Questions and Answers for Wireless Network Deployment.docx

Questions and Answers for Solicitation H9229526QB001 Question 1: Is there any information the Government can provide publicly to give potential vendors a general sense of the scale of the required WLAN/WAP deployment, such as approximate square footage, number of floors/rooms in scope, or other relevant scope indicators?

Answer: SOCNORTH provided an opportunity for all vendors to come and firsthand see for themselves the scope of the project so, we can maintain the integrity and sensitivity of the facility. Approximately 60% of the wireless network will be deployed on the ground floor, and 40% of the wireless network will be deployed on the second floor. The second floor contains a restricted area rated to Top Secret (TS) that houses the data center. Vendors will have the opportunity to view the site during the May 11, 2026, site visit to gain additional clarity on the layout and scope.

Question 2: Is attendance at the May 11, 2026, site visit mandatory for offerors, or is it optional? If optional, will the Government provide notes, answers, or other shared information from the site visit to all interested offerors?

Answer: Attendance at the May 11, 2026, site visit is optional for offerors. However, the Government strongly encourages attendance to ensure a clear understanding of the scope and environment of the project. Site visit notes, answers, and any additional information provided during the site visit will be posted to SAM.gov as an amendment to the solicitation, ensuring all interested parties have access to the same information.

Question 3: Is there any clearance required for site visit participants, or will they avoid the TS area?

Answer: No clearance is required for site visit participants. The site visit will not include access to the restricted Top Secret (TS) area on the second floor. The walkthrough will focus on the areas where the wireless network is to be deployed.

Question 4: Will the Government provide an existing NSA CSfC Capability Package (CP) that the solution must conform to, or is the contractor expected to select and propose the applicable CP (e.g., Campus WLAN CP)? Is there a specific NSA-approved product list (APL) requirement for all components?

Answer: Per PWS Section 2.4, the installation and configuration must comply with the USSOCOM Enterprise Solution CSfC Capability Packages registered with NSA, and all supplemental Annexes applicable to the deployed CSfC WLAN solution. Furthermore, equipment must comply with NSA Common Criteria and other applicable federal security standards.

Question 5: What minimum personnel security clearance level (e.g., Secret, TS/SCI) is required for contractor personnel to perform on-site work at Peterson SFB? Will the Government sponsor clearances if needed, or must all staff be pre-cleared at time of proposal?

Answer: Per PWS Section 7, the executing team must have, at a minimum, an active Secret clearance. Due to the rapid deployment timeline of this requirement, the Government will not sponsor new clearances. Contractor personnel must be pre-cleared prior to performance.

Question 6: For offerors who were unable to attend the May 11 site visit, will the Government provide the results of the site assessment, existing infrastructure diagrams, or a building/floor plan to support proposal development?

Answer: As stated in the answer to Question 2, notes and relevant information from the site visit will be posted to SAM.gov. However, the Government will not provide detailed infrastructure diagrams or floor plans at the proposal stage. Generating the High-Level Design (HLD), Low-Level Design (LLD), and heatmaps based on pre-onsite assessments and site surveys is explicitly the contractor's responsibility under CLIN 0001 (Study and Design).

Question 7: Can the Government provide the approximate square footage, number of floors, and number of buildings included in the WLAN deployment scope? Approximately how many concurrent end-user devices are expected to be supported?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to Question 1 regarding the number of floors. The baseline for concurrent devices and exact coverage metrics will be determined in collaboration with the Government during the CLIN 0001 site survey phase.

Question 8: The solicitation states that firm-fixed pricing for CLIN 0001 is required at proposal submission, and that pricing for CLINs 0002 and 0003 will be provided as part of CLIN 0001 deliverables. Can the Government confirm what CLINs 0002 and 0003 represent (e.g., installation, testing/validation) so that offerors can provide accurate labor and material estimates in the narrative?

Answer: Per PWS Section 8, CLIN 0002 is for Equipment Procurement and Installation, and CLIN 0003 is for Testing and Validation. These are established as Not-To-Exceed (NTE) Firm-Fixed-Price Lots. Offerors should propose their NTE amounts based on the requirements in the PWS. Final FFP amounts for CLINs 0002 and 0003 will be definitized based on the approved HLD/LLD delivered under CLIN 0001.

Question 9: Will the Government provide any Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE) or Government-Furnished Information (GFI), such as existing switch infrastructure, conduit, or cabling? Or is the contractor responsible for procuring and supplying all hardware end-to-end?

Answer: The contractor is not responsible for procuring all hardware end-to-end. Per PWS Section 5, the Government has provided specific on-hand equipment (detailed in PWS Appendix 1), the USSOCOM MEL, base configurations, network links, and KG equipment. The contractor is responsible for procuring the additional equipment required to fulfill the approved CLIN 0001 design, per Section 2.4.

Question 10: Will the Government provide an authorized DoD STIG compliance scanning tool (e.g., ACAS/Nessus), or is the contractor expected to furnish and operate all compliance validation tools? Who is responsible for Authority to Operate (ATO) documentation — Government or contractor?

Answer: Government will be responsible for the ATO process, the contractor will need to ensure the project is executed to the USSOCOM and NSA standards.

Question 11: The PWS requires all work to be completed within 60 calendar days of contract award. Does this 60-day period include equipment procurement lead time, or does the Government expect equipment to be pre-procured and available for installation upon award? Are there any exceptions for long-lead NSA-approved items?

Answer: The Government acknowledges a discrepancy in the PWS regarding the Period of Performance. The Government will be issuing an amendment to modify the Period of Performance requirement. Offerors will be required to submit a Proposed Milestone Schedule that accounts for equipment procurement lead times for each phase of the effort. The overall Period of Performance shall not exceed 120 calendar days after contract award. Please monitor SAM.gov for the upcoming amendment to the PWS and the solicitation instructions.

Question 12: Will the Government accept proposals that include subcontractors for specialized CSfC/NSA-certified installation tasks, provided the prime contractor retains overall management and accountability? Is there a limit on percentage of work subcontracted?

Answer: Yes, subcontracting is acceptable. However, offerors must comply with any applicable set-aside regulations. This solicitation is set aside for small businesses; so, the Limitations on Subcontracting (FAR 52.219-14) apply, meaning the prime contractor may not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities.

Question 13: The solicitation references Technical Approach, Schedule Feasibility, and Price as evaluation factors. Will Past Performance be evaluated separately, or is relevant experience expected to be incorporated into the Technical Approach narrative?

Answer: Offerors must follow the exact evaluation criteria and proposal instructions outlined in the solicitation's addendum to FAR 52.212-1 and 52.212-2. If Past Performance is not explicitly listed as a standalone evaluation factor in the solicitation, it will not be evaluated separately. Relevant experience should be incorporated into the Technical Approach narrative as instructed.

Question 14: Can the Government provide the approximate square footage, number of buildings/floors, building materials, floor plans, and restricted areas for the required WLAN coverage area?

Answer: Please refer to the answers provided in Q&A Batch 1 (Questions 1 and 7) and the published Site Visit Notes.

Question 15: With respect to the pre-onsite cybersecurity assessment, is this limited to the wireless/CSfC environment? What depth is expected? Is a formal deliverable required?

Answer: Yes, the cybersecurity assessment is limited to the scope of this CSfC WLAN deployment. The depth must be sufficient to ensure the deployment complies with NSA CSfC CP requirements. There is no separate deliverable for this assessment; the findings must be integrated into and inform the High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD) deliverables.

Question 16: Should the required pre-deployment survey and heatmap be based on an AP-on-a-stick survey, predictive RF design, or another methodology?

Answer: AP on a stick is preferable.

Question 17: Is the contractor responsible for procuring equipment other than the wireless access points/controllers (e.g., encryption devices), or will those be GFE?

Answer: Please refer to the answer for Question 9 in Q&A Batch 1.

Question 18: Is this a replacement, expansion, or greenfield WLAN deployment?

Answer: This will be a greenfield WLAN deployment for both CSfC and NIPR wireless.

Question 19: Can the Government provide estimated client counts, device types, density assumptions, etc.?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to Question 7 in Q&A Batch 1.

Question 20: Will the new wireless solution require its own controller architecture? Will cloud management be acceptable?

Answer: This wireless solution will require its own controller architecture due to the nature of CSfC deployments.

Question 21: How will total cost for procurement and professional services be calculated for CLINs 0002 and 0003?

Answer: Please refer to the answer to Question 8 in Q&A Batch 1.

Question 22: The RFQ states 60 days, but PWS shows phased schedules. Also, what happens if equipment lead times cause delays?

Answer: Please refer to the amended PWS Section 4 and Question 11 in Q&A Batch 1.

Question 23: How much time should offerors assume for Government reviews and approvals identified in Section 3?

Answer: For schedule planning purposes, offerors should assume a standard Government review period of five (5) business days for submitted deliverables.

Question 24: CLIN 0004 is Not Separately Priced (NSP) but requires professional services. Where should these costs be included?

Answer: Because CLIN 0004 is NSP, offerors shall not propose a separate price for this CLIN. Offerors should allocate the costs for these final documentation deliverables into the priced CLINs (e.g., CLIN 0001 or 0003) in accordance with their standard accounting practices.

Question 25: Please confirm the solicitation number, NAICS code, PSC code, and the acquisition vehicle (open-market FAR Part 13 SAP, GSA MAS, or other).

Answer: Please refer to the SAM.gov solicitation posting for the applicable NAICS code, PSC, and acquisition strategy. This is an open-market procurement.

Question 26: Please confirm the evaluation methodology, required proposal volume structure, page limits, formatting requirements, and the deadline for submission of bidder questions and proposals.

Answer: Please refer to the Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 (Instructions to Offerors) and FAR 52.212-2 (Evaluation Criteria) attached to the solicitation for all formatting, volume, and evaluation requirements. Deadlines for questions and proposal submissions are listed on the SAM.gov posting.

Question 27: Will the Gray Network KG link between HQ USSOCOM and SOCNORTH be fully operational at the start of CLIN 0002, or is its establishment a parallel activity? What is the schedule risk allocation if government-side KG link establishment is delayed?

Answer: The Government anticipates the KG link will be operational to support CLIN 0003 testing. If Government-caused delays occur, they will be handled via the Excusable Delays provision in FAR 52.212-4(f) and applicable modifications.

Question 28: Please confirm whether Service Contract Act (SCA), Davis-Bacon Act, or other prevailing wage determinations apply to any portion of this effort, particularly cable installation labor under CLIN 0002.

Answer: The Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS, formerly SCA) apply to the non-professional labor categories executing this requirement (e.g., cable installers, telecommunications mechanics). An applicable wage determination will be incorporated into the contract. Professional services (e.g., Network Engineers, CSfC Architects) are generally exempt from SCLS requirements. Offerors shall account for all applicable labor laws in their firm-fixed-price.

Question 29: Please confirm the required clearance level for performance of each CLIN and when the DD254 will be issued.

Answer: A DD254 will be incorporated into the contract at award. Clearances are required as stated in PWS Section 7. Offerors must possess the required facility and personnel clearances at the time of award to execute the proposed schedule.

Question 30: Please confirm that the contractor proposes its own Firm-Fixed-Price for CLIN 0001 with no government-set ceiling. The published bid schedule shows the Unit Price for CLIN 0001 as blank with Amount populated as $0; please confirm the offeror is to populate this field.

Answer: Correct. Offerors must propose their own Firm-Fixed-Price amount for CLIN 0001 in the bid schedule.

Question 31: Please confirm the treatment of travel costs (airfare, lodging, per diem, vehicle rental) for the contractor’s site survey, install, and testing trips to Peterson SFB. Are travel costs to be embedded within the FFP for each CLIN, or may travel be proposed as a separate Other Direct Cost (ODC) line item?

Answer: Travel costs shall not be priced as a separate Other Direct Cost (ODC) line item. Offerors must estimate and build all necessary travel costs into the Firm-Fixed-Price of the applicable CLINs (e.g., CLIN 0001, 0002, 0003) in accordance with their standard accounting practices.

Question 32: If the bidder’s bottom-up estimate for CLIN 0002 exceeds the published $300,000 NTE... will the government consider price ceiling adjustment based on technical justification, or is the $300,000 ceiling absolute?

Answer: The published NTE amount is a Government estimate. If an offeror's realistic, bottom-up estimate exceeds this amount, they may propose the higher amount with clear technical and pricing justification. However, award is subject to the availability of funds.

Question 33: Are equipment markup or fee percentages restricted under this acquisition?

Answer: The Government has not established a maximum markup restriction. However, all proposed pricing will be evaluated for fair and reasonableness.

Question 34: Please confirm the timing of title and risk-of-loss transfer to the government for procured equipment.

Answer: In accordance with FAR 52.212-4(j), Risk of Loss, title to supplies furnished under this contract shall pass to the Government upon formal acceptance, regardless of when or where the Government takes physical possession, unless the contract specifically provides for earlier passage of title.

Question 35: Does the Government consider the PWS Section 7 Trusted Integrator requirement satisfied when the prime contractor proposes a properly cleared subcontractor on the NSA CSfC Trusted Integrator List to execute the CSfC technical scope, with the prime providing overall contract management and self-performed work consistent with FAR 52.219-14?

Answer: Yes. The Government will evaluate the Prime and its proposed Subcontractors as a single team. Proposing a subcontractor that is on the NSA CSfC Trusted Integrator List satisfies this requirement, provided the prime contractor complies with all applicable teaming and set-aside regulations, including the Limitations on Subcontracting (FAR 52.219-14).

Question 36: The solicitation references schedule requirements that appear to describe different formats and durations (a milestone schedule not to exceed 120 days vs a 60-day Gantt chart). Request clarification as to whether these references are intended to describe a single required schedule, and please confirm the applicable Period of Performance.

Answer: The Government acknowledges the previous contradiction. As stated in the amended PWS Section 4 and the published Q&A (Question 11), the 60-day requirement has been removed. Offerors are required to submit a single Proposed Milestone Schedule with a total Period of Performance not to exceed 120 calendar days.