HSFEHQ-08-R-0163 Land-line Q As.pdf

17 October 2008

RFP HSFEHQ-08-R-0163

FEMA Wire-Line Telecommunications

Services and Equipment

Vendor Questions and Government Responses

Q1. Section B – In regards to the pricing of POTS lines, is there a common set of features that the pricing for POTS lines should be based on?

A1. The government requires that offerors propose services and bundled feature sets.

that are comparable to existing government telecommunications contracts currently in place.

Q2. Section B – Will this be a single award or multiple award? Can a contractor bid only on a specific Line Item?

A2. See Section L.

Q3. Who is the current telecom management contractor?

A3. The Ambit Group LLC.

Q4. Who is the incumbent contractor? What is the value of the current contract including modifications?

A4. Verizon Business – 25 million

Q5. Is this requirement (SOW) the same as the previous contract? If so what are the labor categories to be used?

A5. No. The task orders will be firm-fixed-price. There are no labor categories.

Q6. Will the successful contractor be supplying the Wire-Line services to a contractor or directly to FEMA (Acting as FEMA’s Telecom Manager)?

A6. To the FEMA TSC (Telecommunications Service Center) which may be program management contractors of FEMA personnel.

Q7. Will the successful contractor be trained on TIMACS?

A7. Yes

Q8. Will the successful contractor be responsible for any maintenance/upgrades to TIMACS?

A8. No.

Q9. There are a few areas that mention “wireless” telecom services within the Background section. Can you confirm that this solicitation separate and distinct from the wireless solicitation?

A9. Yes.

Q10. Will there be any pre-bid conference held? If so when and where will it be held?

A10. No.

Q11. Will the successful contractor be required to have a facility clearance? If so, to what level?

A11. No.

Q12. Will FEMA accept Past Performance references from commercial entities that show projects similar in complexity and magnitude?

A12. See Section L.4

Q13. Can the proposal due date be extended 60 days?

A13. No.

Questions Q14-25 refer to Section B. Supplies or Services and Price. Section B.1. IDIQ Wire-line Schedule of Commodities-Services, pp. 2-5

Q14. Line Item Number 0002A – 2-Way Dial Service (POTS) –Is this a basic line with no features?

A14. The government requires that offerors propose services and bundled feature sets.

that are comparable to existing government telecommunications contracts currently in place.

Q15. Line 0002B – DS3 service – Is this a base mileage point-to-point DS3?

A15. Yes.

Q16. Line 0002C – T1 service – Is this a base mileage point-to-point service, or is service to be provisioned from the central office to the customer premises?

A16. Yes.

Q17. Line 0002CA – DID Service – What is the type of transmission facilities over which the service is to be delivered (e.g., analog, T1, ISDN PRI T1)?

A17. T1 and ISDN PRI

Q18. Line 0002CB – DOD Service/ Number Blocks – Can you please specify the basic number block size for which the offeror is to provide pricing (e.g., 20 or 100 lines)?

A18. Provide pricing for Blocks of 20 and 100.

Q19. Line 0002D – ISDN-BRI service – Can you please specify the ISDN-BRI standard option package for which the offeror is to provide pricing?

A19. The government requires that offerors propose services and bundled feature sets that are comparable to existing government telecommunications contracts currently in place.

Q20. Line 0002E – Off Premise Ext (OPX) – Can you please specify if this is a base mileage OPX circuit?

A20. Yes

Q21. Line 0002F – Local Broadband services (DSL, Cable) – Can you please specify the Broadband speed and service options for which the offeror is to provide pricing?

A21. The government requires that offerors propose services and bundled feature sets that are comparable to existing government telecommunications contracts currently in place.

Q22. Line 0002G – TV Broadcast Service – Can you please specify the TV broadcast configuration and duration for which the offeror is to provide pricing?

A22. The government requires that offerors propose services and bundled feature sets that are comparable to existing government telecommunications contracts currently in place.

Q23. Line 0003DA – PBX (G3 or equivalent) – Can you please further define the G3 PBX configuration to be priced (i.e., without cards or with specific cards)?

A23. Fine.

Q24. Lines 3003AA through 3003DB – Telecommunications Connections Equipment – Can you please specify the standard equipment configuration for each of these lines?

A24. The specific requirements will be defined at award of task order.

Q25. Line 3003F – Internet Services (Local DSL and Cable Service Business class DSL and T1 Internet Service. Larger Circuits (10MB, 20 MB)) – Are the Internet Services for DSL and Cable on this line the same as that on line 3002F? Can you please specify the Internet service speed for which the offeror is to provide pricing?

A25. You may propose alternate solutions.

Questions Q26-Q29 refer to Section B. Supplies or Services and Price. Section B.1. IDIQ Wire-line Schedule of Commodities-Services; and B.2. Task Order Wire-line Schedule of Commodities-Services, pp. 2-17.

Q26. Is the offeror to include labor charges with the pricing?

A26. See A5.

Q27. There is no line item for labor in the schedule. Can you please add a line item for labor or allow the offeror to add line items as necessary?

A27. See A5.

Q28. Is there no specification as to whether the rates need to be flat per site, state, region, or area?

A28. No, there is no specification.

Q29. Section B. Supplies or Services and Price, pp. 2-17 – Can you please confirm the estimated quantities and units of measure? For example, TV Broadcast service is 15 or 5 per month. What is the expected duration of each broadcast? More detail is necessary in order to provide pricing for evaluation purposes.

A29. The specific requirements will be defined at award of task order.

Questions Q30-Q33 refer to Section B. Supplies or Services and Price, pp. 2-17. The equipment is listed as a skeleton piece.

Q30. Is the offeror to include labor charges, circuit cards, cables, taxes, and the like with pricing?

A30. Offerors should include their total FFP for each Coverage Area to include all RFP requirements and deliverables in accordance with Section L.3.

Q31. Is the offeror to provide an option for purchase or lease?

A31. No.

Q32. Is all of this equipment to be new, or is some in FEMA’s inventory?

A32. Most should be in FEMA’s inventory.

Q33. Is all of this equipment to be supplied by the successful offeror?

A33. Any new equipment will be supplied by the offeror.

Questions Q34-Q37 refer to Section B. Supplies or Services and Price, pp. 2-17.

Q34. Can you please confirm the estimated quantities?

A34. The quantities are representative of FEMA’s services as of August 2008

Q35. Are the quantities listed an example, or are they representative of an initial equipment order?

A35. The quantities are representative of FEMA’s services as of August 2008

Q36. Can you please explain the items with zero quantities?

A36. These are not current requirements, but will potentially be purchased.

Q37. Is the offeror expected to price the items with zero quantities, or are these items rarely ordered and do not need to be priced?

A37. Contractors should price every line item.

Q38. Section B. Supplies or Services and Price, pp. 2-17 – There is no separation of Disaster/ surge orders and fixed location (office) orders. For example, is the offeror to provide similar pricing for a T1 in a disaster area as it would for a T1 in an office during a non-emergency time?

A38. Yes, if required

Q39. Section B. Supplies or Services and Price, pp. 2-17 – For the equipment designated “or equivalent”, are there specific “equivalent” features that FEMA has in mind?

A39. This allows for new equipment models. Features should offer the same or greater capabilities as models listed.

Q40. C.1. Performance Work Statement. III. Background, p. 18 –Please confirm the average number of lines of services for wireless and wire-line, and the number of service orders issued annually. Are these nationwide or regional estimates?

A40. Nationwide estimates.

Q41. C.1. Performance Work Statement. III. Background, p. 18 – Please confirm the information provided with regard to the Telecommunications Information Management and Control System (TIMACS). Specifically, are there any requirements for remote access to TIMACS, for example, over a dedicated connection or virtual private network (VPN)?

A41. The government will provide the vendor access as needed.

Questions Q42-Q43 refer to Section C. Description/ Specifications/ Statement of Work. C.1.

Performance Work Statement. V. Contract Objectives, p. 19.

Q42. Is the successful offeror required to provide a centralized procurement staff?

A42. No

Q43. Can FEMA provide office space to the successful offeror?

A43. No

Questions Q44-Q45 refer to Section C. Description/ Specifications/ Statement of Work. C.1.

Performance Work Statement. V. Contract Objectives, p. 19.

Q44. Section 2.0 states: “Provide and deliver wire-line telecommunications equipment and services to meet FEMA operational requirements including non-disaster (e.g., office environment) and surge demands associated with disaster/ event activities.” Can you please confirm the surge requirements covered by this RFP.

A44. Surge requirements listed are imperative.

Q45. Section 7.0 states: “Provide installation and maintenance support.” Is the successful offeror required to provide maintenance and installation support for all vendors? Who will submit requests for support, and how will requests for support be submitted?

A45. Yes, within the area awarded. FEMA will submit. Negotiable with awardee.

Q46. VII. Deliverables; 1.0. Wire-Line equipment, accessories, ancillary items such as cables and services, p. 19 – The Price Schedule does not provide a place for these items to be priced.

Does FEMA want the cost of these items to be built in, or does FEMA expect to pay on a per-case basis?

A46. The task orders will be firm-fixed-price.

Q47. VIII. Constraints; 7.0. No early termination fees, p. 21 – Can you please confirm that this is to apply to contracts with third-party vendors?

A47. Yes

Q48. VIII. Constraints; 9.0, p. 21 – Can you please confirm the ordering system (Network Information Management Systems (NIMS)) for data communications service requests?

A48. Telecommunications Information Management and Control System (TIMACS)

Q49. IX. Security for Sensitive Requirements; G. Background Investigations, p. 22. The first sentence states that “DISCO granted personnel security clearance” is required. What are the specific personnel clearance requirements for this contract (e.g., None (SF85 only), Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret) and will a DD254 be issued?

A49. The security specific requirements will be defined at award of task order and issued a

DD254.

Questions Q50-Q52 refer to Section C. Description/ Specifications/ Statement of Work. C.1.

Performance Work Statement. X. Place of Performance – Contractor’s Site, p. 24.

Q50. Can the Place of Performance be changed so that the core group of ordering and billing personnel are collocated with the FEMA Telecommunications Service Center (TSC)?

Collocation would mitigate many of the security concerns outlined in Section IX, Security for Sensitive Requirements.

A50. No.

Q51. Can FEMA provide the successful offeror with email accounts on the FEMA system? This access would minimize the amount of data sent between locations over the Internet and provide a valid “.gov” address when working with other vendors and suppliers.

A51. No.

Q52. Can FEMA telephone extensions be provided to the successful offeror? This access would provide for connection to all FEMA locations via FTS/FSN in the event of a major nationwide event, and simplify internal communication between work groups.

A52. No.

Q53. XIII. Coverage Areas, p. 24 – A Letter of Agency will be required to establish service under FEMA’s name. Without this, Federal tax exemption status cannot be obtained and Telecommunication Service Priorities (TSPs) cannot be issued to service providers for either priority installation or maintenance service.

A53. Yes

Q54. XIII. Coverage Areas; Coverage Area C, FEMA Region 9, Pacific Islands, p. 24 – Is American Samoa included?

A54. Yes

Questions Q55-Q56 refer to Section F. Deliveries or Performance. F.1. Performance Requirements Summary. Tasks 7.0 and 8.0; Provide installation and maintenance support;

Provide 24x7x365 technical support assistance to all levels within FEMA, p. 32.

Q55. Can you please confirm the Technical Support requirements?

A55. Technical support is required.

Q56. Does FEMA expect dedicated labor for the 24x7x365 Technical Support personnel?

A56. No. Yet, technical support options must be available.

Q57. Will the Government extend the due date for this response to November 25, 2008 in order to accommodate the amount of detail required for the response?

A57. No.

Q58. In reference to sections B.1 and B.2, are any of the services listed temporary in nature (i.e., less than 12 months)?

A58. Yes

Q59. Since this RFP requires Firm Fixed Prices, does the Government intend to provide more specific site information /exact locations to enable accurate pricing to be provided? If not, is it the intent of the Government to have Offerors provide estimated prices using the site examples provided in the RFP?

A59. Use site examples provided.

Q60. Section B, Pricing Schedule & Section M.1, General Information, 1st paragraph. May an Offeror provide pricing on a state by state, zone by zone basis for those areas within our footprint rather than for an entire Coverage Area as defined by the RFP?

A60. No.

Q61. Section B, Pricing Schedule. Where are non-recurring charges (installation charges, etc.)

to be entered?

A61. As part of the offerors firm-fixed price.

Q62. Section C.1, Subsection III (Background), 1st paragraph. Can an Offeror bid on the system integrator role?

A62. No.

Q63. Section C.1, Subsection III (Background), 3rd paragraph. Will the successful Offeror be allowed to send multiple bills to the incumbent integrator as occurs today for services ordered under this contract?

A63. One consolidated bill. Though, detail must be available.

Q64. Section C.1, Subsection V (Contract Objectives), second-to-last bullet. Will the Government provide a list of the existing services to be transitioned by specific location? If not, how soon after award will the customer provide a list of existing services to be transitioned?

A64. Immediately after award this listing will be provided.

Q65. Section B.1, Pricing Schedule – Are the Offerors to provide prices for the equipment detailed on the Schedule, even though they are shown at 0 quantities?

A65. Yes.

Q66. Will the Government provide a copy of the Solicitation and Performance Questionnaire in Word format rather than PDF?

A66. No.

Q67. Will the Government explain its requirement for transition within 60 days? Does this mean after a task order is awarded? Is there any time flexibility in that 60-day requirement?

A67. Yes after task order award. There is no flexibility.

Q68. Section C.1-Subsection VII, 4.0 (Deliverables) – On Notice of Completion of Order to FEMA-TSC, what savings information is to be provided?

A68. It is currently being developed

Q69. C.1, Subsection XIII, Coverage Areas, Estimated Services and Representative Examples in each Coverage Area-Coverage Area A—under DS3, shows 53 lines of services. What types of services are included in these 53 lines?

A69. This shows there are on average 53 DS3 (45mbps) circuits operational in area A.

Q70. Section G-Subsection G.1, I tem 3 (Ordering Procedures) and Section I, Subsection 52.216-18, Item (c) (Ordering). Section G advises No Oral orders under this contract are authorized but under Section I it says orders may be issued orally. Will the Government please clarify?

A70. Oral orders will not be allowed.

Q71. Section I, Subsection 52.216-19, Item (3) – How many ordering offices does the Government expect will be part of this contract?

A71. One

Q72. Section C, Item XII., Government Furnished Property – Who is responsible for maintaining the GFE noted in this section?

A72. Maintenance of GFE is not part of this contract.

Q73. The current contract type is a hybrid with fixed price labor rates and cost reimbursement telecommunications services. Under Section L, 52.216.1, the Government contemplates a firm-fixed price task order award. Will the Government explain its departure from the hybrid-type contract currently in place, and would it consider changing this contract type to a hybrid to accommodate fluctuating telecommunications service prices, i.e., tariff services?

A73. No, the Government will not change the contract type from firm-fixed price.

Q74. Section B.1 There are equipment items listed with the unit of measure being “month”. Does the Government really desire a monthly rate for CLINS 0003-0003DB, or, in fact, a unit of measure being “each”? Equipment monthly rates normally have a term associated with it.

A74. Correct, 0003AA through 000EB should reference ‘each’ instead of ‘month’.

Q75. Section B, Pricing Schedule & Section M.1, General Information, 1st paragraph. May offerors add a CLIN in order to provide pricing for additional Program Management resources required to accommodate RFP scope (tracking, reporting, custom billing, etc.)?

A75. No.

Q76. There is no mention of any security assessment being required on the equipment; however, there was mention that all wire-line equipment, software, and services must comply with DHS, FEMA IT, and the Office of IT Security standards. Do those standards require that all new systems be Certified and Accredited (per FISMA)?

A76. All C&A procedures will need to be met under this task order.

Q77. In the RFP the following statement is listed: "L.3.2 Wire-line Price Schedule (Section 2) Unit and summary pricing should be submitted using the Pricing Schedule provided in Section B of this RFP. The pricing submitted in the Pricing Schedule B.1 is considered a ceiling price."

How does FEMA expect the prices submitted by the respondents to be lower than the quoted rate?

A77. FEMA expects your FFP offer will be your best price.

Q78. Section C, V, 1st bullet point - May the offeror respond with only services and equipment that it provides?

A78. All requirements must be priced.

Q79. Section C, VIII, item 7 – Is there a minimum term for each service?

A79. No minimum term. Termination fees do not apply.

Q80. Section L, L.3.2 – May the offeror provide its own pricing file or does it have to use the provided Wire-Line Schedule of Commodities-Services (B.1 and B.2)?

A80. The offeror may not deviate from the pricing schedule in Section B.

Q81. Section L, L.3.2 and L.3.3 – If the offeror must use the provided Wire-Line Schedule of Commodities-Services, may the form be modified by the offeror?

A81. No.

Q82. Section M, 52.212-2 – Will the award be based upon the total price in table B.1 or B.2?

A82. See Section M.2.

Q83. What are the capacities that voice equipment should be capable of supporting when deliver?

A83. The specific requirements will be defined at time of award of task order.

Q84. What are the capacities that the same equipment should be able to expand to? This would have an impact on the base model.

A84. The specific requirements will be defined at time of award of task order.

Q85. On the routers, what are the minimum feature sets to be included?

A85. The specific requirements will be defined at award of task order.

Q86. What are the WAN interface requirements?

A86. The specific requirements will be defined at award of task order.

Q87. You required, in emergency situation, that the requested services (equipment) be delivered in 24 - 48 hours. What equipment is expected in this time window? Stocking provisioning will need to be arranged to meet this requirement.

A87. All services and equipment are required

Q88. For each type of the routers, switches and access points, what interface, feature and capacities are required? This will have a significant impact on the cost and functionality. We want to meet the functional expectations of the FEMA mission.

A88. The specific requirements will be defined at award of task order.

Q89. Are the unit costs intended to be a drop ship cost? How does FEMA want to handle the costs associated with installation, configuration and operations, etc.?

A89. Drop ship cost. Any associated charges would require a modification to the task order.