ATR_VCS_Procurement_-_Answers_to_18JUN_Questions_v.01.docx

Questions on ATR Voice Switch Bid – 18 June 2014

123. Are all external interfaces included in the 10 T1 interfaces described in the Q&A, e.g. 2-wire POTs, radios, etc.?

For the BLACK Core, yes. The 10 T1 interfaces cover all 2-wire, POTS, radios, etc.

HOWEVER, as an oversight, we did not previously mention there are 2 additional T1 channel banks of 2 and 4 wire equipment that are connected to the RED Core.

These 12 total channel banks encompass all of our 2 and 4 wire COTS equipment which must be interfaced with the new system

The specification has been updated to reflect this change (VCS.3.2)

124. How will the government credit the cost savings of the two user console approach verses the single user consoles approach, when the IDIQ CLIN pricing contains a common set quantity?

We are not asking for set quantities. The listed CLIN quantities are the MAXIMUM allowed per the contract. If the design allow for sharing and requires fewer consoles, the cost savings will be noted

125. Please confirm that the example configuration described in Section 8 is not to be priced in the cost volume?

Yes, the configuration described in Section 8 is not to be priced. Each CLIN in Section B shall be priced separately, by unit, at the quantities specified by the CLIN so it can be determined how the total price was derived

126. Please clarify if shipping costs are to be included in the bid? If shipping costs are to be included, does the government have expectations on where these costs would be included?

The Synopsis-Solicitation contained FAR 52.247-34 FOB Destination. Please refer to this clause.

127. Is CLIN 0018 to include the price for out-year (beyond base warranty) hardware repairs?

Only if hardware repairs are a part of your standard commercial support plan. See the updated CLIN description for details.

128. CLIN 0012 Data, 1 lot NSP. Does the ‘NSP’ mean that CLIN 0012 is a single price for all CDRLs or does it mean the price for CLIN 0012 items is to be included elsewhere in the bid?

Not Sepatately Priced (NSP) means there is no pricing associated for the required Data CDRLs (CLIN 0012). See Updated CDRLs and CLIN structure as Site Implementation Plan and Installation Drawing CDRLs have been removed and added as priced CLINs (CLIN 0019 and CLIN 0020)

129. Is it correct that all the black, CLIN 0001, and red, CLIN 0002, VCSs are to be configured identically relative to the Section 8 example configuration?

Yes.

130. For the vendor demos, could the government identify any GFE interfaces, physical and electrical, that vendors will be expected to connect to (e.g. connect via T-1 to a channel bank vs. directly connect to a radio)?

For the demonstration, the vendor’s equipment will hook up directly to a standalone Motorola URC-200.

131. CLIN 0012 Data is listed as NSP. Where should the costs for these data items be included in the proposal?

See #128

132. There are numerous answers provided in the Q&A concerning quantity of T1 ports to be provided and priced (Q8), along with requests to individually price out 2- and 4-wire ports along with POTS connections (Q9/10) and “approx. 40 radios” (Q11). Q54 adds that all channel banks (the physical connection device between a T1 and any analog port) will be provided by ATR. Please confirm the only required CLIN pricing for the core VCS is for 10 T1s (per Q8) without any other device included for the other noted external interfaces (per Q54), or provide further guidance on how these other “unit prices” would be shown within the CLIN structure. Also, what is the assignment of these 10 T1 ports between the Red and Black core switches (CLINs 0001/2)?

Per the requirements document, all required devices are grouped into two categories:

(1) Vendor provided EIs

(2) Existing COTS equipment of various interface types (POTS, Radios, etc)

1) For vendor provided EIs: The number of T1s required is per vendor design, and is not dictated by the government. IF channel banks (or network switches) are required, the vendor is only responsible for notifying the government regarding how many are required, and the government will be responsible for providing them.

2) For COTS equipment: The government currently has 10 T1 channel banks (not fully populated) which contain all existing BLACK 2-wire and 4-wire COTS equipment, including radios. The government also has 2 T1 channel bank which connect 4-wire equipment to the RED core.

10 T1 channel banks are for the BLACK Core, plus 2 channel banks that were previously omitted for the RED Core (Total 12).

133. Q11 indicates the vendor is to supply radio interface cables. What CLIN are these to be priced in and assuming the “approximately 40” is the quantity to be priced, what is the mix of radio types and which core VCS is the connection point? Also, what is the typical/maximum distances between the remote radio configuration position(s) and the radios?

Price them under CLIN0001.

The distances between the radios and the configuration point range from ½ mile to 50miles, but all are fed to a patch panel in the computer room in close proximity to the equipment rack (~20ft). Exact measurements will be discussed after award.

Radio mix is TBD. Specific technical details will be discussed after award.

134. Several answers from the Q&A mention that “back-up” for pricing submittals is required. The original RFP in paragraph 4) clearly required a “copy of current catalog” which is normal for an IDIQ contractual arrangement where multiple deliveries are foreseen. Numerous Q&A responses further indicate varying quantities of equipment items to be purchased at different times through the initial 2-year planned project life. Please confirm that a “catalog” is to be provided with the proposal that will be used to procure all delivery orders and further that this catalog should be the basis for all pricing responses on the CLIN list.

No, a “catalog” is not to be provided with the proposal that will be used to procure all delivery orders. The Government requires documentation to support your pricing, such as catalog list price, etc. in order to make a determination that the price is fair and reasonable.

135. Q23 indicates that the “initial purchase” is quite small. Please provide mix of EI’s to be included in the “~ 25” to support correct VCS core configurations between Red and/or Black. Also, the “~4” radio and “~1” 4-wire connections fit easily within a single T1, so is this (1 T1) the entire external interface required on either Red or Black VCS core to be delivered? Since we are pricing CLINs 0014 and 0016 around the Q23 quantities, these issues need to be further clarified.

Per Section 3.3.2, the Initial installation shall include ”…the BLACK core, RED core, and administration capability, including any support equipment necessary for the system to be fully operational.”

At Initial delivery, both cores shall be completely populated to handle the full amount of end instruments, specified by Section 8.0 with room for expansion. Future delivery orders will only consist of End Instruments (plus testing, training, etc) to connect to this fully populated core.

Additionally, a small subset of EIs will be required at Initial Installation as follows:

CLIN0005 Weather Hardened – Qty. 2 CLIN0007 Compact Single-level – Qty. 15 CLIN0008 Desktop, Multi-level – Qty. 3 CLIN0009 Compact Multi-level – Qty. 5

Also, as part of this initial install, the vendor needs to deliver an interface for the government to connect (4) URC-200 radios, and (1) 4-wire COTS device.

The specification has been updated to reflect this change (Section 3.3.2)

136. Q32 indicates that pricing supplied with this proposal is to remain “firm” for 120 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers (23 June in this case). Since this is proposed as a 5-year IDIQ with expected major purchases spread quarterly over at least two years, what sort of price escalation control does ATR foresee following the 120 day “firm” period?

The 120 calandar days refers to the validity of the quote per FAR 52.212-1 addendum. Since this is a Firm-Fixed Price Contract, once the contract is awarded, Delivery Orders will be placed throughout the 5-year ordering period at the firm-fixed contract awarded price.

137. Q4 indicates that where required, vendors are to show costs to meet Threshold and Objective performance standards separately. Q21 adds that Threshold requirements are “basic” with “quantities large enough to satisfy Sections 7.0 and 8.0” (not CLINs) while any additional costs to meet “Objective” requirements should be “indicated as an option”. Where and how are these costs to be shown, as it appears we are only providing unit prices for the CLINs? Also, how does this answer relate to the RFP indication that evaluation for award purposes will be made by adding the price for “all options” to the price for the “basic requirement”?

If there is a cost delta, the price difference should be shown in the unit price of the associated CLIN.

Example:

CLIN001 (Meets Threshold requirements) = $20/unit CLIN001 (Objective requirements of VCS.xx,VCS.yy, VCS.zz) = $25/unit

This allows the government to decide if the added performance is worth the extra cost

138. Q52 indicates URC-200 and CM 200 radios will be provided for the demo visits. What interface cable(s) will also be available?

TBD. When each vendor is contacted to schedule the demonstration date, the government will discuss cable requirements, and will build any interface cables which will be needed for the demo.

139. Q53 indicates the vendor is to supply “racks” for the core VCS. What types are required/preferred? Any special installation requirements for ATR, such as seismic bracing, etc?

There are no special requirements. Standard equipment racks will be installed in an air-conditioned computer room with raised deck flooring.

140. Q57 indicates that hand delivery of the proposal will be accepted. While some vendors may be close enough to easily take advantage of this, others will not. Since the 23rd is a Monday, allowing hand delivery provides these close-in vendors potentially 2-3 extra days of preparation, since delivery via overnight express carriers will have to go out on Friday or Saturday noon at the latest to arrive at ATR by Monday. If ATR is going to allow hand delivery, suggest moving the due date to at least Tuesday the 24th to prevent significantly unequal preparation time between bidders simply due to their geographical locations.

Proposals are not to be sent to ATR. Proposal packages may be sent by mail or hand-delivered to NAWCAD Contracts, Attn: Tonya Lakner, Code 2.5.1.11.5, Building 441, Naval Air Systems Command, 21983 Bundy Road, Patuxent River, MD 20670. Include (2) two hard copies and a CD containing the proposal package separating the cost section of the proposal. Ensure the Subject Line reads: N00421-14-R-0030 - “Company Name”.

Proposal submission date has been extended until Wednesday, 25 June 2014. Submissions must be received at the NAWCAD office cited no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on 25 June 2014.

141. Q61 describes an overview of multi-level separation, starting with two physically separated core switches and two independent networks. It then adds correctly that the only multi-level item is the EI, which is a “single user device” and that the design/technology for meeting TEMPEST standards is up to the bidder. Finally, this answer says “separate touchscreens……will not be an acceptable solution per VCS 2.4.2”, which has as the performance specification only to “support 180 current Red users, with expandable architecture”. Note this specification has no correlation to number of touch screens. However, VCS 2.6.3 clearly lists “dual...displays” as an “Objective” requirement, which appears to conflict with the statement in Q61 about “separate touchscreens”. To eliminate confusion on these points, please confirm (or restate) the following as acceptable general overall guidelines for multi-level EI design: 1) an EI design that meets TEMPEST standards and 2) supports simultaneous membership to Red and Black conferences per VCS 2.4.2, 3) while operating as defined in RD 6.2.4 Red/Black Audio, 4) with a single common headset connection per user for both Red and Black conferences, 5) providing either one or two touchscreens for user Red and Black conference selections, 6) to meet conference key quantities per VCS 2.1 and 7) key sizes per VCS 2.1.1.1.

In retrospect, the answer to #61 should have read:

“Separate End Instruments (RED only/ BLACK only) will not be an acceptable solution.”

VCS.2.4.2 was referenced to back up this assertion.

1) an EI design that meets TEMPEST standards - YES

2) supports simultaneous membership to Red and Black conferences per VCS 2.4.2 - YES

3) while operating as defined in RD 6.2.4 Red/Black Audio - YES

4) with a single common headset connection per user for both Red and Black conferences - YES

5) providing either one or two touchscreens for user Red and Black conference selections – If and only if, these one or two screens are on a single EI

6) to meet conference key quantities per VCS 2.1 - YES

7) key sizes per VCS 2.1.1.1 - YES

142. Q116 indicates the “50” (and now “30”) for CLIN 0013 is a “placeholder” and not a “suggested quantity”. CLIN 0013 indicates this is to “meet availability numbers” and then adds “and for future expansion”. Given that a “core VCS” will contain numerous individual parts that can be intermixed in many ways to create a final configuration, what should be the equipment content basis for the actual unit price to be extended by the “30” quantity on CLIN 0013?

Without knowing the specifics of each vendor design, I cannot answer that. That CLIN is for extra core components, for spares and expansion. Use your best judgment.

143. Q91 has clear statement that “only one training session” is anticipated at a time to be determined after award (presumably the initial award). However, this answer continues with description of a “follow-up consultation” for one technical person on-site for three days. What then is the required basis for the unit price for the “3” shown for CLIN 0015? The initial training session or the follow-on consultation, or both? It seems training may need two CLINs like has now been done with Initial and Follow-On Testing.

Again, CLIN quantities are the maximum possible quantities that will be ordered, and the basis for 3 training sessions is a placeholder in the event more sessions are required.

The “follow-on consultation” is no longer a requirement, and has been removed from the statement of work within the requirements document.

The specification has been updated to reflect this change Section 3.5

144. Q92 indicates an “hourly engineering rate, plus travel and expenses” as “acceptable” for testing support. New CLIN 0016 covers FFP testing for the initial equipment as noted in Q23, although there is certainly some ambiguity with “estimated” and “exact number….to be determined after award”. However, CLIN 0017 remains uncertain for actual time on-site to be priced. The quantity is “9” but since this testing will presumably follow quarterly delivery orders that may be quite different in content, what sort of presumed “standard” should be used to facilitate a single unit price for 9 separate efforts? Perhaps similar to the “one technical person on-site for 3 days” as noted for training in Q91?

For CLIN 0017, suggest using a “standard trip” of one technical person on-site for 3 days. However, CLIN 0014 through CLIN 0017 now have ceiling prices established by the Government. Therefore, the offeror’s cost proposals should reflect the Not To Exceed (NTE) values.

145. Q27 mentions removal of the LEMO compatibility and that your current system vendor’s dual PTT handset is modified from a standard Plantronics model. Q 77 then adds that headset connectors are common on all EI’s (apparently LEMO) and that the weather-hardened connection is “proprietary”. Q99 reiterates that the pinout of the LEMO connector is also “proprietary” to the current manufacturer. Please confirm that ALL bidders will be required to price and provide all new handsets in strict agreement with the new CLINs even if the existing “proprietary” handsets could be re-used by a bidder.

Yes. All bidders will be required to price and provide all new handsets, even if it appears that the handsets could be re-used.

To facilitate correct application of the dual-user answer in Q121 for the CLIN quantities, please indicate how many of the CLIN EI quantities should be considered dual-user positions.

I agree with your calculations for CLINs, and 8.0, but you have misinterpreted the maps depicted in Section 7.0, Fig 2, and both columns are incorrect.

Per the Key, and the description, the maps in 7.0 represent USERS, not EIs. Users were specified to state the need, not drive the solution.

i.e.

The icon representing 58 single users equates to 58 EIs The icon representing 228* potentially shared users equates to 114 shared EIs

If you were to redo your calculation, you will find that:

With this calculation there is only a delta between 7.0 and 8.0 of 2 Black EIs.

The specification has been updated to reflect this change (Section 8.0)

147. CDRL A003, NRE Requirements List directs a “Government Provided Format” and delivery within 30 days of contract award. Can this format be provided now to assist analysis of NRE inputs with this proposal? Also, how do directions in this CDRL compare to Q4 that directs vendors to indicate any added costs required for either Threshold or Objective performance standards?

CDRL A003 (NRE Requirements List) has been removed as a requirement

148. Q122 indicates that Past Performance descriptions “will not be a requirement” of our proposals. The original RFP in paragraph 1) under Submittal Information indicates a “brief description” was to be submitted. The Past Performance Questionnaire provided is to be filled out by the reviewing customer POC and returned directly to ATR. There seems very little space in the Questionnaire to describe how each project “relates to the services described in the Requirements Document”. Please confirm that per Q122 ATR does not require or expect any information presented within our proposal on Past Performance.

It appears that my answer to #122 was worded poorly.

Let me re-phrase:

1) Per the RFP, all bidders shall provide “a brief description of how the referenced contract relates to the services described in the Requirements Document”

2) If the bidder does not feel that there is adequate space on the provided Past Performance questionnaire to provide this information, the bidder may submit a separate section to include this information, which will NOT count towards the 50 page limit.

3) Including this section with the technical proposal, as opposed to the past performance questionnaire is at the bidder’s discretion, and not a change in requirements.

149. If a company would like to “hand-deliver” your proposal to NAWCAD Contracts on June 23, 2014. What information do you require to ensure the individuals making the delivery can gain site access?

NAS Secuity Pass Office (Gate 2 Office) is located at 21866 Cedar Point Rd., Bldg. 2189, NAS Patuxent River MD 20670. Their main phone number is 301-342-3231. Should there be an issue of obtaining a temporary base pass, you may reach me at (301) 342-0262. Postal mail is also acceptable.

Proposal submission date has been extended until Wednesday, 25 June 2014. Submissions must be received at the NAWCAD office cited no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on 25 June 2014.