FCC14R0012Q As08082014.pdf

RFP FCC14R0012 Q&A

1. Q: Is the VATRP end user software only or does it include registration servers and gateways? If it includes registrations and gateways, will the VATRP be providing phone numbers(?) Won't any app need to register to an existing VRS provider or the NCP to authenticate and get a number?

A: VATRP is end-user software only and does not include registration and gateways, and thus does not need to provide phone number. Yes, any app or software will need to register with an existing VRS provider or the NCP to obtain a phone number.

2. Q: If the VATRP is just end user software, then what needs to be hosted in a data center?

A: A data center server would be needed if the software uses WebRTC and thus needs to translate from the WebRTC API interactions to SIP/RTP.

3. Q: There is a section in the RFP that talks about call handling. Is the VATRP just a reference or will it be handling production calls?

A: The VATRP will serve both as a reference and will handle production calls.

4. Q: If the VATRP is just an application, does it need to support both SIP and H323 natively inside the app? Is it the responsibility of the VRS provider or NCP to convert from SIP to H.323 and H.323 to SIP or does the app have to support both natively?

A: The NCP is supposed to be designed to handle SIP and H323 calls “natively”. However, as the VATRP is designed to work with existing provider platforms and the conversion to SIP or H323 is not “required”, the VATRP should be able to natively support calls from either a SIP or H323 platform.

5. Q: How can the VATRP access iTRS or the TRS-URD (4.1.2.1)? An IPSEC Tunnel is required from a provider or the NCP to access those databases. Is the app required to access them directly? If not, is the app registering to the VATRP first, getting a phone number and then routing production calls after dips to the databases?

A: No specifics of the type of tunnel or VPN (IPsec, or otherwise) have been mandated at this point. The VATRP would register with and send messages to an iTRS provider using the SIP protocol interfaces specified. The VATRP would not interact with the TRS-URD directly, as only the NCP contacts the TRS- URD to validate the caller’s eligibility to use VRS services.

6. Q: What Private information is the VATRP collecting?

A: The VATRP may be collecting call log information and store address book information, for example.

7. Q: What will the primary distribution and first line support of VATRP applications be? Is the VATRP contractor responsible for distribution and installation of the applications to end users? Is the VATRP contractor responsible for first and second line support to end users, which would be a cost-driving activity in light of up to 250,000 users? If not, who will perform first and second line support to end users?

A: The VRS provider will provide direct end user support, consulting with the Offeror on engineering matters as needed.

8. Q: Are accessible non-audio (visual and tactile as well as amplified audio) alerting functions on incoming calls required? If yes, is specifying and implementing an interface on industry standards (e.g. Bluetooth) sufficient to meet this requirement? And is the VATRP expected to provide mechanisms for user control over the alerting functions?

A: Yes, an interface based on industry standards is acceptable and should be described in sufficient detail, including whether the Offeror believes that there are several such standards in common use for VRS end

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RFP FCC14R0012 Q&A

systems. The Offeror should explain how common visual, tactile or amplified audio alerting functions would or would not work with the proposed solution, including any user configuration required.

9. Q: Is monthly invoicing during development accepted? H.6 (d) says that monthly invoices may be issued at equal monthly instalments, but later in the same section it states that partial deliveries cannot be invoiced. Is this not a contradiction? Or does that mean that during the first year, invoices can be issued each month for 1/12th of the total price of CLINs ##0001, 0002, 0003, or a similar arrangement, before the delivery due date of the VATRP?

A: The seven (7) CLIN’s listed in Section B are Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) CLINs. FFP CLIN #0001, Solution / Systems Development, is for 1(quantity) fully completed and accepted JOB (unit). Vendors are to invoice for CLIN #0001 after they complete and deliver CLIN #0001 in full. FFP CLIN #0002, Solution / Systems Implementation, is for 1(quantity) fully completed and accepted JOB (unit). Vendors are to invoice for CLIN #0002 after they complete and deliver CLIN #0002 in full. FFP CLIN #0003 through #0007 are for the base and option years VATRP Operations and Maintenance Services and each of these five (5) CLIN’s are for 12(quantity) fully completed and accepted Months (unit). Vendors are to invoice for #0003 through #0007on a monthly basis. The payment terms shall be NET30. At this time, the FCC is not considering progress payments as a payment option.

10. Q: Can the bid due date be extended to September (because of possible patent licensing needs and the level of specification detail that is required in the bid)? The request for open-source delivery expressed in L.1.4.1 raises patent licensing issues for some open-source components, e.g. the H.264 video codec, that are unlikely to be resolved by the due date of July 29. If the bid time cannot be extended, how firm do the cost estimates for the patent licenses need to be by the submission deadline? Can the budget for patent licensing fees be revised after the deadline? On what number of end users should the licensing fees in the bid’s budget be based? Similarly, if the bid time cannot be extended, can the level of detail on the advanced descriptions that cannot be met by the July 29 deadline, such as the location information requirement, be refined after the bid deadline?

A: The Bid due date will not be extended to September. All Bids for FCC14R0012 shall be for Firm Fixed Price quotes. Bidder should propose their best and most competitive Final Firm Fixed Prices. The number of end users is currently limited to 250,000. (It is possible that the platform could eventually support closer to 1 million or more users, but that would require the Commission to allow functionality from either or both IP Relay and IP CTS to be handled by the VATR). Proposals are due on the bid due date.

11. Q: Why does the VATRP need to have an ACD, which the RFP asks about?

A: The VATRP does not need to support ACD functionality. The RFP reference to the ACD referenced another component, the NCP.

12. Q: How does ACD functionality relate to VATRP (as noted in L1.4.2 Part 1.B)? According to FCC 13- 82A1, the ACD functionality is internal to the NCP or other relay service provider and not the VATRP, so why is it listed as a function of the VATRP?

A: See answer to question 11.

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