RFQ12760425Q0038.pdf

Fire Information Technology (FIT) Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Rental Services

Blanket Purchase Agreement

Request for Quote (RFQ) Number 12760425Q0038

Version 1

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Table of Contents Section I: Services and Prices/Costs

1.1 Purpose

1.2 BPA Call Type

1.3 Ordering

1.4 BPA Estimated Ordering Amount

1.5 Pricing Structure

Section II: Performance Work Statement

2.1 Purpose .................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.2 Background .............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.3 Scope

2.3 Task – Project Management

2.4 Task – Provide Rental Equipment

2.5 Task – Provide Operational Satellite Terminals

2.6 Task – Ship All Equipment Within 24 hours

2.7 Task – Allow Local Administration

2.8 Task - Provide and Maintain Online Ordering Portal ................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.9 Deliverables Table……………….…………………………………………………………………………………………..10

2.10 Quality Control and Assurance

2.11 Service Level Agreements ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.12 Contract Type

2.13 Period of Performance……..…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12

2.14 Place of Performance……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13

2.15 Key Personnel…………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………. 13

2.16 Section 508 Compliance.………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13

2.17 Requirements for Equipment and Services..…………………………………………………………………….14

2.18 Equipment Line Item Specifications…………………………………………………………………………………15

2.19 Type of Award …………………………………………………….………………………………………………………….15

2.20 Definition of Terms and Acronyms ………………………………………………………………………………….15

2.21 Pricing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………….16

2.22 Ordering Information………………………………………………………………………………………………………17

2.23 Government Orders for Supplies……………………………………………………………………………….…….17

2.24 BPA Call and Governance…………………………………………………………………………………………….…..17

2.25 Security Language………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17

Section III: Inspection and Acceptance ........................................ 2Error! Bookmark not defined.

Section IV: Deliveries or Performance

4.1 Period of Performance and Ordering Period

4.2 Ordering Procedures

Section V: List of Attachments

Section VI: Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors

Section VII – Quotation Instructions

7.1 Introduction

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7.2 Questions

7.3 General Instructions

7.4 RFQ Instructions

7.5 Accurate and Complete Information

7.6 Quotation Preparation Price

7.7 Submission of Quotations/Delivery Instructions

7.8 Restrictions on Disclosure and Use of Data

7.9 Detailed Quote Instructions …………………………………………………………….…………………………….. 27

Section VIII: Evaluation Factors for Award

8.1 Basis for Awards

8.2 Evaluation Process

8.3 Volume 1 – Technical Approach

8.4 Volume 2 – Corporate Experience……………………………………………..…………………………….………29

8.5 Volume 3 – Past Performance…………..……………………………………………….……………………………29

8.6 Volume 4 – Pricing………………………………………………………………………….….……………………………29

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Closing Date and Time for Offeror Questions: June 18, 2025 – 5:00 PM ET Closing Date and Time for Receipt of Quotations: June 27, 2025 – 5:00 PM ET

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

12760425Q0038 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Rental Services

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation;

proposals are being requested, and a written solicitation will not be issued.

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Section I: Services and Prices/Costs

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this Request for Quote is to secure a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to provide the USFS with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Rental Services.

The scope of the BPA is for interagency use and is therefore available to USDA-Forest Service, Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management (DOI - BLM), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of Homeland Security – Federal Emergency Management Administration (DHS-FEMA, State Forestry Agencies from all 50 States and many Municipal Agencies, Tribal, County and Local Governments and Non-Government and public partners.

1.2 BPA Call Type

(a) This is a Multiple-Award BPA. Contracting Officers may issue orders in the following order type: fixed-price. The Contractor must use BPA or further discounted rates when responding to an Order Quote Request.

1.3 Ordering

FAR 13.303-5 will govern the selection process for every order. Ordering procedures are further discussed in Section 4.

1.4 BPA Estimated Ordering Amount

This Multiple-Award BPA has an estimated ordering amount of $20,355,000.00. This is not a ceiling, but rather an estimate for purposes of BPA pricing and may be exceeded if necessary.

1.5 Pricing Structure

The BPA pricing structure is listed on the pricing sheet Attachment 3- Bill of Materials. The Offeror must provide pricing in accordance with Attachment 3.

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Section II: Performance Work Statement

2.1 Purpose

The Fire Information Technology (FIT) branch seeks rental options for satellite services to facilitate the IT needs of Incident Management Teams (IMT), dispatch, and other fire support organizations/personnel. The Satellite Services equipment is to support emergency management and will include:

• Satellite Services Kit o Ruggedized case o Satellite Terminal o Gateway/modem o 2” pipe mount adapter o Power supply o Network Cable ≥ 100’ o Additional network cable ≥ 100’ o Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

• Mounting Kit o Non-penetrating ground mount (allows for terminal elevation ≥ 10’) o Tools required for setup.

• (Optional) Power Conditioner

The equipment to be rented should be available to order through an online portal. This equipment will be rented by the month (without data usage charges) and returned when no longer needed.

The equipment will be managed by fire support personnel and will not be accompanied by on site technicians. Use of a specific order of equipment can range from a single day to multiple months. The equipment will be available to be rented year-round but will be most heavily used from April through October, mostly coinciding with the western fire season. Equipment can be used for any emergency support though and must be consistently available throughout the year.

2.2 Background

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service is responsible for the management of 193 million acres of public land. This management includes many management disciplines including management of wildland fire. Much of the management of wildland fires is done in cooperation with partners from other government entities who are responsible for land management. Part of this effort includes managing both cloud hosted and local data pertaining to the fire itself, the personnel assigned to its management, and coordination efforts with partners and the public. This work is largely conducted on rental computers and peripherals. The USDA Forest Service Chief Information Office (CIO) is taking the lead on behalf of the interagency fire effort to establish a national rental contract to meet the needs of the Forest Service and partner agencies.

The USDA Forest Service Fire Information Technology branch (FIT) was created in 2020 to consolidate the IT personnel whose work focuses on the application of information technology to fire and emergency management. The branch manages a variety of hardware and software solutions specific to the Agency’s mission. Much of the emergency management activity occurs

Procurement Sensitive 7 in the field, in close proximity to wildfires or other emergencies, and is comprised of interagency personnel. This interagency effort includes USDA-Forest Service, Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management (DOI - BLM), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of Homeland Security – Federal Emergency Management Administration (DHS-FEMA), State Forestry Agencies from all 50 States and many Municipal Agencies, Tribal, County and Local Governments and Non- Government and public partners.

Satellite Services have been heavily used across the country in the emergency response effort especially when no terrestrial options are available. With the introduction of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, the bandwidth and latency have dramatically improved making satellite services a more viable option for last mile connectivity. This contract will be executed by the USDA Forest Service but will be available to be used by any of the interagency partners listed above.

2.3 Scope

The Contractor must complete the following tasks and achieve the following outcomes.

Task 2.3: Project Management Outcome: Expert project management ensures an effective and efficient effort.

The Contractor must:

2.3.1 Be responsible for project management for its effort including, but not limited to:

a. Meeting performance standards and deadlines

b. Managing personnel.

c. Ensuring all personnel have appropriate training and resources to provide the required support.

2.3.2 Participate in a kickoff meeting between the Contractor and the Forest Service. The meeting can be in person, telephonic or video by mutual agreement. The meeting must occur within five business days of task order award. The Contractor must provide a draft agenda for the meeting to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)/designee no later than two business days before the scheduled meeting. The agenda must provide for discussions of:

a. Project needs.

b. Draft work plan.

c. Project risks.

d. Contract management, communications, and invoicing.

2.3.3 Submit a final work plan no later than five business days after the kickoff meeting.

2.3.4 Update the work plan as needed throughout the project.

2.3.5 Ensure that all deliverables for all tasks under this contract are complete, accurate, delivered according to established schedules to the Government for review, comment, and acceptance, and comply with all applicable federal regulations (i.e., Privacy Act, 508, etc.)

2.3.6 Maintain a day-to-day collaborative working relationship with the COR/designee.

2.3.7 Provide progress reports every month to the COR/designee. The first progress report must be submitted 30 business days after task order award.

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Task 2.4: Provide Rental Equipment Outcome: Provide appropriately updated and configured equipment on demand

The Contractor must:

2.4.1 Prepare and ship rental equipment outlined in section 1 as ordered by specific emergency organizations. Equipment must be up to date with all manufacturer patches, software patches and updates.

2.4.2 All rental equipment must be in good working order and ready to use out of the box.

2.4.3 Equipment must be of equivalent or superior specifications to what is listed in Section

2.18.

2.4.4 Equipment found not to be in good working order must be replaced immediately at no additional cost to the government. Equipment not in good working order will be returned to Contractor.

2.4.5 Equipment will be rented per month and may be retained by the government for the duration needed. No additional charges will be assessed above the monthly rental rate for multiple month rental.

2.4.6 Provide test terminals when new terminals/services become available to COR/designee by February 15th of each year for testing. Once the terminals are tested, they will be returned to Contractor.

Task 2.5: Provide Operational Satellite Terminals Outcome: Ensure satellite terminals are operational upon arrival

The Contractor must:

2.5.1 Ship all terminals with active subscriptions.

2.5.2 Follow any terms and conditions required by satellite provider for government use.

2.5.3 Ship terminal with any additional required hardware/software needed for operation.

Task 2.6: Ship all equipment within 24 hours of order Outcome: Timely delivery of rental equipment to end users

The Contractor must:

2.6.1 Prepare, package, and ship equipment within 24 hours of the order being received. The order must be complete and free from errors.

2.6.2 Ship equipment with the fastest delivery option available.

2.6.3 Equipment damaged during shipment will be replaced by the vendor immediately and will not add additional costs to the government.

2.6.4 Equipment damaged while in use may be billed to the government at fair market rate.

2.6.5 Vendor can charge one additional month of rental, if equipment is not received within 5 calendar days of termination of the rental period.

Task 2.7: Allow Local Administration Outcome: Ensure local configuration of terminal and equipment

The Contractor must:

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2.7.1 Allow local administration of devices to configure IPs, set SSID/passwords, stow equipment, and manage terminal functions to fire support personnel.

2.7.2 Allow for relocation of devices within a given fire operations area.

2.7.3 Provide at least 1 LAN (Local Area Network) port connection.

Task 2.8: Provide and Maintain Online Ordering Portal Outcome: Provide an online ordering option

The Contractor must:

2.8.1 Provide an expedited online ordering process.

2.8.2 Provide alternative ordering processes to use if portal is down/unavailable.

a. Email option (with ordering form)

b. Phone option

2.8.5 Allow credit cards as a payment option.

2.9. Deliverables Table

The following table summarizes the deliverables discussed in Section 2. All days are listed as business days. If a conflict exists between Section 2 and this table, Section 2.9 due dates prevail.

PWS Reference Deliverable Due Date

2.3.2 Kickoff Meeting Within 5 business days of

task order award

2.3.2 Draft Kickoff Meeting

Agenda Two business days (at least 48 hours) in advance of the kickoff meeting

2.3.3 Final Work Plan Within 5 business days after

the kickoff meeting

2.3.4 Work Plan Updates As needed

2.3.7 Progress Reports Every month beginning 20

business days after task order award

Other Deliverables Annual After-Action Review The second week of

November annually Ordering Procedures Guide Within 5 business days after the kickoff meeting

2.10 Quality Control and Assurance

Any in-process inspection by the Government shall be conducted in a manner consistent with commercial practice. The Forest Service may conduct quality assurance for its benefit and has the right to refuse acceptance of nonconforming services. Quality issues with services tendered for acceptance or rejected by the Government shall be resolved under the GSA Contract Clause FAR 52.212-4(a), “Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items”.

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The Contractor should note that Government review periods of draft deliverables are anticipated to be approximately one month each to ensure sufficient consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders. Government review periods of final deliverables are anticipated to be approximately one to two weeks.

2.11 Performance Requirements Service Level Agreements

The Performance Requirements Service Level Agreements (PRSLA) table describes the acceptable quality level of performance expected by the Government and the means by which the Government may use to validate acceptable services.

SLA/SLO #

and Title

Description Measure How Measured

#1 Order Acknowledgment

Order shall be acknowledged by the service provider within 60 Min.

Time stamp of placement of order to time stamp of acknowledgment of order

Service provider to maintain order logs

Target Service Level

Reporting Frequency

Exceptions / Comments

Order Acknowledgment within 60 minutes

Monthly No exceptions

SLA/SLO #

and Title

Description Measure How Measured

#2 Time to Ship The order shall be shipped within 24 hours of receipt of order.

Measured from time stamp of order acknowledgment to time stamp of shipment

Service provider to maintain shipping logs with appropriate time stamps

Target Service Level

Reporting Frequency

Exceptions / Comments

Order shipped within 24 hours of receipt of order

Monthly No exceptions

SLA/SLO #

and Title

Description Measure How Measured

#3 Non-functioning Equipment – Software, Hardware, or Connectivity Related

Equipment to replace non-functioning equipment shall be shipped within 24 hours of order.

Measured from time stamp of report to time stamp of shipment

Service provider to maintain shipping logs with appropriate time stamps

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SLA/SLO #

and Title

Description Measure How Measured

Target Service Level

Reporting Frequency

Exceptions / Comments

Replacement equipment shipped within 24 hours.

Monthly No exceptions and Title

Description Measure How Measured

#4 Return All Computers and Tablets Back to Base Configuration Following Every Use

All equipment must be returned to base configuration prior to next rental.

Measured by ITSS reporting equipment not delivered in base configuration

Government to maintain logs of equipment not delivered in base configuration

Target Service Level

Reporting Frequency

Exceptions / Comments

All equipment returned to base configuration prior to next rental.

Internal No exceptions and Title

Description Measure How Measured

#5 Provide and Maintain Online Ordering Portal

Online ordering tool available to place orders.

Measured by orders placed through backup tool/process

Government to maintain logs of orders placed due to online portal being unavailable

Target Service Level

Reporting Frequency

Exceptions / Comments

Online portal available 24/7

Internal Government voluntarily uses back tool/process or internet is unavailable at incident site

SLA Incentives and Disincentives Incentives: For meeting the Target Service Level, the Contractor shall receive a Very Good performance rating in CPARS. For exceeding the Target Service Level, the Contractor shall receive an Exceptional performance rating in CPARS.

Disincentive: Any missed SLA shall result in a 5% deduction from the total of the associated fixed price deliverable. Each missed SLA is a 5% deduction, so two missed SLAs equal a 10% deduction from the fixed price deliverable. SLAs may have multiple measuring opportunities such as the draft and final report. Each measuring opportunity can receive a deduction.

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2.12 Contract Type

This is a firm fixed price blanket purchase agreement.

2.13 Period of Performance

The period of performance is one year in duration beginning July 21, 2025 and ending July 20, 2026.

Base Period: Months 1-12 Option Period 1: Months 13-24 Option Period 2: Months 25-36 Option Period 3: Months 37-48 Option Period 4: Months 49-60

2.14 Place of Performance

Services shall be provided at the Contractor’s facilities with virtual or onsite meetings as necessary.

2.15 Key Personnel (AGAR 452.237-74)

At a minimum, the Contractor must propose the following position as Key Personnel:

Project Manager: The Contractor must designate a Project Manager (PM) as the single point of contact (POC) for Task Order management. The PM must have the authority to make decisions for the Contractor and must be the single Contractor representative responsible for all issues, concerns, or problems at the Task Order level. The PM must readily respond to questions, concerns, and comments. The PM must proactively alert the Government to potential contractual issues.

(a) The Contractor must employ and maintain personnel in the management and key personnel positions who meet the minimum requirements for each of the skill levels to which they are assigned. Contractor personnel must possess the technical, professional, and interpersonal capability of performing the functions described in the Order Proposal Request in a competent and professional manner.

(b) During the first 90 days of performance of the order, the Contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the CO within 15 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required by Section 5.3(e).

After the initial 90-day period, the Contractor shall submit the information required by Section 5.3(e) to the CO at least 15 calendar days prior to making any permanent substitutions. For order level key personnel, the Contractor must communicate with the ordering CO.

(c) The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the

Procurement Sensitive 13 proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the BPA or ordering CO. Proposed substitutes should have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The CO will notify the Contractor within 15 calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on substitutions. The order will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel.

(d) The Government will consider noncompliance with the provisions of this clause a material breach of the terms and conditions of the BPA for which the Government may seek any and all appropriate remedies, to include termination for default.

2.16 Section 508 Compliance

See attachment 7.

2.17 Requirements for Equipment and Services

2.17.1 Equipment line items to be rented includes:

LEO/Satellite services kit: ruggedized case containing terminal, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), gateway, 2” pipe mount adaptor (with installation tools), power supply, 2 network cables ≥ 100’.

Mount kit: non-penetrating ground mound compatible with 2” pipe along with tools required for assembly.

(Optional) Power conditioner

Return shipping labels: return shipping labels will be provided by vendor as an additional line item.

Specifications for equipment and services are outlined below in Section 2.18.

Rental requirements for the satellite services kit:

The satellite services kit must come with the list of items requested above. The ruggedized case should be able to hold all equipment in satellite services kits. The LEO/Satellite terminal must have automatic satellite acquisition and be commercial/government model(s) if applicable. Kit must include SOP for terminal.

Terminals will ship with all hardware/software required for operation. Modem/router must contain at least 1 Local Area Network (LAN) port or be shipped with a LAN port adaptor. Fire support personnel must be able to locally administer devices to configure IPs, set SSID/passwords, stow equipment, and manage terminal functions. Fire support personnel must have the ability to relocate terminals within a given fire operations area.

The pipe mount must be compatible with 2” pipes for terminal elevation and shipped with any tools required for installation.

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Rental requirements for the non-penetrating ground mounts:

The non-penetrating ground mount will be a separate item for rental. The mount must be compatible with 2” pipe and support terminal elevation of ≥ 10’. Any tools required for assembly must be shipped with mount.

Rental requirements for Power Conditioner:

The power conditioner is an optional line item that may be included. The input voltage must be compatible with 120v and output wattage must be ≥ 500w.

Return Shipping Labels:

The return labels will be a separate line item that is prepaid at time of order and will not be included in the base cost. The return labels should be either emailed to onsite ITSS or included in the box of item when shipped.

2.18 Equipment line-item Specifications

2.18.1 Satellite Services kit

● Internet Gateway/Firewall/Router

○ Minimum 1 10/100/1000 LAN port

○ IEEE 802.11xx capabilities

● Terminal

○ Must be commercial model.

○ Automatic satellite acquisition

● Pipe mount adapter

○ Compatible with 2” pipe

● Network cables (Cat 5 minimum)

○ ≥ 100 ft cables

● Services

○ Bandwidth/Latency

■ Download ≥ 100 megabits

■ Upload ≥ 15 megabits

■ Latency ≤ 100 milliseconds

2.18.2 Mounting Hardware

● Non-penetrating ground mount

○ Compatible with 2” pipe

○ Allow for ≥ 10’ terminal elevation.

2.18.3 Power Conditioner

● Output Wattage ≥ 500w

● Input voltage compatible with 120v

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2.19 Type of Award

The Government is obligated only to the extent of authorized BPA Calls actually placed against the BPA. Each BPA Call (Delivery Order (OF-347) or Government Purchase Card order) will be issued based upon the BPA's discounted firm-fixed price list. All BPA Calls will be issued by authorized procurement officers or purchase card holders in accordance with agency procedures.

The Government intends to use this BPA primarily as a means to accomplish multiple acquisitions, or BPA Calls for the rental of necessary LEO satellites. Immediately following BPA award, the Government will provide to its offices a catalog listing of approved items available for rental under the BPA.

2.20 Definitions of Terms and Acronyms

Terms and acronyms are defined throughout this BPA.

BPA: Blanket Purchase Agreement. An agreement with a vendor for purchasing commodities of high volume, repetitive activity. A Blanket Purchase Agreement does not encumber funds. A Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is a simplified method of filling anticipated repetitive needs for supplies by establishing "charge accounts" with qualified sources of supply.

BPA Call: Any single order (Delivery Order (OF-347) or Government Purchase Card order) issued against the BPA.

Contractor: The vendor to whom the Government will issue an award and the party responsible for contract performance.

2.21 Pricing – Applicable to All Items

All prices shall be inclusive of delivery, FOB Destination. For each category of items offered the Contractor shall identify a Minimum Guaranteed Discount off of its list price that shall be applicable to those items purchased under the BPA. The Contractor may offer further discounts beyond the Minimum.

Guaranteed Discount at any time to individual ordering offices on an order-by-order basis. This further discount need not be offered to all ordering offices.

For large-volume purchases, ordering offices shall seek and the Contractor shall consider further price discounts beyond the stated Minimum Guaranteed Discount.

The Contractor shall make available and keep current an electronic Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) listing of all CLINs available under the BPA, along with the CLIN price inclusive of the Minimum Guaranteed Discount. This comprehensive CLIN listing shall be accessible to the CO and COR.

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For each item in the CLIN list the Contractor shall identify at a minimum the following:

(1) Line Item Number

(2) Item Part Number

(3) Item Name and Description

(4) Regular GSA FSS unit price

(5) Minimum Guaranteed Discount (MGD) off of its list price that shall be applicable to the item (stated as a percentage)

(6) Resultant discounted firm-fixed price of the item under the BPA.

IMPORTANT: The Government is NOT looking for a complete CLIN listing of ALL products available. The Government is only seeking a CLIN listing of those products for Satellite Rental as listed above.

2.22 Ordering Information (Government Catalog Listing)

Immediately following BPA award, the Government will provide to its offices an on-line catalog listing of approved supplies available for purchasing under this BPA via an approved Government website. This listing will include a description of the supply and its applicable BPA pricing. This online catalog will also provide ordering information and will include the Contractor's phone number for telephone orders, as well as the Contractor's secure web-site ordering address for internet orders.

The Contractor shall assist the Government in populating this catalog by providing the necessary written or electronic product and product ordering information as requested by the Government.

2.23 Government Orders for Supplies

All BPA Calls issued by the Government will be in the form of a BPA call.

Orders against this BPA may be placed by authorized personnel from any of the following agencies and cooperators: This interagency effort includes USDA-Forest Service, Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management (DOI - BLM), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of Homeland Security

– Federal Emergency Management Administration (DHS-FEMA) State Forestry Agencies from all 50 States and many Municipal Agencies, Tribal, County and Local Governments and Non- Government and public partners.

2.24 BPA and Call Governance

This section describes the requirements for the overall management and governance that will be applied to this BPA. The governance of each specific BPA Call for supplies issued will be identified at the time of issue.

2.24.1 Individual BPA Call Contact Responsibilities

Orders (BPA calls) will specify the procurement agent or contract specialist and technical representative applicable to that specific order. Issues relative to a specific order shall be handled between the Contractor and these parties. Any impasse issues should be escalated to the COR by the ordering office ONLY after resolution cannot be reached with the Contractor.

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2.24.2 Performance Report

The COR at the BPA Call level will prepare a Contractor Performance Report (CPR) no less than annually, The COR at the BPA Call level will specify the level of performance achieved by the Contractor in each of the areas of performance specified above, and will also specify an overall level of performance rating achieved on a scale of Poor, Fair, Fully Successful, Very Good, or Excellent Specific deficiencies in performance in any of the areas of performance will be identified.

The CO will consider the Contractor's written response and will determine whether the overall level of performance rating should be re-evaluated, The CO's determination as to whether to re-evaluate the performance rating or stay with the current rating will be solely the discretion of the CO. This determination, and the final performance rating, is not disputable.

2.24.3 Regulatory Compliance/Section 508 Compliance

All efforts under this BPA must comply with all applicable Federal, USDA, and office/agency regulations, policies, standards, and procedures. This includes but is not limited to applicable regulations such as Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, cybersecurity, Privacy Act, DATA Act, data rights, HSPD-12, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publications, OMB Circulars, FITARA, and new regulations and policies established throughout the entire term of the BPA.

2.25 Security Language

2.25.1 ACQUISITION OF HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE PRODUCTS – As Applicable

By accepting this contract/agreement, the Contractor and other external organizations (hereafter called Contractor) providing Information Technology (IT) resources or services to the United States Forest Service (FS) agrees to comply with the applicable IT security policy as outlined in this document.

The substance of this entire section shall be included in all subcontracts under this contract.

If not already included by the Contracting Officer in other parts of the solicitation, the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses are incorporated by reference:

• 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment

• 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation

2.25.2 Definitions

• Hardware. The material physical components of a system (see NIST SP 800-53

Rev5). Examples include, but are not limited to, laptops, desktops, servers, routers, mobile devices, peripheral devices, etc.

• Software. The term “software” for purposes of this section includes firmware, Procurement Sensitive 18 operating systems, applications, and application services (e.g., cloud-based software), as well as products containing software (see OMB M-22-18).

2.25.3 Encryption. The contractor shall:

Verify that the encryption solutions in use have been validated under the Cryptographic Module Validation Program to confirm compliance with FIPS 140-3. The contractor shall provide a written copy of the validation documentation to the COR when required by the Program Office.

Use the Key Management system on the USDA personal identification verification (PIV) card or establish and use a key recovery mechanism to ensure the ability for authorized personnel to encrypt/decrypt information and recover encryption keys. Encryption keys shall be provided to the CO, COR, or to the Project Manager or Program Manager, upon request and at the conclusion of the contract.

2.26 Cyber Supply Chain Security.

Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management Requirements. The Contractor shall comply with USDA Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) Contract

Language, which is included in SA-4/9/AU-16/SR-5/8/12 ACQUISITION PROCESS AND EXTERNAL SYSTEM SERVICES, USER APPENDIX D. Appendix D is included by reference with every FS IT contract as an attachment to the SOW/SOO/PWS.

Notification of Supply Chain Compromises. The Contractor shall develop, propose, and implement procedures for notifying the CO, as well as FS/USDA Cybersecurity personnel, or other Forest Service personnel of any compromises of its supply chain (in accordance with the USDA Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C- SCRM) Contract Language). Such procedures are subject to approval by the CO prior to implementation. [SR-08]

Data, Documentation, Tools, Or System Components Disposal. The Contractor shall ensure any data, documentation, tools, or system components containing controlled unclassified information (CUI) or other non-publicly-available information is properly sanitized using the processes specified in NIST SP-800-88 Rev. 1, Guidelines for Media Sanitization, prior to disposal

Maintaining Configuration Control of Components Awaiting Service or Repair [NIST Supply Chain control SR-11(2)]: The Contractor shall ensure that the following components awaiting service or repair are maintained under configuration until returned to the Forest Service: Not applicable.

2.27 Foreign Sourcing

The Contractor will comply with all requirements related to “Country of Origin” in the USDA Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) Contract Language, which is incorporated by reference. This includes the provision that the Contractor shall not use any product or its components (including hardware, software, and firmware) that are on the Department of Commerce Entity List, including countries where the development, manufacturing, maintenance, and service for the product are provided.

The Contractor shall comply with the provisions of the FAR 52.204.23 through

52.204.27 concerning the use/acquisition of products or services from prohibited entities/sources.

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52.204.28 USDA Office of Contracts & Procurement (OCP) Contract Requirements for Secure Software Development Attestation Forms. In support of OMB memos M-22-18 and M- 23-16, attestation forms are required to be completed for all “software that is provided by software producers” in order to “attest to complying with Government-specified minimum secure software development practices.”

The Contractor shall provide completed Attestation Forms for all software components delivered under this contract. This requirement applies to both custom-developed software and third-party software integrated into the final deliverables. The

Contractor must submit the completed Attestation Forms at the following milestones:

Prior to contract award.

With each major software update or release.

Upon request by the Contracting Officer.

The Contractor must submit the attestation to all of the following:

Online at https://softwaresecurity.cisa.gov/software and associate USDA with the submittal.

And send an email to FY24VendorAttestations@usda.gov with the signed attestation form with a copy (cc) to the CO when complete.

The Contractor is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the Software Attestation Forms. Any discrepancies or issues identified in the attestation must be promptly addressed and resolved by the Contractor at no additional cost to the Government. The Government reserves the right to validate the submitted Software Attestation Forms and request additional documentation or evidence to verify compliance. The Contractor shall cooperate fully and provide any requested information within ten (10) business days of the request. Failure to submit the completed Software Attestation Forms in accordance with the requirements outlined herein may result in failure to receive a contract, withholding of payments, termination of the contract for default, or other remedies as deemed appropriate by the Government.

2.28 Vulnerability Identification and Remediation.

2.28.2 The contractor shall remediate security risks for which they are responsible, including those identified during their own development, scanning and testing activities, as well as those identified during testing, A&A and continuous monitoring activities by the government or its designated representatives. The Contractor shall report vulnerabilities identified in any component through scans or other methods. The FS shall determine the risk rating of all identified vulnerabilities.

2.28.3 In providing the products and services described in this Agreement the Contractor shall provide, at no additional cost to the government, appropriate software and firmware updates to remediate newly discovered https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F09%2FM-22-18.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CAngela.Mitchell%40usda.gov%7C002e882a2ae14b054c8608dc83f51c86%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638530335975116147%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fFRoZ8eQtWcTadNLLoTEgGagKSDxYduUlsvlTfuvhoY%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2FM-23-16-Update-to-M-22-18-Enhancing-Software-Security.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CAngela.Mitchell%40usda.gov%7C002e882a2ae14b054c8608dc83f51c86%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638530335975121406%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=PBnT%2BwEO7NjDCqTygxVC8c%2Fdk6t%2BSrI%2FE%2F31oAo4TEg%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2FM-23-16-Update-to-M-22-18-Enhancing-Software-Security.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CAngela.Mitchell%40usda.gov%7C002e882a2ae14b054c8608dc83f51c86%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638530335975121406%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=PBnT%2BwEO7NjDCqTygxVC8c%2Fdk6t%2BSrI%2FE%2F31oAo4TEg%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoftwaresecurity.cisa.gov%2Fsoftware&data=05%7C02%7CAngela.Mitchell%40usda.gov%7C002e882a2ae14b054c8608dc83f51c86%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638530335975126591%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=TZWtBQemyRFEh4NDZ238sBX7YG%2FTwF3qdboKbGIIg40%3D&reserved=0 mailto:FY24VendorAttestations@usda.gov

Procurement Sensitive 20 vulnerabilities or weaknesses within the prescribed timelines: Critical vulnerabilities shall be remediated within 14 days from discovery; and all High, Medium, and Low vulnerabilities shall be mitigated within 30 days from discovery. A shorter timeframe may be required by CISA in a Binding Operational Directive or Emergency Directive. In the event that a specific vulnerability or other risk finding cannot be remediated within the prescribed timelines above, variance from the timeline must be approved by FS in accordance with the USDA Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and shall be added to the designated POA&M and remediated within the newly designated timelines specified by the Program Office.

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Section III: Inspection and Acceptance

3.1 Inspection and Acceptance

Inspection and acceptance could take place at any other location where the Contractor provides the item(s) in agreement with the BPA or Order COR. Each order will identify each Order COR who will possess the delegated authority to inspect and accept all item(s).

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Section IV: Deliveries or Performance

4.1 Period of Performance and Ordering Period

(a) BPA Period of Performance. The effective date of the BPA will be stipulated in the award document. The BPA period of performance concludes at the expiration of the last order issued against the BPA.

(b) BPA Ordering Period. The BPA ordering period refers to the period in which a CO can award a call under this BPA. The ordering period commences on the effective date of the BPA and concludes five years from that effective date. Once the BPA ordering period concludes, USFS COs will not be able to award an order.

(c) BPA Call Period of Performance. Each Order Quote Request will specify the period of performance for the resultant order.

4.2 Ordering Procedures

(a) The appropriate personnel from the agencies listed in Section 2.23 can issue Order Quote Requests. The appropriate personnel must follow the ordering procedures set forth in FAR 13.303. The Contractor’s work must not begin until the CO executes an order under this BPA.

(b) Each Order Quote Request will specify the number of days that the BPA holder will have to submit a quote. Based upon the objectives and requirements outlined in the Order Quote Request, the BPA holder may respond with a written or oral quote. Upon acceptance by the Ordering CO of the technical and price solution offered by the BPA holder, the Ordering CO will execute an Order under this BPA, authorizing the BPA holder to proceed with the performance of the work required.

(a) Each Order Quote Request will identify deliverables, deadlines, and milestones for the work required for each order. Each Order COR will inspect and accept those deliverables as defined in each order.

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Section V– List of Attachments

Attachment

Number Title

1 Performance Requirement Summary

2 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

3 Bill of Materials

4 USDA/Forest Service Terms and Conditions

5 USDA Security Contract Language

6 ICT Accessibility Requirements

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Section VI: Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors

THE OFFEROR/QUOTER REPRESENTS AND CERTIFIES THAT—

(a) It [ ] is, [ ] is not a current Federal Government employee.

(b) It [ ] is, [ ] is not a former USDA EMPLOYEE.

(c) It [ ] is, [ ] is not a retired USDA employee. If retired, give date of retirement

(d) It [ ] has, [ ] has not taken a voluntary separation incentive payment (also known as a buy out).

(e) It [ ] is, [ ] is not related to a current Forest Service employee on any forest service unit. If so, list employee's name and location. __________________________________________.

(f) The firm [ ] is, [ ] is not substantially owned or controlled by a former USDA employee or retiree.

Offerors must include the completed clause in its Price Volume.

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Section VII – Quotation Instructions

7.1 Introduction

The Government contemplates award of a multiple BPA. However, the Government reserves the right to award a single BPA or no BPA, if in its best interest.

7.2 Questions

Questions in response to this RFQ must be submitted by email to Cori Gonzales at corrine.gonzales@usda.gov by the due date specified on the cover page of this RFQ.

7.3 General Instructions

Offerors are fully responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and compliance with all quotation instructions set forth in the RFQ.

Procurement Milestones Due Dates Electronic Questions Due By 5:00 PM ET June 18, 2025 (06/18/2025) Electronic Quote Due By 5:00 PM ET June 27, 2025 (06/27/2025)

Quote Format: In order to maximize efficiency and minimize the time for quote evaluation, it is required that the Offeror submit the quote in accordance with the format and content specified herein.

8.5 x 11-inch paper · Single-spaced typed lines · 1-inch margins · Times New Roman 12-point Font in text · Fonts for graphics can be smaller, but must be legible · No hyperlinks

Page Numbering: The Offeror shall use a standard page numbering system to facilitate quote references. Charts, graphs and other insert materials shall be page-numbered as part of the page numbering system.

Page Limitations: Page limitations are identified for each volume/section of the quote below and should be treated as maximums. If exceeded, excess pages will not be read or considered in quote evaluation. Included in the page count are separate pages providing graphics, charts, illustrations and pictures.

The following pages are not included in the page limitations:

Cover Pages Tables of Contents Resumes Certifications

Tables below also mirror these exceptions to the page limitations.

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Cover Page/Table of Contents: Each quote volume will include a Cover Page and a Table of Contents. The Cover Page shall identify the RFQ number, quote volume and title, and the Offeror’s name and contact information. Cover Pages and Tables of Contents shall not count against page count limitations.

7.4 RFQ Instructions

If an Offeror does not follow the instructions set forth herein, the Offeror's quotation may be eliminated from further consideration or the quotation may be down-graded and not receive full or partial credit under the applicable evaluation criteria.

Offerors must use the Government-provided templates. All text within the templates must be Times New Roman, 12 point font. Headers may be a larger point font. Tables must also use 12 point font. Graphics may use Arial or other fonts no smaller than 10 point. Entirety of quotation is limited to 11 pages (not including price lists). Pages shall be numbered sequentially.

7.5 Accurate and Complete Information.

An Offeror must set forth full, accurate and complete information as required by this RFQ. The penalty for making false statements to the Government is prescribed in 18 U.S.C.

1001. Additionally, the Government has the right to validate or invalidate information submitted in the quotation through review of websites such as SAM.gov, FPDS.gov, GSA eLibrary, conversations with customers, information from other Federal agencies, such as the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the General Services Administration (GSA), and other available sources.

7.6 Quotation Preparation Price

The Government will not pay for any quotation preparation costs. Any cost incurred in anticipation of an award shall be at the Offeror’s own risk.

7. 7 Submission of Quotations/Delivery Instructions Offerors must submit their quotations electronically via email to Cori Gonzales at corrine.gonzales@usda.gov by the due date specified in section 7.3. Paper copies will not be accepted. If you do not receive an email confirmation for receipt of quotations, please contact the USFS at the email addresses noted above.

The Volume 1: Technical must not make reference to price data in order that the non-price evaluation may be made strictly on the basis of technical merit.

The subject lines of the quotation submission must be as follows:

INSERT COMPANY NAME AND RFQ NUMBER HERE - Technical and Price Quotation

If the total size of the email exceeds 10MB, Offerors may use multiple emails for sending the quotations. Please add “1 of X” to the email subject line with “X” being the total number of emails.

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All data and information must be included and must not be “implied”. Calculations used on excel spreadsheets must be visible and there must be no hidden or password protected cells or spreadsheets. All reference data and information must be made available for review. Offerors must provide Technical and Price Quotations in MS Word or PDF with Optical Character Recognition. Price Quotations must be in PDF and Excel formats as described in Section 8.14.

7.8 Restrictions on Disclosure and Use of Data

Offerors that include in their quotations data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose, or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes, must—

(a) Mark the cover page with the following legend: This quotation includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed—in whole or in part—for any purpose other than to evaluate this quotation. If, however, a BPA is awarded to this Offeror as a result of—or in connection with—the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting BPA. This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]; and

(b) Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend: Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this quotation.

7.9 Detailed Quote Instructions

The Offeror’s complete quote (consisting of the Technical and Price Volumes) will be evaluated in accordance with section IX of this Request for Quote. The following detailed quote instructions are provided to ensure a consistent and detailed description of the Offeror’s approach and the associated price. The Offeror must address all factors and sub-factors as directed in the instructions below. Failure to comply with this requirement may eliminate an Offeror’s Quote from consideration.

Table of Factors VOLUME 1: TECHNICAL (11-page limit)

* NO PRICE INFORMATION SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE TECHNICAL QUOTE.

Factor 1: Technical Approach- The Offeror shall describe the extent to which the technical and management approach is feasible and…