Questions 4-2.pdf

NOTE TO PROSPECTIVE VENDORS PRIOR TO REVIEWING THE BELOW QUESTIONS

AND ANSWERS:

Please see the sample guide below and at the bottom of these questions.

Vendors please note: The sample guide provides the following:

1. Minimum number of suggested routes.

2. The maximum number of minutes of wait time.

3. The hours of operations split into locations.

4. Estimated number of sailors to be transported from each location.

5. Locations.

The sample does not provide:

1. Mandatory driving routes to and from pickup and dropoff locations

2. A maximum number of routes

3. A minimum or maximum number of transportation vehicles.

4. Limits on vehicles type (ie,, buses or vans, etc.)

5. A binding schedule

ADDITIONAL NOTE: With Respect to the weekend and holiday number of riders. That is estimated at 1/3 the number of weekday riders for each location.

Questions:

1. Total - is that all at one time or is that the overall total throughout the day?

Using the sample schedule as a guide…

The “Downtown Rotator” would be an estimate of 300 sailors throughout the day. While it starts at 3:34am the number of riders would most likely peak at lunch times, later afternoons, and evenings as most sailors would be at work. It would be more consistent on the weekends however the total number of weekend/holiday riders is estimated at 1/3 the weekday ridership at each location.

The “Newport News West and Newport News East/Hampton” consists of shift worker transport. The earliest shift has the least number of workers with most sailors getting picked up between 0500 to 0730.

Frequency on the schedule would refer to how often the transportation would circle back to each location, aka wait time.

The “Portsmouth & Suffolk” supports shift workers similar to the “Newport News West and Newport News

East/Hampton” routes but also functions as a connector route from the Down Town Newport News area to the Suffolk Tricare Clinic during the period starting 30 minutes before normal hours to 30 minutes after the clinic normal operating hours.

2. Are we transporting 400 Sailors and picking them up in the morning all at the same time?

A: See the sample schedule for revised estimates on the number of Sailors. Please be aware that the sailors are working shifts, so they will not be picked up all at once. Typically the first hour is for the breakfast crew, the number picks up between 0500 and 0730. After 0800 (0900 weekends/holidays) transportation from GLA pauses. It would resume at 1500. Since the Sailors work in shifts the afternoon numbers should mirror the morning times, however there are times when the Sailors’ shifts change which in turn would impact the ridership numbers in the afternoon after 1500.

3. Are they doing shift work?

A: Yes.

4. Round Robin Services (37th Street Parking Garage to 50th Street Turnstile to Huntington Hall to Bank

Building Then back to 37th Street Parking Garage: TOTAL DISTANCE 3.4 miles) Question: Does this service happen independent of getting Sailors to and from work at the turnstile locations? The round robin services as described only includes one GLA so is this service provided after the initial work drop-off?

A: This shuttle service should be an independent route. The order of the stops can be decided by the vendor. The PWS has been updated to add, “Downtown Newport News Food.” The estimated number of passengers is 300 and the wait times are 15 mins during weekdays and 30 mins for weekend/ holidays.

There is only one GLA as point to point to each GLA would be cost prohibitive. Additionally, many Sailors park in the parking garage near headquarters and would be able to utilize the transportation at that location.

5. As a follow-up question concerning the number of personnel and when they need to be transported, can someone provide a projected estimate of Sailors that live at each of the 8 GLA locations?

A: Column “C” of the sample schedule provides the anticipated number of passengers at that location.

6. Are passengers expected to travel all at once or staggered throughout the morning window?

A: Please see answer to questions one and two and the sample schedule below.

7. What specific number of vehicles does the Government expect the contractor to provide?

A: It is up to the contractor to propose a plan that meets the requirements of the solicitation and the number of vehicles to be provided is part of that process, calling for application of the contractor’s judgment. The

Government will not direct or dictate a specific number. See also, the answer to question 9 below concerning the desired maximum ride wait time for Sailors.

8. Should the contractor plan for vans, buses, or a specific mix of vehicle types?

A: That is for the contractor to determine in formulating a proposal which meets the requirements of the solicitation.

9. What is the required trip frequency from each GLA location to the turnstiles during morning hours?

A: When the frequency on the sample schedule states, “15 mins” the trip frequency should be 4 times an hour, twice an hour for “30 mins” and once an hour for “60 mins. These are also the mandatory maximum wait times.

10. What is the expected travel route or sequence for pickups at the GLA locations?

A: That is for the contractor to determine in formulating a proposal which meets the requirements of the solicitation. We have provided an example that can or cannot be used.

11. Will each apartment location have direct routes, or will routes include multiple stops per trip?

A: That is for the contractor to determine in formulating a proposal which meets the requirements of the solicitation. We have provide an example with multiple stops. We do not expect point to point transportation as it is cost prohibitive.

12. What is the expected round-trip time between each location and the shipyard gates?

A: The Government cannot provide specific information as this will vary.

13. Are specific routes mandated, or can the contractor optimize routes?

A: Vendor should optimize routes.

14. Are weekend/holiday operations expected to run continuous service or limited scheduled trips?

A: Only the “Downtown Rotator” and “Portsmouth & Suffolk” would be continuous throughout the day.

The three other routes in the suggested schedule have a “break period” between 0900 and 1500 for the weekend. See the sample schedule below.

15. Is parking available at the turnstiles or nearby areas for contractor vehicles?

A: There are locations where a contractor vehicle can be temporarily standing curbside but there is no parking for vehicles to park for extended times such as during the weekday break period between 0900 and

1500 that is mentioned above.

16. Are there designated pickup/drop-off zones at each location-

A: No. the vendor would be expected to designate a pickup/drop-off zones at each location

17. What is the required frequency for the round-robin shuttle between:

37th Street Parking Garage

50th Street Turnstile

Huntington Hall

Bank Building

A: That route has been changed to add in the “Downtown Newport News Food” location. It is expected to be a continuous route with a maximum wait time of 15 mins. That would equal four round trips per hour.

18. Do you care if vehicles are owned or rented?

A: There is no stated preference; however, vehicles must meet standards mentioned in the PWS, including but not limited to those for insurance, and qualified (per the terms of the PWS) drivers shall be provided for all transportation services.

19. Is the transportation expected to remain in the area only for pickups and drop-offs, or do we need to stay on location or in the area all day?

A: Services are needed throughout the day. It is at the discretion of the contractor, in formulating a proposal which meets the requirements of the solicitation, whether to have drivers remain on-site, make continuous loops, etc.

20. In your pricing sheet, You only ask for the Yearly cost, but other factors influence pricing, e.g., weekends, holidays, stragglers etc..... Do you have a more detailed pricing sheet, or you don't care and the cost will be divided by 12 months for invoicing.

A: This is a firm fixed price contract and the contractor should factor in their entire cost for performing this contract (gas, drivers, vehicles, weekend hours, fees, etc) into their total fixed price. The annual cost will be divided into monthly increments for invoicing purposes.

21. In your pricing sheet document you have two sheets, I was wondering if there was anything missing in the file on sheet two or was that an accident.

A: The second tab was left intentionally blank. Please disregard tab.

22. You also mentioned that the government would be responsible for any damage resulting from employee negligence. Since you don't have a way to assign that cost, would that be handled on a case-by-case basis?

A: Damage would be handled on a case by case basis through the Navy Claims process. Also, to be clear, the Government will be responsible for Government caused damage and provided for under relevant law, not damage from the vendor’s drivers/employees, or from other causes (See Section 5.6 of the PWS).

23. Are the approximately 400 Sailors referenced in the PWS expected to be transported primarily in the morning for muster/arrival by 0600, meaning the majority of the daily volume occurs during the 0500–

0600 window?

A: See the answer to questions 1. Also, with respect to the morning tripes, we expect majority of sailors would be picked up at the apartments between 0500- 0730.

24. What is the expected average number of personnel requiring transportation throughout the bulk of the day

(roughly 0600–1500/1600), outside of the primary morning inbound and afternoon outbound peaks? For example, how many stragglers or ad-hoc trips are anticipated per hour or per day?

A: We estimate 300 passengers for the downtown rotation. Only the “Downtown Rotation” sample would be needed throughout the day. The schedule has a “break period” between 0900 and 1500 for weekdays where transportation is not needed to many of the GLAs. Only the Huntington Hall GLA is included in the

Downtown Rotation.

25. Are the approximately 400 Sailors expected to be transported back to their Government Leased Apartments or other housing locations in the afternoon, with the majority departing the turnstiles/parking areas by or shortly after 1700?

A: The estimated number of sailors and travel times have been adjusted on the below sample schedule for each location. For example, it is estimated that 163 sailors would need transportation to and from “Newport

News West” locations daily.

26. Are there any known or anticipated secondary peaks during the day (e.g., lunch periods, shift changes, medical or administrative runs) that would require additional capacity beyond the primary morning and afternoon surges?

A: The sample schedule shows a dedicated “Downtown Rotation”. We would anticipate secondary peaks at logical points throughout the day, (ie, lunch, late afternoon, dinner). Exact numbers would change daily, but the sample has an estimate of the total number of sailors for the day.

27. On weekends and holidays, while the PWS indicates approximately 100 Sailors, can you confirm whether these movements are similarly concentrated in the 0500–0600 inbound and 0800–0900 outbound windows, or more evenly spread across the 0500–0900 period?

A:We expect concentrations on the weekends will be similar to those experienced during weekdays. See the answers to Questions 1 and 2 above and sample schedule below.

28. Are there any seasonal, event-driven, or RCOH/NEWCON-specific fluctuations in ridership (e.g., higher volumes during certain phases of overhaul or new construction) that the contractor should plan for in terms of surge capacity?

A: Not at this time.

29. Has the Government established any minimum on-time performance thresholds or maximum allowable wait times at GLAs or turnstiles beyond the general 100% compliance expectation?

A: No minimum on-time performance for the actual driving trip time between locations, once passengers have boarded the vehicle, has been established due to unpredictable traffic situations. However, the

Government expects adequate transportation and wait time for sailors at the pick up locations to be no more than the frequency listed on the below sample schedule for each location and day of the week (if a bus fills up at the pick up location, a Sailor at that location should not have to wait more than the frequency listed at that location in the sample).

30. Are there any restrictions or preferences regarding the use of 15-passenger vans versus larger shuttle buses for certain routes or peak periods?

A: There is no stated preference or restriction as to the type of vehicle(s) used and that is a matter for the contractor to decide in formulating a proposal which meets the requirements of the solicitation. However, vehicles must meet standards mentioned in the PWS, and it should be noted that The Downtown Newport

News area is extremely congested in the mornings and around shift changes, so offerors are encouraged to conduct a site survey including peak travel time impacts.

31. Does this mean that payments for services will not be allowed monthly in arrears and no invoicing can occur until the end of each year of the contract?

A: Payments will be allowed to be invoiced monthly, see answer to question 20. However, for purposes of bidding on this contract, the contractor should state their total fixed price for the entire year accounting for all possible fees and costs they may encounter.

32. Is there a requirement for how much time the driver is to wait at each GLA A: The vendor should offer a proposal that meets the requirement and provides efficient transportation that ensure Sailors arrive at their work station on time. Due to traffic in downtown Newport News drivers would only be expected to wait a few minutes for riders before departing.

33. What is the anticipated ridership count between 0500 and 0600?

A: Ridership estimates have been adjusted for each location on the sample by day. It is impossible to provide exact ridership numbers for any hour during the day. Proposals should account for the daily totals. The Government recognizes that there may be times where ridership at one location may peak above capacity.

34. What is the anticipated ridership count between 1600 and 1700?

A: Please see the answer to question 33 above.

35. What is the percentage ridership share between task 1 and task 2?

A: The new estimated daily total being transported to and from the apartments for those tasks is

532. Since the routes are subjected to vendor optimization the percentage cannot be given. The Government has provided totals for groups of housing which can be found in column “C” of the below sample.

36. Are there specific staging locations at the GLA properties? If so where?

A: See the answer to question 16 above.

37. Is there a location/s provided for contracted vehicles to overnight?

A: Vendors would have to provide their own off-hours storage/parking for vehicles.

38. In regards to transporting sailors between 37th Street Parking Garage, 50th Street turnstile, Huntington Hall, and Bank Building.

Is there a specific pick-up and drop-off time for the sailors to be pick-up from 37th Street Parking Garage to the intended sites (50th Street turnstile, Huntington Hall, and Bank Building) - it was not mentioned in the PWS - may I please know the approximate time the sailors need to be pick-up/dropped-off?

A: The specific start and stop timeframes are listed in the sample under column’s “D though “N” of the below sample schedule. Please also refer to the above information provided about the sample schedule.

39. As per the PWS, the request states15-40-passenger transport, will a 56-seater charter bus be acceptable or is there a strict requirement for 15-40-seater mode of transport?

A: There is no strict requirement on the size of the transport, As long as the requirements are being met.