Amend_0001_Questions_&_Answers_N40339-17-T-S030.docx

N40339-17-T-S030

SECTION SF 30 BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

SECTION SF 30 - BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

The following have been added by full text:

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Questions and Answers Vendor Question 1:

Is there an incumbent contractor currently performing these services or is this a new requirement.

Answers Question 1:

This is a new (follow-on) requirement. The incumbent contractor is DHL International B.S.C.

Vendor Question 2:

If there is an incumbent, could you please provide the contract number?

Answer Question 2:

The contract number is N49400-12-D-0006.

Vendor Question 3:

Reference: Experience: Address contractor experience and how it meets the requirement of 10 years of recent experience from 2006 in performing handling of bulk mail for any U.S. Government component.

We understand that all U.S. Government component mails in Bahrain were handled under one contract by one specific contractor over the past 10 years. Hence, no other contractor will have same experience and the contract would be more in the lines of a sole source favoring the incumbent. We hence suggest that the experience of “handling similar bulk mail for US Government or any other agency” be included to permit others who have handled mail of similar nature but not US Government mail to compete.

Answer Question 3:

The Government cannot ascertain how mail of similar nature is handled. The DoD Manual 4525.6-M, Department of Defense Postal Manual specifically outlines how U.S. Mail must be handled, processed and secured. If your company has recent experience of handling U. S. Mail within the past 10 years your company meets this portion of the requirement.

Vendor Question 4:

Reference: 5.2.2.3 ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE: Provide a climate controlled office area with workstations for 15 U.S. government personnel assigned to the Fleet Mail Center (FMC) to perform daily postal oversight operations and administrative tasks. Contractor must ensure that all computer workstations within the FMC office are connected via a secure server to the current U.S. Navy, NSA Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET), currently operated by ONE NET Shared Services Platform. Connection to the NIPRNET must be available immediately upon contract award date. The FMC office will be located in the same facility as the primary mail processing operation.

Please advise on the size of data that will be stored in the server to determine the size of the server.

Answer Question 4:

The U.S. Navy installs and maintains a ONE NET server in the facility; the contractor will not be responsible for maintaining the ONE NET server. The current NIPRNET support is provided by ONE NET, with Batelco as the carrier. The contractor must have a working commercial phone line available immediately upon contract award which meets the standard to connect Government provided NIPRNET server. The contractor must be able to provide email and internet connectivity for communications until NIPRNET is properly installed.

Vendor Question 5:

Reference. Contractor is required to use a closed-body, lockable, sealable, vehicle large enough to ensure that all mail for the NSA Post Office is moved in a single trip or if space is exceeded, make as many trips as necessary during the same day to transport all of the mail. All outgoing mail from the NSA Post Office will be dispatched in the same aforementioned vehicle to the FMC in a single trip. Should the volume of mail from the NSA Post Office to the FMC exceed the capacity of the truck, the contractor shall immediately make as many trips as necessary to transport the mail to the FMC in a reasonable amount of time not to exceed critical entry times of the mail for dispatch, as determined by the COR.

Please advise on the approx. quantity of mails in each trip. This is required to determine the size of the truck. Would appreciate if the past year‘s statistics on ‘Actual Volume” be disseminated.

Answer Question 5:

The current contractor uses the following vehicles to transport mail to/from NSA and other locations as necessary: 1-30 ft. box truck, 1-20 ft. box truck, 1-10 ft. box truck and 2-passenger cargo vans.

Vendor Question 6:

Reference: 5.2.2.3 ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE: Provide a climate controlled office area with workstations for 15 U.S. government personnel assigned to the FMC to perform daily postal oversight operations and administrative tasks. Contractor must ensure that all computer workstations within the FMC office are connected via a secure server to the current U.S. Navy, NSA Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET), currently operated by ONE NET Shared Services Platform. Connection to the NIPRNET must be available immediately upon contract award date. The FMC office will be located in the same facility as the primary mail processing operation.

Please advise on the following:

Server requirements – what storage capacity, speed etc.

Internet bandwidth requirement?

Type of internet – ADSL/dedicated.

Security – is there a standard to be followed, which firewall brand model, what protocols to be allowed/restricted etc.

Connectivity and configuration details to ONE NET Shared Services Platform.

Answer Question 6:

The server is provided by the U.S. Government through a separate contract arrangement. Contractor will not be required to provide a server; however, must have ONE NET capability to provide and maintain the server for FMC personnel within the contractor’s facility. The contractor will provide end-to-end lease line connecting the ONE NET service direct to NSA via a provider (currently Batelco).

Contractor will provide 2 - ADSL/dedicated internet lines with minimum speed of 2Mbps. See PWS para. 4.2 for more information on Internet questions.

U.S. Security Standards must be followed and ONE NET Security Standards may be provided to the contractor upon contract award. The Security Standard is established by DISA/SPAWAR (through a separate contract arrangement).

Vendor Question 7:

4.1 CONTRACTOR PROVIDED PERSONNEL. Prior to performance of award contractor personnel shall be screened and approved IAW DoD 4525.6-M prior to accessing the U.S. Mail. Contractor shall provide direct and constant electronic surveillance coverage of the entire mail processing facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contractor will provide an electronic feed and monitor to the desk of the FMC supervisor so he/she may view the same surveillance security personnel monitor. Security personnel shall be certified according to industry standards to perform surveillance and monitoring. The contractor shall ensure mail is kept secure and safely stored at all times unless otherwise directed by the COR.

Is the direct electronic feed mandatory? We can share footage of specific incidents. There are restrictions from a company policy perspective we have to follow.

Answer Question 7:

The direct electronic feed to the supervisor is required to monitor workflow and security. IAW with the NAVSUPGLSINST 5112.1 dated 8 Jan 16, the recommendation is for surveillance data to be available for 45 days. References to the PWS are available upon request. Contact the Contract Specialist via email at Marietta.fry@me.navy.mil NLT 5 April 2017.

Vendor Question 8:

5.2.2.3 ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE: Provide a climate controlled office area with workstations for 15 U.S. government personnel assigned to the FMC to perform daily postal oversight operations and administrative tasks. Contractor must ensure that all computer workstations within the FMC office are connected via a secure server to the current U.S. Navy, NSA Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET), currently operated by ONE NET Shared Services Platform. Connection to the NIPRNET must be available immediately upon contract award date. The FMC office will be located in the same facility as the primary mail processing operation.

15 workstations: Is this per shift or spread over multiple shifts?

Answer Question 8:

Workstations must be available 24/7 to cover multiple shifts. We currently have 10 work stations; therefore, the minimum need is 10 computer stations to support three (3) 8-hour shifts.

Vendor Question 9:

How many employees presently staff the contract?

Answer Question 9:

We consider that proprietary information and cannot provide the specific number of personnel the current contractor employs.

Vendor Question 10:

Is there a restriction on citizenship available to work the contract i.e. Locals, US Citizen Only, Security Clearance Required etc.

Answer Question 10:

No. However, it is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure local DOD and NSA security regulations and requirements are followed for base access. Please refer to the solicitation, ATTACHMENT 1-PWS, PART 5, para. 5.11.4, CONTRACTOR SECURITY AND PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS and PART 9, CONTRACT SECURITY REQUIREMENT.

Vendor Question 11:

How many vehicles are required or presently in use.

Answer Question 11:

The current contractor uses the following vehicles to transport mail to/from required locations as necessary: 1-30 ft. box truck, 1-20 ft. box truck, 1-10 ft. box truck, 2-passenger cargo vans.

Vendor Question 12:

Contractor presently manages three (3) Mail Service Contracts and all space is provided and paid for by the Federal Government, this solicitation list several space requirements, is this space already identified or will the contractor need to find and cover cost for leasing of space.

Answer Question 12:

The contractor will be solely responsible for providing workspace and covering all costs to lease and maintain the space throughout the entirety of the contract.

Vendor Question 13:

Place of performance list several delivery locations, what is the route/proximity from the Airport.

Answer Question 13:

The CTF-53 Aviation Unit is located on the Bahrain International Airport grounds in Muharraq. There are numerous routes that the contractor can navigate to drive to/from ISA AB Post Office, Naval Support Activity Post Office, and the KBSP, Mina Salman and ASRY piers. The contractor will have to determine what routes and distances are feasible for the fastest and safest delivery of mail.

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