Question_Response_Document_Rev2.pdf

The following provides the answer to the questions received from prospective offerors in response to the solicitation and from the site visit. The questions and answers are as follows:

(1) Does the government wish to receive quotes in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling (GBP)? I can’t find reference to this in the combo document and whilst the quote sheet uses the $ sign all previous contracts of this nature have asked for quotes in GBP (£).

A: All quotes and pricing should be submitted in GBP. The solicitation has been updated to reflect this change.

(2) Is there a page limit for the technical proposal or any section / aspect of the technical proposal?

A: There is a 15 page, single sided, limitation. All material shall be contained within the page limit identified and all executive summaries, table of content and certificates does not count towards the limitation. The solicitation has been updated to reflect this change.

(3) Please can you clarify what should be quoted under the two different types of CLIN in the contract (BASH and Wildlife Removal).

The Lakenheath BASH and Mildenhall BASH CLIN’s say that they refer to section 1.2 of the PWS and the Lakenheath Wildlife Removal and Mildenhall Wildlife Removal CLIN’s say that they refer to section 1.1 of the PWS.

However, Section 1.1 Specific functions is essentially a scope of contract section which is expanded upon by section 1.2 Bird/Wildlife Hazard control measures which outlines most (but not all) of the work required under the contract.

Is this an error carried on from the last version of the contract whereby BASH CLIN’s referred to on base/flight line bird control and program management and Wildlife Removal referred to Nest removals and other similar activities (away from the flight line)?

Also, there are sections of the PWS that clearly outline work to be done under the contract that are seemingly not covered by either of these CLIN’s (1.4 Perimeter Fence Line inspections, 1.5 Removal of Animal Remains, 1.6 Bird Strike Feather/Remains Identification, 1.7 Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) Program and 1.8 Monthly Report).

Can the government please provide clarification on exactly which parts of the program should be quoted for under each of the two clins types for each Airfield?

The intention is for one CLIN to be for active and passive bird control measures (direct response to threats and nest removals, etc.) and for one to be for all other aspects the requirement such as monthly reports, removal of remains, and obtaining land-owner permission. The solicitation has been updated to reflect this change.

(4) Section 1.2.2.1 discusses nest removal. Please could the government provide a more specific workload estimate for nest removal? On previous site visits for previous contract periods, the government indicated that nest removal was primarily targeted at Rook nests and detailed workload estimates were given. Given the nature of removing these nests and the effort required a workload estimate is required for accurate pricing.

A: Current data shows that on RAFL and RAFM an estimated 400 nests are removed per year, and the off base estimate is 1200 nests per year. The data provided are estimates and it is the Contractor’s responsibility to meet the requirements of the performance work statement.

(5) Under which CLIN does the government require vendors to quote for nest removals?

Nest removals appear to have been removed from the service delivery summary. Is this an error?

Please indicate the number of cycles of nest removal to be conducted and the expected level of success for nest removal (i.e. percentage of nests removed initially and if re-built etc.)

A: Nest removals should be quoted under the X001 and X002 CLINs for the respective option periods.

The intent is for nest removals to be included under section 2 of the services summary. The solicitation has been updated to reflect this change.

Historically 2 cycles have been used per nest. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that nest stays removed. In addition, the data provided are estimates and it is the

(6) Section 4 of the PWS outlines hours of operation for both Airfields. Under both the RAFL and RAFM sections the following sentence appears:

“If the contractor must go off-base to fulfil contract responsibilities, they must notify the COR within 30 minutes. The contractor shall provide current name(s) and phone numbers(s) for the contractor point(s) of contact on call to Airfield Management and Wing Safety.”

The previous drafts of the PWS made clear that the contractor was still responsible for maintaining the 10-minute response time to on base hazards when off station. This made sense in that it guaranteed a rapid response to hazards on the flight line which pose the greatest threats to flight safety. However, this appears to be missing from the new PWS. Could the government confirm that this requirement to adhere to the 10-minute response time is still in place during operating hours even when conducting off base activities?

A: It is still a requirement to adhere to the 10-minute response time. It is up to the contractor to have personnel on hand to ensure that this is met, regardless of location. The PWS has been revised to reflect this change.

(7) Section 4.1.1. Additional Hours of Operation for Wildlife Management outlines the on-call requirements for RAFL.

Can the government provide a workload estimate (Number of hours per year) for this out of hours/on-call requirement?

A: RAFL was open for 231 hrs outside the published hours in 2018. The average for the last three years was 225 hrs. This is subject to change as mission requirements change. The data provided are estimates and it is the Contractor’s responsibility to meet the requirements of the performance work statement.

(8) Is there a requirement for airside active control to be present on the airfield during all operational hours, including over watch of all departures and arrivals, meaning groundside activities such as stakeholder engagement, off site activities and classroom training etc should be conducted concurrently to airside activities?

A: Yes. The assumption is that a fully trained individual (per contractor training plan) will be available on the airside for active control at all times. Groundside duties (local outreach, hazard analysis, training, meetings, etc.) would fall to the wildlife specialist.

It is expected that the contractor maintain an active presence on the airfield during arrivals and departures to rapidly disperse any hazards to flight safety. There are gaps in arrivals and departures, but the contractor should realize that aircraft may return earlier or later than scheduled with minimal notice. The contractor is still expected to be able to return to the airfield within the 10 min response time.

(9) What is the minimum frequency of daily runway inspections required for each base?

A: Minimum 1 runway check (drive up and down runway) 1 hour prior to first departure or arrival each calendar day. Minimum 1 airfield sweep (visually inspect ramps and taxiways) every hour, every day (don’t have to physically be on runway) during Bird Watch Condition LOW. During Bird Watch Condition MODERATE and SEVERE, contractor will maintain constant presence/harassing activity until the BWC returns to LOW. The data provided are estimates and it is the Contractor’s responsibility to meet the requirements of the performance work statement.

(10) What are the minimum training and competency standards expected from all wildlife control operators, including areas of training, frequency and access to auditable records?

At a minimum the training plan should include the ability to visually recognize local wildlife

(refresher every 6 months), the safe/effective operation of all utilized equipment/animals (refresher annual), and general wildlife management theory (once at start of employment).

Additional training as necessary to effectively execute the PWS. Testing included with refresher training, keep records for review at COR’s request.

(11) Are there facilities to refuel onsite? If not how far is the nearest petrol station?

A: Due to UK tax and SOFA Agreement restrictions, refuelling onsite is not allowed. For example, there are facilities in Brandon as well as at the Five Ways roundabout (B1065 and A11 Junction). For example at RAFM, there are about 6 stations total 3 miles from base.

(12) Over a calendar year, what is the average percentage of time split between low, moderate, and severe bird watch conditions on RAFL and RAFM?

A: At RAFL, according to the monthly reports, the bird watch conditions fluctuate between low and moderate around 10x per month to 40x per month depending on environmental conditions, seasons, migratory patterns, etc. According to historical data, there were only one to two occasions that the condition was raised to severe. The time spent in the elevated condition ranged from 30 min to 9 hrs. The overall average was two hours. The data provided are estimates and it is the Contractor’s responsibility to meet the requirements of the performance work statement.

For RAFM it is approximately 77% LOW, 20% MOD, 3% SEVERE. This can change with seasons, weather, farming practices, etc. The data provided are estimates and it is the

(13) What transition window will be given to account for mobilization, security clearance, and training, given there is a potential requirement to provide a complete new team?

A: The Government is anticipating a 30 day transition period. If more time is required, this needs to be communicated with the Government as soon as possible. It is understood that personnel will require escorts until paperwork is processed. TUPE may or may not be applicable.