Q-A_2.docx

The Government received the following questions:

Question: Will the incumbent provider provide assistance in the transition? What is the current Contract Vehicle?

A: The current contract does not contain language specifically requiring a “transition out”, nor does it include FAR 52.237-3 Continuity of Services by reference at this time. The Government may negotiate these clauses in at a later date.

The current contract is a commercial contract with Verizon Business Network Service, Inc. There is no contract vehicle associated with the current contract.

Vendor Comment: This requirement may be difficult to achieve as the Industry standard for Ethernet circuits is 60days. Also existing Telco facilities at each location may require "special construction" to deliver Ethernet circuits.

The current HUD OIG contract requires new circuits to be installed within 45 days of award.

The current contract also allows HUD OIG to request expedited circuits to be installed within 23 days at no additional cost.

HUD OIG expects the vendor to propose a reasonable service delivery schedule for new circuits.

Vendor Comment: This requirement may be difficult (at times) to meet as when we would need to get a quote from an Access partner, or in cases where diversity from an existing access circuit may be required.

A: The current contract does not have a metric for delivery of quotes.

HUD OIG expects the vendor to propose a reasonable service delivery schedule for quotes.

Vendor Comment: This requirement may be difficult to achieve as the Industry standard for Ethernet circuits is 60 days. Also existing Telco facilities at each location may require "special construction" to deliver Ethernet circuits.

A: The current HUD OIG contract requires new circuits to be installed within 45 days of award.

The current contract also allows HUD OIG to request expedited circuits to be installed within 23 days at no additional cost.

HUD OIG expects the vendor to propose a reasonable service delivery schedule for new circuits.

Question: Does HUD-OIG want to know the availability of DS-X and DSL service access availability in addition to Ethernet Access as requested in this RFI?

A: Any relevant information would be helpful as we are in the RFI stage.

Question: Would HUD-OIG entertain DSL with Quality of Service (QoS) offerings as a diversity option to the Ethernet and DS-X requirements? Would LTE Wireless also be considered as a diversity requirement?

A: Any relevant information would be helpful as we are in the RFI stage.

Vendor Comment: Can you please clarify HUD-OIG's intent with this requirement? A separate Network or V-Lan to prioritize and distribute this traffic?

A: HUD OIG expects a separate V-LAN will need to be configured for the prioritization and distribution of the VOIP traffic.

The offeror may propose their own solution.

Question: Is HUD-OIG stating in this requirement request for an "additional 1GB" circuit between the Colorado and DC data centers in addition to the one requested in the RFI? Is it safe to assume that HUD-OIG would prefer to have these additional circuits delivered with diverse path / access from the ones listed earlier?

A: The requirement is for a single 1 GB circuit between the data centers.

For the Region 7 - Kansas City office, the "As is Circuit" description illustrates (4) x T-1 equaling a 6Mbps circuits installed.

Question: As this site has much less bandwidth (6Mbps) than the other Regional Offices having a DS3 or 45Mbps circuits, shall we propose a 20Mbps or 30Mbps circuit or go with the requested 50Mbps Ethernet circuit?

A: HUD OIG expects the vendor to propose circuit speeds required for regional offices.