Q A_Inbound_Mail_Operations.pdf

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

INBOUND MAIL OPERATIONS

1. For Volume II, Past Performance/Experience, we want to confirm that we will ask our clients to fill out and return the questionnaires to us. We will then incorporate those filled out questionnaires into our volume II response?

The Past Performance Questionnaires shall be submitted directly to FEMA by your clients.

They shall be emailed directly to Oneko.Dunbar@fema.dhs.gov

2. Under factor 4, implementation: Is it the government's intention that the incumbent submits a transition plan as part of their response? The evaluation criteria appears to require it without exception however Section 3 "Scope" of the SOW indicates that phase in activities and/or transition period is not applicable to the incumbent contractor.

The incumbent will not need to submit transition plan as there is no transition.

3. With regards to the pricing tables, the lines "Total at baseline", the column "Unit Price" is highlighted. What information is to be placed in this cell?

Total at baseline is the recurring monthly cost when production is within baseline for all CLINs. Unit Price for baseline CLIN is the recurring monthly price for the specific task up to the baseline production volume. Unit Price above baseline, at surge is the price per image or document translated.

4. With regards to the pricing tables, which columns for the lines "TOTAL at max monthly surge" should be filled in? Is it correct to assume only the "Amount" column should be filled in for these lines?

The Amount column for baseline CLIN is the Unit Price x 12 months, ie. Unit Price x 12 = Amount. The Amount column for surge CLIN is the number of surge images/documents x Unit Price, ie. for CLIN 0002 is 300,000 images x Unit Price = Amount.

5. With regards to the pricing tables, for the lines which include the text “Standard Baseline Operation”, should the UNIT PRICE reflect the monthly baseline cost and the AMOUNT reflect the monthly baseline cost times 12? If not, what should these two cells contain?

Yes

6. What is the average length of time it takes for an individual to complete the security process?

If a complete and accurate security package is received, initial adjudication may be completed within 2-3 weeks.

mailto:Oneko.Dunbar@fema.dhs.gov

7. Is there a maximum page length for the translated documents?

No

8. Is there a limit on the number of different languages required to be translated?

9. If document containing an unusual language arrives, does it need to be translated within 72 hours?

10. 21 days is a very quick turnaround for a proposal of 100 pages. Can the RFP due date be extended until June 15th ?

11. Who is the current contractor, what is their contract number and how long have they been on this contract?

The current contractor is Intellectus, LLC HSFEHQ-10-D-1409. The contract was awarded in 2010.

12. Does the PO Box need to be in Hyattsville, MD or can it be moved to another State in the

US?

At the present time, the PO Box will remain in Hyattsville, MD.

13. Can FEMA provide actual volumes for each of the CLIN numbers on the pricing schedule for the past 3 years?

Disaster activity is unpredictable. The prior three years, majority of production remained within baseline. However if multiple large disasters and/or catastrophic event occurs, volumes will immediately go into surge.

14. What percentage of the work is actual mail vs. fax/e-correspondence?

Per recent trends, estimate mail/fax split is 30/70 however each disaster is specific and varies.

15. CLIN 13 – The incumbent contractor will have an unfair advantage given its standing operation’s site. Will this CLIN be evaluated when looking at total price?

All proposals will be evaluated fairly in accordance with the Federal Acquisitions Regulations.

This CLIN will be evaluated along with the total price with exception of the incumbent, as stated throughout the SOW.

16. X-ray requirements – Mail coming into the Nation’s capital is currently X-rayed, do we need to perform a 2nd X-Ray? Yes

If so, what is the make and model of the X-Ray machine that FEMA would recommend?

FEMA does not specify a particular make and model; the x-ray machine must meet the requirements of the SOW.

17. FEMA notes in several areas that Holidays and weekends count toward service levels.

Are FEMA’s systems available on Holidays and weekends along with technical support?

18. Is FEMA requiring a Post Office pickup on Saturday?

If disaster activity requires.

19. The contractor is required to provide NARA compliant boxes, can FEMA provide the estimated number of boxes needed annually using past actual numbers? What are the dimensions of each box?

Number of boxes varies depending on disaster activity. Dimensions are 12”W x 15”L x 10”D.

20. On page 8, FEMA states the contractor shall submit proposed Cisco VPN concentrator specifications. If the contract uses a different Firewall configuration, do we need to use Cisco?

Cisco is the preferred equipment. Any other equipment would have to be approved by Cyber Security.

21. Page 8, is FEMA looking for the contractor to install a dedicated communication link between the contractor and FEMA or is this paragraph stating that is the Internet bandwidth requirement?

Paragraph is stating the contractor would install a T1 or other to support the data traffic at the contractor site to establish connectivity.

22. Can FEMA provide examples of records that needed to be translated and their translated record?

Records requiring translation can be applicant letters, receipts, insurance documents, etc.

Any document that is submitted to FEMA by an applicant that is not in English requires translation to English. Translation is a page by page summary translation.

23. On page 54, Guard Services – does the contractor need to have Guard Services at the mail facility?

If the facility warrants Guard Services under 8.a Determining the Need.

24. On page 55, FEMA Server security – is FEMA providing this server and the biometric cage? Who is the biometric lock keyed to, a FEMA or contractor representative?

No. A contractor representative.

25. May text in charts, graphics and headings be larger or smaller than 12 point? May another font such as Arial be used for these?

Applicants may submit documents to FEMA in any font and size.

26. May past performance questionnaires be submitted to FEMA directly from the reference rather than included in the proposal?

The Past Performance Questionnaires shall be submitted directly to FEMA by your clients.

They shall be emailed directly to Oneko.Dunbar@fema.dhs.gov

27. This RFP is for commercial items. Please confirm the SCA of 1965 is not applicable.

The SCA does apply.

28. Please define what counts as an “Image”? For instance, in a three page document, are there three images?

An image count can be one or two for a single page. If an applicant submits a single page letter with information on both the front and back of the page, this is considered two images.

If only the one side of the page contains information, this is considered one image.

29. Are Representations and Certifications to be included in submittal or does Sam.gov registration suffice?

An offeror may complete the annual representations and certifications electronically at the System for Award Management (SAM) website.

mailto:Oneko.Dunbar@fema.dhs.gov

30. If they are to be included, in which volume and do they count toward the page total?

An offeror may complete the annual representations and certifications electronically at the System for Award Management (SAM) website.

31. What number should be used to calculate the Unit Price for Baseline Operations? (A total 50,000 for CLIN 0001 for example?)

Unit Price for Baseline Operations is the recurring monthly cost when production is within baseline, up to the baseline production volume. CLIN 0001 is the recurring monthly cost for production up to 50,000 images.

32. The RFP does not reference indexing. Please confirm that indexing is not required as part of this solicitation

Indexing (associating a document to an applicant’s file) is not a requirement of the SOW.

33. Who is currently performing the image indexing?

FEMA

34. In emailing the RFP, the final submittal may be quite large. How large of an email can the FEMA servers accept?

FEMA’s servers will be able to accept the page limitations requested in the RFP.

35. May the emailed proposal be broken into two or more emails to meet those requirements?

FEMA’s servers will be able to accept the page limitations requested in the RFP.

36. Please clarify what task orders may be released on a Cost Reimbursement basis.

Surge production task orders.