Industry Day QA.pdf

Question Government Response 1 The Response Submission section does not include the time of day submissions are due. Will the Contracting Officer (CO) provide notice with this information?

Submissions are due by close of business, 5pm, eastern standard time, on 14 Jan 22.

2 Please confirm the reference to "Campus Networks" refers to both Base Area Network (BAN) and Wide Area Network

(WAN).

Campus Area Network (CAN) refers only to, what was once referred to as, the Base Area Network (BAN). It does NOT include the Wide Area Network (WAN).

3 Please provide additional information to clarify the following: "“The government is considering a number of approaches, to include large and small business pools, or multi award, one-pool vehicles.”

The overall contract will be a Multiple Award IDIQ; Single Award Task Orders for base modernization and SB pool for hardware. The Government does not have an anticipated number of awardees.

All service TO awards will be awarded in accordance with FAR Part 16 procedures and all hardware buys will be SB set aside.

4 We are interested in replying to selected parts of the RFI that pertain to our solutions. As an OEM, we will not be priming; typically, our capabilities will be part of one or more proposals once the RFP comes out. Given that, are we or other OEMs permitted to reply directly and in a targeted manner or must we reply through a company that intends to prime with a comprehensive solution?

During the RFI period, companies can respond directly to any applicable question(s).

5 Will the updated Technical Requirements Document (TRD) apply to EITaaS Wave 2 for the BAN?

No, there will be no TRD for BIM.

6 Are there any other Technical Requirements Documents that would apply to the LOE for Network-as-a-Service (NaaS)?

The Wave 2 acquisition will take into account internal government lessons learned from the EITaaS RRE NaaS LOE, but BIM 2 is a separate and distinct effort.

7 Ongoing dialogue with industry is important to successful acquisition. Will the Government schedule 1 -on-1 discussions with industry after the 19 July event?

1-on-1 company discussions are not being considered at this time.

Enterprise IT as a Service (EITaaS) Base Infrastructure Modernization (BIM): Industry Day 1 Q&A

8 The industry day registration form asks whether a company is interested in being a prime for “supplies” and / or “services”.

Is the Government planning a Base Infrastructure Modernization prime contract for supplies and a separate contract for services?

This acquisition is anticipated to be a multiple-award IDIQ. Task Orders will be for modernization of a base or group of bases to meet Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Hardware is anticipated to be procured using a separate pool of IDIQ holders set aside for Small Businesses.

9 Can the Government provide details of the EITaaS Wave 2 phasing (i.e. is BIM a phase of wave 2?), including high level definition of each phase (i.e. capabilities) and the sequence of phasing?

BIM is the entirety of Wave 2. There is no phasing.

10 Will EITaaS Wave 2/BIM be single award or multi-award?

This acquisition is anticipated to be a multiple-award IDIQ.

11 Is CMAC / BITI RESET 2.0 still a separate acquisition or is it being absorbed into EITaaS Wave 2/BIM?

CMAC/BITI RESET will continue at their current location. This program and contract will be the primary mechanism for base modernization for the DAF going forward.

12 It appears that wireless telecommunications is excluded from this EITaaS Wave 2/BIM requirement. Is this intentional?

Wireless telecommunications may be included in the network infrastructure if a vendor plans to utilize it for modernization of a base. Modernizing and expanding WiFi coverage on a base may be a requirement, as may cellular coverage in certain areas of the base.

13 Will the NaaS RRE bases be rolled into EITaaS Wave 2/BIM?

All DAF bases will be included.

14 Does the Government intend to regionalize their approach to EIT? If not, how will bases be added to EITaaS Wave

2/BIM?

Bases have a priority of modernization as determined by the Department. This list will not be public. Bases may be tasked out individually or grouped together based on priority, overseas location or at the Governments discretion.

15 In a multi-award strategy, does the Government intend to procure an overall lead system integration service for this combined effort? Or does the Government intend to be the lead integrator in a multi-award scenario?

The Government does not intend to procure an overall lead system integration service for this confirmed effort. Each Task Order, covering a single or multiple bases, will be operated by the awarded company. The Government will oversee the contract but does not intend for all bases to be under one integrator or design.

16 Will the EITaaS Wave 2/BIM effort include NETOps of existing or modernized networks?

The vendor who wins a Task Order award will be responsible to modernize and operate the base area network of those locations for the length of the award.

17 Will the infrastructure modernization include the new technologies being introduced with BITI RESET (examples include Zero Trust, 5G, SDN, PAM)

The RFP and PWS will detail out the requirements for network modernization for areas like wireless and software defined networking as well as the other government entities and programs that the vendor will be required to interoperate with.

18 How does the EITaaS Wave 2/BIM requirement relate to the draft EITaaS Wave 2 Statement of Objectives released in March 2022? Will that Statement of Objectives be updated?

The Statement of Objectives that was released as part of the 16 November 2021 Wave 2 RFI will be updated and released for review as part of the bidders library.

19 Will the contract be IDIQ? This acquisition is anticipated to be a multiple-award IDIQ.

20 Will there be multiple awardees? This acquisition is anticipated to be a multiple-award IDIQ.

21 What contract vehicle(s) will be used? A contract vehicle will be created. GSA, NASA SEWP, and others will not be used.

22 Will the evaluation process include a down-select? If so, what criteria will be used in the down-select?

This has not been determined.

23 Will the award be based on Best Value? The current strategy is to award an IDIQ to all qualified offers and will not include a price evaluation.

24 Will the RFP require oral presentations of bidder’s solutions?

Not at this time.

25 Will a written technical/management response be required?

The Government anticipates a requirement to provide written/technical management response.

26 Will Contractor Teaming Agreements be required?

The Government's strategy does not anticipate use of Contractor Teaming Agreements (a strategy unique to FAR Part 8). However, we anticipate a requirement for utilization of small business subcontractors.

27 How many bases will be included in the first Task Order?

This has not been determined.

28 What is the estimated date for release of Draft RFP?

The Government anticipates release of the draft RFP in early quarter 4 in calendar year 2022.

29 Will the Draft RFP include a Draft PWS? Yes, a draft PWS will be released as part of the Draft RFP package.

30 What is the estimated date for release of Final RFP?

The Government anticipates release of the final RFP in early quarter 1 of calendar year 2023.

31 What is the anticipated date of award? The Government anticipates award of the IDIQ by quarter 2 of calendar year 2023 and the first task order for performance by quarter 3 of calendar year 2023.

32 What is the Period of Performance? The IDIQ is anticipated to have an ordering period covering 10 years; a 5 year basic ordering period and a 5 year option.

33 Will BITI Reset 2.0 and Wave 2 be two separate contracts or combined on a single contract?

Base Infrastructure Modernization is the program that will be the prime mechanism for DAF base modernization for the future.

34 What small business requirements do you plan to levy on this contract?

The Government anticipates a small business pool for hardware requirements.

and a requirement for small business commitment for service requirements.

35 How will task orders be organized? By region? By MAJCOM?

Task Orders will be arranged according to an internal Department of the Air Force prioritized list of bases.

36 Can you describe in detail the relationship between EITaaS Wave 2 and BITI Reset 2.0?

Base Infrastructure Modernization is the program that will be the prime mechanism for DAF base modernization for the future. Wave 2 and BITI Reset 2.0 requirements are incorporated into BIM.

37 When do you expect BITI 2.0 bases to be managed by an EITaaS Wave 2 awardee(s)?

There is only one BITI 2.0 base and modernization/transition to the BIM program will occur when the DAF determines.

38 How will the Air Force determine what bases will be EITaaS Wave 2 bases and which ones will be BITI Reset 2.0 bases?

Base Infrastructure Modernization is the program that will be the prime mechanism for DAF base modernization for the future.

39 Will enterprise core services, such as Active Directory and DNS, be a part of Wave 2 requirements?

No, we are not expecting the BIM contractor to take those services over.

40 Will Internet Access Point, Cloud Access Point and CSfC be in scope?

Not at this time. SIPR modernization is a requirement and if a vendor feels CSfC is a viable solution for SIPR modernization on a base and can design a solution that can connect users to enterprise SIPR infrastructure that can be included in a proposal.

41 Will Air National Guard and Reserve bases be included?

Yes.

42 Will Air National Guard, Reserve and Space Force bases be included in EITaaS Wave 2?

ANG, AFRC and USSF bases are included in the BIM program.

43 Please provide Air Force definition of As-a-Service?

Providing service to a dictated Service Level Agreement.

44 There are several overlaps between base infrastructure modernization efforts such as BITI, SIPRNet Modernization and EITaaS Wave 2. Will the government clarify how they envision these programs will either work together or unify under a single acquisition structure?

The existing base infrastructure and modernization programs will converge and sunset. Base Infrastructure Modernization will be the prime mechanism for DAF modernization for the future.

45 Will EITaaS Wave 2 and/or BITI have a SB set-aside?

Wave 2, now known as BIM, will have a small business pool for hardware requirements.

46 What are the number of anticipated awardees for EITaaS Wave 2 and/or BITI?

Will there be lots and/or pools between SB and full and open competition?

The Government anticipates a multiple-award IDIQ across two pools: a full-and-open pool for Task Orders and pool for hardware that is set aside for small businesses. The Government does not have an anticipated number of awardees.

47 Will the government provide a timeline for projected RFI and RFP dates for EITaaS Wave 2 and/or BITI?

All RFIs were released in November 2021 and April 2022. The Government anticipates release of the draft RFP in early quarter 4 in calendar year 2022. The Government anticipates release of the final RFP in early quarter 1 of calendar year 2023.

48 Is the government planning to hold 1-on- 1 discussions with vendors?

1-on-1 company discussions are not being considered at this time.

49 How will ODCs (e.g. hardware, licensing) be acquired? As part of the EITaaS Wave 2 and/or BITI program or through an existing government HW/SW vehicle (e.g.

2GIT, JELA, ELA)?

The Government is still analyzing this question and a response will be posted once one is determined.

50 Does the government expect base infrastructure modernization efforts to include additional responsibilities such as Sustainment (e.g. break/fix) and O&M (e.g. patching, configuring, move/add/change actions)?

The Government expects a full modernization and vendor operation of the Base Area Network dictated by a Service Level Agreement.

51 Will the Government use a similar gating down select criteria for Wave 2? If yes, then can the Government please provide the requirements to Industry?

This has not been determined.

52 Will the Government require a Wave 2 oral's presentation under a similar format as Wave 1? If yes, then can the Government please provide the requirements to Industry?

Not at this time.

53 Is a Contractor Teaming Agreement (CTA) required to bid? If yes, then can the Government please provide the requirements to Industry?

The Government's strategy does not anticipate use of Contractor Teaming Agreements (a strategy unique to FAR Part 8). However, we anticipate a requirement for utilization of small business subcontractors.

54 Under Wave 1, the Government released multiple draft solicitations. Is it the Government's intention to release a draft solicitation? If yes, then at a minimum can the Government release Sections B, C, L and M to Industry?

Yes, the government will release draft solicitation including sections B, C, L, and M in the draft RFP.

55 What are the small business requirements for Wave 2? Will it be similar to Wave 1?

The Government anticipates a small business pool for hardware requirements.

and a requirement for small business commitment for service requirements.

This acquisition is being conducted differently than Wave 1.

56 Will there be a single award or multiple awards as in an IDIQ? If so, how many potential awards will be made?

The Government anticipates a multiple-award IDIQ across two pools: a full-and-open pool for Task Orders and pool for hardware that is set aside for small businesses. The Government does not have an anticipated number of awardees.

57 Will the Government release the solicitation via GSA? Will CTA co-primes be required to have a GSA MAS? Will the Government provide the correct SINs?

No, this will be a DAF owned IDIQ and will not utilize the GSA schedule or contract structure.

58 What contract type will the Government use, i.e., firmed fixed price (FFP) and material (T&M) similar to Wave 1? Can the Government discuss the contract line item number (CLIN) construct for evaluation and task order execution? Will the pricing tables require a combination of FFP labor hours or some other combination depending on the service/work?

The contract will be a mixture of CLIN types. T&M is not currently being considered. Documentation will be released in a bidders library when it is ready.

59 Will there be an awardable BPA Task Order similar to Wave 1 if single award? If multiple award BPA, will the Government include BPA Task Order similar to Wave 1? If yes to either question, then can the Government please provide the requirements to Industry?

The Government anticipates a multiple award IDIQ and not a BPA. The Government will provide requirements when a bidders library is released.

60 How will the Government issue task orders under Wave 2? Is it anticipated that the transition will be by MAJCOM or by geographic area?

Based on an internal only list of prioritized bases. The prioritization is not necessarily grouped by MAJCOM or geographic area.

61 Will the base network be a Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO) effort (managed service offering) or a Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO) effort? If a COCO effort, will the contractor take control of current base communications equipment? Will there be other capabilities (e.g., ICAM) that will be GFE?

The Government anticipates this to use a GOCO model. Any equipment physically on a DAF installation will be GOCO. Any equipment that a contractor uses off-premises for remote network operations will be COCO. Contractors will be required to operate, maintain and track accountability of on-base equipment in coordination with the Government entities on site.

62 Will the base network include communications support for the entire base including inside of base buildings (government housing, offices, maintenance centers, etc.)? What are the boundaries of base coverage and the quality/service required within these boundaries?

Yes. The current plan for scope is for the contractor to provide connectivity for users from device to the base Software Defined Perimeter (SDP). The SDP will remain under government control and operations.

63 Are base tenants (and their network requirements) included in this effort?

This effort is responsible for network modernization and operations for the base, but not for tenant devices.

64 What is the anticipated interface with 16th AF regarding cyber security interactions?

There will be requirements for passing cybersecurity data to the 16th AF as well as interacting with network operators responsible for the base boundary. These responsibilities will be defined in a Concept of Operations (CONOPs).

65 What are the key performance indicators for Wave 2? What are the measures of success? Will the Government require Service Level Agreements? How will the government independently measure these? Will the Government require penalties/credits?

The Government expects a full modernization and contractor operation of the Base Area Network dictated by a Service Level Agreement.

66 We understand there are other tenants on base. How will those tenents be supported by the Wave 2 contract? How will the Government incorporate those contracts into Wave 2?

This effort is responsible for network modernization and operations for the base, but not for tenant devices.

67 Will ANG, AFRC and CRTC locations independent of active duty Air Force installations be covered in the procurement? How about Air Force tenets on Joint Bases where executive agency responsibilities is another service?

The Government intends to have all DAF bases included on this IDIQ. Joint Bases where the DAF is the supporting Service are included in BIM. Locations where the DAF is a supported service are not included.

68 Will there be base level communications service requirements to connect/integrate with Platform One environments?

Contractors will be responsible for ensuring base tenants have connectivity from user devices/mission area up to the base boundary and as required by the base customer.

69 Will there be base level communications service requirements to integrate with ABMS/JADC2? Or will the requirement be to interface with ABMS/JADC2?

Contractors will be responsible for ensuring base tenants have connectivity from user devices/mission area up to the base boundary and as required by the base customer.

70 Are there WAN requirements to support GSU endpoints? What is in scope within the DoDIN and what is out of scope within the DoDIN?

No. The scope of this effort is for base area networks only.

71 What implementation (scope) model will be used, e.g., Air Force, MAJCOM, Region, Base, size, COI?

Based on an internal only list of prioritized bases. The prioritization is not necessarily grouped by MAJCOM or geographic area.

72 What are the base level security boundary models to be supported?

Vendors will be responsible for interfacing with the government provided base boundary, whether that be a traditional Software Defined Perimeter or a Zero Trust methodology.

73 Will the vendor be responsible for cross domain services?

No, not a requirement at this time.

74 What are the authority to operate (ATO) requirements? For instance, will it be granted at the base level or a service/solution/method level, e.g., per base, service capability within a base, comprehensive solution utilized by multiple bases?

The contractor will be responsible for working with the government and base entities to procure a base level ATO.

75 Is the scope of this base modernization program inclusive of technology upgrade / insertion, and maintenance, or Service Delivery and maintenance only? Industry understands that DAF is issuing BITI 2.0 RFP, how does this impact Wave 2?

Base Infrastructure Modernization will be the primary mechanism for DAF base modernization and operations going forward. Legacy programs will continue until those bases are subsumed by BIM.

76 What is the CLIN structure envisioned? As Wave 2 is providing IDIQ services at the base level, CLINS defined supporting the standard IDIQ services provided in addition to the required T&M rates provides the most cost effective, reproducible results for DAF and end user.

The contract will be a mixture of CLIN types. T&M is not currently being considered. Documentation will be released in a bidders library when it is ready.

77 The RRE / OTA supported services at the MAJCOM+ level. As you move to Wave2, will this contract be available to ALL base tenants? This provides the most cost effective approach and consistent service for each base in scope.

BIM will be available to all base tenants.

78 Will the Government provide an updated acquisition schedule for Wave 2? What is the anticipated RFP response time frame?

The Government anticipates release of the draft RFP in early quarter 4 in calendar year 2022. The Government anticipates release of the final RFP in early quarter 1 of calendar year 2023.

79 What are the service demarcation points for each identified service?

BIM vendors will be responsible for modernizing and operating the base area network from user/mission device to the base boundary.

80 What is the concept of operations relating to how Waves 1, 2, and 3 will interact? Is the expectation that the Wave 2 vendor(s) provide primary NOC and or SOC capabilities for all base level services?

BIM CONOPs is currently in development to define the required interactions between Wave 1, BIM and other DAF stakeholders. BIM contractors will be responsible for modernizing and operating the base area network.

Required services and expectations will be outlined in the PWS.

81 What is the concept of operations relating to how Waves 1, 2, and 3 interact relating to end customer interface? Is the expectation that the Wave2 vendor(s) provide full help desk capabilities supporting end customer call receipt, service delivery, maintenance for the end to end service requirements, or will this be addressed by Waves 1 and 3?

Help desk is not a requirement for BIM but the contractor will be responsible to use and integrate with the Wave 1 Enterprise ITSM solution for ticket passing and resolution. All parties involved will be subject to SLAs specific to their services.

82 What is the security classification requirements for this contract? A significant portion of services are unclassified via NIPR; however, there are SIPR facilities at each location. Does the offeror require SCIF facilities?

The security classification will depend on the network operations at each base. The contractor should be expected to have a clearance level sufficient to work on NIPR and SIPR.

83 Is the Wave 2 program currently funded?

If no, what is the funding plan for the

APOM?

The Government will not be discussing funding plans with industry.

84 Will the government release a bidder's library for discovery that includes results from the NaaS RRE?

There will be a bidders library at a later date. The government captured lessons learned during RRE in order to inform better provisioning of services by the government. The government does not intend to release any lessons learned from the EITaaS RREs.

85 How will the government acquire services? What elements of the acquisition will be managed services?

How will the Government evaluate a contractor workforce?

The Government will acquire services through issuing Task Orders on the IDIQ.

This entire contract will be services based with the exception of the small business pool providing hardware. The effort involves the full takeover of the BAN at a base. Evaluation Criteria is not releasable at this time.

86 What does the government consider as the important elements of a transition-out plan?

Aspects of any transition plan are not yet determined and are expected to vary by Task Order.

87 Would the Government consider holding one-on-one meetings with potential Industry bidders before release of the final solicitation? This could be very beneficial to the Government. More candid discussions with the interested parties could resolve acquisition and technical requirement gaps providing clarity to Government decisionmakers prior to release of the final solicitation.

This could avoid delays in the acquisition process and eliminate any potential pre-and post-award protests.

Not at this time.

88 What is the role of the Government in coordinating Wave 1/2/3? Who is responsible for integration of the overall efforts? How does the Government define the boundaries, such as Core-to- Edge, Edge-to-Edge.

Government is responsible for coordinating between vendor implemented solutions at the base and other EIT initiatives. The contractor will be responsible for End User Device to Base Boundary.

89 Will the Government ask for contractor inputs on the CLIN structure?

The Government will consider feedback once the draft bidders library documents are released. However, the Government has a CLIN structure in mind that has been crafted though various lessons learned.

90 Will the Government provide the dependencies between Waves 1, 2 and 3?

BIM CONOP will define dependencies between the BIM program scope and other EIT intiatives.

91 What are the relevant experience/past performance requirements for Wave 2?

What are the expectations for the number of citations and what is the consideration for prime/sub allotment?

Similar to Wave 1, will past performance/experience be part of gate 1, gate 2 or both?

Components of evaluation will be provided when the RFP is released.

92 What are the Government plans for change management and what are the contractor roles in change management?

How will change management be evaluated?

Changes will flow through the ITSM mechanism.

93 Is there a preferred enterprise cloud approach? How does AF's Cloud ONE integrate with Wave 2?

The scope of this effort is focused on base network transport. If a contractor solution requires cloud capabilities, the contractor would need to propose a solution.

94 Has the AF defined security requirements, such as Zero Trust and

ICAM?

These requirements have not been solidified by other programs. However, once those requirements are approved the contractor will be required to implement.

95 User Experience is a large part of Wave 1.

How will the Government delineate requirements for Wave 2 User Experience?

The government will detail any service requirements regarding User Experience at time of RFP release.

96 Assuming this is awarded as an IDIQ, will the government provide a fulfillment plan for the life of the contract, i.e., list of all the anticipated IDIQ task orders?

TOs will not be listed. There is not a definitized number.

97 Since the SOO says "Wave 2 provides users the ability to connect DAF approved devices ..." is it envisioned that the Wave 2 contractor will have a role in enforcing device compliance especially in support of the future Zero Trust concept?

The BIM contractor solution will be required to technically integrate with the future Zero Trust solution.

98 How will the Government evaluate how contractors will approach planning and engineering in support of future enterprise initiatives? Will they Government provide scenarios for evaluation?

Components of evaluation will be provided when the RFP is released.

99 Will the Wave 2 contractor take over operations and responsibility for SIPRNet infrastructure provisioned by the SIPR ISN program?

Yes, Base level SIPR operations and administration are part of the BIM scope.

100 What mechanisms, access or engagements will the Government require to facilitate C2 at Wave 2 bases?

Government and contractor interactions will be defined when the services TOs are awarded.

101 What is Government's operational support model under Wave 2? Has the Government considered the walk-in take over (WITO) scenarios? If yes, then can the Government provide those scenarios to Industry? Will the contractor need to support existing base infrastructure prior to modernization and/or refresh? Is the Wave 2 contractor responsible for modernization or is that responsibility via other contracts, such as BITI?

The contractor will be responsible for taking over operations of networks on bases and modernizing them to meet the service level agreements.

102 What are the FISMA and FedRAMP requirements in Wave 2?

FISMA and FedRAMP requirements, if applicable, will be stated in the RFP.

103 How does the recently awarded European-Wide Information Enterprise Network procurement compliment the EITaaS procurements, specifically Wave 2?

The Government will deconflict DAF IT requirements and programs at the BIM bases as they are modernized.

104 Wave 2 Network as a Service and the BITI Reset program overlap in requirements.

Are they being merged together, or will they be two separate programs?

Base Infrastructure Modernization is the program that will be the prime mechanism for DAF base modernization for the future. Wave 2 and BITI Reset 2.0 requirements are incorporated into BIM.

105 Will the Wave 2 solicitation be focused on “As a Service” inclusive of services and equipment or will the equipment be a resale/owned by the DAF?

The Government anticipates a multiple-award IDIQ across two pools: a full-and-open pool for Task Orders and pool for hardware that is set aside for small businesses.

106 Will expeditionary types of kits/services be expected from vendors to address COOP/DR, ACE concepts?

COOP/DR will be part of the BIM scope and will be defined in the PWS.

107 What sites and organizations will be included in the Wave 2 scope? The RFI referenced 150 sites. Will this include all MAJCOMs, Space Force, and GSU locations?

Every DAF base.

108 Will Wave 2 be a single or multiple award acquisition? If multiple awards, how will the DAF establish an enterprise network that works together?

BIM will establish a Multi Award IDIQ with services based TOs. The scope of BIM will be focused on base network, the government will retain management of the AFNet and other government wide area networks.

109 If the BITI Reset 2.0 program moves forward with a separate acquisition, will it be a multiple award IDIQ like past BITI programs? If yes, how many awards are anticipated?

BIM is the DAF program for base modernization going forward.

110 What is the schedule for the Wave 2 acquisition regarding a draft solicitation, final solicitation, award date, and contract start date?

The Government anticipates release of the draft RFP in early quarter 4 in calendar year 2022. The Government anticipates release of the final RFP in early quarter 1 of calendar year 2023.

Additional dates are included in the Industry Day charts.

111 What is the schedule for the BITI Reset program if it remains as a separate program regarding a draft solicitation, final solicitation, award date, and contract start date?

BIM is the DAF program for base modernization going forward.

112 Wave 1 had funding defined at the Enterprise Level, and then individual task orders for support at the bases were funded by MAJCOM/bases. How will Wave 2 and associated task orders be funded?

The Government is not prepared to release information regarding funding at this time.

113 Like Wave 1, will field services be optional for the MAJCOMs to select?

Field services will not be optional. This is an additive acquisition; there is a base level of performance that will be required but some Task Orders may require more stringent requirements to meet mission needs. For example, a standard of 95% uptime may be additionally specified to be 98% uptime for a location.

114 Which contract vehicle is the DAF considering for Wave 2 and the BITI Reset acquisitions?

The Government anticipates a multiple-award IDIQ across two pools: a full-and-open pool for Task Orders and pool for hardware that is set aside for small businesses.

115 Will there be industry 1:1 sessions? If yes, please open this to companies interested beyond those that responded to the RFI.

Not at this time.

116 What will be the Small Business Requirements for Wave 2? BITI Reset Program?

The Government anticipates a small business pool for hardware requirements.

and a requirement for small business commitment for service requirements.

117 Will there be Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) requirements in the acquisition?

Yes, the Government anticipates a requirement for an SCRM plan.

118 For both Wave 2 and BITI (if separate acquisition), please share current plans in terms of the solicitation response requirements such as Technical Volume, Management Volume, Small Business, Past Performance, Pricing, etc.

The government will be releasing draft documentation as part of the Bidder's Library and will be hosting a future Industry Day to engage with Industry.

119 For both Wave 2 and BITI (if separate acquisition), how does the DAF plan to evaluate the solicitation? What will be the evaluation factors and weighting utilized?

The Government is not releasing evaluation information at this time.

120 Will there be Orals as part of the acquisition process for Wave 2 and/or BITI Reset?

Not at this time.

121 We recommend you have Orals to clarify questions the DAF evaluators have regarding the proposals.

The Government will continue to analyze evaluation strategies and processes as appropriate to the acquisition.

122 When will the EITaaS Wave 1 award be made and will the awardee be limited in any way to participate in either Wave 2 or the BITI Reset programs?

The Government does not anticipating a restriction that would preclude Wave 1 awardees.

123 Can the Wave 1 awardee or Wave 1 CTA partner participate in Wave 2 as a prime or sub-contractor?

The Government does not anticipate a restriction that would preclude Wave 1 awardees.

124 What major lessons learned (people, process, technology) from the NaaS RRE are you incorporating into the Wave 2 approach?

The government captured lessons learned during RRE in order to inform better provisioning of services by the government. The government does not intend to release any lessons learned from the EITaaS RREs.

125 What are the primary lessons learned from the Tyndall AFB experience – what elements are being carried forward into Wave 2 if any?

The government captured lessons learned in order to inform better provisioning of services by the government.

126 What lessons learned from the Wave 1 acquisition effort are you incorporating into the Wave 2 approach?

The government captured lessons learned during RRE in order to inform better provisioning of services by the government. The government does not intend to release any lessons learned from the EITaaS RREs.

127 What will be the small business participation requirements be for Wave 2?

The Government anticipates a small business pool for hardware requirements.

and a requirement for small business commitment for service requirements.

128 Could the Government discuss the acquisition timeline through award AND could the Government discuss BITI requirements and if those will be incorporated into EITaaS?

The Government anticipates release of the draft RFP in early quarter 4 in calendar year 2022. The Government anticipates release of the final RFP in early quarter 1 of calendar year 2023.

Additional dates are included in the Industry Day charts.

129 Will the slides be posted? Also, the list of attendees?

Slides will be posted along with the formal answers for questions asked during industry day. Attendee list will not be provided.

130 Will the Government discuss lessons learned from the RREs?

The government captured lessons learned during RRE in order to inform better provisioning of services by the government. The government does not intend to release any lessons learned from the EITaaS RREs.

131 What NAICs code are you looking to use to define the small business standard?

At this time the Government anticipates utilizing NAICS 517311 for service TO's and 334210 for the hardware SB Vendor Pool.

132 For the material buys, will 2GIT be leveraged or another BPA or vehicle?

The Government is still analyzing this question and a response will be posted once one is determined.

133 Will there be a SB pool in the contract? Yes, for Hardware requirements under the IDIQ.

134 Can the Government define "Black Core"? The Layer 1 transport lines on the base network.

135 Total Contract Value? This will be provided with a draft RFP release.

136 Will you allow on-ramps as companies recertify themselves?

We are working through how we will do initial on-ramp of IDIQ and periodicity of subsequent on ramps as the program progresses.

137 Will you sponsor companies that do not have clearance? if not, what provisions are there to allow qualified SBs to get a seat at this table?

Requirements are still being drafted and will be released with the RFP.

138 Do you have a targeted number of awardees?

We do not have a targeted number. We are working through evaluation plans for IDIQ and SB pool.

139 Will Prime AND subcontractors be required to have facility clearance or just the Prime?

Requirements are still being drafted and will be released with the RFP.

140 Will companies need to have a DCAA certified accounting system and/or approved purchasing system since you are requiring material purchase?

Recipients of Task Orders that use other than Firm Fixed Price contract types will be required to have systems that are approved for use for those contract types.

The Government anticipates that orders for hardware will be exclusively Firm Fixed price.

141 How many total awards? how many SB awards? will there be socio-economic specific awards?

The Government does not have an anticipated number of total awards. The Government anticipates a small business pool for hardware requirements. and a requirement for small business commitment for service requirements.

142 Do you plan to use a scorecard based

RFP?

The Government is not releasing evaluation information at this time.

143 Do you plan on Centralized Ordering or De-Centralized Ordering with the ID/IQ at the Task Order Level?

The Government anticipates the resulting IDIQs will be centralized.

144 Does increasing wireless capabilities include the flightline?

Yes.

145 Will there be any CMMI/ISO or CMMC requirements for this effort?

Evaluation criteria will be published alongside release of the solicitation.

146 Will you require small and large businesses to compete with each other on the TOs or will TOs be set aside for SBs?

The Government anticipates the service pool to be awarded on a full-and-open basis and orders competed without set asides. The Government anticipates the hardware pool to be awarded as a small business set-aside.

147 Will the Small Business Buy Pool be separate from the TOs? If so, will a SB be required to be an IDIQ holder?

In order to participate in the program, a contractor must hold an IDIQ in the pool they are competing for orders under.

148 Will equipment (tech refresh) TO's be set-aside for SB only?

Yes.

149 How many awards for each pool are anticipated?

The Government does not have an anticipated number of awards.

150 Question: please clarify places of performance

All DAF Bases, CONUS and OCONUS.

151 What will be the required interfacing with

DISA?

Interactions with other government entities will be defined in the BIM CONOP and contractor responsibilities will be detailed in the PWS.

152 will you allow teaming after IDIQ award or do companies have to submit their subcontractors/team members at the time of proposal submission?

The Government is still reviewing the implications of various teaming arrangements and how they will be evaluated.

153 Is it possible to visit McConnell to better understand the installed capabilities?

Visiting will not be permitted at this time.

154 Will you allow Joint Ventures between small and large businesses and can the individual JV members also bid individually?

Joint ventures would be allowed between small and large business and yes the JV members can also bid individually.

155 Will this program take advantage of existing Layer 0 and Layer 1 deployments at facilities which can support the future capabilities of the service?

Yes, we will be presenting contractors with a list of equipment currently at the bases in each TO RFP process. The government expects contractors to assess what equipment can fit into their design solution.

156 If multiple vendors awarded how will enterprise-level operations be conducted? Or will operations be done separately by each vendor?

DODIN / AFIN operations remain in the government's control.

157 Do you have a target % of TO's that awardees will have to bid on to remain as an awardee?

Not at this time.

158 seconded on the existing cable plant question as far as scope of that.

Greenfield vs brownfield. Will there be any commercial internet/wifi expectations? Is this CONUS only or can we expect an expansion of work done that was done at sites like Spang?

ISP/OSP work will be responsibility of contractor. The contractor will need to submit plans on their proposed solution set. Currently there are no plans for commercial internet as a requirement.

BIM scope is responsible for all DAF bases CONUS and OCONUS.

159 Will this contract be mandatory use as NC2 was?

This is anticipated to be mandatory for all bases within the DAF.

160 Slide 30 stated SD-WAN support, but slide 35 stated SD-WAN was out of scope.

Will SD-WAN be in play for the BIM effort?

The RFP and PWS will detail out the requirements for network modernization for areas like wireless and software defined networking as well as the other government entities and programs that the vendor will be required to interoperate with.

161 Follow up on DCAA and Approved Purchasing System: You answered YES -you will require companies to have which one? DCAA approved accounting system OR approved purchasing system?

Recipients of Task Orders that use other than Firm Fixed Price contract types will be required to have systems that are approved for use for those contract types.

The Government anticipates that orders for hardware will be exclusively Firm Fixed price.

162 What is a rough percentage of OCONUS scope?

Roughly 11% of the work is OCONUS.

163 Will we have clearance from the Frequency Managers to conduct RF Spectrum analysis?

The government will work with the contractors to procure RF Spectrum approval for the proposed solution set.

164 Follow-on, any expectations for private

LTE?

Not a specific requirement, it will be the responsibility of the contractor to propose a wireless solution to meet mission needs on awarded TO bases.

165 Small businesses usually don't have a DCAA accredited purchasing system unless they have $50M+ in procurements for the Government, which is a large for SB. Is a pre-approved accredited purchasing system too high a bar for SB?

Recipients of Task Orders that use other than Firm Fixed Price contract types will be required to have systems that are approved for use for those contract types.

The Government anticipates that orders for hardware will be exclusively Firm Fixed price.

166 Will the base prioritization be provided to industry?

The Government will not be providing the prioritized list to industry.

167 Will the task order pool (not the equipment pool) have a large sub-pool and a small sub-pool or just one overall pool???

The Government anticipates using one pool for services and one pool for hardware.

168 Will the DAF consider utilizing existing SB vehicles (such as SEWP V) for equipment acquisition?

No, the government anticipates all hardware requirements will be fulfilled through the hardware pool.

169 Will Bases be able to utilize this IDIQ contract for Base Infrastructure Upgrades managed and funded specifically by the base outside of the Base prioritization list from the PMO?

The Government anticipates this acquisition will cover all of base networking operations to include any upgrades necessary to meet the Government's needs at a particular location.

170 by requiring large and small businesses to compete on TOs, you are putting SBs at a disadvantage. We request you reconsider what you are calling "fair and open competition”.

The Government does not anticipate using distinct small business and large business pools for requirements for services.

171 AS this procurement should be considered as sensitive, will you require vendors to adhere to signature management plans when conducting site surveys or engaging the installations?

Yes, we will be detailing the site surveys and the government will work with the contractor in planning and execution.

172 Are there any other needs behind data capture capabilities outside of vulnerability/cybersec or network health requirements?

We will be detailing out those data requirements. Details on data capture requirements will be detailed in a CONEMP that will be released as part of the Bidder's Library.

173 Will ANG/AFRC affiliates of ACC included in the scope?

Yes. All DAF bases (to include ANG/AFRC affiliates of ACC) are included in the scope.

174 A follow-up to your answer regarding Small Businesses in the SB Only Material Pool will be ID/IQ holders. So does that mean the if a SB is awarded under the Material Pool, the SB, being an ID/IQ holder would be able to compete on the overall BIM Task Order RFQ's outside of just the Material RFQ's?

In order to participate in the program, a contractor must hold an IDIQ in the pool they are competing for orders under.

175 How will the government monitor that Primes are meeting their committed SB subcontracting goals? Generally on IDIQs, subcontractors are used to qualify for award but never receive any work.

The Small Business Participation Commitment Document is a required document as part of the proposal process to detail and monitor SB participation.

There will be threshold requirements for sub-contracting percentage of work to small businesses.

176 Is BAN network monitoring to be provided as part of this effort or will the program use existing tools in place?

The Government anticipates networking monitoring will be provided and monitored by the contractor.

177 Essentially, different offerors can be awarded task orders. How will enterprise level capabilities be achieved?

The government is interested in vendor provided NOC operations to remotely manage multiple bases that the vendor is awarded at the same time. The Government expects to achieve enterprise capabilities through the shift to a contractor-operated model.

178 What is the expected requirement for ATO authorization of contractor owned infrastructure?

As vendor gets awarded TOs, they will work the ATO process in coordination with the Government.

179 What contract structure is the government leaning toward (e.g., Fixed Price vs. Cost Plus)?

The contract will be a mixture of CLIN types; T&M is not currently being considered. Documentation will be released in a bidders library when it is ready.

180 Are you open to Li-Fi and other emerging technologies?

Not a requirement but a vendor can propose it as part of its solution for Task Orders.

181 Will the BITI BAN TRD be rewritten to reference the BIM and what is the expected release date?

Base Infrastructure Modernization is the program that will be the prime mechanism for DAF base modernization for the future. Wave 2 and BITI Reset 2.0 requirements are incorporated into BIM.

182 Is the intent to have a single AF approved network architecture that is deployed and managed upon multiple awardees or will each awardee have their own AF approved architecture?

No, there will not be one single architecture. Bases may be grouped in TOs and contractor's proposed solutions will be approved. The awardee is responsible for solutions at their awarded locations.

183 What incentives will the government be using (e.g., Incentive Fee or Award Fee)?

The Government anticipates a wide range of contract types, to include contract types involving incentives, used for Task Orders.

184 What structure will the TOs be (FFP, CPFF, CPIF etc?)

The contract will be a mixture of CLIN types; T&M is not currently being considered. Documentation will be released in a bidders library when it is ready.

185 Can you describe the current approach (or intended approach) taken by DAF (or the appropriate authority) with their SD- WAN initiative(s)? Will this be provided in the bidders library prior to Final RFP release?

The RFP and PWS will detail out the requirements for network modernization for areas like wireless and software defined networking, as well as the other government entities and programs that the contractor will be required to interoperate with.

186 Will there be requirements for minimum contract value on past performance?

Example: Companies should have minimum x contracts valued at over $xxxM contract value?

The Government is still developing the Evaluation Criteria for all aspects of the acquisition.

187 Can the Government share information how the awardee(s) will interact with the current AF NOC/SOC teams? Will this be a joint management solution?

BIM CONOPs is currently in development to define the required interactions between Wave 1, BIM and other DAF stakeholders. BIM contractors will be responsible for modernizing and operating the base area network.

Providing remote, centralized network operations in order to reduce the physical footprint on a base can be part of a contractor's proposal.

188 Was the earlier RRE question concerning OCI answered?

The Government is not aware of preclusionary language in the RRE agreements that would prevent an RRE contractor from participating in this acquisition; however, the Government will be asking offerors to identify OCIs or potential OCIs and will evaluate this prior to award.

189 Since one vendor is buying the equipment proposed by another contractor on the svcs side, how will this impact performance caused by delays in receiving equipment for any reason (shortages, supply chain issues, etc.)

That plan and structure for how equipment buys take place, and what vendor will do when taking over operations at the locations is being refined. Lessons learned from RRE on equipment buys will be implemented in BIM. The interaction on how requirements are passed from vendors on site, to the government, and then to the SB Pool are being refined. The required interactions with the government will be defined in the RFP Process.

190 Will you provide a list of LCATs at the IDIQ level or each contractor proposes their own set of LCATs?

LCATS will be the responsibility of the contractor to…