirements, can a contractor-owned laptop and a camera be brought into the room for photo-documentation purposes and for creating drawings in real time?

- Yes, contractors may bring contractor-owned cameras and laptops to be used in the area of work.

28. Can the USAF extend the proposal submittal date to August 19, 2024, to allow time for the USAF to address questions and time for the contractor to review and modify the proposal in response to the questions?

- Quote due dates will be extended to 16 August by 5:00 PM PST.

29. Does Building 5010 have a loading dock or receiving area near the server room?

- Yes, it has a receiving area on the westside with double doors. No loading dock so a lift gate will most likely be required.

30. Will all fiber optic and CAT5/6 cables be reused (and not replaced with new cables)? If new cables are required, will the 355th provide the new cables?

- Existing Fiber Optic and Cat 5/6 cables can be reused but if new cables are required to meet the SOO, the contractor is expected to supply replacements.

31. Is the contractor allowed to take pictures of the racks throughout the project (to ensure cable replacement accuracy)?

- Yes

32. Will the contractor be expected to provide electrical support (i.e., install, relocate, or remove electrical receptacles, wiring, circuits, circuit breakers etc.) besides PDUs and grounding?

- No

33. Is the contractor expected to do SMTP configurations for the PDUs?

- No, SNMP capabilities are just a requirement. Air Force personnel will handle all configuration tasks post installation.

34. Is the contractor permitted to salvage existing rack and equipment components?

- Yes, once Air Force personnel have inspected salvage to ensure there is no accidental loss of tracked assets, it will be turned over to the contractor to handle per the SOO.

35. Will the government customer inform the contractor where the end points are located so the contractor is able to appropriately label the cable or is the contractor expected to trace all the cables and determine their location?

- We do not know where most of these patch cables start and end since most are unlabeled so we will be relying on the contractor to assist with tracing them out.

36. Is the contractor expected to only tag/label cabling from one location to the next within the data center or label cabling where the connections terminate in the data center to where they terminate at the endpoint (building, room, etc.)

- Only within the data center.

37. Is each rack designated for its own specific purpose(s)?

- No, the majority of the equipment in the racks were installed wherever there was space so no one particular rack supports a specific thing.

38. Does each rack support a specific building location or multiple building locations?

- The majority of the racks are mixed support of multiple buildings/locations.

39. Under the cable management task, can like components be relocated with like components? (i.e., Can telecommunications equipment be moved in its own rack and network equipment in its own rack?)

- Yes, only if the existing setup can accommodate it otherwise, we expect most items to stay relatively where they are at.

40. Is the contractor expected to conduct cable testing for each cable that is part of the cable management and rack replacement effort?

- Yes

41. Are all the network services provided by the 11 racks of equipment specified for this project currently fully operational with no degradation?

- Yes, to the best of our knowledge.

42. Will the contractor receive verification that all services are restored after each rack is completed?

- This goes back to #26 where we will have a “72-hour burn in period”. If we don’t get notified of any issues within that time frame, we will assume that all services are restored.

43. Will the contractor be held liable if there are outages or connectivity issues during or after the cable management and rack replacement efforts are executed? If so, how are these outages and/or connectivity issues going to be resolved?

- During the period of work, the contractor will be held liable to any outages/connectivity issues which Air Force personnel will assist with resolving. Once 72-hour burn in periods are completed, responsibility for any further issues will fall to Air Force personnel to resolve.