RFQ_Q_and_A.docx

DRAFT RFQ QUESTIONS

Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) Requirement Military Sealift Command (MSC) requires a worldwide portfolio of official Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC's) to be used on all MSC Government Owned Government Operated (GOGO) and Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO), and Long Term Charter Vessels. There are over 100 vessels. Exact amount will fluctuate based on construction and decommissioning of vessels. The required charts must be native IMO approved state charts, unaltered in anyway. The charts shall be from IC-ENC. The ENC shall be obtained from an approved Value Added Reseller (VAR).

Comment:

This requirement, as written, excludes C-MAP Pro+ Charts, which are used today by some US Government vessels.

Pro+ is built upon official ENC data as well as derived data under agreement with many global HO offices.

This allows for very high quality, and efficiently priced Worldwide coverage.

Often the coverage is superior to ENC charting.

Pro+ is often used by Government, Fishing and Navy vessels either as primary and/or secondary navigation systems.

C-MAP offer a Back-of-Bridge solution that allows for Pro+ Charts and ENCs to be utilized in harmony.

(Pro+ is compatible with ECDIS units that utilize the C-MAP Charting Kernel – (e.g. Furuno, Sperry, JRC)

Question 1: Is there an opportunity to offer additional value with C-MAP Pro+ Charts in addition to/or work in complement with ENC charts?

ANSWER: The requirement is for an official ENC in accordance with the SOW.

The vendor shall provide ENCs with the following salient characteristics

Requirement 1. ENCs and updates shall be provided quarterly by mail new base CD’s. Addresses will be provided at the task order level. Base ENCs and all notice to mariners (NTM) shall be available for download (FTP or secure web page). Provide email notice to mariners weekly to each vessel. Multiple points of access to charts and NTM are required due to employee turnover and possible equipment failure.

Comment:

In addition, we offer our chart subscribers Back-of-Bridge planning software which automates the weekly updating process, and assists the mariners on voyage planning.

All communications between our software and datacenter are conducted thru secure channels.

Question 2: In addition to the listed update mechanisms; can back-of-bridge software be provided to manage chart holdings and the weekly updating process.

ANSWER: Only the update mechanism mentioned in the SOW are required.

Requirement 3. All ENC’s shall be fully unlocked and available for use in both planning and sailing phases. The government will not provide position data.

Comment:

In a typical Industry application, ENC Charts are provided using the following mechanisms.

1. Direct License, manual chart ordering (e.g. select a chart, obtain a 3, 6, 12 month License.)

1. PAYS – Worldwide charts are unlocked for planning and navigating – Vessel pays for charts “as you sail”. Position reporting required for Licenses to be issued.

1. Flat Rate – Based on historical/predicted sailing routes/areas – Worldwide charts are unlocked for planning and navigation - vessel purchases a “bundle” of charts based on sailing area/routes/zones (position reporting (often 3rd party) – is used for royalty payments required - not for issuance of licenses).

Vendor assumes option 3 is being requested.

Question 3: Will any form of sailing area, zones or historical routes by vessel be provided?

ANSWER: Sailing areas are divided up in accordance to the MSC Chart Areas attachment.

Question 4: In order to provide most efficient per vessel pricing, are vendors allowed to propose pricing by sailing area/zone?

ANSWER: Vendors are required to provide pricing in accordance with MSC Chart Area attachment.

Question 5: Will vendors have restrictions on using 3rd party sources for position reporting, as normally done in industry?

ANSWER: There is no restriction with the understanding that when/IF a vessel stops reporting its position due to operational commitments there will be no reporting.

Requirement 4. The government requests 12-month access to all ENCs. Billing will be on a monthly basis at a firm fixed-price (FFP).

Question 6: Will the price spreadsheet format require annual firm fixed price per vessel per year?

ANSWER: The pricing spreadsheet will require pricing for AOR per year. These prices will be fixed throughout the life of the contract.

Question 7: Will the price spreadsheet allow price per vessel according to Sailing Areas /Zones?

ANSWER: See answer to question 7.

Requirement 5. Worldwide coverage shall be provided.

Comment:

Often vendors use the term “World-wide” ENC coverage.

In reality, vendors offer different coverage and pricing schemes based on provider and HO agreements.

Question 8: Will vendors be evaluated based on quantitative ENC cell coverage? (number or cells, full geographic areas) ANSWER: Vendors will be evaluated based on the requirements set forward in the solicitation, which includes the criteria established in FAR 52.212-1 and FAR 52.212-2

Question 9: Do you guys have a standard questionnaire that you want us to use or can we use our own material for that?

ANSWER: The government will provide a data reference sheet and questionnaire for past performance information evaluation.

Question 10: Also, do you want specific contacts from us that you can reach out to? Or are you just looking for statistics like total amount of customers, etc.?

ANSWER: The government will be evaluating past performance in accordance to the requirements set forth in the solicitation.

Question 11: “Provide email Notice to Mariners” – should these be emailed or would you prefer access to an ftp site where the vessel’s can download? If they prefer email will email address for each vessel be provided? Also a download service may be available to load on each vessel’s bridge which may make the update process much easier. This is where the C-MAP fixed fee Service would likely be the option.

ANSWER: Both options are required. An email address list will be provided to ensure delivery of emails.

Question 12: Will you be supplied all the vessel names, Call Signs, IMO numbers (if applicable) and each of the vessels’ ECDIS ENC user permit numbers or would this have to come from someone else? This information would be required to get the vessels chart licenses set up.

ANSWER: Vessel Name, Call Signs, and IMO numbers as applicable will be provided at the delivery order level.

Question 13: If worldwide coverage is required and supplied as an annual subscription as previously discussed then we would bill on an annual basis, not monthly. The monthly billing would be for the Pay As You Sail (PAYS) service. However this service would not work for the government vessel correct? Also the above states a 12 month license would be required but on the web page it state a request for a 5 year plan. Would this be up for bid each year for the next 5 years or do we have to quote for a 5 year plan and predict unforeseen price increases?

ANSWER: Pay As You Sail is not an option for the government. The requirement is set for a four-year ordering period. Vendors shall provide prices for all regions for all four 12 month ordering periods.