Solicitation Q_A 21 July 2026_signed.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER (AFLCMC) WRIGHT-

PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE OHIO

21 July 2026

SUBJECT: Response to Inquiries regarding Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

FA860126Q0098, Air Force Marathon – Portable Water Tanks Rental

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. QUESTION: The PWS requires 55 portable water tanks but identifies valve configurations for only 25 tanks: 21 tanks with speed-fitting valves and four tanks without. Please confirm the required valve configuration for all 55 tanks

ANSWER: Each tank should be capable of filling a 5-gallon water cooler and single size cups.

2. QUESTION: Does each of the 25 hydration stations receive one primary dispensing tank, with the remaining 30 tanks serving as reserve, replenishment, or overflow capacity?

ANSWER: There is a total of 24 locations that will receive tanks. Some will receive one (1) while others will need four (4). This is dependent on the expected number of participants to contact that station.

3. QUESTION: Please provide the anticipated number of tanks assigned to each hydration station.

ANSWER: There is a total of 24 locations that will receive tanks. Some will receive one (1) while others will need four (4). This is dependent on the expected number of participants to contact that station

4. QUESTION: Must every tank include at least two attached food-grade hoses, or may multiple tanks at one station feed a shared dispensing manifold?

ANSWER: Tanks should operate independently of one another.

5. QUESTION: Please provide the desired hose length, hose diameter, fitting type, and dispensing-nozzle requirements

ANSWER: Hose and attachments should be similar in size and operation to a standard garden hose.

6. QUESTION: Please clarify what is meant by a “speed-fitting valve,” including any required size, connection type, or performance standard.

ANSWER: “Speed fitting valve” is a ball type valve used to quickly fill 5-gallon water coolers.

7. QUESTION: Must the tanks be certified for potable-water storage under NSF/ANSI 61, FDA food-contact requirements, or another recognized standard?

ANSWER: Yes, tanks shall be certified for potable-water storage.

8. QUESTION: Must the hoses, valves, fittings, and dispensing components also be certified for potable-water use

ANSWER: Yes, hoses, valves, fittings, and dispensing components must also be certified for potable-water use

9. QUESTION: Is the contractor responsible for cleaning and sanitizing every tank before filling? If so, what records or certifications must be provided?

ANSWER: Yes. A detailed explanation of the cleaning/sanitations process with products used must be submitted

10. QUESTION: Is bacteriological or other water-quality testing required before delivery or during the event?

ANSWER: In the past this was not necessary with the water being supplied by a known potable source and the standard cleaning process being explained by the contractor. It may be required depending on the source of the water.

11. QUESTION: Will municipal potable water supplied by a licensed bulk-water delivery company be acceptable?

ANSWER: Yes, that will be acceptable.

12. QUESTION: Must the licensed water-delivery contractor be identified with the quotation, or only after award as stated in the PWS?

ANSWER: Licensed water-delivery contractor is a requirement of the PWS and as such, is required to be identified with the quote in order to determine technical acceptability.

13. QUESTION: Must the contractor remain on site throughout the events to monitor water levels, refill tanks, reposition equipment, or address leaks and equipment failures?

ANSWER: All equipment must be in fully functioning order and make it through the event. Quantity of water should be sufficient at each station to supply all expected runners. Due to course and participant presence refill and repairs to tanks is logistically difficult while maintaining runner safety.

14. QUESTION: Are refills expected during the events, or must the initially staged water volume support the full event without replenishment?

ANSWER: The initially staged water volume must support the full event without replenishment

15. QUESTION: What estimated total water volume was consumed during recent Air Force Marathon events?

ANSWER: Estimated 6,000 gallons

16. QUESTION: What additional quantity of tanks should the contractor be prepared to provide under the extreme-heat contingency?

ANSWER: The initially staged water volume must support the full event without replenishment.

Three days’ notice will be given in the event additional tanks are necessary. The exact quantity will depend on many factors.

17. QUESTION: How far in advance of the event will the Government provide notice when additional extreme-heat contingency tanks are required?

ANSWER: Approximately three (3) days.

18. QUESTION: Will the Government provide maps, GPS coordinates, or a site plan identifying all 25 hydration-station locations?

ANSWER: Yes, all will be provided

19. QUESTION: Are all hydration-station locations accessible by commercial trucks, forklifts, and other delivery equipment?

ANSWER: All are accessible by commercial trucks. Some, but not all, are accessible by forklift.

Other delivery equipment would need to be specified to determine if locations are accessible.

20. QUESTION: Are any stations located on grass, soft ground, trails, slopes, medians, or other surfaces requiring specialized vehicles, ground protection, or smaller equipment?

ANSWER: Locations are on a variety of surfaces including grass, gravel, asphalt, concrete, streets, sidewalks, etc.

21. QUESTION: May tanks be delivered and staged before they are filled, or must placement and filling occur during the same mobilization?

ANSWER: Delivery process is at the discretion of the contractor.

22. QUESTION: What is the earliest permitted delivery and setup time on the Friday before the event?

ANSWER: The commercial truck gate opens at 0600 and delivery can begin after inspection.

23. QUESTION: What is the exact deadline by which all tanks must be placed, filled, connected, and ready for Government inspection?

ANSWER: 2300 hours

24. QUESTION: What time must removal begin and be completed after the Saturday events?

ANSWER: Removal begins during the event and must be completed by 1500

25. QUESTION: Must the contractor provide attendants or operators at each hydration station during the races?

ANSWER: No, attendants or operators are not required.

26. QUESTION: Will Government personnel or volunteers be responsible for dispensing water and electrolyte beverages during the events?

ANSWER: Volunteers

27. QUESTION: Are cups, tables, 10-gallon coolers, ice, electrolyte products, pumps, generators, barricades, signage, and waste receptacles excluded from the contractor’s scope?

ANSWER: Yes, the listed are excluded/ not part of the required work for this effort.

28. QUESTION: Must the contractor provide cleanup associated with water spills, hose leaks, damaged equipment, or tank-related debris?

ANSWER: Contractor should be available to attend to these issues if they are causing a lack of support or loss of product. Every effort should be made to eliminate this as any repairs during the event will be extremely difficult to arrange.

29. QUESTION: Are gravity-fed dispensing systems acceptable, or are pumps or pressurized systems required?

ANSWER: Gravity is acceptable.

30. QUESTION: Is a pre-award or pre-performance site visit available to review station locations, access, terrain, and staging requirements?

ANSWER: A pre-award site visit will not be offered, however, pre-performance site visit can be accommodated.

31. QUESTION: Does the CMMC Level 1 requirement apply only to the prime contractor, or must each operational subcontractor also hold and record a separate CMMC Level 1 assessment?

ANSWER: The CMMC requirement will only be checked for the prime contractor. The prime contractor is responsible to ensuring their subs are compliant with all contractual requirements.

32. QUESTION: Does the Service Contract Labor Standards wage determination apply to all personnel performing delivery, setup, event support, refilling, monitoring, and removal?

ANSWER: The wage determination will apply to delivery, set up and removal.

33. QUESTION: If the operating subcontractor is local to the Dayton/Wright-Patterson area, should travel be shown as zero, or must travel still be separately identified in the pricing breakdown?

ANSWER: If travel is not required, do not include it in the price breakdown. Additionally, travel can be factored into the total price of the rental services.

34. QUESTION: Should each base-year and option-year price include anticipated escalation for labor, fuel, water, equipment rental, insurance, and transportation?

ANSWER: An award is anticipated to be made to the lowest-price technically acceptable offeror.

Pricing is at the discretion of the company so long as the quoted price can be determined to be fair and reasonable.

35. QUESTION: Please clarify how the six-month extension price under RFO 52.217-8 should be calculated for a service that is normally performed once annually during the marathon event.

ANSWER: Price is based of the period of performance for the six months.

36. QUESTION: May the prime contractor use separate committed subcontractors for tanks, potable water, trucking, forklifts, labor, and event support, while retaining full responsibility for contract performance?

ANSWER: Yes

37. QUESTION: Are past-performance references required with the quotation? If so, may the

Government consider relevant performance of committed key subcontractors when the prime is a newly established contractor?

ANSWER: If past performance is required, it will be stated within the solicitation. Clause 52.212- 2 outlines how the Government will evaluate offerors.

38. QUESTION: Is proof of insurance required with the quotation or only after award?

ANSWER: We recommend providing proof of insurance at time of quote, but it is not required.

39. QUESTION: Please identify any minimum insurance requirements for commercial vehicles, general liability, workers’ compensation, environmental incidents, or potable-water contamination.

ANSWER: Not applicable.

40. QUESTION: Will the Government accept signed subcontractor commitment letters as evidence of tank availability, potable-water capability, delivery capacity, staffing, and backup resources?

ANSWER: Yes, so long as the contractor can show within their capabilities statement, which is required to be submitted with their quote, that they can meet the Government need.

41. QUESTION: Please confirm whether all 55 tanks must be individually removed immediately following the Saturday events, or whether removal may continue into an approved later time window

ANSWER: Removal begins during the event and must be completed by 1500

42. QUESTION: Are the tanks expected to be delivered empty and filled after placement, or may they arrive partially or fully filled if vehicle weight and access conditions permit?

ANSWER: Delivery process is at the discretion of the contractor.

43. QUESTION: Will the Government provide any on-site water connection or hydrant access, or should the contractor assume all portable water must be transported to each station?

ANSWER: Water will need to filled from a central location and transported to each station.

44. QUESTION: Are there any restrictions on tank material, including polyethylene, stainless steel, fiberglass, or lined tanks?

ANSWER: There are no restrictions on tank construction if tank can safely perform its required function.

45. QUESTION: Are tank trailers acceptable, or must all tanks be freestanding and removable from the delivery vehicles?

ANSWER: Tank trailers are acceptable in most locations. Some locations will require free standing units due to space limitations.

46. QUESTION: Is secondary containment required at any hydration station?

ANSWER: No, no secondary containment required.

47. QUESTION: Are locks, tamper-evident seals, covers, or other contamination-control measures required once tanks are staged?

ANSWER: Not currently.

48. QUESTION: Will the Government inspect and accept the tanks and water on Friday after setup, or will acceptance occur only after the Saturday events are completed?

ANSWER: Inspect and Accept can happen any time prior to the start of the Saturday events.

49. QUESTION: Are there required emergency-response times for replacing a failed tank, hose, valve, truck, or water-delivery resource during the event?

ANSWER: All equipment must be in fully functioning order and make it through the event. Quantity of water should be sufficient at each station to supply all expected runners. Due to course and participant presence refill and repairs to tanks is logistically difficult while maintaining runner safety.

50. QUESTION: Please confirm that questions submitted by July 23, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. EDT will be considered and that any resulting answers affecting the requirement will be issued to all potential offerors.

ANSWER: Confirmed, as stated in paragraph 4.

Amanda J. Hoyng Contracting Officer

AFLCMC/PZIBB