Attch_3_-_Beale_CSA_Addendum_to_FAR_52.212-1.docx

ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS (ITO)

1.0. Program Structure and Objective

1.1. Number of Contracts to be Awarded. The Government intends to award a single commercial FFP contract for Local Exchange Service for Beale AFB, CA.

2.0. General Instructions

2.1. Guidance. This section of the ITO provides general guidance for preparing quotes as well as specific instructions on the format and content of the quote. The offeror’s quote must include all data and information requested by the ITO and must be submitted IAW these instructions. Any Offeror who submits an incomplete package may be considered ineligible for award. The offer shall be compliant with the requirements as stated in the PWS and appendices. Non-conformance with the instructions provided in the ITO may result in an unfavorable quote evaluation.

2.2. Clarity and Detail. The quote shall be clear, concise, and shall include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. The quote should not simply rephrase or restate the Government's requirements, but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the offeror intends to meet these requirements. Offerors shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of their facilities and experience, and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the offeror’s quote.

2.3. Content. Elaborate brochures, documentation, binding, detailed artwork, or other embellishments are unnecessary and are not desired, except for the required diagrams requested in the PWS, Appendix 1 (Para. 5.14).

2.4. Period of Acceptance of Offers. Quotes shall remain valid a minimum of 120 days from the date specified for receipt of offers. The offeror shall make a clear statement in the Pricing Schedule regarding quote validity.

2.5. Retention. IAW FAR Subpart 4.8 “Government Contract Files,” the Government will retain one copy of all unsuccessful quotes.

2.6. General Information

2.6.1. Discrepancies. If an offeror believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, omission, or are otherwise unsound, the offeror shall immediately notify the POC in writing with supporting rationale as well as the remedies the offeror is asking the POC to consider as related to the omission or error. The offeror is reminded that the Government reserves the right to award this effort based on the initial quote, as received, without discussions. This reservation includes matters of additional or substitute pages of the initial quote.

2.6.2. Electronic Reference Documents. All referenced documents for this solicitation are available on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) web site at http://www.fbo.gov. Potential Offerors are encouraged to subscribe for real-time e-mail notifications when information has been posted to the website for this solicitation.

2.6.3. Amendments to Solicitation. If this solicitation is amended, all terms and conditions that are not amended remain unchanged and in full force and effect. Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment and provide confirmation upon submission of the offeror’s quote. Any unacknowledged amendments in the offeror’s quote are subject to solicitation provision FAR 52.212-1(f). Acknowledged and/or signed amendments shall not be considered as part of the quote page counts.

2.6.4. Submission, Modification, Revision, and Withdrawal of Quotes. Quotes and modifications to quotes shall be submitted by electronic media to the POC at the email address shown on page 1 of the solicitation, and showing the time and date specified for receipt, the solicitation number, and the name and address of the offeror.

2.6.5. Acknowledgement. Written acknowledgement of this solicitation and all applicable solicitation amendments shall be submitted with quote.

2.7. Organization/Number of Copies/Page Limits

2.7.1. Identification. The offeror’s quote must show solicitation number, name, address, offeror telephone number, and offeror e-mail address.

2.7.2. Content and Submittal. The offeror’s quote shall address the information listed in para. 3.0 and 4.0 below, as well as the Classification Data Table on page 2 of this Combined Synopsis/Solicitation. The offeror shall submit the entire quote via email to the POC identified in this solicitation. Submit offer as follows:

2.7.3. Page Limits. The technical quote volume shall not exceed ten pages. The pricing quote volume shall not exceed ten pages. Page limitations shall be treated as maximums. If exceeded, the excess pages will not be read or considered in the evaluation of the quote. Each page shall be counted except the following: blank pages, title pages, tables of contents, tabs, indexes, glossaries, and amendment acknowledgments.

2.8. Page Size and Format

2.8.1. Page. A page is defined as each face of a sheet of paper containing information. When both sides of a sheet display printed material, it shall be counted as two pages. Page size shall be 8. 5 x 11 inches, not including foldouts. Page line spacing shall be 1.5 lines. Except for the reproduced sections of the solicitation document, the text size shall be no less than Arial 12 points. Tracking, kerning, and leading values shall not be changed from the default values of the word processing or page layout software. Use at least 1 inch margins on the top and bottom and 3/4 inch side margins. Pages shall be numbered sequentially by volume.

2.8.2. Tables, Charts, Graphs, and Figures. Shall be used and legible wherever practical to depict organizations, systems and layout, implementation schedules, plans, etc. These displays shall be uncomplicated and shall not exceed 11 x 17 inches in size. Foldout pages shall fold entirely within the volume, and count as a single page. Foldout pages may only be used for large tables, charts, graphs, diagrams and schematics; not for pages of text. The following limitation only applies to the Technical Volume. Text intended for evaluation within all figures, charts, tables, and graphs, to include imbedded images, shall be no less than Arial 8-pt. Any text within figures, charts, tables, and graphs which do not meet this requirement will not be considered in the evaluation.

2.9. Multiple Offers. If more than one solution to the services is available, Offeror may submit multiple quotes from consideration, subject to same page limitations. Each quote will be evaluated separately to determine technical acceptability. Contractors are encouraged to identify or suggest cost effective improvements to existing services and infrastructure. Should the Offeror claim exceptions to any requirement in the solicitation, these exceptions shall be listed and rationale provided. Failure to include exceptions will be deemed as acceptance of all terms and conditions of the solicitation and resulting contract.

3.0. Factor 1 - Technical

3.1. General. The Technical quote should be specific and complete. Legibility, clarity and coherence are very important. Your responses will be evaluated against the Technical subfactors defined in Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 “Evaluation Factors for Award.” Using the instructions provided below, provide as specifically as possible, the actual methodology you would use for accomplishing/satisfying these subfactors. All the requirements specified in the solicitation are mandatory. By your quote submission, you are representing that your firm shall perform all the requirements specified in the solicitation. It is neither necessary nor desirable for you to tell us so in your technical quote. The technical quote should only address the requirements of the subfactors listed below. Do not merely reiterate the objectives or reformulate the requirements specified in the solicitation.

3.2. Format and Specific Content

3.2.1. Technical. In the Technical Volume, address your proposed approach to meeting the minimum performance or capability requirements of each technical subfactor.

3.2.1.1. Subfactor One: Provider Capability

The approach shall provide the following essential components:

a. Provides a capabilities statement to include evidence of being a telecommunications company which has the ability to deliver Direct Inward Dial (DID) and Primary Rate Interfaces (PRI) at the Government demarcation point at the site specified in the PWS Appendix 1, Para.5.2 and 5.4.3.

3.2.1.2. Subfactor Two: Local Communication Services.

The approach shall provide the following essential components:

a. Submits a sound approach for supporting local communication services in a detailed Beale AFB, CA diagram and descriptive legend. The diagram and legend should clearly illustrate the Offeror’s capability to meet all PWS and site-specific Appendix 1 requirements. Reference the PWS Appendix 1, para. 5.13 Diagram 1, “Traditional Legacy" and Diagram 2, “Utilizing SIP Trunking", or Offerors may use a combination of both attachments to submit the Offeror’s diagram. Provide the requested diagram and legend using these formats or a similar format.

3.2.1.3. Subfactor Three: Evidence of Agreements.

The approach shall provide the following essential components:

a. State whether your company is providing a quote as a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) or Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC). If providing a quote as a CLEC for ANY and/or ALL services, provide documented evidence of all interconnection agreements and/or leasing arrangements relevant to this effort.

4.0. Factor 2 - Price. These instructions are to assist you in submitting information required to evaluate the reasonableness of your proposed price. Compliance with these instructions is mandatory and failure to comply may result in rejection of your quote.

4.1. General Instructions. Information beyond that required by this instruction shall not be submitted, unless you consider it essential to document or support your price position. All information relating to the proposed price including all required supporting documentation must be included in the section of the quote designated as the Pricing Schedule.

4.2. Pricing Information. Submit completed copy of the Government-provided Pricing Schedule containing the Offeror’s proposed amounts. Enter unit pricing and total pricing on the Government Pricing Schedule. Identify a Sub Line Item (SLIN) as “Not Separately Priced” by entering “NSP” in the unit price. Identify a SLIN as “No Charge” by entering “NC” in the unit price. Identify and include all applicable discounts in your pricing.

4.3. Taxes. The US Air Force is a Federal Government entity, and as such, is exempt from certain taxes. Therefore, the offeror may not propose for any taxes from which the Federal Government is exempt. In reference to “Taxes, Fees and Surcharges” (TFS), offeror(s) shall submit the supporting state statutes, local ordinances, regulations, FCC rulings and rates, or other documentation justifying all applicable and allowable taxes, fees, and surcharges. Enter only the amount that is documented as applicable and allowable. Inclusion of any amount that is not documented may render the quote being rejected. Provide a separate delineation or breakdown of all applicable TFS estimates.

4.4. Price Reasonableness. FAR 12.209 “Determination of Price Reasonableness” gives the requirement to establish price reasonableness IAW FAR 13.106-3 “Simplified Acquisition Procedures” (SAP). The Government will evaluate quotes for reasonableness. Normally, price reasonableness is established through adequate price competition, but may also be determined through other price analysis techniques. The burden of proof for credibility of proposed prices rests with the offeror. Offerors shall provide sufficient rationale describing how prices were developed (assumptions, historical data, projections, expertise, management decisions, etc.).

4.5. Rounding. All dollar amounts/prices shall be rounded to the nearest penny.