T-ATS_DDC_Draft_RFP_QA_5Dec2016.docx

1. Please confirm that DRL DI-033-09 only requires the listing of drawings specifically identified in DI-031 and DI-033. Manual, studies, calculations, reports and the like are excluded.

The Government confirms that DI-003-09 does not require the inclusion of manuals, studies, calculations, and reports.

2. DRL DI-033-09 makes reference to "Ship Equipment Drawings". Please identify the DRL that defines scope of Ship Equipment Drawings. We see no DI of that description.

Ship Equipment Drawings are not required. This change will be included in an update to DRL DI033-09, which will be issued with the formal Request For Proposals.

3. DRL DI-033-09 para 1f notes "Actual completion dates and revision dates". Is this to mean the latest revision date or a history of all revision dates for each drawing listed?

Actual completion dates should reflect the date the initial revision was issued. The revision dates should reflect the date the latest revision was issued.

4. Draft RFP Page 36, section C-3.085a, 3rd paragraph - Please confirm that the reference to "all drawings" means only those listed in DI-031.

“All drawings” means all drawings developed for the program. This includes those required by DI-031, DI-032, DI-033, and those required by Classification Society and Regulatory Bodies.

5. Draft RFP Page 39, section C-3.096, 1st and 2nd paragraphs - Please explain what the "Supplemental Agreement" is.

The Ship’s weight will be contractual and will be documented in a supplemental agreement which is a bilateral contract modification. Since the Accepted Weight Estimate (DI-046-01) will not be produced until after the contract is awarded, a supplemental agreement is used to incorporate the weight and center of gravity values into the contract.

6. Draft RFP Page 40, section C-3.098 - This section described the need for specific models and mock-ups. Will the criteria cited be incorporated into the respective COR sections?

The criteria cited will not be incorporated into the COR. The Government expects the models will reflect the contractor’s final design.

7. Draft RFP Page 40, section C-3.098, 2nd paragraph - This paragraph describes various items that the ANCHOR HANDLING MODEL is to accomplish. Why is said modeling requires as anchor handling is a part of the mature commercial vessel design being used to develop the baseline design?

The anchor handling model will help to prevent anchoring handling problems that have occurred on recent commercial ship procurements, including some ships which were based on an existing design.

8. Draft RFP Page 40, section C-3.098, Pilothouse Mock-up - To what degree is the equipment to be simulated? Are 2D representations acceptable?

Equipment would be simulated to a degree to which a ship’s Master could come into the Mock-up and be able to get a sense as to how he/she and watch standers would be able to perform their duties on the Bridge. Equipment, furnishings, and consoles may be represented by either actual or simulated equipment, furnishings, and consoles (e.g. wooden or cardboard boxes) which match the dimensions and layout of switches, controls, indicators, etc. 2D representations of equipment, furnishings, and consoles are not acceptable.

9. Draft RFP Page 55, HQ C-2-0039 - Please confirm that the reference to "working plans" means only those listed in DI-031.

Working plans are not limited to those listed in DI-031.

10. Draft RFP Page 109, paragraph 3 - The text indicates that three copies of Volume I are to be provided. The table indicates six copies are required. Which is correct?

Three copies of Volume I are required. This will be corrected in the final RFP.

11. Draft RFP Page 113 - This section indicates that compartment areas are to be listed on the General Arrangement. Is this for every compartment or only those intended for stowage of liquids or solids?

Compartment areas for every compartment are to be listed on the General Arrangement.

12. Draft RFP Page 113 - This section indicates that antenna locations are to be depicted. Several antennas are provided as GFE. Will the Offerors be provided locating constraints for each of the GFE antenna in order to accurately represent their size and locations in the proposed General Arrangement?

The Government will not be providing locating constraints for the GFE antennas. For purposes of the proposal, Offerors are required to depict only Contractor-furnished antennas. Locations of GFE antennas will be agreed to after contract award as part of the C4I Working Group mentioned in Section C-3.045h after the Government has conducted a topside analysis.

13. Attachment J-3 Page 2, paragraph 4.0 - The table in this section makes reference to "Project Peculiar Documents". We could not find a listing in the COR or Attachment J-3. Where are these PPDs listed and will the Offerors be provided a copy prior to development of their bids?

The Project Peculiar Documents are the items listed in the Government Furnished Information. This will be clarified in the final RFP.

14. Attachment J-1, COR (Version 3) section 3.202c – The first paragraph requires the monitoring the “status and operating parameters” of the transformers. Exactly what is intended to be monitored on the transformers?

It is intended that temperature for each phase of the transformer winding will be monitored as well as any other parameter which is needed to satisfy ABS for ACCU notation.

15. Attachment J-1, COR (Version 3) section 3.422 – The 2nd paragraph indicates that two searchlights are to be provided port and starboard. Please conform that the intent is for a total of two searchlights, one each port and starboard.

The intent of the requirement is to provide one searchlight on the port side and one searchlight on the starboard side.

16. Attachment J-1, COR (Version 3) section 3.422 – Is it required that the navigation lights be LED type?

Yes, navigation lights shall be of the LED type.

17. Will the T-ATS contract have a bond included?

No, Offerors will not be required to secure performance bonds, bid bonds, or similar types of surety bonds for this contract.

18. Will the Navy issue a waiver for Tier 4 emission requirements or will we be allowed to substitute the propulsion engines with Tier 4 compliant units or equal or greater power?

The Circular of Requirements (Version 3.0) requires that "Diesel engines shall comply with the emissions requirements applicable to marine engines intended for US Flag commercial vessels as well as compliance to IMO MARPOL Annex VI." Therefore diesel engines are required to comply with Environmental Protection Agency regulations, either Tier 3 or Tier 4 depending on the engine's displacement per cylinder. Offerors are allowed to substitute engines on the parent design to meet these requirements. The Navy will not waive or use the national security exemption for emission requirements on these ships.

19. How does the Navy intend to handle royalties to the owners of the parent craft designs? We assume it will be up to the bidders to negotiate the best possible arrangement and include in their pricing?

It will be the Offeror's responsibility to make all arrangements, including any royalties or other fees, with the owner of the parent design in order to use the design for this solicitation.

20. What would be the anticipated crew size and berthing requirements?

The crew size is expected to be 23 initially, and then reduced to 21 after the ship is approved to operate with a periodically unattended engineroom.

21. Would a moon pool be required to support divers/ROVs?

There is no requirement for a moon pool, and there are no support services required for the ship to embark divers or ROVs. All support services and other interfaces that the T-ATS will require to support embarked mission systems are already captured in the Circular of Requirements, Attachment J-1.

22. What type of crane is envisioned (SWL, sea state, man riding required)?

The salvage crane requirements are listed in the Circular of Requirements, Attachment J-1. Section 3.573 lists the primary requirements. Other cranes, such as general purpose cranes for stores handling, can be included as part of the Offeror's proposed ship design to provide the ship with additional flexibility, but there is no requirement for any crane besides the salvage crane.

23. How many boats required (FRC, lifeboat, work boats) vice life rafts?

A fast rescue boat is specified in the Circular of Requirements, Attachment J-1. Section 3.583a lists the primary requirements. It is the Offeror's responsibility to determine the type and number of life rafts and/or lifeboats based on the crew and persons other than crew that the T-ATS will accommodate. Any other boats that will be required to perform missions will be provided by the Navy as part of the embarked mission systems and equipment.

24. Will there be additional information on what will be specifically required for SAR, Sub Rescue, and HADR?

Other than the towing winch and associate tow equipment, the T-ATS will embark any mission systems and equipment needed to perform its mission. All support services and other interfaces that the T-ATS will require to support embarked mission systems are captured in the Circular of Requirements, Attachment J-1.

25. Will ABS class Notation CPS for IMO PSPC requirement for IMO Resolution MSC.215(82) be required?

Section No. 1 - Service Requirements, Para (c) Tank Paints, Item (2) Ballast Tanks states: "Ballast Tanks shall be coated with two coats of approved epoxy over blasted steel. Shop primers must be removed."

T-ATS Circular of Requirements, Attachment J-1 states the vessel will be designed and constructed under American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Whereas, the subject vessel is over 500 gross tons - is it the intent to adhere to IMO resolution requirements? ABS Notation (CPS) would require additional technical requirements such as Coating Technical File and Tripartite Agreement between NAVSEA, Coating Manufacture and Shipyard, etc. Additional requirements pertaining to certification of coating systems, verification procedures and inspection criteria also required. Normal ballast tank coatings would be two main coats with two stripe coats.

Please advise if the ABS Notation CPS will be required for IMO Resolution Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC).

The Government does not require the ABS Notation CPS.

26. COR (Version 3) Revision Block - The Description indicates that 3.644b was changed. No change could be found in 3.644b. However, there were changes to sections 3.663 and 3.664a that were not identified in the revision block. Please clarify.

It is assumed that this question is about 3.664b as 3.644b does not exist in the COR. The title of 3.664b was changed from “DAMAGE CONTROL REPAIR LOCKER” to “DAMAGE CONTROL EQUIPMENT STOWAGE”.

27. COR (Version 3) Section 3.436b - Is it required all accesses be monitored or only those from the ship's exterior?

Only Communications Suite accesses, egresses, or hatches are required to be monitored. If a Ship’s Office is provided then its accesses, egresses, or hatches will be required to be monitored.

28. COR (Version 3) Section 3.521 - What is meant by requiring the actuated ball valve being "located within the skin of the vessel"? The only other time "within the skin" is used clearly requires within an interior compartment. Does this mean it is to be located out of the weather?

“Within the skin of the vessel" means interior to the vessel and out of the weather.

29. COR (Version 3) Section 3.602a - States that the "frames shall be numbered from bow to stern". It is presumed that frame 0 is at the bow. During design studies the government accepted that frame 0 could be aft if that was how the parent vessel was laid out. Is the aft frame 0 no longer acceptable?

Numbering the frames stern to bow with an aft frame of 0 is not acceptable. The frames shall be numbered from bow to stern starting with 0 at the bow regardless of how the parent vessel is laid out.

30. COR (Version 3) Section 3.644b - This section requires that the Damage Control Repair Locker "be contained within the Salvage Storeroom (if provided)". Does the Damage Control Repair Locker area/volume count as part of the required area/volume for the Salvage Storeroom?

Yes, the Damage Control Equipment area/volume is counted as part of the required area/volume for the Salvage Storeroom.

31. COR (Version 3) Section 3.672d - This section has been moved from Appendix B to the COR making it a requirement. However, sections 3.573, 3.644b and 4.070c all make reference to Salvage Storeroom or Salvage Equipment Stowage with the notation "(if provided)". Please clarify.

The notation "(if provided)" will be removed from these sections in the final RFP.

32. COR (Version 3) Section 3.070f - This section provides a range of humidity when electronic equipment is operating and not operating. Is this an intent to require that humidifiers be provided in the spaces cited to maintain the minimum relative humidity?

Humidifiers are not required to be provided. A modification to section 3.070f will be made to the final version of the COR used for the RFP.

33. Attachment J-1, Circular of Requirements, Section 3.070f, Operating Environment – Will the Government specify outside ambient temperature requirements for both summer and winter operating conditions? In addition, what are the required design temperatures for sea water to support system design for mission operations?

Outside ambient temperature requirements for both summer and winter operating conditions shall be as specified for unrestricted service by ABS. Seawater design temperatures shall be as specified for unrestricted service by ABS.

34. Attachment J-1, Circular of Requirements, Section No. 3.313, Storage Batteries and Charging Equipment – states: “Lead acid batteries shall not be connected in parallel”.

Subject specifications are virtually silent in respect to the requirements for 24 VDC battery banks, of which each require (2) UPS Units, required for the following items:

· Main Propulsion Control System

· DP electronic equipment and controls

· Pilot House DC Power Loads

· Engine Alarm and Monitoring Each battery bank normally consist of two (2) 12 VDC, 200 AMP-Hour GEL series GE-8D limited discharge lead-acid batteries installed in parallel. Two (2) 24 VDC battery charges with distribution panels are also required.

The intent of the requirement is not to prevent pre-assembled commercial UPS unit(s) which may contain internal paralleled batteries. Such commercial units 'should' have monitoring equipment built in to prevent/detect a dead battery from pulling the rest of the system voltage down or a battery status/maintenance indicator.

The requirement is directed toward those installations where an installation is fabricated or multiple batteries are combined to provide the required Ahr or runtime output. Many commercial chargers have multiple 'battery stations' or terminals for batteries/banks with a common output load terminal. This configuration allows batteries/banks to be independently charged/serviced and also provides better detection of a faulty battery/bank.

35. Attachment J-1, Circular of Requirements, Section No. 3.420, Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) and Autopilot – subject specifications states: “DPS primary control shall be located in the Pilot House”. Also states: “Primary and secondary to effect and accept control transfer”.

Normal vessel operation for Joystick and dynamic positioning control stations would be the aft pilot house control station, forward pilot house and port and stbd bridge wings. Would a removable (portable) unit in the aft console with plug in jacks for bridge wing operation suffice?

Yes.

36. Attachment J-1, Circular of Requirements, Section 3.532, Freshwater Service System, Sub-Section 3.532a, General – Is the Government’s preference for the water maker type to be Reverse Osmosis or Waste Heat FW Generator?

If Reverse Osmosis type is required, please state vessel’s sea water temperature operating conditions especially in cold weather mission locations. Dependent on sea water temperatures in cold weather regions; pre-heaters will be required for inlet sea water for maximum water making performance for reverse osmosis type units.

The Government does not have a preference as to the water maker type. Seawater design temperatures shall be for unrestricted service as specified by ABS.

37. This extra stowage requires 65-85 square meters extra area in connection with the Salvage Stowage. Is the location mandatory? Or is it possible have an alternative location?

The COR states that the Mission Equipment Stowage MAY be collocated with Salvage Stowage as additional space provided. An alternative location is acceptable provided the alternative location meets the access, handling, and securing requirements.

38. Is the small business subcontracting plan included in the technical volume page count?

The Small Business Subcontracting Plan will be excluded from the Technical Volume page count; this will be reflected clearly in the upcoming RFP.

39. The Offeror is required to submit a proposal which is sufficiently detailed and complete to fully demonstrate understanding of, and compliance with, all of the requirements of the RFP/contract…

The draft proposal includes 1,014 requirements. In order to ensure that proposals provide sufficiently detailed content to enable evaluation, will the Government increase the page count of the technical volume? We respectfully suggest that it be increased to 175 pages.

The Technical Volume page count will not be changed for the upcoming RFP. However, the Past Performance section, in its entirety, will be excluded from the Technical Volume page count.

40. The Offeror is required to provide a description of past performance experience for themselves and any significant Subcontractors in design and/or construction on no more than five (5) contracts/subcontracts over the last ten (10) years in the design and/or construction of ships similar in scope and complexity to the Proposed T-ATS Baseline Design

Would the government please clarify whether it expects:

-- up to five contracts for the bidder AND up to five contracts for each significant Subcontractor (up to ten contracts total) -- up to five contracts total, for bidder and significant Subcontractor combined.

The upcoming RFP will be changed to reflect the Government expectation of up to five contracts for the bidder AND up to five contracts for all significant Subcontractors (up to ten contracts total).

41. If a contract is with a non-US entity, is the bidder permitted to provide Estimated (or target) cost and actual experienced cost in the currency in which the transaction was made?

Currency conversions should be performed such that the Offeror is reflecting work in US dollars.

42. What is the dollar value of the TPP adjustment that will be applied for the padeyes (3.180) feature?

The padeyes (3.180) feature is now a requirement and will not be treated as a Desired Feature. They will not be assigned a dollar value for the purpose of price evaluation as described in Section M of the RFP.

43. Attachment J-10, Preservation Instructions, Section No. 22, Interior Spaces and Color Schemes – Please describe the Government requirements for coatings pertaining to the following areas:

1. Vertical steel bulkheads behind joiner bulkheads (sheathing)

2. Vertical steel bulkheads and overhead decks requiring insulation

3. Overhead steel decks behind joiner (false) ceilings

All unexposed surfaces shall be painted to the same requirement as exposed surfaces.

44. Attachment J-10, Preservation Instructions, Section No. 20, Hull Markings, paragraph 1 – Draft specification states: “all letters and numbers shall be outlined with welding beads”.

Would the government consider NC cut markings out of ¼” thick steel plate? Allowing the markings to be NC cut and tabbed provides uniform size, height and proper spacing. Entire tab can be placed on hull plating for entire ‘run out’ of hull markings. NC cut letters are easier and less expensive to install and provide uniform dimensions.

NC Cut markings are acceptable provided that they are completely welded out as to prevent liquid from entering between the markings and the hull.

45. Attachment J-1, Circular of Requirements, Section 3.555, Fire Extinguishing Systems, Sub-section 3.555a, General – states: A means shall be provided to fight a bilge fire independent of the main system.”

Is it the Government’s intent to require a fixed AFFF bilge sprinkling system for all machinery spaces below the floor plates? As an alternate is a bilge level flooding AFFF system permissible?

The Government does not have a preference as to the type of media that will be used to extinguish a bilge fire. Either a bilge sprinkling or a bilge level flooding system is permissible.

46. Attachment J-1, Circular of Requirements, Section 4.420, Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) and Autopilot

Normal testing of ABS DPS-2 requires three (3) main test procedures:

· Periodic Safety Test Procedure (PSTP)

· Design Verification Test Procedure (DVTP)

· Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA)

In addition, will NAVSEA identify subject vessel systems to be considered as part of the FMEA or rely on ABS minimum requirements?

NAVSEA will rely on USCG and ABS minimum requirements.

47. Will the Navy consider mid-body extensions above 10%?

No.

48. In the Circular of Requirements (Attachment J-1), the Vertical Center of Gravity of the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) appears to be substantially higher than the US Navy's Submarine Rescue System (SRDRS). Can you confirm that the numbers are correct?

Based on the latest available information on the NSRS system, the "NSRS Vertical" loading condition in Table 3.079-1 will be changed from a Cargo Vertical Center of Gravity of 4.5 meters to 4.0 meters. This change will be included in an update to the Circular of Requirements, which will be issued with the formal Request For Proposals. All other weights and centers of gravity in Table 3.079-1 will remain unchanged.