26Q0010_Attch 5_Q.A Spreadsheet_DRAFT GOV RESPONSE.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 25 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- FA800326Q0010-DRAFT
About this file
This file is a Question and Answer (Q&A) spreadsheet containing Government responses to 30 vendor inquiries regarding a Draft Request for Quotation (RFQ) for AFMEDCOM POM Working Group Conference Support Services. The Government clarified that this is a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection for small business event planners (NAICS 561920) to serve as prime contractors responsible for securing compliant hotel facilities as part of a turnkey solution. The conference will host approximately 80 attendees and requires a hotel venue within a five-mile driving radius of Falls Church, VA, with check-in on September 13, 2026, and check-out on September 18, 2026 (5 nights, 35 rooms, 175 room-nights). The maximum lodging rate is capped at $275 per night, based on current GSA per diem rates for Falls Church, VA, and is firm with no adjustments permitted. All hotel-imposed auxiliary fees such as electrical drops, A/V patch fees, rigging fees, and exclusive vendor penalties must be included in the Contractor's Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) for CLIN 0001; however, standard commercial fees charged directly to guests (parking, resort fees) are not prohibited.
The Q&A responses confirm that individual travelers will book and pay for rooms directly using Government Travel Charge Cards (GTCC) against a contractor-established block, with no contractor financial liability for un-booked rooms and no Government guarantee of minimum room pickup. The venue selection is quoter-selected, not Government-designated, and Amendment #1 corrected a historical error referencing a specific hotel. For proposal purposes, a hotel email confirming availability and compliant rates is sufficient; binding commitments are required only upon award. The Government anticipated releasing a formal RFQ on or about August 3, 2026, with Q&A and quotation submission deadlines of August 6 and 11, 2026, respectively. No food and beverage, registration services, or post-event evaluations are required. Government-furnished laptops will have standard HDMI and USB-C outputs with Ethernet connectivity but cannot connect to external storage devices. The event dates of September 13–18, 2026, are firm and non-negotiable; quotations proposing alternative dates will be deemed technically unacceptable and excluded from consideration.
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26R0009 Q+A
| FA800326Q0010 | ||
| DRAFT RFQ Attachment 5 - Amendment #1, dated 28 Jul 2026 | ||
| Program Objective Memorandum (POM) Working Group Conference Support Services | ||
| # | Request for Quotation (RFQ) |
Performance Work Statement (PWS) Question RFQ / PWS Document
| Reference | Government Answer | |||
| 1 | Lodging Rate Cap: Section 3.4.2 sets a hard pass/fail ceiling of $275.00/night. Can the Government confirm whether this figure is tied to the current GSA per diem rate for Falls Church, VA / the National Capital Region, and whether it will be adjusted if the applicable per diem changes between now and the formal solicitation release? | PWS 3.4.2 | Confirmed. The $275.00/night maximum lodging rate is based on the currently published GSA per diem for Falls Church, VA, for September 2026. For the purposes of this Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) solicitation, this rate is the firm ceiling for evaluation. No adjustments will be made based on future changes to GSA per diem rates once an official solicitation is issued. Reference: PWS §2.2; RFQ §3.4.2 | |
| 2 | Auxiliary Fees (Section 2.2.2 / Standard 4): The Hotel Coordination Attestation requires certifying that no hotel-imposed auxiliary fees (electrical, union, preferred-vendor A/V patch fees, etc.) will be billed to the Government. Could the Government clarify whether standard resort fees, parking, or gratuities fall within this prohibition, or only fees specifically tied to A/V and vendor exclusivity? | PWS 2.2.2 / Standard 4 | The prohibition on auxiliary fees applies specifically to any charges the proposed hotel may attempt to levy against the Contractor for using third-party vendors or for basic utility access required to perform the PWS (e.g., A/V patch fees, rigging fees, exclusive vendor penalties, electrical drop fees). Standard, commercially-offered fees charged directly to all individual hotel guests (such as parking or resort fees) are not prohibited but must be identified for travelers. Reference: RFQ Attachment 3; PWS §2.4 | |
| 3 | Prime Contractor Structure: Given the NAICS 561920 (Convention and Trade Show Organizers) designation, can the Government confirm that a small business event-planning firm may serve as the prime contractor while subcontracting/partnering with a hotel for the physical venue and lodging block, rather than requiring the hotel itself to be the Quoter of record? | Confirmed. The Government’s acquisition strategy is for a small business event planner (under NAICS 561920) to serve as the prime contractor. The prime contractor is responsible for proposing and securing a compliant hotel facility as part of their turnkey solution. Reference: RFQ §1.1 | ||
| 4 | Formal RFQ Timeline: Section 1.3 lists placeholder dates for the Q&A and quotation submission deadlines. Can the Government provide an estimated timeframe for when the formal RFQ will be released, to help small businesses plan venue coordination accordingly? | PWS 1.3 | AT THE TIME OF THIS RELEASE (28 JUL 2026): THE GOVERNMENT ANTICIPATES RELEASING A FORMAL RFQ ON OR ABOUT 3 AUGUST 2026 WITH Q&A DEADLINE OF 6 AUGUST 2026 AND FINAL QUOTATION DEADLINE OF 11 AUGUST 2026. THESE DATES ARE ESTIMATES AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. NO FORMAL RFQ HAS BEEN RELEASED AT THIS TIME - ONLY RELY ON THESE ESTIMATED DATES FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES. PLEASE REFER TO SAM.GOV FOR ALL UPDATES. Reference: RFQ §1.3 | |
| 5 | Relevant Experience: Will relevant past performance in hotel lodging and meeting-space coordination under NAICS 721110 be considered applicable experience for Technical Capability evaluation, given the overlapping scope of services under this requirement? | This is a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection. Past performance is not a standalone evaluation factor and will not be formally rated. To be deemed technically acceptable, quoters must meet the minimum standards outlined in RFQ §3.4.1. Reference: RFQ §3.1, §3.2 | ||
| 6 | Is this is a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number? | This is a new requirement. There is no incumbent contractor. | ||
| 7 | Venue selection. Attachment 3 (Hotel Attestation) lists a specific “Designated Venue” (Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park), while the RFQ and PWS state that the Quoter selects and proposes the hotel. Could you confirm whether the venue is Government-directed or Quoter-selected? This affects how every offeror prepares and prices its quote. | RFQ Attch 3 (Hotel Attestation) | (Requires DRAFT RFQ Amendment) The Government’s intent is for a Quoter-selected venue. The reference to a specific venue in the draft attachment is an historical error. Action Taken: The Government hereby amends Attachment 3 (DRAFT Hotel & Facility Coordination Attestation) to remove the reference to a specific "Designated Venue" and replaces it with a fill-in block for the Quoter to identify their proposed hotel. The PWS and RFQ §1.1 are correct: the Quoter proposes the venue. Reference: RFQ §1.1; PWS §1.0 | |
| 8 | Lodging pricing and evaluation. Attachment 4 labels the CLIN 0002 room block as “Informational / No Cost,” while RFQ Section 3.4.2 includes the CLIN 0002 room-night cost in the Total Evaluated Price. Could you confirm whether the 175 room-nights are priced, evaluated, and paid to the contractor, or informational only with rooms billed individually to each traveler? | RFQ Attch 4 (Pricing Spreadsheet) | CLIN 0002 is informational for pricing and no-cost for contractual obligation. The proposed room rate will be evaluated as part of the Total Evaluated Price (TEP) to ensure it is at or below the $275.00 per diem cap. However, no funds will be obligated on CLIN 0002. Individual travelers will book their own rooms against the contractor-established block and pay the hotel directly using their Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC). Reference: RFQ §3.4.2; RFQ Attachment 4 | |
| 9 | Room-block risk. If the block is contractor-billed, will the Government commit to a guaranteed minimum room pickup, or is the contractor responsible for the full 175 room-nights regardless of actual attendance? | As stated in the answer to Question 8, the room block is not contractor-billed. The Contractor is responsible for establishing the room block and providing a booking code to the Government. Individual travelers are responsible for booking their own rooms. The Government makes no guarantee regarding room pickup, and the Contractor assumes no financial liability for un-booked rooms under this contract. | ||
| 10 | A/V and auxiliary fees. Full-service hotels in this area commonly require an exclusive in-house A/V provider or charge patch/rigging fees for outside A/V. Could you confirm that in-house hotel A/V priced within CLIN 0001 satisfies the requirement, and that the “no auxiliary fee” attestation means such costs must be included in the firm-fixed price rather than prohibited outright? | Confirmed. Quoters may propose to use either a third-party A/V provider or the hotel’s in-house A/V service. The Hotel Coordination Attestation confirms that regardless of the approach, all associated costs—including any patch fees, rigging fees, or exclusive vendor fees—are included in the Quoter’s Firm-Fixed-Price for CLIN 0001 and will not be billed separately to the Government. Reference: RFQ Attachment 3 | ||
| 11 | Timeline. The Q&A and quotation deadlines in RFQ Section 1.3 are currently blank. Given the September event dates and typical hotel group-contracting lead times, could you share the anticipated formal solicitation release date and firm submission deadlines? | RFQ 1.3 | See answer to Question 4. | |
| 12 | Can you provide the number of attendees? | The PWS requires a Main Conference Space capable of accommodating 80 attendees. Reference: PWS §2.1 | ||
| 13 | Attachment 3 identifies the Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park as the designated venue, while the RFQ and PWS indicate that Quoters are responsible for proposing a qualifying hotel within the required five-mile radius. Could the Government clarify whether all Quoters are required to use the identified hotel, or whether each Quoter may propose its own qualifying venue? | Attach 3, p.1 (Designated Venue); RFQ §2.2.2 (Venue Identification & Map); PWS §1.0 (Geographic Boundary Constraint) | See answer to Question 7. | |
| 14 | Attachment 4 identifies CLIN 0002 (Sleeping Room Block) as “Informational / No Cost,” while the RFQ states that lodging costs will be included in the Total Evaluated Price. Could the Government clarify whether CLIN 0002 is intended solely for evaluation of proposed lodging rates, with individual travelers settling their lodging charges directly with the hotel, or whether lodging costs are to be invoiced by the Contractor? | Attach 4, CLIN 0002; RFQ §3.4.2 (Factor 2: Price); RFQ §2.2.3 | See answer to Question 8. | |
| 15 | RFQ Section 2.2.2 requires written confirmation from the proposed hotel "guaranteeing" a block of 35 standard rooms and identifies an email from the hotel's group sales department or a draft contract as acceptable examples. Could the Government clarify what constitutes a sufficient "guarantee" for proposal purposes? For example, is an email confirming current availability and proposed rates sufficient, or is a binding commitment to hold the room block required? | RFQ §2.2.2 (Lodging Confirmation); RFQ §3.4.1, Standard 3 | For the purposes of proposal submission, an email from an authorized hotel representative confirming availability and the proposed per diem compliant rate for the specified dates is sufficient. A binding commitment is not required at the proposal stage; however, the successful offeror will be contractually obligated to secure the block upon award. Reference: RFQ §2.2.2 | |
| 16 | The PWS does not identify any food and beverage requirements for the conference. Could the Government confirm that food and beverage services are not required under this effort, and clarify whether Quoters should assume any food and beverage minimum commitment when obtaining venue pricing? | PWS §2.1 (Venue and Space Accommodations); Attach 4, CLIN 0001AA (Venue/Facility Space Rental) | Confirmed. There is no requirement for Contractor-provided food and beverage under this PWS. Quoters should not include any food or beverage pricing in their proposals. | |
| 17 | Commercial hotels commonly require deposits or advance payments to reserve meeting space and guest room blocks. For proposal pricing purposes, should Quoters include any hotel-required deposits, advance-payment financing costs, or related fees within the firm-fixed price for CLIN 0001, or does the Government anticipate another payment arrangement for these amounts? | Attach 4, CLIN 0001 (Turnkey Conference Support Services); RFQ §2.2.3 (Part III: Price Quotation) | Any hotel-required deposits or advance payments are the responsibility of the Contractor. All such costs must be included within the Contractor's Firm-Fixed-Price for CLIN 0001. The Government will not make separate advance payments for deposits. Reference: RFQ §2.2.3 | |
| 18 | In the Draft Performance Work Statement on page 2 of 4 it says you need a block of 35 rooms with check-in Sept. 13, and check out September 19. On the Pricing Schedule, Attachment 4, it says you need 175 room nights from September 13-18, 2026. Which is correct? | PWS pg 2 | (Requires DRAFT RFQ Amendment) The PWS correctly states "check-in on 13 September 2026 and check-out on 18 September 2026 (5 nights)". Action Taken: The Government hereby amends Attachment 0 (DRAFT RFQ) and Attachment 4 (DRAFT Pricing Schedule) to more clearly reflect the correct room quantity requirements (35 rooms for 5 nights, which equals 175 room-nights) and check-in and check-out dates (check-in 13 Sep 2026 and check-out 18 Sep 2026). Reference: PWS §2.2; RFQ Amendment #1 2.2.2-2.2.3 | |
| 19 | What meals do you want to include, or beverages do you want to provide, if any? What's the count for the meals? Will you provide refreshments for daily breaks? | See answer to Question 16. | ||
| 20 | Will you need the contractor to handle conference registration? Do you need the contractor to provide staffing for on-site check-in and registration, or will that be handled by government staff? | Registration services are not required under this PWS. | ||
| 21 | Do you want the Contractor to conduct after-event evaluations of the event from the people participating in the conference? | After-event evaluations are not required under this PWS. | ||
| 22 | Regarding Government-furnished laptops for repsentations (PWS 2.3 and 4.0), could the Government confirm the specific output ports available (e.g., standard HDMI, USB-C-D/DisplayPort, or restricted DisplayLink drivers)? Additionally, will government laptops allow external direct-wire network connections or wireless connections if required for synchronized display hardware? | PWS 2.3 & 4.0 | 1| Laptops are equipped with standard HDMI, USB 3, and display-capable USB-C |
2| Laptops provided can be connected to external Networks via built-in Ethernet cable. Computers CAN NOT BE connected to USB devices with inherent storage capability, ability to store data, or and form of external harddrives.
| 23 | PWS 2.3 specifies that setup and testing may occur on "Day 0" (13 September 2026). Will the Government require key personnel to perform a joint dry-run or tech check with Government facilitators on 13 September, or is internal testing by contractor staff sufficient prior to 0800 on 14 September? | PWS 2.3 | Internal testing by the Contractor is sufficient to meet the PWS requirement. The Government does not require a joint dry-run on 13 September. However, the Contractor must have all systems fully operational by 0800 on 14 September for Government verification. Reference: PWS §2.3, §3.0 |
| 24 | PWS 2.4 indicates the Government will not pay auxiliary hotel fees (e.g., electrical drops or internet patch fees) not explicitly priced in the FFP proposal. Can the Government clarify if standard commercial Wi-Fi bandwidth for attendee personal/work devices is expected to be provided by the Contractor under this contract, or will attendees utilize their own cellular/agency hotspots? | PWS 2.4 | Attendees should plan to use their own cellular or agency-provided hotspots. |
| 25 | Does the Government anticipate requiring secure/dedicated network lines for conference facilitators, or will standard presentation setups operating off offline files (e.g., local PowerPoint) suffice? | Standard presentation setups operating from offline files are sufficient. Secure or dedicated network lines are not required. | |
| 26 | PWS 2.2 states the Contractor must secure a dedicated lodging block (~35 rooms) at or below the $275 per diem cap. Is the Government expecting the Contractor to pay for the lodging block directly via a master bill, or will individual attendees book and pay for their own rooms using government travel charge cards (GTCC) against the contractor-established group code? | PWS 2.2 | See answer to Question 8. |
| 27 | What is the Government’s anticipated policy on attrition or unfulfilled rooms within the reserved 35-room block if official travel orders change for participants? | See answer to Question 9. | |
| 28 | In alignment with Air Force and Department of Defense environmental stewardship initiatives, will the Government consider or evaluate vendor-provided post-event sustainability reporting (e.g., waste diversion, paperless event execution, and carbon-offset metrics) within the technical evaluation criteria or past performance factors? | Sustainability reporting is not an evaluation factor for this LPTA source selection. Reference: RFQ §3.4.1 | |
| 29 | Which factor is most important, dates, proximity to AFMED offices, or price? | This is a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) commercial acquisition. Under this methodology, there is no relative importance or trade-off among factors. To be considered for award, a Quoter must meet all minimum technical criteria outlined in the solicitation (which includes the firm dates of 13–18 September 2026 and the 5-mile driving radius of DHHQ). Award will be made to the responsible Quoter who proposes the lowest Total Evaluated Price (TEP) among those deemed "Technically Acceptable". Reference: RFQ §3.1, §3.2, §3.3 | |
| 30 | If price is the primary factor, would you be willing to consider other dates if it significantly affected pricing? | No. The event dates of 13–18 September 2026 are firm and non-negotiable due to critical AFMEDCOM programmatic constraints. Quotations proposing alternative dates will be evaluated as "Technically Unacceptable" and will be immediately excluded from award consideration. Reference: PWS §2.1; RFQ §3.4.1 |
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