DoDEA BSAP Okinawa-QA--May10.pdf

DoDEA Pacific Bus Security Attendant / Bus Safety Aide Program Solicitation Nbr HE1260‐10‐R‐4004

Questions & Answers

Q1. Is the contractor required to have a Japanese Business license to perform this contract?

A1. Yes, the contractor will be required to have a Japanese business license.

Q2. Para 2.6.2.2 Citizenship: United States (U.S.) or host nation citizens. If other than U.S. or host nation citizen, must possess SOFA status. If U.S. citizen and not SOFA status, what type of VISA is required for an employee under this contract?

A2. They must have an applicable and appropriate work or residence VISA. Personnel on tourist VISAs cannot be hired per the SOFA agreement.

Q3. By above US/Japan SOFA, can a SOFA person be employed under this contract?

A3. For SOFA/VISA employment questions in Okinawa, please contact the Okinawa Immigration Information Office.

Q4. As this is not a SOFA contract, if SOFA personnel may be employed under this contract, what Japanese taxes are required?

A4. Please contact the agency listed in A3 for a response to your inquiry.

Q5. CLINS x002 are for Safety Aides, yet Technical Exhibit 1 shows no Safety Aides on any bus routes.

Also Safety Aides require 8 hours of training. Will Safety Aides be assigned to any buses and if so, how many per day?

A5. Safety Aides will be assigned to routes on as needed basis. Currently no Safety Aides are required on the TE1, Pg 3 of 3 Routes presented for Okinawa JA at this time. Out years may require the need on the routes for Safety Aides when specific passenger needs dictate assignment of a Safety Aide. This CLIN was added to show the possible need in out years. Estimates now are for 2 minimum / 5 maximum.

Q6. CLINS x002 have unit listed as month, yet no requirement is listed for routes with Safety Aides.

Should these CLINS be left blank?

A6. See answer A5 above. No current Safety Aides are assigned at this point.

Q7. CLINS x003 and x004 are for unscheduled services. What is the required prior notification period for request to fill unscheduled services with Security Attendants and with Safety Aides?

A7. Minimum of One (1) Hour, these events are usually known well in advance of 2‐5 working days.

Q8. CLINS x003 and x004 have unit listed as hours and no estimated quantity listed. Should estimated amount be cost per hour?

A8. Cost per hour would best calculation due to unknown number of events from school year to school year.

Q9. PWS paragraphs 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 requires inspections of buses prior and after routes. Are these inspection times included in Technical Exhibit 1 bus route times?

A9. Inspection time would be in addition to TE1.

Q10. PWS paragraph 2.6.3 discusses Project Manager and on‐site supervisors. Will there be a requirement for an on‐site supervisor at both sites (Kadena and Camp Foster) in addition to an Okinawa Project Manager?

A10. Requirement for on‐site supervisor is at Camp Foster only.

Q11. Will facilities be provided for supervisor at Kadena?

A11. No. See A10 Above.

Q12. PWS 2.10.1 lists School Bus Safety Training as a biannual requirement and module is 1 hour.

Would like to clarify this is 2 hours of training per year?

A12. Yes. 2 hours is correct.

Q13. Are there any language requirements for Security Attendants and Safety Aides?

a. If English is required, what level of proficiency is required?

b. Is there a minimum TOEIC or TOFL requirement?

A13. a and b. English language skills need to be sufficient enough to effectively communicate in English during duty performance. TOEIC or TOFL requirement is not required. If COR/Contracting Officer feel that the provided Security Attendant or Safety Aide’s English is insufficient, then the COR/Contracting Officer may request an alternate Security Attendant or Safety Aide be provided to ensure safety and security of the passengers.

Q14. PWS paragraph 2.9 discusses background checks IAW DoDI 1402.5. This instruction states:

E6.1. Conducting Checks

Component designees shall notify existing and newly hired individuals and contractors of the requirement for a review of personnel and security records to include an FBI fingerprint check and SCHR checks of residences listed on employment and security applications.

E6.1.1. Fingerprint Check. Law enforcement personnel shall forward completed forms through channels to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or Defense Investigative Service (DIS) for processing of FBI fingerprint forms.

E6.1.2. State Criminal History Repository (SCHR) Check. DoD Installation‐level personnel offices, in collaboration with law enforcement and security personnel, shall process State criminal history background checks for employment and shall ordinarily communicate in writing with each State identified in enclosure 8, providing full identifying information on each applicant and request confirmation that the individual has not been convicted in that State of a sex crime, an offense involving a child victim, a drug felony, or a violent crime. The DoD Component Heads may establish alternate procedures for conducting SCHR checks; e.g., a computerized, written, or telephonic check.

E6.2.3. Foreign National Employees Overseas. Foreign national employees overseas, while not expressly included within the law, are subject to the following record checks or those equivalent in scope to checks conducted on U.S. citizens:

E6.2.3.1. Host‐government law enforcement and security agency checks at the city, State (province), and national level, whenever permissible by the laws of the host government.

E6.2.3.2. Defense Central Investigative Index (DCII).

E6.2.3.3. FBI checks (when information exists regarding residence by the individual in the United States for 1 year or more since age 18).

E6.2.3.4. When permissible by the laws of the host government, host‐government checks are requested directly by the employing Service or agency. As an alternative, the DoD Components may request that overseas Military Service investigative elements obtain appropriate host‐government checks. Where host‐nations' arrangements preclude comparable criminal history checks, foreign nationals will not be eligible for employment in child care services.

Q14. Will FBI fingerprint checks be required on all US citizens and those people that have lived in the

US?

A14. No, however, the contractor is required to have background checks completed on all employees and be able to present the results of the background checks to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) upon request.

Q15. If FBI fingerprint checks are required, will the local DoD Law Enforcement personnel submit the completed forms?

A15. See A14 response.

Q16. Will State Criminal History Repository Checks (SCHR) be required on all US citizens and those that have lived in the US?

A16. Yes.

Q17. If SCHR Checks are required, will local DoD Law Enforcement personnel process the check?

A17. See A16 above.

Q18. For host nation nationals, what employing service or agency will request the host government check?

A18. The contractor is responsible for obtaining the necessary requirement and check.

Q19. PWS paragraph 2.11 discusses school evacuation drills and attendants/aides will participate in two drills a year. Is this in conjunction with the one hour safety training or in addition? If in addition, how long per each evacuation drill?

A19. This is in addition to the annual one hour safety training. Each School Bus Safety and Evacuation Training session at each school varies due to total number of students required to be trained. Security Attendants are required to facilitate the Emergency Evacuation portion of each group of students trained. Average time per school is approximately 2‐3 hours. As 2.11 notes, this is twice a year.

Q20. FAR 52.228‐3, DBA Insurance. Should DBA be included in the price of the contract or will it be a reimbursable?

A20. The Government has deleted the reference to DBA in its entirety.

Q21. PWS paragraph 2.10.1.6 states all Safety Aides must have completed the Non Violent Crisis intervention certification through the Crisis Prevention Institute. The CPI lists training available as NCI one day seminar, NCI two day workshop, and NCI 4 day “Instructor Certification.” Are the Safety Aides required to be instructor certified?

A21. No. Each Safety Aide is not required to be instructor certified.

Q22. Can one “instructor” be certified through NCI and then qualified to teach the Safety Aides?

A22. Yes. That is the desired process and recommended, however, the prospective contractor should contact the Crisis Prevention Institute for this information. Please note that a certified instructor can not certify another instructor locally.

Q23. No NCI courses are listed in Asia. Can DoDDS have an NCI instructor come to Japan to teach the course?

A23. No.

Q24. Can the bid be submitted in US Dollars and/or Japanese Yen?

A24. US Dollars.

Q25. As this is a “requirements contract”, will task orders be issued and if so, what will be the period of task orders?

A25. The period of performance (POP) is unknown at this time. The POP will be based on the timeframe the contract is awarded which is anticipated to be in August.

Q26. PWS paragraph 2.1.3 states the contractor shall have on hand the following required documents in a folder as prescribed by the COR while performing duties. There are no documents listed.

A26. All documents required will be worked out with the COR on an as needed basis. Typically these include such documents as but are not limited to the following:

• Registered Rider Report by Route/Run/Stop

• Registered Rider Photo by Route #

The COR will work with the program manager to ensure all Government required reports are available to the contract site supervisor/program manager.

Q27. Technical Exhibit 1 shows bus routes with Safety Aides but no Security Attendants. PWS paragraph 2.1 lists responsibilities of Security Attendant and paragraph 2.2 lists responsibilities of Safety Aide. Paragraphs 2.1.3 through 2.1.6.12 list Security Attendant duties but are not listed in paragraph 2.2 as Safety Aide duties. Who will perform these duties when there is no Security Attendant?

A27. Column 6 of TE1, Pg 1 of 3 and 2 of 3, are referring to “SA”=“Security Attendant”. All routes will require an assigned Security Attendant to include Special Needs routes listed in TE1, Pg 3 of 3. Security Attendant duties are the responsibility of the security attendant.

Special Needs routes listed in TE1, Pg 3 of 3 notes Safety Aide is currently listed as “N”. Until such time that a student on each respective route is assessed to need a 1‐to‐1 Safety Aide assigned to them while on the route. Once Safety Aide requirement has been determined, the Safety Aide and Security attendant will need to work together in tandem to ensure student Safety. Each school year the ridership changes significantly enough to make it difficult at best to assume need for dedicated Safety Aides. Current projections for special needs safety aide services are 2 minimum / 5 maximum for this program.

Q28. PWS paragraph 2.6.3 discusses Project Manager and states the Project Manager or designee shall meet with government personnel on the installation within one hour of notification to discuss contract discrepancies. Is this requirement to meet on one hour notice 24/7?

A28. No. Normal business Hours of 0715 ‐1615, Mon‐Fri, Except: Holidays, Typhoon Condition of Readiness – TC‐1C/TC‐1E/Recovery, FPCON C or D.

Q29. Are the times listed for routes in Technical Exhibit 1 from motor pool to motor pool as there is requirement for pre and post bus run external inspections?

A29. Times listed in TE1 are motor pool to motor pool times. Inspection times would be in addition to these actual route run times.

Q30. As this contract does not fall under Article XIV of the US/Japan DOFA, will the contractor be required to have a Japan business license to perform this contract?

A30. See A1 response.

Q31. Above what was provided as Workload Estimates, is there any additional statistical information (current or past) which identifies how many School buses are assigned to each of the DoDEA Schools (e.g., How many buses at Yokota Middle School; or How many buses assigned to Yokota Airbases; or How many buses assigned to whole of Okinawa; etc)?

A31. The routes are relevant to the workload estimates and the time utilized for running each route.

Please refer to Technical Exhibit 1 of the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

Q32. If we hire only US Citizens (e.g. DoD Dependents) or a mix of US Citizens and Japanese nationals, for this BSAP program, do we need to comply with US Labor Laws (e.g. Minimum Wage Rates for Safety/Security Attendants; Nationwide/Region‐wide Collective Bargaining Agreements; Unemployment Compensation; Perquisites; etc.)?

A32. Local Labor Laws apply.

Q33. Will DoDEA Schools make GFE allowance for Contractor to temporarily store extra supplies potentially needed for First Aid Kit replenishment, or Body Fluid Kit (Vomit‐bag) replenishment on‐site (e.g. Custodial Closet; on‐site Store‐room; Contractor Wall‐locker)?

A33. Yes, provided it is not an excessive amount of storage required.

Q34. Is this a new contract?

A34. This represents a new contract.